AN: This story was inspired by some hurtful words said to me. I was told that I lack compassion and think too highly of myself… I hope it isn't true. I try everything I can to be a good person, to help others. I like to think I'm selfless, but apparently I'm selfish.
This story is my therapy. Maybe a way to forgive the one who told me those hurtful things, maybe a way to learn how to be a better person.
Please, enjoy the story!
Alice went to school in her brand new yellow Challenger. It was great having a father that was the most desired doctor in the world, and a mother that was paid to decorate celebrities' homes.
She pulled into her parking spot. No one dared use Alice Cullen's parking spot- she was far too powerful for the huge high school. Edward, Alice's brother, drove into the parking spot right next to hers. He, too, had this spot reserved simply for being Edward Cullen.
The siblings were not only excessively rich, but incredibly good-looking. Edward had a strong jaw that had a hint of stubble, giving him a rugged look. His eyes were a piercing green, a Cullen trademark, surrounded by thick eyelashes. Edward was well-known for the bronze hair that flew in disarray with no intentions of being tamed. He was lean, but not at all lanky. He was chiseled in a way one is not used to seeing on a senior in high school and made teachers uncomfortably squirm.
Alice was just as striking as her brother. She was short, but she stood straight and felt taller than anyone else. She usually wore designer clothes that caused her perfect skin to shine. Her eyes were as green as any other Cullen and she had small pink lips that rarely stretched into a smile, but when it did, her smile was absolutely dazzling. She had short black hair that others wished they could pull off and it was messy and unruly that added to the pale skin color. She truly was gorgeous- something that she was very much aware of.
Alice was a junior, but still held the attention of every boy- and man- on campus. The girls on campus swooned over Edward.
They alone were considered the Elite at their school.
They walked through the halls and expected the attention they received. The duo separated to make it to their first period class.
"Alice," Phyllis whispered as class started. Despite the unfortunate name, Phyllis was pretty. Not as hypnotizing as Alice Cullen, but pretty enough to be considered an ally at the school. Her messenger, if you will. "Stephanie and Alicia are going to run for Homecoming Queen. They've been badmouthing you to everyone."
Alice straightened and her lips curled up into what wasn't really a smile. She absolutely adored competition.
Stephanie and Alicia were both very rich, but not enough to earn the same respect as the Cullens. Their fathers were both politicians that embezzled money, adding to their wealth. They also helped their children learn the dirty ways to play when it came to things such as Homecoming title.
Despite the fact that only seniors won any dance titles, Alice had taken the title every single dance. She was always invited by a senior, making her eligible. She has the crowns and intends to add more to her collection.
The class ended and Phyllis followed Alice closely as they went down the halls. Lizzie decided to catch up and tried to offer Alice more gossip that pertained to the Homecoming title.
Alice turned around and faced the girls that followed her around like puppies and asked, "Do you think they have a chance at winning?" She raised an eyebrow. They both paled and looked at each other to asses which one would talk.
Lizzie lost the silent debate. "Well, they have started working together to have taken enough votes from you… They have started spreading some pretty malicious rumors that are seriously hitting your rep."
Alice nodded, taking in this new information with an unreadable expression.
Rumors? Fine, two can play at this game.
"Tell Jaime that you saw Stephanie hooking up with Alex when he was absent on Thursday." Alice instructed. Phyllis' eyes widened.
"But, Alice, they've been dating for a year… I can't break up their-" She tried to protest, but Alice shot her a bitter glare.
"I don't remember asking you for a morality check, Phyllis. Do you enjoy your relationship with Michael? Huh? Do you like getting the best food at lunch, despite how poor you are? Everything you have now, I've given to you. I can take it away." She threatened with a small hiss in her voice, sounding snakelike.
Everyone in the hall was watching Alice tower over the woman that was so much taller than her, speaking in hushed tones.
To Phyllis, though, it spoke volumes. Alice was very powerful, and she had to accommodate. She knew that. So she nodded and then took off to do her duties.
Alice looked at Lizzie, challenging her to say something. Instead, Lizzie excused herself to the next class and Alice was alone.
Alone.
She was alone all too often. She had her brother, but he was not a loving person. He just tried to find the next girl to have a fling with, toss them aside to avoid losing his sense of power. Her parents were both extremely loving, but never around to share the compassion she so desired.
This façade with cruelty was exactly that- a façade. She was so scared of loving someone and losing that sense of power, only to be hurt in the end. To be alone again, but this time weak as well.
She shook her head at the thoughts that were beginning to cloud her mind, and straightened before she walked into her next class
-o- -o- -o-
Edward rolled his eyes at the girl's nonstop chattering. He never did understand why women decided to talk so much before they had sex- which is clearly what was going to happen.
"Look, Ashley, that's great and all but are we gonna do this or what?" Edward asked, no longer able to hear what issue she was having with her father. They were crammed inside of a hallway closet at school, both ditching the last period of the day.
"My- my name is Shae." The girl said with wide eyes that began to water.
Like that makes much of a difference. Edward thought darkly.
"Shae, my beauty, are we going to do this?" Edward fixed a dazzling smile that turned women into putty on his face. The girl's stare went blank, initially surprised by the look Edward was able to create. The girl forgot that Edward didn't know her name, but suddenly wanted to jump his bones.
That's exactly what she did.
"That was amazing." The girl said breathlessly as she searched for her underwear in the small closet. Edward grunted in agreement and he tucked himself back into his pants. He looked up to see the girl looking at him with love in her eyes.
Oh boy, here we go again.
"Were you up for round two after school?" She asked, closing the space between them.
"Thanks but I have a lot of studying." Edward exited the closet and made his way to his car. The bell would be ringing soon and he wanted to get home before Ashley-Shae, whatever, caught up with him.
He pulled up to his large house, and as he got to the door, he heard Alice pull into the driveway right behind him. He looked back at his little sister and that was the first moment that he realized that his parents' cars were both there as well.
They were never home this early on a weekday.
"Mom and Dad are home?" Alice asked, voicing Edward's question.
"It seems like that." He shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. Really, he was growing with excitement.
Alice beamed at the idea of dinner with the entire family, and her lips stretched into a smile that was unfamiliar to her face. She skipped into the house, feeling childlike at last, and Edward followed closely behind her.
"So, I heard you were trying to win Homecoming Queen… Again." Edward snorted. He was King, obviously. It was truly the Cullen title as of now.
"You gotta give the people what they want." She winked at her brother who laughed freely. It has been so long since they have had a kind interaction with each other. They both treasured the little moment they just had as they entered the house. They both took the moment and seeing their parent's cars as a sign of something good to come.
They smelled food in the kitchen, and in an instant, they both ran to the kitchen like kids on Christmas. Their mother was singing happily as she stirred something in a bowl. Their father watched her with love in his eyes, a smile dancing on his lips.
"Hey guys! What a nice surprise." Alice said, trying to contain the sheer joy she felt at the image in front of her. Her parents barely get to see each other, so it was nice to see the love.
"Kids! Dinner will be ready soon! Your father and I have some great news." Esme smiled and her eyes shined. Their happiness was contagious, and soon Edward and Alice were happily setting the table. They usually have the help do these tasks, but it was nice to use the house like they were just a normal family.
The table was beautifully set, and soon food filled their plates.
"Oh, Esme, this is cooked to perfection." Carlisle said to his wife, mouth full.
"Tsk, Carlisle, please chew your food before you talk!" Esme laughed a twinkling laugh. She sighed happily and looked at the plates. "I truly have missed being able to cook and eating dinner with you guys." Carlisle grabbed her hand at that moment and gave her his strength. She smiled a thank you to him and met her children's curious eyes. "I have decided to take on less work. I will work over the phone mostly, so I will be able to be home more often."
Edward's heart soared at the idea. Alice vibrated in her chair with pure excitement. They would be a family.
"And I've decided to work at a hospital that will take less of my time." Carlisle continued.
Could this day get any better? The high schoolers both thought happily.
"Which means we won't be able to keep this house. The hospital I would work at is in Washington, so we'd have to move there. It's early enough in the school year that you won't be behind at the new high school. We are going to be closer again." Carlisle said, still holding his wife's hand.
"What? What about all my friends?" Alice asked, her eyes wide and wet.
"Dear, you can make friends anywhere."
"No, no! I've worked too hard to get where I am today!" Alice was shaking her head, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "I can't leave!"
"Dear, I understand you'll miss your friends, but this is going to be good for us as a family. We can have more dinners together. I can attend Edward's games. We can be more involved with your lives." Esme tried to calm her daughter down.
"No! I have worked so hard to be who I am at that school!" Alice stormed from the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door behind her and sobbed onto her pillow.
She would have to start from the beginning again. She would have to work for the people to do her homework, for getting the parking spot, for the pupils to provide her with the proper gossip that will allow her to snake her way to the top. It would just be too much.
Carlisle frowned as his daughter sobbed in her room, and he watched the rest of his family to see their reaction.
Edward seemed indifferent, and Esme was obviously upset that Alice wasn't as joyous as she had imagined her to be. This would be good for the family. He knew it would be. He had noticed the way Edward pretends to be indifferent at all costs, and how Alice never has a friend come over.
They just needed to be part of a closely-knit community. They needed to be humbled.
He squeezed his wife's hand and she gave him a small smile. She trusted him, and that was all that mattered.
-o- -o- -o-
One week later, the Cullen were moved out. The school no longer felt the weight of bowing to the Cullen's every whim. The abnormally gorgeous siblings were no longer able to reign their rules.
Edward and Alice drove behind their parents, their house shrinking behind them.
They were driving to the port, where their cars would be picked up and they would be taken to the airport as they left California for Washington.
In First Class, Edward and Alice sat silently, both trying to adjust to the dramatic changes. In front of them, Carlisle and Esme whispered excitedly about the beauty of nature and the house that Esme has spent the last week decorating.
Shortly, they were in Port Angeles, a town away from Forks because Forks was not big enough to have an airport. Their cars weren't going to meet them in Forks until tomorrow morning, so they family climbed into the rented car with only their carry-ons.
"I'm so excited!" Esme said happily, breaking the heavy silence.
"Me too, dear. It's so quiet here. I could get used to this." Carlisle was content. He hadn't lived in such homey environments since he was a child. It was a small town like this that had created his desire to help others. He hoped it would inspire admirable qualities in his children.
The family pulled up to their new house after making many turns on dirt roads and Esme happily opened the door.
"Welcome home children!" Esme beamed. Behind her was a big white house with big windows as walls. It was extremely open and beautiful. The green shrubs around it only gave it more of an enchanted look. It would be a beautiful place to live.
"Get to sleep, kids. You start school tomorrow, bright and early." Carlisle instructed. Tired from the plane ride and the darkening sky, the Cullen children complied and went up to their rooms that were across the hall from each other. They both gave each other a look before they closed the door behind them.
Tomorrow would be a very long day.
AN: The next chapter will be more exciting! I promise. This was just necessary for the rest of the story. I needed you guys to understand Edward and Alice's thought process.
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