Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight/New Moon/Eclipse or South Park. Anything that did not come from my imagination I DO NOT OWN. I AM NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OFF THIS! PUT THE PHONE DOWN, YOU CAN'T CALL YOUR LAWYER WHEN I HAVE THIS THING CALLED A DISCLAIMER SAYING THAT I DO NOT OWN/MAKE MONEY OFF THIS! Why do you think it's on fanfiction?? Seriously, don't own anything, just having fun.
Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed. I know this chapter is a little fast (after all, it took over a week for Edward to even talk to Bella) and that the Cullens would normally avoid people, but Avril's case is a little special. Enjoy!!
Chapter Two: Alice
I got off the bus, fervently wishing that I had a car. I had my license, it was the car that I didn't have. Though, if truth be told, I would like a nice car. Maybe that was my problem. I wasn't willing to settle for what I could afford.
My orange tabby wound himself about my feet before plopping unceremoniously onto the wet ground. I grimaced at the rain. "Why are you out here, you crazy cat!" I grumbled, fumbling for my key. He meowed at me and waited until I opened the door for him. He ran in, shaking the water from his fur. I stooped down and petted him; he was such an adorable creature. I'd named him Butterscotch, but my dad was the one who'd shortened it down to Butters. Since then he'd brought in a dog and I'd given him the name Cartman because he was always picking on poor Butters just like in South Park.
I set my messenger bag on the chair in the living room and hurried off to get a snack. Attached to the refrigerator via a magnet was a note from my mom.
Avril-
Dad and I had a doctor's appointment. Brown the pork chops and then stick them in a glass bowl with barbecue sauce and then bake them at 350.
We'll be home soon.
-Mom
I rolled my eyes and sorted through the mail as I chewed on the Popsicle I'd found in the freezer. I found a letter for me and I opened it. It turned out to be just some junk mail though, and I tossed it aside. I hurried to work on the food like my mom had requested of me.
I enjoy cooking food; I find it highly enjoyable and calming. So while I browned the pork chops I turned on the radio and jammed to music. I danced while I stabbed the meat with a fork. Jumping up and down to the beat.
I love music. It's the beat of my life and the one thing that I have that's constantly available to me.
The next morning mom dropped me off at school. I hurried out when I saw the new kids' cars. There was a shiny Volvo and a bright yellow car. The word Turbo was written on it, which was the model. I stared at the car and before I realized it, Alice was standing next to me. "You like it?"
"That's yours?" I asked in awe.
She nodded, "Edward got it for me for Christmas. It's a Porsche 911 Turbo."
I felt so poor, so below her league that it didn't make sense for her to talk to me. I felt the familiar pang of wanting friends. It filled me with a longing for acceptance where I wouldn't have to worry about hurting people.
Alice smiled her smile and I continued, "Yeah, I like it. You must be rich."
She said in her chime like voice, "Carlisle's a doctor."
But did that explain why Edward's allowance was so huge? If he could afford to buy one present that size, was his allowance about $100 a week? Mine was only about fifteen.
Alice was watching me as I contemplated her brother's spending habits. "I don't normally do this," she said softly, "but would you like to go shopping with me this Friday?"
I turned in surprise, "Sure…why?"
She took my hand and dragged me into the school, either she was cold from the rain or she thought I was. Her hand was like ice. "You seem to need someone. I'd like to get to know you." Whoa, this was fast. Normally when I wanted to hang out with someone or be friends with people it took weeks for them to even say 'hi'.
Jasper was leaning against his locker, waiting for Alice, I think. He saw me and nodded once. Edward was locked in an arm wrestle with Emmett who looked like he was bored. Rosalie had her compact out and was inspecting her perfect face. Bella smiled warmly at me.
I was surprised by how they all moved. Even the boys had grace. Lion like or like a big cat, the girls were like deer or dancers moving with poise and dignity. Their movements were precise; each single twitch was carefully executed with precision. I felt pathetic next to them. Almost as though I was an ant-a deformed ant, one that some five year old child had torn off one leg to see it squirm, that was how I felt. It was as if someone had ripped off my leg-well, humanity's leg because there was no way that any normal human being could stand up to their beauty and grace. They were absolutely ethereal.
I watched as Edward gave up and let his hand fall onto the table. Jasper chuckled low in his throat.
Bella pulled out a torn copy of Wuthering Heights and a gasp escaped my lips. She looked up at me and a floodgate opened. "How could you? That poor book! Let me see that!" I cried, taking it from her grasp and examining the binding. I hugged the paperback to my breast, "Do you know how abused this is??"
"No, it's very well loved."
Edward scoffed at that. And I looked at her, "Would you like me to buy you a new one? All of my books are loved but if I had one like this…" I shuddered. Then the bell rang and we hurried off to class.
I was surprised to see that I had my first hour with Alice. "You're taking advanced literature?" I asked her.
She nodded, "Bella prefers English literature, although she could've taken it and Edward prefers to stick with her." She smirked at something that I did not understand.
I sat down at my desk and Alice took the seat next to me. A tremor of happiness went through my stomach. It was the first time in months that anyone had sat next to me. And then I realized that it was cruel to do this to her.
I would be gone soon. Nothing in the world could not save me. Then I remembered something, "You said Carlisle was a doctor," Alice nodded, her golden eyes on me, "who's Carlisle?"
"He's our adoptive father." Alice explained. Then we began to chat about where they'd lived previously. She said Forks and I spoke, "Was it very green there?"
She looked surprised, which was odd. I hadn't thought surprise capable of her; I'd never seen her surprised once in her past.
"Yes…it was," she studied my face, but I turned to the packet of poems that we'd been handed. I flipped by some poems by Bryant, some by Poe (the ones that weren't as famous) and then I found an excerpt from Virgil's works. "What's your favorite poem?" She asked me.
"Uh…" I thought for a while, "I never really had a favorite. I guess To a Waterfowl…"
---
Shopping with Alice was insane. That girl does not understand that the phrase 'shop till you drop' doesn't necessarily mean that. I swear to you that she has no limit on that credit card she has. She forced me to try things on I would normally never ever try on. I should have been scandalized at the tops I tried on as they were much too provocative for me to even think about wearing!
But you know what?
I had a friend and I was ecstatic. I wasn't alone anymore, so I didn't care about the clothes! Alice seemed to think that fun was spending gazillions on things you would only wear once. I felt like a pauper when she was in charge of shopping.
I had only brought about fifty dollars and one credit card that had a maximum of one hundred which was supposed to be in dire emergencies only. And believe me, the whole 'there was a new book out that I would die if I didn't have' doesn't work on my parents. I've tried it.
I got grounded for it.
But this time, when I stopped Alice seemed to just pick up on what I wanted. In all honesty, when I'd seen her past, I hadn't seen her as giving as this.
"You said you saw things," I said when we were in the café, I had a bottle of water and we were looking at magazines. "What did you see about me?"
Alice watched me as I sipped from my water. Then she said in a soft voice, "What did you see about us?"
I set my water bottle back on the table and folded my arms across my chest.
We sat like that for a long time, just watching each other. Neither of us was willing to divulge what we'd seen of the other, though we knew it was probably the other's business. Finally Alice spoke.
"I saw you and I being friends."
"I saw you in pain."
That wasn't all and we both knew it. She saw something else of me; I knew something else of her. But I couldn't exactly say what I saw because I didn't understand it. What agony had they all shared? What made them all so beautiful and graceful? Alice and I didn't speak until we got back in the car. I was still jealous of that car!
"So what music do you listen to?"
"I listen to all except country," I said, "I like happy music." I'd had enough sadness. I pulled my purse up on my lap, and as I did routinely, inhaled from my inhaler. Alice watched me.
"You feel ok?"
"Yeah," I said in surprise, "I just have asthma." Thank God that wouldn't kill me. Not that I had to worry about what would kill me. That I already knew.
