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not beta'd

storyline - Malicious

prompt - priority

**each chapter jumps back and forth. there are only two timelines: junior year (the past, written in past tense) and senior year (the present, written in present tense). this chapter covered the end of junior year, so it's after the bathroom spectacle but before B saves E.

One day it occurred to me that Edward Cullen no longer existed.

I mean, he was physically there, but I'd become adept at completely ignoring him. I'd started doing it so as not to stress myself out but eventually did it so thoroughly that I tended to not even see him. And it went both ways: he ignored me, too. Ironically, the first guy Rose decided to get serious with – like, ever – was Emmett… who was now not just a friend or swim buddy of Edward's, but his very best friend.

Of course.

So he was around.

But the sour feeling I got in my stomach when we crossed paths was enough to keep my mind focused elsewhere and after awhile, like I said, it was second nature. When they saw that we were content to just let each other alone, Emmett and Rose's subtle attempts at building bridges eventually gave way to simply ensuring the peace.

I'd never clashed so badly with another human being; not even Maggie Lewis in third grade, the principle's daughter who swore she was hot stuff. My entire life I'd gotten along with people, not because I was a wallflower or a pushover, but because I genuinely enjoyed the company of others. Edward and I were an anomaly, one that I wanted to move on from and forget about as soon as it was possible.

So that was that. Our arrangement was tenuous, but it worked, I suppose.

As the months went by, I almost forgot that things had ever been any different.

"Swim camp? Damn, girl." Rose rested her chin on my shoulder as she read my computer screen. "How long will you be gone again?"

"Six weeks. I won't be at camp the whole time; I'm visiting my aunt and uncle too."

"In Spoons." Rose snickered. It was only the seventeenth time she'd made this joke about the town of Forks.

I rolled my eyes. "Right."

"Aww, I'm gonna miss you though," said Alice, sighing. "You won't be here for the fireworks by the beach."

A little knot of sadness lumped in my stomach, and I closed my laptop. "I know, don't remind me."

"Don't get me wrong, I'll miss you, but I'm glad you're going," Rose said. "You're always talking about improving your time and all that. Plus, this will benefit your lifeguarding, too."

I nodded. "Yeah…that's why I'm going. I wanted to do this last year but we couldn't really afford it. My dad totally surprised me this time around…"

"He knows swimming is a priority for you," Alice said, making room so we could all sit on my bed. "I'm happy for you too, Bella. It won't be the same this summer, but it's worth it."

"Agreed," Rose said.

I felt good about my decision to attend the Nike Swim Camp in Seattle. It had been years since I'd been to Washington, and even then I'd just been visiting family. Now, though, I was going for the main purpose of working on my stroke. Well, all of my strokes. Knowing I was going to be leaving town for such a long time was already making me feel a little homesick, but the opportunity was too good to pass up.

Besides, a little part of me liked that I'd be far away from the local beaches for the majority of summer. I could use a little change of scenery. And I loved lifeguarding, but sometimes doing it week in and week out got tiresome. I could finally do something that was just for me, something that would improve my swimming and guarding, as well as look good when it was time to apply to college.

More than anything, I was just really excited to be doing something I loved.

Junior year ended on a mellow note. I aced my end of the year exams, made sure I had a stellar tan before leaving town, and made sure to spend a ton of quality time with my dad.

The night before I left, Alice very sweetly went against my wishes and threw me a going away party at her house. After a dinner date with my father, he dropped off at Alice's, where I was greeted by a bunch of friends including most of the swim team. I tried not to feel irritated when Edward showed up with a couple of guys from our class. He was, after all, on the team.

And besides, our drama had had happened so long before it was hard to remember how it had started…okay, that was lie. I knew exactly how it started, and it was one of my most unfavorite memories.

I didn't think I'd have attended a party thrown in his honor, but whatever.

Alice, Rose and Jessica walked up to me with a little tray of grape jello shots. We each took a couple and, on the count of three, tossed 'em back.

I wouldn't have to see him for the summer anyway.

and with that, junior year ends and we start to come full circle.

have you ever been to camp? i haven't. not sleepaway camp, at least.

xoxoxo

each chapter jumps back and forth. there are only two timelines: junior year (the past, written in past tense) and senior year (the present, written in present tense). this chapter covered the end of junior year, so it's after the bathroom spectacle but before B saves E.