Bella
"What are your five favorite fruits?" I paused from opening my door and sighed heavily. Peter had followed me to my vehicle once again to ask about that stupid quiz. My shoulders slumped, "Because, ya know. I'm going to Whole Foods later and I mean, if you want some fruit, I could, ya know, pick it up for you."
Alice was suddenly beside me, her blue eyes upset and her sparkly phone pressed to her ear, "Fine! Fine!" She snapped her phone shut then glanced at Peter, looking at him as though she didn't know what to make of him.
"Actually, Peter, I'm all set in the fruit department," I managed a small smile, "Thanks though." His face fell, but then he nodded and turned, leaving rather quickly. I shot Alice an apologetic look, "Sorry."
"What happened to no, stop, go away?" She asked, aggravated.
"Well," I thought about it for awhile, "I said no to the fruit."
She rolled her eyes then sighed, "I need a ride."
"M'kay. Get in." I opened the car door and she hopped in with me.
"Hey, guys!"
I screamed loudly in fright and Alice jumped before whirling around in her seat and her blue eyes widened. I followed her gaze then shouted out, "What the hell, Ben?" Ben was sitting in my backseat, looking all bright-eyed and content, "How did you get in my car?"
"It was unlocked." He shrugged, "That's dangerous. Someone could break in and steal all your CDs." He had already opened half of them and glancing through my Ke$ha. Alice sighed impatiently.
"Ben, I have to give Alice a ride so it's going to take longer for me to get to your block." I told him with a sigh.
"That's cool." He said as he strapped the seatbelt to his large stomach and I glanced at Alice desperately.
"Get out!" She finally shouted.
Ben froze and so did my heart.
"What?"
"Get out!" she repeated, "Go! We want to be alone!"
Ben looked at me in the mirror. And I shrugged, at a lost. Then he nodded, his eyes downcast, "Oh. Okay. Girl talk. That's cool. See ya later, Bella." I didn't miss him grabbing a couple CDs then scurrying out of the car.
"Guess that's what you meant about being mean then?" I joked lightly while starting the car. Alice rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat while crossing her arms over her chest.
"God! How do you live like this?" she threw her hands up, "They're all over you!"
Finally, somebody got it. It was hard to live like this, but Char never seemed to understand, claiming they were just being friendly. Well, no one was jumping into her car and taking her CDs.
"Ben's not that bad." I defended him vaguely as I backed up and started towards the exit.
"Not that bad?" She was incredulous, "God, they have you brainwashed. You needed to grow a backbone, like, yesterday!"
I paused at the exit of the parking lot and glanced at her, feeling like a total looser, "Which way to your house?" Happy to change the subject.
"I'm not going home," she pulled down my visor and took out lip-gloss, running it over her plump lips, "I'm going downtown." She slapped the mirror back up and sighed.
"Oh," I swallowed my disappointment, "What's downtown?"
"I have a doctor's appointment." She huffed impatiently, "Emmett was supposed to come take me, but n-o-o, he's too busy." She made her voice nasally and rolled her eyes.
The hairs on my arms stood up. Was all the rumors right? Was Alice just being used by "biker dude" or was something really wrong with her? Was she pregnant or something, and if so, Emmett should at least have the respect to take her to…well, whatever they go to when they're pregnant. She was quiet for the most part only scoffing a few times when she got texts then slammed her hands on the console as if to stop me.
"There! Right there!" she pointed to a tall building and I pulled into the parking lot. She gathered her things and got out, "Thanks a lot, Bella. You're a real good friend."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you! You're coming to a party this weekend." She told me with a twinkle in her pretty eyes.
I frowned, "I…what?" I didn't usually do the party scene.
"Yep. You're my new experiment. Project Make Bella Mean."
"I can't go to that party." I told her, my heart pounding from nerves, "They're all insane!"
She rolled her eyes again, "That's kinda the point, Bella." Then she disappeared into the doors.
XOXO
Early Saturday morning.
I threw my hair in a ponytail and eyeliner coated my eyes. A fitting gray jacket and black skinny jeans, I was on my way. When I parked at the school, I saw Jasper and Alice talking and she was giggling. I felt a grin wipe onto my face as I grabbed my things and made my way into the school. Jasper winked at me.
When I passed the gym, I bumped into a hard chest and stumbled backward. Warm hand threw out and grabbed my forearms, stopping me from my fall. It was Edward Masen. My eyes widened and a blush spreaded across my cheeks at my clumsiness.
"Hey, Bella."
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
"Hey." His varsity leather jacket squeaked as he fixed his basketball bag.
"I heard you were going to St. Luke's party with Ali tonight. That's cool." He smirked at me. I tried not to show my surprise. How in the hell did he hear about that? I let it go. I mean, it was Edward Masen, calling what I did cool. Could life get any better?
"Yeah, um…I guess."
"Cool," He nodded, "I just broke up with a girl there. I'd go, but…you know." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly.
"Really?" I squeaked.
Way to be cool, Bella.
"Yeah. Tanya wasn't all that great anyways. Don't usually miss 'em. But I guess I'll find something else to do." He said.
He was single! And he was talking to me!
"Do you and Ali hang out a lot?" He asked.
"Uh…yeah!" I answered. Dropping her off yesterday is hanging out, right?
"'Cause that's cool. Really cool. You and her hanging out. She's cool…you're cool…all cool." His velvet voice was hanging in my ears. I couldn't really concentrate.
I'm cool? Really? I was buzzing with excitement. He started walking towards the auditorium and I followed him, blushing. Edward Masen thought I was cool.
Then Mike popped into my face.
I skidded to stop as his gaze fell onto my breast.
"Hey, Bella-rina," he said to my left boob, "someone got up on the sexy side this morning." He sucked his teeth and moved to the right. My face was starting to heat up again.
Edward snorted a laugh, but covered it with a cough. This. Was. Not. Happening. Did the geeks have some sort of tracking device on me? I almost wanted to strip and find out if it was lodged on my ass or something. Were they trying to ruin my life? And right in front of Edward?
"I have to go." I hurried to the auditorium door and slammed it behind me. I stomped down the steps, feeling angry tears fill my eyes. I glanced up and saw all the different people and busy work. I cheered up a bit.
There's always a lot of mayhem at an all day Saturday rehearsal. There's something about the run of the school that makes an already-prone-to-mischief set of people just a bit wackier. There was a lot of whooping in the lobby, skateboarding down the main hall, and raiding the vending machines. But, today, I just couldn't do it. I just had one of the greatest moments of my life then it went down the toilet by Mike. Maybe the mean thing was actually going to work.
Alice was complaining, "I mean, shouldn't Sandy get all the skirts? Not Rizzo?"
A random background girl was standing there, nodding eagerly to what Alice said, "Yeah."
"How am I supposed to stand out from of the Pink Ladies with no poodle skirts?" She pouted and crossed her arms.
"I don't think you need a costume to do that." Jasper laid on thick, but didn't face her. My eyes widened as I saw Alice blush and smack his shoulder playfully.
"Jasper!" She squealed merrily.
He shrugged, "Just stating the obvious." Wow, he was good.
Char got there late and came rushing in with burgers and shakes. Jasper swiped a soda away from her with a smirk and sat a few feet away from me on the stage. Char handed him something and I saw it was his wallet. Had he paid for the whole three bags?
He turned to me with a welcoming smile, "Wanna little Biggie this and a little Biggie that?"
I stared at him and he crooked a brow when I didn't answer. Alice and Char peered over at me from their arguing and placed both hands on their hips. I was being selfish, I knew that. Just because I was having a crappy Saturday, didn't mean I needed to bring them down.
I smiled back and reached out a hand to take a burger from him, "Yeah, I could use a little Biggie this."
"Don't forget the Biggie that," he replied seriously, "The Biggie that is very important." I giggled and took a bite and my taste buds lightened up.
You know when its real went through my head and I snickered as Jasper passed me a coke. I was starting to feel better already. Maybe food and Jasper were the answer.
Char made her way over to me, plopping her tiny ass in the empty spot as she ate her salad, "So, what's wrong?" she toyed with her BFF necklace while I shrugged, taking a sip of my drink.
"Nothing much. I was just outside talking to Edward and you won't guess who showed up." My tone was deadly.
She sighed and stabbed her fork into her chicken, "Mike?"
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, "Yes! It's like he doesn't know when to stop."
She huffed suddenly, placing down her food roughly, "It's not like you're any better."
I frowned and narrowed my eyes at her, also putting down my half eaten burger, "What's that supposed to mean?"
She rolled her eyes, "You're so desperate for Edward you don't see the big picture. I mean, you do understand that Alice is so suddenly your friend. It's like when you're around her you're, like, brainwashed or something."
I flinched. I had never thought Char thought that about me. I stood without another word and turned away.
XOXO
"So, after my mom married him, there was a big ruse, forget about it and then bata bing, bata boom, everything was great and so here I am!" The St. Luke's snorted in his Bronx accent, sucking phlegm in the back of his throat, and swallowed. I tried not to grimace, but I knew the disgust showed in my eyes. He had bulging eyes and ears like Dumbo. His name was Nahuel.
All around us, unfamiliar people laughed and flirted and kissed while I…I was being systematically tortured, praying every second that Edward would just walk in and see this guy getting closer to me with rancid breath. He had told me he wasn't going, but I was definitely hoping for it.
Anyway, this was Ali's plan. Throw me to the geek wolves so she could study and analyze my behavior. I was starting to hate her a little bit.
"So what do you think? You wanna go find some private place and maybe…ya know?" He crooked a brow and licked his yellow teeth.
Not even a little bit.
My face warmed up as he moved in closer.
No, stop, go away…no, stop, go away…no, stop, go—oh, who was I kidding?
I looked at Ali for help and she rolled her eyes, downed her drink, glanced at her dazzling watch then stomped her way over. She jumped in front of me and shoved him away with amazing strength.
"You need to go." She told him firmly.
"Excuse me, but we are having a conversation."
"Not anymore!" She yelled in his face and he flinched away. She pointed her arm to the other room, "Now go." Nahuel tripped away, cast me one more forlorn glance, and then disappeared in the other room.
"Ohmigod! I thought he was going to choke me with his tongue!" I gasped out.
"Why didn't you stop him?" Ali yelled, throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"I was going to, but…" I trailed off and she rolled her eyes.
"It isn't like you're in a dark alley, Bella. You're in a room with fifty other people. God, if you can't do this, then how you going to loose your geek posse?"
I sighed, my shoulders slumping, "I don't know. I'm absolutely hopeless."
"What exactly were you thinking when he was talking to you?" She pressed with raised brows.
"Well," I looked down in embarrassment, "when he asked if I wanted to hook up, I was thinking 'Not even a little bit'."
Her face brightened, "There! That's perfect!"
My eyebrows merged, "Use that?"
"Yes!"
"But, that would've crushed him."
"So, what?" she glanced behind me, "Oh, here comes the freak show you were talking to earlier. Try it on him." I tried to grab her, beg her to stay with me, but she danced out of my reach, the same place she was standing a minute ago.
I watched as Jared sauntered his way over to me, he reminded me of Mike. It's like they had been taking notes; he continuously talked to my boobs and called me Belle. At least Mike remembered my name. Jared was coming forward with two drinks and a smirk on his pimpled face. When he reached me, he held out one and I automatically took it. Ali rolled her eyes and pulled at her hair with a groan.
"Saw you talking to Nahuel," he said to my chest, "Don't let him get to you, he's kinda a looser."
Gee, thanks. And what does that make you?
But, I couldn't say it. And I knew I couldn't.
Ali stared me down; I knew she knew what I was thinking. She wanted me to say it.
"Geek, thanks," But my throat closed before I could utter it out. Why, why, why wouldn't my body cooperate with my brain?
He smiled at my boobs, "You're welcome. So. You want something harder than that? Have some real fun?" then he reached out with his elbow and rubbed it deliberately against my right breast with a leer, thinking I hadn't noticed a few seconds after he pulled it away. But, that was it. My internal thermometer had broken.
"What the hell was that?" I shouted suddenly, throwing down my drink at his feet and the root beer splattered everywhere.
"What was what?" he glanced up at me for the first time tonight and turned pale. I scoffed and recoiled from him, my face turning red in anger.
"You think it's okay to just feel someone up in public like that?" I glanced at him elbow, which was now flat to his side, "What is wrong with you?" His jaw dropped slightly and he reminded me so much of Mike. Mike, who I should really be shouting at for six years of invading my personal space. But Mike wasn't here. Jared was, "You think Nahuel's the looser of the school? Why don't you call each other up and compare notes because I think you beat him at that department."
His eyes glanced down at my breasts again. Un. Be. Fucking. Lievable. I snapped my fingers in front of his face, "I'm up here, buddy. You need to go." I repeated Ali's words from earlier and he quickly scampered away.
"Nice one!" someone cheered as a couple girls applauded. I grinned from ear to ear. I had finally done it. I had finally told someone off. And I had never felt lighter in my entire life. I breathed in and out and even pinched myself to make sure it wasn't a dream.
Ow.
It wasn't!
Eeee!
"Bella! That was amazing!" Ali ran forward and hugged me strongly, "Man, I'm good at this! I should be, like, a counselor or something!"
"Yeah," I whispered vaguely and blushed.
But she was partly responsible. Without her I would've probably never done it and ended up with sloppy kisses all over my mouth while I screamed 'stranger danger' in my head. I was actually happy that she brought me here and cheered me on, gave me the confidence. Then her cell rang.
She opened it with a frustrated sigh, "Where are you?" She asked without preamble. There was a muffled reply and she scoffed, "no! Of course not! Why would I…No! Yes! Fine!" She snapped the phone shut with an angry huff then grabbed my arm, yanking me towards the door, "We're out. Em's at the diner and I have to pick up a pack of cigarettes for him."
"But how—"
She rolled her sapphire eyes at me, "I have ID. "God! Grow up already!"
I narrowed my eyes at her and actually weighed if I should give her a ride or not, but I knew I owed her for helping me with Jared. I sighed and pulled out my car keys as I held in a snappy comment, which I knew wouldn't come out, "Let's go."
XOXO
The Stage Coach Diner was full with goofing off teenagers when we got there. I caught a few of them eyeing me and Alice with interest, like we were meat products at Publix.
"There he is," she sighed, beelining it for a booth in the back of the room. I followed her. Emmett McCarthy sat with his arms played out atop the maroon vinyl bench, his dark brown hair curly on top of his handsome face, scruffy face. He needed to shave and he looked too tan for Washington. Alice slid next to him and they shared a long, inappropriate, tongue filled kiss and I looked away hastily.
"Got my cigarettes?" he asked in a way of greeting with a heavy smile.
She shoved them at him and rolled her eyes as he slipped them in the back of his jeans, "Bella, Emmett, Emmett, Bella." She said, deadpan. The waitress came over and started to take our order. I shot the offer down while Ali searched through the menu then grimace before slapping it down.
"Do you have anything without bullshit in it?" She asked with a sweet smile. My mouth fell open as the waitress sputtered, her pale face growing pink.
"Oh, my God! You do this every time!" Emmett suddenly shouted at her. My eyes widened while she snapped right back.
"Well, sorry, for not wanting to eat bullshit all the time!"
"Well, maybe it wouldn't be bullshit if you actually learned how to cook!" He shouted back and a few teenagers cast their eyes at our table. I sank in my seat. They sounded a lot like my mom and dad. I was starting to feel like my younger seven year old sister, powerless and naïve.
"Screw you!"
"If you did that more then there wouldn't be any fighting between us!" A few others chuckled while I blushed at the lewd comment, "Deal with it."
Her mouth fell open, "You want me to deal with it? Deal with it? Fine, deal with this! I want you to get the hell outta my face!" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Really? That's what you want?" he demanded.
"Yeah, that's what I want." She shot back. I watched in slight fright as he stood with extreme fury on his face, took a deep breath, and turned.
"Bitch." He muttered under his breath and walked away.
"Dick." She called stridently after him. He walked out of the diner and I heard a motorcycle roar then speed away, "God! It's like he's PMSing or something." She said loudly enough for other to hear. They laughed then continued with their business. The waitress had already scurried away.
"Are you okay?" I asked nervously.
She shifted in her seat and sighed, "I'm fine. He'll just have a smoke then come running back to me all smoochy."
Wow. Sounds like a real prince.
"uh-oh. Incoming." She whispered with wide eyes. I shot mine up and then landed them on Mike Newton. He was grinning, laughing with some of his geek friends. I shivered and shrunk in my seat. Ali's hand clamped onto my wrist, "No, Bella! You handle this just like you handled it in the basement! You can do this."
Mike spotted me. Grinned maliciously. And made his way over.
My hands got moist.
"Isabella Swan." Before I knew it, he was right next to me, his leg pressed into mine and his arm around my shoulders, "I knew you were going to be here tonight. I just knew it." His breath smelled like guacamole. My skin burned. I glanced at Ali; her teeth were clenched and she growled at me.
"Do it."
"Why don't you come and sit with my friends? I've told them all about you?" His eyes moved to my breasts and he clucked his tongue, smirking a bit.
My throat closed up and my face heated as he squeezed my shoulders. And just like that…I snapped again.
"Really?" I blurted suddenly, "Did you tell them how much I hate you?" All the tables went silent. Mike went ashen. I felt that annoying thump of guilt.
"W-What?" Mike stuttered.
"Go away, Mike." I sneered, pushing him away from me, "Leave. Me.Alone." I was doing it. I was being mean. I was finally saying how I felt. So why wasn't he going away?
"Do you not understand English, Newton?" Ali cut in, "You heard the girl."
Stunned, Mike stood and stumbled out of the diner with a depressed look on his face.
"Wow, you guys are really setting them up and knocking them down, aren't ya?" Alec suddenly shouted from one of the booths and everyone laughed.
For the first time, I felt lighter. Happier. Freer. Stunned and suddenly twenty pounds lighter. For the first time since I could remember, I felt good. Like, really, really, good. I had finally gotten rid of Mike. I had taken charge of my life and personal space.
"Now that, Bella, is how it's done." Alice smirked.
A review is a Biggie this and a Biggie that from Jasper.