This is a birthday present for nicnicd, one of my truest friends.

Beta-brilliance goes to kimpy0464, my fanficfairygodmother (try saying that ten times in a row) who caught my every awkward phrase and then some. She went above and beyond and is truly amazing.

Love you both for reals.

The telltale navy and mustard yellow border on white cardstock peeked out from its envelope atop the pile of opened mail on the kitchen counter. It taunted me with memories I'd done a pretty good job of putting behind me. I was determined not to let it get to me. It was just a silly invitation, one that could easily have been ignored had it not been for Alice Brandon, my best friend and roommate. She made sure to bring the invitation to my attention every day for the last three weeks. She received one, too.

Forks High School Reunion

Class of 2001

You are invited to celebrate with all the

familiar faces that you have missed over

the past 10 years.

Come and join us as we renew friendships,

reminisce about days gone by, and share

in life experiences both past and present.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

There was so much more to life than four terrifying years of high school! Did anyone really want to relive a second of those mediocre experiences ten years later? I was never included in any cliques. I never joined any clubs, played in any sports, or had any sense of school spirit. I preferred my books and the few kids that weren't obnoxious.

My dad, Charlie, always said that I was too old for my age; it was his standard excuse for my lack of a social life. By the age of fifteen, I had poorer vision than my Grandma Swan and sported some pretty large glasses, too.

It was all like some bad, stereotypical movie. Mike Newton and his cronies from the football team gallivanted around school like they were the best thing on earth. He was a Ken Doll in human form: bleached blond hair, a Crest smile, and he never took off his Spartans letter jacket. Without fail, he and Jessica Stanley, the head cheerleader, would make out by my locker every morning before school. Our lockers were alphabetized, and it was just my luck that Stanley was right before Swan. I was cursed with watching sloppy face-sucking for four long years.

Those times when I needed to retrieve a textbook from my locker were considered to be big interruptions, and it didn't sit well with Jessica. She assumed my "constant" presence was caused by my having a crush on Mike (gross), so she decided to spread a rumor about it. I'll never forget the day I was on my way to physics class, weighed down by heavy books in my arms. I wasn't paying much attention when Mike called out, "Hey, Swan!"

I stumbled to a stop, looking up at him leaning against his locker, surrounded by the goon squad.

"You like La Push Beach?" he asked. Ignoring his question, I continued on to class so that I wouldn't be late. Suddenly, I felt his hand on my shoulder, preventing me from moving forward, taunting me. "I could take you out surfing this summer."

"Um…"

"'Cos your chest is as flat as a board!" Tyler Crowley howled and the rest of the group cracked up.

A quiet, gritty voice cut in. "Shut the fuck up, Newton."

Mike turned around, glaring. "Too bored to mind your own business, Cullen?" he sneered.

Edward Cullen leaned against the row of lockers across the hall, his arms crossed over his chest and his crazy bronze hair falling into his eyes. His friend Jasper stood next to him in much the same manner. I was really fucking scared of Edward Cullen at the time, as was most of the student body. He gave off a dangerous vibe that had little to do with his leather jacket and torn jeans. "I'm pretty sure I saw you shopping in the girls' department at Costco for those jeans last week," he said sourly, purposely eyeing how tight Mike's were. "But I guess that's not my business, either."

"Newton shops in the girls' section?" Jasper laughed, patting Edward on the shoulder. "Gross, man."

Mike launched himself at Edward, but his cronies held him back. Shouts broke loose in the hallway.

I rushed away, but somehow I never made it to class that day. It wasn't that Mike's words had hurt me; he was an idiot, so I never took anything he said seriously. It was his confirmation of what I already knew to be true, spoken aloud in front of half the school, making me once again the subject of his mockery.

As always, Alice was there for me. Having witnessed what had transpired, she followed me to the picnic tables outside. She rubbed my arm, pressed her forehead to mine, and looked into my wet eyes. Hers were blue and vibrant with playful flecks of light brown. "I'm gonna make a voodoo doll of Mike Newton tonight."

I burst out laughing and lightly shoved her away, even though I liked her quirks. Alice had been a Wiccan in high school. She dabbled in everything, from working a ouija board to invoking the mother goddess. Alice did most of the "calling upon the spirits" thing while I munched on popcorn and giggled as she shushed me. Eventually, she'd give up and I would throw on a movie, passing the bowl of popcorn to her. Alice was spunky and a dreamer. She was the Jane to my Daria.

After we graduated from Forks, we went to Peninsula College together because A) Neither of us had a lot of money, and B) We were paying our own way at a state school. We got a cute little one bedroom apartment on campus and worked part time. She toned down the Wicca and transitioned into this beautiful New Age spiritualist, wearing silky scarves and colorful shirts. At the heart of all her trends, she believed in Karma—that guys like Mike Newton would pay their dues, that the misguided would find their way in the world, and that good souls would be rewarded in the end.

Four years of college education had been enlightening. On the one hand, we were encouraged to think about our careers and areas of study. On the other hand, I discovered a novel concept otherwise known as parties. I was introduced to the ultimate party drink for girls: cranberry juice and vodka. Quiet Bella finally had a chance to loosen up. Many of those nights resulted in a morning-after hunt for my glasses. Broken, always broken. The people at Olympic Eye Care Center knew me well after my first semester. That was a familiarity I simply couldn't afford, so I finally upgraded to contact lenses.

Once Alice saw me without glasses, she made it her mission to wax my one eyebrow into two, to lengthen my short lashes with mascara, and to fix my pasty-pale complexion with lip gloss and blush. Apparently my glasses had covered up every one of my imperfections. Without them, I looked washed out. Her words, not mine.

The day of the Forks high school reunion continued to loom large in my mind. Before I knew it, it was Saturday the 21st, and Alice was clearly on another one of her missions. I'd just come back from errands when she pounced on me at the front door.

"Please tell me you haven't changed your mind."

"Changed my mind? I haven't even made up my mind yet."

Our apartment was far nicer than the one we shared in college. Two bedrooms, one bath, and a cute, sunny kitchen that I loved. I deliberately stepped around her to get to my room, wanting nothing more than a long bubble bath and a mojito.

"Don't you want a chance to show people the real you?" she asked, following me as I sat on my bed and kicked my shoes off.

"I doubt anyone remembers I exist. I see no reason to put myself through an uncomfortable experience; four years of high school were bad enough."

"Our graduating class only had seventy students. Everybody remembers everybody."

"Great."

"What about seeing how everyone else turned out? I know you're morbidly curious." She sat next to me and bumped her shoulder to mine. "Hmm?"

I flopped back on the bed, closing my eyes. "The only people I care about seeing from high school are the people I'm seeing now. You and Rose."

I felt her weight shift off the bed. "Rose won't go if I don't go, and I won't go if you don't go. And Rose wants to go." She tossed some clothes on my face. I opened my eyes and plucked them off.

"What's this?" Alice had begun to tear apart my closet, tossing tops at me that I didn't usually wear. They were all bold and a little too showy. I didn't even know why I still owned them. "I thought you wanted people to see the real me."

"The real you at your best," she smiled. "Rose is gonna be here soon so we can try to beat the evening traffic."

Once upon a time, Rosalie Hale had been very popular at Forks High School; Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley flanked her at all times. That is, until she mysteriously disappeared during our Sophomore year, and no one heard from her for months. Whatever happened had been between the Hales and the principal, but rumor had it that Rose became pregnant by a senior at Port Angeles High School, Royce King. She left school to have the baby. It wasn't until later that we found out the infant was adopted by a couple in California.

Rose never had an approachable personality; when she returned to school the following year, all of her so-called friends had abandoned her. After that cold reception, Rose closed herself off from everybody. One day during gym class, she punched a guy in the nose. Everyone in class crowded around him as he rolled on the soccer field, holding his face with both hands to stem the oozing blood. Yup, she'd actually drawn blood. I wasn't there to see it, but news traveled fast. Rosalie Hale knocked out the biggest varsity football player, Emmett McCarty.

He was one of the best players on the team, but he had his own group of goons, apart from Newton's. Jasper Whitlock and Edward Cullen stuck close to him, and the three were on a level all their own. They were the trouble-making, cigarette-smoking, leather jacket-wearing misfits of Forks High. The bad boys on bikes –well, mopeds to be accurate. You had to have a real license to ride a genuine motorcycle, so the badass reputation didn't break out until junior year, when they were finally old enough to get licenses.

After the incident in gym class, Rose crossed the soccer field toward the picnic tables where Alice and I happened to be hanging out. She had angry tears in her eyes. We'd been having a session of witty banter about the stupidity of boys when we saw her kick a tree nearby and wince.

Alice stood up to approach her. I pulled at her sleeve in warning. I mean, this was Rosalie Hale, ex-popular, still-bitch, now alienated from the rest of the school, and clearly troubled. I hoped she didn't punch Alice in the face.

Somehow, Alice made her laugh. I had enough decent cynicism to enhance any conversation. Rose turned our due into a trio that day. The more we got to know her, we realized under the perfect bone structure and golden hair, Rose was smarter than she looked. It was hard to believe she'd been a friend to Lauren and Jessica for so long. Apparently, even the beautiful people were insecure in high school.

Alice and I were still in the middle of packing when Rose arrived. It was a lot harder to pack for three days than it was for fourteen. I had to be more selective and I wasn't about to over pack just because Alice wanted "options to work with" over our extended weekend trip to Forks. I could dress myself...most of the time.

"I brought my stuff inside because I assume you want to drive that hideous yellow Porsche to little old Forks," said Rose, dropping her bag and plopping down beside me.

"Hey, don't hate on my baby," Alice said, turning up her nose. Right before our college graduation, Alice's great uncle passed away, leaving her funds in his will. It was a bittersweet ceremony for her family because they attended his funeral the weekend before arriving at the college. She let the money sit in its account, saving it for her future, except for one purchase: a yellow Porsche, and just in time as my old Chevy had died around then. She'd gotten a deal on the vehicle, but it still wasn't cheap. Alice must've been loaded. She could probably afford her own condo, but she continued to live with me in our little apartment. I loved her more for it. The Porsche was shiny, and very, very yellow. It stood out in any setting. She tossed my Converse sneakers out of my suitcase as soon as I dropped them in. "You can do without these...they're dirty."

"But I always wear them."

"Exactly."

"They make me feel comfortable. Think of them as my security blanket for an uncomfortable night," I protested.

"Oh, this shirt is nice." Rose held up one of my tops that was in my discard pile, a simple violet sweater with a v-neck. "I bet Edward Cullen will like it."

"Rose, give that back," I said, reaching for it as I felt heat spread up my neck. After that embarrassing encounter with Mike about the flatness of my chest, even after all these years, I never stopped thinking about how Edward shut him down. I knew, of course, that it was because of an unwritten archenemies code: always take the opportunity to rile each other up. Even so, no one had ever done it in my defense before, and it had a big impact on me.

Days after Edward had come to my rescue, I saw him standing by his bike after school, alone. As nervous as the idea made me, I decided to actually thank him; Renee had brought me up right.

I never should have approached him.

He was tall, and the badass vibe rolling off him made me reconsider every step I took. His gaze landed on me while he lighted what looked like an old cigarette, one that had been half-smoked and saved for later.

"Yeah?" he said when I stood there, speechless.

He looked irritated, which only made me more nervous. "Thanks for..." I shifted my books to my other arm; they were heavy. "...saving me from Mike."

He snorted, snapping me out of my scrambled mindset. "I wasn't doing it for you. I hate that guy."

"I know. Just saying."

He exhaled smoke and it drifted in my face. "Okay."

I began to cough and he swung onto his bike, flicking the last of the cigarette away. The engine ripped in my ears and I jumped back before he ran me over.

"Cullen, you asshole!" I yelled. "I hate boys!" Edward zoomed down the road with dust clouds in his wake.

I snatched the sweater from Rose. "Who the hell cares about Edward Cullen? The guy was not my type in high school and he completely went off the grid after graduation. He could be in another country, or dead. I can think of a thousand reasons why he probably won't be at a stupid ten-year reunion." I shoved my things into the small suitcase, including the sweater, and zipped it shut.

Alice smiled. I knew that smile. She was up to no good with that smile. "That's not what you said after that...encounter you had with him on the night of the winter dance—"

"If we don't get on the road now, we're going to hit traffic," I said, shooting to my feet and dragging my bag from the room. Alice and Rose laughed behind me, gathering up their things.

The night of the winter dance, I had to stay late at school to tutor a freshmen whose only free time was during detention. I don't why Forks bothered with a winter dance when there was prom in the spring, but the student council decided on it and that was that. The tutoring session did give me a good excuse to miss another school spirit event. I was in the middle of explaining a math problem when a ticking noise jerked my attention away from the lesson. It definitely wasn't the clock on the wall. I turned around to see where the awful noise was coming from.

Edward Cullen sat in the back corner of the room, flicking the top of his Zippo lighter open and closed. His chair was leaning against the wall, tipping him backwards, balancing his weight on two rickety legs. Hearing me turn in my seat, his defiant gaze met mine. I wasn't surprised at all that Edward was in detention. I turned back to my textbook, doing my best to ignore him. Minutes later, from the front of the classroom, Mr. Sherman put down his newspaper and told Edward to stop.

By the end of detention, it was raining. I dialed Renee, asking for a ride home. Usually Alice and I rode home together in her mom's car, but Alice had art class every Friday and wouldn't be around.

"Oh honey, I'm at the grocery store. Give me a half hour to check out and I'll come get you."

The last thing I wanted to do was wait around school even longer. It was Friday! I groaned and plunked myself down on the bench by the front entrance. Home wasn't far, but I didn't want to trudge through the rain. Everyone had dispersed and it was dead quiet. I sat back and stared at the clock.

I heard the echo of clunky boots thudding down the hall, growing increasingly louder. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw Edward strolling toward me, looking like he didn't have a care in the world. With every sway of his arms and long legs, his jacket rode up his waist slightly, and then down again. Every time it went up I saw a sliver of skin and white t-shirt where they met the waistband of his jeans. His body's natural rhythm had a gracefulness to it.

I scowled and turned back to watching the front, waiting for him to pass by on his way to the parking lot. He stopped beside me. I smelled the cigarettes and mint on him. My body shivered. I wasn't cold. His presence was doing something weird to my insides. I stiffened, shocked by whatever was happening to me.

He waited for me to look up at him before speaking. "Need a ride home?" he asked, in between chewing his gum.

"No." I looked away, held my chin a notch higher.

"Suit yourself." He shoved the door open and gusts of watery wind blew my hair and clothes around. I shivered under my jacket. This time I was cold. The rain fell harder since I'd called Renee and she drove slowly in bad weather. I didn't want to sit here for forty-five minutes to an hour.

"Wait!" I hoisted my backpack onto my shoulders and pulled my hood over my head as I ran after him.

When we got to his bike he handed me his helmet.

"What are you going to wear?" I asked, raising my voice above the noise of the weather.

"I don't have a second helmet."

I shoved it back into his arms. "It's dangerous. I mean, it's raining and the streets are wet."

"Who are you, my mom? Put it on or forget the ride." Rain streamed down his face. His hair looked almost black and it spiked up when he pushed water out of his eyes. Edward was really good looking, in a non-pretty-boy way like Mike, and he looked absolutely edible in the rain. The gray light coming through the heavy clouds caught in his eyes. They were unreadable and green. I guess I had never noticed them before, because he looked down a lot or his hair hung down over them.

"Well that's nice of you. Leave a girl in the rain-"

"And if I crash you'll split your head open. That's pretty much as gentlemanly as I get."

"Who are you, my mom?" I mocked.

His eyebrows drew together. "Geez, you're difficult," he said, as if he didn't quite believe it himself. "Just get on, Swan," he put the helmet on over my hood. Instantly the rain slapping the earth was muted and my voice muffled mid-argument. He sat on the bike and started the engine. Even under the helmet I knew it was outrageously loud. I followed his example, sliding on the seat. The way it curved up at the rear, I sort of had no choice but to lean against his back. This was the closest I'd ever been to a guy and my stomach twisted in response.

I didn't know what proper motorcycle passenger etiquette was, but I'd seen TopGun. I wrapped my arms loosely around his middle. He flipped up the kickstand with his heel and hit the gas. The bike launched forward and my whole body jerked back.

"Holy crow!" My arms tightened around him to keep from flying off the thing. I don't know what had possessed me to ride on a bike. I thought we were going to crash any second at the speed we were going. We smoothly sliced through the rain and the lethal end I braced myself for never came. I opened my eyes slowly. My head was tucked against his back, my arms in a death grip around him. I relaxed slightly and looked up over his shoulder. His head turned minutely before he focused on the road again, completely in command of the motorcycle. He was wearing black sunglasses to keep the rain out of his eyes. All he needed to complete the picture would be to start talking like Arnold Schwarzenegger from Terminator 2.

I was going to ask how he knew where my house was when it dawned on me that everyone in town probably knew where my dad, the Forks Chief of Police, lived. He slowed when we turned down my street and the rain seemed to lighten by the time he came to a stop at the foot of my driveway.

I took off the bulky helmet and handed it to him before unhooking myself from the bike. My hood was down and my hair got wet. It felt pasted to my head and my legs felt like wet noodles. When I stood I stumbled, and would've fallen if Edward didn't grab my arm. He still sat on his bike, despite the support of the kickstand.

"Thanks," I mumbled, righting my backpack and myself.

"Sure."

He watched me intently, which was weird. Did he want gas money? He seemed to be waiting for something.

"Um, and thanks for not crashing."

His mouth curved up on one side. My face heated up. I turned around and hurried inside. I had to call Renee and tell her not to bother picking me up from school anymore. When I got off the phone, the driveway was empty.

"At least admit you've thought about him," Alice said as we loaded our bags in her trunk.

"What's there to think about?" I flung my purse in the backseat and climbed into the car. Rose and Alice took the front.

"That there might be something unresolved between you two!" she exclaimed, revving the engine and peeling out of the driveway in reverse.

"Give it a rest, Alice," said Rose. "She's obviously in denial about Edward."

"It's not denial!" I said. "We weren't exactly on speaking terms when we all split off to go to college. He didn't even like me."

Alice and Rose exchanged a significant glance in the front.

"Fine," Alice sighed. "We were just trying to help. Don't blame us if you find yourself in an awkward situation tonight."

"He's probably missed you..." Rose murmured.

I rested my chin in my hand, looked out the window at the blur of cars and trees. Rose turned the music up and I zoned out.

After Edward gave me the ride home, he avoided me like the plague. I couldn't technically call it avoidance since we'd never talked during the day, but the fact that I was thinking about him a little more and he wasn't showing up in my path in the slightest, naturally I thought the worst. Not that I cared. And Charlie probably wouldn't approve of this infatuation. But anytime I heard the rippling roar of a motorcycle engine, I looked up anxiously. It was usually Jasper or Emmett. The times that I did spot Edward, he was on his way somewhere and not looking around for me. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I really did hate boys; I just hated Edward a lot less... Would saying "hello" to me kill him? Maybe my expectations were unreasonable—not that I knew exactly what I expected from Edward.

In some ways he was just as bad as Mike. They were long time archenemies. Mr. Banner had to break up their fights on several occasions, and even then, the death glares and wisecracks never ceased. It was odd that while the Cullens were really freakin' rich in Forks, because Dr. Cullen was an incredible surgeon working at Forks Community Hospital, Edward still wore ripped jeans and smelled like a dirty ashtray.

Just when I decided once and for all to give up on Edward completely, he bumped into me one afternoon—on purpose. I walked down the hall toward the parking lot after the last bell had rung and another pair of legs joined my stride. When the person didn't pass, I looked up. Edward was staring straight ahead at nothing.

"What do you want?"

"You don't own the hallway."

"I own my personal space," I retorted.

He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

We approached the double doors to the outside and he held one open for me. I pushed open the other door forcefully, brushing past him. I stalked to my old red Chevy, eager to get home. Charlie had given me the truck when I passed my driving test. His friend, Billy Black, had just put the truck up for sale, so my dad decided to take it off his hands for a small price. I was thrilled. My parents allowed me to go anywhere I wanted to after school, as long as I either came home in time for dinner, or called to tell them what I was doing and returned in time for curfew.

Despite my efforts to out-walk him, Edward's long legs kept up with me easily. I was so preoccupied that I dropped my keys into a puddle when I got to my truck.

He swooped down to pick them up and wiped them dry on his jeans before handing them back to me. "Nice truck," he said as I fumbled with my keys in the lock.

"Why are you talking to me?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I want to."

"But you've been ignoring me for weeks."

"I wasn't ignoring you."

It didn't make any sense to me. Edward Cullen had never sought me out in his life. The few times we did talk, he had proven to be a real jerk. I rolled my eyes, heavily. "Yeah. Right."

That day I sped home, hoping my own father didn't catch me on the road.

Every morning I was still cursed with Jessica and Mike making out by my locker, and I sat with Rose and Alice at lunch. I had a ton of schoolwork to do for my AP courses. Renee encouraged me to at least get good grades, since I hadn't joined any extra curricular activities. I needed something to put on my resume for college.

While I was busy studying, the weeks had flown by, and before I knew it, everybody was talking about prom and graduation. Alice, Rose, and I chose to go to the movies on prom night. And we had a blast holding back our giggles while sneaking into other movie theaters after our movie ended.

It was the end of spring, and you could feel the change in the air. It was less wet, and everything was green and squishy. Soon, there were only a few days left of class, and finals were on the horizon. Seniors always had a half day for the graduation ceremony rehearsal, so we got out of school early.

Deciding that I needed a little peace and quiet, I walked the half-mile from school to Tillicum Park. It was protected by Forks, but there was rarely anyone else there. My truck was in the shop getting looked at because of some mysterious squeaky-rumbly noise every time I started it up. It was drivable, but Charlie wasn't taking any chances. The park was lovely. I meandered on the paths, letting my fingers caress wildflower petals and tall grass.

Someone cleared his throat nearby, startling me. I turned, became blinded by the sun, and shielded my eyes.

"What are you doing here, Cullen?"

Edward stood up from the bench and shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked toward me. He wasn't wearing his jacket, probably because it was too hot; he wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans. The sun illuminated his hair, so it lit up like bright copper and was just as messy as ever. He joined me under the shade of a tree.

"I always hang out here. This isn't your park, Swan."

"It's Bella."

"I know."

I glanced around. "I haven't been here since I was kid." I honestly didn't really remember it.

"Then you don't know the nicest areas." He turned and began walking, gesturing for me to follow. "I'll show you, if you want."

I hurried to catch up. Edward was being nice and I was getting swept away in the beauty of the gardens.

We strolled for a bit, and he pointed out some nice spots where flowers grew in clusters. I stopped once in a while to smell them. When I turned around to continue up the trail past a fragrant pot of lilies, I was presented with a bright yellow daffodil.

"It's...beautiful," I said uncertainly, slowly accepting it from Edward's hand. I lowered my eyes to avoid looking into his.

"I thought you'd like it."

I made a mental note to press the flower in a book as soon as I got home. His gesture had woven a spell over me and I smiled, letting him lead me around the rest of the park at a leisurely pace. I asked him about finals and he shrugged, not particularly worried about passing or failing. I guess his parents could afford to send him anywhere. I rambled on about the pressure of school work and going to college.

"Did you get accepted anywhere?"

He nodded. "I'm going to Columbia University in New York."

"Wow, that's...far." And a really good school. I didn't think Edward applied himself academically, but I was apparently wrong. I felt a little sad that he'd be all the way across the country, but I wasn't exactly sure why I cared.

As the sun started to fade and the sky turned purple, I heard my stomach growl, so we went to the Forks Coffee Shop diner. It was kind of silly, but we got breakfast for dinner and enjoyed every bite. He looked slightly appalled at the heaping amount of syrup I put on my pancakes. We joked a little about people at school and how we couldn't wait to get out of Forks. Our eyes kept meeting, and he left me utterly captivated.

"Ms. Cope's hair gets redder every year. I swear it was orange freshmen year and now..."

"It's cherry red," he grinned.

On the ride back to my house, I let myself lean against his back. The motorcycle wasn't so scary anymore, but I used that as an excuse to hold onto him a little tighter. Without his jacket, I felt how solid he was through the thin cotton of his t-shirt. I was amazed that I was actually touching him. Everything about the afternoon and evening had been...magical.

"We're here," he said suddenly, breaking into my dreamy haze of green eyes and daffodils.

I slid off the bike and noticed the chief's vehicle parked in the driveway. "Thanks for showing me around the park and for dinner. It was really nice of you, Edward."

He raised an eyebrow. "So I'm not Cullen anymore?"

"I guess that's entirely up to you," I smiled. Charlie was going to be at the window any second now.

"Is it? I don't know if I can keep up with your mood swings, Swan," he quipped.

"If anyone's got mood swings, it's you, Cullen." I sighed dramatically. "This is why I hate boys."

The corner of his mouth turned up, causing the insta-blush in my cheeks. His hand encircled my wrist, and for whatever reason, I let him pull me closer. I gasped as he gathered me on his lap and whispered, "You don't hate me, Bella. You never have." He kissed me on the mouth, and it was soft and electric. My hands combed through his hair and rested around his neck. This was my first kiss and I didn't know what I was doing, but it felt extraordinary.

The porch door slammed open. "What the heck are you doing with my daughter?"

I leapt off the bike and shoved Edward back, which was kind of stupid because he hardly budged in his seat. His eyes were wide, but I looked away, avoiding whatever kind of response was in them. I ran inside, passed Charlie at the door, and pounded up the stairs to my room. Although my cheeks were hot with embarrassment, a warm feeling settled in my stomach. I peeked out the window, my pulse racing. The shove had been a little excessive. He probably thought I was psycho. My eyes watered as I watched Edward ride away, vanishing at the end of my street.

"We're at the Welcome sign to Forks!" Alice squealed. Forks High was only two miles away. We'd be at the reunion in a few minutes.

The bends in the roads, the trees, and the storefronts of Forks, Washington were ingrained in me, something I could never unlearn no matter how infrequently I visited. I saw a corner wing of Forks High School glow as we approached the building. We parked in the school lot and I took a deep breath.

"Gonna be all right?" Rose asked.

"She'll be fine. It's like ripping a band aid off," said Alice. "Just breathe, Bella. Gather the core of your negativity and channel it out to—"

"I'll get a grip if you cease that New Age mumbo jumbo this very second."

We walked to the gym entrance where a table was set up, decked with a banner that read 'Welcome Class of 2001' and strewn with party favors. Ms. Cope greeted us like the secretary and mother hen she was, red beehive hairdo and all, and we filled out nametags. The smell of a high school gym was an odor I hadn't missed—it smelled just like armpits. As I looked around the room, I felt like I had traveled back in time, except that everyone from our graduating class had aged. They were gathered in clusters, drinking, talking, and snacking. For the most part, they were familiar, but I was embarrassed to admit that I'd already forgotten a lot of their names.

"Wow, Alice Brandon, Bella Swan, and Rosalie Hale. Great to see you girls made it!"

We turned around in unison at the voice.

"Angela Weber," said Alice. "You look amazing. How are you?"

Angela had been on the student council and school newspaper. She was a go-getter, self-starter type, excelling at anything academically and a true leader at organizing events. She'd been accepted at Dartmouth on early decision. I heard years ago that she was working as a project manager for a marketing firm.

"I'm great! I barely recognized the three of you." She held up the camera that hung around her neck. "Can I take a picture? This is going in the alumni scrapbook I'm putting together for our class."

We huddled together and threw on smiles.

"Oh. My. Gosh," cried a voice right behind us. We turned around after the camera's flash went off. "Hey Rosalie!" Jessica Stanley bubbled and clapped her hands.

Rose's smile turned icy. It had been ten years, but you don't forget friends that ditched you in your time of need. It was apparent that Rose hadn't forgotten the way Jessica and Lauren cut her off completely when she needed them most.

"Jessica Stanley."

"Mrs. Newton, actually." Jessica thrust her hand out to show off her engagement and wedding ring on her left hand. "We married five years ago and took over the Newton family sporting goods store."

"That's swell, Jess," I said.

"Mike will be so surprised to see you guys!" She dragged Rose away while Alice and I followed, exchanging grimaces.

Mike was nothing like I expected—or remembered. In fact, I was downright shocked when Jessica led us over to her husband.

His blue eyes were the same, but overall he was thicker. His face had filled out, rounded and ruddy. He had a receding hairline and short clipped blond hair, and he seemed shorter than the hotshot jock in high school. Even his jeans weren't tight, but looser to accommodate his extra bulk and paired with a teal polo.

I guess what I expected was a washed up football player still trying to hang on to the glory days.

He shook our hands like we were customers at Newton's Olympic Outfitters.

Rose managed to escape to the refreshment table. Lucky girl. Mike was still shaking my hand and giving me this look, so Alice didn't have the heart to desert me.

Uh oh, I knew that look. The leer as he flashed me his Crest smile. Some things hadn't changed…

"Nice to see you again, Mike."

"You too…uh…"

"It's me, flat-chested Bella," I smiled back.

I could pinpoint the exact moment recognition passed in his eyes. He became flustered. Alice laughed and led me away. "Bella," she said in an undertone. "What the hell was that?"

"What? Just being myself. I thought you liked my sense of humor."

"I do. But even if you have low self esteem, it doesn't mean you should throw yourself under a bus!"

"Oh please," I whispered loudly as we shoved each other outside into the cool night air. "I was just teasing. I know I have boobs. No low self esteem here because I like them. Bella Swan has a significant rack now. It's like the ultimate revenge!"

A pebble rolled toward us, followed by the sound of shoes scuffing on the asphalt. We whipped our heads around in time to see two figures emerge from out of the dark parking lot. Suddenly, they stopped short.

This was certainly a moment where I wanted to die on the spot.

"Er, hi," said a very good looking Jasper Whitlock. He rubbed the back of his neck, giving us a halfhearted smile.

"Jasper, Edward, hi…" Alice replied, looking fairly dazed and wide eyed.

"We didn't mean to interrupt your discussion about Bella's rack," said Edward. "But we like to arrive fashionably late to these things."

"What he's really saying is that he wasn't planning to come, but I coerced him with some serious cash," Jasper interpreted.

My mind had gone totally blank during this surreal exchange. My tongue was dry and stuck behind my teeth.

Ten years can either destroy a guy, like Mike Newton, or it can help him develop into an exceptional specimen of manhood. I was currently looking at the latter. Edward's face was more angular and his shoulders were broader. His hair wasn't crazy and tangled anymore, but trimmed on the sides, sporting a few cowlicks in the front. He had scruff.

I didn't recall Jasper's differences in quite as much detail as Edward's, but he's the type you'd recognize anywhere. They were two young misfits who had been transformed into real men. Alice seemed to be having a similar episode of speechlessness beside me. It was so unlike her. I elbowed her in the side.

"Ow," she muttered, rubbing the spot.

"So what have you guys been up to the last ten years?" I asked lamely.

"That's kind of a loaded question for a few hours of schmoozing, isn't it?" Jasper laughed.

Alice spoke up. "Well, we live in Port Angeles now. How about you?"

"I moved back to Forks, actually, a few years ago," said Jasper. "Do you come to Forks often? Do your folks still live here?"

They slipped effortlessly into an in-depth discussion. I glanced at Edward. He was already looking at me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered over.

Sometimes, all it takes is just one small gesture to unleash a torrent of memories. Suddenly, it didn't matter how many things I invested in, or how much I had changed over the last ten years. As soon as I saw Edward shove his hands into his pockets, it's like high school just ended last week, and Edward was once again in his t-shirt and ripped jeans, asking me if I wanted to look at daffodils.

But he wasn't a grungy high school kid anymore. He wore a gray button down shirt and dark jeans that fit as though they were tailored for him. Still, I couldn't help but be curious. "Where's the infamous Cullen leather jacket?"

He smiled a little. "Safely stored in the back of my closet." He paused and added, "You look good, Bella."

"So do you."

We shuffled our feet for a bit, looking around. My gaze kept meeting his.

"Is it scary inside?"

"Just your average freak show at a circus," I quipped. "Want to go in?"

"Not really."

"Then why did you come?"

"Jasper really did pay me…"

I thought all that had been a joke. "Oh. Well, aren't you a good friend to accept his cash."

He chuckled. "I accept money orders, too. I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't picture you coming to a Forks High School event. It's very school spirit-y of you."

"I don't recall seeing you at any pep rallies and school dances back in the day, either." I'd spoken before I realized where this conversation was leading. I felt my face heat up, but Edward played it coy, as if he had no idea of what I was talking about.

"How would you know if you weren't at any?" He rocked on his heels and had a glint in his eyes.

"Yeah, okay, you got me there. However, I've always been a pretty good judge of character, and I bet you weren't into them."

"Is this some kind of special power you have?"

"It's like a sixth sense really," I said, tapping my temple once. I was laying the sarcasm on thick and he was eating up every word.

"And what does your sixth sense tell you now?"

"My sixth sense is withholding judgment at this time."

His mouth curved up on one side, forcing my brain to shut off and leaving my skin feeling scorched.

I pressed on, uncertain, twisting my fingers together. "Which means I need to put you up for further study," I said, clearing my throat. "So where are you now?"

"Seattle, actually. I teach at UW Medical." Edward commanding a classroom? If I had stalked properly, I could've sat in on one of his classes for some major self-indulgence.

"You didn't want to stay in New York?"

He shrugged. "Not really. It was refreshing at first, to be in a city where so many trends begin and flourish. One day I woke up and it felt too loud. Too noisy. And I like Washington."

"Are you sure this noise wasn't from a hangover?" He laughed and I clarified, "I guess I figured you'd never come back to this dreary state."

"I didn't expect you to stick around either."

"Well I-" His eyes were so green and steady. I got seriously snagged by them and had to look elsewhere before I started to float away.

"Where's Rose?" Alice asked me suddenly.

I poked my head inside the doorway of the gym. She wasn't hard to miss in a crowd. "I don't see her anywhere."

"Emmett was supposed to meet us here, too," said Jasper. "Where is he?"

"Isn't that the guy Rose punched out in gym class?" I said to Alice. "She really hated him."

"His Jeep is in the parking lot," said Edward.

"Uh oh." Alice grabbed my hand and we went inside to search for them. The boys followed.

We crossed the gym and slipped into the dim hallways. One of the florescent beams of light remained on at the end of the hall, flickering and buzzing low. We wandered a bit, peeking into empty classrooms. The nostalgia was unmistakable. Four years of running around these halls and slamming lockers closed, passing notes in class and eating lunch on the picnic tables outside, they were years when every little thing felt important.

Alice joined my side. "I tried her cell phone, but there was no answer."

"Weird," I replied.

"Let's check out the classrooms upstairs," Jasper suggested.

There was a sense of urgency to our mission now. As we turned a corner, we heard a thump thump nearby. "What was that?" I asked, heading toward the direction of the noise. It was coming from within the custodial closet. "Rose?" I called softly.

Whoever was behind the door went silent. I feared the worst and yanked it open.

Mike Newton was tangled in the broom and mops with a blonde woman who wasn't his wife, Jessica. He had her red lipstick smeared all over his mouth, and his pants were open.

I gasped, both my hands flying to my mouth. Alice, Edward, and Jasper were at my side instantly.

"Geez, Newton," said Edward, looking at the pair with a mixture of disgust and satisfaction.

Mike's face reddened in outrage. "Cullen!"

"Edward," the woman purred. Mike's complexion turned purple.

"Uh, Lauren? Lauren Mallory?"

"Lauren Crowley," she corrected, wiping her mouth on her wrist and pulling her blouse back over her exposed shoulder.

I hardly recognized her. From the looks of it, Lauren had gotten a ton of plastic surgery done. Her nose was smaller, her lips plumper, and her skin looked waxy. Alice and I exchanged a glance. We would be looking through our high school yearbook later to compare.

Mike scrambled to zip his pants, knocking one of the broom handles into Lauren's forehead. She cursed at him and we closed the door before the pair spilled out. We jogged down the hall toward the staircase, trying to muffle our laughter.

"This is like some sick Desperate Housewives reality show all of a sudden," I said.

"No kidding," Edward agreed. "But catching Newton in the act just made up for every fight in school. I've got one up on him for at least the next ten years." He winked at me. He actually winked at me.

When we got to the second floor, the hallways forked.

"We need to split up," said Alice. "Call me if you find her."

I nodded. "And vice versa."

We split up into pairs and Edward tagged along with me. Suddenly, I was alone with him and it felt overwhelming. I was acutely aware of my own breathing. The urgency of the mission seemed less important as I was reminded of our magical walk in the garden. Did he remember any of it?

"What's up?"

"Nothing," I answered quickly.

"You look upset. Don't worry, we'll find Rose."

We popped into a few classrooms and I was overly aware of him shadowing me at every step. His nearness made me nervous. "It's hard for me to picture you teaching college classes."

"Why?"

"Didn't you hate school?"

"I didn't like high school," he admitted. "It was...boring."

"You always struck me as a rebel."

He chuckled. "Doesn't every teenager have a rebellious phase?"

"You know what I mean..."

"Well what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You changed, ya know." He gave me a sidelong glance. "No glasses, for one."

"I forgot about that difference," I said, running my fingers along my temple where the bulky frames used to rest.

"I liked your glasses." I scoffed. "No really, I did," he insisted.

I pushed him playfully. He staggered a few steps and swayed back to me, lightly bumping my shoulder. I had a sense that this was about to get very tactile. Or was he just being nice and I was misinterpreting this heavy dose of flirtation? I jogged down to the next classroom. He caught up with me and we peeked inside.

"That's the first time I've heard a compliment about my glasses from anybody."

"They had character." He was serious. I could see it in his face, which was very close to mine in the doorway.

"Thanks…" My betraying eyes fell to his lips. When I glanced back up, his gaze was on my lips. I shifted. Realizing he'd been caught, he turned away, clearing his throat. We moved on to the other rooms.

When we looked into the last room at the end of the hall, I was ready to give up. I closed the door and leaned against it, facing Edward.

"Looks like we're out of rooms and Alice didn't call me."

"Hmm," he nodded.

He'd been really quiet as we searched through the last few rooms, and I hoped I hadn't done anything wrong.

"Edward, I-"

"Bella, would-"

We both broke off, smiling shyly.

"Go ahead," he said.

I shook my head. "No, you."

He exhaled through his nose, looking like he'd been preparing to say something in particular. "Would you maybe want to take a walk at Tillicum Park? We could catch up some more. Is that too…um-"

"Right now?"

His eyes brightened. "Tomorrow afternoon? Will you still be in town?"

"I'm in town all weekend," I confirmed, in case he wanted to take advantage of that... "Just you and me?"

He smiled that lopsided smile and I melted inside. "That's the plan."

My cell phone rang in my purse and I wasn't sure if I was grateful for the interruption. "Alice?"

"Hey, B. Umm we found Rose and Emmett finally."

"Where were they?" I asked. Edward leaned in to hear Alice, too.

"In his Jeep."

"Rose, you waste no time," said Alice on the drive back. Alice was dropping us off at our respective childhood homes so our parents didn't throw a fit. They were eager to see us since we were town for the reunion.

"It was just making out!" Rose defended weakly.

"I kind of kissed Jasper, too."

"Alice!" I gasped. "Am I the only one who hasn't done any kissing tonight?"

They giggled. I huffed. "It was when we split up, wasn't it?"

Alice nodded. "I figured you'd do the same with Edward..."

"I haven't seen him in ten years!"

"There was definitely some chemistry going on there. It's like ten years never happened."

"So you noticed that, too, huh?" I muttered. "The fact is that ten years did go by and we aren't the same people anymore."

"Yeah, we're not emotionally stunted," scoffed Rose.

"Now you have another chance to see what happens…" Alice said quietly.

"Hm." They made some valid points, and it's not that I wasn't interested in Edward; I just didn't want to delude myself. I turned my attention back to Rose. "We were really worried and thought you needed our support when you saw Emmett. And I thought you hated him. How did this happen?"

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I have no idea! I was sipping a club soda and all of a sudden he was next to me, asking me if I saw his buddies around. Then he said I looked beautiful and we reminisced about the broken nose I gave him." She blushed. "I might've said that his nose looked perfect in a roundabout apology... One thing led to another."

"You never even told us what he said to you that day on the soccer field."

Rose sighed. "It wasn't a big deal. I was just embarrassed. We split into teams of two, practicing on passing the ball back and forth. Emmett kicked too hard and the ball hit me straight in the mid section."

"Oh my God," Alice gasped.

"The idiot thought something was still left in me... I don't know, the ordeal was still fresh in my mind and I was furious about the attention he was drawing to us. You remember how everyone kept staring at my stomach after I came back? I hit my limit that day. So I punched him."

I rubbed her shoulder soothingly. We were all silent for a while.

"So... How is Emmett?" I finally asked.

"Hotter than ever and less of a jerk," she admitted. "Did you know he plays for the Seattle Seahawks?"

Rose described his kisses for the rest of the drive to her parents' house. My thoughts kept drifting to Edward's kiss in high school and what it would be like now.

It was always weird being back in my childhood bedroom. It was cozy, but I felt like a guest at my parents' house ever since I graduated high school. Charlie had insisted on keeping every photo and art project disaster hung on the walls. Renee had turned half of it into an exercise room, which was really just a bulky treadmill where the rocking chair used to be in the corner, next to the window. They liked having me visit and fed me way too much food.

I lay on my stomach and opened the one book that I brought with me. In the back was the pressed daffodil. It was ochre now and silly me wanted to laminate it in order to keep it from crumbling to dust. I traced around it with my fingertips, careful not to touch it. Would Edward think I was crazy for keeping it? Then again, I still had all my old diaries in a shoe box at the top of my closet.

An hour later my cell beeped. Edward and I had exchanged digits last night before we all left so we could figure out what time we were going to meet at the park. When I told him that my old Chevy had finally died during my last year of college, he insisted that he would pick me up. Something Rose had said yesterday made me go through my suitcase. I pulled out the violet sweater and put it on over my tank top. It was a nice color with my complexion. I wanted to encourage Edward without being too obvious in making myself up. Thankfully, my parents were out running their usual weekend errands when he pulled into the driveway. It was a silver Volvo.

"What happened to the motorcycle?" I teased when I situated myself with the seatbelt.

"In my garage under some tarp," he said. He looked and smelled like he'd just showered. I breathed him in.

"I was half expecting it. I guess I have to get used to how different everything is now."

"I'll take you for a ride on it sometime." The simple offer set my heart rate going again.

Once we parked, we strolled on the same beaten path we did years ago. The same bench was there, too, overlooking the fields of wildflowers. It looked much older now, worn from the merciless winters. The air was chillier as the summer was fading and turning into autumn and I rubbed my arms to create some warmth.

"Are you cold?"

"I'm fine," I said, content yet overwhelmed to be walking in this park with Edward again. I took my time smelling flowers, drinking in their delicate fragrance, admiring the colorful, soft petals. In a few weeks time they would be withered and covered in snow. "This was one of my favorite memories from high school," I admitted.

"Mine, too," he said quietly, near my ear. A flower tickled my cheek. I leaned back and saw a daffodil in his hand. He traced it down the side of my face and tucked it behind my ear.

"Really? I wasn't sure if you remembered…"

"I do remember, Bella. I thought I forgot but… It's weird seeing you again. I just... I don't know."

"Weird-good or weird-bad? Or just weird?" I sounded too anxious.

He took my hand and drew me to the bench. "Weird-good." He was watching me, probably trying to guess my thoughts.

"I like catching up with you, but I think my sixth sense requires a dinner date."

He gave me his lopsided smile. "Anything else?"

I chewed on my lip, glanced at his mouth, and averted my gaze. "Umm…"

His expression turned serious, making my heart pound. "I think I know."

He leaned down and kissed me. At first his lips just brushed mine and the kiss was soft and experimental. Then his lips pressed gently, warm in the breeze. His hand lightly cupped my jaw and I moved in closer. I was floating.

He pulled away. "I should've asked. Are you seeing anybody?"

I grinned. "No. Are you? I like my men single before I start swapping saliva."

"I'm definitely single and very interested in this swapping."

We kissed again and as beautiful as the wildflowers were, they faded in comparison to Edward's kisses.

Thanks for reading :)