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here's the next chapter, im not sure how you guys like this story so far so PLEASE spread it around... idk what people think of it and I want to know if im waasting my time):

anways for those who do read it, i hope you like this chapter. sorry for mistakes, i typed this as quick as possible!

Chapter 2

Swan Residence

Los Angeles

December 22

5:48 P.M.

An hour later here I am, sending texts, emails, posting bulletins on Myspace and Facebook, that my party is off. I'm also sitting here receiving lost of unpleasant answers but not nearly as unpleasant as the every half hour check-in phone calls I'm getting from my parents. Emmett was over Jaspers, he asked to go over there after I dropped the bomb on him, so I drove him over and am relieved to have some peace and quiet to myself.

"It sucks." I mumbled into the house phone as I lay on my bedroom floor, staring at the ceiling. I didn't even bother using my cell phone. It was constantly beeping from the annoyed texts so I couldn't even use it.

"It is really lame. You're parents are pretty uptight." Alice Brandon chirped from the other line. She was the only one who didn't flip out on me the second I mentioned the party being canceled.

"Tell me about it. No big party for me." I grumbled.

"Well, this doesn't have to be the end. How about a change of houses?" Alice asked slowly.

I sat quickly upright, my head spinning momentarily. "What do you mean?" I was curious about what she had to say.

"Well, we could have the party at my house? Only if you don't mind of course." Alice said hurriedly.

I didn't answer I was too busy considering my options.

"I mean we don't have too. It was just a suggestion. I just knew how much you wanted this party." Alice said shyly.

I was touched. The girls in the clique never considered the other's feelings. Never, not once. And here Alice was, willing to throw my party for me at her house. Leah hadn't even offered to do that for me.

"Alice, that's awfully kind of you but I couldn't possibly-"

"Bella, it's not a problem at all. I know how much you wanted it..." Alice cut me off.

"Alice, if I could I would, but I can't anyways. I'm grounded and with my luck, my parents would somehow find out and I just can't take that chance." I admitted.

Alice chuckled, "You're a very good, mature daughter, you know that?" I chuckled along with her but it was off, forced. Mature. Because what I did to Emmett was so mature.

"Anyways, I have to go. Gotta keep the line free for the check in my parents are doing every half hours and I've got about two minutes till there next phone call." Alice giggled, she thought I was kidding.

"By Bella, sorry about your party." Alice sighed.

"It's okay. You could still throw a party if you want. Not for me, but for yourself. Don't let me bring your 'party' mood down!" I joked.

"Really?" Alice breathed. I chuckled at her breathlessness.

"Of course! Have fun."

"Oh thank you so much, Bella! It's going to be so great…" I barley listened as she drown on. Girl was talking a mile a minute, she must like parties.

"Your welcome, Alice. I'll talk to you later; throw the best party this school has ever seen!"

"Oh, I will! By Bella, thanks again." Alice yelled excitedly before I hung up.

I stared at the ceiling and realized how nice Alice was. I could easily talk to her and I noticed she was the first person I hadn't had to keep the façade up with. Sure I was upset about the party but secretly a bit relieved. I just took credit. I was only looking forward to this party because I'd see Jacob. And you see how that turned out.

But I also realized Alice hadn't kept up her façade either. She let herself act kind and caring and get over excited over a party. People in the clique always kept chill about everything. Alice and I hadn't. And to be honest, it was nice. I was able to just be me. Someone I hadn't been in two years. All because of him. After that, I wanted to change in every way possible. I became stuck up, snobby, cold, fake and everything else the typical popular girl is. I even went as far as changing my music taste to hip/hop, pop, or rap. And I hate rap. Anything rock or classical reminded me too much of him.

I scowled at the ceiling as if it was its fault. But it wasn't it's, it was his. And don't even ask me why I'm thinking of him, because I don't even know! I shouldn't be because Ed- darn! I mean he is a jerk. A jerk that broke my heart and changed me…

I hated to admit it but I was changing. Again. Yeah, changing in the course of one day. Wonderful. Lovely. Incredible. Too bad it wasn't.

I was tired of thinking about changing or not. Who cared? My life was always going to be a lie. A big fat, never ending lie.

I got up from the floor and looked at the clock. Emmett needed to be picked up. Good, I need a distraction.

Good? Did I just use Emmett and good in the same sentence? And without the word not? Oh man, this is worse than I thought.

-***-

6:31 P.M.

Emmett of course didn't come running out when I honked the horn. Typical.

I huffed as I parked my mom's car on the street and hopped out of the car. I pulled my baby blue Hollister hoodie tighter as the breeze picked up. It was probably in the fifties, too cold for me. I was used to anything over 70; anything lower was way too cold. Anytime I'd say that, my father would always bring up how cold it was in Forks, Washington when he was a kid.

The sun was starting to set, leaving it darker and windy. I shivered as it touched my bare legs in the little black soffe shorts I was wearing. I didn't bother dressing up, I was comfortable in these and I was just coming to pick Emmett up.

I knocked on the Masen's (Yes, that Masen… did I mention Emmett's best friend, Jasper, is Edward's little brother? Hmm, maybe because I was trying to forget myself...) front door. No answer. The wind whipped my long hair, tangling it around my face.

I knocked again, louder and more persistent. Still no answer. I was too cold to be patient, so I twisted the door knob and the door blew open from the wind. I quickly walked in and closed the door. I ran my fingers through my hair a couple times, wincing at the knots, leaving it disheveled.

I glanced around and realized nothing in the house had changed, even after the divorce. Esme Masen, Edward's mom, got divorced a couple years ago from Edward Anthony Masen, Edward's father. It had been really hard on her and the boys but surprisingly, the house was still the same. Still very elegant and expensive looking, unlike Edward's clothes. It always amazed me when I'd look at him, after we broke up and notice how plain his clothes were when he could probably afford every guy item, plus more, in an American Eagle store.

"Emmett?" I called into the house.

Silence. I had a bad feeling creep into my stomach.

I moved to the staircase and listened, surprised to hear nothing other than the wind howling outside. Two eight year old boys were not most likely playing a quiet game. Boys are like wild animals, especially my little brother.

I walked into the den and found it empty except for furniture, a computer and photos faming the walls. One in particular caught my eye. It was a picture of Edward and Jasper, carefree on a beach somewhere and looked very recent. I turned my eyes away from Edward's shirtless, surprisingly buff form (were those abs?!), like it was something I wasn't supposed to see. Since when did Edward get a perfectly chiseled chest and abdomen?

I continued my searching till I found the kitchen. From there I heard loud music, thumping the floor beneath my Ugg boots. The basement.

I walked down the winding staircase and turned the corner.

There stood Edward, his back facing me, headphones clamped to his ears as he wailed on his electric guitar. I looked at his muscled back and smooth biceps that were straining through his black t-shirt. Everything about him made my stomach twist with rage and regret. Rage for ever letting him break my heart and dump me. And regret for ever giving him a reason too.

"Turn that down!" I yelled repeatedly until he stopped cradling his precious guitar and looked at me. His green eyes looked wide with surprise as he looked at me, well my bare legs and tousled hair but it was so quickly replaced, I thought I'd imagined it, with a mockingly bitter expression. The one he always gave me.

"What do you want, Bella?" He asked his voice gruff. I made him uncomfortable. Well that makes two of us, bud.

"I don't want anything. I need my brother back home now." I retorted.

"Well then go get him." Edward said it as if "Well duh, stupid bimbo" and that pissed me off. He had no right to talk down to me like that, the way he always has. And he had no right to assume I was dumb. You know what they say: don't assume, cause then you make an ass out of you and me. And yeah, he definitely made an ass out of himself. Then again, I couldn't think of a time he didn't.

"I would but he's not here. And neither is your brother." I said in a "Well duh, stupid asshole".

"Well, they were playing video games on the computer about twenty minutes ago." His tone was bored and he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, as if this was exhausting him, and then ran his hands up through his hair, making it stand. On any other guy, it'd probably look crazy, but with his dark, intense eyes it looked-

Stop. It looks annoying, because anything to do with Edward is just that/

"Well they obviously aren't now." I replied, my voice clipped. "You sure it was twenty minutes ago? You don't really keep track of time while 'playing guitar' do you?" My voice was extremely sarcastic and I knew I'd got him good. One thing you never do to Edward: critic his guitar or piano playing.

He looked at me then like he wanted to kill me, with his bare hands. His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a thin line. "Well then, let's go find them." He said in a very clam tone and brushed past me to head up the winding stairs.

We searched everywhere, the attic, Jasper's room, Esme's room, and even Edward's room. I was surprised that his was bedroom was still the same too. It smelled like soap and his cologne or whatever that smell was that was all Edward. I could almost see my old self dancing around while I would sing and Edward would play the piano. I shook my head. No, there was nothing here. At least not anymore.

"They're gone." Edward mumbled after we checked the laundry room.

Maybe it was all the band things that happened today or maybe it was how confusing my life had suddenly become with all the old memories deranging my head, but I'd had cracked. Or snapped. Probably both.

"This is all your fault!" I yelled. Yeah I know, the blame game never helps anyone but it felt good to yell.

"How is this my fault?!" Edward demanded. His eyes were sparking with anger that he was obviously trying to keep in check.

"You left them alone! Who on Earth leaves two eight year old boys alone?" I snapped. He glared down on me and I raced my chin in defiance, no way was I backing down, I was ready for a fight.

"You need to calm down." Edward said coolly and it only added to the fire to my fury.

"Calm. Down. Calm down? You want me to calm down?! Never tell a girl to calm down; it only makes us even more upset! Then we get all riled up. Do you want to see me get riled up? Well, I guess it's a bit too late now because I'm riled up! And wipe that dirty little smirk off your face, Edward." I sneered, puffing for breath from my rant. "You, of all people on this messed up planet, have no right to smirk at me lik-"

"Stop. Look, yelling at me might make you feel better," Could he read minds? "But it's not going to bring our brothers back. We have to think, not freak out."

I snorted, my temper still high, still in rant mode. "You think I'm freaking out? Wait till you see my mom's reaction when she finds out, on Christmas Eve, her son is missing!"

"Bella. Take a deep breath." Edward made a big gesture of taking a deep breath and I reluctantly did too, only because I realized those were the same exact words I'd told my mother, and if I was acting like her, than I was in trouble. "Now, give me a minute to think."

I snorted again, only this time in amusement. "You'll need more than a minute."

He ignored my comment and I could almost see a light bulb going on above his head, like the way they did on cartoons. He walked confidently into the den and leaned over the computer desk. He moved the mouse and the screen popped up. I walked closer, to get a better look, looking over his shoulder and saw Google Maps.

"What the hell?" Edward said baffled.

There was a big blue highlighted line from Los Angeles up to the edge of the US, into Canada then ending at its destination point.

The North Pole.

The article appeared in my mind. Who will save Santa?

Oh, #$%!

-***-

Four days till Christmas! (: (: review it makes me happy(: