"Nervous?" Edward whispered, brushing his lips against his wife's ear.
"Maybe just that we look too much the same. We're supposed to be pushing thirty." Bella smiled, leaning into Edward's embrace. He tossed his arm around her, "You look very different than the last time any of this lot saw you. You aged well."
Bella smiled, "And as for you?"
"I changed how I styled my hair. I think I look significantly more mature."
Alice skipped to their side, placing a hand on Bella's back, "Trust me, they'll buy the whole story. You won't have any issues."
Bella reached up to her shoulder and intertwined her fingers with Edward's, "Ten years ago. We graduated ten years ago."
"That means you've been my bride for almost a decade" Edward purred, "Now let's make our entrance."
Edward moved his hand to Bella's side faster than the human eye could see, reaching for her hand. She grabbed it willingly, taking a deep breath and pushing the gymnasium doors open. As expected, every eye in the room fell on the pair. Most were thinking about how gorgeous they were, most men wishing they would have tired harder to get with Bella in high school. The women were envious of her, wondering how she could've grown to be so immaculate in a decade. Most of them were starting to sag and wrinkle, but somehow Bella grew impossibly more beautiful. They were both decked out in designer apparel, Bella sporting heels that would would've broken her ankles ten years ago. She wore a snug black dress that emphasized her every curve to the point some people in the room started to doubt she was really a mother. Edward was wearing the most elegant, perfectly fitted Italian suit anyone in the room had ever seen. If only their husbands could've heard the thoughts they had about him.
The same was true about what the men thought about Bella. Edward had not felt jealous in a long time. In fact, all of his feelings of jealousy he had in his last round of high school rose to the surface. He released her hand and threw his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Relax, Edward Bella thought, lifting her shield for Edward to hear her thoughts. He responded by pulling her tighter.
"Bella?" a small, weak voice called out.
Bella spun around, "Angela!" She pulled her in for a tight squeeze. She had completely perfected her human façade, including controlling her strength and speed.
"How have you been? God, I don't think I've seen you in five years!" Angela squealed, "Tell me everything! Catch me up!"
Bella shared her routine story: her and Edward went to Dartmouth after high school. After college, Bella had Rennesmee, who was now five. Edward went to law school (which was actually new for him, he had no real interest in law), and the three of them had moved to New York City. She apologized for never being able to host a visit, as things were so busy she was only ever available for a late dinner. Angela seemed genuinely enthralled by this narrative and was truly happy for the happiness in Bella's life. Edward remember why he'd always liked her.
Angela moved on and hugged Edward, asking for pictures of their daughter. Edward flipped through the photos on his phone, all of which were taken merely weeks apart and ten years ago. Rennesmee looked almost like a full grown adult now. Angela was overflowed with joy at these images, and she remarked in her head that she had never seen Bella or Edward so happy. This made Edward's heart warm.
"Angela, how have things been for you? How is Eric?" Edward asked. He already knew her life was joyous, and he wondered if she knew she was expecting. He'd assumed she had, being that she wasn't touching the alcohol, but she never actually thought about. He pieced together that she had been trying, but she didn't yet know she was pregnant. He was happy for ger.
Angela went about Eric's new job. The pair had been married for about three years, and he had just landed a job with NASA. He was working on bringing life to Mars, and he estimated it would take another fifty years or so. Angela said she was disappointed that Eric may never see his own handiwork, but Bella smiled at the idea that she would. She wondered how vampires would do on Mars.
Angela continued on about her life. She and Eric had moved to Cape Canaveral, Florida after college. They made the long distance thing work in undergrad, and she moved out to Florida to be with Eric. He proposed in, what to Angela, was far too long of a time. She was happy though. This brought Edward great joy. She deserved to be happy.
Edward could hear Jessica's thoughts over the others in the room. No way she looks like that after a kid. She must've had plastic surgery. There's no way that shape is natural. She had no shape in high school. I can' t believe she's still with Edward. I didn't even give them a year. It must be because of the baby. I wonder if he's ever cheated on her. I wonder if—
Edward let out a growl only audible to Bella. She turned and met the gaze of Jessica. She moved her shield over to Jessica, preventing Edward from hearing her thoughts. Edward gave her a light kiss on the cheek in return.
"Hey Jess." Bella smiled.
"Bella, oh my God! How are you?" The fake sweetness made Edward feel nauseous.
Bella again went into her rehearsed story of her life. Edward didn't need to read her thoughts to know how she felt. Bella quickly asked Jessica about herself, which luckily was Jess's favorite subject. She went on about her boyfriend and her job in Manhattan. Although she also lived in New York, where Bella and Edward claimed to have lived, she never attempted to see them. The conversation ended quickly when Jessica heard her ex-boyfriend Mike Newton approach with his new bride. Edward was thrilled to hear Mike's envious thoughts. He wasn't too fond of the idea of speaking to the guy, so Edward decided to whisk Bella off to the dance floor. With the new grace found from Bella's new form, the pair captivated their audience with their graceful yet simple dance.
"Thank you for coming with me, Edward. I know this must seem so dry to you." Bella remarked.
"Believe it or not I've actually never been to any of my high school reunions. I'm usually gone by then, and I guess I've never really known anyone in high school. This is actually a really great experience for me," Edward said.
"I never pegged you as the type to want to relive your high school glory days," Bella teased, swirling under Edward's arm. She didn't even realize they were the only two dancing. Alice and Jasper had left he dance floor.
"High school is where I met you. There is no greater glory" Edward held his powerful gaze, "Besides, it Is pretty satisfying to hear everyone's thoughts about your new look and our continued marriage."
For the rest of the night Edward and Bella socialized, answering the same mundane questions. They talked about their lives, about Carlisle and Esme's many moves across the world for Doctors Without Borders, and Rosalie and Emmett's new life in Rio. They had just got married again, so they were having their turn in Isle Esme.
Alice and Jasper didn't really talk to anyone. They seemed to come just for the fun of it. Alice always seemed to want to participate in the human facets of life.
After a few hours Bella and Edward had fraternized with everyone in their graduating class. Although Edward found himself bored very quickly, he knew this was probably the only time Bella could ever do this. The next reunion would be impossible due to their appearance, and these were most likely going to be the only high school classmates Bella would ever truly care about. He wanted her to have this last human experience, even if she wasn't exactly a human when she did it. When the evening wrapped up and everyone said their goodbyes, Bella seemed content. Edward wasn't sure if she had ever truly needed closure, but if she did this would have been it. Bella seemed happy to have seen her old friends, even Jessica and Mike. Although she had never truly left Forks, most of her friends had. She stayed in town to live out the rest of Charlie's life, as well as Jacob's. She went to New York every once in a while so that Renee could "visit," but other than that she, Edward, and their daughter lived in the home Alice had given them. Besides occasional visits to Alaska to see the Denali clan, their lives still centered around Forks.
Although Edward always she wouldn't, Bella clearly didn't regret a thing. A decade later Bella still wanted this life. She still wanted him, and that was the most powerful feeling in the world. For some reason seeing Bella tell the story of their lives, although fictional, with the happiness in her words gave Edward the most intense bliss he'd ever experienced. He couldn't believe that after so many years life finally worked out in his favor. Everything was perfect.