So, a little housework before we begin.

I always forget this bit, so I'll make sure to triple check that I've written it. I don't own anything but the plotline.

These will always be short chapters and lots of them. Why? It's just how the story works this time. Everyone is of legal age and consenting adults. Sorry, but there's swearing, too.

If you've read my previous stories, you'll know that most of them are written with a screwed-up sense of humor. This is one of them.

This is fiction, and as such, I may flout the rules a little. Also, I may use some British English stuff sometimes. And, to make it even better, I adore Charlie in this one *inserts wink*.

I have a list of songs on repeat for this story.

Apollo 440 – Can't Stop the Rock

Apollo 440 – Lost in Space

K7 – Come Baby Come

Filip Motovunski – Lion King

Ini Kamoze – Here Comes the Hotstepper

Imagine Dragons – Thunder

Lost Frequencies – Are You With Me (Kungs Remix)

Paramore – Still Into You (Harry J Bootleg)

Cool Rider – Grease 2 soundtrack

And finally, for shits and giggles….

Reproduction – Grease 2 soundtrack

Please note that this is an Edward and Bella story. Other characters are about, but they're not the main ones I'm concentrating on.

I don't have a beta for this one as my awesome editor Texasbella (R.E. Hargrave) is getting geared up for her next book release. Check her out on Amazon!

"You want to know what screwed me over, Doug? Forks High School."

Edward had been back in Forks for a few months now, and he was so glad to be home. That word felt so much more to him now. It comforted him, grounded him, and he never wanted to leave. That was a surprising thought to him because when he was in his graduating class, he couldn't wait to get away from the tiny population. In the last couple of years, his life had changed so much; it was unrecognizable.

"What do you mean?"

"It's so fucking backward. We didn't know anything. All the adults were constantly breathing down our fucking necks about growing up and doing well and then threw us into the deep end. Don't get me wrong, it's a good place, the school, I mean, but we didn't know fuck all about real life. We didn't have a clue about anything. We had, what? Forty kids in our graduating year. Forty kids, max, and we were sent off to huge city collages. North Seattle college alone has six and a half thousand kids there. That's over twice the population of this whole damn town. It fucks with your head a bit. These aren't city kids, Doug. They don't have street smarts; they don't have a clue about the outside world, and that's dangerous. Especially with some of them. They think they're the 'big I am', and they go off with these attitudes and expectations. Then look at what happens. Look what happened to Angie and Ben, for example." Edward tacked on 'Elizabeth' in his head. No one but his family and his closest friends knew about her. He just wasn't ready to talk about her yet.

The men around the table cringed and moaned, which brought Edward out of his thinking.

Edward was talking about the kids, his age, that had their lives turned upside down. Angie, bless her, had a heart of gold and would help anyone out. That was her biggest downfall. She ended up losing every penny she had, her stuff was stolen and then, to top it off, the college deemed her responsible for it all. They claimed it was her fault. Edward's dad, Carlisle, ended up fighting her corner and the college compensated her, but the damage was done, and she decided to come back home. Ben, on the other hand, was a little smarter, but that still hadn't stopped him from being jumped in the city itself, and he ended up in the hospital with several broken bones, in a coma for a week and he, too, decided to come home. It was all a big fucking mess. They were Edward's friends, and it killed him to see them like that. Then, of course, he had his own shit to deal with in college.

"Charlie, how would you feel if Bella went off to college and she was totally unprepared for what that sort of life was like? I'm not asking this to scare you off, but you have to have some concerns, right?" Edward spoke again, and he could see Charlie go a little paler.

"In all honesty, Edward, I'm shitting it. I know she wants to be independent and go off into the big wide world, but she's never even been to Seattle. She's never shown an interest. The furthest she's ever travelled is Port Angeles. She's not too interested in college, though. She's decided to go to PA for her education if she has to, but that's still quite a way from me. How can I protect her? So, yeah, it worries me," Charlie replied, running his fingers over his face in a stressful way.

"That, that right there, Charlie! You're so stressed about sending off your daughter. All you parents are. But what are you doing about it? Giving them your best advice? Look where that's got us in the past. It's not going to help them!" Edward huffed.

"So, what are you going to suggest, Edward? Do you have any ideas?" Doug, the principle asked, then took a sip of his warm beer.

"Oh, I have plenty of ideas, but I'm not too sure you'll be up for any of them." Edward chuckled and downed the shot in front of him.

I will try to keep the ANs to a minimum for you. I really hope you like this story. It went in a totally different direction as I was writing it. Let me know what you think?