Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. I'm also not from Georgia, nor have I actually ever visited it, but I mean absolutely no disrespect towards anyone from the state and I'm sorry if I something wrong in the story.

Chapter One

The sun wasn't even up yet when I opened my eyes. My room was still dark, the curtains shut tight, and everything was quiet. Turning over on my on my side, the dim glow of my alarm clock told me that it was hardly even four o' clock yet.

Perfect.

Reaching above my clock I switched on the small light that sat on my bedside table. It cast a small glow around the soft pink room. My Momma had designed this room for when I was just a baby and I guess I just never got around to changin' anythin'.

My fingers ran through the tangled locks of my hair as I swung my legs out from under the covers. The wooden floor was cold under my feet, but I didn't pay it no mind as I tiptoed over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of jean shorts that Momma would surely cut into pieces if she knew I had them and a loose white tank top. After pullin' on my underclothes, socks and my outfit I then walked over to my closet. I usually kept all my shoes downstairs in the mudroom near the entry way, but Momma would never allow me to have these boots, and I most definitely wanted to keep 'em. They'd been a gift from Jasper.

He was the boy who'd worked at our stables for the past three summahs. Last summah had been the first that I'd worked up the nerve to speak to him. He was a true Southern gentleman and was polite, and carin', and had the prettiest blue eyes that I ever saw in my whole life.

When I'd told him last summer that my birthday was in September he gave me a pair of brown leather cowboy boots in the last week of August. He'd felt so bad about not bein' able to give 'em to me on my real birthday, and the way he smiled at me when I took them out a the box made my heart flutter all over the place.

I smiled to myself as I pulled the boots out a their hiding place in the back of my closet. They were a little dusty, but I brushed that off as I stood up again and walked towards my nightstand. Opening the only drawer of the stand I pulled out my sketch journal and pen, stickin' 'em under my arm and reached back in to grab the small flashlight I'd smuggled in last night.

After turnin' out the light I padded towards the door to the hallway and opened it slowly. Momma and Daddy's room was on the other side of the second floor, but I didn't know if any of the maids were lurkin' around. Not to mention Grand Daddy's room was right across the hall from mine, but he'd been havin' some hearin' issues as of late, so I doubted he'd be able to hear a five piece band never mind little ole' me.

I listened for a moment and double checked the hall before I stepped out a my room, closed the door behind me and crept towards the stair case. My chest was tight with anticipation and excitement. It was the first real day of summah and I was gonna see Jasper again. My lips turned up at the thought.

It took almost five minutes longer than if I'd been walking normally, but I finally made it down the large staircase and walked towards the sunroom. The whole house was silent, although I could hear the slight whine of bugs outside of the screens of the sunroom. Walking through the room I pushed open the screen door that led outside. I sat down on the top step outside of the door, putting down my sketch journal and pen next to me. As I pulled on the cowgirl boots over my socks I felt my body hum with excitement.

It was truly summah now. There was so much to be done!

My toes wiggled happily in the boots that were snug around my feet, but just loose enough around my calves. I flicked on my flashlight and stood up, collectin' the journal and then stepped down from the steps onto the grass.

Pebble Hill Plantation has been in my family for over one hundred years. My great-great-great Grand Daddy built it and all the other buildin's for his wife and children. After spendin' the last eighteen years of my life, I knew every blade of grass, every oak tree, and every azalea bush on the property. Just North a the house was the family cemetery, the garage, and the pond. To the West was the Overflow house, where the guests would stay, the old schoolhouse, the Waldorf, where the help stayed, the old kennels, and of course the stables. We were five miles South of Thomasville, and twenty five miles North of Tallahassee, but that didn't matter 'cause we were still in Georgia.

Momma always said that we had pure Southern blood runnin' through our veins. She claimed that she was a Southern Belle just like her Momma, and her Momma before her and my Daddy was a good 'n honest business man raised out a Atlanta. Daddy said that as soon as he saw my Momma he fell in love at first sight and Momma… Well Momma don't like to admit it, but she fell in love at first sight too. As I grew up she was always tellin' me that I was gonna be a Southern belle just like she was. I was gonna be a perfect lady and livin' by the rules that my great-great-great Grand Mama lived by.

As I crossed the main driveway, between the oak trees, I heard the whinny of a horse up ahead of me. A smile spread across my lips as I walked a little faster stepping back onto the grass that led to the stables. The flashlight's batteries were dyin' and only a dim circle of light preceded me. Tall oak trees towered above me, and in the daytime you could see all of the Spanish moss hangin' down off a their branches.

Another whinny sounded through the dark, morning air as I approached the stables. The path led through the wrought iron gate and into the courtyard. The small fountain in the middle looked murky in the dim light, but I quickly walked around it towards the archway leading inside with light flooding out of it.

The lights overhead were on, forcing me to squint in order to see anythin' inside.

"Bella, is that you darlin'?" came a sweet voice to my left. I turned and saw Jasper walkin' toward me, a big grin lighin' up his whole face. I couldn' help but smile back.

"Ya'll were expectin' someone else?" I asked him, raisin' an eyebrow and smilin' flirtatiously. He laughed out loud and the sound made me wanna laugh with him.

"A course not, I jus' didn't think you'd be up so early. Didn't your Momma ever tell you not to sneak outta the house before dawn?" he smirked at me.

"A course she did! I'm absolutely positive it's in my Southern Belle handbook," I replied with a roll of my eyes. Jasper had teased me all last summah talkin' about how silly he thought it was that I had to follow so many rules so I could be like my Momma.

"Right, right, I remember. Your book of rules. So, do I get my hug, or not? Miss Swan," he held out his arms and I blushed lightly as I stepped closer to him. My arms wrapped around his warm waist and his arms went around my shoulders. Tight. Close. I inhaled as my nose pressed against the soft cotton of his blue t-shirt. Soap, cinnamon apples, and hay.

"Jasper!" a gruff voice shattered the small moment I had created in my head. I jumped and pulled myself away from Jasper's arms, blushing and lookin' at the ground as. The voice continued as the stout man I knew as Gus came around the corner, "Get back to work and turn these horses out 'fore I fire you – oh! Miss Swan. I didn't know you were here… Does yer Momma know you're out here?"

I resisted the strong urge to roll my eyes at Gus, "No, she don't know I'm here. But what she don't know won' hurt her, right?"

"A course, Miss Swan," Gus nodded then pointed at Jasper, eyein' him sternly, "Turn those horses out 'fore six o' clock or you'll be polishin' the saddles with your spit 'till they shine!"

Gus disappeared and I stifled a giggle as Jasper rolled his eyes at Gus's words. Everyone knew Gus was all talk and no action.

"He can be so bossy," Jasper muttered and I giggled out loud.

"He's jus' makin' sure you do your job. Ain't nothin' wrong with that," I replied, walking back down the hallway, back towards the first stalls.

"Well, he don't have to be so annoyin' about it," he griped.

"Oh hush you! Just get back to work and stop whinin', will ya?" I smirked as I took a seat on a pile of hay bales. Jasper chuckled as he pulled on his work gloves and reached for the first stall.

"Yes Ma'am," he replied with a wink, bringing out one a our Appaloosas named Kassie.

The rest of the morning was filled with laughter and sharin' stories about our school years. I went to an all girl's school in Albany while he went to a public school here in Thomasville. By the time the sun was peekin' over the horizon and makin' everything look pink I had told him about how my best friend Lottie and I had overslept on our exam day and had then walked into the wrong class. He was in near hysterics as I told him how it had taken us at least fifteen minutes to realize that we were takin' the wrong exam.

"That's jus' priceless, darlin'," he managed to choke the words out through another bout of laughter. I laughed with him and shrugged.

"It wasn' so funny to Momma or Daddy, but at least I didn't fail the class," I smiled. Jasper nodded, still laughing to himself as he attached the last horse, one a our two Friesians named Prince. He led Prince down the hall and out towards the paddocks. My eyes followed his movements and appreciated the way that his jeans hung on his body.

When he disappeared outside I pushed myself off of the bales of hay, inspectin' the red indented lines the hay had left on the back of my thighs. It was only six thirty, but Momma would be awake soon, and I didn' wanna start the summah off with her angry with me.

Grabbing up my journal, pen and flashlight I turned around to see Jasper comin' back towards me.

"I should probably be headin' back now. Momma would throw a fit if she saw me in these," I said softly, lookin down at both the boots and the jean shorts.

"That's a good idea, darlin'. I'd hate to get you inta trouble," a smirk was clear in Jasper's voice. Raising my eyes up to his baby blue ones I smiled slightly.

"I highly doubt that a gentleman like you could ever get me into trouble," I replied.

"Yah never know," Jasper shrugged.

I laughed and shook my head then started towards the door, "I'll see you later?"

"It's not like I'll be anywhere else, darlin'," he said, gesturing at the stables around us. I giggled and nodded, then walked out the door before he could see the blush on my cheeks.

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I was positive that a smile was permanently stuck on my face. Walkin' back to the house wasn't nearly as hard as gettin' to the stables cause I could see everythin' now. The sunlight cast a lovely glow through the bloomin' dogwood trees with their white flowers and down through the towering pines. The grounds of Pebble Hill Plantation were always kept in tip-top condition.

The stairs to the sun room came into view and I bent down briefly to slip off my boots and then jumped up the stairs, pushin' open the door and closin' it behind me. I turned to walk back into the house when someone cleared their throat. Startled, my hand flew up to my throat, my boots clattering to the ground as my eyes rested on Daddy sitting at the breakfast table in the opposite corner of the sunroom. Another man sat across from him, but I couldn't move my eyes from my Daddy's gaze. He didn' seem to be angry.

"Wh-What are you doin' up so early, Daddy?" I asked softly, my hand still at my throat and my heart racin' in my chest. Daddy smiled softly.

"I could ask you the same thing, Sugar Belle," he replied.

"Uh… Well yah see," I began to stutter, bendin' down to get my boots from the ground, "It's the first day of summah break, and I went to go help Jasper with the horses. I didn' think anyone would find out."

My eyes found my sock clad feet as a blush rose up to my cheeks.

"Please don' tell Momma?" I asked finally, lookin' back up to Daddy's face. He wasn't angry. In fact I didn' really know what he was feelin' right now. Usually he was very open with his emotions, but I couldn' get a read on him righ' now.

"I won't tell your Momma, but try to be a bit less conspicuous comin' back into the house?" he asked and I beamed at him. It wasn't until the man across from my Daddy suddenly cleared his throat that I remembered we weren't alone.

Shiftin' my eyes I looked over at the man sittin' in the other white whicker chair. He looked tall and trim, dressed in a crisp black suit with a white shirt and a red tie on. I followed the strong lines of the man's neck up to his sharp jaw that was covered in a little bit of stubble. His skin was pale and unblemished on his face, his cheekbones high, his nose slightly crooked and his eyes a deep green that made me think automatically of summah. His face looked younger than my Daddy's, but not by much. Finally a shock a penny colored hair sat on top of his head, stickin' out in every direction. Good Lord in Heaven. Did this man even own a brush or a mirror?

"Sugar Belle, I'd like you to meet Mr. Edward Cullen. He's my partner at the law firm. He works outta New York City and has come to spend the summah here with us. I've been plannin' on makin' a lot of changes with the firm, and he's here to help negotiate them," Daddy explained to me and I nodded, still starin' at the man like he had five heads.

I realized that I'd been silent for a while and another blush flooded my cheeks, "It's nice to meet you, Sir," I murmured quietly. Mr. Cullen's expression looked tight and controlled as he nodded back to me.

"Indeed," he replied, his voice was as smooth and rich as honey. My heart broke out into a sprint and my whole body hummed with some unknown feelin'. Quickly I looked away from Mr. Cullen's blazin' green eyes and back towards the floor.

"I think you'd best go and change before your Momma sees you and has a heart attack," Daddy said with a smirk on his face. I nodded and made my escape out of the room. As soon as I was out of Mr. Cullen's field of vision I felt as though I could breathe again. What on earth had come ovah me? I ain't never felt like that in my whole life.

Pushin' the thoughts outta my mind I walked as fast as I could back through the house, up the staircase and into my room without runnin' into my Momma.

I pulled off my clothes and put them in the hamper in my bathroom, then got into the shower, quick as a bunny. I didn' want Momma to smell hay and apples all over me. When I got out I dried myself off with one of my big white towels and wrapped my hair up in another one. Finding an outfit that Momma would approve of was much easier, surprisin'ly.

A pair of white crochet flats now adorned my feet and I had on a white eyelet lace skirt that fell halfway down my thighs. My new tank top matched theblue heart charm on my Tiffany's bracelet that I'd also put on. I left my long hair down hopin' it would dry quickly, and opted to put on only mascara. I'd gotten my Daddy's dark hair and brown eyes, and my Momma's pale complexion, though during the summer I gained a nice sun-kissed look.

After I'd dressed and put on my makeup I picked up my boots and shoved them back into the dark corner of my closet to wait until another day. A sigh left my lips as I checked myself in the mirror one more time before I opened my door again and walked out into the hall. Now there were maids walking along the hall with fresh sheets and cleaning products in their hands. They all smiled and greeted me as I passed them with my own smile on my face.

As I descended the staircase I could hear my Momma's laughter coming from the first floor. Tuckin' my hair behind my ear I stepped around the corner and back into the sunroom. Daddy and Mr. Cullen still sat in their seats, however Momma had taken a seat between the two of them, and Grand Daddy sat on Daddy's other arm.

"There you are, Sugar Belle! I was gettin' ready to send up Maria to wake you up," Momma smiled at me. She looked just as perfect as always, her blonde hair pulled into a twist so her forget-me-not blue eyes were clearly visible. I smiled back to her as I pulled out the whicker chair between Grand Daddy and Mr. Cullen, my body hummin' with the same strange sensation I'd felt earlier.

"Did you have a good night, darlin'?" Momma asked again and I nodded.

"Very pleasant," I replied quietly, adjustin' my skirt as I sat down.

"Lovely, I was just talkin' to your father about how nice it is that Mr. Cullen is stayin' for the summah. He's your Daddy's partner for the firm, and works outta New York City, ain't that just wonderful?" she asked me with a radiant smile. I bit my lip to hold in my chuckle, listening to the same thing I'd already heard, "Mr. Cullen, this is my daughter, Bella."

My eyes turned up and met with Mr. Cullen's startlin' green eyes. Even his lips were twitchin' with a smile that threatened to break loose.

"A pleasure to meet you, Sir," I managed to say in what I hoped was an even voice.

"The pleasure is all mine, Bella," he replied, one side of his lips turned up in a crooked grin. The hum in my body grew stronger at that moment and I forced my eyes away from his. I could still feel him lookin' at me, but I ignored it as best as I could and listened to the conversation around me.

A few minutes later, a plump woman with short black hair came up beside me and set down a tall glass of sweet tea in front a me.

"Thank you Maria," I thanked the middle aged woman that I'd known all my life.

"Your welcome, Miss Bella," she said, sendin' me a motherly smile.

"Oh, Maria! Is breakfast almost ready?" Momma asked from across the table.

"Yes, Ma'am, it should be out right away," Maria nodded to Momma before she turned and walked back outta the sunroom.

"I hope she remembers to give me the sugar free preserves for my biscuits," Momma grumbled under her breath. I rolled my eyes at her, though I made sure to be lookin' down at my hands so she couldn' see.

"Rose, don' be like that. You know you're beautiful," Daddy said to her as he picked up her hand and kissed it softly. Momma blushed like a fire engine.

"Oh, Peter. Stop it," she said, but I could tell that she didn't want it to stop. Momma loved to fish for compliments, and considerin' she was so beautiful it wasn't all that hard for her. Even back in 1977 she won the Miss Southern Elite pageant.

Conversation continued as we waited for breakfast, and finally Maria came out with two other maids, carrying a tray in each hand. They all laid out the foods on the glass top a the table and we thanked them as they left. Immediately I reached out for one a the steaming biscuits on the tray in front of me, a small bowl of apple butter sat next to it.

As I bit into it I let out a small moan at the taste. There was nothin' better than Maria's homemade biscuits and apple butter, I swear to the good Lord in Heaven. Reaching around the table for more food I pulled some fresh fruit, some cinnamon toast, and a little bit of grits onto my plate before tuckin' in.

While I was chewin' a piece a the toast Grand Daddy leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Was I imaginin' things, or did I hear you sneak outta the house early this mornin'?" he whispered to me. I gasped quietly and pulled back to look in his eyes. They were not accusatory like I'd thought they'd be, and instead they sparkled with mirth.

"Don' worry, Honey Belle. Your secret's safe with me," he whispered again, winking at me and pattin' my knee under the table. As he turned back to his food I realized jus' how old he actually looked now. His hair was completely white, and the skin on his face drooped, creased and wrinkled on every surface.

Grand Daddy and I had always had a special relationship. When I was little we'd sit out on the back porch and he'd tell me stories 'bout how he met Grand Mama, and their life together. He'd been changin' the last few years though. Slowin' down, and havin' a hard time hearin' the things we said to him. Momma began to wonder if we ought to put him in an elderly home, but I jus' couldn' let that happen. Grand Daddy belonged here with us, no matter what.

"So, Bella. Have you given any thought into where you'd like to go for college?" Mr. Cullen's voice penetrated my thoughts and I was momentarily dazed by how smooth he sounded. He had no New York accent, in fact I couldn' quite pinpoint it at all. I looked up from my plate and back at his handsome face. He looked very seriously, but also genuinely curious.

I drew in a deep breath before I replied, "Well, I applied to a lot of colleges down here, but I've also been-"

"She's talked very much about goin' to Florida State University. It's right in Tallahassee, and she can come home every weekend to see her Momma. I don't think that she's quite ready to part with the plantation," Momma cut me off before I could even tell Mr. Cullen that I'd applied to Columbia. A tiny part of me had wanted him to tell me about New York City.

"Ah, I see," Mr. Cullen said solemnly and I thought it sounded as though he was a tad bit irritated. Wouldn't that be interestin'?

"I believe that my little Honey Belle has also thought about going to Columbia. That's up in New York, ain't it, Edward?" Grand Daddy suddenly said. My heart warmed at Grand Daddy's attempt to subdue Momma's input.

"Yes, it is actually. That's a very good school, Bella. Did you get high marks in High School?" Mr. Cullen asked me, turning the conversation back to me once again.

"Uhm, yes, Sir. I graduated in the top 5 percentile a my class," I replied quietly.

"That's very impressive. And have you thought of what you'd like to study?" he pushed onward. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, my fingers picking at the fringe of lace on my thighs.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, Sir. I'd love to work with children after school though," I said.

"Wonderful, that's a very promising career path, but tell me, isn't it a little late to be choosing which school you'll attend?" he asked curiously. I looked at his handsome face, tryin' to see if there was anythin' suspicious in his eyes. I didn' know what he might be up to, but I didn' wanna take any chances.

"I've got until the first week of August," I murmured and Edward nodded. His strikin' face looked pensive; his features had tightened again like they'd been when I'd first met him this mornin'.

"Well, I think that's enough of that chatter. Have you spoken with Charlotte lately, Bella?" Momma asked me, effectively ending my conversation with Mr. Cullen.

I turned my head towards Momma and nodded, "I spoke with her last night 'bout seein' her today. Do you think it'd be alrigh' if I went to lunch with her in town today?" I pleaded to her. It'd only been five days since I'd seen my best friend, but it'd been five days too long. Lottie and I'd grown up together in school, and was more like a sister than anythin' else.

"A course, Sugar Bella. You can take the truck," Daddy smirked at me, my face dissolving into one of repulsion. Daddy had fixed up an old robin's egg blue Chevy truck that the farm hands used to make trips into town. He always let me go places, but never let me go without the truck. I felt like I was ridin' in a metal death trap that could die out on me at any minute.

"Bella, don't look so distraught, you'll get frown lines," Momma scolded me. Without hesitation I smoothed over my features and thanked my Daddy for lettin' me use the car.

The rest of breakfast was spent listenin' to Momma talk about some scandal involving Miss Lilly and her gardener, and Daddy talkin' to Mr. Cullen about some sort a plans he had for the firm. I sat at my seat, finishin' up as fast and as quietly as possible.

"May I be excused, please?" I asked when my plate was clear.

"You may," Daddy answered me absently, not breakin' away from his conversation.

As I murmured my thank you and moved to get up Grand Daddy put his hand on my arm.

"The keys to your Daddy's charger are hangin' on the wall behind the azalea bush outside of the garage," he whispered to me, and I giggled quietly behind my hand.

"Thank you, Grand Daddy," I whispered, kissing the top of his snowy white head before nearly skippin' outta the room feelin' Mr. Cullen's bright green eyes burnin' into my back the whole way out.

As I kept makin' my way outside into the sunlight again I jus' couldn't shake the hummin' sensation that was planted deep in my bones. Nor could I shake the idea that it was all Mr. Cullen's fault.

Leave me love or leave me hate.