Chapter 10

Bella seemed nervous when I first arrived, I'm not really surprised as it's a really big day for her, but when she first saw me she instantly calmed down. I was glad I had that effect on her.

"Hey" she grinned; jumping into my arms and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, making my cheeks redden slightly. Damn, why did she have to have this affect on me?

"Hey, beautiful" I whispered. I turned away from her slightly to face Chief Swan. Here goes nothing. "Hello Chief Swan, I'm Paul Long."

"Oh, go ahead and call me Charlie, lad, everyone does" Charlie grinned and I heard Bella give a soft sigh of relief. I suppressed a laugh. You know the farther loves you when he asks you to call him by his first name.

"Are you alright?" I asked Bella, helping her from her seat once we were at her school's parking lot.

"Yeah, I'm just a little nervous" she answered, giving me her best brave smile that wavered slightly.

"Your beautiful" I reassured her and she blushed at least ten shades of red. I chuckled. She really was, though. Under the ugly yellow polyester graduation robe she wore a strapless blue dress which had a lighter blue ribbon running around the middle and ending in a bow, complete with silver pumps. It was enough to make a wolf go insane.

"Are you excited?" Charlie asked, linking his arm with hers and dragging me and her along with him all the way to the school. I laughed under my breath.

"Not really" Bella admitted and I gave her hand a squeeze which she returned.

"Bella, this is a big deal. You're graduating from high school. It's the real world for you know. College. Living on your own...You're not my little girl anymore." Charlie chocked up a bit at the end.

"Dad" Bella moaned, rolling her eyes. "Please don't go all weepy on me."

"Who's weepy?" he growled. "Now, why aren't you excited?"

Bella's just being Bella, I thought to myself with a smile as I stared at Bella.

"I don't know, Dad. I guess it just hasn't hit yet or something."

"It's good a good job that Emily and Sam are throwing this party. You need something to perk you up."

"Sure. A party's exactly what I need."

Charlie and I laughed at her sarcasm and I gave Bella a grin, unable to take my eyes off the angel in front of me. She gave me a wink and I growled under my breath. That girl really had no idea what affect she had on me. And thank god she didn't, or she'd be the death of me.

I, Charlie and the others waited patiently until Bella's name was called. When it was her turn, we all cheered and she turned to give at us, giving us a big wave. I was glad she was happy.

Once it was over, Bella began craning her head to look for us.

I snuck up on her and whispered in her ear "Congratulations." I wound my arms around her waist, pulling her clothes. The wolf in me didn't like it when we were apart.

"Thank" she laughed, her eyes full of sparkles. It was such an adorable sight.

"I see you're over the nerves" Sam said, grinning like an idiot. He snatched my Bella out of my arms and spun her around and around.

"Whoa, where did the touchy Sam come from?" Bella teased him once he had set her back on her feet. Good question, Bells, really good question.

"I don't know" Sam admitted, and then turned to snog Emily's face off.

The rest of the guys took turns in hugging her, or spinning her around just like Sam had.

"God, anymore hugging and my lungs will be coming up my throat" she joked.

"Lovely thought, Bells, just lovely" Quil rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Bella" Billy said, wheeling up behind the guys.

"Hey Billy" she exclaimed, hugging him. I've never seen my imprint so happy.

Billy whispered something in her ear and she whispered something back, though I didn't quick catch what they said.

"Bella" Charlie crowed, pushing his way his way past the close-packed families around us to his baby girl.

"Congratulation, baby!" he yelled, even though he was right by her ear now and everyone laughed at him. His sneakily wrapped his around Bella and pulled her away from me. I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks" Bella said, before wriggling out of Charlie's arm and slunk back into mine with a cheeky grin and her face. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I get it, you two are irrespirable" he laughed.

"Yep" Bella laughed, giving Charlie the biggest, cheesiest grin ever and I, unable to resist, copied her, making us look like a pair of right old loons. Everyone laughed at us again.

"Smile" Emily said and I and Bella grinned at the camera.

"Come on, let's get back to home and we can throw the party" Embry.

"Did I hear him say parta? Everybody, let's parta!" Quil shouted, throwing his fist in the air.

Bella took a ride on my motorbike and everyone else went in their cars so we were there in no time. Of course, we could have been there quicker if we went by wolf but I didn't want to ruin her new dress. Well, actually, the real reason was that I loved the feeling of Bella's arms wrapped around my waist, but I didn't tell her that.

When we did get there, it was like stepping out of reality and into a fantasy.

The black velvet darkness was interrupted ahead, just where Emily and Sam's drive should be. Someone had wrapped the house in thousands of twinkle lights, impossible to miss.

Wow" Bella breathed, her eyes widening cutely.

The house wasn't the only thing that was lit up. Every twenty feet or so, another shining beacon guided us toward the small house. All the way.

"Wow" she repeated as I led her inside. The interior of their house had been transformed into a nightclub- the kind that didn't often exist in real life, only on TV.

"Bloody hell, Emily" Bella said, laughing.

"I know" she grinned. "It's brilliant, isn't it? Even if I do say so myself."

"Let's get this party started" Jake shouted and turned on the music so loud that it was blaring out of the speakers.

"I think I'm underdressed" Bella said to me.

"You're perfect" I disagreed, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Oh, come on, get dancing you!" Jared yelled, who was pulling Kim onto the dance floor. Kim turned bright red but happily danced with her wolf.

"Come on" she grinned, pulling me towards the dance floor.

"Nah ah" I disagreed, trying to pull away. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass myself in front of my imprint. "I don't dance."

"Neither do I. Come on" Bella laughed and somehow managed to yank me onto the dance floor before jumping up and down like a maniac like everyone else. I grudgingly joined in and, in no time at all, found myself enjoying myself. My imprint never cesses to surprise me.

"I think it's time for the karaoke" Emily called over the music. "Now, who wants to go first?"

"I will" Jared shouted, jumping up towards the mike as everyone sat down. He started singing to 'Who let the dogs out' making everyone laugh.

"Okay, its official, that is the pack's new national anthem" Leah grinned as the other boys, not including Sam, starting barking. Sam just stood there, shaking his head, but having a hard time hiding his amusement.

"Come on, Bella, you're turn next" Kim shouted to Bella, winking.

"No" she replied, shaking her head. "Oh, no. I only did it that night just for you girls. I ain't doing it in front of the guys as well."

We all started chanting 'Bella' and in the end she gave him. She chose my song and began to sing to 'Love like this' by Amy Pearson. It was beautiful.

At the end, everyone cheered and clapped like mad making her blush like there was no tomorrow. I watched her, smiling, as she danced madly with Embry. This was defiantly where she belongs and nobody could change that.