I do not own Twilight or the characters. Oh but how I wish I did. They belong to the talented Stephanie Meyer.
A/N: Review me please!!! I'd owe you guys a million Edwards or Jacobs! Your choice!!
And I do not attend Laramie County Community College. I had a dear close friend attend and they loved every minute of it. They now own a successful Equestrian business in Iowa. Jealous. :P
Playlist: Graduation Song (Friends Forever) by Vitamin ________________________________________________________________________
FLASHBACK: 4 years previous.
My name is Bella. I am 17 years old and I'm what you would call your "average" everyday girl. My life has had it's up and it's downs. Mostly downs due to the fact I'm oh so very clumsy, but hey, who's watching? Definitely not me. I grew up in a small town in Arizona. I lived with my mother, Renee, her husband, Phil and my sister Jane, my Tyler and my half siblings, Alec and Eric. My father, Charlie, died when I was only 3. I never really got the chance to know him. If it weren't for the pictures I kept stashed in a tin can under my bed, I wouldn't even remember what he looked like. He had dark chocolate brown hair, brown eyes and curly hair. When I look into the mirror, I can see him smiling back at me. My Nana Marie would gush about how I looked so much like him. I think it annoyed my mother to her core, but also my sister Jane. After my father died, Renee became such a different person. After what seemed to be years, my mother found another man. Phil. They were happily married when I was 6. Phil and I never really saw eye to eye. And that really showed the moment my new twin brothers Eric and Alec arrived only 6 months later. I quickly was pushed out of the attention spotlight. But I didn't mind. I was always a bit independent. But my sister Jane was always the center of attention. Ms. Perfect. Always had the perfect friends, grades, looks, and boyfriend. Renee prided herself in that. Jane was the spitting image of her. My mother would baby her. I hate to admit it, but I knew she favored Jane. And once this realization hit, things took a turn for the worse.
"Mother! I don't want Bella coming to the same college as me! What will my friends think?"
"Calm down, turbo. That's the only school in that area that has my equine science program. I'm going there whether you like it or not! Besides, you'll be graduating at the end of the year…get over it." I sneered at Jane.
"UUUUGGGH!!!"
I couldn't help but laugh. Jane was always such a drama queen. Sometimes it was funny and other times, it was just plain sickening. How I wish she were still at college right now. I didn't want her back home. It ruined everything.
"Girls, if you don't knock it off this instant, I am sending you both over to boarding schools on the other side of the world, where boys aren't allowed!" Renee screamed.
Ouch. Call it tough love.
"Mother, you wouldn't really do that to me, would you?" Jane pleaded.
"Yes I would. Now, Jane, you're looking a little shabby today. Lets go shopping and buy you a few new outfits. I hear Rob is going to be back in town and we wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to look good for him. I'll just drop the boys off at the sitter's house on our way."
Oh Rob. He was the son of the wealthiest man in town. A doctor no less. Figures. My mother was all about the money. And good looks. Sometimes I think I was adopted. But then I think back to Charlie. Nope. Not possible.
"Oh. Bella, would you care to join? There might be something out there for you."
"No thanks, Re- Mom. I'm going to go over to the shelter and volunteer today."
"Yuck. You know Bella, if you spend any more time over at that place, you're going to turn into one of those furry four-legged creatures. It's bad enough you already smell like one."
If my mother weren't standing in the room, I would have taken my older sister out with one punch. Broken her perfect nose and gave her two black eyes. It would have matched perfectly with her black heart.
"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." I grabbed my name badge and bolted out the door. Volunteering at the animal shelter always made me feel better. I had such a deep connection with animals. They understood me. They didn't pass judgments and never spilled my secrets. I especially grew fond of working in the barn where they housed a few goats, pot-bellied pigs, a cow and a few horses they seized after a horrible man starved them half to death. I grew very fond of Nantucket. A gorgeous Appaloosa gelding. I hoped that maybe someday, I would own my horses. I enjoyed riding. It was the one place where I didn't have to worry about tripping over my own two feet. I took lessons every Tuesday and Thursday nights at a local riding stable. I also did volunteer work there on Saturdays. I enjoyed it. Teaching kids how to handle a horse. The proper do's and don'ts. The best part, was watching them ride. Their smiles were contagious.
My high school life was coming to a close. And in a few weeks, I'd be off to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Attending Laramie County Community College, where I would be thrown into their Equestrian Program. Until classes started, I would be working on a ranch. My nerves were getting the best of me.
Later that night, I was talking to Lauren on the phone and listening to the Graduation Song by Vitamin C. Lauren has been my best friend since the first grade. I tripped outside in recess. All the kids laughed at me as I sat there and cried. Lauren came up to me and offered me her hand. From that moment, we were inseparable. Until now.
"I can't believe after all this time, we're going to be so far away from each other! What am I going to do not having my best friend with me?" Lauren cried.
She was headed of to New York. Attending NYU. I hated to admit it, but I was going to miss her more than my own family.
"Don't worry. We'll still see each other. You'll come home over the Christmas holiday, right? And I'll be home. And hey, they invented telephones and email, so we can talk everyday. You're going to be a rock star over there. You gotta show up New York!" I plastered a fake smile across my face. I knew Lauren could hear right though it.
"Yeah. I guess so. I can't wait to hear about all the cute cowboys at your school." She laughed.
"Ha. Lauren, you know I'm never going to lasso one of them!"
"Bella. That's ridiculous. You're gorgeous. And smart. Any guy would kill to have you. If you'd just give them the cha-" I cut her off.
"Ok. Enough talk about boys. Tomorrow is graduation and we need to get our rest so we have the strength to walk across that stage tomorrow!"
"Yeah. I guess so. Well, I'll pick you up around noon. We have to be at the arena at one to get into line. Be ready. I'm not going to be late! Good night Bells. Love you!"
"Har, har. Night Lauren. Love you too." And with that, I crawled deeper into my bed. Goodbye Arizona. Hello Wyoming. Within minutes, I was fast asleep.
