Chapter 2

I first realized that life was changing for me and my friends before we returned to school for our Junior year. Up until that point, I had been content with my life and my friends. Everything felt safe and normal. But then, on that fateful day when I met up with my three best friends at a pizza parlor, everything changed. I remember that day as if it were yesterday.

Sandy had invited me, along with Amber and Chrissy, to meet up as we had been doing frequently during summer vacation. When we arrived at the pizza place and placed our order, we settled into a spacious booth and began chatting. I noticed Sandy looking around, ensuring no one was within earshot, and then she whispered.

"Guys, you'll never guess what happened. I went on a date with Mark yesterday. It was our fifth date, and, well, we did IT," Sandy said, her cheeks flushing as Amber and Chrissy let out excited squeals.

"OMG, Sandy, tell us everything," Amber exclaimed eagerly.

Sandy glanced around once more to ensure we had privacy before she began. "Well, he took me to a movie. Afterwards, we went back to my house. My parents were out for the evening, so I invited him in. We had made out on our last date, and I quite enjoyed the kissing and a little groping. Well, we were making out again, and when I leaned in close to him, I felt it in his pants against my leg."

"Wow, Sandy," Amber exclaimed, her eyes widening. "What did you do next?"

Sandy blushed even deeper, her cheeks turning a shade of crimson. "Well, I hesitated for a moment and then I looked down at where my leg was pressing against him. He asked if I wanted to see it. I was so nervous, but I nodded. He unzipped his pants and pulled it out. He said I could touch it if I wanted."

"What did you do? What was it like?" Chrissy asked, her voice filled with awe.

"Well, I touched it," Sandy replied. "It was a lot hotter than I thought it would be in my hand. It felt both soft and hard at the same time. He asked if I had ever done it before, and I shook my head. Then he asked if I wanted to, and after a moment of hesitation, I nodded. We went to my room, and luckily, he had protection with him, so we did it."

"How was it?" Amber asked eagerly.

"It was... good, I guess," Sandy replied, a hint of satisfaction in her expression. "It was painful, but they say it's supposed to be the first time. Towards the end, though, it started to feel good, but then Mark finished. He left soon after. We have another date next week, and I'm hoping if we do it again, it will be better."

That was the day I realized my life would never be the same. The innocence of childhood was gone forever. I hadn't felt ready for boys, dating, and sex. I was content just being myself with my friends, but after that day, I knew it was all about to change. I didn't feel any different or ready to become a woman, but everyone else seemed to be, and I didn't want to be left behind. I wanted to join in with the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' when hearing Sandy's tale, but I couldn't force myself to feel that way. I had no sexual urges for any of my fellow students, whom I found to be juvenile in most respects. I couldn't envision myself sleeping with someone like Mark. After that day, I knew I had to adapt somehow, although I didn't know how. I was genuinely happy for Sandy, but her experience had caught me by surprise, and I had never been fond of change. Slow and steady had always been my motto.

Then, soon after Junior year had started, it happened again, but this time it was Amber's turn. She gleefully described losing her virginity to Craig inside his vehicle after they had stopped to make out. Now, a few months later, it was Chrissy's turn to share the intimate details of her first time.

"So, you know how I've been going out with Mark for the past few weeks, Sandy," Chrissy said.

Sandy and Mark's relationship had only lasted a few more dates until she broke up with him. When Chrissy mentioned that Mark had asked her out, Sandy had assured her that it was no issue for her.

"Well, we've been going at it pretty heavily, and I remembered what happened with you, and, well, I really wanted to experience that too, so I asked Mark if we could do it, and surprisingly, he seemed to have no objection," Chrissy spoke as if some teenage boy would turn down sex. I smiled, but I didn't want to say anything like that.

Chrissy's statement made both Sandy and Amber giggle, and I followed right along.

"Well, I got on my knees, unbuckled his pants, and pulled them down along with his underwear, and there it was right in front of me," Chrissy said shyly, a little embarrassed. "I took my hand and lightly grabbed it, doing what I think they do to rub one out."

"Wow, Chrissy," Sandy exclaimed. "I never had the courage to do that. Did you blow him?"

Chrissy smiled and slightly nodded her head.

"Shit, Chrissy. Did you swallow it?" Amber asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"No, I wanted to get to the act itself, so we quickly made our way to my room. You were right, Sandy, it was kind of quick and painful. I was hoping Mark would have lasted longer, but it didn't seem to be the case," Chrissy replied.

"It might just be Mark, Chrissy," Sandy said. "I've been with Owen a couple of times so far, and I have to say it's been a lot better."

As they all continued discussing their experiences, I sat there quietly. Amber noticed my silence and spoke up, "Have you been out with anyone recently, Bella?"

I shook my head. "I went out with Sam that one time last year, but that's been it."

"We need to find you a guy, Bella. You're missing out," Sandy said, and the girls started discussing possible guys I could go out with.

I didn't want to confess to them that none of the guys they were discussing interested me in that way. Personally, I would like to have sex once, simply to get it over with until I found someone I genuinely liked. However, the thought of engaging in such an intimate act with someone like Mark, who was just a kid, held no appeal for me whatsoever.

I've never been the most outspoken girl, and when it comes to interacting with guys, I seem to become even quieter. The same goes for my friends - I excel in one-on-one conversations, but in a group of people, I tend to retreat into myself. It's an aspect of my personality that I know I need to work on, but changing one's nature is a challenging task.

As the bell for the next class rang, we all stood up, disposing of our trash. I walked alongside Chrissy, knowing that we had Chemistry together in the next period.

"So, Chrissy, how was it really? Did you enjoy it?" I inquired.

"It was good, Bella. I know you don't like to talk about yourself much, but you really should put yourself out there more. You're hot. I think most guys would love to go out with you. You just need to show some more personality to let them know you'd like to go out."

"I know you're right, Chrissy. I'll try, but as you said, it doesn't come easy for me. I'm glad you had a good first time, though," I said sincerely, truly meaning every word.

We went off to our class, and I pondered what I should do next. I didn't want to be that girl with no experience when it came to guys. I just wished I could find someone who sparked even the slightest attraction within me.

After school, I arrived home and was thrown yet another curveball. As I opened the door, there stood my mom, wearing a big smile that practically lit up the room.

"You'll never believe it, Bella!" she exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. "Phil proposed! I'm getting married!" Her scream echoed through the house as she held out her hand, proudly displaying a sparkling diamond ring on her finger.

Breathe Bella, slow and steady.

Let me know your thoughts. I plan to have the supernatural invading Bella's life in Chapter 4. These early chapters are just the calm before the storm, allowing you to get to know Bella before her life takes a sharp turn. In these initial chapters, I envision Bella to be similar to the canon version we see in Twilight. I still envision her journey to Forks, although likely not until her senior year. The combination of this timing and the changes Bella will undergo by that point will result in a markedly different high school experience for her and affecting her reactions to the Cullens as well.