So here's chapter 2. Earlier than expected. Review if you can. Hope you like
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. That privilege belongs to the great Stephenie Meyer. Lucky woman. Hiss.
Freaking curtain poles aren't supposed to make people cry, but of course one look at mine and I'm Niagra Falls. I curl my hand into a fist and bang it into my palm, little circles of numbness rippling out. As I grab a kilometre of tissues and wipe them hastily across my face, Alice stops me, holding my wrist.
" Stop. You'll make yourself blotchy."
" Oh yes, god forbid on the worst day of my life, I should dare look blotchy."
" Maybe I should have said bitchy."
I glare. She stares, her light grey eyes beaming into me. My walls begin to crumble and tears form yet again in my eyes. She sighs, wrapping her arm around me.
" I'm sorry Ali, " I sob . She's been so good to me, putting up with all my crap, skipping school, letting me cry on her shoulder.
" S'okay, Bells. Come on. Chin up and repeat the mantra."
" I hate the mantra." She begins to stare again so I sit up, dutifully and sigh.
" I, Bella Swan rock. I do have a life, and great friends. I shall not let Edward Cullen and his rowdy bunch of overly primped sheep affect me. One day high school will be over, and they will all end up living in trailer parks, whereas I will grow up and become a famous novelist, creating a character suspiciously like Edward Cullen, who will eventually die in a horrific death trap or be married to a goat."
" I see you've altered it slightly", she acknowledges my ending. The mantra, was of course something she came up with. An inspiring speech to give myself whenever I feel down. Really, it just made me feel a tad stupid. I half think its punishment for inflicting this day upon her. I look out my window and a silvery Volvo pulls into the driveway across the road. I look away and my eyes stray to the curtain pole and I sniff.
"Oh God", Alice starts. "Not the curtain pole again"
Flashback.
"Dad. Where did you put the plates? I want to make a sandwich" , I shouted up the stairs. He mumbles something down but I think it's something along the lines of" check the boxes." Some help that is. There has to be well over a million of them. That is to be expected though when people move houses. I'd lived in Phoenix all my life, but after nine years in the sun, Dad had enough. He missed Forks the place where him and mom had grown up, missed the lush green grass and moody, cloudy weather. Mom, didn't but she loved Charlie enough to give it a chance and move back. She immediately retired to the bedroom as soon as the mattresses ( which she instructed were to be the first things into the house) were in. And Charlie's lazy, hence no help. So all the unpacking was left to little old me.
I bent over the cluster of boxes at the foot of the stairs, rummaging through them, considering just giving up and eating out of a jar like an impatient child. I was an impatient child. All I remember was the rumbling of my stomach. There was a noise behind me. Nothing deafening or anything, but a noise nonetheless. Charlie, I could still hear upstairs, Renee I knew to be asleep. In one of the boxes the shiny, wooden curtain pole from my old bedroom, sat at the bottom of one of the boxes. I grabbed it, swinging around expecting to find some burglar in a ski mask, preying upon poor unsuspecting children and their apparent box collecting hobby. Instead I smacked someone too small to be a dangerous house invader. Charlie came rushing down the stairs, shouting my name. He saw me standing stunned as I looked at the little bronze haired boy, frowning and rubbing the top of his head. He turned his head to look up at me and my chest pops out as I inhale sharply. His eyes are like freshly mown grass ,the sweetest, purest colour I've ever seen before.
" What happened Bella?" Charlie asks glancing between the two of us.
" I, I hit him", I stutter.
" Why"
" I wouldn't mind knowing either," the boy adds dryly standing up and brushing his hands against his jeans.
" I'm so sorry", I say trying to ignore his eyes. "I thought you were a burglar"
I would have expected that, you know he'd be angry or at least a little annoyed, that's kind of a normal reaction. Instead he laughed throwing his head back.
Charlie muttered something, walking off as the boy said " I'm Edward. I saw you getting out of the moving van. Thought I'd come round. I didn't think I'd be beaten up though," he grinned.
I couldn't help but smile back too. " I'm Bella"
End flashback.
Stupid Edward.
Alice has been talking while I've been out in my dreamworld and I try to catch up with what she's saying.
".......... I mean it's your birthday and you're just sitting up here crying like a loser, let's go out, come on."
I think back to the cafeteria, colourful flashing faces, mouths pulled up into smirks. Something snaps inside me, breaking crumbling. " Fine. Let's go out. Emmett's having a party tonight, right? Let's go."
Her mouth drops open, a cave in her face. " Emmett's? Really? I don't think that's a great idea, Bella.
" You wanted to go out. So we will."
" But..." I stop her with my fingers.
" Do you want to do my hair?" That silences her, squeals echoing around the room as she envisions her plans for my locks.
" You sure you want to go in?" Lights flash inside the large white house, shouting and thumping music sweeping around us. Emmett McCarthy, famous football player and joker extraordinaire. And Edward's best friend. I don't actually mind him though, in fact we used to be pretty close. But ... we haven't exactly spoken to each other a lot in the past few year apart from his "Please calm down Bella's." I smooth down the dress that Alice forced me into. The clingy black material is just a little too tight for and short, coming a couple of inches above my knees, for my liking. At least she let me wear my black cons with it.
" Wait", she commands as I move forward, towards the door. "Hair, gloss check." She runs her hands a couple of times over the curls she's woven into my hair, then reaches into her purse and dabs something pink and sticky on my lips. This being girly thing is hard. Jesus. Alice makes it look so effortless in her denim skirt and flowy silver top.
" Now. You're perfect Bella." My eyebrows lower. Yeah, as if. "Don't be afraid." She squeezes my hand. I am such an idiot. What was I thinking? "Oh let's go, it will all be fine." Sure as freaking hell it'll be fine, just look at you now, shivering in your books (cons). You are a fool.
Alice glides up to the door, and knocks sharply on the wood. I follow, keeping my head down as I step up onto the porch.
" Welcome," Emmett booms., swinging the door open.
I look up and he shakes his head, stepping back just a little bit before grinning, " Bella!" He reaches forward picking me up off my feet and hugging me close. "This is a surprise." He drops me and I tug my dress back down.
" Hey Emmett." I smile up at his large frame. His eyes twinkle down at me. Emmett could literally crush me in a second. He's absolutely massive. It's no wonder he's the quarterback.
" Hi," Alice peaks up, annoyed at being ignored.
" Sorry Tiny, I didn't see you there," he laughs. She glowers back at him. Sometimes Alice can seem twenty feet tall.
Someone calls his name from behind and he glances back before returning his gaze to me. "Duty calls Bells. I'll talk to you later. Promise." He rests a hand on my shoulder, smiles softly and runs off with a "put down that chair."
The place is swarmed with people, dancing, laughing, and writhing up against each other. Alice tugs on my hand, "come on we'll get something to drink." We walk towards the kitchen, dodging the moving people. Some give me amazed looks, but most just settle into a greeting smile. You'd think I was a hermit or something. At least nobody has teased me yet.
" Well, well. Bella Swan. This is a surprise." I shouldn't have thought that. For gods sake, Bella this always happens in the movies. The "I spoke to soon moment."
He lazes against a wall in front of me, the corners of his mouth turned up. I try not to let my gaze follow down the lean crevices of his body. Just ignore him. Ignore him.
I grip Alice's hand tighter but not tightly enough. Someone bangs into us and our hands are ripped apart and Alice gets carried way in the sea of dancers, her tiny body too small to stand a chance against the moshing ones. He of course, takes his chance. I expect words, but I receive more. His arms wrap around my waist tugging me so I rest along the length of his body. His fingers trail lightly up the side of my stomach.
I gasp in shock, trying to pull away. " Edward. Stop!" I struggle.
He laughs lightly into my ear, hot breath on my neck. " Are you trying to fight back? It's pointless."
Tears begin to prick my eyes but I focus them away, remembering my vow. "Let me go. Now."
His puts his palm flat out against my rib cage, pressing down hard. "What are you doing here?" He asks.
Not what I thought he'd say to be honest. I thought he'd say something skanky like " You know you want me", just to be a dick.
" It's my birthday, in case you don't remember." I manage to get out.
" I remember. But what are you doing here."
My heart begins to take flight, little racing palpitations against my chest. " Why shouldn't I be here? Do you hate me that much that you'd begrudge me a little fun on my birthday. I'd like something to remember the day I turned 18 besides crying and tears."
His hand leaves off, the pressure fading, his arm dropping. I'm quite surprised I managed to say all that. Alice would be so pleased. Then again, Alice would probably be sitting on his shoulders and hitting him with a saucepan if she got the chance.
He pauses, staring at me with those freaking eyes of his. Around us the party continues on but he still says nothing. I turn to leave, and return to my own world. His voice catches me. " I don't hate you, Bella."
I look over my shoulder, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips. "Sure you do."