DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight saga and all the characters. I own nothing except my measly little plot.
A/N: This takes place post- Breaking Dawn. Reneesmee is all grown up and she and Jacob have been married for a while, still living with the Cullens. Also, Black Friday is a tradition in the US where most major stores have incredible sales on the day after Thanksgiving (the last Thursday in November). Stores open crazy early like 3AM, and people sometimes camp out overnight to get the latest toy at rock bottom prices. It is insanity inside the stores, people pushing and shoving and fighting over something as stupid as a doll or a sweater. It really is a site to behold. It is natural to me (a fellow shopaholic) that Alice would decide to challenge the family to something like this.
Alice POV
I checked to make sure I had everything we needed before I started my announcement.
- 10 copies of all the local papers from yesterday and today: CHECK
- 10 pairs of scissors: CHECK
- 10 notepads: CHECK
- 10 copies of the rules: CHECK
- $5,000 in cash: CHECK
"Okay everyone, please gather in the living room. I have an exciting game planned for tomorrow, but you will need to prepare. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone Jacob! You are part of this family too! Don't think I didn't notice Nessie's future disappear while the rest of ours became clearer." Honestly, I don't understand why he has to be so difficult. You'd think after 20 years he'd realize that when I wanted something, I got it. I may be tiny, but I am persistent!
"So, this is what the incessant Christmas carols were about? Keeping it from me was a good idea Alice; otherwise Bella and I would be out of the country by now. You know what she thinks of shopping, and that is on an ordinary day!" Edward grinned, knowing from my sporadic visions just how fun tomorrow was going to be, no matter what he said.
"SHOPPING? Is this that what this game is about? Forget it…Nessie and I are going to stay home. I'm not taking her out in that madness." Jacob was about to walk out the door when Nessie spoke.
"Jake, honey, I'm not a little kid anymore! You don't get to make the decisions for me. If Alice wants the family to play a game, we can at least listen to what it is all about. Then, we can make a decision TOGETHER about whether we want to participate." She beamed at me, having understood her father's grin to mean that this was going to be worth it.
"Fine, but only because you want to. I just want to go on record that I am doing this under duress." Jacob turned back from the door and stalked into the living room, spreading himself out on the sofa, leaving no room for anyone else.
Jasper, the traitor that he his, sympathized with Jacob. "If I had a nickel for every time I had to do something 'under duress' for Alice…" Smartly, he stopped talking once he noticed my glare. I know something he wasn't going to be doing anytime soon.
I danced around, handing out my "game packets" to everyone. "Keep everything together; I will explain the game once everyone has their packets."
"Alice, you can't possibly want us to go out shopping TOMORROW! It's Black Friday for Heaven's sake; it will be a madhouse!" I chuckled as poor Esme's face seemed to get paler. She really abhorred violence, but she was just going to have to get over that for one day.
"Of course Esme! That's the whole point of the game! Now, let's read along as I go over the rules. Don't interrupt me – Emmett – please reserve all questions for the end." I had to nip that in the bud, as Emmett was planning on asking questions all night long until we ran out of time and had to abandon the game. I can't believe he thought he'd get away with it!
"So, obviously the challenge is centered around shopping on Black Friday. I believe you all know the theory here; all the stores have huge sales on the Friday after Thanksgiving to try and start the holiday retail season off with a bang. The stores open really early, and sometimes only offer the best deals for the first couple hours. They may have some sort of crazy cheap item advertised, but only have a few in stock. People get in line hours ahead of time to try and get those items."
"Our challenge is: to get the best deal possible! In front of you, you all have the same copies of all the local papers from yesterday and today. In them, you will find all the sales fliers and coupons detailing all the sales and possible discounts in the local stores. we are limiting our shopping excursion to the local mall and the stores in the immediate shopping center - on the list of rules, you will see the stores which are allowed, as well as the specific address of the locations. ONLY purchases at those stores count.
"Here are the rules:
1. Everyone has $500 to spend. Must use cash only, no extra discounts for credit card use.
2. The winner is the person gets the most stuff, based on original retail value of everything purchased.
3. You may either go solo, or as a team of two, but each person must spend their money individually. However, holding a place in line is allowed if you are a team.
4. Everything you buy must be something you would use for yourself. If it is clothes, it must be in your size and you must be willing to wear it. If there is a question, you will be forced to wear it to school next week.
5. If a store has a coupon, and you purchase anything in that store, you MUST use the coupon as well. Pay attention, because most of the coupons are extremely restrictive on what they can be used on. If you don't use the coupon, you get that amount deducted from your total purchase value.
6. All hours the stores are open are fair game. You may start lining up at exactly 12:00 midnight, if you so choose.
Ok, go to it! Jasper, grab our papers and let's go strategize."
"WAIT! No fair! You probably spent the last two weeks planning on how you were going to get the best bargains! You have to already know what is on sale, how much each store has in stock, EVERYTHING. The game is rigged, I'm not playing!" Man, Rose was pissed! Good thing I had planned for this.
"I see your point Rose, but I have not planned anything. I purposely did not look at any of the papers yet, nor have I tried to look into the future for the sales. You, of all people, should know how unpredictable these types of sales are. Stores get last minute shipments and directives from the corporate offices, so even I can't know how things will play out. People act completely irrationally in the crazed sale environment, so my vision for tomorrow is basically a blur. Obviously, I may have some advantages tomorrow, but I think we all have skills that will come in handy. For instance, I've seen what you are planning on wearing, remember?" Ha! Two can play at that game. Score one for Alice!
"OK, you win. C'mon Emmett, we have to beat the pants off those two!"
Bella and Edward just laughed, picked up their packets and walked off to their room arm in arm. Really, they were too sweet for words. Esme grabbed Carlisle's hand and dragged him to the enormous dining room table, spreading out all the fliers and laying them out by store type. "Look at all this cookware on sale! And these curtains and bedsheets! We are going to have to buy a new house so I have something to remodel. I wonder if there are houses on sale somewhere…hmmm, I'll have to look into that."
"So, are you guys in?" I asked as a formality for Jake's benefit; I obviously already knew Nessie was dying to play. I giggled at a preview of how she planned to use her gift. "That is ingenious Nessie, I don't think I would have thought to do that, and you know that is saying something." She blushed at my compliment, so much like her mother that way.
"Please Jake, I really, really want to play! Pretty, pretty please?" She was giving him the puppy dog look, batting her lashes at him like she used to do when she was little. As it did then, it worked this time. He rolled his eyes and nodded.
"You know I can't say no to you Nessie! Especially when you give me that look, it is so unfair. You better make it up to me." His eyes lit up at the thought of how she could make it up to him. Thank goodness I couldn't see their future very well; but he can't hide from Edward as easily. I heard a growl coming from his and Bella's room, and then Bella trying to calm him down.
"She's a grown woman Edward. They've been married for over 10 years, give the poor boy a break."
"Fine, but that's enough of that! Please do me the courtesy of leaving first the next time you want to think about things like that Jacob!" There was no mistaking the threat in his voice, but Nessie just rubbed Jake's hand and laughed.
"Thanks Dad! See you tomorrow after the game. On that note, let's get out of here Jake." Her mysterious smile indicated that she was definitely going to be making things up to him tonight.
Excellent, I was so excited that everyone was going to play. Jasper had already headed to our room with our packets, so I followed him up there. I knew we were all going to have a great time. I mean, it's shopping, how can it not be fun?
A/N: So, how did you like it? Please, please review and let me know! I am planning on doing the shopping day from each character's perspective, either one chapter at a time, or one chapter per pair. After that, probably a chapter to wrap up the game and then this lovely story will be done! Like Alice, good things come in small packages :)
