More summary: Bella, Alice and Rose live a secluded life in Forks, they live like average teens but suddenly – or so it seems – Rose doesn't want average any more. With problems ranging from Cullens, LaPlush friends, parents with their own problems, and a little more "rock n roll" than manageable, it's no wonder Bella is having troubles...
I'm back! Sorry I haven't done any stories for ages, and I haven't yet done a squeal to my story Cullens Behaving Badly because I've been so busy but I really wanted a go at writing a story like this. It was my birthday yesterday so this is my present to you... you can review as a present to me. Hope you enjoy! Xxx PS I don't own Twilight. Yet.
Chapter 1
Alice pouted at me defensively before stuffing the picture back into her pocket. We sat in the sun talking and joking, doing homework and eating the Hale housekeeper's home baked goodies like every other Sunday afternoon, just me, Alice and Rose.
"Next week," Rose mulled, "let's do something different." It was the start of the new school term, to be precise, the first term of our senior year. We'd already been to school on Friday to find out our new classes and deal with all the administration, but Rose had been off all day, and now I wondered weather this was why.
"We could shop!" Alice exclaimed, always happy to partake in her favourite past-time.
I rolled my eyes, Saturdays were reserved for the mall or an outing with one of our families, they always had, but I was open to something new - I was nearly eighteen!
"Come on guys, there's got to be something really good to do. People at school always seem to have great weekends." Again, this was so true, nobody at high school ever seemed bored because they had somebody to share with.
"You really need new boots and those were in the sale and they'll be gone before I can get them for your birthday!" Alice begged, speaking so fast it was hard to follow, she referred to the picture of the stunning catwalk model wearing ridiculous suede boots that Alice had been waving about a few seconds earlier.
"Hey, actually you're right," said Rose, through a mouthful of muffin, "Everyone at high school seems pretty cool so why don't we just hang with a new crowd?" Rose's eyes weren't quite matching the enthusiasm in her voice. The thing was, our other favourite thing to do was watch them. Edward, Emmett and Jasper. The three single most beautiful, popular and fantasised guys in school; completely in their own league, living an incomparable life to us. They wouldn't want anything to do with us. Not any more.
"I'm not sure," Alice reasoned, "I mean, we'd still need a new wardrobe for new friends right?"
"Come on Alice. We don't need to shop all the time. I'm running low on allowance money anyway." I said, knowing it was impossible to reason with my two rich best friends.
"Don't be stupid Bella, if we're going to be cool, we may as well look the part." Rose snapped.
Isabella Swan. That's me, a completely inappropriate name. A rose is beautiful, and although Rose never flaunted it, she was so utterly stunning. Alice means dear, kind and noble; all quantities that Alice posses. But Isabella Swan? A beautiful, prosperous beast. Yeah right.
I sat back in the long, damp grass of the park letting Rose and Alice plan out another stupid plan.
"So we should go shopping after school this week for outfits and we can get the stuff online..."
"...Yeah and Mom can get the stuff too..."
".... It's gonna be a great party."
That single word bought me out of my latest day dream of Edward and back to the real world, "WHAT?"
"Cool it Bella, we're gonna hold a party." Rose said, grabbing my shoulder to stop me from getting up. Parties were so not my thing, let alone holding them.
They gave me a minute to register the information. How bad could it be, we could make loads of new friends in theory, "I guess," I said, letting a strained smile play on the corners of my mouth, "If we invite the drama crowd they could probably get a karaoke going or the arty table look quite fun."
They stared at me in utter horror.
"Are. You. Kidding. Me?" Rose asked slowly, Alice in chorus, "Bella, if I'm going to spend the entire contents of my saving account on a party do you really think I would invite the nerds." Rose said nerds like venom, it actually stung me, it wasn't like our cafeteria table was over crowded either.
"Well your inviting me right?" I asked, not knowing what came over me so suddenly.
"Sorry, I figured you knew what I meant by cool new crowd?" Rose said, "We could even tackle the Cullens, unless you're too cool for them?" she said. It cut deep and she knew why.
For a second I thought she would apologise but she never did so I got up, grabbing my old truck keys and drove back to my house without a second glance. They would forgive me, and I would them, we would be best friends again within an hour.
Once I was safety sitting in my kitchen with a strawberry shake from the fridge I set my phone on the counter and waited for it to buzz. After a record length of forty minutes a text appeared from Alice, 'do u wanna b in the plan or not?' No kiss, no sorry. I contemplated my response for a few minutes before reluctantly punching 'yes' into the keyboard. 'Fine, cya at school.' Came back the unfeeling reply in seconds. Disheartened I threw the rest of my second shake into the trash and past the rest of the evening watching TV distantly before escaping from my dad Charlie when he got back from the bar at eleven. He looked like he was going to say something, but whatever it was I was sure it could wait.
Morning came, it always did never mind what anyone said the day before. After Alice's texts I didn't wait for a lift though, because from the tone of the messages would be waiting for a non-existent lift. So I drove myself to school by myself and saw Alice and Rose across the parking lot climbing out Rose's new bright red and flashy convertible she had begged daddy for.
"Hey!" I called across the lot. They pretended they couldn't hear me, "Hey sexy!" I called again.
Not resisting a compliment Rose turned instantly, I at once noticed she wasn't wearing her usual jeans, jumper and charitable tote, but instead a long checked shirt, iridescent leggings and a leather satchel. I wondered if it was something her fashionable brothers had sent back from Italy but then Alice walked round from the other side of the ostentatious car and she had her black spiky hair piled up with thousands of tiny grips and a cashmere dress.
I straight away felt under dressed, even after I'd made an effort that morning to curl my fairly ordinary brown hair, "Don't shout Bella. You look so weird." Rose said in way of greeting.
Alice gave me a quick smile before resuming her cucumber cool façade. She took a step closer to my side, guiding me in the way of the bathrooms. I followed, wondering if I would get an apology for last night in the privacy of the loos.
Once we arrived Alice perched on the basin and Rose fixed her lip gloss, "Here," Alice said simply, gesturing I take of my grey zip hoodie. I did as directed and stood awkwardly in my white tank top. Alice rolled her eyes at me and handed me a similar zip hoodie. The only noticeable difference being the price tag and the words 'Abercrombie and Fitch' sewn onto the front. Then after assessing me again she unwound a scruffy, but undoubtedly new deep blue scarf from her bag and gave it to me as well.
"I would have picked you out some more stuff but my alarm didn't go," Alice said with a little grin as she started to line my eyes with a brown pencil and gesturing for me to finish with mascara, "not too much." she added passing me a brand new tube.
I was still waiting for the big apologies but Alice gave me another quick smile passed me more make-up – something I only ever wore at weekends or on a photo day – and then grabbing my hand a tugging me towards the home room as the warning bell went.
Standing in front of Forks High School's largest classroom, number 5, Rose pulled a piece of folded note paper out her bag. We stood outside the door in silence, I wondered if they were waiting for someone else to enter the classroom but when Mr Berty the English teacher walked in, giving us a lopsided look as he walked up the steps, we remained, Alice and Rose focused on looking vaguely preoccupied but very available.
"Guys, don't you think we should get to lessons already?" I muttered, wondering if it was alright to say anything or if they were doing some sort of 'cool ritual'.
"Fashionably late," Alice replied, so subtly that I could hardly tell she said it, her chiming voice nearly lost in the wind.
Finally, a split second after the bell went we jogged up the four steps and into the class room, then smoothly towards the back row. I noticed Rose drop the note paper on a desk as we passed one of the cheerleaders.
Slumping down into the seats I noticed, who else was coming in fashionably late, the Cullens entered, nodding at Mr Berty as they passed. They sat down a little way off us, Emmett didn't seem to mind us being there, his chiselled face didn't so much as crumple in question when he acknowledged us, Jasper's huge eyes flicked in confusion that we were right on top of his seats. The most beautiful though, Edward, dropped his eyes, his golden hair flicking forward, annoyed we stole his seats? I almost laughed allowed, wondering why on earth something so simple as seats would ever matter to somebody like that.
After being told off for our apparent lateness in home period (the Cullens weren't even spoken to mind) and we were kept late for our first period Spanish I kicked Rose in the shin, "What the hell was that all about? And the note? Why the hell will cheerleaders suddenly want to come to our parties?"
"After all you've done I'm not sure how much this is your party!" Rose snapped back, "and besides, the note is anonymous, they were too busy chatting to see me drop it and let's face it, my address is just a tad exclusive." I nodded in humble agreement, Rose smiled just a tiny bit, "Sorry, I just want this to work."
It was only a small smile under the mountain of shiny strawberry lippy. It was enough though. One tiny smile to prove I hadn't completely lost a best friend.
