A/N: I just want to thank all of you who are taking the time to review. Those really make me smile. I try my best to respond to each of your comments/questions as well. If I've missed you, send me another one and I'll get back to you.

For those of you wondering the length of this story, well my basic outline shows a chapter to cover every month from the beginning of freshman year through graduation, and possibly a chapter or two afterwards. That gives me about 45 chapters after this one, so needless to say this is gonna be a long story. Hopefully I can keep you all interested and not bore the snot out of all of you.

Now, back to the story.

DISCLAIMER: you know the drill….

BPOV

December

Our team was off to a great start of the basketball season. We had only lost once, and that was by a couple baskets. I was in charge of recording each time our team got a rebound. I sat with a couple other girls, away from the basketball cheerleading squad, which included Jessica and Lauren. Following our breakup, Lauren had pounced on Edward, and sadly, he caved and started dating her. I would sometimes catch them outside of random classrooms making out. She held onto him like a trophy, and especially around me, showed him off with sickening displays of affection.

Edward was amazing to watch on the basketball court. He was able to dazzle audiences as he stole passes from the other team and outscored most of the other players on the team. Jasper played point guard and was able to command the team and call the plays easily. He thrived giving orders on the court. Emmett was an enforcer. He was able to use his new size to get inside under the basket. There were quite a few games that he got over excited and ended up on the bench because he would foul out.

I kept my promise to Edward. We remained friends, which was probably a good thing for my math grade. Edward would tutor me still, helping me finally understand what the teacher was never able to get into my mind during class. I, in turn, allowed Edward to copy homework assignments or helped him study for upcoming tests. We were able to have friendly conversations in lunch or study hall, but I noticed that he always stopped laughing at jokes before I did.

Secretly, I still loved Edward. I wasn't about to let him know that, but he had moved on. I knew I should try to move on, but I just couldn't bring myself to date anyone so soon after our breakup. Mike Newton was relentless. He kept asking for my phone number and even went so far to show up at my house one night, in hopes of bringing me to a movie. Luckily, Edward had shown that he could be a gentleman and squashed the rumors that Lauren and Jessica had tried to start about me. Thankfully, I was still unknown to most of the school, and I could deal with that.

We were sitting in lunch a couple days before Christmas break, and I daydreaming about being able to sleep in, and not having to hide my feelings anymore. I knew everyone was talking about their holiday plans. Jasper and Rose were going to Seattle for the holiday to stay with family members. Alice and Edward were also going out of town. They would be going to Port Angeles to see Esme and Carlisle. That left Emmett and I here in Forks with just our parents. It was going to be a quiet holiday and I was thankful. I was getting almost tired of being around Edward and having to act like a friend.

"Bella, are you listening?" Alice was waving a hand in front of my face.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought. What were you saying?" I said sheepishly.

"I was asking you if it was okay if we came over to your house tomorrow to do our gift exchange. Jasper and Rose are leaving by 5 and Edward and I have to leave early Saturday morning. Is that okay with you?"

"Oh, um… yeah… sure. I guess that's fine. Are you guys excited about visiting family members for the holidays?" I asked the table in general, hoping that I could once again get lost in thoughts. Luckily Alice and Rose jumped at the chance to tell me about all the little cousins they were hoping to see and all the things they wanted to do in the "bigger cities". I noticed Edward was also quiet during all this conversation.

"What about you Edward? Are you excited about the holiday?" I was generally curious about anything he was thinking. I wish I had the ability to read his thoughts some days because his face was always so cryptic.

"Um, yeah. I guess, I mean Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle are great, but I'll miss being around my friends, I suppose."

"Gee Edward. You're going to see us soon enough. I mean we have the holiday tournament on New Years Eve. So you'll see all of us then. It's only like a week and a half that you have to survive without us." I gave him a playful nudge, but I couldn't get his smile to reach his eyes.

"I'm going to get to class early guys. I'll see you later," I told the table. I gave Edward one last look before I threw my trash out and headed towards English. Soon I realized that Edward had followed me. We walked in silence for a few feet before I couldn't take it anymore. "So, you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

He finally smiled at my obvious joke. I mean, there was no possible way that I would be able to beat Edward up. "I'm an idiot, Bella. I feel like you and I are just going through the motions, and it's all my fault. I want us to be okay. I don't like knowing that I hurt you, and I know you haven't been happy about how this whole thing has turned out."

I was shocked by his admission, but I was able to recover quickly. "Edward, look at me. Do you see me breaking down here? Do you see me locked up in my bedroom at home? I'm fine. Besides, we were only together as a couple for a couple weeks. It's not like I expected us to get married and live happily ever after right. We're 14 and 15 years old. I'm not going to lie to you, I was hurt, but I'll survive."

"I don't want you to just survive, I want you to be happy. Is there anything I can do to make you happy?" Edward looked down at me with his beautiful green eyes, and it took all of my strength not to kiss him.

"Edward, I think it's just going to take time. But I swear to you, there is nothing in this world that will make me stop being your friend. If you ever need me, I'm here. I only hope that it's the same for you. I hope that you'll always be my friend, even if I get excessively crabby." I looked up at him with a determined expression, hoping that he wouldn't try to dazzle me anymore with those gorgeous green eyes of his.

"Bella, I will ALWAYS be here for you, no matter what. You can always trust me. I will spend the rest of my life earning back the trust that I messed up with my big mouth."

"Thanks Edward. Now, let's get to class before Mrs. Larson decides she wants to write up the students today." We walked into English and prepared to finish out the rest of the day as friends. I knew it would be rough to get over Edward, but I was going to do whatever it took to always be a great friend to him, he deserved that at least.

The following afternoon, Rose, Jasper, Edward, Alice, Emmett, and I had gathered in our family room down by our Christmas tree. Alice was practically bouncing into the tree. Each of us had a small pile of gifts in front of us to pass out to our friends. Alice took charge and decided that we would each hand the presents we got for a certain person to them, they would open all their gifts, and then we would move on.

"Okay everybody, let's start with Emmett…" We all passed our gifts to Emmett and he began opening them. Jasper bought him a couple pairs of gym shorts. Edward and Alice got him a year's membership to the local gym. Rose got him a couple video games, and I got him some cheap socks as a joke. "Oh come on big brother, you know I got you a bunch of stuff under the tree. You just have to wait for those." I stuck my tongue out at him and he reached over to rub my head.

"All right, let's move on to Rose," Alice chimed. Rose started with Alice's gift and found a silk scarf in bright colors that Rose could add to any outfit, and make it look fabulous. I got her a year's subscription to her favorite fashion magazine. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett all chipped in and got her a very large gift certificate to her favorite clothing store in Port Angeles. Alice was almost more excited about that gift because it meant that her and Rose could drag me shopping.

"All right, now Jasper…" Jasper started opening his gifts. Jasper got a new basketball from Emmett, a membership to the local gym from Alice and Edward, a blank playbook from Rose so he could design new plays for the team, and a book on famous Civil War battles from me.

We moved on to Alice next. I got Alice a subscription like Rose's, Jasper got her a cute top that she had apparently been eyeing, Rose got her a skirt that conveniently matched the top Jasper had gotten her, and Edward and Emmett got her a gift certificate to a spa, saying they hoped it would "mellow her out".

Edward's gifts came next. Alice got him a couple books he had been wanting to read, Rose and Jasper bought him a membership to the local gym, Emmett had gotten him a CD collection of some popular 80s groups that Edward had once said he liked, and I got him a blank music composition notebook. I remembered him telling me that he used to play the piano and made up some songs when he was younger. I hoped this gift would inspire him to play again.

Finally we got to my gifts. Emmett bought me bubble wrap, just in case I was going to be clumsy and he wasn't around. Alice and Rose gave me gift certificates to a bunch of stores. (this definitely meant there was a shopping trip in my very near future) Jasper bought me a collection of some of Shakespeare's more famous works. Edward's gift was a leather-bound copy of my favorite book Pride and Prejudice.

After all of the wrapping paper had been cleaned up and all the gifts had been gathered, we all said goodbye to Jasper and Rose. Emmett walked Rose to the car and Alice gave Jasper a quick kiss goodbye. Edward and I were left in the family room for a few moments. I gathered my gifts and began taking them upstairs to my room. Edward had grabbed the rest and brought them up, setting them on my desk. "Merry Christmas, Bella. Have a good holiday," he said before leaving with his sister. I watched them walk towards their house and hoped that the week and half without him in my life would be enough time to get over him. Sadly, I knew it wouldn't come close.