Being back at school it was like nothing had changed. Word traveled round that I was dating one of the "gang" members from La Push. Only seemed to add to people's fascination to me and my family, considering the Cullens weren't usually in La Push, people started wondering how we'd gotten together.

Mike seemed to finally have moved on from Bella and when he'd tried to make a pass at me; Eric was the one to warn him, "Hey man, careful or her boyfriend will like beat you up or something!"

I had to laugh because it was partly true, Paul was extremely overprotective, but it was cute. So Mike quickly backed down. At lunch one day he was determined to fill Jessica's valedictorian speech with as many cliches as possible.

"My fellow students, right?" He started as Bella and Edward joined the table, "We are the future, anything is possible if you just believe!" He took a bow, and handed the paper back to Jessica, "You've got yourself a speech!"

She nodded laughing, "Yeah this will be my speech when I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head," she crumpled up the paper and threw it at his face.

"You've got to embrace the clichés, Jess!" He told her.

Eric nodded, "They are the bread and butter of all valedictorians."

Angelia poked her boyfriend with her pencil, "And that is why you are not valedictorian."

"Jess doesn't need cliches," Bella told them, "Her speech is gonna be epic."

She nodded, "It'll change lives!"

I put my hand over my heart, "I already feel motivated to go out into the world and do some adulting!"

Alice and Jasper smiled as they joined us, "I've decided to throw a party!" She announced.

"After all, how many times are we gonna graduate high school?" Jasper glanced over at us and I chuckled at the little inside joke.

The others looked between us curiously, "At your place?" Angela asked.

Jess looked intrigued, "I've never seen your house."

"No one's ever seen their house," Eric corrected.

Edward gave our sister a weary look, "Another party Alice?"

"It'll be fun!" She promised.

Bella nodded, "That's what you said last time."

"You guys are such downers!" I groaned before looking back at my sister, "Maybe I can convince Paul to come," I wondered.

She laughed, "Good luck with-" she froze and I saw that familiar look in her eye. She was seeing something, and the fear on her face told me it was something bad. I looked over at Edward and saw concern on his face that he quickly hid away so as not to draw attention. What did she see?

Bella also noticed and quickly diverted the attention to Angela's graduation invites she was going to send to her family out of state.

~

After school Edward dropped off Bella at the police station where she was going to meet Charlie. I stayed with the others wanting to know what Alice saw during lunch. When we got home she quickly filled in the family.

"I saw Victoria. She was running through the woods."

I tensed, "That's not good. When?"

"Sometime this weekend. Edward's going to go to Florida with Bella, keep her away," she told us.

Rose couldn't help but roll her eyes, "So we're stuck chasing after her while they go on a vacation?"

Esme sent her a look before turning to me, "Think you can ask your friends..." I knew she meant the pack, "To keep an eye out?"

I nodded, "Paul will keep me in the loop, and Sam will tell me if he sees anything."

That night I was on the phone with Paul for hours, it felt normal. Like we weren't two pieces of this large supernatural world, just two humans enjoying each others company. I was falling hard for him, and it was the best high I could ever have.

~

The woods were quiet. The seven of us stood in a v shape trying to hear anything that might tell us where Victoria was. Alice and I shared the point, my nose in the air as I sniffed, trying to distinguish between my family's scent and hers. It felt great being back on four legs. I could hear the pack in my head, they were running around their territory trying to find her. But they were coming up empty.

"Are you sure this is where you saw her?" Carlisle asked.

"On your left!" Alice finally yelled and I bounded into action, sprinting in the direction she told me, the others followed closely. With Edward gone I was the fastest and quickly caught up with the curly red head.

Emmet barreled in front of me and reached out to grab her shoulder. Victoria roughly flipped him over and he hit a tree that had fallen.

"Ouch."

I thought hearing some laughter from the pack.

Victoria jumped off the cliff and crossed the stream into the Quileute territory. Carlisle stopped the others from following her whereas I jumped after her with no hesitation. She kept running and I could hear the guys getting closer as they caught up to us.

I kept her close to the edge, Paul and Jared joined me. Just as Paul was about to sink his teeth into her she jumped back onto the Cullen territory.

"Can she pick a side?" I snapped as I jumped after her again.

She momentarily looked behind her at me, and I could see the confusion evident in her features. She was wondering why I was the only one to follow her through both territories.

I quickly caught up with her just as Jasper tried to grab her, only to get an arm-full of air as she jumped again. I intercepted her latching my teeth onto her arm. She screamed as she took her free hand and pushed me off her.

I fell into the river, water covered my ears but I could hear Rosalie yell, "Emmett no!"

I picked my head up out of the water to see Emmett jumping after Victoria into the Quileute territory. I heard a loud snarl behind me and saw Paul lunge at him.

"Paul no!" I screamed but he blindly growled at Emmett who was breathing heavily, eyes locked on him. Victoria got away. Emmett walked slowly over to me despite Paul yelling in his head for him to get away from me. He helped me onto my paws and retreated back onto Cullen territory. Paul walked over, giving me a small lick.

"Gross!" I heard Seth complain, the two of us laughed.

I turned to Paul, "Can you contain your anger with my family please?"

He rolled his eyes and huffed, "I'll try."

Begrudgingly, I bid him a see you later and followed the scent back to my house. We'd have to come up with a game plan for the next time Victoria comes around.

~

When Monday rolled around Edward quickly caught up on what happened with the pack. He didn't like the way it was handled, and it only furthered his distaste for Paul.

When I was about halfway to school on my bike, it started raining. My hair was soaked by the time I parked in the lot. Edward laughed when he parked next to me and saw my hair. His smile quickly disappeared, however, when he saw who was standing by the steps to the building.

He turned over to Bella, "If I asked you to stay in the car, would you?" Without waiting for an answer he stepped out while I stood up from my bike seeing Jake in the distance. Bella followed stubbornly, "Of course not," he muttered annoyed while the three of us walked to meet him.

Jake had changed a bit since the last time I'd seen him, his hair was slightly longer, it was dripping with droplets of rain and he looked pissed. He turned when he heard us coming toward him. He met us in the middle and I could see him tense through his black t-shirt as he approached.

"Hey," Bella greeted.

His eyes were piercing as he eyed her up and down, "Charlie said you left town."

She nodded, "Yeah, to visit my mom. Why?"

"He's checking to see if you're still human," Edward laughed thinking it was funny.

Jacob completely disregarded me as he eyed my brother, "Look I'm here to warn you," he huffed, "If your kind come on our land again-"

"Oh damn. Bella doesn't know about that."

"Wait what?" She pipped up.

Jake looked between him and me shocked, "You didn't tell her?"

I kicked a pebble with my feet, "Hadn't gotten around to it yet."

"Leave it alone Jacob," Edward warned him.

She looked between the two of us, "Tell me what?"

I sighed, figured to be as vague as possible, "Emmett and Paul are pretty overprotective," I told her.

"It was a misunderstanding, nothing to worry about," Edward agreed.

Jacob scowled at him, "Did you lie to get her out of town too?"

Edward stepped up, scowling at him, "You should leave. Now,"

"She has a right to know," he challenged, "She's the one the red head wants."

Bella looked at us scared, "Victoria?" She finally connected the missing dots, "Alice's vision."

Edward looked at her sadly, "I was trying to protect you," he told her.

"By lying to me!" She hissed, she shuffled clearly unsure of what to do, "Okay, we're gonna talk about this. But you," she looked over at Jake, "Why haven't you called me back?"

He shrugged, "I had nothing to say."

"Well I have tons, hold on-"

Edward grabbed hold of her arm lightly as she went to follow him to his bike, "Hey, Bella."

"Edward you have to trust me," she told him.

"I do trust you. It's him I don't trust," he retorted eyeing Jake. He smirked as Bella turned and joined him on his bike. They sped away leaving a very jealous Edward and a very confused me in their wake. Edward turned to me, his eyes pleading, "Follow them. Please."

I chuckled, "An excuse to see Paul? Say less." I ran back to my bike and revved the engine quickly peeling after them into La Push.

I caught up with them pretty quickly, Jake and I practically raced the rest of the way to Emily's. When we parked I gave a loud hoot to the open door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bella asked as we walked toward the door, "I am the vampire girl," she reminded us.

"Look who's back!" Embry cheered as he led the mini parade to the door.

Paul ran right to me offering me a chicken leg he had half eaten. I laughed as I took it from him nibbling a bit on the uneaten side.

Bella looked over at Quil surprised, "You too?"

He nodded, "I'm finally a member of the pack," he smiled.

"Glad you're here Bella. Maybe now we can get a break from Jake's obsessive inner monologue," Embry teased.

Paul and I laughed while the guys taunted him, "Wish Bella would call!" Paul started.

"Wish Bella wouldn't call!" Jared yelled

"Maybe I should call Bella?" Embry cried

"Maybe I should call Bella and hang up!" Quil poked him.

I laughed snuggling closer to Paul who kissed my temple, "It's overwhelming actually."

Jacob looked at us clearly annoyed, "Alright you all can shut up now."

Bella looked over at me smiling up at Paul who looked down at me lovingly before Leah walked out scowling at Bella. Jake introduced them and Bella being as awkward as she is only said, "Hey. I'm sorry about your father"

She looked at Bella up and down, "If you're here to torture Jacob some more, feel free to leave," she snapped before walking away.

I nodded, "Yeah, she's a ray of sunshine."

"Bella! Cate!" I heard Emily's voice came from the doorway as she skipped over to us giving me a hug before grabbing Bella and bringing her into a hug. I smiled as Paul dragged me back to his side, "I was wondering when we'd see your face again," she smiled.

"Sam we good?" Jacob asked.

He looked over at me before nodding, "We're good. She won't be getting through our line any time soon."

The boys hooted before they ran off leaving the imprints with Jake and Bella. I saw Bella watch Leah phase and she looked at her scared.