Chapter 1 « drink and kiss »

'I was so drunk...How could they have let me do this? I kissed him! I did! Oh my god!'

It started yesterday when I got out of the plane from Marseille. I was heading back home after two years spent in France to improve my French and finish my studies. The year after my graduation, I got a job there, but after two years away from my parents and my friends, I had to get back.

Mom and Dad came together to the airport, and I was so thrilled to see them. Mom ran towards me and hugged me as if her life depended on it. And Dad was, well, Dad. He kissed me on my cheek.

"Welcome home, Bells! It's good to see you. We've missed you."

"I've missed you too. It's good to be home." My Mom took my hand and started talking to me about all the gossip concerning my friends from high school and college.

"Did you know that Jessica Stanley is with Mike Newton? They are apparently engaged!"

"Well, that's good!"

"Oh! Angela is back from California, and there are newcomers in Forks. They have a beautiful residence out of town. We don't see them a lot though."

"Hmm...that's good, so that means more gossip for you!"

"Yeah, but we don't know much about them. There are two kids, the father is a doctor and the mother is a housewife. I invited them over for dinner on Thursday night, so I guess we 'll learn more about them then!"

We were in the car at this point, heading to Forks, a small town where my father was the Chief of Police and my Mom was a kindergarten teacher. My phone buzzed. It was Angela. She had been my best friend during high school and in college, where we were roommates. We used to do pretty much everything together, from studying to getting drunk. With Jacob, we used to be the three Musketeers. I was afraid that my two years in France had ruined our friendship. We stayed in contact, but it wasn't the same.

"Hi, Angie! I'm finally back! How are you?"

"It's so good to hear your voice! I'm fine! What about you? The flight? Are you in Forks yet?"

"No, the plane was late. I had to wait for three hours in the airport. Apparently there was a problem with the fuel or something. I'm on my way. I think we'll be there in thirty minutes."

"Good. Do you have plans for tonight?"

"I don't know. I just got back. I think my parents want to spend a little time with me..." Mom turned to me.

"Oh, honey, don't worry about us. Go with Angela. We'll see you enough tomorrow. Plus I want you to be there for the dinner with the Cullens." argh Mom!

"Your mum wants to show you off..." Dad said.

"Of course, Charlie! I'm so proud of her!" She yelled.

"Okay, Angela, I'm free tonight! What do you have in mind?"

"Well, Jake is here too, and we want to go to Port Angeles and have some fun in this new club. Just the three of us, like before!"

"Hmm sounds good! What time?"

"I'll pick you up at eight, good?"

"Yep! I' ll see you in a few then!"

"I can't wait! See you!"

We arrived in Forks, and even after two years of absence, everything was still the same. Very green, very cloudy, but it felt like home. The house was still the same. Just like I left it. Dad brought my stuff into my old bedroom, while mum was in the kitchen. I took a shower and put a tank top and a pair of shorts on, and then I took a nap.

"Honey, wake up! Angela is going to be here in half an hour! If you want to have time to get ready you should open your eyes, beautiful!" My Mum gave me that nickname the day I was born, because I quote "you were the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen!"

I woke up and got ready. I didn't really know what I should wear, but I chose a black dress with a bare back. I was used to wearing heels now, since my job in France required heels and a jacket, but I'm sure my friends were going to make comments about that, at least Jake was going to. So I put on a pair of Jimmy Choo black heels that I got from my mum fo last Christmas. She found them on sale on a web site and thought it would impress my boss. It didn't, but I wouldn't tell her that.

I curled my hair just a little and put on some gloss, and I was ready to go. Angela arrived a few minutes later.

"Hey, Bells! It's so good to see you!" she cried when I got outside, and then she ran towards me. "I've missed you so much!"

We hugged, and got into the car.

"Oh, me too! It's so good to be home!"

"Now, let's go, Jake is going to join us there."

We talked about my job, her job, and her new life in Seattle. She told me she was a teacher, and that she really loved her job. She talked about her ex-boyfriend and Jake's new girlfriend.

"Her name's Bree and seriously, she's a bitch. I don't understand why he stays with her..."

"Well maybe, the sex is so fucking good that he doesn't mind, like with Sarah. Do you remember her?"

"Of course! How could I forget her when she was the one to wake me up with her moaning, or whatever the fuck she was doing every Saturday morning for over a year?"

"It's good that we are not roommates with him anymore!" We laughed and soon we arrived at Volturi , the new nightclub. We went inside, where we met Jacob. He hugged me, and gave me a drink. Then I paid them a drink, and we talked and danced for a little while. After an hour or so, Angela said it was her turn to buy drinks. We went back to our booth and asked for shots of tequila with salt and slices of lime. We used to do that a lot in college, after our exams, and it would help us move on to the next semester.

After four shots for Angie and me and five for Jake, we were really buzzed. I couldn't help laughing at everything they said. Then Jake came up with a really good game, or so I thought. When I'm drunk everything sounds perfect for me.

"Okay, let's play truth or dare, but just the dares part! Alright?"

"Okay!" we cried together.

"So I' ll start!"

"Why? You are a guy, you should act like a gentleman and let the ladies start!" I said. For me it was pretty logical. I started feeling a little sick, but I sucked it up.

"Nope, I found the game, so I start! And the first dare goes to...BELLA! Hmm...You have to go and kiss...hum..."

"Oh, what about the blond guy at the bar? Hum...Those eyes...Oh my god, Bella if you don't go I will!" I turned to see who she was talking about when I met a pair of deep green eyes staring at me. The owner of those eyes seemed quite familiar but I didn't remember where I've met him. What I could figure out in my drunk state was, first, his bronze sex hair, which was screaming: "come Bella, come here and put your hands in me and give me a tug." Then, the next thing I saw was his mouth, full red lips... My stomach clenched... I was feeling wetter and wetter by the had a beer in his hand and was still staring at me. His eyes were so intense, and I couldn't look away from him. Of course Jake had to put his hand in front of my face while screaming " Earth to Bells! Earth to Bells!"

"Hmm? What?"

"So are you going to kiss him or what?"

Without a second thought I left the table and headed towards the deep green eyes. He was now chatting with his friend, a guy with short curly brown hair who was big and muscular. When I reached him, he turned around. And something strange happened, I felt the atmosphere change. Around him it was kind of electric. I felt a pull towards him, something that I've never felt before for anyone in my entire life. I was drawn to him. So I smiled and leaned into him to wishper into his ear. He smelled so good.

"Hi, I don't usually do this. But I made a dare with my friends, so I need to...Hmm...Can I kiss you?"

I felt hot, and I knew I was blushing. I pulled back to watch his face, and bit my lower lip, something I do when I'm stressed. I got that from my mum. He seemed to be surprised, but he recovered rapidly. A little crooked smile appeared.

"Usually I would say no, but how can I refuse when it's a beautiful woman who is asking so sweetly?"

I didn't wait for him to lean closer. I kissed him. At the beginning my lips just brushed gently against his, but his smell and my drunkenness made me want more, so I kissed him again. I took his lower lip gently between mine. I sucked on it a little, and released it, and then did the same to his upper lip. I wanted to deepen the kiss, so I licked his lips asking for permission to enter his mouth. He obliged. Our tongues met, and the kiss started to grow in intensity. The more his tongue massaged mine, the more I wanted him. He tasted like beer, cigarettes and lemon. But soon enough we had to break the kiss to come up for air. That's when I realized that I had kissed a stranger. I heard Angela screaming "She did it she did it!"

Suddenly I felt really sick. I had to go puke somewhere far from him. So I ran towards the exit without looking back.