Chapter 2:

"Okay 1…2…..3 say cheese." My father said as me and my best friends. We were taking a picture with our diplomas on graduation day.

I was sad to leave my high school years behind. I had a really great 4 years there. I had a lot of friends that I would probably never see again. The reason was because I was going to school out of state next year while all of my friends were staying home either working or going to a state college. I was going to miss them. I had 2 really close friends. Rosalie, Alice, and I have been best friends since freshman year when we all tried out for the cheerleading squad here at Forks High. We were the only freshman that made it on the squad so it was kind of destined for us to become friends. We have been through a lot together in the last 2 years. A lot of the drama came from me, but they were there for me when I needed them the most. Now I can stand up and smile and go on with my day without breaking down. They are the best!

"Okay dad no more pictures." I said holding my hand up at him to stop.

"Oh come on Bella you only graduate from high school once. You have to document the experience." He said to me still taking more pictures of random people in their caps and gowns.

"Come on Bella your dad is just having fun. You are his last child to graduate for god's sake." Rosalie said to me while posing for another picture. She just liked having her picture taken. And she wasn't shy about it either.

"Thank you Rose. At least someone gets it." my dad said to her.

"Okay they you two can take pictures while I go and find mom and Emmet." I said getting out of their before my dad takes another picture.

Emmett was my older brother. He graduated from Forks High two years ago. I'm sure he was on the football field reliving his most victorious moment when he won the state championships. And my mother is a very friendly person so to say. So she was probably taking to someone around here.

As I was walking through the auditorium I kept getting stopped by people saying 'congratulations' and what not. Yes I get it people graduating High School is a big accomplishment!

I found my brother standing with a group of people by the back door. It looked like it was a funny conversation because he was throwing his head back and laughing. His face was starting to turn red.

"Dude, that was priceless." Emmett said to another boy who I recognized as one of his friends he graduated with.

"Hey what's so funny?" I said joining the group of boys.

"Oh nothing Sean and I were just remembering old times." Emmett said still laughing a little bit.

"Yea I was just telling Emmett about the time coach made him and Edward dress up in high heels and dresses for the whole day because they got caught cheating on their tests." Sean said.

My heart stopped at that moment. I made it a rule in my house that the "E" word was not to be used when I was present. It came as a shock to me hearing it out loud. I know it's been two years, but it still hurt sometimes at just the mention of his name. I looked over to Emmett and he just had an apologetic expression. He knew about all the pain I went through. He even told me that he kicked Edward's ass for it, but that wasn't good enough.

"You remember that Bella?" Sean asked me. I didn't know what to say to him. Of course I remember it. I picked out Edward's dress for him, and I took pictures. But I didn't want to get into a story that reminded me of the past. I tried to forget about it as best as I could, but every now and then something or someone would remind me.

Like the last day of school for the seniors. The junior class put together a slide show of our whole high school years. It was a great way to end the last day of school with memories starting with our freshman year, but towards the end of the slide show there was a picture of just me and Edward after the homecoming game. He was a senior and I was a sophomore. We were standing on the football field and he had his arm around me and I had mine wrapped around him. We looked so happy and in love back then. It hurt to look at it and I could feel everyone stare at me after. But I held my head up high as if to say I don't care. But when I got home I broke down. I cried for an hour. An improvement I might say.

I saw that Sean was waiting for an answer from me so I simply said "Yea I remember."

"Well Emmett dad told me to come find you so we can get home and start setting up."

My parents let me throw a party just for the graduating class at my house. They did it for my brother so it was only fair that I got to do it too.

"Yea okay." Emmett said. "I'll see you around Sean." He said shaking his hand.

"Yea see you around. Congratulations Bella." Sean said to me. I swear one more person tells me that I think my head will explode.

"Thanks." I said already turning to leave with my brother right behind me.

"Well that was awkward." Emmett said looking down at me. I knew he was referring to the Edward thing.

"Yea whatever. I'm okay with it." I said. I was so lying to him. But what he didn't know didn't hurt him.

"Really?" he said.

"Yea I'm over it. It's time to move on don't you think?" I said to him. I actually believed myself. I hope it was working on him.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that." Emmett said while giving me a hug making me almost fall down.

"Your happy to hear me say that?" I asked him. Why would he be happy?

"Yea I'm glad that you are being an adult and putting the past behind you." Emmett said.

"Yea well I am going to college next year which kind of means that I have to be an adult." I told him.

"Yea College is a life changing experience. Trust me I should know." Emmett said with a wink. Emmett got into UCLA with a football scholarship, which meant that he had to keep his grades up in order to play. He wanted to quit the first semester. If it wasn't for the football part he would have. College was different from what he thought it would be. He barely passed high school. I have no idea how he had gotten that scholarship. I think it's because Emmett is really good. He is big so he plays defense. He could very well be the next Troy Polamalu. So his days of not studying were over. Now he tells me that he has to study every night and sometimes he doesn't get higher than a 'C' on his tests.

I wasn't a straight 'A' student, but I did well. Unlike my brother I actually cared about my grades. I did receive a few scholarships but none to where I really wanted to go. UCLA. My family has been a Bear's fan since forever. It was just right to have Emmett go there and play college football. Not to mention that my father was very excited because we got free tickets to go to all the games. But we live in Forks, Washington. So it's hard to make all the games.

We finally found my mother of course talking to some lady. It turned out that me and her son was in the same World History class and she and my mother use to be good friends in High School.

I begged her to finish up her conversation because I really wanted to get home to start setting up the place. Alice and Rose offered to help so they are going to spend some time with both their families and then come to my house so we can all get ready together. It might be the last time we ever do that.

Rose is going to Washington State University in the fall while Alice is moving to New York to live with her mother Ms. Brandon.

Ms. Brandon is a fashion designer for Vogue. She works in the main office over there. Alice lives with her older brother James here in Forks. She wanted to finish out her senior year here in Forks instead of moving with her mother to New York. Alice had every intention of going to college there anyway. So it was just a matter of time.

Last summer Ms. Brandon invited Alice, Rose, and me to stay with her in New York. It was amazing to see all the buildings and lights. I had never been so much as outside of Washington State. My families idea of a vacation is going spend a few days in a hotel in Seattle and visit the tourist attractions like the Space Needle. So it was fun to be able to see more of the world.

I don't like to admit it but the main reason I wanted to go so bad was to get out of Forks. I was still upset about the whole break up mess, and I knew that he and Emmett will be coming home for their summer break. I really didn't want to face him. I actually had no intentions of ever seeing him again. But he and Emmett have been best friends since birth. And I knew it was just a matter of time before had to really face him. But that summer wasn't the time. So I left and didn't come back home until I knew he would be gone. And last summer he stayed in California to take some summer courses. He only came to Forks for one week and I avoided him like the plague. Then he and his family left for their annual camping trip.

The Cullen family, (Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, and Edward) take a 2 week camping trip at the end of every summer. One year I was invite to go with them along with Emmett. We had a really fun time. I of course had my own tent because my parents along with Esme and Carlisle didn't allow me and Edward to sleep in the same tent. Even though Emmett and Jasper would be in there so it's not like we would do anything.

This was the summer that Edward and I finally announced to everyone that we were dating. We actually started dating when I was 15 and Edward was 17. We thought that people would judge us and our parents wouldn't approve. So we kept it a secret. And let me tell you it wasn't easy. We would secretly go out on dates out of town where no one would recognize us. When Edward would come stay the night at our house he would sneak into my room late at night when Emmett finally went to sleep. We would talk and share a few kisses here and there. Then he would hold me in his arms and sing to me until I fell asleep.

I really was in love with him. I fell too fast though. The first moment I realized that Edward was paying attention to me I started to fix my hair and makeup whenever I knew I would be seeing him. I would write 'Mrs. Edward Cullen' and 'Isabella Marie Cullen' in my notebook. I had it bad for him. I just wish he felt the same way.

I always thought that Edward had control of our realationship because he was older. He could have been with any other girl, but he chose me. so when he ended things I knew deep down that it would always end like that. we tried to make the long distance thing work out. I just had my senior year to finish then I was on my way to UCLA with him. But it didn't last all but 5 months.

I never really asked Emmett if he ever told him what the main reason he ended things was. I just assumed that it was another girl and he didn't want to cheat on me. So he broke up with me for her. But the Edward I knew wouldn't dream of doing something like that. But the Edward I knew doesn't exist anymore. The boy I fell in love with is no more. Oh how I wish things could go back to the way it use to be. Edward and I walking down the halls of Forks High hand and hand. Him kissing me before I had to get to class. Eating lunch with him and all our friends. Sneaking around to the back field during free period to have our annual 'Tuesday Make out Session'.

I also miss the talks we would have. We would tell each other our dreams and fears. We even named our children and thought about what they would look like. We would go to college then after I finish we would get married. A year later we would have our first child then 4 more after that. We both come from a 2 child family so we wanted to have a lot of kids. Oh and we would have a dog.

Thinking back I didn't realize how crazy we were. We were making plans for our future together when we both knew it wouldn't last. It was fun to pretend for a little while though.

~^*%$#&(~

"Okay so I have this blue dress with these sliver heels, or I have this red dress with these black flats. Which one should I wear?" Alice said holding up both dresses and she had on each shoe on each foot. That's Alice for you. She literally has to put on 3 different outfits to decide that the first one she had on was the one she would wear. She takes forever to get ready.

"I like the red one. It makes your boobs look good." Rose said looking at Alice through the mirror while she applied her makeup. Rose has a natural beauty. I tell her all the time that she doesn't need all that make up, but Rose has some issues. She thinks that she is ugly and fat. It's all because of her stupid mother fucker of a boyfriend, Royce King. He treats her like shit and tells her that she is fat and ugly. Alice and I try to get her to break up with him because they aren't in a healthy relationship. But she admits that she loves him to death. And she believes ever word he says. Like he's god or something. I worry about her sometimes.

"Yea the red one." I shouted from my bathroom. I was curling my hair. I really don't get dress up that often. Living in Forks doesn't really give you a chance too. The only things around here you would dress up for is the prom or any school related dances or if there was a wedding and you were lucky enough to get invited too. So tonight I went all out with my hair, makeup, and outfit. Alice's mom sent us over a few dresses that Vogue didn't want to use anymore. So tonight we were dressed in designer dresses. I feel like a movie star about to walk out onto the red carpet telling all the news and gossip channels who I was wearing.

"Really? I kind of really like the blue one thought." Alice said looking in the mirror and holding up each dress to her body.

"Wear whatever you want Alice." Rose said annoyed. She hates it when Alice asks for her opinions and she does the opposite of what she tells her. But I'm sure Alice had in her mind the moment she saw that blue dress that that was the one she was going to wear. She just has to go through the motions of deciding on one.

I finished up my hair and makeup in the bathroom and walked over to my closet to put on my dress and shoes. Alice gave me a little black dress from Channel. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. and I had the perfect red heels to go with it.

I put on my dress listening to Alice and Rose singing along to whatever song Emmett put on down stairs. Emmett was being our DJ tonight. I was nervous at first because god only knows what Emmett would play from his CD collection. But I gave him strict orders of what to play. He's doing a really good job at it so far.

"Hey guys do you know where my red pumps are? I can't find them in my closet." I said turning to Rose and Alice.

"Nope haven't seen them. Did you check under your bed?" Rose said walking to the bathroom to do her hair.

"No they wouldn't be there. I only wore them once and I put them back in the box after I was finished." I said looking under my bed anyway. I was panicking now. Those shoes cost me a whole week's paycheck. My father was upset that I spent the whole thing on one pair of shoes. Now he was going to explode if he found out I lost them.

"Oh wait a minute the red pumps with the little bows on them?" Alice asked still trying to decide on which dress to wear.

"Yea. Do you know where they are?"

"Year your mom wore them today at graduation. I commented on how cute they were and she said they were yours and not to tell you."

"I swear my mother thinks she's 16." I said walking out my bedroom and walking down stairs to go confront my mother.

The music got louder as I made my way down the stairs. I really didn't get a chance to look at all our decorations. We had lights hanging from the ceiling and tables set up with chips and dip and other snack foods you would find at a party. We had our school colors in ribbons draped all around the room. All of our hard work looked like it paid off.

I walked right into the kitchen trying to avoid Emmett. I knew he would want me to comment on his DJing skills and I didn't have to time right now. When I walk into the kitchen I expected to find my mother cooking more food or preparing vegetable platters but instead I found the side door that lead to our garage opened and Emmett standing in there talking to someone. I walked over to the door and grabbed a hand full of chips from one of the bowels sitting on the counter. I haven't eaten anything since this morning. And even then I only have a piece of toast and an apple. I was too nervous to eat anything.

I walked into the darkly lit garage and turned on the light as I went in.

"Hey Em do you know where…." I stopped dead in my tracks. Dropping the chips on the floor and standing there with my mouth open. I couldn't move from that stop if my life depended on it. The sight I saw before me was something unexpected and surprising I'll say.

"You might not want to eat those after they been on the ground." Emmett said pointing to the chips. But I couldn't talk. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't blink.

"Hello Bella." He said to me. He was standing just a few feet away from me. I only had to take maybe 5 steps and I would be right in front of him. I knew he was waiting for me to say something back. And somehow I managed to say to words I have banded myself from saying.

"Hi Edward."

AN: Sorry to leave it there folks but I have to keep you wanting more;)

The next chapter won't be up for a few days. I'm going on vacation for a week and I'm not sure if the place we're staying at has internet access. So let's hope it does so I can get chapter 3 up for yall.

Please Review and tell me what you think. I had gotten some really good feedback from the first chapter and it made me want to write and get the creative juices flowing.

If you didn't knew I do have another story that is in progress right now. It's on a Hiatus right now so I can focus on this story but it will be finished. So if you want to go check it out. It's called "Love Left to Lose" and it's totally different from this story.

Why do I feel like I just did a rec for my own story? Oh well.

Review

~mmc13~