I'm not one to bother you with long intro notes... So, welcome back! As promised, here we go with Chapter 2. Hope you are enjoying this journey. This starts a back and forth between the past and the present. Hope you all have a great, upcoming weekend. See you next week!

Chapter Two - Before

Got the radio on, my old blue jeans
And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve
Feeling lucky today, got the sunshine
Could you tell me what more do I need?

And tomorrow's just a mystery, oh, yeah
But that's okay

A Place In This World

Mass Ave was abuzz with freshman and their family as students moved into their accommodations, so Bella's mother pulled over and Bella scrambled to get out of the car, pulling the larger of her suitcases out with her and Renee promising to find her once she was able to find a parking spot. A car honked, startling Bella as her mother rolled her eyes before pulling away from the curb.

Bella watched the Toyota as it drove away, a strange but welcome feeling suddenly overwhelming her. It was as if stepping out of her mother's old car and onto the hallowed grounds that once housed the likes of Thoreau, Emmerson, Elliot, Stein, Frost and Updike had allowed her to cast off the person she once was so she could become the person she always hoped she could be. A cool August breeze hit her heated neck and a chill rolled through her spine. Her excitement was palpable.

Four years of meticulous studying, two years as ASB president, one year as editor in chief of her high school literary magazine and countless volunteering hours had led her here: one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, Harvard, and her home for the next four years.

Just through the Porcillian gate she saw the tables of students and advisors directing freshman to their dorms and mailboxes. The vibe was so different than it had been last spring when she visited, though maybe that was just because of her sheer excitement knowing what laid ahead of her. Without wasting another moment, she adjusted her backpack and began to drag her suitcase with her through the gate and to a table just off to the right.

"Hi," Bella started as she walked closer, the wheel on her bag squeaking on the concrete. "Uh, hi, my name is Isabella Swan. Can you tell me where I need to go? I think I'm in Greys?"

"Welcome! Of course we can help you!" the girl behind the table grinned widely at Bella. She had short curly red hair and a blinding smile. "Welcome to Harvard! You're going to have an amazing four years. I'm Jenny, an RA over in Matthews but let me bring you over to Jason who is over in your dorm."

Bella hitched her backpack back over her shoulder and trailed after the girl as she bounced over a few tables to who Bella assumed was Jason. At well over 6 feet tall, Jason was intimidating to say the least. Blonde hair cropped close to his head, his dark eyes settled on her.

"Jace, this is one of your girls. Isabella Swan." Jenny smiled before turning her attention back to Bella. "Jason will get you your keys and room assignment, tomorrow or even later today if you have time, I'd recommend getting to the Campus Service Center to get a student id, especially if you signed up for a meal plan but you're going to obviously need it to access buildings, particularly the libraries." Jenny shoved a handful of flyers in her direction. "And there are a ton of meet and greets all weekend that I'd really recommend. "You're going to have the best time; I swear Freshman year was my absolute favourite."

"Don't mind her, she's… overwhelming." Jason's voice was a mystery to Bella. While his frame lent the suggestion of power, his voice was rather soft, a little higher in pitch than she had expected, and as she looked at him closer, it was clear he was older than she had expected.

"Isabella Swan." Jason whispered, his finger tracing over the lines on the paper before he let out a low whistle. "Lucky you…"

"Excuse me?"

"Looks like you've got a rare double. Anyway, fifth floor." He pushed some paper at her and she noticed it was a map. "The highlighted room is your suite, the circled one on the first floor is my room. Just in case you need anything."

"Oh… Thank you." Bella watched him closely as he moved another box closer to him, his fingers leafing through them until he pulled out a white envelope. "Um… my mom, she's looking for parking. She might check in here, can you let her know where I am?"

A grin slowly formed on his face as he nodded, "sure thing Isabella Swan."

Just as she turned her back to make her way to the building, he called out again, "Hey, you're gonna need these."

Turning back to the table she saw that he had rounded it and was now just inches away from her. He held the white envelope out for a while, not breaking eye contact. "Keys."

After a moment, he finally released his hold and it fell into her waiting hand. She quickly shoved it into her jeans pocket and rushed away.

Standing in the courtyard in front of the building Bella marveled at the building. The red brick was everything she always expected it to be and more. For a moment, she felt as though she had been plucked from her old life and placed in a movie. Everything felt so familiar and so foreign. The sun peeking through the tall trees in the courtyard cast a vibrant glow on the red brick and green grass. For a moment she wondered if she was suddenly a character in a novel, because things like this didn't happen to her.

Smiling, she pulled her suitcase behind her, stepping just under the doorway and pushing the front door open. Even the building smelled of history she thought as she began her trek to the fifth floor.

Students and family members rushed around her, up and down, toting boxes and bags. She was hot and a little sweaty, clearly not sure she would look as put together as she had hoped when she would meet her roommates, or I guess, roommate. After a few errant accidental bumps and a few pauses once she reached each floor, she made it to the fifth floor and started down the hall in the direction of the highlighted box Jason had given her.

And then she saw it.

501

I. Swan

J. Stanley

The door was slightly ajar, and pushing it open she stepped inside.

"Heyyyyy!" a girl sprawled across the sofa in the common room grinned as she looked up from her phone and made eye contact with Bella. She wore a short sundress that showed long, tanned legs that she had thrown over the arm of the sofa. Her pedicured toes seemed to bop to a beat that she only could hear. "You must be Isabella."

"I am." Bella replied back, "Bella actually." Her voice was a little unsteady, uncertain even as she took in the room. Off in the corner by one of the doors was a stack of Louis Vuitton trunks, and shopping bags from Hermes, Restoration Hardware, Gucci, and Dior. The pile would dwarf the few things she brought herself, and that included the remaining cases that her mom still had to bring up.

"Who are you?"

"Jessica." The girl stood up. She was a little taller than Bella's five-foot four frame, with long honey blonde hair. Her eyebrow was arched in amusement as Bella assumed she took in her own designer-less things. She was, for lack of a better word, otherworldly, almost alien but there was something about her that was also familiar, as though she had seen her in a movie or in a magazine. She had the kind of beauty that women spent millions on to achieve.

"Jessica Stanley," she added, as if it would provide more context.

"I thought…" Bella started but then stopped for a moment. She had been under the impression her roommate was supposed to be a girl by the name of Elise Winters, and Jessica was very obviously not Elise. "We're roommates?"

Jessica rolled her vibrant blue eyes and yawned as though she was already bored. "Obviously… I mean, we aren't sharing a room, no way would I have accepted that. Getting this one was hard enough but the thought of sharing a sitting room with three girls?" A visible shudder ripped through Jessica's frame. "Anyway, it's nice to have a place to hangout but I couldn't stand the thought of having to share with that many people, so I had them switch Alyssa? I think her name was… well, we had them switch her out."

Bella stayed silent and watched as Jessica swept her arm around the room. "I'm having them take this furniture out by the end of the day… I have some new pieces coming and figured you wouldn't mind, it's leagues better than this… well, whatever this is they have in here."

Bella's stomach turned. Jessica had clearly taken over, making her feel as though she was an intruder in what was supposed to be her own home. What time had she even gotten there that she had the upper hand?

"Anyway, mine's that room over there," She pointed to a door next to the mantle where a large TV hung. "I picked the bigger one… first come, first served and all that."

"Fair enough," Bella replied, a prick of annoyance running through her, but by the looks of it, Jessica had already unpacked most of her things and given how much it appeared she had, well, it probably would have ended in Bella having to swap with her anyway had she gotten their first.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Bella turned towards the door on the other side of the room and after Jessica's remarks about the size, she expected something much smaller than what she walked into. A window overlooked the courtyard, letting in a generous amount of light. The room was airy, homey, and as she wheeled her case next to the closet she took in the single bed and desk that she already had designs on pushing next to the window. She could see herself sitting there, snow falling as she studied.

"Wow…" she managed. "This is pretty amazing." She nearly kicked herself for saying that out loud realising how naive it might have sounded in the face of Jessica's sophistication.

But still, she had to admit, it was amazing. How many students had lived in this room in the hundred plus years that this dorm had existed? Had they gone on to do incredible things? Doctors who discovered a cure for something, writers who had published their life's work, politicians who shaped the course of the country? It was dizzying in how much history was here.

"Yeah, it's not bad, isn't it?" Jessica said. She had come to stand in the doorway, looking in on Bella's room, one hand resting on the door frame, the other settled on her jutted hip.

"What's yours like?" Bella asked, and Jessica shrugged.

"I mean, pretty similar. Want to see?"

"Sure."

Bella followed her across the sitting room and to the opposite door.

Pretty similar is not exactly how Bella would have described it. Although it was slightly larger, nothing was the same. It was clear that Jessica had already done away with every standard piece of furniture except the wood frame of the single bed. Luxurious rugs layered the wood floor, soft floor lights cast a gentle glow over the room, an ergonomic chair sat by the desk, and a velvet loveseat took up an area in the corner of the room.

A tall, but lean man in a suit was busy unpacking one of the massive Louis Vuitton trucks into the wardrobe. He never even bothered to look up from the task as they entered the room.

"Hi," Bella said politely, smoothing her hands over the wrinkled Abercrombie shirt she wore. "You must be Jessica's dad. I'm Bella, her roommate."

Jessica snorted a laugh.

"This is William. He works for my parents."

"Pleased to meet you," the man, William, said finally sparing a glance over his shoulder. Then, as the last drawer shut, he turned around. "Well, that's everything Jessica. Anything else I can help with?"

"No, that's fine. Thank you, William."

"I'll take the boxes and bags out to the trash. Do you want to leave the trunks?"

Jessica looked around for a moment as if observing the space. "No, go ahead and take them. I don't have anywhere to store them."

"Sure," William said. "Have a good year. There's a goodbye present from your dad in the sitting room. Bella, it's lovely to meet you." He turned, picked up the remnants of the bags and boxes by the door and left. As the door swung shut, Jessica fell back on the bed, the feathered duvet cocooning her.

"God he couldn't leave fast enough. Finally… real life."

"Real life…" Bella echoed, not quite sure this could really be considered that. Forget being in a century old place of learning, being surrounded by the luxuries of Jessica's life, breathing in the strange, but pleasant expensive perfume that seemed to linger through their shared space, nothing had ever felt so… unreal. She wondered what her police chief father back in Washington would think, what her mother, a high school art teacher, likely still circling the streets trying to find a parking spot, would make of all of this.

Jessica swung her legs off the bed, standing up and making her way to their shared space. She made a beeline for the delicate gift bag that now sat on their small coffee table.

"Well, it's clearly not Tiffany's which has always been his preferred 'milestone' gift… Already off to a better start." Jessica plucked the card from the tissue and opened it. "'Start your new life at Harvard off the right way. Love, Daddy.' Oh he even managed to write this one out himself!" She turned to look at Bella, "his secretary wrote my birthday card."

Pulling the tissue from the bag she glanced inside and laughed.

"Just when I think he even forgot he had a daughter, he proves me wrong." She was grinning as she held up a bottle of champagne, then reached back in the bag to pull out two flutes. "How about a drink Bella Swan?"

"Um, sure." Bella said. Her eyes glanced to the window, she likely still had time given that her mother still hadn't arrived. And Renee wasn't exactly a stickler for underage drinking, after her high school graduation the two had toasted to Bella's next adventure, but something about drinking amongst these walls. It was overwhelming.

She watched as Jessica popped the cork with a practice ease and poured two glasses.

"Well, it's not chilled, but it is Dom Perignon at least," Jessica smiled as she handed Bella a flute. "What should we drink to? How about… to Harvard." She held out her glass, a conspiratorial grin lighting up her face, and a twinkle in her eye.

"To Harvard," Bella echoed. She leaned forward, clinking her glass against Jessica's gentle and then put it to her lips. The warm fizz it her nose, tickling her and nearly causing her to sneeze but as the bubbling liquid touched her tongue all was forgotten.

"And to us," Jessica said. She tipped her head back, her hair falling behind her neck as she drained her glass in four, expert gulps. Then she reached down, refilled her glass and looked at Bella, smiling a wide, wicked grin. "Yes, here's to us Bella Swan. I think we are going to have a pretty fucking amazing time here, don't you?"