Author's Note-I wrote this wearing Snoopy Christmas pjs and reindeer fuzzy socks. Lol. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer-I don't own Twilight
Under the Mistletoe
Chapter Two
I awoke to a shrill ringing hammering at my ear. Groggily, I searched blindly with my hand for the alarm clock so that I could give my eardrums some peace. I found the little box and flipped the switch, which should have brought the noise to a halt.
It didn't.
Too exhausted to think clearly, I groaned and rolled over, pressing the heavy comforter to my ear. Maybe I was dreaming, and the sound would go away if I ignored it.
No such luck.
"Go away," I moaned at the noise. What was the infuriating thing?
Then my eyes snapped open. Oh. Well. That made sense. I threw the covers off of me and sat up unwillingly, blinking sleep out of my eyes. The ringing had stopped, but I knew it would start up again any second. Alice was just going to keep calling until I picked up.
It was hard to get used to a cell phone after I had lived without one for eighteen years of my life. Charlie finally caved and, at Alice's insistent urging, had bought me one for my birthday. I didn't think I really needed it, but Alice claimed that, with my reputation as a danger magnet, it was sure to come in handy. Of course Edward agreed wholeheartedly with that one.
It wasn't in my best interest to argue with one Cullen, never mind two. Especially when one of the two was Edward. He could get me to do anything, and he knew it.
Sure enough, the ringing picked up once more a moment later, just as I was dragging myself across the bedroom to my dresser. I sighed and veered off to my desk. I kept the phone tucked safely in a case in the very center of the wooden top, where there was no chance that I might cause its destruction.
Ha. No chance. Knowing me, I'd find out a way. The poor thing didn't have a hope. I was surprised it had lasted this long.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," I grumbled, fumbling sleepily with the snap on the case and then flicking open the phone itself.
"What?" I said icily into the speaker, making sure that my displeasure was clear.
"Get up, get up, get up!" Alice exclaimed, earning another of my groans.
"Really, Alice, it's," I glanced swiftly at the clock, "only eight o' clock. There's a reason I like to sleep in on Saturdays."
"Not today," Alice declared firmly, in a tone that was impossible to argue with. "You're coming shopping Bella, whether you like it or not, so you might as well stop complaining. It's the early bird that catches the sales, you know!"
I rolled my eyes, forgetting she wouldn't see.
"Oh please, Bella, I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me," Alice laughed when I didn't answer. "I'll be over in ten minutes, be ready." She hung up.
"Wait-" But it was too late. I slammed the phone down onto my desk. "Stupid, obsessive teenage girls!" I growled. How did Edward stand her?
Sighing, I looked through my clothes, deciding that if Alice was going to drag me to the mall, she could at least deal with my less than adept fashion sense. I pulled out a plain red blouse and jeans, then topped it off with a charm bracelet featuring a Christmas tree, a candy cane, a snowflake, and a snow man. There. Simple and sweet.
Alice would hate it.
A horn beeped outside and I ran to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and washing my face in a rush. Alice wasn't exactly known for her patience. One look at my hair and I decided that it was impossible. It would look perfectly nice in a pony tail. Then I was flying down the stairs, which was probably a stupid idea, but it was always better not to keep Alice waiting.
I grabbed my purse, my jacket and a granola bar, foregoing the cereal option in an attempt to keep on Alice's good side. I shut the door tightly behind me and locked it. Charlie was probably up at La Push, and he wouldn't be back all day. Sighing, I glared at the icy water droplets that were splattering my face, and pulled my hood up. Squishing down the driveway, I waved to Alice good-naturedly to show her that I was going to behave. I got to her yellow Porsche unharmed, which was always a nice accomplishment, and slid in.
She was gazing longingly out at the rain.
"What?" I asked.
She shrugged, and started backing out of the driveway. "I just really wish it would snow."
"For Christmas," I offered hopefully, immediately starting to muse through her Cd collection.
Alice sighed. "Maybe." I could feel her watching me as I shifted through her music.
"So, what are you going to get Edward for Christmas?" she asked.
"Um…" I was only half paying attention. "Probably a Cd, or something."
"You always get him a Cd, Bella! He's got to own every Cd on the planet." Well, his enormous music collection was pretty impressive.
"Get him something new," Alice continued. "Something he won't expect."
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know…" She eyed me slyly. "Mistletoe."
I blanched. "That reminds me, Alice Cullen! You told Mandy that Edward and I would kiss! You put that whole mistletoe thing into her head! But I'm the one who's gonna break her heart on Christmas Eve when we don't kiss!" I was fuming.
Alice was unperturbed by my outburst. "Who says you won't kiss?"
"I do. And Edward would say the same thing!"
"You don't know that," Alice told me confidently. "In fact, you don't know my brother at all, if that's what you think."
I threw my hands up in frustration. "You're impossible! Of course I know him. We were in diapers together."
"Which is exactly the reason why you two belong together," Alice said with a grin. "I just have to get you to admit it."
"You do?"
"Yep."
My eyes widened as I realized what this was turning into. Alice saw it as her own, personal little challenge to get Edward and me together. "Don't you dare start playing matchmaker, Alice," I warned in a low voice, "or so help me, I swear, I'll never come shopping with you again!"
"Ooo, scary," Alice said, her eyes laughing at me.
"Alice." I wasn't above begging. "Please, please don't get involved. Please." I stared at her pleadingly, knowing full well that, if she had made up her mind, then nothing I said would get her to change it.
"I'm not getting involved, exactly. I'm just encouraging what was going to happen anyway." Alice insisted.
"Ugh!" I threw myself back onto the leather seat and crossed my arms.
It was silent for a few moments, and I stared out my window. Reflected in the glass I could see my frowning face, my eyebrows scrunched together in frustration. My features became unfocused as I peered out at the green forest. I realized we were out of Forks.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Seattle," Alice answered. A few minutes later she asked, "Are you in a good mood now?"
I sighed and turned to face her. "It depends. Are you going to behave now?"
She grinned. "It depends."
I rolled my eyes, and started leafing through the Christmas Cds again. I popped one in. 'Winter Wonderland' came on.
Alice groaned and tried to change it, but I caught her hand. "No way, I love this song!"
"You and Edward," Alice muttered. I grinned.
When we finally reached Seattle, we'd sung through two Christmas albums and were putting in a third. Alice pulled into the oversized mall parking lot eagerly, and I sighed. Let the torture begin.
She caught the look on my face. "Be good, Bella," she said, parking as close as she could to the mall. She got out, and I followed, albeit grudgingly.
"Where to first?" I asked reluctantly, as she pulled me into the building. Immediately, the sheer mass of the place hit me – the size, the noise, the amount of people. Despite my vexation with anything cold and wet, I was a Fork's girl at heart. I wasn't used to all the crowds and the noise, and it made me claustrophobic. One more reason why I tried to avoid these outings.
"Hmm…choices, choices." Alice grinned. She was on her shopping high. "How about I'll be nice, and we can do Edward first." She looked pleased with herself. She was probably still trying to get on my good side.
I grimaced. "I could spend hours just trying to decide what to give him. Although there is always the Cd option." Alice glared at me.
"Alright, no Cd."
"Better."
"Then what can I get him?" I asked hopelessly. "He has everything already. Alice?"
Alice danced along ahead of me. "You wouldn't like any of my suggestions." She looked back at me and winked. I groaned.
Catching up to her, I gave in. "I'm open to anything within reason," I told her.
"Whose reason?"
I crossed my arms. "Mine."
Alice sighed. "You really aren't any fun, you know that?"
I smiled. "I know."
"And Edward likes you like that," she hinted.
I sighed. "Come on Alice, time to shop."
She grinned. "Works for me."
As we made our way through the mall, it was impossible to deny that Christmas was on its way. Red and green advertisements hung from the ceiling and on the walls. Every store had a Christmas theme, with scarved and jacketed manequins in the midst of a wintry wonderland, surrounded by Christmas trees and presents. Above the busy racket of hundreds of people that swarmed the stores, I could make out Christmas music resounding from every corner. I found myself humming along more than once.
When we past Santa's Workshop, a 'snow' covered platform with decorated Christmas trees and a huge blown-up candy cane archway, there was a long line of children with their parents. All of them awaited eagerly the brief moment when they would be able to sit in Santa's lap and whisper in his ear their secret desire.
"I wish the kids at the hospital could see this," I said longingly, as we passed the grand set up. "They would love it." I could picture all their little faces, quivering with pent up excitement as they waited their own turn in line. If anyone deserved this happiness, it was them.
"They get Emmett," Alice said with a smile, although the look in her eyes told me she understood exactly what I meant.
I chuckled. "That's true. Emmett does pass as a pretty good Santa."
..........
We ended up skipping Edward. I knew that I would want to have an uninterrupted period of time to search for something for him, so we would get the rest of the shopping done first.
Esme and Carlisle were easy. I bought Esme a dessert cookbook – she was going through a cooking phase. And Carlisle I got a gift card to Barnes and Noble. He would know what he wanted better than I did. Emmett, who was coming home from college in one week, and Jasper, would love the video games I got them. Something with a lot of action. I didn't look too closely. Even at nineteen and seventeen, they were both still video game addicts. I didn't pretend to understand it.
Charlie was tough. Eventually, I settled on a new watch. His was getting old anyway.
After that, I inspected my sorely dented money supply anxiously. "I still have Edward, Jasper and Rosalie." Rosalie was Jasper's older sister, and Emmett's girlfriend. They were away at college together.
Alice, swinging half a dozen bags at her side, rolled her eyes. "You know I don't have a problem lending you money, Bella."
"Yeah, but I have a problem with it. It isn't right."
"So pay me back," Alice said distractedly, eyeing a map as she searched for Target. I was surprised she didn't have the place memorized.
"It's right there," I sighed, pointing.
"Thanks." And she yanked me off again.
I ended up buying Rosalie a jeweled snowflake on a silver chain and, when Alice wasn't looking, I bought her a charm bracelet that looked like mine. I was almost broke.
And still I couldn't find anything for Edward.
"I'm sure you'll find something, Bella," Alice assured me as she led us to our next destination, a jewelry store. She wanted to get something nice for her mother. "You can't search the entire mall and not find anything that he would like."
I wasn't one to often prove Alice wrong, but it looked like she might just be, this time.
"Have we really been through the entire mall?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alice laughed. "No, silly." She paused. "Almost though."
I shook my head. "You're really something else, Alice."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Inside the jewelry store, I wandered away from Alice. It looked like she was going towards a couple pairs of earrings that were the type that I tried to stay away from – the ones with price tags that I would gag at. I shuddered thinking about spending that kind of money, but I knew Alice and rest of the Cullens did so all the time, without a second thought.
I found another case that was tucked farther back into the store – a glance at the prices told me why. This was more like it. I could handle admiring these.
At first, I looked aimlessly through the different earrings, bracelets and charms, but then my eyes landed on one particular necklace. It was a plain golden chain, and I followed the simple pattern with my eyes, until it led me to a tiny dove, identical in its simplicity. I drew my finger over the glass case, admiring it from a distance.
"Ready?" Alice came up behind me, an additional bag in her arms.
"Want me to take some of those?" I asked her.
"What are you looking at?" Alice asked curiously, ignoring me. She peered into the case. I tapped the glass above the dove.
"That plain old thing?" Alice asked skeptically. "You know, there are much prettier ones over there. You should look."
"No, I like that one," I said quietly. I didn't bother looking where she pointed. Mine and Alice's tastes were a bit…different.
Alice sighed. "I wish I had gotten to you before Edward. Then maybe your fashion sense would be better."
"And maybe it wouldn't be any different," I muttered stubbornly. I gazed at the pretty necklace longingly.
Alice interrupted my admiring. "Come on, I still haven't got anything for Emmett, and you don't have anything for Edward." She eyed me. "And we've got to do something about your wardrobe."
I gaped at her. "Alice, we're Christmas shopping. Please no clothes."
"Bella, you have forced me to stare at that infernal outfit all day."
"Yeah, because I volunteered for this." I said sarcastically.
"Please Bella?" Alice whined.
"Christmas," I reminded her.
"We're almost done," she pointed out. I couldn't believe we were having this conversation.
"No. I mean that." She wasn't budging me on this one. I was way too much of a pushover as it was.
"Fine. But right after Christmas-"
"Fine," I interrupted quickly, pulling her away from the jewelry and out of the store.
Alice found her present for Emmett. It was six o' clock and we were eating in the food court, but I still hadn't found anything for Edward.
"What am I going to do, Alice?" I said, completely worn out. I was playing with my spaghetti, twirling it around on my fork. I swore I had blisters on my feet from walking all day.
"You still have two weeks," Alice reminded me. It was a small comfort.
I sighed and watched her finish her food. "Let's go home, Alice," I said quietly when she was done.
"Aren't you going to eat?" She glanced at my full plate.
"Not hungry. Let's just go."
"Alright," she said doubtfully. "But Edward won't like it if I tell him I didn't feed you."
My heart flopped a little, knowing that Edward cared. But I really just wanted to get out of here. I grabbed the fork and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
"There. I ate. Let's go." I picked up my bags and stood up. Alice still didn't look sure, but she reluctantly obliged, getting her own bags and following me out of the food court.
Ten minutes later, we were in Alice's car, the heat cranked and the Christmas music blaring again. Much happier now, I was able to think more clearly.
"Alice, if I can't find Edward anything, I really might have to just get him-"
"Don't you dare say 'Cd'. Anything but that." Alice gritted her teeth.
"Then you give me some ideas."
"I already told you my ideas. You don't like them."
"I mean reasonable ideas. That don't involve-"
"Mistletoe!" Alice grinned.
"Exactly," I said through clenched teeth. But she wouldn't give in.
When we reached my house, the warm bed in my room seemed more inviting than ever. A light was on in the living room, and I pictured Charlie sitting up for me, reading a newspaper or watching television.
"Bye Alice," I sighed.
"Did you have fun?" she asked with a knowing smile.
"Sure," I muttered sarcastically, getting my bags from the back.
"See you on Monday," I called as went inside. I was about to shut the door when I heard Alice shout something. I wasn't sure I heard correctly, so I called back.
"What?!"
"Bye Bella! Dream of mistletoe!"