A/N: I don't own Twilight, or anything else you recognize.
Chapter 1: Road Trip out of Hell
I was having one of those moments, where contentment seeps through your veins, and you just innately know it's going to be a great day. With the wind blowing through my hair, Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" pumping through the stereo system, my best friend at the wheel, it finally hit home that the worst year of my life was over. As the ridiculously dressed pop icon said, "just dance, it's gonna be okay", and did I feel like dancing or what. Senior year was over, and I was free. Free to stay out until whatever hours I wanted, sleep in till ten in the morning, go clubbing, date whoever I feel like, and most importantly, I was free from judgment.
To many people, including my best friend, our circle of friends, and most of the graduating class, the senior year of high school is liberating, knowing that you'll be gone the next year. Mine wasn't. First of all, I had to move to Portland, Washington, which was in my mind the coldest, wettest, most miserable place in America. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but after living in arid Palm Springs, it certainly felt like it. Secondly, I was moving away from my mother, who I had lived with since kindergarten, when my parents got the divorce, and my stepdad, who I had come to love since my mom remarried freshman year. Additionally, I was moving in with my dad, who I hadn't seen since I threw a hissy fit about going on a fishing trip with him in the eighth grade. I still don't regret that – it got my dad to realize I was serious about being a vegetarian, and I no longer had to suffer through the rainy summers of sitting in a fishing boat, bored stiff, while my dad talked about sports with his friend Billy, and being hit on by Billy's son Jacob. To top it all off, I was transferring to a new school. Academically, it shouldn't have made a difference, but socially, it was devastating. As socially reclusive as I often considered myself, saying good bye to my best friend, Aby, had been harder than the damned SAT. I had to quit my cooking class, an insignificant fact that deeply bothered me.
Once I arrived in the airport, matters got worse.
I was immediately accosted, since naturally my father has to bring Billy, Jacob, and Jacob's sisters, Rachel and Rebecca. Rachel is busy texting, slouching and hiding under her 'scene' hair and ten pounds of eyeliner; while Rebecca stares right at me, sizing me up, with a malevolent smirk on her perfectly made up face. Jacob simply leered at me. Charlie and Billy gave me big hugs, friendly and smelling of fish and cigars. At school, Rebecca immediately began to spread the nasty, rude rumors about Pale Face, A.K.A., me. Fortunately, a certain unnatural blonde in physics berated me for taking the stress out on my looks, and we were inseparable from then on, although neither of us really understand how we get along so well. Our relationship persevered, however, thank the Lord, Alice's hair color did not. I never really integrated into the school, but Al's clique mostly accepted me. At home things were much different. Dad enforced a ridiculous curfew – I had to be home by nine thirty, and additionally, I couldn't have friends over after eight. He thought Alice Cullen was the best thing that ever happened to me; so naturally, Al was an exception, not that I frequently had any other friends over. Each weekend, either I stayed over at the Cullen's house, or she stayed over at mine. I never dated, if you exclude the date with Jacob that my dad forced on me. Needless to say, I'm not going to miss home.
Reminding me of my newfound liberty, Katy Perry's "Fingerprints" began playing. And Alice began singing. Rolling my eyes, I glared at her, which of course she ignored, and did my best to tune her out until the chorus.
"I wanna make my mark! I wanna get him hard I want him to scream my name! I'm leaving, I, I'm leaving my fingerprints on you," Alice belted out, with a sly wink.
I sighed; after all, dirty lyrics were her trademark. At least now I get them, so when she says, or rather, screams, "That's what she said!" I understand.
After a few more seconds, I disconnected my iPod. I needed some girl time, and while bubblegum pop is great for sometimes, this was not one of those times.
"Can we get crap food? We're free! We can have as much unhealthy food as we like, and no one can stop us. Nananana na na! See Esme, I'm eating fat, lots of fat. And cholesterol too. And there's absolutely nothing you can do stop us."
"Bella, Bella, Bella…tsk, tsk, tsk. That's so unhealthy. My mom would totally bust our butts!" She managed to get out before breaking out in a fit of giggles. I couldn't help but laugh either.
"What the freak Al? What exactly is busting our butts?"
"Fuck. You can say it; your dad won't ground you anymore. Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! Besides, you just shuddup. You know not to make fun of my 'isms'. It's not like you don't have your own."
"Okay, okay. Fair enough. Can we stop for junk food though? I have a major headache that can only be eliminated by Doritos and Sprite."
"Oh you poor thing! GET OUT OF MY WAY! WE NEED JUNK!" Alice bellowed.
Cradling my head in my hands, I realized what she actually said. Yes, what she said. With the prefix of that's. Internally, I snickered. I said the most perverted things in my head, too bad I usually didn't have the cajones to say them.
I was feeling fabulous with my release from Hell.
After a potty break, topping off the tank, and taking on refreshments, (more like junk food) we hit the road. With my iPod on shuffle, the windows down, and nothing between us and Santa Barbara, we were officially high on life. I took endless random videos of Alice being a huge dork and of the woodland scenery fading into cities, back to woodland, and finally green flatlands. Of course by then, the sun was beginning to creep closer to the rise and fall of the hills, and the timer set on Alice's Blackberry went off.
I groaned and gnashed my teeth theatrically, but my audience was not sympathetic.
"Jut because you don't like it doesn't mean you don't have to do it," Alice sang, "Silly Bella."
"You know I hate to drive. Don't make me."
"We already had this conversation. Unless you have four million dollars or ice cream in that bag, you will be driving, and I will be resting these poor abused fingers which have been at the wheel for four hours."
"Oh please. You'll get on your phone, and Tweet and Facebook about how awesome it is to be in control of your life, blah blah blah," I ranted on while Alice pulled over.
"Hey! Don't you knock Ke$ha. She's got talent, and she makes drunk whores look cool."
"You wanna be a drunk ho? I was holding out for more from you, Al."
"NO! Why would I want to be one? Seriously, girl."
I defended myself. "I don't know the way you were saying it was suspicious!"
Alice sighed. "Are you going to drive or not? I'm dyin' here."
"Fine."
We switched seats and shockingly Alice did not glue her eyes to her phone, and we sang along to the songs until Al fell asleep to Taylor Swift's "Perfectly Good Heart". I have to give it to her, it was kind of lulling. I continued on, but with my sugar buzz and 'liberty' buzz from earlier wearing off, I was getting drowsy myself and there was still hours and hours left to drive.
"Wake up! Wake up Al! I'm going to get lost here, you idiot! Come on, which way do I merge? You have the Mapquest!"
"Whaaa? I'm sleeping leeme alone."
"Wake up or I'm going to pull over and write on your face with Sharpie…"
"Merge onto the I-505 south, or Exit 553."
And so our college road trip continued. As little engery as I had left, I innately knew it was going to be an awesome year.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I apologize for any errors, I dont have a beta. Please review or message me any questions, comments, criticisms, or ideas. I want to continue this, but I'd like to have some opinions before I do so. The next chapter should come out within a week of the 5th review or message regarding the story.
Here's the link for a the Mapquest Al and Bella used:
.com/maps?1c=Portland&1s=OR&1y=US&1l=45.523602&1g=-122.675003&1v=CITY&2c=Santa+Barbara&2s=CA&2y=US&2l=34.420799&2g=-119.697197&2v=CITY
Have a good day :)
