CHAPTER EIGHT:
IN THE HOURS BEFORE

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THE GRADUATING STUDENTS OF Forks High School were the talk of the town as the day of their graduation arrived. Shay Chambers spent the morning of that fateful day listening to the excited chatter of customers in The Carver Café who knew someone or someone related to someone that was graduating. It made her think back to her own graduation, of the four people who had cared enough to sit with the other families and friends to cheer her on in one of the biggest days of her life.

There was her brother with one of his classic hand-made cards to congratulate her. Seb has seen just how hard Shay worked in the months leading up to graduation to even be standing there with the rest of her peers. He wanted to show her just how proud he was of his big sister, and while he couldn't buy her an expensive present, the card meant more than any materialistic gift ever could. He wanted her to know how proud their dad would be if he had the chance to see her. And their mum, if things had been different. Cora and Raymond also accompanied young Sebastian to the ceremony, arriving with a beautiful bunch of sunflowers that Shay absolutely adored. And the most surprising guest Shay had that day was Charlie Swan. The man in question had shown up just before the ceremony began, dressed in his work uniform and sending her a shy smile over the heads of people sitting in the crowd. He didn't stay for the entire event, just long enough to watch her receive her diploma, but his support had meant a great deal to her. As had Sebastian's and Cora's and Raymond's. They were the only people she had to stand and clap for her when her name was called. Her mum had been out somewhere with her friends, her dad wasn't around anymore. Shay Chambers' graduation had been bittersweet.

That same feeling swept over her as she stood behind the counter of The Carver Café a year later, watching as some of the graduates filed into the building, their lips spread in wide smiles as they were congratulated by their loved ones, their yellow coats and caps clutched in their hands alongside their own diplomas.

"Afternoon, Shay." The girl was brought out of her thoughts by the arrival of Charlie and Bella, the latter of which was standing beside her father with an awkward smile on her face, uncomfortable with all the attention she was getting from people she barely knew.

"Hi, Charlie," Shay grinned at the greying man, eyes darting between him and Bella. "And congratulations, Bella."

"Thanks, Shay," Bella smiled softly, happy to see a familiar face.

"So what can I get for you today?" she asked, reaching for a notepad where she could scribble down their order.

"Oh, just the usual will be fine," Charlie shrugged. Shay nodded thoughtfully, ripping the piece of paper from the book and placing it with the stack of other orders that had been taken by her workmates.

"I'll bring it out to you when it's ready," she told them.

She moved over to the coffee machines as Charlie thanked her and went to find a table, Bella lingering awkwardly at the counter. "So, I heard you were coming to the party tonight."

Shay paused, a vibrant blush coating her cheeks as she looked towards the brunette, whose normally shy smiles were replaced with a mischievous smirk. Bella Swan wore a knowing glint in her eyes as she spoke to the brunette beauty who Alice was infatuated with, having heard all about Shay's acceptance to be Alice's date since the Cullen girl had mustered up the courage to ask her.

"Uh y-yeah," Shay stuttered, averting her gaze to the coffee machine. "But only if that's okay with you and the others. I know I'm not graduating or anything..."

"Oh, of course it's fine. There are plenty of other people besides us graduates coming tonight," Bella quickly assured her. "I just thought I'd mention it 'cause Alice said you were coming. She's pretty excited, though don't tell her I told you that."

"It's okay. I am too," Shay added, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. It warmed her heart to hear that Alice was looking forward to their night together. It made her feel much more comfortable with her own excited butterflies, for she'd spent the past few days leading up to the party questioning everything. Typical Shay behaviour, as her brother would say.

"Alice's really great," Bella said, smirking as Shay with her bright red face handed over Bella's coffees. "I think you guys would be good together."

And before Shay could say anything, she was turning on her heels and moving to join her father on the opposite side of the room, calling a quick goodbye over her shoulder as she went. Shay watched her go in amazement, barely noticing Cora as she appeared beside her, a smirk on her face from what she'd heard Bella say to her.

"So I'm not the only one who thinks you and that Alice girl have something good going on," she chuckled gleefully. Shay rolled her eyes at her friend, busying herself with the other orders that were piling up. "That's nice to know."

"I have no idea what you're on about, Cora," Shay hummed, brushing past her friend and rounding the counter to greet a group of new customers.

"Oh, I think you do, Chambers," Cora called out after her. "We'll continue this later."

Shay waved her off with a grin, before turning around to show the new arrivals to an empty booth.

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"ARE YOU SURE THIS looks okay?" Shay asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was now the evening, and Shay had spent the past three hours with Cora getting ready for Alice's party.

"You look absolutely stunning, Shay, Alice's gonna love it," Cora said from where she was sitting cross-legged on Shay's bed.

She was surrounded by piles of clothes that she and Shay had thrown from the latter's wardrobe while searching for the perfect outfit for her to wear. In the end, they settled on the dress she had brought while shopping with Alice and Bella; a beautiful teal-coloured ensemble with lace around the neckline and a flared skirt that stopped mid-thigh. Not something that Shay would usually wear, but it looked nice on her, even if she did say so herself.

"I hope so," she murmured, adjusting her curly hair one last time before taking a step away from the mirror, eyes raking along her figure cautiously. "Okay, I think I'm good to go."

Downstairs, Shay sat down on the lounge and slipped her feet into a pair of black wedges that matched her handbag. In the kitchen, she could hear Sebastian happily chatting to Cora about a new book he was reading, an eager glint in his eyes as he clutched the book in question in his hands.

At the sight of Shay standing in the doorway, Cora cut the young boy off with a playful whistle, "Look at you! Who are you and what have you done with the Shay Chambers I know and love?"

"Oh ha ha," Shay rolled her eyes, stepping up beside her brother and running a hand through his messy curls. "You be good for Cora, okay?"

"Yeah yeah," he brushed her away. Just as she went to leave the room, he called for her, a tiny smile spread across his lips. "You look really pretty, Shay."

Shay grinned, blowing her brother a kiss as she backed out of the room. "Thanks, buddy."

Cora followed her outside, leaning through Shay's rolled down car window as she started up her honda, hands nervously gripping the steering wheel as the engine roared to life. She didn't know why she was suddenly so nervous. Maybe it was the fact that this was her first real date since she and Lauren Mallory tried dating back in sophomore year, only to break up after three months because Shay's dad died and Lauren didn't know how to cope with a sad girlfriend who was too busy taking care of her brother to spend time with her. Or maybe it was her brain and heart warring against each other, one side telling her to follow her feelings and see where a relationship with the likes of Alice Cullen took her, the other side screaming for her to head back inside and take care of Sebastian like she promised she would when her mother left. All Shay knew in that instant was the anxious butterflies mixing with the excited ones in her stomach.

"I won't be long," she assured Cora as she fiddled with the car radio, in the end choosing the news station as the older woman rolled her eyes. "I'll probably only stay for an hour or so and then come home."

"Now you'll do no such thing," Cora scolded her. "This is your night, Shay. If you want to stay out late and have fun with your soon-to-be girlfriend, feel free to do so. I'm more than happy to stay with Seb, you know that."

"Fine," Shay sighed, before mustering up a smile and clicking her seatbelt in place. "Wish me luck."

"Oh, you don't need luck," Cora smirked, slowly backing away from the car. "Alice is already amazed by you as it is. I bet ten bucks that she asks you to be her girlfriend tonight."

Shay scoffed, though her cheeks warmed against her will as she mulled over Cora's words, putting the car in reverse and peeking over her shoulder at the empty road behind her. With one final wave out the window to Cora's retreating figure, she sped off down the road with the GPS directing her to Alice's house, ready for the night ahead.