Hello again. I know it has been too long. I think the main reason is that I've been dragging it out because I'm so unwilling to have Acceptance end. You also may notice that this is the longest chapter. A fact I say with great pleasure. So without further ado- here you go! I DON"T OWN TWILIGT!! Enjoy :)
Bpov
Edward and I were enjoying the second Harry Potter movie on the sofa (it was ABC family's Harry Potter weekend). When the front door burst open. Emmett was carrying a squirming Rosalie who was giggling madly and both were smiling hugely.
"I made the team!" she said unnecessarily- we knew that just from her expression ( and the fact that she was in her softball outfit and Emmett had her ball bag slung over one shoulder) that she had made the team.
"Oh Rosie that's great!" I exclaimed hopping up from the couch and running up to them and hugged her as best I could around Emmett's hold on her. She laughed throwing her head back and looking the happiest I'd ever seen her.
" Omigod!" Alice said running in the door "Guess what? Jasper got the male lead!" she screeched. Jasper himself came in a moment later looking a little embarrassed by Alice making such a big deal about it, but was still smiling in his shy little Jasper way.
"What play?" Edward asked joining us looping an arm round me.
"West Side Story! He'll be Tony and I got Marie" Alice said dancing around the room. We all watched her smiling but no one smiled bigger than Jasper.
One month later
"Bella we don't care what you say we are nominating you." Alice said over her shoulder to me as she ran to the ballot box at the end of the hallway. I caught up with her and grabbed her tiny hands.
"No your not Ali" I said trying to sound firm and failing miserably.
"Yes we are" Rose countered joining us.
"Why me why can't we nominate one of you. You two actually have a valid chance." I said trying desperately to convince them.
"Oh please Bella you have just as much chance as we do- maybe more" Alice said reaching for the nomination slips.
"Yeah no one used to hate you" Rose agreed.
"Please isn't it enough your making me go to the prom at all?" I said forgoing convincing them and trying a different approach- begging.
"Nope it's not, you've remained anonymous for too long. This is our senior year Bella and we're not letting you be a wall flower any longer." Alice said folding the paper resolutely and slipping it into the box.
"Fine but no one will vote for me" I said.
"Yeah your probably right" Lauren Mallory said slipping by us dragging Jessica along like a dog on a leash. She wrote her own name on a slip of paper in loopy cursive and putting it in the nomination box. "Because they're all going to vote for me" she said smirking then dragged Jessica down the hall. I rolled my eyes Lauren had been really nasty to me ever since the school's "reform". I don't know why exactly but she didn't make a secret of it either. She'd announce things to the whole cafeteria, Like how I was only a temporary fixation of Edward's and that he would move on soon enough, once he realized I was too busy with books and school to care about things like the way I looked. Edward was always there though to wrap his arm around me and tell me what she was saying was all lies. I already knew that but I accepted the embrace all the same.
Now it looked as if Alice and Rose wanted to take more action than just hug me and tell it would all be okay. But I pulled them away before they could do anything more than glare,
Epov
"So how willing was she?" I asked Alice as we went through the lunch line.
"Bella? Oh you know her she was not cooperative- not that I expected her to be. But eventually she let us." Alice said picking up a water bottle. I chuckled lightly- that sounded like Bella alright. "Honestly that girl is too used to being in the background then necessary. I mean it's good to be humble but she is way too humble you know? She thinks no one would vote for her but everyone likes her!" she prattled on. "You may even have some competition" she said- that got my attention. My head snapped up and I glared at her. Then saw that she was grinning.
"Not funny" I murmured.
"I'm not kidding though!" she protested "Have you seen the way Mike looks at her?" I tightened at that comment and my knuckles were white from holding my tray so tightly that I could feel the cheap plastic buckling under my hands. "Not that she would chose him over you in a million years!" Alice continued and I saw that she was right and I relaxed again. I didn't like the idea of loosing my Bella- not at all. Though I did agree with Alice about one thing- Bella needed to know how much she was loved.
Bpov
"Ok Alice we really need the dresses now" Rosie called "I think you've kept them a surprise long enough. The prom starts in an hour!" she called to Alice who was down the hall in her own room. Rose and I were in Rose's room with our hair done perfectly and expertly and our makeup done in a similar fashion. Alice had made all three of our dresses and we had yet to see them. Then she finally entered weighted down by three large garment bags.
"Are you ready?" she asked looking about ready to burst with excitement. We nodded in unison and Alice unzipped the first bag first. "Rose's" she said simply. The dress was gorgeous but so different then any other prom dress I had ever seen. It was white silk and looked like most prom dresses until you saw the details. On the front was a huge red rose the stem beginning at the hem and the vine twisting upwards until it blossomed on her heart. In pink script on the back was stitched " 'A rose is a rose is a rose' so don't try to change her". Rose's mouth fell open.
"Ali it's perfect." she managed to whisper. Alice beamed.
"Bella?" Alice asked extending the next bag to me. I laid it on the bed and unzipped it. I gasped it was a red dress the skirt ruffled to the floor. But that's not what made me gasp. What looked like a firework of rhinestone adorned the left side of the skirt and on the skirt written several times(once on each ruffle) in gold was "' Books may well be the only true magic'". I mouthed the words.
"Thank you Alice" I whispered, it was so absolutely gorgeous-I felt like crying.
"Let's see yours" Rose insisted. Alice nodded. She unzipped the bag. Inside was a light blue dress. There was the theater masks that I saw on all the posters at school in the same spot where my "firework" was. Across the front in bold red was " No more hiding behind the masks". They were all perfectly us.
"Alice your amazing" Rose said simply gaping at the dress in her hands.
"Yeah I know" she said grinning. We grinned and rolled our eyes.
We pulled the dresses on and fixed any makeup that had gotten screwed up. Then walked out of Rose's room and our three "soul mates"( as we liked to call them) stood there waiting for us. I grasped Edward's arm tightly mostly for support (heels were not my best friend). He however looked a little tipsy himself and as I was beginning to question my decision of dubbing him my supporter he leaned down and whispered.
"There aren't words to describe how beautiful you look" his lips tickled my ear and I giggled idiotically- Edward however apparently didn't think I looked idiotic for he chuckled and kissed my cheek. And I felt the blood flare up there in a way I knew would make me look like a cherry tomato (something that didn't go very well with my red dress I might add).
We walked to the huge stairs at the foot of it Carlisle and Esme were waiting with cameras ( yes cameras as in plural as in more than one).
"You look fantastic!" Esme cried snapping several pictures with each camera. We each took turns descending the stairs with the flashes bouncing off the white that filled the room. Edward and I went last and when he saw my hesitation at the first step (again heels aren't too fond of me). He grinned and then in one fluid movement he scooped me into his arms.
Esme giggled and began snapping her multiple pictures. Edward grinned down at me and I couldn't help but smile back. That's when it hit me. I really did love him. It wasn't some high school relationship love it was real love. I looked into his laughing face.
"I love you" I said suddenly. He looked down at me. Suddenly I wanted to take it back. The look on his face sliced through me like a knife. He was openmouthed gaping at me in surprise. I felt myself blush and just as I was about to apologize his stony mask broke and a smile as brilliant as the sun.
"I love you too" and he leaned down to kiss me again as Emmett broke into wolf whistles at the foot of the stairs. Edward broke away and we both smiled and blushed.
We had actually managed to get a limo. It was our senior prom after all. When we pulled up to the school (this is Forks remember you didn't honestly expect us to have a country club or anything did you?). It was hard to even recognize it as our school for it had been completely transformed. I was utterly shocked. On the outer gym walls lights and faux vines had been strung everywhere in crisscrossing patterns. Around the door frame there was an arch also covered in lights and greenery. Inside it was lit dimly with strings of lights crisscrossing across the ceiling. I was so shocked that I didn't at first realize the photographer just inside the door until Edward's mouth was at my ear.
"Look at the camera love" he whispered as he wrapped his arms around me. I looked up and saw the short man with the big expensive looking camera and smiled. The flash nearly blinded me and I took several steps back in surprise and Edward steadied me. "All right there?" he joked. I nodded and smiled up at him.
"Never better"
Apov
As soon as we arrived at the prom Rose and I went into mission mode. What was our mission? To make Bella prom queen of course! Now why you may ask were we subjecting to something she referred to so charmingly as "torture"? Simple- Bella deserved it ten times more than the bimbos that always won. Bella was such a great persona but she was so content to stay in the background and not let anyone see her amazingness, but we weren't going to let her do that anymore. We were going to yank her to front and center stage- whether she liked it or not. She deserved it and we were going to make sure she got it,
Now what was this mission plan exactly? Well you see my dear- ok we still didn't have a plan but when we got one I assure you it will be amazing and it will work- well we hope it will at least.
So after the photographer nearly blinded us with his camera's flash, Rose and pulled Emmett and Jasper with us telling Edward and Bella we would be back. Edward was aware that we were determined to make Bella prom queen. Bella knew we had nominated her and she was one of the candidates( against her will- as she so frequently reminded us). But she did not know how determined we were to make sure she won.
"Ok so we need a plan" I said under my breath to the other four as soon as we were out of Bella's earshot.
"Yes that would be good" Jasper whispered back. We stopped at the wall of faux black velvet covered pullout bleachers.
"So what kind of plan?" Rose asked.
"Just something to show everyone how great Bella is" I said trying to think of how this would best be done.
Bpov
I watched as everyone but Edward walked in the opposite direction. I was confused as to why they would walk away- I thought they all wanted to hang out at prom. O well, maybe they all had to go… to the bathroom? I had no more time to speculate though, Edward smiled down at me and I smiled back at him.
"You are dancing you do know that don't you?" he asked with a playfully evil glint in his eye. I sighed.
"I figured I would be forced" I said in a falsely weary voice. True I didn't like to dance but how bad could it be with Edward? The only problem was that it was fast quick paced songs that ended up having more grinding than dancing. Edward didn't seem to care though- even though I knew that in the past he had always been among the grinders ( had he really changed that much in such a short time?).
We instead slow danced on the outskirts of the dance floor, completely oblivious to the fact that the song was Right Round. I just enjoyed the fact that I was in Edward's arms and the fact that nothing could bring me down right now. That was when fate decided to test that little statement. Lauren appeared out of nowhere she was wearing impossibly tall heels and a very short cupcake dress. She had that evil smile on her face that I knew couldn't mean anything good for me.
"Everyone I have an announcement to make" she called and suddenly I knew that this wasn't just not good this was bad. Everyone stopped dancing and turned their attention to her. She began started walking to the center of the group to make her announcement but she tripped in her dangerous heels over one of the thick electrical cords that was taped to the floor for the DJ's turn tables. She tripped head first and because of the shortness of her dress everyone got a pretty good look at her thong when she went down.
There was that second of shock and then the next second the entire gym erupted into laughter. I however did not laugh. I ran detangled myself from Edward and ran over to where Lauren had fallen. As much as I didn't like her I felt immediate pity towards her. I kneeled next to her and quickly pulled the skirt back down.
"You ok?" I asked her. She slowly sat up and turned around to look at me.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine" she said slowly. "Well besides humiliating the crap out of myself that is." she said looking around at the crowd of laughing people. I stood up and helped her to her feet as well.
"Oh please" I said and surprisingly it was loud enough for everyone to hear. They stopped and looked at me. "Can we all grow up just a little?" I asked rolling my eyes appropriately. At first an awkward silence followed and then one of those really cool slow claps started.
Apov
We watched the scene before us with wide eyes. Rose smiled and said quietly "She didn't need us to prove anything she manages to shine through just fine on her own." I smiled and nodded in agreement.
Bpov
At the end of the prom the other four finally returned. It was right before they announced to Prom King and Queen. Edward won King (no surprise there), Alice and Rose got on either side of me and looked much more nervous than I was. I really didn't care one way or the other but by the way they were acting you'd think their life depended on it.
"Isabella Swan" the announcer read. I felt a wall of shock hit me. While Alice and Rose jumped up and down like toddlers. So to my intense surprise that night I Isabella Marie Swan Cullen the anti social bookworm of a wall flower was named Prom Queen with my incredible boyfriend at my side.
One week later……
School was slowly coming to a close, and we all had mixed feelings about out High School Careers coming to an end. That morning Edward thought it would be a good idea to go and visit the graveyard where our parents were. We were shocked to realize it had been nearly two months. So much had changed, we had changed. So we all loaded into Emmett's jeep since it was the biggest car. We arrived at the cemetery and I felt strange as we crossed the graves of our strangers and someone else's loved ones. We were holding our respective other half's hand. Then we parted to go to our own parents' graves.
I knelt on the still somewhat wet grass right in between the two headstones. I felt foolish but almost subconsciously I began talking to my parents.
"You'll never believe it Mom and Dad but all of us- Rose, Emmett, Edward, Alice Jasper and I, I mean are friends now. Just like you always wanted. Edward's my boyfriend now. Don't worry though dad he's a perfect gentleman, he's good for me you would have though so too I think. And I'm the Prom Queen too. Who would have thought huh? I mean me- quiet little Bella. It was mostly Ali's and Rosalie's idea though. Oh and Alice she made my dress it was the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. You would have liked it Mom." I said and let a single tear escape my eyes and fall down my face landing on a blade of grass like a dew drop.
Apov
I let go of Jazzy's hand and went slowly to my parents grave. I sat with my back against the head stone.
I gently whispered to my parents.
"I miss you I really do, I have some really great friends now though and a fantastic boyfriend too. I got the lead in West Side Story too. I'm sorry you can't come though I know it was your favorite mom. I got better too, I think you always knew about me being sick. But I got through it Rose helped me and Jazzy did too. Jazzy is my boyfriends and Rose as in Mr. and Mrs. Hales daughter. She's one of my best friends just like you always wanted." I felt the tears streak down my face landing on my fingers that were folded in my lap. Making it looked like my hands were adorned with rings of diamonds.
Rpov
Kneeling on my parents grave facing to headstones I updated them on everything that had happened.
" I love you guys so much. I don't think I ever told you that enough. I'm playing softball again though Daddy. I'm the pitcher just like you always wanted. And momma I got better I stopped making myself sick. Remember right before you left you said we would go see a doctor because you knew even though I tried to hide it? Well me and Alice cured ourselves. We learned somehow to love ourselves and see past the flaws. Alice is kinda my best friend now- her and Bella. You know your friends kids? Well I know I used to say I hated them but they're like my family now. Not that I could ever replace you though" . As I spoke I felt tears rolling down my cheeks pulling some of my makeup with it. The dark tears landed on the headstones two dots coloring the granite a darker gray then the rest.
Empov
I stared at the ground as I approached my parents grave. I had no idea what to do. I uncertainly kneeled by the headstones. I didn't know why but it felt so natural to talk to my parents that that's what I did.
"Do you guys remember back in elementary school that note you got that said I was too competitive? Well turns out it was right. Do you remember those pills you found Dad? The ones in my gym bag? I told you they were aspirin? Well I was lying, but I've stopped and I stopped trying to be the best too. I know you would have loved me even if I didn't do everything the best. My friends except me like that at least. Not the old ones- the ones you never liked mom? Remember you said they were air headed jocks? But anyway I'm friends with the kids you always wanted me to be friends with. You were right too they are really nice people. Rose- you remember the gorgeous blond? Well she's my girl now. You'd have liked her I'm sure." I whispered the last part. And as much as it wounded my ego to say my shoulders began to shake as silent tears rolled down my face dripping off my chin and into my lap making perfect spots of darkened denim.
Jpov
I folded my legs under me as I sat down in the slightly damp grass. I looked at the tombstones for a long time. My parents names carved into them seemed so surreal.
"I'm sorry" I whispered "I'm so sorry that I didn't try to connect with you before you left. I should have and I feel like I let you down. But I met someone that I could connect with someone finally. Alice? Do you remember her? Well we're kinda together now- she even got me into Theater. Theater and me crazy I know. But somehow I made an effort and I connected with her and it felt amazing. When I see you again I know I'll connect with you" and for the first time in far too long tears escaped my eyes, they raced to my chin and when they reached it I threw my head back so they would run down my neck too, the feeling of tears is something I missed.
Epov
I stood next to the headstones of my parents. Tracing the letters carved into the granite and the rough outline of the stone.
"You two were really in love weren't you?" I asked them. "I used to think you two were crazy, I never saw how you could stand being with one person for you whole life. But I get it now. I see that you two were so in love. I see it because I'm in love now too. Bella she's the one I want to be with forever. And we'll be buried together just like you two." I whispered. Somehow I had fallen to my hands and knees. The tears that fell to the ground made me feel like an angel watching the rain fall on the earth below.
Bpov
The week after our visit to the cemetery was graduation. I was Valedictorian of our class. So after all the diplomas were handed out it was my job to give a speech. Two months ago the very idea would have had me hiding under my bed, but after everything that had happened and all the changes I had gone through I was actually excited.
I took my place at the podium and looked out at my fellow seniors.
"The first thing I have to say to you Forks High is this- we made it" this was followed by a round of cheers and "whoops". "But we didn't make it without challenges." I continued "Our school had been so divided that we forgot that we were all people. We stopped seeing each other as people and started seeing each other as 'cheerleaders' or 'punks'. But we're not the only ones who label people, and it's not our fault that we do. It's what the world had taught us to do. But I challenge each and everyone of you not to keep to this conformity. I challenge you to see all people as just that- people, rather than the groups we usually divide each other into. It's not easy but it can be done. As we proved these past few months. It is in fact possible to see through the outer shell to what's inside a person. I won't take up anymore of your time but I want to leave you with one last thought- How can you hope to be accepted for who you are when you can't accept anyone else for who they are? Because isn't that really what we're all looking for? Aren't we all really just looking for acceptance?" I stopped to look at the seniors on last time. "And now I proudly present Forks High School graduating class!"
There was a roar as all the students stood up and threw their graduation caps in the air so that it looked like it was raining yellow polyester. There were kids crying and a few couples (among them Jasper and Alice and Rose and Emmett) kissing. Then Edward was beside me on stage wrapping me into his arms and kissing me. He pulled me down to the others- the other Cullens and we all engulfed each other in hugs. I loved where I was at that very moment. If I could freeze time this is where I would freeze it, I felt happy. A pure bliss engulfed me. Here I felt safe, I felt right, it was here in the arms of my friends- no my family( and my boyfriend) that I felt Acceptance.
Wow. That's all I can say. I feel so blessed that all of you have been so supportive throughout this whole process. I don't know if I couldn't have kept going if it hadn't had been for all of the wonderful reviews. Honestly those made my day. I know it got a bit repetitive during the cemetery but I wanted a way to show how they all matured and changed and that seemed the best way to do it, and I loved describing tears so it fit. Also I have some sketches of the dresses(I'm not the best artist but I tried) if anyone is interested I'll get them onto my computer and put them on my profile- just let me know. I'm still thinking about doing an epilogue and that should be up soon if I do do it- if I don't I'll post an authors note- but I'm probably going to do it. Also be on the look out for some new stories- I'll post the links in the epilogue if you want me to. I really can't thank you enough, and I really hope you enjoyed it. Please review to tell me what you thought and maybe add in there your fav part- only if you want to though! Thank you again. With love( and tears)- wild-lili