Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to SM.

"You have to come with me." I begged my best friend Alice.

"Why would I want to remind myself that I am a social pariah?"

"For me."

"Why do you like her any way? I mean I get it. You guys had a moment freshmen year." She rolled her eyes at me as she air-quoted the last part of the sentence. "But she chose Mike Newton, E." She gave me a half-sympathetic half-annoyed look.

"You're too good for her. What about Angela Weber?"

"Seriously?" I asked dully. That was not even funny. How exactly did Alice view me? "Am I really that much of a social outcast?"

"What? She's…pretty and smart."

"She wears taped glasses and overalls." I said offensively. "Purple overalls to be exact."

"You sometimes still wear trucker hats." She said as if that explained everything. "C'mon, Ashton Kutcher ran that trend into the ground years ago. You and Angela are perfect for each other."

"My hair sometimes has a mind of its own. I hide it under the only hats I own." I said defensively. I did not add that the hats belonged to my uncle who is actually a trucker. Alice already knew that. "How is that any better than your fortune-teller fabric on your head?" I asked trying to swipe the silky cloth from her hair but she had backed away and glared at me. I had a huge suspicion that Alice had been hiding something under there for the last month.

Alice had a very strange sense of style that she continually changed. For example, last year she went through a mermaid phase and only wore these atrocious scaly looking green pants, starfish earrings, sandals that were made from sea weed (I think. Is that possible?) In addition to that, she had streaked her hair an aqua blue. Therefore, it was very possible she thought she was now a gypsy.

"And Angela is better off with someone like….Eric Yorkie." I said with conviction.

Alice made a face as Eric walked by. He walked in a linear fashion (Did the kid now he could walk around things?) and fast with his back hunched over and head down staring at the ground. Yeah he was weird. I mean he could not even see where he was going and he hauled ass like a bullet. It was hilarious the first time I saw him and it is still just as funny.

I ignored the many watch-its and what-the-fucks being yelled at him and turned back to Alice trying not to laugh.

"Maybe you're right." She was messing with her gypsy head trying to make sure it covered her entire skull. "But Bella Swan?"

"We have something special." I declared. "She just doesn't know it." I whispered to myself.

"Right and that specialness is filled with undying love for each other." She faked a huge smile. "So much so that you've never even talked to the girl. Face it, E. The Appealing doesn't even know who you are."

The appealing? Alice was so weird.

Alice was rolling her eyes again. I ignored Alice's dig that Bella does not even know who I am mainly because I could not dispute it.

"Now that Mike broke up with her; it's my only chance." I pleaded with Alice. "Please come with me?"

"She's not going to go to prom with you. We are from completely different castes as them. We don't intermix." Alice tried to rationalize with me but I was not having it. I had finally gotten the opportunity that I had waited four years for.

"It doesn't matter. I do not want to regret the possibilities of what could have been." I grabbed her hands –ignoring her new style choice in black lace gloves and jewelry over it- and with my most pathetic puppy dog eyes, I asked, "She might say yes. Please?"

"Ugh, fine." She growled. "If I am forced to spend an evening with the Artificials you are not allowed to leave my side - at all." She looked up at me, craning her neck so she could actually see into my eyes. Alice was two feet shorter than I was. "I mean it, E."

I picked her up and kissed the top of her head, setting her down and patting her head. "That's a good Dolly." I said.

She hates when I call her that.

oOoOoOoO

"I can't believe I'm here." Alice muttered as she slammed the car door shut.

After finally convincing Alice to come with me to Emmett's party, I had gone home and started to get ready. I actually did my hair- sort of. It took a lot of product but Alice and my mom assured me that it looked great. It just looked like my same crazy hair but stiffer and shinier. I also put on one of my dad's old suits. I decision I was now regretting. Apparently, this was a t-shirt and jeans kind of party.

I had never actually been to a party before that did not involve balloons, cupcakes and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and/or a piñata.

Yeah…It has been a while. I am not what you would call popular.

I should have known though considering it was Emmett's party. As my cousin, I think he was obligated to invite me. On the other hand, was it that he thought I would tell on him? That was most likely. His parents were out of town and I am positive they would not approve of a party but he never was one to follow the rules.

We have not gotten along ever since we were seven and he wanted to watch Power Rangers but I refused (I really wanted to finish that spider monkey documentary on the Discovery Channel). He called me a dork and some other choice names. To this day, he hides the remote whenever we have a family function. I am stuck watching Jersey Shore or some other dreadful show.

"It's going to be fun, okay?" What meant to be assuring to Alice came out as a question.

"Yeah." Alice said, unconvinced. "Let's just complete the mission so we can leave."

"Okay. Let's go look for Bella so I can give her the note."

"A note?" Alice grilled me. "What the hell? Should I just start calling you coward now?" Alice paused for a millisecond not allowing me to answer. "A stupid ass note is not going to work to woo She-Who-is-the-Appealing." Alice muttered under her breath something like "fucking idiot". "Let me see the disgrace." She held out her tiny black laced hand.

I pulled the note out of my back pocket and hesitantly handed it to her. She read it but said nothing. I took the time to try not to worry about what she thought and took in her full outfit for the first time. She was wearing what looked to be a corset dress from the eighteenth century- one that maybe a gypsy would have worn. I made a mental note to ask her about it later. When she was done, she pulled a pen out of her canvas bag that had buttons all over it that said things like 'bite me' or 'Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you're an asshole'. She started crossing things out on my letter and adding to it.

"What are you doing?" I asked, panicked.

"Turning your stupid letter into something that isn't sappy poetry or something that Nicolas Sparks wrote."

"I can't give her that now." I looked down at the paper that Alice ruined by her chicken scratches.

"Alice...You've ruined it."
"Me? Umm…did you even read what you wrote? It sounds like a love song that Baby Bop and the Care Bears wrote." She looked down at the letter with horror. "It's terrible. I mean you actually quoted the Goo Goo Dolls and KC and JoJo." She shook her head. "It makes you seem like you throw up rainbows and shit sunshine."

I grabbed my letter. I was definitely not going to take advice from someone who could hardly talk about romance without mentioning metal spikes and bleeding. The chick was an unromantic Emo. Ponder that for a moment.

"It was fine how it was." I said as I stuffed it into my pocket.

"It's fine for someone who lives on Sesame Street. It's childish and cliché." She said honestly. "Don't use it at all and just tell her how you feel. In your own original words."

I ignored her and walked towards the front door all the while accepting the fact that she did have a point. I should use my own words but I am a coward, a chicken, and quite possibly Baby Bop.

I nervously turned to Alice as we walked into the kitchen. "What if she doesn't come because he's here?" I pointed to where Mike stood in the middle of a crowd of sophomores. Emmett and the rest of the "Artificials" (as Alice calls them) stood close by, all the guys yelling at Mike about how "he's the man" because he broke up with the hottest girl in school. Mike was going on and on about "experienced college chicks" but the sophomores around him did not notice the insults to them. They continued to cling on him and bat their eyelashes.

Stupid girls.

"If I were her I would still show up. I wouldn't want to seem depressed." Alice said. I did not like the idea that Bella would be depressed over a douche bag like Mike. In my fantasy world, she was happy and showed up to the party wearing an I-love-Edward t-shirt.

Dreams…they come true.

For some people.

"A drink?" Alice asked. I shook my head. I was not a drinker. "You need to loosen up, E. Drink something."

"What are you wearing?" Lauren Mallory asked Alice while she was waiting for her beer. There was apparently a "King of Keg" aka Ben Cheney. He donned a crown and everything.

"A dress." Alice answered, off handedly.

"Duh."

Alice gave her a blank stare.

"But, like, why are you dressed like that?"

"Like what?"

"A fortune teller."

Alice laughed. "Maybe I am."

"For, like, real? Tell me my fortune then, Amanda."

"It's Alice." Alice looked annoyed. Lauren has known Alice since preschool. Alice gave me a devious smile. "Sure, give me your hand." Alice took it and closed her eyes. "Yes, I see. Tyler. A red head." Alice gasped. "A bathroom." Alice opened her eyes. "Lauren…I'm sorry."

As soon as Alice let go of Laurens hand, the stupid blonde-haired person went running towards the bathroom screaming about her boyfriend Tyler the whole time.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked Alice.

"Oh, c'mon. She is the only one in school who does not know that Tyler is a sleaze. It's about time someone made her suspicious."

"True." I agreed as I continued to scan the room for Bella.

"Here. Take this." She handed me the beer.

"I don't want it." I said giving it back to her.

"Liquid courage, E. You need it."

I was going to argue more but right then Emmett spotted us and headed right to me. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"Um...partying?" I said but once again, it sounded like a question.

He took in our appearance, landed his eyes on the beer in my hand, and laughed. "Drinking a beer, church boy?" He said while messing with the collar of my suit.

"I just came from an interview." I lied but it was better than saying I was at church on a Friday night- which I was not. Alice looked at me like with questioning look. Probably wondering the same thing as me: what in the hell does he want?

I looked over to Mike's group to see them all staring at me. It unnerved me.

"Your beer is still full." Emmett observed.

"I just got it."

Emmett gave me a look like I-bet-you-wont-even-drink-it.

Without even thinking about it, I chugged the whole thing. Maybe it was because I imagined tiny Edward-devils jumping up and down on my shoulders telling me Emmett was right- that he had always been right- I was too different from my peers, a social piranha.

For the first time, the want to fit in was strong enough for me to do something about it. Besides, I needed to be closer to how Bella was. However, I did not know if she ever drank. No matter, I needed to fit in for her to like me.

It was gross and tasted what I imagined cat or horse piss to taste like. Alice stared at me with wide eyes but a hint of a smile on her face. Emmett looked just as stunned, put his arm around me, and said, "This is going to be fun. Finally grew a pair, huh?"

Instantly I was trying to break free from Emmett's hold. He was much bigger than I was and I had no hope. Emmett did not hate me; we just did not get along. I was smart and refined while Emmett was handsome and outgoing.

This was probably the first time Emmett (or anyone) had seen me let loose, and all I did was a chug a beer. Emmett was wrong if he thought I would drink more. I was already starting to feel a murky influence in my head. I could actually feel my brain, for once in my life, slow down.

Alice, looking amused, came to the other side of me and whispered, "Let's see what happens here, E. They are your best bet to get to her."

She was right. If Bella did show up, she would be with this crowd. Maybe it would not be so bad to have a few drinks to calm my nerves. What was it that Alice called the beer? Liquid Courage. That is something that I definitely need.

"I will look out for you." Alice offered.

"What are you two whispering about?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing. I just asked Alice to get me another beer." I said.

"Oh, this is too good." Emmett chuckled. "I always wondered when this day would happen. I've been waiting for it. Just follow me. No need to go get the beer." He looked at me "You look good in Uncle Carlisle's suit, man." Emmett said. "At least that's what the girls are saying. No one recognized you. Did you notice Rosalie staring at you?" He asked.

Was that a compliment? From Emmett? Maybe this beer is affecting me more than I thought.

"No."

"Good. You're not allowed to notice her."

"Okay."

"I told you your hair looked good, E." Alice chimed in.

Emmett started laughing. "Did aunt Esme tell you it looked good too?"

Yes. "No." I gave Alice a hard look and she snickered.

Emmett had led us into his room and was pouring what looked like tequila into three shot glasses. He handed them to each of us and I sniffed it experimentally looking at it with disdain. I turned to Alice who just shrugged at me.

Emmett held his up, "This is for you Edward. Tonight you become a man."

a/n: So far this will be a five chapter story. Chapter 2 will post tomorrow. Thanks for reading! -Nikki