3. Edward

After a couple months I was in a nice routine: class, homework, read, dinner, try my mom's latest and greatest fade, read, and get ready for bed. Nothing changed much at school and I was still avoiding any attention. Unfortunately that did not extent to home. I was reading a new book while she watched the news and my mother was telling me that I should take an interest in world news. She was watching a report of a missing persons case in New Orleans, a couple tourists were missing and local gangs were believed to be the cause. I looked at her, she just shrugged her shoulders and then I went back to my book before turning in.

I have talked in my sleep for some time now, but my mom hasn't brought it up for a while so it was weird at breakfast when she asked, "So how was your dream last night?"

I really didn't remember my dream, odd I usually remember something, but I could not remember anything this time. The last thing I did was start that new book, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and watch the news. "I don't remember, why?" I was curious as to what I said.

"Oh, just wondering who 'Edward' was and why you said his name." She had the, who is your new boyfriend look.

I stared at her blankly. "I started a new book and one of the characters name is Edward. Don't remember dreaming about the book though." I was puzzled, but didn't have time to ponder before I had to get to school.

As we drove I tried to remember my dream, something, anything, but couldn't. I don't recall that happening before. I hated not knowing. Of all the things, not knowing something kills me.

"What's wrong?" My mother shocked me back to reality.

"Nothing," I simply stated.

"That is not the look of nothing." The other thing I hated was all of my emotions would show like they were written on my face.

I answered, knowing it was the only way for her to drop it. "Just trying to remember my dream, really don't have a clue what I was dreaming about." With that my mom pulled up to drop me off and told me to have a good day at school. Yeah right, this was going to drive me nuts till I figure out what my dream was about.

I made it through until lunch, not having much time to try and concentrate on my dream I attempted to push it to the back of my mind. This was something I would have to really think about. I was playing with my food when someone asked a question.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Brenda wanted to know.

I looked at her, "No plans, what's up?" I was surprised; this is the first time I was asked that since I started here.

"Well Susan and I are going to the mall and wanted to know if you were up for some shopping?"

"Sure sounds like fun. Do you mind if we stop by a bookstore, there is a book I want to get?"

"Yeah sure, no problem, we'll pick you up around 11."

"OK." I replied, actually excited, kind of. I was looking forward to hanging out with them outside of school, but shopping, not so much a priority in my life. I was happy with shorts and a tank top, if it got cold maybe a sweater. But with an encouraging smile I made sure they thought it was the best idea ever.

Once I got home the only thing that kept popping up in my mind when I wanted to remember what the hell I dreamed was a small circle of grass with wild flowers. Giving up on it I focused on getting dinner ready. That night my mom decided to casually slip in the, don't get married to young speech and the sex talk, again. I believe she really thought I was dreaming about some guy I liked named Edward. I don't know any guys named Edward, and it is more of an old fashion name. But I looked at her, nodded at the right time, said I will and I won't where appropriate, I think this is the 10th time I got this same talk. Of course the funny thing is it is more about getting married early than having sex early. My mom always did have her own unique style.

After our little talk I could see my mom thinking and I was willing to bet it was about Charlie. I know she loved him once, but now that I am older my scatter brained mother is letting more and more slip about how she really felt and what separated them. It seems that while she did in fact love Charlie, she hated Forks and he wouldn't or if you ask him, couldn't leave at the time. She begged for them to move, but he refused and when she would want to go out and have a good time there was nothing to do and nowhere to go. She finally couldn't take the small town life and rain any longer and had to escape, that is how we ended up in California with her mom. It was shortly after I was born and only for a little while before settling in Phoenix. My dad still loves her, hasn't changed one thing in the house in twelve years. Still hoping she would come back to him. But that is the way he is, stubborn, guess I know where I got that from.

Saturday morning I was ready to go shopping. Brenda's mom pulls up and my mom comes out to greet her as I get in the back with the girls. As we drive to the mall we started talking about what we wanted to look for and the stores we just had to go to. Mrs. Greene dropped us off at the food court entrance and told us to call and she would pick us up here when we were ready to leave. When we turned to enter the mall we say a few guys looking at us, or them I'm sure. Brenda and Susan smiled at them; I just looked ahead like I didn't seem them, doubt they even saw me.

Once inside the topic quickly changed from, where do we want to go, to boys. Brenda apparently likes some guy in our Math class, but he has a girlfriend and Susan likes a couple guys and can't decide which she likes more.

"So what hot guy has caught your eye Bella?" Brenda asked.

"I can't say that I really like any of the boys at school. I find most of the male population to be a little immature for my personal taste."

"Yeah, that is the idea. Get them a little immature and teach them to worship you. After the first kiss they will follow you like a lost puppy." Susan stated, I could tell she really likes attention, especially from guys.

"Perhaps, but I think I'll wait a little while, besides my mom would flip out if I told her I had a boyfriend right now." Not at all what I wanted to tell them, but it would be enough to get her to drop the subject on me getting a boyfriend and not accuse her of messing around. Besides it isn't like any guys actually noticed me. I never even had a boy approach me, aside from my one stalker.

"Well David is too cute to not notice. I think he likes me too. I need to find something sexy to wear for Monday so he will ask me out." Susan said as we went to Forever 21.

I could tell this is going to be a long day. It took over an hour in that store and then we started heading to some other clothing store when I saw my savior.

"Hey girls I am going to check out the bookstore over there while you're shopping, that why you won't have to wait on me." Brenda and Susan agreed and they went to try on more clothes as I headed to my sanctuary. About an hour and a half later I meet up with them again and we headed to the food court to get a bite to eat.

When we sat down I asked what they got and Susan showed me a fairly short skirt with a V-neck halter top and high heel shoes. "That is going to be very flattering." I said as I know that is what she wanted to hear. "I think if I wore shoes like that I would, at best, break my ankle, but more likely break my neck." Brenda and Susan laughed; they both know how clumsy I am. As we finished lunch we figured there are a couple more stores we could go in before calling Brenda's mom.

On our way to Limited, we pass a vampire store, Hot Topic. It has every cliché item available, so for fun we stopped in. They teased me that I didn't need the white makeup since I was as pale as a vampire already.

"If I hadn't seen you out in the sun I would swear you were the undead." Brenda said jokingly.

"Maybe I am a vampire, I just have on a lot of sun block to keep from bursting into flames." I laughed with her.

"Not a chance," Susan stated. "A vampire would be a little more coordinated, you've never seen Angel trip over his own feet trying to save Buffy have you?"

We all giggled. As I was looking around I saw a book and started thumbing through it as the others were looking at the vampire clothing, all black head to toe, seemed more Goth to me. Interesting how there seems to be set rules for vampires: garlic, holy water, and crosses are supposed to hurt them; they sleep during the day and hunt at night. But there are so many authors that put in what they think and at some point everything gets contradicted. Says they are immortal, with skin of the dead: cold and white, and they live among us in secret. Blah Blah Blah, as I put the book down I turned to see if we were ready to leave yet, thankfully the answer was yes. Vampires, I think if they lived among us they would be very easy to spot.

That night I continued to read my book before bed. I was really hoping I wouldn't speak again tonight. Luckily, my mom hadn't said anything about me talking in my sleep for a little while, if I had talked. As I lay in bed trying to clear my mind, that stupid vampire book popped up. I wonder what it would be like to be a vampire. I mean the whole killing your friends and family and drinking their blood, not so much fun, but what do they do at night when the rest of us sleep? What would it be like to sleep all day in a coffin? What would you do with eternity? The last thing I could remember thinking about is, would I recognize one if I did see one.

The next morning I got to sleep in. My mom was between churches this month. She would get on the band wagon, go to church for 3 to 5 weeks and stop; a month or so later she would find another church to go to. Luckily this was an off month so I woke up rested and refreshed. I started thinking about what I dreamt last night since it didn't automatically come to me. I really hope this isn't going to become repetitive. I got up and got ready for my day, i.e. pulled my hair back in a pony tail and put on comfy sweats and a tee shirt and went downstairs. My mom was working on a crossword puzzle, something she just started doing.

"Hey sweetie how did you sleep?" I am not sure I am going to like this.

"Like the dead." I replied, seeing as how I couldn't remember tossing or turning. She started laughing. "What?" I know I am not going to like this.

"Nothing baby it is just, well last night you were talking about vampires and then you said you slept like the dead." At that we both started to laugh. I can't believe I did that. I should have known I would end up dreaming about the last thing I thought about. AHHHH! But why can't I remember what I am dreaming!

"Yeah makes sense. Brenda, Susan, and I went in a store that had a bunch of vampire things and I was reading a book about them while they looked at the clothes."

After I ate breakfast I went back to my room and got my book and continue to read. The rest of the day was pleasantly uneventful, aside from me tripping over the carpet and landing face first in the couch. As I was getting ready for bed I started thinking about school, making sure I had my homework done, what I would wear, anything to keep my mind as empty as possible, I did not want to dream about Edward or vampires tonight.