Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters—except for like, three or four.
Author's Note: The characters might seem slight OOC, but keep in mind that Edward isn't a hundred year old virgin (necessarily) and Rosalie is Bella's cousin so some empathy and sympathy is in order. Certain events had happened previously in this fic that slightly changed the characters persona, just a tad, but not extremely.
Chapter 3 − Poe-tae-toe, Poh-tah-toe
I stretched my aching body feeling the smooth sheets against my skin. I cracked an eye open, but the intense light from the window came streaming in faster and brighter than I anticipated. I groaned, and rolled to my side. I was expecting to lie on my side, with a face full of pillow, instead I got a face full of Jasper's carpet. My face burned on contact. I tried to push myself, but my arms felt Jell-O-like and I only slumped to the ground once more. I groaned trying to get up, and stay put at the same time.
There were muffled noises through the walls. Someone was here, someone who wasn't Rosalie, Jasper, Aunt Stace, or Uncle Tim. I feel like I should be remembering something . . . something important. What day was it? Saturday . . . Saturday. The first Saturday of the month.
I sat up in realization. A lot of pressure flowed to my head, making everything dizzy and the room spun.
"The party!" I gasped.
I checked the clock, not knowing what time it was. It said 1:37. And considering that the sun is so bright, it's PM not AM. Rose's party was today. Fantastic. I had completely forgotten about Rose's party.
Let me explain, every single first Saturday of the month, Aunt Stacy drags Uncle Tim to this thing with all of her girlfriends. She either goes out to eat with them for lunch or dinner or they take turns going each other's house. Today, they were going to Oregon because that's where one of the overly peppy women live. They are so perky that it's annoying. It's unnatural how perky those women are, I can hardly stand it. Anyway, whenever they're gone Rosalie throws a huge party whenever they're gone because they are usually gone for two days at a time. All of Rose's friends came, so inevitably all of Jazz's football, baseball, and basketball friends came. It was just great. So in this house, there's a huge amount of people that don't care or even know me, when I know them. But it wasn't like I wasn't allowed to invite anyone. Rosalie told me to invite anyone I want to, but, there's no one that I'd want to come to these parties—anymore at least.
Reluctantly, I dragged myself down the second set of stairs into the kitchen. I grabbed a box of cereal, Lucky Charms, and filled a bowl with it and milk. I ignored the obnoxious snickering from my left. I kept my eyes on the bowl, not allowing them to travel to the direction of the snickerer. There was a burst of sadistic giggling. I chomped on my cereal with more force than necessary.
"Wow Rose, your cousin dresses like a guy," an annoyingly and sadly familiar nasal voice squawked.
I shut my eyes and scrunch up my nose like I smelled trash, feces, and rotten eggs all at once. It became a reflex after a while, whenever I heard her voice. Her horribly horrible voice. My hand gripped tighter around the white bowl.
Going against my better judgment, I focused my gaze on her on Lauren Mallory. Her face was upturned in a smug arrogant smirk. It made me want to smack it off her face.
"Lauren," I didn't try to hide the indifference from my voice.
"Bella," she lifted her head upward, so I could see more of her nostrils. It was bad enough that her nose is already extremely upturned.
"Love your nose. Although, I thought you were getting a new one," I flicked a piece of cereal in her direction.
Awesome. Direct hit, a miracle; it bounced off her leg with a satisfying thwack and ricocheted landing on the white linoleum floor.
"And I thought you were going to get a life," she snided.
I rolled my eyes at her lack of imagination. If she could buy one, she would definitely try, even if it meant charging it on her credit card, which had enough debt on it already—school rumors.
"Is that new?" I asked eying her outfit.
She nodded tentatively wondering what my intentions were. "Why?" she asked, watching my every single move.
Wow, she is paranoid.
I smirked. "Well, Rose wore something like that a couple of weeks ago," I shrugged. "I guess your choice in outfits are as original as your comebacks."
Lauren's mouth dropped as she stared at me in disbelief. She kind of looked like one of those creatures, that leaves their mouth's open for extremely long periods of time until their prey finally comes in and then they devour it. This particular creature's eyes seem to bulge out of her head.
"You should close your mouth before something nests in it," I hinted while walking back up the stairs with the overflowing bowl in my hands.
"Does she have to come?" I heard Lauren whine to Rosalie.
I paused at the middle of the stairs. They wouldn't be able to see me from here. I was safe. So I sat down on one of the steps, curious to what Rose would say. I stuck the metal spoon cautiously in my mouth waiting for an answer; any kind of reply.
"Well," Rosalie sighed in annoyance. I don't know if it was directed at me or Lauren. "Since this is a house party and Bella lives in this house I guess she's entitled to come. Because she lives here."
Ah, so she stuck up for me. Weird. Usually she'd say nothing at all and let Lauren do some Bella bashing as much as they wanted. Great friends, right?
"Still, can't that freak find her own friends?" she snorted. When Edward snorted it was on the borderline of adorable and annoying. When Lauren did it, it was down right annoying.
I have no idea why Rosalie bothers with Lauren. She has no money, there was no chance of true friendship blossoming because Lauren was so conceited, cold hearted, and a down right bitch. She wasn't even remotely close to be as drop dead gorgeous as Rosalie was. Why did she even bother? I suppressed a sigh because I didn't want to get caught. Rose loved the attention she gave her. The utter adoration. The way she could easily manipulate Lauren because she had no brain of her own. It was ingenious, manipulative, and somewhat cruel.
"Like she can get any," another voice I remarked. It belonged to a person who I didn't even bother registering until now. It was Jessica Stanley. If I thought Lauren was obsessive over my cousin, then Jessica worshiped the ground Rose walked on.
Jess and I used to be friends, extremely close. She was there for me when my mother was . . . when my mother died. The only person here—other than Jasper—who seemed to care. And apparently she didn't. She only used me to get to Rosalie and her posse of perfection. Rosalie let her in reluctantly, and then tried to kick her out when she found out what she did to me.
That was the strangest thing of all. I was shocked at the time. Rose had never cared about me at all before that. She would barely acknowledge my existence, but in that moment, Rosalie showed me her true compassion. That she did care oddly enough. But her displays of affection towards me were limited. It was a rare occasion, like Christmas or Halloween, coming only once a year, but it was worth the wait. However, Jessica was persistent and followed Rosalie everywhere. And you would think that my dad, Rose's uncle, would do something about it, but he did nothing. Eventually, when Jessica was assumed no harm, Rose let her linger for a little while. I told Rosalie to kick her scrawny butt out of here. She did, but Jessica always found a way back in.
"I really hope the Cullens can make it," Rose sighed, changing the subject immediately off of me.
"I know! They are so hot," Jessica droned on.
Rosalie giggled.
Was it just me, or did Rosalie's giggle seemed, oh I don't know, anxious? Excited? For a boy? That was weird. Rose could care less of which boy was taking her out the next night, and now with the appearance of the Cullen family to the party would make her day. Maybe she actually liked Emmett. I mentally scoffed at the thought.
Skip trudged down the stairs, his long curly fur swaying with each step. He paused at looked at me with his deep brown eyes that twinkled with hope. I ruffled the fur on the top of his head. His curly tail wagged furiously to the side as he nuzzled my hand with his wet nose.
"This party will be so awesome," another girl, her name escapes me, said excitedly. I don't remember her voice. She must be a new addition to Rosalie's 'clique.' I hate the word clique, it just adds more to the stereotypes, which sadly exist, but I try to ignore that fact and pretend that there's no such thing as social divides even though it was completely obvious.
They started gushing over their outfits. I took that as the cue to leave. I headed up the stairs with Skip at my heels. I placed my cereal bowl on the wooden desk that was only feet away from my bed. I sat the the edge trying to fight the urge for me to go back to sleep. Skipper's little body jumped on the large bed and rubbed himself against me like a cat would. I swear, this dog is insane. The only dog-like thing he does it eat every thing in sight, with the exception of most things green that hold possible nutrients. I pushed him aside and crawled under the blankets. Skip did the exact same as I did, pressing his warm furry body to my legs.
Why couldn't my aunt have gone somewhere closer? That way Rosalie wouldn't bother throwing this party. Her parties were legendary, even though I couldn't find anything particularly special about them. They were a bunch of sweaty noisy people grinding each other with loud music. That's not really my exact definition of fun. That's why I lock my door and read or sleep the entire time I'm here. Or I'd steal some DVDs from Uncle Tim's unusually large DVD collection. He has a couple hundred of discs all lined up alphabetically. Of course, I've watched all of them at least four times just like everyone else in this household has, but I still could watch my favorites on my laptop.
I was mentally debating on a mindless comedy like Harold and Kumar Goes To White Castle or White Chicks or a stupid, hopeless, and predictable romantic comedy like Love Actually or The Holiday when someone shook me awake. I didn't even realize that I fell asleep. I turned on my other side—without falling this time.
"Isabella Marie Swan you will get your ass up and wear some kind of pants, now!" a shrill voice demanded.
I opened my eyes to see that a red-faced Rosalie was at my bedside yelling at me. She was in her party attire, which was basically pieces of cloth barely holding on by several threads. Of course she pulled it off, Rosalie can pull off a paper sack and makes it look like it came right off the runway—yeah, she's that kind of girl.
"You sound just like your mom right now, you know?" I grumbled, swinging my legs around the bed. I ruffled my hair a bit on my right side of my head while I yawned.
She narrowed her crystal blue eyes dangerously at me. I stared back at them blankly.
She grumbled in frustration, "Come on Bella! Work with me!" Rose was pacing the room now.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, considering going back to bed.
"People will be coming in, like," she looked at the clock briefly, "an hour! How are you supposed to get ready?!" Rose demanded, her eyes fixated on me.
"Uh-huh," I got up, wavering a bit. I steadied myself on a nearby chair. "And what do I have to do with it, Rose? It's your party."
"So?!" she was a lot more jumpy than usual. It was kind of freaking me out.
"So, I usually wear sweats and one of Jazz's tops and you don't bug me." A flashback of last year floated in my mind. I winced at the memory.
"This time is different," she stated simply pushing me to the closet. Rosalie began picking random outfits. She threw them on my messy bed until she found the perfect one.
"This one," she said triumphantly. She held up a top that someone had given me for Christmas. Or my birthday. I don't remember, but it was girlish and flimsy. And with that, she took out a micro-mini—which is, in case you didn't know, the mini-mini skirt's midget sister—and put it on my waist like she was seeing if it'd fit.
"Rose, I'm not wearing that," I shoved her hands and skirt off of my waist. "I can get dressed by myself, thank you."
Rosalie just scoffed, but walked away.
Finally, I though she'd never leave. I started back to the bed to get some more shut eye. If I waited to go to sleep when the party starts, I better find some earplugs. I brushed the covers with my fingertips that were screaming for me to lie on the bed—
"Bella!" Rosalie loud voice boomed from where ever she went to. "You better not be going back to bed!"
I sighed. "I'm not anymore!" I growled.
I slid off the boxers and put on the a random pair of jeans. I slid the oversized top off, and put on a black shapeless band-tee instead. I ruffled my hair a little and walked downstairs where people would start to arrive. I ignored the excess amount of food and drink that was starting to pop up in different places.
I grabbed the essentials: a liter Coke, a big bag of chips lying around, a handful of DVDs, and a tub of ice cream—a girl's gotta have her sweets you know. It was the Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra, the best of the best. I mean, what could be better than chocolate, caramel, and fudge? Uh, nothing. I placed a clean spoon in my mouth and carried my stuff to my room. I put everything in it's exact spot. I turned on my computer letting it hum to life.
The main screen brightened to life as my wallpaper begin to appear; and that's when the doorbell rang and the party began . . .
Oooh . . . the melodramatics of it all. Not everyone showed up at once, of course. That only happens in movies. It was just one person. Who slowly turned into two, then three, then four, then forty. Simple as that. But as soon as that one person arrived, the music started thumping making the floor vibrate. Nice, very nice.
There was a light knocking on the door, and then it opened. A head full of blonde hair stuck his head inside. I was relived it was just Jasper and not a couple heavily making out—but it was too early for that anyways.
"Are you going to be okay Bells?" Jasper asked me, with sincere eyes.
I shrugged. "I guess. Do we have more ice cream?" I asked, with a smile.
"I think so," Jasper said, still studying me any sign that would make him think that I'd do something insane.
"Then I'm perfect," I flashed Jasper a smile as best as I could.
Jasper laughed at my attempt and walked inside and sat on the bed next to me. "You sure you want to be watching . . . ," he looked at my movie choices and held one up questioningly, "Love Actually?" he finished with a smirk.
"Shut up!" I hissed grabbing the movie from his hands. "It's a sweet movie."
"Weren't you just making fun of Rosalie for liking this type of movies? You said that they were predictable crap, and that all of the plots are the same?" he repeated my words teasingly.
"So?!" I pulled my eyebrows together. "These are chick flicks, and believe it or not I am a chick Jasper." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Go have fun with Stacy, or whatever."
"It's Sarah," Jasper corrected.
I waved my hand in the air. "Like it matters."
He just laughed at me. Jazz ruffled my hair with his hand making it fly in different directions. "Just remember to come down once tonight."
"Fine, but not when Tyler starts doing shots," I grimaced at the memory. "There are some things so horrible that no amount of therapy can repair."
Jasper just rolled his eyes. "Whatever Bells."
I popped in the DVD and placed Skip on my lap, who gets extremely jumpy when all of the people start coming, so I usually keep him cooped up in the room with me. I started petting his fur gently to comfort his nerves, Skip'll get really anxious if I don't.
The thing that I love about this movie, is how even though there are separate love stories going on at once, all of the characters are connected to each other somehow. It's like a really weird coincidence. No. Not a coincidence, fate. It was fate that all of these people with connections with each other met one another. Like it was just waiting to happen because you sister's co-worker or whatever is your soul mate, and it's just a matter of time before you meet each other. Or that dorky guy who gets turned down in England, but adored in America. Or the part when the Minister falls in love with the new quote on quote chubby girl, frankly she isn't all that chubby. Basically, this movie is all about finding true love and whatnot. Even an eleven year old gets his woman! Geez.
I was at the part where the woman at the office is in a meeting with her boss, who was talking about her professional relationship with they guy she was hopelessly in love with—it was a shame he didn't even pay a speck of attention to her. It was something everyone could relate to, what I can relate to. Sad isn't it?
Harry: Tell me, exactly, how long it is that you've been working here?
Sarah: Two years, seven months, three days and, I suppose, what, two hours?
Harry: And how long have you been in love with Karl, our enigmatic chief designer?
Sarah: Ahm, two years, seven months, three days and, I suppose, an hour and thirty minutes.
Harry: I thought as much.
Sarah: Do you think everybody knows?
Harry: Yes.
Sarah: Do you think Karl knows?
Harry: Yes.
Sarah: Oh, that is- that is bad news.
Harry: Well I just thought maybe the time had come to do something about it.
Sarah: Like what?
Harry: Invite him out for a drink and then after about twenty minutes casually drop into the conversation the fact that you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies.
Sarah: You know that?
Harry: Yes. And so does Karl. Think about it. For all our sakes. It's Christmas.
Sarah: Certainly. Excellent. Will do. Thanks, boss.
Karl: Hi Sarah
Sarah: Hi Karl . . .
I squealed squeezing my pillow to my chest. My pillow squeaked and tried worming itself out of my arms.
"Skip!" I released him surprised. I forgot he was even there.
He bared his teeth at me. After making a huffing noise, he walked over to the corner of the bed and curled up in a ball, giving me a angry look.
"Sorry Skip! I thought you were a pillow!" I reached my arm out trying to coax my stubborn stubborn dog.
He growled at me. Stupid grumpy old dog. I love him so much though. It's sad really. To love a dog like you would a sister or a parent.
I grabbed an actual pillow to replace my dog's spot. It wasn't as warm as Skip, but it'll have to do. I pulled it closer during my favorite parts. Which was the majority of the movie. I put a mouthful of ice cream in my mouth.
The door bursted open.
"Bella!" a bubbly voice called out my name.
"Alice?" I stared at the spiky haired pixie-like girl who just busted open my door and preceded to my bed. "What are—?"
"Jasper said I'd find you here," she said peering over my shoulder. I froze, I wasn't too used to people being so close to me. Her face was right next to mine looking at the laptop screen.
"Oooh! Love Actually! My favorite!" she squealed sitting next to me. "Oh! I love this part. Where that girl finds out that her new husband's best friend is love with her. It's so sweet!" Alice gushed.
This is why I keep these things a secret. That's why I don't tell people that I enjoy these sort of things, because if I do then I'd sound like a mushy sap, kind of like Alice. Which works for Alice fine, but it doesn't work for me at all. It would make me look pathetic.
"Pass me the chips," she held her hand out waiting for me to place the chips in her hand.
"Um," I blinked. I grabbed the chips and gave them to Alice confusedly. "Alice, why are you here?" I asked her, unable to understand why she's here.
She just shrugged. "I'm new, Bella," she said like it was supposed to explain everything. It should have, but didn't. I mean really, who'd want to spend their time at a party with me, upstairs watching my favorite movies, that I try to keep a secret from most people. It didn't make any sense. Alice doesn't look socially inept like me.
"But, um, what about Jasper or Rosalie? Or Edward and Emmett?" I asked still trying to understand.
"Jasper is with his big basketball friends or whatever. Rosalie's friends are annoying brainless whores," I laughed at that. "Edward is eating everything in sight and Emmett . . ." she trailed off rolling her eyes at her oldest brother. "Emmett is being Emmett."
I nodded. "I see," and I shoved another spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.
Alice eyed the room carefully, like she was looking at every crack. "So this is your room," she murmured in approval.
"Um. Yeah," I shook my head slowly. "Well, no, not really. I mean—" I paused to look at Alice's bemused face. Fantastic, she thinks I'm insane now. Great, right? Hell, this might as well be my room since the whole sleeping arrangements and how I'm here all the time.
"Okay?" she gave me one of those polite smiles. You know the type. The smile that you give a person when you really can't find the words because the person either A) looks like an idiot B) is acting like an idiot or C) looks so pathetic in their present state that, that's all you can do at the moment.
"I don't live here," I tried to explain. "I live at my house with my dad, Charlie. It's just that Charlie is never at home so my uncle kinda makes me stay here with Rose and Jazz, all the time"
She gave me an amused smile. "Uh-huh."
"That doesn't make any sense does it?" I gave a weak laugh.
Her light feminine laughter bellowed in my ear. "It doesn't."
"Hmm . . ." I pursed my lips. "Story of my life."
"Oh, look at that outfit!" Alice tsked. I noticed that her eyes were a blue with a hint of green in them while her nose was wrinkled in some sort of disgust over some girl's outfit—which was kind of horrible.
I eyed her carefully before laughing. Alice just stared at me quizzically like she couldn't find what's funny. Then she bursted out into giggles.
Skip, being the grumpy dog that he is, growled at the noise that caused him to wake up. He glared at me then at Alice.
"He's so cute!" Alice said admiringly at Skipper.
"His name is Skipper," I said, stilling glaring back at my dog.
I swear, he just rolled his eyes at me then jumped off the bed. He walked haughtily to the door and scratched at it impatiently.
"Skip, you don't want to go out there," I warned him.
He turned towards me, his adorable brown eyes pleading. Skipper turned back towards the door and scratched it again with more urgency than before. He was either hungry, or wanted to go for a walk. He has to be insane to want either with that racket downstairs. Maybe he's slowly going deaf and can only hear the words: Skip, food, walk, and steak.
"Aw! I didn't know you had a dog," Alice had these goo-goo eyes that most people get when they see a tiny fluffy white dog.
"We lock him up when people come. I gave him some of the roast last time and he shut up, but he hid it around the house last night and was guarding it all night long," I rolled my eyes at the typical Skipper behavior.
"Oh! I want a dog like him, he's so cute," Alice gushed at the forever puppy-like state Skip was stuck in for the rest of his grumpy doggie days.
"Be careful," I warned, watching Skipper carefully as Alice skipped her way to the dog. "He's a grumpy old dog who can—and will—bite the hell out of you."
Alice proceeded to rub Skipper on the head. He panted, and then showed her his belly wanting her to rub it and to show Alice her dominance over him. Alice just rubbed it gently causing Skipper to wag his tail against the thick carpet causing a thumping sound that paled to the sound coming from the speakers downstairs.
"Wow," I said genuinely surprised. "He likes you."
Alice giggled happily. "Cool."
I went to look at the laptop screen so I could finish watching my movie, only to find that it was already over. I sighed. Well, I guess since that there was someone in my room, I couldn't really ignore them, no matter how tempting that sounds. Anyway, it might be a little better if I actually have some fun in this stupid party for once—even if it is only with one person who I hardly know and we don't really go anywhere outside my room.
"So, Alice, where'd you guys come from anyway?" I asked not because I was curious, but just for some sort of conversation.
Alice looked up at me, still rubbing Skip's pink stomach. "Baltimore. Dad used to be a surgeon for Johns Hopkins Hospital, but it was too busy. Too much of a mess. So, Mom convinced him to move to a small town, for the small town life," Alice stated simply with a shrug.
Johns Hopkins Hospital . . . I feel like it should hold some sort of importance, but to me it was just a name of some hospital. But obviously it was much much more than that. The way Alice said it, made it sound prestige. Like it was more of a title than a name.
"Johns Hopkins Hospital," I repeated. "Is that good?" I asked confused.
Alice made a face before she walked over to me to sit at the bedside's edge, making the dog jump up and follow her. "I guess so," she murmured.
"It sounds like it'd pay more than Forks Hospital," I observed.
Alice shrugged. "I guess. But it doesn't really matter," she stroked the comforter with her pale thin fingers.
"Doesn't matter?" I snorted. "Right."
Alice didn't continue with an answer; her face was grave. But that changed quickly and Alice started chattering about something else that had a lighter context in it.
"So why aren't you down there with everyone else?" she asked me curiously, while she pointed downwards to the first floor.
I shrugged. "Party's aren't really my thing," I replied honestly.
And they haven't. No matter what type of party or gathering it is, I automatically position myself to the corner and watch people have fun. It could be as insignificant like this party, a birthday gathering, or a funeral or something and I just do the same thing. I don't even really like birthday parties—especially my own. I mean, everyone hovering over me just because I'm a year older. Wow. It's such a big deal that I've lived yet another year without going completely insane—an occasion we should celebrate indefinitely. I'm just not entirely comfortable with me being the center of attention because when you're there, people judge you to whatever suits them best.
Alice tilted her head to the side and looked at me questioningly. "But Rosalie said this was your party," Alice repeated the words that Rosalie apparently had said.
"What?!" Why'd Rose do that? She knows I hate parties and to throw my own? That's insane.
Alice nodded. "Yeah. She said you, Jasper, and her were throwing a big party later and we should come," Alice had an excited sparkle in her eyes that made me feel bad that I had her cooped up in my room instead of going out where the party was; where she seem to belong. Alice doesn't seem like me, who's afraid of just going out there.
"Fine," I said giving into the guilt. "Let's go downstairs."
Alice jumped up. "Really!? Thank you Bella!" she wrapped her tiny pale arms around me and hugged me tight. I froze under her arms. What was I suppose to do? Hug her back? It'd just be weird. I don't generally hug people I just met, like, yesterday—or ever for that matter.
She released me and grabbed one of my limp arms and tugged. "Come on!" she said excitedly.
I lifted myself up with my free hand and followed a perky Alice outside my door. I slipped a key in my pocket, and locked the door before I closed it; the halls were relatively empty with the usual random couple sucking faces and the last thing I wanted is to find one of them in my room. I sniffed the air carefully, making sure that there wasn't anything in it that shouldn't be. Thankfully, I smelled nothing. So either no one has brought out the pot yet, or Jasper kicked them outside to smoke it. Hopefully, the former. But I already knew that the alcohol was already brought out. And it wasn't even the good kind, it was the cheap beer that tasted like crap. People only drink it because it seems 'cool.' Right, drinking nasty tasting beer is über cool.
"Gross," I gagged, walking down the stairs. The place was trashed with bottles, papers, random articles of clothing, and food was scattered on the floor; and people were either too drunk or high to register that fact or even care.
Alice skipped her through the crowd squeezing her petite body through the thick crowd. That might have been easy for her since she was so tiny, but I had a harder time copying her moves. After I could finally stand without someone too close to me, I scanned the room for Alice, but I couldn't spot her spiky black hair from the crowd. Great.
"Bella!" a horribly familiar voice called me. I winced at just the sound. I tried to walk away as fast as I could, but the voice's owner was faster than I was. He placed a hand on my shoulder and whipped me around so I could look at him.
"Oh," I tried to smile, but found that I, surprisingly, couldn't. I groaned, "Hi Mike."
Mike Newton. Disgusting, perverted, nauseating, and vile Mike Newton. He was the school wannabe-pervert-player. He's Jasper's Jessica. Poor thing—Jasper, not Mike—having Mike follow him everywhere. And, for some odd reason he hits on me, regularly. Which is, gross. I mean, Mike isn't exactly hideous or anything. He was actually kind of cute a couple of years ago, but recently he transitioned into this . . . pig. He never did anything in front of Jazz though, he knew better than that, sadly—it'd make my day seeing Mike being beaten to a pulp thanks to Jasper.
"I was looking for you everywhere," he purred. I flinched when he started rubbing his thumb against my skin.
"Um, yeah. That's great," I said trying to walk away, but Mike snaked his arm around my waist, making his hold on me tighter.
"You're not going anywhere Bella," he grinned. "We never talk anymore Bella."
"Mike, we never use to talk to each other," I pointed out mentally that his eyes were glazed over and his speech was slurred. That's just fanfreakingtastic, he's drunk.
"That's a lie and you know it Bella," he whispered in my ear.
I pushed Mike on his chest, but he was stronger than me and he could hardly tell that I was trying to get him off me. In fact, he was leaning on me now and I could smell the beer and smoke on him; it clouded my lungs making it hard to breathe.
"Mike, really. Get. Off. Me. Now!" I shoved harder this time; and he felt it this time too.
He laughed at my futile attempt. "You aren't going anywhere," he sneered into my ear.
I glared at him, clenching my jaw. Mike's face was way too close for comfort. I could see the crazed focused look in Mike's pale blue eyes.
"That's what you think," I hissed under my breath.
I stomped on Mike's foot—hard. He howled in pain, releasing me so I could escape. I ran through the kitchen, ignoring the weird glances that I got from people. I thew myself in the library, and slammed the door shut breathing heavily. I slumped to the ground breathing heavily. I could still hear my heart beat pumping in my ears.
I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing down the waves of fear and desperation; replacing it with nothingness.
"Bella?"
I looked up, to see Edward sprawled on the couch watching a movie—yeah, we have a TV set in the library; really practical right? My family aren't exactly scholars, or literarists.
"Oh. Edward. Hey," I mumbled loud enough for him to hear. I rubbed the spot where Mike's hands touched me unconsciously.
"You okay?" he asked me, taring his eyes away from the screen to look at me. I couldn't look back in them, so I made them focus on the rug instead.
"Yeah," I replied.
My eyes now looked at the books on the shelves. Nobody else read them except me. Aunt Stace wanted to know what type of books I could help her fill it with since hers only did a shelf and a half and Uncle Tim only one shelf. I filled the whole thing. It was all for show, but I read them religiously. They were my favorites after all. Yeah, I'm a nerd. Your point is . . . ?
"Uh-huh," he scoffed not believing me for a second.
"Really I'm fine," I tried convincing him.
"Sure," he scoffed making me look. He cocked an eyebrow at me.
"Fine, whatever. Don't believe me," I crossed my arms defiantly.
"What are you running from anyway?" he asked me curiously, he leaned forward placing his arms on his legs, letting one hang, leisurely.
"Excuse me?" I snapped, watching him carefully.
He held his hands up. "Hey, a little touchy are we?" he smirked playfully.
I didn't relax my position.
He chuckled. "It looks like you were running from the boogeyman," he joked.
"Oh, that," I let myself relax a little. "Nothing. It was nothing."
He stared at me both skeptical and worried.
"Seriously," I pressed. I'm not sure why I'm trying to convince Edward, I don't even know the guy. "I'm—"
"Let me guess," Edward cut me off with a sarcastic laugh. I want to just wipe that smug smile off his face. "Fine. Your fine, right?"
I drew my lips into a hard line. Straightening my back. "Ha. You're funny."
He tossed his head back laughing. He leaned back on the plush coach running a hand through his really soft looking hair, laughing.
I sucked on my left cheek, biting down on the squishy flesh. I'd rather go out and face perv Mike than stay here with Edward. All he did was either mock me or didn't believe a word I said. At least Mike believes me. Well, except when I said we don't talk to each other, and that I'm not interested . . . but other than that, Mike believes me. So I stood up and proceeded to leave.
"Hey," Edward called out to me. "Wait a minute."
I could hear his voice call out for me, but I just tuned it out. I mean, it wasn't like I've never tuned anyone out before. So, it was easy.
I snuck my way back to where the party was. Everyone was having a good time. Dancing, talking, making out, drinking, smoking, and goofing off. It looked like one of those stupid teen movies tween girls watch religiously before they decide that this is how high school is and that these are the cool parties that they want to go to. Reality check. These parties are boring—at least to me—and stupid. I can't believe people actually wanted to be invited to these stupid things.
"Bella, wait," someone called out to me. But the voice was so distorted from the pounding music that I couldn't tell who it came from.
That's when a hand grabbed me on my wrist. I looked down and the white hand against my skin; and slowly looked up to the owner.
"Mike," I groaned.
"Where'd you go?" he asked grabbing my other wrist tightly with his other hand.
"Okay," I sighed getting tired of Mike's continuous antics. "Seriously, Mike. Not now. I was going upstairs to go to sleep or something."
He just grinned. "We both can go upstairs to sleep . . . or something," his words were even more jumbled together than last time I talked to him.
"Mike, really," I tried to worm my way out, but he just tightened his grip on me not letting me go. I winced at the pain. He was putting serious pressure on my wrist now. Okay. It really really hurt now. I had to wince at the sharp pain that went through my wrist.
He laughed. "Does it hurt Bella?"
"No," I mustered as much indifference as I could.
"Hey, dude," yet another voice said gruffly as possible. "Let Bella go."
I looked up at my tall blonde savior. Of course it was Jasper. It'll always be Jasper who saves me. Never anyone else. Well, no one else even cares so I guess that makes sense for Jasper to by my only savior. I'm thankful, really I am, but sometimes, I wish . . . I wish that someone other than Jazz would come to my rescue—which is actually quite often—but not only come, but want to come. But we all have our stupid wistful thoughts, don't we?
"We're just talking, aren't we Bella?" Mike gave me a sleazy stare that made me retch.
I adverted my eyes from both of their stares. "Mike, your hurting me," I said loud enough for the both of them to hear.
"Let her go Newton," Jasper spat. His tone was murderous and I flinched at the sound.
Mike did let go, but he still stayed too close for comfort. I knew I shouldn't have looked up, but curiosity had gotten the better of me and I studied both of the boys' faces.
Mike's muddled eyes were flickering to me and Jasper really quickly. He had his hands that just released my wrists, in balls clenched to his side like he was getting ready to punch Jasper.
Jazz on the other hand was concentrating on Mike. He noticed his hands ball up and smirked. He positioned himself so that he now covered half of my body in a protective and just a tad overbearing, but right now I needed some of that. I saw something flicker in Jazz's eyes and his grin grew more noticeable than before.
I began to warn him, "Jasper don't you da—!"
But as usual, I was too late. Jasper pounced on Mike like he thought he was a freakin' mountain lion or something. I don't know what had gotten into that boy's head, but Jasper thew Mike to the wall. Mike tried to get up, but Jasper was already there in a flash. Jazz grabbed Mike from the collar of his shirt and picked him up while pressing him up against the wall like they do in movies.
It suddenly had gotten real quiet—even the music ceased it's noise—and everyone's eyes were fixed on Mike and Jasper. They stared with their mouth's hanging open waiting for someone to throw a punch. Typical. All these people do is watch others get hurt for their own entertainment purposes. Disgusting. Okay, so I do it myself. Call me a hypocrite, I don't care.
"Jasper!" I cried out in shock running over to them so I could be closer. Jasper ignored me, but Mike looked at me pleading for help. He looked frightened now. More so than I've ever seen him.
"You'll never touch Bella, or I'll make sure that every bone in your fucking body is broken," Jasper threatened. He was using a tone that I've seldom heard. It made me take an automatic step back, at the vehemence of it.
Mike looked down, not meeting Jasper's eyes. Bad move.
Jasper threw Mike against the wall hard, making Mike groan in pain. "Do you hear me?!" he yelled fiercely.
Mike nodded weakly looking like he wanted to go home right about now.
"Ever," he continued. "I don't want you to ever touch her."
"Dude, I got it," Mike said feebly.
"You better," Jasper hissed, not holding back on any venom.
"Can I get down now?" he asked exasperatedly, his legs just swinging helplessly a couple inches off the ground.
Jasper dropped Mike on the floor with an audible bang.
"Jesus, man, she's just your cousin," he commented, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Jasper clenched his jaw, but otherwise ignored that comment while he wrapped his arm around my shoulders pulling me to his side tightly. He lead me to a hallway, that it's occupants emptied out quickly after seeing Jasper, but other than that, people proceeded their normal party mood just like before, with a slight whispers of Jasper and Mike getting in a fight. The rumors would no undoubtedly start soon with the craziest of things, but that's tomorrow's problem.
"Are you okay?" Jasper asked me. All traces of viciousness had disappeared quickly, and Jasper transformed from fighting mode to older cousin mode. It's not fair that nothing relatively bad as ever or will ever take care of Rosalie so Jasper didn't have to over do it with me; but I guess even if that happened, Jazz would still be as annoyingly overprotective as always.
"Yeah, Jazz I'm fine," I reassured him trying not to rub my burning wrists.
Jazz saw through me, like always, and raised an eyebrow questioning me.
"Really, just go to your party," I looked down; flicking something off my pants with one of my nails. "Savannah, or whatever, is waiting for you."
Jasper grinned. "It's Sarah," he reminded me again.
I rolled my eyes and repeated what I said earlier, "Like it matters."
Edward appeared that the other end of the hallway, and looked at me with a weird relived look on his face and smiled."Bella! I've been looking for you everywhere. I heard your cousin beat up some Newton guy," he smirked.
Jasper looked up and eyed Edward intently like he was trying to figure if Edward's intentions were good or bad.
"His name was Mike," Jasper informed Edward. "And he was bothering Bella."
The way Jasper said it, it made it sound like a threat. Oh god. I hope Jasper doesn't chase Edward away too. Every time—okay it was once or twice, but still—I make a guy friend, Jasper sees him as a threat and effectively chases him out of my life, which is easy considering Jasper's a senior and one of the most popular guys at school—the cool nice popular kind, not the Lauren kind which is malevolent and vindictive—so he could easily influence just about anyone at school to help him out with chasing away some guy from me.
"Bothering, like how?" Edward asked, something flashing in his eyes. Oh great, not him too. Poor Mike he has two guys who want to kill him now.
Jasper opened his mouth to say something, but I elbowed him sharply in his ribs making him gasp for air. "Mother fu—!"
"It was nothing," I interrupted Jazz, smiling sweetly at Edward.
Edward gave me this look of pure skepticism and said, "Uh-huh."
Jasper glared at me clutching his aching ribs. "That's the thanks I get?" he said through gritted teeth.
I ignored Jasper and grabbed Edward by the arm. "Come on, I'll tell you over here," I lead him away from Jasper before he attacks Edward too.
"Bella, what happened?" he asked with genuine concern, weird.
I pulled the both of us into the nearest vacant room—the bathroom. I put down the toilet lid, and sat on the porcelain top and sat on it precariously, not wanting to put too much pressure on the delicate seat.
I sighed. "Nothing. I mean, Mike was being himself, with me. And let's just say that Jasper doesn't really like it when people act themselves."
"Mm-hmm," Edward nodded amusedly.
"With me," I continued.
"Uh-huh," Edward nodded once more, and grinned.
"In public."
He nodded.
"He's very protective," I said a little warningly. I used to have a kind of guy best friend, after Jessica, named Tyler who Jasper had tried to scare away. It really didn't work considering that Tyler was close friends with Jasper too, so he didn't do too much damage; and Tyler kind has stuck around too, but he really doesn't talk to me as much anymore.
"I'll keep that in mind," he noted, with a slightly sarcastic and slightly serious tone.
"I'm serious!" He just laughed at me. "All of the dude friends I ever make Jasper managed to scare him away."
Edward gave me his amused half smile with his head slightly tilted to the side. " 'Dude friend?' " he quoted me.
I narrowed my eyes at him and said, "Yes, a dude friend."
"So I'm your 'dude friend?' " he said amusedly.
I tried my best not to blush. "Yeah, at least I thought we were, you know, friends."
He smirked. "Is that what we are? I thought you were just my tour guide for the day," he said.
I froze.
"Oh," I said, barely a whisper. "Okay."
My body was slowly leaning towards the door ready for my escape. I already planned it all in my head: I'd run out the door jog up the steps open my door as quickly as physically possible, then I'd slam it shut and lock it. Then, I'd lie down in my bed and try to sleep. If all else fails, I can try to sneak out the window, shimmy down the pole and run to my truck. But I tried factoring Edward's height and speed. He might catch me, but I know this house way better than he does, I think that I have the advantage here.
"Come on Bella," I snapped out of my trance and didn't plan on meet Edward's eyes, "it was a joke."
"Ha," I grumbled as sarcastic as I felt at the moment. "Very funny. I think I'm going to go . . . Somewhere else . . . Now."
I heard him sigh, but I was already getting up and I think if I looked into his green eyes I would stay. So I fixed them on the door nob.
"We can watch a movie or something," he suggested wistfully.
"No thanks," I turned the nob and headed out the door.
Edward just followed me out. So instead of going to my room, I decided it'd be best if I went to the library, no one hangs out in the library during a party. If they wanted TV they'd go to the huge plasma in the other room. And if they wanted to read, well, they're at the wrong place. It's way too loud, and sometimes you hear things that you're not suppose to hear—or want to hear for that matter.
"Jeez, can't you take a joke?" Edward commented watching me as I sat on the couch and turned the TV on. I flipped through the channels for something decent to watch—there was nothing.
Edward sat on the empty cushion to my right and muttered to himself aloud, "Apparently not."
"What's that suppose to mean?!" I demanded, looking into his intense green eyes.
He looked back at me like he was trying to figure something out, like an extremely difficult puzzle; or one of those Rubix cubes things—I could never finish them without peeling the stickers off. He grinned briefly, and then shrugged.
"That you can't take a joke, obviously," he stated like it was a fact, which it wasn't. I can take a joke. I can so take a joke better than most people.
I glared at him, ignoring the fact that he kind of resembled a puppy. "I can take a joke thank you very much," I turned sharply back to the screen and focused on the program playing. It was some random show playing on Nick Nite, which aren't that bad; especially if you're going to stay up all night with a box of cereal and a carton of milk.
"Sure, that's why you reacted the way you did," Edward said. "I mean, I wasn't serious or anything. I mean I came over your house and watched Bones with you and ate that pie you made."
"Your parents made you came," I said still not looking at him, "Besides, it wasn't very nice."
I could hear Edward scoff a bit. I restrained myself from turning around and smacking him with the pillow next to me. It was one of those decorative pillows, with all of those fancy decorations on it and patterns, it could be a really violent weapon in the right—or I guess wrong—hands.
"It wasn't really nice? That's all you can come up with," I could practically hear the smirk in his voice, but I focused my attention on George Lopez and whatever debacle he placed himself into this time as best as I could.
"Maybe," I grumbled crossing my arms over each other.
He laughed and I had to look at him it was impossible not to. I tried to contain my own laughter, but my attempt was futile, and I laughed with him.
"Wow, that's just a little sad that all you could come up with is, 'it wasn't very nice,' " he teased grinning.
"Well, I couldn't think of anything else!" I defended lamely not trying to disguise the smile that slowly revealed itself on my face.
"So this is your party," Edward said conversationally.
"Um, yea. It kind of, not really," I said laughing looking at Edward. I noticed that there was a serious edge to his eyes, that made me tilt my head a little to the side trying to figure out what he's dwelling on.
"I was just wondering why you aren't out there like my sister, your cousins," he asked me curiously.
I pursed my lips together trying to figure out an answer that he could understand. "Parties aren't really my thing; I kind of think of it like torture—I kinda hate them," I stated bluntly.
He raised his eyebrows, not in surprise though, but in curiosity. "That's a little extreme don't you think? I mean, parties and torture?" he said smirking.
"Poe-tae-toe, poh-tah-toe," I said looking at the tiny hazel flecks in Edward's green eyes.
He just turned to the TV, still grinning, and continued to watch George Lopez with me. I had to forcibly tear my eyes away from Edward and towards the screen, but I did it. I was proud of myself that I did and that I focused them on the TV screen for a long amount of time too.
Time just seemed to flow by effortlessly, like there was none. It was a great feeling.
"Can we watch something else?" Edward suggested after two episodes of George Lopez.
"Why?" I asked confusedly. "I love George Lopez."
He just shook his head. "No, it's not that. We've just watched three episodes. I just want to watch a movie or something," he shrugged at his suggestion.
"Oh, sure," I flipped through the guide and started looking at HBO and STARS for some sort of decent commercial free movie. Some times you would get lucky and find a really good new movie or one of the best oldish ones.
It took me a while, but a found an okay-but-not-really scary flick called The Messengers. It kind of looked okay-ish by the info button. And it was about to start any minute. So I played it finding that it was a lame thriller that had it's moments—rarely. Edward and I laughed at the horrible acting and the bad plot lines. It was nearing the end and I stretched out a little, my joints were aching. I flexed my fingers and nuzzled my head against the pillow that I considered smacking Edward with earlier. I brought my legs up on the couch, so I could lie down and watch the movie; making sure that the tips of my toes, or any part of me really, couldn't touch any part of Edward.
Slowly, and unconsciously, I must have fallen into a deep deep sleep consisting of annoying flesh eating crows.
Author's Note: Okay, so I've been done with this, for a while now and I haven't had enough time to update and do some final edits. My schedule has been busy, especially last weekend with a number of birthday events and then I had to go to school to fix some stuff—like the fact that I still don't have a locker and school is exactly a week away. So that's going to be fun—the carrying around five books because I don't have a locker part. Yippee. .
The updates will be more frequent than this, I promise.
A special thanks to: rerose1975, thanks for clicking on ten fics before finding mine and found it decent, I swear I'll update sooner; winchesterxgirl for thanks for giving my all human AU a chance—is long bad?—SwanBella228 for all of your awesome reviews and your awesome poem ;D; and everyone else who was waiting for the new chapter. Thanks for all of your support, and I love you all! Cookies for everyone!!
