I pull on my cheerleading uniform. I put my hair into a pony tail, tying a blue ribbon around it. I glance at my outfit in the mirror; perfect.
I grab my bag from my bed, going downstairs. Mom was sitting on the couch reading proofreading her book. She was getting in published and in just a few months they would begin printing copies, after all the edits were done.
"All ready?" Mom asks, looking up at me with a smile. "Edward is waiting in the car."
"Okay." I say. I go into the kitchen, grabbing an apple. I normally didn't have time for breakfast. I liked to be rather active. I was in charge of several committee's at school and I was the co-captain of the cheerleading team. I bite into my apple as I run to the garage. I get into the passenger seat of Edward's volvo. He looks at me with a questioning expression. It was the same everyday, whether I brought breakfast or not.
"Is that your breakfast?" Edward asks a he starts the car. He backs out of the garage, speeding down our long driveway.
"Do you have a problem with it?" I question. I was busy, I couldn't eat.
Edward rolls his eyes. "You know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
"Tomorrow is the game." I say, switching the subject. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were on the football team in Forks High. Some called them jocks, but I called them my family. Rosalie is Jasper's sister, and she is captain of the cheerleading team. Bella, Emmetts sister, mostly hung out of the bleachers. Balance has never been Bellas thing. It is the six of us, we all hang out together. It was like this from the start(7 years ago) even though we have one to two year age gaps.
We were all lonely and I figured throwing us together wouldn't be so bad. In the end, we ended up best friends.
"Are you nervous?" I ask.
"A little bit." Edward shrugs. Tomorrow was the game against Seattle's best team. They were known to beat anyone of any rank. "I bet Rosalie is going to keep you after school."
"Why?"
"Just face it Alice, you suck at cheerleading!" Edward grins at me. I glare at him.
I was the only freshman to ever make it on the cheerleading team. We were pretty good, compared to most teams in Washington. I was so good that even Jessica, who hated me, could not turn me down. She was captain last year. This year, Rosalie was voted to be the new captain, so she took up the job. Jessica is still on the team, but she is mostly put in the back.
We get to the school, I get out.
Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Bella were all by Emmetts car. We walk over to them. Bella embraces Edward and I go straight to Jasper.
Six friends, three couples. That was how it was from freshman year.
Jasper wraps his arms around me.
"Hey Alice." Rosalie says. "Did you practice?"
"Did you think otherwise?" I grin.
Rosalie laughs.
The bell rings and we go to our classes.
I was ahead in most subjects,which made me rather mature. I had Spanish with Rosalie, Biology with Edward and Jasper, and Government with Rosalie and Jasper. The rest of the classes Bella and I shared.
"So what did your parents say about coming to the movies tonight?" Emmett asks.
"Unsurprisingly, they agreed." Edward says.
"I dont think I can go tonight." I say.
"Why?" Rosalie asks. "Come on, you have to! It is couples night out, for gods sakes our parents are going out."
"I have a lot of homework. And my parents aren't going anywhere." My excuse was a pathetic lie. Everyone could see straight through it.
"Yes, Alice. A lot of homework. Forget it, none of us can go out because of the workload Mr. Banner gave us." Emmett says.
"Alice you are never behind in anything! You are always on top of yourself. I am seriously thinking of recruiting you next year for captain of the cheerleading team." Rosalie says.
"And debate club!" Bella says.
"Guys! Come on, I am already on the squad, I am head of the chair committee-Which by the way sounds so much worse than it is, I am the main coordinator for the activities section in the school, I am one of the co-leaders for drama, I am working at the library, and I go to school."
Bella and Rosalie raise their eyebrows
"Edward, back me up."
"I dont see how you will be doing any of that at ten pm tonight." Jasper says.
"Please! Just let me opt out of this just once." I beg. "I never opt out of anything, you know that. But I have a meeting with the carnival committee. Something happened with the games, they are all messed up."
"Alright. Once!" Rosalie says with a small smirk.
"Thank you!"
"Alright girls! We have gone through the routines three times." Rosalie yells after we practiced our cheer routine three times. "Tomorrow is the big game so we are going to pass on more practice today. Just review your routines quickly and prepare yourself! Good luck!"
Everyone slowly begins trickling away.
I walk up to Rosalie. "Prepare yourself?"
"Shut up!" Rosalie says.
"Hey Mom!" I call.
"Hey kids." Mom says, coming downstairs. "I have to go to the store. There is some fruit if you are hungry. She takes her purse and keys from the table."
I go to the kitchen, looking at the fruit selection and deciding with an apple again.
I go upstairs to my room, throwing my bookbag on my bed. I sit in my chair, pulling myself up to the desk.
My laptop was already opened. I reloaded my email and saw several emails from the committees I was on.
I began replying to them slowly.
"Hey, Alice." Edward comes inside.
"Hey." I say, looking up from my computer.
"I am going out." Edward says. "Emmett, Jasper and I are goi go to play football."
"Okay." I say. I turn back to my computer.
"Have you started on your homework yet?" Edward asks.
"Uh, no. Emails. I am organizing a walk in december, I need to prepare I am incharge of the floats for the parade and the carnival. Oh, and Bellas birthday party. It is a surprise, so if you say anything I will kill you."
"Are you forgetting the school dance? Arent you on that committee too?"
"Umm, no." I say, my voice was distracted. I was distracted. "Preparations for that start in a week."
"Copy off my biology work." Edward says before he leaves.
"Thanks!" I yell. I turn around in my chair, grabbing my bag. I close my laptop, putting it on the side.
Edward POV
"Is Alice finished with homework?" Mom asks when I come home. "Oh, god! Look at you. Go take a shower."
"When I left she was just starting on it." I say.
"Emails?" Mom asks.
"I don't understand how she still has black hair? I mean by now anyone who is human would have gone prematurely white!" I say.
Mom throws a glance my way. "Edward, she does it to distract herself. You know that."
"I know." I say, sitting down at the table.
Alice walks into the kitchen. "Hey Mom, Edward." She opens the fridge.
"Hey, I am already making dinner." Mom says.
"I am going to pass on dinner tonight. Angela needs help with the float designs."
"Uh, I don't think so. You need to eat Alice."
"Mom, it is vitally important that the float designs are done by tonight. Tomorrow I am busy and on Saturday the football team and cheerleading team and making them."
"Excuse me?" I ask.
"Edward, don't argue. I signed you up already."
Mom sighs. "You can eat and work up in your room, but if I get a full plate of food back like last week you don't get to do it anymore."
"Thanks Mom!" Alice leaves, going back upstairs.
Alice POV
"Alright then. Thanks, Angela. Bye!" I turn off my phone, putting it down on my desk. I look at the plate of food next to me and groan.
I hadn't taken a single bite and Mom was going to kill me. I look at the time. They would probably still be eating.
I pick up my plate, going downstairs. I was right, they were.
"Hey Alice." Dad says.
"Hi Dad." I sit down.
"You are eating with us." Edward states.
"Angela and I finished early. Actually, I am not really that hungry and-"
"Hold it right there, Alice Cullen." Mom says. You are doing so much as it is and you are going to get sick if you don't eat."
"Mom! Sometimes people aren't hungry."
"I realize that. But this isn't healthy. Edward told me you are passing on going out with your friends tomorrow. You begged for three hours."
"I know, but then something came up and-"
"Alice, honey you need your life sorted out. You made a commitment, you need to stick with it. If you aren't as committed to your friends as you are with your other things they won't be as committed with you." Dad tells me.
I sigh. "I am sorry. I will make more time for them."
"And your family!" Mom adds.
"Alright." I say, looking down. I begin pushing my food from side to side.
"So, how was school?" Dad asks a few minutes later.
"Oh, you know, the usual." I shrug. "I had a test in government today, I got two questions wrong."
"That's good." Mom says. "How was the math test you had a few days ago."
"I got a B, but it could have been worse!" I say.
"How about you, Edward?" Mom asks, turning toward Edward.
"I haven't had tests recently, but school is going alright." Edward says, looking up at them.
"How about football practice?" Dad asks.
"Normal. Tomorrow is the game, and after whether we lose or not we are going for pizza." Edward says.
"The cheerleading squad is going with them." I add.
"Great. We'll be there for the game." Dad says. After we finish eating Edward and I clear the table and Dad puts the food away. Once we finished, Mom did the dishes.
We go into the family room. Mom started working on her book again, and Dad switched on the tv to get the news scores for the teams playing today, Edward joined him, both watching the tv intently. I grabbed my biology book, studying for the test I had in a few days. After about a half an hour, Edward left to the movies where he was meeting our friends.
After a few hours, we started getting ready for bed. I hated sleeping. It was when my dreams haunted me.
Ever since I was little I would have dreams, they used to keep me up for hours and they still do. I used to ponder over them and they scared me. To distract myself, I took on hours of work from anywhere I could get it.
I lay down in my bed, staring up at the blank ceiling. I was tired, but I knew if I closed my eyes the images I would be able to see.
Eventually, after lying there I fell asleep.
I wake up gasping. I look at the clock. It was 6:30 AM. I laid my head back down as I counted how many times I had woken up tonight.
Three times, this would have been the fourth. I glance at the clock again.
I would have to wake up to get to school in forty minutes, no use going back to sleep. I push the blankets off of my, sitting up. My room was just light enough that I could make out my pieces of furniture.
I stand up, going to my bathroom. I turn the light on, opening the facet. I splash some cool water on my face, waking myself up. If I got ready early enough, I could study some more. Or maybe begin working more on the float designs for the parade.
I turn off the facet, turning around and turning the shower on. I brushed my teeth as the hot water made steam fill the air.
Today, as Rosalie had instructed, we weren't supposed to wear our cheerleading uniforms. Since there was the big game tonight, we needed them perfectly clean. Instead, I grabbed a pair of jeans, a blue shirt and my favorite blue sweater.
I jumped into the shower, taking my time to smear soap lather all over my skin. I washed my hair with care, massaging the shampoo in my scalp for longer than normal. I washed my face using some organic products I had bought on one of my shopping trips with Rosalie and Bella, and I cleaned out my nails.
Eventually the water began running cold and I had run out of ways to keep me busy in the shower. So I turned off the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself.
I took my time dressing and brushing my hair. I had no work to be done right now, so I would be sitting around doing nothing.
After I finished everything I could possibly do in the bathroom, I go back into my room.
It was 7:10.
I sit down at my desk, putting my homework and books into my bag and then I log onto my computer. I had no emails, which was surprising. I checked my grades just for the sake of doing something.
Time was trying to annoy me today. Normally, I never had enough time to do anything, but today I was running out of things to do.
I heard another shower running. Edward was awake. I sat on my chair, tapping my fingers on my desk. I couldn't have any free time to think. I needed to keep my mind occupied.
I grabbed my headphones from my desk drawer, plugging them into my computer. Rock bands were pretty loud and had a lot of drums and electric guitar.
I could start with that.
I picked a song that I normally would never listen to, but it had to loudest music. I turn the music way too high, leaning back in my chair.
The music was a little catchy and I found myself enjoying it in the slightest bit. I clicked through other songs by the same band, enjoying them all.
My door opens and Edward walks in. He presses the button on my laptop, turning the volume down.
I take my headphones off. "I was listening to that."
"So was I." Edward tells me. "Only, I was in the hallway and you were using headphones. Try not to kill your brain cells so fast, will you?"
He walks out, closing my door. I put my headphones on again, turning the volume a little higher. It was much lower than before and I wasn't enjoying it as much anymore. I sigh, closing my laptop and putting my headphones down.
I leave my room, going downstairs.
Dad was making scrambled eggs on the stove and Edward was pulling toast out of the toaster.
"Hey guys." I say, opening the fridge.
"How early did you wake up today?" Dad asks me.
"Six thirty." I tell him, pulling out the milk. "I woke up four times."
"Did you take your pills last night?" Edward asks. Dad had given me pills that would help me sleep, only they didn't help.
"No. But they don't work anyway." I shrug, pouring some milk into a glass.
Edward sits down at the table with his plate of toast. I give him the variety of jams that we had. I sit down next to him.
"Where is Mom?" I question, taking a piece of toast from Edward. He doesn't do anything to stop me. I spread some strawberry jam on it.
"She left while you were taking your very long shower." Dad tells me. He pours the egg into a plate, coming to sit down with us.
I ignore the comment, finishing my toast and milk. "Let's go Edward." I say, standing up.
"Hold it, we still have another twenty minutes before we have to leave." Edward says. "Go practice your routines for cheerleading. Rose'll kill you if you don't."
"Edward, I am good at cheerleading!" I hiss. Dad gets up, washing his plate. He was about to leave when Edward stopped him.
"Dad, after school we are going with Emmett, Bella, Jasper, and Rosalie the library to study. Then we are going to the game together."
"Okay. Did your mother know about these plans?" Dad asks.
"Yes, I told her a few days ago." I say.
"Go ahead then."
"Thanks." I go upstairs, grabbing my bag. I grab another bag, throwing in my cheerleading outfit, my sneakers, my hair stuff. I grab my other stuff that I need.
I throw it over my shoulder, walking back downstairs. Edward was cleaning up his plates. I put my sneakers on, waiting by the door.
Edward comes a few minutes later. "What are you so excited for?"
"Let's just go." I say. "Can I drive? I need the practice anyway, I have my driving test in two months."
Edward gives me the keys. I go to the garage, getting into the drivers seat. Edward gets in. I start the car.
I back out of the garage slowly, driving down the path. As I got to the main road my speed increased.
It took us slightly longer to get to school since I was driving. Edward didn't complain a single time.
When we get there I park next to Jasper's car. We get out. Jasper and Rosalie were waiting, it didn't seem like Emmett and Bella were here yet.
We walk over to them. Edward and Jasper slap each other on the back as I drift over to Rosalie. They talk for a few moments and then Jasper comes over to me, kissing me gently. I knot my fingers with his, holding onto his wrist with my other hand.
Emmett's car drives up and he and Bella get out, coming over to us.
"Hey." I say.
"Morning." Bella grins.
We talked for a bit and then went to class.
School passed by quickly. After school we hung out in the parking lot talking for a while and then headed to the library in Forks.
I finished my homework quickly and replied to what emails I had.
By the time we were ready to pack and leave it was six o' clock. We had an hour and fifteen minutes until the game.
We head back to the school, the boys going to their locker room to gear up. Rosalie and I went to the girls locker room.
I changed into my cheerleading outfit, stuffing my clothes in the bag. I sit down, changing my shoes.
"Hey." Rosalie says, coming out of the stall. Her hair was down. She stands in front of the mirror, french braiding it.
I tie my hair up into a ponytail, tying the ribbon around it.
"Alright girls!" Rosalie yells. "Let's go out there and cheer our boys on!" We all walk outside onto the field.
The lights were lit and the stands were filled with people. We go to the edge of the field.
Rosalie was smiling widely.
"Excited?" I ask.
"Oh, you bet!" Rosalie tells me. "C'mon. Let's get this party started."
We cheered through the whole time.
We won by one point at the end. The entire squad was jumping up and down and cheering.
Rosalie and I high fived each other.
"Let's go!" Rosalie says. Jasper comes over to me.
"See you after you change, okay?" Jasper asks.
I smile, nodding. "Great job on the game, by the way."
"Never seen a cheerleading so talented and beautiful before!" Jasper says, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.
I wave, leaving to go to the locker rooms.