A/N: Alrighty, so here's my second attempt at this! Here it goes! :D

"Hey Bella," Jessica managed to choke out between her sobs.

"Awe Jess! What's wrong?" I asked even though I had a feeling that I knew exactly what was wrong, again. I got up out of my chair to embrace Jessica in a hug. To my surprise, as soon and I had got my arms around her she pushed me away.

"No Bella," she scowled through her tear stained face, " Not this time, I won't be comforted by the person causing my pain."

I was absolutely shocked. "Excuse me?" I questioned.

"Bella how are even so surprised? For the 4 years you've been the cause for all the problems in my life!"

"May I ask as to how I'm the cause exactly?"

"Why do you think Mike and I have been on and off for the last 3 years? He keeps running back to you!" Jessica yelled. We both received glares from the other customers who were trying to have civilized conversations.

"Jess calm down, you know that am not interested in Mike in that way at all, and that I never have been. We're just really good friends, we worked with each for crying out loud. You're going to get close to people you spend that much time with." I reconciled. But instead of being reassuring, it made matters worse.

"That's exactly my point! You see him more than I do! How do I know he doesn't come home with you at 10:00 at night after you're done work? At lunch you guys are always immersed in conversations and I always have to fight to get my two cents in!"

I rolled my eyes, riiight, Jessica having to fight to get words in. "Jessica! Look at me! Seriously, if you don't know me well enough by now to be able to tell that Newton is not my type you should be ashamed. We have been friends since the day that I moved to Forks Sure he's tried numerous amounts of times to date me but I don't want him as a boy friend at all."

"But every time we break up he says it's because he likes you too much and he doesn't want to hurt me any more than he already has, a-a-and... a-and... and it's happened so many times, I just can't take it any more. I'll never date the foul Newton again, and I'll never be friends with you again either! Good bye Bella have a good life with Mike."

And that's when the tears really started pouring from Jessica's eyes. Before I was able to defend myself and try to make her feel better she turned away from me and ran out of the Starbucks and into the mayhem that was now the mall.

As per-usual she made me feel extremely guilty, but something was different this time. It felt like she finally meant what she had told me so many times before. I wasn't the biggest fan of Jessica, but she was still good to have around if you needed to make an appearance somewhere and didn't want to go alone. So, almost regrettably I got up and walked over to the nearest pay phone, I inserted my quarter and dime, and then dialed Jessica's cell number.

"Hello, you've reached Jessica. I'm a little busy at the moment but I should be able to get back to you within the next couple of hours." Wow that was definitely a new voice mail message, she sounded out of breath, but there was happy tone to it and you could also hear pleasurable laughter in the background. That went to show how often I actually called her, I had never heard that voice mail message before, and I doubted, considering recent events, that it was newly updated. My thoughts did not linger long on the voice mail however, because I was extremely irritated that I had just wasted my only change on a call that went straight to voice mail.

I stood by the pay phone for the next minute pondering what I should do with my now free day and night. As irritated as I was with getting Jessica's voice mail, I was relieved that I wouldn't have to comfort her for the next 12 hours as usual. She usually forgave me right away and I treated her to a movie with the money I pretended to have and then we slept at her place.

I decided that I might as well go and get some of my last minute school supplies. August 28th, already. I couldn't believe how fast the summer zoomed past me. I spent the next hour getting extra paper, pens and pencils. As I was walking out of the store I saw miserable girl again. I still felt bad for her to be in pain, no one that beautiful should look so unhappy. I made the decision to go see if I could comfort her, at least she wouldn't be able to blame me for her problems.

"Are you okay?" I asked the girl.

"Not really," She sighed.

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked as comforting as possible.

"Not unless you can convince my boyfriend to come move here with me."

"Oh, good ol' boy troubles. You're in luck! I may not be able to make him come here, but I can definitely try to comfort you, I'll probably end up spoiling you rotten too!" I teased, "I'm Bella, nice to meet you!" The girl got up and gave me the biggest hug I think I had ever received. She then composed herself with a smile beaming across her face, I never realized how short she was before now. Pixie like, she seemed very elegant and her black spiky hair made her appear very energetic.

"Thanks soooo much Bella, I'm Alice, it's wonderful to meet you too! I think I can foresee us being great friends!"

"So to start this afternoon off, why don't you tell me a little about why you and your boyfriend are living in different cities now." I suggested, "You don't have to if you don't feel comfortable, or ready to tell a complete stranger this. I won't be offended."

"Oh!" She said sounding surprised, "Silly Bella! I have no problem telling you, you're my hero of the day! I just moved to Seattle with my family. My big brother Emmett goes to the University of Seattle and me and my twin brother, Edward, are starting there this year too. My boyfriend back in Chicago, James, was supposed to be coming to Seattle too, but he ended up getting a full scholarship for Juliard or something like that. I didn't really care after he told me we'd literally be on complete opposite ends of the country."

"Ouch, that's a major bummer," I replied, "So where is your family now? I can't believe they left you alone considering the emotional state you were in."

"Ah Bella don't worry, Edward dropped me off, and then he ran into Starbucks grabbed a drink for both of us and came back to meet me."

"So where is he now then?"

"Well, basically, I got ditched. I tend to get extremely carried away when I shop and it scares my brothers quite a bit." Alice laughed at her brothers fear and beamed.

"Note to self, don't go shopping with Alice." With this comment Alice frowned, actually frowned is the wrong word. She gave me a death glare. "Well a couple of shopping trips may be okay." I compromised.

"Great!" Her face lit up again, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the nearest store. She managed to force me into trying on what seemed like a million outfits that day, some of the clothes ranging from stuff I'd consider to some I'd never even dream of looking good in.

When the mall was closing I sighed in relief. That was the most intense shopping experience of my life, and I had a feeling that if I remained friends with Alice I'd experience much worse. I cringed at the thought.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one spoiling you?" I said to Alice.

"Like I would even let you!" Alice exclaimed, "My family is quite rich, my dad's a doctor, my mom is an interior designer, and they both were born into very successful families. Money is not a problem, we all always spoil everyone. But don't get me wrong Bella! We don't have to buy our happiness we just love to give see other people become happy."

"Well clearly since the money spending thing makes you happy it makes me happy. You were a wreck 5 hours ago, I'm very glad to see you better now. I'm guessing you and James were close." I didn't want to make her depressed again but I wanted to get a grip onto how she felt so I could attempt to make her happy in my own way.

"We were, he was my first long term relationship. We had our ups and downs of course. He gave me a promise ring on our 2 year anniversary. He said we would be together forever." She managed to just barely choke out the last sentence before her strength finally cracked and she burst into tears.

"Come on Alice lets get out of here, it's getting late. We can go get ice cream. My treat, no ifs, ands or buts." It was weird how connected to Alice I was already feeling, I could tell it would be an amazing friendship. Nothing like the one I had with Jessica or any of my other friends; much, much better. "You can crash at my place tonight if you want, we can rent crappy horror movies and pig out on junk food."

Those seemed to be the magic words, because Alice very suddenly stopped crying and looked me in the eyes and gave me another of her bone crushing hugs. "Holy cow Alice!" I murmured, "How the heck did you get so strong? You're so small."

"Emmett and Edward like to work out, I usually join them they're incredibly knowledgeable about health and fitness." I finally managed to loosen Alice's grasp on me and we started to walk back to my old Chevy.

"Bella?" Alice asked me, and I was instantly frightened because she was giving me the puppy dog face. I was afraid of what she was going to ask of me, it must be bad if she already knew she had to use the puppy dog face to sucker me into it.

"Yes Alice?" I replied trying not tremble.

"Can I paint your nails tonight?"

"Of course you can pain my toe nails." I replied trying to be sneaky, not as many people would notice that.

"Thanks Bella!" Alice chimed, "I might as well do your fingernails too while I'm at it. Tonight is going to be so much fun!"

I sighed at the lost battle and started my truck to go to the Blockbuster a few blocks away from my apartment.

A/N: So I'm aware that it wasn't the greatest chapter, and neither was the last one, but I'm really just trying establish the characters right now. It will start to get better right away I promise. Reviews will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Amanda