Disclaimer: Still don't own it...sadly, but yeah

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Chapter 2: Building Bridges

Two weeks later. . .

BPOV

Riiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg

I woke up to the sound of my new Sidekick ringing on my nightstand. I put my head up from my pillow and felt around for it. I felt the shiny metal under my fingers; I flipped it open and brought it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said, my voice still thick with sleep.

I haven't slept that well in ages, probably it's since I used to live in this cramped apartment with barely any room for one person. Now, I have a beautiful condo unit which Alice helped (much to my discomfort) supply, all from making little trinkets.

"Bella. . .?" I heard Alice's soprano voice on the other end of the line. I knew what this meant. I had to get up and go to the Marié Ecila studio now. Over these past two weeks, Alice and I had become fast friends and were virtually inseparable, she even asked me to come over to her fall fashion show where she said she wanted my jewelry to make its first view to the elite public's eyes. I of course, was incredibly grateful yet incredibly unsure of the opportunity. I mean, sure, I can design jewelry, but that doesn't mean it's any good. Well, at least, it's not to me.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. . .

I was arranging my display of jewelry on my small table under a tree as usual. It was a Saturday, it's been almost a week after I met Alice. After that, I sat down and brought out my favorite book, Pride and Prejudice, to read while waiting for customers, a shadow obscured the sunlight I needed to see. I closed my book and looked up only to meet Alice's smiling face.

"Hi Alice!" I said, truly happy to see her.

"Hey there, Bella!" She replied as she came over and gave me a hug. "Is there any special reason you're here?" I asked her.

"Actually. . .I'm here to ask you something and to ask you for something. . ." she trailed off.

"Which are. . .?"

"Well, I was wondering, ifyou'dallowmetousethosecutecharmbraceletsyoumadeformymodelsonthedayofmyfallfash- ionshownextweek!" she said it so fast that I didn't understand a thing she just said.

"Uh. . .can you please repeat that? Slower?"

"I said, I was wondering if you allow me to use those cute charm bracelets you made for my model's accessories for my fall fashion show next week. Please?" she looked at me with pleading eyes.

I was touched. Not only did she really appreciate my work, but she really looks so sincere about it all. Plus, she even wants others to see what I made. "Sure Alice! It would be an honor for me if you used my work with your models," I replied with a smile.

"Really?" her dark blue eyes widened.

"Really," I said with finality

"Yay! But there is one other thing. . ."

"One other thing?"

"Well, yeah, I was sort of wondering if you would like to come to my fashion show. I really want you to be there to see your work displayed to the public. And, honestly Bella, I want to be your friend too. If you're okay with that, that is" she said.

Okay, if I said I was touched before, that compared nothing to how I felt now. I never really had that many friends, and now, with my job, I have no friends at all. Alice is like a blessing from heaven, the friend that would be there to help me get through this and stay with me.

"Of course I'd love to be your friend, Alice" I walked over and gave her a hug. "And I would love nothing more than to attend your fashion show"

"Really? Oh my gosh Bella! We have so much to plan! And, I have a little surprise for you on that day. . ." she trailed off again smiling mysteriously at me. I widened my eyes and raised my eyebrows in confusion. She merely shook her head, the smile still on her face.

"But first. . .make-over!!" She yelled, causing the birds on the trees to fly away. Whoa, some yell.

"Make-over!? Alice, I don't really fare well with make-overs," I said to her

"Nonsense," she said waving the thought away with a flick of her hand. "If you want to make a good first impression on the fashion world, you have to look like you really belong to the fashion world."

"Alice, I don't belong anywhere. . ."

"Of course you do! With me! As my new best friend! Now go pack up! We have work to do today!"

And with that, she dragged me away after I finished packing.

Alice and I spent the whole day at the mall with Alice shopping while I was getting plucked, prodded, brushed and everything else imaginable done in the beauty salon. After my make-over, Alice, who hasn't even let me look at a mirror since I finished my make-over, came back carrying a ton of shopping bags and pulled out a cute creamy-white halter top and a pair of jeans. She made me change into them in a changing room with, guess what? No mirrors.

After I got out of the changing room, Alice's mouth fell open in shock. Oh no, I look horrible, don't I?

"Oh. My. Gosh. Bella!! You look BEAUTIFUL!!"

She quickly rushed to the cloth-covered mirror in front of me and pulled the cloth off. As it fell down, I saw a beautiful woman staring at me. She blinked when I blinked, and cocked her heads to the side when I did. Is this woman really me?

My once unruly brown hair cascaded down in perfect silky waves down my back, my eyes seemed to have a new sparkle to them, and my lips looked so full as I watched them form into a contented smile.

APOV

I smiled, truly satisfied with my work. She looked like a goddess just hidden behind that pauper of an appearance before. You truly have outdone yourself this time, Alice, I said to myself.

"Well! Time to go! Let's go back to your apartment and I'll lay out your dress for you."

BPOV

Back at the apartment (my NEW, no longer cramped, incredibly roomy apartment,) I was fixed and forced into the dress she chose for me. She pinned some of my hair to the side with a crystal barrette that, surprise (not) she bought for me. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that she put me in a strapless, midnight blue cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline and it had a ruche skirt that really showed off my legs which ended in a pair of silver stilettos.

I turned around again to face Alice.

"So, do you like it?" she looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I decided to tease her and put on a blank expression.

"No," I lied smoothly, who knew I could lie that well?

I fought to keep my face composed as I watched her crestfallen face.

"AH! I was just messing with you!" I said as I walked over and gave her a hug. "How can I not love it? It's one of your designs and it's from a best friend. Of course I like it. No, I LOVE it! Except the shoes, I don't love the shoes. I'll just trip."

"Really? The shoes look great anyway! I'm sure you'll be fine. This is YOUR night and I don't think a pair of strappy stilettos is going to spoil it!" she said with a smug smile on her face "Oh wait!" she suddenly stepped back, "I'll ruin your hair! Just sit down and wait while I get dressed" she said as she walked out of the room.

I complied with her instructions as I sat on down on my bed. Apparently, Alice packed her dress and shoes in her car before picking me up this morning. That girl prepared for EVERYTHING.

I waited for a few minutes and then I saw Alice re-enter the room, this time, wearing a moss-colored, strapless dress with a brooch on the geometrical folding of fabric on her waist and it ended with a skirt almost like mine, but slightly puffier. She left her spiky hair as it was since it always looked good anyway.

"Wow Alice, you look great! You'll really turn heads tonight," I said as I stared at her small figure.

"I better, it is my fashion show. But you should also turn heads tonight, Bella! It's your launching! I'm sure the people who've already seen the jewelry would just love to meet the face behind the designs," she said with a sly smile. There was a slight twinkle in her eye, which, for the short time I've known her, meant that she was planning something.

"Alice . . . what are you planning?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at the little pixie.

"Why, nothing Bella," she replied in her innocent voice, almost too innocent.

"Well, you better not be planning anything, you know how I hate surprises"

"Sure you do," she replied as I grabbed my clutch and walked out the door but not before I heard her softly mutter "but I'm sure you'll love this surprise. . . "

We drove to the Marié Ecila showroom and we entered through the glass doors. I looked at the chandelier hanging on the ceiling in awe before I felt Alice tugging on my arm, pulling us toward the backstage area.

"There you are!" A beautiful blonde woman who I assumed was a model ran up to Alice and kissed her on the cheek. She was wearing a strapless dress like ours with a pleated skirt. It accentuated her curves perfectly and looked good with her wavy blonde hair.

"Hi Rose! Is there something wrong?" Alice asked the girl.

"No, but we can't start the show without you! Oh!" she looked over to me "Who's this?"

"Rose, this is Isabella Swan, the girl I was telling you about! She designed the cute jewelry you were admiring the other day" Alice replied with a smile.

"Hi Isabella! I'm so happy to finally meet you! I'm Rosalie Hale, Alice's close friend and consultant" she said as she introduced herself to me with a million-dollar smile.

"Hi Rosalie, please, call me Bella," I replied with a smile.

"Girls!" Alice said as she hooked her arms in ours, "I believe this is the beginning of a bee-yu-ti-ful friendship!" she said as we walked out onto the stage.

The show has begun