A/N: Thank you to Niki, who helped me write this story (And is still writing it, depending on when you're reading this.), and for being super awesome of course.

I hope you guys like this story.

Here we go.

Chapter One

"This is going to be so much fun, Bella!" Alice squeaked.

I moaned.

Alice was taking me to the mall. I feel like we go shopping every day.. It's absolutely ridiculous. I don't even attempt to argue with her anymore, because she always gets her way. How could someone so small be so irritating? She's pushy and she knows it. You just can't say no to her. It's impossible.

We pulled into the huge, crowded parking lot. Alice's flashy yellow Porsche stood out of the sea of dull colored cars.

The engine went silent, and Alice grabbed my hand excitedly and pulled me over the driver's seat. My arm slammed into the shiny steering wheel.

"Ow!" I yelled.

"Ugh, come on, Bella," Alice said, tugging me out of her car. She turned to look at my face, then she licked her finger and began rubbing at the corner of my eye.

"Ugh! Alice- this, venom, Alice!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Stop whining," she giggled.

We continued walking toward the large building. I could hear my heels clicking, scraping the asphalt, probably ruining the heels. "The shoes are ridiculous," I complained. I could feel her eyes rolling.

Alice jogged up the steps. I followed naturally, two steps behind, which is awkward, since I'm almost a foot taller than her.

A man with dark hair in his mid thirties, held the door for Alice and me. I don't think he saw me, but he held the door regardless. Alice flashed him a polite smile.

She dragged me inside, causing me to trip over the stupid borrowed shoes. My tote bag crashed against the linoleum. Alice leaned over, sighing, picked up my cell phone, and helped me up. I rubbed the dust and dirt off my jeans and continued walking..

________

The next thing I knew, I was stranded in a strange, trendy-looking store. I looked around. The walls were this bright, bright white that could blind someone. The floor matched. There were lots of chrome racks of brightly colored sundresses and faded jeans and sheer blouses all around me. The back wall of the store was covered in shelves all lined with shoes, in perfect order. I decided I could never work here.

I was sure I looked dazed.
I could feel the eyes of the high-fashion, high-class, high-maintenance shoppers on me, from my unkempt chestnut colored hair, to my eyes glazed over, to my careless outfit. And of course, on Alice's shoes.

Out of nowhere, I heard a chipper voice singing "Bella! I found this beautiful dress! Look! Isn't it amazing?"
"What?" I snapped out of my tipsy state.
"And it would look absolutely gorgeous on you!"

Suddenly, I was being pulled quite forcefully toward a corridor marked "fitting rooms".

"Aliiice," I groaned

She didn't dare let go of my arm until we had reached a small, perfectly square room.

"Please, Bella. I just want to see this dress on you. It's amazing. And you're gonna look great in it."

"Ughhhh..."

"Pleaseeeeee?" she whined. I looked at her reproachfully.

I gave in.

"Okay." I choked.

"Yay!" She grinned, and slammed the fitting room door right in my face. "Hurry up!"

I looked at the dress she had shoved in my hands. It was pretty cute, I guess. Except I can't believe she thought I'd look remotely decent in it. I sighed audibly.

I could see Alice's tiny feet in her black flats from under the closed door. She stood perfectly still for a bit, but i could tell she was starting to become impatient a s she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

As I began to undress, I heard that ringing soprano again.

"Bellllaaa!"

"What?" I asked flatly.

"I'm going back out to get some things for myself."

"Okay, Alice. Have fun," I said. My voice did have a hint of sarcasm I'm sure Alice couldn't detect. She laughed easily. I heard her bounce away from the otherwise empty fitting room.

The walls of the room were lined with mirrors, perfect, spotless glass. I glared into my reflection. I stared at myself, half dressed, in resentment.

Why couldn't I be short and cute like Alice?

Why couldn't I be tall and beautiful like Rosalie?

Why did I have to be so.. plain?

Suddenly, I heard a heavy shuffle entering the fitting room. From the sound of it, I guessed it was a man wearing big rubber work boots. I glanced under the door, and there they were. Brown, stained, leather boots.

____

"Bella, Bella, Bellaaa!" Alice sang. Her voice grew louder as she walked into the fitting room. She knocked frantically on the door.

I was just taking off the dress she made me try on.

"Bella, let me see you!!"

I opened the door and glanced past her head. I didn't see him.

Alice looked confused. "Um, Bella, the dress," She followed me gaze, then looked back at me.

I threw my hands up and walked back into the small room. I could hear her fingernails tapping on the door.

"Alright, alright," I said. "One sec."

I opened the door. Alice gasped. "Bella, you look fabulous!" She brushed off my shoulders and straightened the fabric. Then she spun me around and again, slammed the door in my face. "Take it off. I have to get this for you!"

_____

"Hey, Alice," A tall woman with long, strawberry blonde hair said. "Hey, Tanya," Alice said casually. This was normal. "Oh, this is Bella," she introduced. Tanya smiled at me and placed my dress into a bag. Alice lugged a huge pile of clothes onto the counter, then handed Tanya a shiny credit card.

Tanya handed Alice the two bags and returned her credit card. "Bella, hold these," she said, then placed the card back into her leather wallet.

"See ya," Tanya said, flipping her hair.

We walked out of the store together. "Bella, you could totally wear that dress to Jessica's party next weekend." "Ali-" I started to say. "You're going to that party, Bella. And you're going to love it," she cut in.

We continued walking through the brightly lit mall. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw a large figure swiftly take a step behind a mall directory sign.