All For You

"I would give it all up, this life, everything I have, just to be with you."

Isabella Swan is Forks Highs most popular student, not only is she bright, the top female student in all her classes, head cheerleader, she is the most beautiful girl in Forks. Not that she really cares about that, she just want to get High School over with so she can start a career in English Literature and perhaps publish a novel. Not that her friends know about that. She maybe popular, but her life isn't easy, everyday another lie, for once she just wants to be herself; to be loved for who she is, and not who she pretends to be.

Edward Cullen is Forks Highs most nerdiest nerd. He is the smartest male student to grace the school. And it was for that fact he had no friends, he preferred to study than be with people. It wasn't like he wasn't good-looking or anything because he was beautiful, almost godlike, hidden behind thick rimmed glasses and a massive textbook. But that didn't stop him from loving Isabella Swan, though he knew had no chance of ever being with her, he dared to dream it, and for once he wanted someone else to see that beneath the nerdy exterior, he was a guy who was compassionate, sweet and caring. He wanted to be loved for who he was and not what he was seen to be.

Today was their final day of High School; will appearances keep them apart even now?

They first met one fateful day in the last semester of their first year of High School. Isabella had already been named head cheerleader for her remaining time at Forks High. She had loads of friends and guys following her every move. On that day she had finally found herself a peaceful five minutes along as she walked to English Literature, her favourite lesson, though all her friends though her favourite lesson was Gym, she had a passion for reading and writing that she never told anyone. She was walking slowly, enjoying her freedom when she heard a loud crash in the corridor. Edward had dropped all his books all over the floor as well as loosing his glasses in the process as he was searching the floor frantically for them. She took pity on him. He had already earned the name of the nerdiest boy in school; many people made fun of him, he had no friends, only family, who he didn't even spend time with, it must have been hard for him, to have no-one at all. So; in a moment of pure kindness she rushed over to him, picking up his glasses that fell a few feet from him before handing them back to him.

That was when it happened, when they both secretly fell in love with each other. It was no secret that Isabella was beautiful, she had every guy in school after her, not that she wanted any of them, they only wanted to be with her because she was beautiful, and head cheerleader, not because of her personality or her passion for books, or the quirky, unique things about her; and that was what Edward saw when he stared into the eyes of his saviour, that's what he saw in her soul. What was a secret was, that Edward Cullen, the nerdiest kid in school; was stunningly beautiful; almost godlike. He had tousled bronze hair that shone in the light; deep, bright emerald eyes that you could get lost in; a toned, muscular body and a smile that could break a girl's heart.

And that's what Isabella finally saw. But Edward wasn't just glorious or a nerd. He was a guy who wasn't like every other guy, he was compassionate and caring; he was raised to believe that women should be treated with respect and loved and cared for like the goddesses they are; he was kind and thoughtful; and given half the chance he was funny and charming and witty. He was the kind of guy who would rather read a good book than watch sport or spend time with his girlfriend, if he had one, than spend time with his mate, if he had any. And that's what Isabella saw when she held his gaze, staring right back into his soul.

When they finally broke their gaze; Isabella gathered up his books, handing them back to him. He smiled, nodded and walked away; leaving Isabella standing in the corridor alone, irrevocably in love with the nerdiest guy in school. As Edward walked away, his heart beating erratically from his first encounter with Isabella, he realised he was irrevocably in love with the most popular girl in the school.

Months went by, holidays came and went, Edward and Isabella hardly saw each other. They didn't have any classes together. It was like fate had separated them because of their differences, that were only, really a mask. Occasionally they saw each other in the cafeteria, Edward would peek at her from behind the book he was reading, watching her laugh with her friends, making plans for the holiday and weekends, turning down endless streams of guys, she looked happy, and that made him happy. Isabella had to be more careful, she had no book to hide behind, she had to careful let her eyes wander to his table, where he usually sat, hidden behind yet another book, she never saw his face and this made her sad; how could she know how he was feeling? Once or twice their gazes would meet; usually one of them would quickly look away, as if they had never been looking at the other; but once, one daring day, Edward decided that if their gaze met he would smile at her before retuning to his book. And that's exactly what he did, he smiled at her, knocking all her breathe out, leaving her speechless, her heart going into overdrive. If only he knew.

It was the last day of the last semester of the second year in High School. Isabella was in the book-store in Port Angeles; she had told her friends she wasn't feeling to good so she wouldn't be at Jessica's end of year party, much to everyone's disappointment. Obviously this was lie; she just didn't want to go, the lies she was living were beginning to take it's toll, she hated the fact no-one liked her for who she really was; it was breaking her heart. She was staring at romance section wondering why she couldn't be with the man she loved; because it was social suicide apparently, she didn't care about that, but she enjoyed having friends around her, she loved her friends very much and didn't want to give them up for a boy who would never love her.

That was when he ran into her. He had a pile of science fiction books and fantasy books in his arms. The books all went flying, Isabella landed on her back on the floor, closely followed by Edward, landing on top of her. That was the first time either of them spoke to each other,

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot, I knew I should have made two trips. I really am sorry. I can't believe I did this, are you ok?" he asked as he carefully removed himself from on top her to extend his hand to help her up. His skin was the brightest shade of red from embarrassment, it looked quite endearing.

"Don't worry about it. I had zoned out away, I should have been paying more attention instead of staring at romance novels. I'm perfectly fine, no blood, no foul." She replied, taking his hand so he could lift her off the floor. She turned from him to pick up the books he had dropped.

"You don't have to do that," Edward said, slightly shocked that she was helping him pick up his books; yet again.

"Oh, I don't mind, looks like you could do with some help carrying them to the cash desk, you have an interesting selection here." She replied, blushing.

"I didn't know you were a fan of reading," Edward added.

"Yeah, I'm a secret bookworm, but yes I'm a fan of reading," She blushed furiously, revealing secrets of her life to a guy she secretly loved in book store after lying to her friend about being ill.

"I wouldn't have had you as a reading type, you seem to busy with your social life," he said quietly while they waited in the queue to pay.

"I wouldn't have had you done as the type of person who makes judgements on people you hardly know. Oh my, I didn't just say that, that was so rude of me, forgive me, that was a horrible thing to say," blush staining her cheeks again.

"It's fine, your right, I don't know anything about you, you were right to be angry. I'm sorry." It was his turn to blush now. He paid and they walked out the shop together.

"Don't worry about it Edward, I'll see you back at school beginning of third year."

"Goodbye Isabella, it was very nice to talk to you for even a brief amount of time. I hope you have a good summer." He smiled and Isabella's heart melted, before breaking out into a stabbing pain as she watched the beautiful boy walk away from her again.

Their third year started like every other year. To each other, it looked like they had forgotten about their encounter at the end of the last year, but neither of them could forget. Edward spent all of his summer thinking of Isabella, he knew it wasn't healthy, especially when he knew they could never be together. He had lost interest in reading, he couldn't play his piano because everything he played reminded him of her. She never left him mind. Isabella spent all her summer in Phoenix with her Mom trying to get over a boy that was never hers to get over, and that she'd never get the chance to get over him because he would never be hers. She spent most of her summer pulling herself together so she could go back to school and be the Isabella Swan everyone wanted to see and not the Isabella she was when Edward was around.

This year, fate had other idea. They had every class together apart from one, Gym. It was hard to ignore each other when they were only seats or desks apart. For most of the year, Edward stared at Isabella all the way through History, watching her pass notes with her friends, watching her smile and study and chat. The more he watched her, the more he discovered what she was really like, that she enjoyed learning, even if she couldn't show it; she had this little quirky thing she did with her hair that was adorable, she valued other people's opinions, she was kind and caring and sensitive and compassionate, he could see the mask she wore now, how she hid away herself so that she could fit into the accepted norm, and it was slowly breaking her apart, though she thought she was doing well to hide, he could see.

Isabella spent all of Trig watching Edward, the way he chewed the top of his pencil absent-mindedly when he found a problem difficult, the way he ran his hand through his hair when he was thinking, how he pushed his glasses up his nose when they slipped down slightly, she could see his loneliness, and his desire to help other, he wanted nothing more than to help the girl who sat beside him, but she was as far away as she could possible get from him, her back slightly facing him. She could tell he had a great compassion for other people and he cared about them. She could see he was the kind and thoughtful sort of man, though other probably saw it as being a teacher pet; she no longer saw it like that. She could see that he was the type of man every woman was looking for, but he was waiting right under their nose.

It was mid-semester, they were having a spring fair, so it meant the school was shut for the day. Isabella had spent the day with her friends at the fair, she had just left them because they were going to go home. She decided to walk home because the weather for Forks was nicer than usual, she was walking past the park when she saw a man on the ground looking for his glasses. It instantly reminded her of Edward so she ran over to help. The glasses he was looking for was lying several feet away from him.

"Excuse me, I found your glasses. Oh. Hello Edward," she said, handing him his glasses.

"We keep making a habit of bumping into each other, thank for helping me again, it's very nice of you. And hello to you to, Isabella," he replied with another of his breath-taking smiles.

"You're most welcome, did you enjoy the fair?" She asked, not quite sure what to say.

"I didn't go, fairs aren't my sort of thing, and they're no fun if you have no one to go with," his voice pained and full of sorry, "That's why I came out here, I was enjoying the very limited sunshine and a good book until I fell out the tree and lost my glasses and you saved me again." he beamed as he said she saved him.

"Oh, I see, erm, do you want to do for a drink or something, you need something f you fell out a tree." Isabella asked, blushing deeply.

"That would be wonderful, but do you really want to be seen with a nerd like me?" he asked, seeming concerned.

"Well, you can come back to my house if you like, Charlie's at work and all my other friends have gone home." She asked, incredibly shy all of a sudden.

"Sure, I'd love to," he replied, blushing, but full enthusiasm.

They spent the rest of the day chatting like they were life long friends catching up with each other, taking it in turns to ask questions about each others lives, their hobbies, their interests, their intentions after High School, their favourite music, books, food, colour, anything they could think of they talked about. He even stayed for dinner because Charlie said he was going fishing with Billy in the morning so he was heading over there when he finished work. They talked long into the night, watching TV and enjoying each other company. It was eleven o'clock before he went home feeling on top of the world, he had spent a good part of the day with the girl of his dreams, learning all he can about her. He knew that the next day they were at school it would go back to normal, but he didn't let it bring him down. He was just so happy she saw more than just a nerd, she saw the man behind the books and glasses.

Isabella went to bed the happiest woman in the world, she had spent what seemed like forever with Edward learning all she could about him, for she knew that this would not last. She had how she had to hide, she was sick and tired of lying about who she was deep down inside, who she truly was, her perfect composure was starting to fade and she wasn't too bother any more, she was just happy that Edward saw the woman behind the mask, the person she truly was.

Time flew, and things were almost normal expect the friendship formed between Isabella and Edward was still discretely there, the smiles in the corridor, the waves after school, the conversations when they got five minutes to talk, it was nice, they could keep their friendship partially intact.

It was Prom, and their last year of High School and Isabella and her girlie High School friends had spent the afternoon at Isabella's house getting ready for Prom Night. They had spent hours getting ready, deliberating what the best dress to wear was, discussing what jewellery, helping her friends with what they were wearing. She want to look her best tonight; for tonight she was going to Edward how she felt; no matter the consequences. Tonight was her last night of living a lie; she couldn't cope anymore, she just wanted to be herself; who she was with Edward. She finally decided on wearing a strapless, floor length sapphire blue dress, her hair curled into tight ringlets, wearing the jewellery her father bought her as an exam finishing present and heels her mother bought. After month of persuasion she finally got Edward to go, though not as her date and she promised she would spend half her night with him.

Edward had spent the last day of High School preparing for college. He knew that he was going to the Prom, only because he was too weak to tell the woman he loved no. So, that was when he decided, during making a list of all the books he would need to buy when he arrived at college, that tonight, for the first time in his life, he was going to be the man under the thick-rimmed glasses and tell Isabella exactly how he felt about her even though he knew too well he was going to get his heart broken; he didn't care anymore. He wanted her to know. He had gone shopping by himself to pick out a very nice suit; he thought he could use it again for job interview; still as logical as always even though his head and heart was in a spin. His mother told him she was very proud of him when he left that evening and his father wished him the best of luck. By God he knew he needed all the luck he could get.

Isabella spent the first half of her night with her friends. They danced outrageously in the middle of the dance floor, man practically drooling over them; constantly asking for a dance. Isabella loved to dance; the rhythm of the music always got to her and she just could help herself. They had good laugh, reminiscing after the past four years of high school, talking about all the stupid things they had done together, all the shopping and trips to La Push beach in the summer, the ridiculous crushes they had on boys, the mistakes they made, and all the regrets. Tears were spilled and promises made to keep in touch no matter how far away they were. Isabella cried too; a small part of her knowing, if he accepted her, she'd be giving them all up for something much greater. Love.

Edward sat in the corner of the room for the first half of his evening; watching Isabella, always watching, never acting. He wanted to be the one who was holding her in his arms as their bodies brushed together with the rhythm of the music. Edward had always loved to dance, as soon as he heard music, he would be moving to the music; but he never had anyone to dance with. He watched as she danced, that beautiful creature that never would be his. He watched as she cried, wishing he could be the one to wipe away her tears. He watched her laugh and smile her angelic smile knowing finally the extent at which his heart would be crush when she rejected him because he had fallen for her so completely, irrevocably, and he knew she would always be his one; even if she wasn't his. There would only ever be Isabella for him.

Just Isabella.

When she finally broke away from all her friends, from the endless hugs and chatter, she found Edward, sitting in the corner of the room, trying his hardest not to look in Isabella's direction. Over the months, during the quiet moment in the corridors and the odd day at the weekend, they had found out a lot more about each other, one such thing being that they had both been accepted to the same college and were both planning on going there to go the same subject. This had made Edward's decision to tell Isabella harder because he would have to see her everyday, knowing she regretted him and she would never be his. But he decided to live for the moment, this was last chance he'd get before she fell for college guy. He had the smallest bit of hope she felt the same and he was going to take that chance. Isabella tried not to think about it, knowing that if he didn't want her, she would be distraught; every day seeing him with someone else would break her, so she decided to take a chance and let the chips fall where they may. Secretly, though, no matter how it turned out, each of them were excited about it, not knowing the other was as well. She sat down next to him; his brilliant smile lighting up his face and eyes before he spoke quite loudly so she could hear over the noise

"You look like an angel, Isabella, truly beautiful." Even in the dim light, you could still him blush deeply.

"You don't look too bad yourself, where are your glasses?" she asked, her too, blushing for being so curious and noticing. How could she not? All she could see was his gleaming emerald orbs staring straight into her dull dark brown eyes. Edward thought, seeing as it was Prom, he would wear the contact he sometimes wore for special occasions such as this; he knew he would have a better chance of winning Isabella's heart if he didn't look like the nerd, he thought tonight he'd look like the man on the inside, under the nerdy exterior.

"You noticed. I swapped them for contacts that I sometimes wear. I should gave done it years ago, I've had girls after me all evening, trying to get me to dance or buy them a drink." He replied, obviously, he was joking, nobody noticed him, as usual, he was still invisible.

"Oh." She replied, believing his lie, for she could see what truly lied underneath the thick-rimmed glasses, she released that she wouldn't be good enough for him when he realised he could have every girl falling at him feet. He was a too gooder man for her; and she knew it all too well.

Edward noticed her silence and decided to break it, he was nervous enough without her not talking to him as well, "So, how's your evening," he asked politely.

"Great thanks, yours?" she replied still trapped in the doubt of what she was going to do, questioning whether it was worth it, it was Edwards next comment that renewed her hope in her decision.

"Good, thanks, I wish I had my glasses to scare off these girls though, it's unnerving." he replied, still playing along with his lie.

"They don't scare me."

"That's why I like you." he said after a sudden spark of confidence

"What is it Isabella? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned after Isabella's long period of silence

"I have something to say, please let me say it but wait until I have finished to talk," he nodded and she continued, "I love you Edward, ever since that first day we met in the corridor and you had dropped all your books. I fell in love right there and then. I thought of so many times I could tell you, I was a coward, I should have but I didn't want to loose my friends, I didn't want to take the risk to find out you didn't love me too. Why would you, I go around pretending to be someone I'm not. But I'm done with it, Edward. I love you, for who you are, for your passion for knowledge and books, and music. For the thing you do with your glasses and the way you chew pencils when you find trig difficult. I love it all, all of you, just the way you are."

He stood there, speechless. The girl he loved just confessed she loved him to, after all this time, "Isabella..."

"Please, call me Bella, I hate Isabella, it drives me crazy."

"Bella, you would give up everything, friends, popularity, a spot on the college cheer, to be with me; the nerdiest guy in the school, who has nothing and no-one, completely invisible to everyone, except you?"

"I would give it all up, this life, everything I have, just to be with you."

And with that, their lips finally met, in a kiss full of four years worth of intense passion, finally let free. Their lips moved in perfect sync, as if their lips were made for each other and them alone, her hands twisted in his bronze, tousled hair as his found his way around her waist pulling her into his tight embrace. In that moment, nothing else matter, the only thing that matter was them, in each others arm, with each others love. They could have spent an eternity in that moment. Finally, truly happy.

When they finally broke away from each other, Bella still held tightly in Edward's embrace, him smiling down on her, his eyes full of love that she now knew had always been there, he spoke,

"Bella, I love you too, you don't know how long I've waited for you to say those words. I too loved you from the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were nothing like the girl I saw, you were so much more, to stop and help me in a time of need, only someone truly beautiful on the inside would have done that for me. I knew then on I loved you and every time we met by accident felt like fate, trying to get us together. I too was a coward, I should have told you at your house, in the book store, I should have told you everyday how much I loved you, how much I love you and need you, you're all I see, all I dream of, all I think of, you've changed me for the better, I've never been this happy. I'm so happy you felt the same, I was going to tell you finally tonight, knowing that you'd rejected me but when you told me you loved me, I thought I was dreaming or someone was playing a cruel game with me, but you truly meant it. I have never been so happy to be proven wrong. I'm glad you took a chance on me. I'm glad you took the risk and I'm glad that you'd give it all up for me."

"I love you Edward. I always have, I always will."

"As I love you, Bella. As I love you, forever."

[A/N: Hope you enjoyed the story. I was just hit with inspiration and had to write it. Don't you just love happy endings? Thanks for reading, R&R love you all. E-M-C xxx P.S I have a thing for italic writing at the moment, sorry. I also thought it was good to show the third person perspective. ]