Chapter Fifteen
Graduation
Alice

"So, are you excited for graduation?" Edward asked me, smirking down at me as I straightened his tie.

"Yes, definitely!" I giggled.

"I'm glad to see you're back to your normal self." Edward told me sincerely, cupping my face sweetly.

"Back to normal? Maybe." I giggled. "I think I'm just in an extra good mood today. I'm finally done." I sighed in relief.

"Six months of hell is an awful lot to suffer." Edward chuckled.

"Hey, it hasn't all been bad." I poked at his side. "If I didn't fight then I wouldn't have you or your amazing family." I smiled.

"They could be your family too." He smirked.

"For the last time..." I grumbled as I pulled his suit jacket off its hanger.

"Alice, I really don't see why you won't marry me." Edward chuckled. "It's not a death sentence!" He laughed.

"If you marry me, you'll regret it." I sighed, handing him his jacket.

"I doubt it." He told me sincerely and kissed me sweetly. "And you know how I hate to doubt you."

"You hardly do anymore." I smiled.

"With good reason, I've learned that my Alice is always right." He smiled lovingly at me and kissed my head. "Just not about this."

"Edward, if you marry me and something happens and you freak out and leave then-"

"Woah, woah, slow down. Freak out and leave? What are you talking about?" He questioned, taking a seat on his couch and pulling me to stand in front of him.

"I've been having those weird visions again." I admitted.

"The ones where you can't really see anything?" He asked and I nodded.

"I can only tell that there's some major danger involved."

"Major danger? What makes you think that we can't handle danger together? Really Alice, between a blood crazed group of nomads and your psychopathic father, I'm fairly sure we can make it through anything." He smiled as he gripped my waist and the back of my neck and kissed me passionately.

"Edward." He cut me off with another kiss. "I'm being serious." I moaned, his kisses driving me insane.

"So am I." He pulled me into his lap and attacked me with his lips.

"You can't sway me with kisses." I breathed deeply.

"I can try." He chuckled and kissed his way down my neck because he knows I love it when he does that. "Marry. Me. Alice." He spoke in between kisses.

His cold lips ignited a familiar fire inside of me. Passionate and hot but also very calming and secure. I was safe with him, protected and loved deeply. I suddenly couldn't imagine him not being in my life, I couldn't picture him not kissing me like this every single day, I wanted him to kiss me like this and call me his wife and start our own traditions together. I was almost tempted to say yes.

"I can't marry you Edward." I spoke soundly.

I forgot everything as I kissed him back, I forgot all about marriage promises, I forgot about our graduation in an hour, I forgot my own name even, nothing mattered except that Edward and I were together.

"Marry me." He purred as he nipped at my neck.

"We'll talk about this later, we're going to be late." I finally was able to speak coherently.

"That's not a no." Edward smirked as he steadied me onto my feet.

"It's not a yes either." I smirked back as I headed into his bathroom to get dressed.

I put on a tight emerald green dress, black heels, a black wristwatch, and went back into Edwards room to get our graduation gowns out of his closet.

"You look so beautiful." Edward caught my hand in his, stopping me in my tracks.

"Thank you." I blushed. "You would look very handsome yourself if you could only keep your tie straight." I laughed, straightening his tie for the third time.

He was dressed in a black causal suit that hugged his body in unbelievable ways and I tried my hardest to not dwell too much on that thought.

"Okay, here's your gown, Carlisle has all of our caps downstairs." I smiled up at him, handing him his gown.

"This color really is awful." He chuckled, remembering an earlier joke we had made.

"Who even picked turquoise?" I giggled.

"Are you ready my Alice?" He asked, offering me his arm.

"Yes, yes I am." I smiled brightly up at him and took his arm.

As he led me down the stairs, he and I talking and laughing, suddenly the flash of a camera went off, surprising me.

"Dad, really? Every time?" Edward chuckled.

"Of course, and how could I not mark this year? Alice is joining the family album!" Carlisle smiled proudly. "You look so lovely sweetheart." He hugged me tightly and squeezed my hands. "Here are your caps."

As I took mine from Carlisle, I noticed something was stitched onto the underside of the rim.

I hope you dance forever. ~Carlisle, Olympia, 1995

"Thank you." I ducked my head to hide the happy tears in my eyes. "Where are the others?" I asked.

"Oh, I've already gotten their pictures and sent them on their way. I was just waiting on you two." Carlisle smiled. "I'll see you both after the ceremony." He said his goodbyes and went out to his car.

"This is so sweet." I cooed over the hand stitched message.

"He has something stitched on all of ours, you're not an exception it seems." Edward smiled down at me.

"What does yours say?" I asked, reaching for his.

"Nope, they're meant to be kept private." He laughed, holding his out away from me.

"Fine. Let's get going, we don't want to be late." I told him, looking at my watch to make sure I was on the right time.

"Just wait a minuet. I want to look at you for just a little longer." Edward stopped me in the entryway.

"Why?" I asked him, more curious and amused then anything else.

"You just look so perfect right now, more then you usually do. So happy and full of life, so lovely and in love, and I just want to cement this moment into my memories." He smiled lovingly.

"You're a vampire, your memory is perfect, I'm sure you could tell me what I was wearing your first day here in Olympia." I giggled.

"A crimson skirt, a black sweater, black tights, and a set of killer crimson red heels." He smiled playfully.

"Exactly my point." I giggled. "Let's go, I don't want to be late."

"Let me just..." Edward smiled as he lent down and kissed me sweetly, telling me that he loved me a thousand times within one simple kiss.

"Okay, now we can go." He nodded, looking very proud, as he opened the front door for me.