"Dad!" I screamed after closely examining the large -- and very poofy -- bad I'd found lying on my bed after school.
"What's the matter?" Charlie ran in looking alarmed. I didn't answer. I was already walking across the room to my bed to point at the package.
"What is this?" I screamed.
"Oh!" said Charlie, clearly relieved. "That's your dress."
"My dress?" I hysterically, "For what?"
"For the Miss Forks pageant," Charlie told me as he turned to head back downstairs. I followed.
"Why would I need a dress for that?" I persisted stupidly.
"Well, what else would you wear? It's a pageant, Bella." Understanding dawned on me.
"Dad," I said, coming to a halt at the foot of the stairs, "I'm not being in that."
"Oh yes you are. I paid several hundred dollars for that dress. And so did your mother for the plane ticket."
"You invited mom?" I was horrified. How many more sick, twisted surprises would he throw at me today? Edward would be no help with this. I felt sure that after one glance at the dress, he would actually look forward to this.
"Alright. When is it?" I needed to know how long I had to get out of this.
"Next Saturday. I talked to Renee and she insists that you have your nails done." Charlie was weirdly talkative today. "That'll have to be Friday, because you won't have time Saturday morning."
I gritted my teeth. "Why not?" I was beyond angry now. Really, was he going to plan the rest of my life?
"Well, you need 50 community service hours before you can graduate next year. Your mom said you didn't need them in Phoenix so you don't have any. I signed you up to volunteer at the blood drive Saturday morning."
I couldn't make out Charlie's expression because the bottom had dropped out of my stomach. Despite my attempts to hold myself up by the stair rail, I fell to the floor in a big heap. Suddenly, It was all too much for me. The blood drive was impossible. I couldn't do it. Period. Much less without Edward, who really couldn't do it... And after that a pageant!
Hot angry tears were spilling from my eyes. I tried to throw a proper fit and beat my hands on the floor, but I couldn't find them. I tried to remember. I'd been in the hallway. I opened my eyes to find myself still on the floor in the hall at the bottom of the stairs, clutching the rail for dear life. Then the laughing started, and a horrible thought occurred to me.
"You tricked me!" I yelled, furiously wiping away the tears from my eyes. There stood Charlie and Edward, positively roaring with laughter. To my surprise, I glimpsed Emmet peering over Edward, laughing just as hard as the others.
"I knew I'd be sorry if I missed this," he managed to choke out. "Bella, that face was priceless!"
"Why?" I asked, rather pathetically. I didn't enjoy being at the end of their stupid practical jokes.
"Happy April 5th!" yelled Charlie and Edward together.
So that's what this was about! I was so relieved to know that none of it was real, I actually joined in the laughing. They'd gotten their revenge.
But they were crazy if they thought this was over.
A/N: so anyway, I want to high-five myself for leaving it open for another in case Bella gets another genius prank planned. But I want to low(?)-five myself for not being as in-character as the first prank…. Still I don't think it was a complete failure. I liked how Bella noticed that Charlie was being weird but because she didn't expect anything, she believed what Charlie said. All in all, its not one of my better works, but I like it! It was fun to write…