✧

Two weeks left.

Only two more weeks until graduation and until finally returning home. It was hard breaking the news, but Mia received endless support. Her friends from Forks High were told she would be attending a university in England, which was enough to convince them not to ask her any more questions.

Bella, Jackson, and Jacob are the only ones that know about where she's truly headed. Considering they were there for her through everything and are aware of the problems happening back home, keeping the truth from them didn't seem reasonable. Not to mention how it's inevitable for Bella not to become more involved since Charlie and Isobel are set to marry very soon. He will be a part of the supernatural regardless of any attempts of secrecy, especially since Bella's dating a shapeshifter and his future wife is a witch with a daughter who also bears the same power.

With Victoria's abrupt departure and no sign of Dimitri or any death eaters, Forks has become strangely quiet. It has brought relief to the town, but to those who know the full story, they know silence can't be linked to anything good.

With graduation having taken over everyone's minds, a sense of euphoria flows through the air. Everyone is making plans for college or if they're choosing to take a gap year. Many are staying in Forks, but many are also leaving for the city.

For the past month, Mia has been focused on working on her salutatorian speech. She worked extremely hard to raise her grades and get back on track. The valedictorian spot was nearly in her reach, but having missed a few assignments prevented her from the honor. It's not like she's complaining. If anything, she's proud of herself for her hardwork and not letting Edward's return affect her.

However, she can't pretend his presence isn't painful. He's in nearly every one of her classes, and before, she used to view it as a gift, but it's now become her worst nightmare. Ignoring him is much more challenging as it seems their break up is the only source of entertainment for everyone. With their peering eyes and whispers, Mia longs for the time when he wasn't here. There was more privacy, but now, she's become a public spectacle.

"Make sure to call me every day and send me lots of letters," Bella demands while placing a pear on her tray. "Keep me up to date on everything and if you miss a call, I will fly over there and yell at you."

Pretending to tremble in fear, Mia teasingly rolls her eyes before laughing, "I'll make note of that. I wouldn't want you to embarrass me in front of everyone."

"You do that yourself," she points out, playfully nudging her on the shoulder.

"Says the clumsy one who trips over anything," Mia retorts and Bella pretends to be offended by gasping.

"I'm extremely coordinated. You offend-" Bella doesn't finish her sentence since she nearly slips when stepping over her shoelace.

Mia nearly drops her lunch to prevent her fall and gives her a look of 'I told you so.' She chuckles as Bella pretends to be annoyed and walks to their lunch table, sitting herself next to Jessica and Eric.

"You guys are just in time. All right, check it out," Mike points his pen at them as he holds a black notebook. Clearing his throat, he deepens his voice as if addressing the entire student body, "My fellow students. Right?"

"Wow, great start," Mia sarcastically says, earning agreeing nods from the rest.

"We are the future. Anything is possible if you just believe," Mike says with pride, believing his idea for a valedictorian speech is the greatest thing to have been created. "Blah, blah, blah – and you got yourself a speech."

Jessica frowns as he tosses her notebook back at her, "No, this will be my speech when I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head." She crumbles the piece of paper Mike had written in and tosses it to his face, "So, thank you."

"Good thing you're not valedictorian or else we would be screwed," Mia pops a grape into her mouth and barely dodges Mike's attempt at throwing the crumbled paper at her.

"How about I write your speech, little Grey?" Mike leans forward, plopping his elbows against the table rather too harshly. "I guarantee I'll write you a better one than Jess' that no one will remember hers, but only yours."

She laughs loudly, "In your dreams. Jessica's speech will be epic."

"And Mia's will be groundbreaking," Jessica adds, both she and Mia glaring at Mike with satisfaction as he sinks into his seat in defeat.

"You both have to embrace the clichés," Mike suggests.

Eric nods in agreement, "They're the bread and butter of all valedictorians and salutatorians."

Angela hums in thought for a moment before answering her boyfriend, "And that is why you are not valedictorian."

"Jess and Mia's speeches don't need clichés," Bella points out. "Their speeches will be the best this school has ever heard."

"Exactly. They will change lives," Jessica states, certain about their success in creating the most impactful declarations.

Mia's enjoyment fades once Edward, Alice, and Jasper take a seat at their table. She clenches her fist under the table and scoots herself further from Edward, who had chosen the spot next to her in an attempt at getting a word with her.

"I've decided to throw a party," Alice announces through a bright smile, her hands interlocking and placing themselves on the table.

"After all, how many times are we going to graduate high school?" Jasper's inside joke causes Mia and Bella to exchange annoyed looks, both of them not bothering to hide their dislike for the three vampires.

Angela, surprised at their sudden desire to be social, can't help but ask, "A party? At your place?"

Jessica stares at them in shock, "I've never seen your house."

"No one's ever seen their house except for Mia," Eric states the obvious, receiving a kick from Angela for bringing it up.

"It's not that great. There's better houses out there," Mia leans back against her chair, glaring at the vampires so heavily that she might as well have hexed them instead. "And really, Alice? A party?"

"It'll be fun," Alice emphasizes on the last word, an attempt at pleading her case that her celebration will be incredible.

"Hmm, I doubt it," Mia senses Edward's gaze on her and she doesn't think twice in demanding him to stop simply with one look. His golden eyes still make her melt and make her heart skip a beat. She knows he's aware of it by the reciprocating look he's giving her and it infuriates her that he's able to get a glimpse into her after everything.

Damned vampire.

When Mia finally looks away, she notices Alice's familiar blank stare, indicating she's having one of her visions. However, something is different this time. Compared to the other visions she's had, this one makes her fall back against her chair and adorn her face with worry. Mia turns to Edward, who appears deep in thought like he usually does when reading someone's mind.

Remembering the others are still here, Mia starts covering for Alice, "Hey, guys. I have an idea."

The table – with the exception of the Cullens – quickly place their attention on her. Mike rests his chin on his hand, never once setting his eyes away from her as she begins speaking. The others notice and smile while shaking their heads, pity for him becoming noticeable that he's still crushing on Mia after having been friendzoned.

"I was thinking of heading to La Push later today. It's been a while since we've been there, so how about a beach trip?" Mia lights up once everyone is quick to agree and start making plans right away. She glances back at Edward, noticing the worried crease on his forehead and his golden eyes darkening with gloom.

Something is wrong and from the looks of it, Mia already knows he won't tell her a single thing. Still, it doesn't mean she won't figure it out. He's not the only one who can read thoughts as she only has to focus well enough and cast the Legilimency spell.

The bell rings and Mia hurries in gathering her belongings before walking away. Mr. Molina's class is next, which means she and Edward will be sitting together and forced to work on their review for their final. It will be the perfect time to try and acquire answers before resorting to magic. It all depends on him and if he's willing to be honest for once – something that she's highly doubting.

Edward arrives and takes his spot next to her. He wants to spark up a conversation, but already knowing Mia has been refusing to acknowledge him, he settles on staying silent and hoping she chooses to make the first move.

Mr. Molina begins his lesson and hands out the review sheets. He emphasizes how the exam counts for forty percent of their final grade and no second chances will be offered. Oddly, Mia's reminded of what the Volturi said about offering a second chance, causing her to tense as she recalls Alice's vision of seeing her as a vampire. God, she really hopes immortality never reaches her.

"You may begin," Mr. Molina says, the class soon becoming louder and chatting about graduation instead of the review.

"Are you going to tell me what Alice saw, or are you going to lie to me about it?" Mia breaks the silence, continuing to write the answer to the first question before turning to him. His microexpressions give away his debate on being honest or keeping her in the dark. He claims to be a closed book, but she knows him extremely well to know when he's hiding something.

Edward knows there's no use in keeping a secret from her. If he wants to win her trust back, he needs to prove he's worthy of it. Continuing to lie will only make their situation worse and he promised to never make the same mistake twice. "Alice saw Victoria near the border. She's back, so we're going to try and catch her."

Mia is surprised he chose to take the high route. He's always been great at keeping secrets, claiming he's only doing it to protect her, but it appears he's learning from his mistake. Of course, it's the bare minimum, so it's not enough to make her willing to trust him again.

"What if I come? I can use my magic on her-"

"No," he quickly denies. "I know you're capable of defending yourself, but this is a mess we caused, so we're going to take care of it."

"Right, 'cause you have been so great at it," she sarcastically says and returns back to her work.

"That's not all of it," Edward continues. "We've been tracking the situation in Seattle for a while. Unexplained disappearances. Killings. If the situation gets any more conspicuous, the Volturi will step in."

If the coven makes an appearance, nothing will stop them from coming to Forks to make sure the promise has been fulfilled. Second chances aren't usually offered, so if they learn she's still human, it's safe to assume the worst will occur.

However, there's always a loophole. There wasn't a time limit for her transition and it helps having her full powers back. It might be a lot to handle, but she's not becoming a vampire without putting up a fight. Besides, she will be leaving Forks soon, so the Volturi will be the least of her problems.

"If they go to Seattle, they can come here and they will see you're still human," Edward explains the obvious, unaware she stopped paying attention and has been focusing on doing her work instead. "We'll go to Seattle if we have to and we will take care of the issue before it gets worse. I will make sure Alice's vision never happens. You won't ever become one of us."

She hums in response, still refusing to look at him. "It's not your choice, Edward. Remember that before deciding for me."

His brows furrow in confusion, "I thought you didn't want to become one of us."

"I don't," Mia harshly drops her pencil as her eyes darken and jaw clenches. "But you're making it sound like it's your choice to make. Not mine. You're not making sure of anything, because I'll handle the problem myself."

"And how will you do that? By running away?" Edward retorts, his voice coming out lower than intended, but the judgment in his tone still being just as noticeable.

Mia actually has to take a minute to reconsider if what she heard was right. She refuses to believe he's judging her for wanting to leave the place that nearly broke her. After everything he did, she's appalled he's snapping back at her as if he were right. "I would only be following in your footsteps, or should I remind you how I'm in this mess because of you? I should have known better than getting involved with a vampire, but I learned my lesson unlike some people."

Edward turns quiet, unsure of how to respond considering she's right. Meeting him brought tragedy into her life. He knew how dangerous it was for a vampire to get involved with a human. It doesn't matter if she's a witch, because there will still be a risk regardless of their involvement in the supernatural. He should have stayed away, but it was his stubborn heart that prevented him from thinking rationally, so really, how can he argue against her?

"I'm sorry," he tells her, the phrase now becoming imprinted into her mind from hearing it all the time. "You're right and I will try not to involve myself in your decisions."

Mia knows how hard he's trying to earn her trust back, but whenever she considers forgiving him, the words he said and how easily he said them make her unable to follow through. Not to mention how he still doubts on being honest, even when it's about matters that involve her. She appreciates him for telling her about Victoria, but it's not enough.

And she worries nothing ever will be.

__________________

By the time she arrives home from La Push, it's already nightfall. She parks her car and grabs the food she picked up from the cafe since Isobel is working late with Charlie on a case about a missing boy from Seattle, Riley Biers. Apparently, he's been missing for a year and there's been no trace of him. His parents are still holding out the hope they will find him, but it's becoming more unlikely by the minute.

Mia wonders how long her mother will look for her if she ever were to go missing. She gives it about six months, but the voice at the back of her head reminds her to stay positive and believe she's loved. It's something she's working on, but change doesn't happen overnight, so it's a work in progress.

She reaches into her bag for her keys, but is taken by surprise when the door is already open. That's when she notices footprints heading out in the direction of the forest. Someone entered uninvited and the thought that their spells aren't working makes her afraid that they're still unsafe in their own home.

Quietly, Mia places her belongings on the porch. She cautiously enters, making sure not to make much noise just in case the intruder is still here. A part of her really hopes they are as she would rather get rid of the issue already and stop worrying about it, but the other part worries this visit will end with a terrible outcome. Luck isn't always on her side, so she won't allow her hubris to cloud her judgment.

She approaches the living room, checking in every corner or any possible place anyone could hide in. No sign of anyone. It's vacant. She heads to the next room and once making sure there's no one on the first floor, she walks up the stairs much quieter and carefully. Everything seems normal, but that's when notices her bedroom door wide open. It's always closed. Mainly for privacy reasons.

Mia tilts her head slightly, her gaze hardening and mind running with all kinds of spells. She doesn't bother entering quietly now and instead dashes in ready to attack, but there's no one there. It's just her standing in the middle surrounded by her books and luggage.

However, the sound of footsteps frantically running up makes the alarms in her head go off. She doesn't bother waiting to see who it is as before she knows it, a surge of power sends the person slamming against the wall and falling down to the first floor.

Mia storms toward the stairs and looks down, her adrenaline disappearing when realizing it's Edward. "Are you serious? What are you doing here?"

Edward takes a moment to compose himself from the impact. He groans slightly and rubs the back of his head, the impact of her magic having inflicted physical pain for the first time. "I'm alright, Mia. Thanks for asking."

Mia hastily runs down the stairs and kneels in front of him. Her hands reach for the base of his neck as she gently raises his chin to acquire a better look. Her eyes trace down his skin, worrying she could have hurt him beyond measure. Carefully, she lowers his hand from his temple and inspect the spot that's clearly hurting him. Her fingers run through his locks, his cold temperature replenishing her like a breeze on a hot summer day.

Edward becomes entranced by their proximity. He admires her hazel eyes, the faint brown in them mixing with the green that create a perfect combination. She's staring at him like she did months ago, like he's the diamond she's found in the rough, like she's admiring a painting from the most prestigious museums, like she's listening to a song for the first time, and like she's made a discovery before anyone else. Mia is looking at him with love and he considers himself the most fortunate yet unworthy of being granted this gift.

Her love is a treasure and the most valuable thing that witnessing this look makes him feel ashamed. He shouldn't be struggling to reach for the stars or wanting to acquire a touch from the sun. He already had all of this and it was his mistake that cost him his dream. How dare he relish in the moment knowing he had been to blame for wrecking it?

Edward doesn't deserve her and there will never come a day when he forgives himself for the pain he caused her.

Before Mia can say anything, he's reminded of why he came here and wastes no time in rushing up the stairs. She glares up at him with her mouth slightly agape and eyes narrowed, "Sure, why don't you come inside? Make yourself at home."

In the middle of her room, Edward is glancing around before heading to her window. He checks the locks, relieved when finding them intact and then turns around to face her. "Someone was in here. I caught their scent from a mile away."

"I know," she says, looking back at the footprints seen earlier and her front door being open.

His eyes widen in disbelief that she still entered despite knowing the intruder could still be here, "And you still entered? Are you insane?"

Mia purses her lips into a tight line and nonchalantly nods. Sure enough, her stoicism frustrates him much more. She knows it's important to be serious in a moment like this, but she can't deny how fun it is to get under his nerves. At least he will be feeling what she does whenever he's around.

"Considering I threw you down the stairs, I say my chances of defending myself are pretty high," she argues, but even through her supposed carelessness, it worries her that the intruder managed to enter in spite of the protection spells having been casted. Whether they were a vampire or death eaters, it's unnerving to no longer feel safe in the place that's supposed to bring comfort and security.

Edward notices how she's pinching her forearm and how her eyes have become full of worry. He knows her too well to know when she's pretending to be alright and this is one of those times. "They left, Mia, so you're safe."

"For now."

"Come on. Let's go to my house," Edward tries guiding her down the stairs, but she staggers back once he gets too close. Her rejection hurts more than anything, but he doesn't allow him to drown in his sorrows. He needs to get her somewhere safe and his house is the lesser of two evils.

Mia is dreading stepping a foot there, especially after having destroyed it and not doing anything to fix it. She knows it would have been the right thing, but her anger prevented her from remedying her mistake, so she's dreading having to face the new appearance of the home she ruined. To make matters worse, she will now be forced into enduring the remaining night with the people that hurt her the most.

The only thing that brings her comfort is knowing she will be back home soon and won't have to see them again.

Just two more weeks.