Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews! I didn't think they would be as exhilarating as they are!
All of these characters belong to Stephenie Meyer (except Carolyn).
Music: Blue October
R&R is greatly appreciated!
~beta'd by superdupersk8r61 aka the best beta ever.
--Just to think, I- Renesmee Carlie Cullen, would be attending public school in just two short weeks! So much to do! Alice came flitting down the stairs and smiled brightly at me. She knew that school meant new clothes. For once, I would be overly thrilled to go shopping with her.--
Nessie's POV
I managed to drag myself out of bed slightly before the ungodly hour Alice demanded we leave to shop in Seattle. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a random t-shirt not bothering to see if they matched or not. I'm sure she would be absolutely thrilled with my 'enthusiasm', but then again, I'm sure she could see that I'd perk up later in the day.
I decided that I would hunt for breakfast before leaving with Alice. I was always in control of myself, but the human's scent is much easier to ignore when I've got a full stomach.
"Hey Jake," I called hoping he had heard me.
"Yeah, Ness?" he replied as he smoothly walked in to my room.
"I'm going to hunt before I leave with Alice. Care to join me?"
"Sure!" he eagerly answered.
"Great, let me tell Alice and I'll meet you out by the river."
After telling Alice, I went outside to see that Jake had already phased. I didn't stop to talk to him before jumping over the river. He managed to find enough rocks to hop across it, though he didn't do it very gracefully. I accidentally let out a little giggle which he no doubt heard.
"Aww, Jake. C'mon. You looked cute," I said, instantly regretting calling him cute. Even I knew that guys didn't like being called 'cute'. Oh well. He would manage.
We both stalked a couple of elk down, thoroughly draining our kill. I'd gotten much better at hunting. I hardly ever got myself dirty, and I always made sure that I took down the biggest of our prey. Jake smiled his wolfy smile and choked out a laugh as he watched me glow with satisfaction. He walked a bit away from me, so I figured he was going to phase back. I was right.
Jacob had just pulled over a pair of tattered, cut off jeans before returning to my side. Had he always been this beautiful? My eyes ran across his perfectly sculpted body, and my cheeks flushed a little bit.
"What's wrong, Nessie?" he asked me.
"Oh, um. Nothing. I, well. Yeah, I have no idea," I managed to squeak out.
"Okay…So, can we talk?" he asked me.
"'Course Jake. We can always talk! What's going on?" I was kind of curious because he never really asked me if it was okay if we talked.
"Well, it's about this whole high school thing, Nessie. I…I just wanted to know how you really felt about it. With me going there with you," he mumbled.
I was taken aback. Had he not seen my reaction yesterday? It almost felt like he was holding something back…like he really wanted to ask me something but he was afraid of what I would say.
"Jake, I'm beyond excited. I have always wanted to go to public school, and now I get to do that, and at the same time I get to hang out with my best friend- you!" Every single word was truthful, and I hoped he could see that. Just to reassure him, I pressed my hand against his burning face and showed him my reaction from the night before.
"Okay. As long as you're happy, Ness, that's all I care about," he smiled at me.
"I am. We should probably get back to the house though. I'm sure Alice is going crazy not being able to see when I'll return. And I suppose I'm kind of excited about going school shopping with her." I watched him go behind a bush before turning away as I heard him phase back.
We ran back to the house and both jumped across the river this time. I darted inside to see Alice waiting impatiently with keys in her hand while Jake stayed outside to phase back. My parents stood close to her watching her foot tap way too fast to be normal.
"Sorry Aunt Alice," I said just as Jake came inside.
"It's okay Nessie, we're only fifteen minutes behind schedule. Easily fixed with my driving," she exclaimed.
I inhaled sharply. Even though I was a half vampire, I didn't have the strongest stomach when it came to fast cars going around insanely sharp curves. To make up for the delay I'd caused her, I'm sure Alice would be taking her Porsche instead of the more comfortable (to me at least) Volvo. I repeatedly kept cursing myself in my head. Dad laughed behind me.
"Well I guess we had better be on our way, Alice. I'd hate to delay our excursion any longer than I already have."
She squealed in excitement as she took my arm and dragged me outside to her Porsche. I wasn't entirely sure that we'd have enough trunk space for all of the clothes she had in store for me. Well, I guess there's only one way to find out…
I barely had enough room to duck my head in between my knees as she weaved around the curves speeding toward Seattle. "Nessie, do I need to pull over? You look kind of green, and no offense or anything, but I don't want to ruin the leather in this car."
"No," I responded, "but if you could slow down a wee bit, that would surely ease the green in my face. I'm sure you've made up the fifteen minutes, and then some." To my satisfaction, I felt the car slow and glanced very quickly at the speedometer. It now read 90 instead of 110. Being on the interstate only helped my situation.
"I'm sorry, Ness," Alice said. "It's just that no one really ever enjoys shopping with me, though I can't imagine why. And you seemed so excited to come with me today. I guess I just got a little out of hand with the driving. But you're right- we did make up a lot of time! We're only ten minutes out from Seattle."
"Thank God," I said. "I would really like to splash some cool water on my face before we start shopping."
"You bet! I'll just start mapping out our plan of attack on these poor and helpless stores," she replied exuberantly.
After parking, I trudged to the nearest ladies room and hovered over the sink for a minute before splashing some cool water over my face. It did wonders. I immediately felt better and was oddly enough more than ready to get this show on the road.
We hit store after store after store. I'm sure we spent well over $700 on my clothes alone. Alice probably spent twice that amount for herself and Jasper. This got me to thinking about my mother. Well, mostly about how many times Alice had gone shopping for my mother. While Alice was busy trying on an outfit, I let my thoughts drift back to my parents for a few minutes…
Bella's POV
"Okay Edward, Nessie's gone now. It's time to get a few things done!"
"And what might these things be, love?" he replied, trying to twist my words.
"Not that, dear," I said. "But we need to go see J. Jenks, and with Nessie gone, we might as well spend our time wisely and go now. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose so. I'll just go and grab the keys to the Ferrari and let Carlisle know." Before I had a word out of my mouth, he was already back by my side with keys in hand. Edward slid into the driver's seat of my car and turned the key, roaring the engine to life while I sulked over to the passenger seat of my car. Sometimes I thought he bought me that car for himself, but who could blame him. He knew I didn't like driving it anyway.
Before I thought possible, we were pulling into the law office of J. Jenks. "Oh shoot," I said. "I forgot to call and make an appointment. I only need to speak with him for maybe five minutes. I hope he can spare the time." After quickly reevaluating in my head, I was sure he would spare the time. He wouldn't chance losing me, as opposed to Jasper, as the Cullen family representative.
Edward and I walked hand in hand to the secretary. She gawked up at us, very similar to the last time I met her. "Hi," I smiled at her. "We were hoping to speak privately with Mr. Jenks for a few minutes. I don't have an appointment, but if you could tell him that Bella Cullen is here with her husband to speak with him, I'm sure he'd be more than willing." Wow, I thought to myself. That rolled off of my tongue a whole lot easier than it should have. I guess Edward and being a vampire were rubbing off on me after all.
"Um, sure," the secretary peeped out. "Let me just call back to his office." She picked up the phone hitting some number. I could hear the ringing in the receiver of the phone before Mr. Jenks picked up.
"Yes, Carolyn?" he said.
"Oh, Mr. Jenks. Bella Cullen and her husband…," she peered at Edward begging for a name to put to his angelic pale face.
"Edward," he quickly responded.
"…her husband Edward are here. They'd like to speak with you for a minute, but I can reschedule them an appointment if you'd prefer."
"That will hardly be necessary, Carolyn," Jenks replied. I could hear the anxiety in his voice. "Please, don't keep them waiting a second longer. Bring them right back to my private office." Edward and I chanced a quick look at each other. We'd both heard the strain he put on the word 'private'.
Carolyn quickly led us around the building and stopped abruptly at an unmarked door. She knocked quietly three times before daring to turn the door knob.
Mr. Jenks stood to greet me and my husband. "Ah, Bella. It has been too long. And who is this you've brought with you? Mr. Edward, is it?"
"Yes, Mr. Jenks. This is my Edward." I said. "And Edward, this is Mr. Jenks." I politely introduced them both, even though I was sure Jenks already knew a lot about Edward by all of the papers he'd falsified for my family in the past twenty years.
"And what brings you both here today?" he questioned.
Much to my surprise, Edward spoke now. Extending his hand, he said "Mr. Jenks, it's a pleasure to meet you after all of these years." They shook each other's hands, and I'm sure Edward was surprised that Jenks didn't flinch away from his icy cold touch.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Edward," he replied.
"Please, Edward will do. We were hoping that you could help us with a couple of documents, if you would be so kind."
"Of course. And what will you be needing?"
I took over the conversation now. "We are in need of some documents to prove a home schooled education up through eleventh grade. And we would also like a driver's license."
I turned my attention to Edward now, "Do you think Forks will need a copy of her birth certificate?"
"I don't think that will be necessary, but it wouldn't hurt for future occasions. I know that Dartmouth will need it," he whispered to me.
"Yes, very true. So, we'll need the proof of home schooling documents, a driver's license and a birth certificate" I said returning my attention to Mr. Jenks. I quickly added a "Please" remembering Jasper's rudeness toward this gentleman. I did not want to leave the same impression on him.
"I'll need some information for the driver's license and birth certificate," he said to us.
"Sure," I responded. I guessed at the information he would need and started rambling off the information before I realized his stunned, frantic expression. He didn't even have a pen in hand before I finished everything. I motioned for the pen and paper he'd managed to scramble up and quickly wrote down the information…
Renesmee Carlie Cullen. Birthday: October 31st, 1992. SSN: 123-45-6666. Weight: 110 lbs. I scrawled out her 'signature' before returning the paper and pen to him.
Before he could thank me or ask for a photograph, Edward was already pulling his wallet out. He flipped it open exposing an array of photographs of Nessie. Some of them were of her with us, some with Jake, and a few by herself. How father-like of him. He pulled out one of my favorites and reluctantly handed it to Mr. Jenks. "I'll be wanting that back with the finished documents, please."
"Yes, yes. Of course Mr. Edward," he spat out rather quickly not wanting to upset my husband. He glanced down at the photograph and without a doubt recognized the child from our previous exchange. His face changed abruptly to one of utter confusion and disbelief. Edward chuckled next to me. He recomposed himself within a couple of minutes. "And when will you need these documents by Mrs. Bella?"
"Oh, well. She starts school in two weeks. We could meet you again in a week and a half, if that works for you."
"Sure. We can meet at the same place as last time, if you'd like?" I'm sure he was hoping that he would have the chance to 'wine and dine' me, but I doubt Edward would let that happen. Especially now since he'd heard Jenks's thoughts.
"We will meet you there at 8 p.m. Thanks again for your time Mr. Jenks," I smiled sweetly at him before handing him a white envelope with a hefty amount of cash inside. "I'll be sure to bring you another one of those next time," I said gesturing to the envelope he held in his clammy hands.
Edward and I swiftly walked out of his private office towards the Ferrari. I walked a bit more briskly than necessary because I wanted to drive my car home. He didn't seem to have a problem with that. We pulled out of the parking lot and began the drive home. I still didn't drive as fast as the rest of the Cullens, but Edward was still incredibly patient with me. He held my hand as we made our way back to Forks.
Nessie's POV
Alice had to wave her hands in front of my face and snap her fingers at me several time to get me to come back to reality. "Nessie, Ness…C'mon Nessie. I really need your opinion here!" She said impatiently.
I came to and looked at her with what I'm sure was a priceless dazed expression. "Oh. Sorry Alice." I glanced quickly at the two green skirts she held up to herself. "You should go with the olive green. It brings out the gold in your eyes better." Geez, I thought to myself. Sometimes being a girl is so difficult, having to decide between to impeccably close colors. Olive green versus what I deemed to be pea green though the tag deemed it some weird French word much too fancy for my liking.
"Hey Alice…do you think we could go home after this store? I'm pretty exhausted and I think I have enough new clothes for two years." I was practically begging.
"Oh, sure thing, Nessie. Sorry, I forget sometimes that you're still half human. Let me just pay for these things really fast and we'll be on our way." She flitted over to the checkout counter while I gathered up all of the bags that we had accumulated throughout the day.
We walked outside to her car and somehow, all of the bags fit into the compact trunk. I sank into the Porsche and fell asleep almost immediately.
When I woke up the next morning in my bed at the cottage, I found Jake sitting at the edge of my bed staring at me with a dazzling smile across his face.
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