t least we know what theyre really after. That has to help.

Maybe, she muttered. She started pacing back and forth across my room.

Thud, thud a fist hammered against my door.

I jumped. Alice didnt seem to notice.

Arent you ready yet? Were gonna be late! Charlie complained, sounding edgy. Charlie hated occasions about as much as I did. In his case, a lot of the problem was having to dress up.

Almost. Give me a minute, I said hoarsely.

He was quiet for half a second. Are you crying?

No. Im nervous. Go away.

I heard him clump down the stairs.

I have to go, Alice whispered.

Why?

Edward is coming. If he hears this . . .

Go, go! I urged immediately. Edward would go berserk when he knew. I couldnt keep it from him for long, but maybe the graduation ceremony wasnt the best time for his reaction.

Put it on, Alice commanded as she flitted out the window.

I did what she said, dressing in a daze.

Id been planning to do something more sophisticated with my hair, but time was up, so it hung straight and boring as on any other day. It didnt matter. I didnt bother to look in the mirror, so I had no idea how Alices sweater and skirt ensemble worked. That didnt matter, either. I threw the ugly yellow polyester graduation robe over my arm and hurried down the stairs.

You look nice, Charlie said, already gruff with suppressed emotion. Is that new?

Yeah, I mumbled, trying to concentrate. Alice gave it to me. Thanks.

Edward arrived just a few minutes after his sister left. It wasnt enough time for me to pull together a calm faade. But, since we were riding in the cruiser with Charlie, he never had a chance to ask me what was wrong.

Charlie had gotten stubborn last week when hed learned that I was intending to ride with Edward to the graduation ceremony. And I could see his point  parents should have some rights come graduation day. Id conceded with good grace, and Edward had cheerfully suggested that we all go together. Since Carlisle and Esme had no problem with this, Charlie couldnt come up with a compelling objection; hed agreed with poor grace. And now Edward rode in the backseat of my fathers police car, behind the fiberglass divider, with an amused expression  probably due to my fathers amused expression, and the grin that widened every time Charlie stole a glance at Edward in his rearview mirror. Which almost certainly meant that Charlie was imagining things that would get him in trouble with me if he said them out loud.

Are you all right? Edward whispered when he helped me from the front seat in the school parking lot.

Nervous, I answered, and it wasnt even a lie.

You are so beautiful, he said.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Charlie, in an obvious maneuver that he meant to be subtle, shrugged in between us and put his arm around my shoulders.

Are you excited? he asked me.

Not really, I admitted.

Bella, this is a big deal. Youre graduating from high school. Its the real world for you now. College. Living on your own. . . . Youre not my little girl anymore. Charlie choked up a bit at the end.

Dad, I moaned. Please dont get all weepy on me.

Whos weepy? he growled. Now, why arent you excited?

I dont know, Dad. I guess it hasnt hit yet or something.

Its good that Alice is throwing this party. You need something to perk you up.

Sure. A partys exactly what I need.

Charlie laughed at my tone and squeezed my shoulders. Edward looked at the clouds, his face thoughtful.

My father had to leave us at the back door of the gym and go around to the main entrance with the rest of the parents.

It was pandemonium as Ms. Cope from the front office and Mr. Varner the math teacher tried to line everyone up alphabetically.

Up front, Mr. Cullen, Mr. Varner barked at Edward.

Hey, Bella!

I looked up to see Jessica Stanley waving at me from the back of the line with a smile on her face.

Edward kissed me quickly, sighed, and went to go stand with the Cs. Alice wasnt there. What was she going to do? Skip graduation? What poor timing on my part. I should have waited to figure things out until after this was over with.

Down here, Bella! Jessica called again.

I walked down the line to take my place behind Jessica, mildly curious as to why she was suddenly so friendly. As I got closer, I saw Angela five people back, watching Jessica with the same curiosity.

Jess was babbling before I was in earshot.

. . . so amazing. I mean, it seems like we just met, and now were graduating together, she gushed. Can you believe its over? I feel like screaming!

So do I, I muttered.

This is all just so incredible. Do you remember your first day here? We were friends, like, right away. From the first time we saw each other. Amazing. And now Im off to California and youll be in Alaska and Im going to miss you so much! You have to promise that well get together sometimes! Im so glad youre having a party. Thats perfect. Because we really havent spent much time together in a while and now were all leaving. . . .

She droned on and on, and I was sure the sudden return of our friendship was due to graduation nostalgia and gratitude for the party invite, not that Id had anything to do with that. I paid attention as well as I could while I shrugged into my robe. And I found that I was glad that things could end on a good note with Jessica.

Because it was an ending, no matter what Eric, the valedictorian, had to say about commencement meaning beginning and all the rest of the trite nonsense. Maybe more for me than for the rest, but we were all leaving something behind us today.

It went so quickly. I felt like Id hit the fast forward button. Were we supposed to march quite that fast? And then Eric was speed talking in his nervousness, the words and phrases running together so they didnt make sense anymore. Principal Greene started calling names, one after the other without a long enough pause between; the front row in the gymnasium was rushing to catch up. Poor Ms. Cope was all thumbs as she tried to give the principal the right diploma to hand to the right student.

I watched as Alice, suddenly appearing, danced across the stage to take hers, a look of deep concentration on her face. Edward followed behind, his expression confused, but not upset. Only the two of them could carry off the hideous yellow and still look the way they did. They stood out from the rest of the crowd, their beauty and grace otherworldly. I wondered how Id ever fallen for their human farce. A couple of angels, standing there with wings intact, would be less conspicuous.

I heard Mr. Greene call my name and I rose from my chair, waiting for the line in front of me to move. I was conscious of cheering in the back of the gym, and I looked around to see Jacob pulling Charlie to his feet, both of them hooting in encouragement. I could just make out the top of Billys head beside Jakes elbow. I managed to throw them an approximation of a smile.

Mr. Greene finished with the list of names, and then continued to hand out diplomas with a sheepish grin as we filed past.

Congratulations, Miss Stanley, he mumbled as Jess took hers.

Congratulations, Miss Swan, he mumbled to me, pressing the diploma into my good hand.

Thanks, I murmured.

And that was it.

I went to stand next to Jessica with the assembled graduates. Jess was all red around the eyes, and she kept blotting her face with the sleeve of her robe. It took me a second to understand that she was crying.

Mr. Greene said something I didnt hear, and everyone around me shouted and screamed. Yellow hats rained down. I pulled mine off, too late, and just let it fall to the ground.

Oh, Bella! Jess blubbered over the sudden roar of conversation. I cant believe were done.

I cant believe its all over, I mumbled.

She threw her arms around my neck. You have to promise we wont lose touch.

I hugged her back, feeling a little awkward as I dodged her request. Im so glad I know you, 