Gosh, I can't resist updating. Gosh, you reviewers just brake me down! PS-The contest is still going! I only have on entry. :( lol haha but its funny! :D
Disclaimer:
Me: Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse are not not mine.
Edward: Wait, what? Are you implying that by saying Twilight is not not yours that it is not not yours?
Me: Uhm...
Edward: AHA! Finally!
Me: *tied Edward up and leans in to whisper something in his ear*
Edward: *eyes widen* BELLA!
Me: Oh, no!
Bella: *growl and bares teeth*
Me: AHHH!
Edward: Help me!
Bella: *Bites me*
Me: Ahhh! I'm turning vamp! ZOMG!
Bella/Edward: *glance at each other in awkward silence*
Alice: Didn't see that one coming
Edward: Rolls his eyes.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
I bit my lip as I stood by the Mustang. It had ran out of gas a few hundred miles into my escape. So, I was stranded and many miles from Forks, without any money. To any other person, this would seem like a comlication. Not to me. I was a nomad, I had survived for one-hundred years, I could survive a little car malfunction. I left the Mustang stranded in the shoulder of the road, walking away from it sadly. It was a nice car. Maybe I could con a car dealer into "lending" me one. Ah, the wonders of 'dazzling' powers.
I stopped in my tracks, wondering at the thought. Dazzling. I remember I had once said those words to Him.
Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.
The vampire who broke my heart and ruined my life.
The love of my human life. And the tormentor of my vampire life.
I sighed and sat where I was. Right in the middle of the road.
It was a wonder how I had avoided them all these years. But I had a close run-in seventy years ago, in New York. It was Alice and Jasper, and I was in Mexico by that night. I had sulked for the rest of that year, living in the forest and hunting animals. That thought made me feel longing. For what, I had no idea.
I stood and started walking once again. I had let my thoughts get the better of me. I had had a very productive day. Seeing my father, murdering that horrible man, turning in that girl's body, fighting, and having a close run-in with Tanya. I lifted my tank top to my nose, revealing my stomach. I breathed it in deeply, cringing as Tanya's scent flowed into my nose. It was faint, but still there. The wind had blown her scent all over me, covering me in her sweet scent. I let my shirt drop and continued to walk. Yes, I could run, but I wasn't in the mood. I would rather wander aimlessly. Like a lost soul, a vampire in Athens had once called me.
I heard a large semi approach from behind me, maybe seventy miles away. I continued to walk, ignoring it as it slowed at the Mustang. It spotted me and sped up, stopping at my side. I flipped my sunglasses down to conceal my eyes.
"Hey, girl!" a gruff voice called. "Need a ride?" I turned slightly and looked over the man who was leaning out the window. He had lines marking his face with years of wisdom and alert green eyes. He had a gray beard and gray hair to match.
"That would be nice," I said, lowering my voice an octave to sound older. I crossed in front of the truck and climbed in. His scent hit me, sweet and mouth watering. I restrained myself, taking in a deep breath to accustom myself to his scent. It took a moment, but it worked. The cab of the truck was warm and I pretended to cuddle up to the heaters.
"Thank you," I said sincerely. He nodded and kept his eyes at the road.
"Name's Todd." he stated and I smothered a smile. He was so shy and innocent, it reminded me of Charlie.
"Bella." I said and he nodded.
"Was that your car back there?" he asked, his voice rough.
"No. It was my jerk of a boyfriend's." I said harshly, making something up on the spot. Todd chuckled and I smiled softly. I examined the cab with interest. It was organized, a blanket and pillow on the floor neatly and a few books stacked next to them. CD's were slid nicely into a holder on the visor and I examined them carefully. This guy had good music taste.
"So, where you headin'?" Todd asked, squinting at me. I shrugged.
"Anywhere but here." I said. "But it would probably have worked better if I had even a dollar on me." I muttered under my breath. I knew he had caught that, because he frowned slightly.
"So," I said, trying to change the subject. "Do you have any kids?" He nodded and pulled a picture from the visor. I took it, avoiding contact with his skin. It was of him, obviously in hid younger days, with a woman and three children. The woman was laughing, her arms around Todd. She was glancing up at him with obviously in love. He was grinning at his children and wife at the same time, if that was possible. There was a boy about the age of five, with brown hair and the most gorgeous hazel eyes I had ever seen. Next to him was a girl about three, with brilliant auburn hair, like her mother's. She had her father's stunning green eyes and had her nose scrunched up in annoyance. Then came the other little boy. He had golden hair, like his father when he was younger. He had blue eyes, like his mother's and seemed to be the only one looking at the camera. He was at least seven and he and his brother were squishing his sister. This family was so full of love and adoration, it made my undead heart ache.
"That's a wonderful picture," I said, not able to take my eyes off the children.
"My wife's name is Julie. My son, the one with the golden hair, is Jonathan. My daughter's name is Allison. And my other son is Edward." he said. I tried not to react to the name. The Fates must have been against me.
"That's an unusal name," I said lightly. He nodded.
"It was my father's name." he explained. I nodded and handed him the picture.
"I always wanted to have kids." I said softly, unsure why I was telling him this. "But fate seems to be against me. I never found the right one, and then it was too late. I had lost my chance. Just like that. I didn't realize how big a loss it was until I got older." I sighed and pretended to scratch my leg.
"I'm sorry," he said and I was surprised at the sincerety in his voice.
"Have you ever been to Oregon?" he asked randomly. I froze and looked out the window slowly.
"I, um, yeah. A few years ago. Why?" I became suspicious.
"You look familiar. Like this woman I knew once. You look like you could be related to her. Except, she lived in Oregon almost seventeen years ago. So, you probably couldn't know her." he shrugged it off as nothing.
"What was her name?" I asked curiously. Another vampire in the area nearly two decades ago possibly?
"Esme Platte." he said and I could feel my eyes widen. Luckily, he couldn't see it because my eyes were hidden behind the glasses.
"Long, caramel colored hair, golden eyes, pale skin, and a husband named Carlisle?" I asked, focusing on the wet road. I saw him glance at me in surprise.
"Yeah, actually. And five adopted children." I sighed and folded my legs beneath me.
"I knew them once. They were friend's of my father's." I lied. He nodded and continued to drive on. We came to a town and he stopped to get gas. I stepped out of the cab and walked around to the driver's side. I smiled at him and he looked down at me.
"Thanks," I said, reaching out to shake his hand. He didn't flinch as our hands made contact, obviously oblivous (hahahahaha wow that was funny) to my cold skin. I let go and he took out his wallet. I frowned as he took out two hundred dollar bills.
"Here," he said, handing them to me. "Take it. You need it more than I do." I felt touched by his actions and smiled at him.
"Thank you, Todd." I said and glanced one last time before moving on. I felt so . . . vulnerable. Too vulnerable. Even though I had just had one of the best fights of my existence, I still felt like I was mushy.
I felt like a human.
I scoffed at the idea and headed for a motel. I bought a room for one night and kept my sunglasses on as I made my way to the room. I had about one-hundred and forty dollars left. I folded it up and laid it on the bedside first thing I did was to turn to the computer. I was glad that this room had a computer and logged on quickly. The main page was covered with information about "Karen Wilson's Murder". So that was her name. fit, for such an innocent girl like her. I scanned the articles quickly, reading about how her body had been discovered in front of the hospital with nobody to confirm who had brought her body. Jesse Carlston, her killer, was guilty for commiting her murder and had comitted suicide. Or so it looked. The police were still looking into the case. It said that there would be a memorial service, but I realized the date was yesterday. The funeral was to be held a week from today. I nodded, that gave me time to carry out my plan. I left the hotel and headed to the town. I avoided the ever-present sun, as always, and window shopped. I found a dress shop and walked in softly.
The bell above the door alerted the clerk of my presence and she all but ran to greet me.
"Hi! I'm Felicia, how can I help you? What can I help you do? Would you like a refreshment? We have water, Pepsi products, tea, and coffee. How-" she seemed to talk faster than a vampire. I blinked, overwhelmmed.
"I'm looking for a black dress." I interrupted her. "A dress to go to a funeral in."
"Alright." Her face was somber as she spoke. "Simple or something elegant?"
"Simple," I said, but hesitated. "Simple, but something I can stand out in. Something unique." She nodded and kept her mouth shut for once as she danced down the the isles, fingers skimming the dresses eagerly. She would pull one out occationally, look at me, and then shake her head. I examined the dresses with interest, looking around while she browsed the dresses. There were furry dresses, feathery dresses, dresses made of duct tape, dresses that were dark and gothic, dresses that were neon and shimmered in the right light. I was examining a simple, blue dress that I had found a certain interest in when Felicia called out to me.
"Okay, I've got a few different styles, but I think one will fit you perfectly." she announced, coming around the corner with seven different dresses. She saw me examining the blue dress and squealed. I winced and she bounded forward to grab that dress as well.
"This dress would look beautiful on you!" she laughed and took my hand gently, leading me to the back. I was stunned, usually humans weren't this forward with vampires. Their instincts usually screamed for them to avoid any contact with us. I felt warmed by her actions and laughed with her. The sound surprised me, I hardly ever laughed in such a carefree moment. She shoved me into the dressing room and gave me a dress. I rolled the material between my fingers and rolled my eyes. But I played along with her, slipping into the dress.
"You know, you didn't tell me your name." Felicia said softly.
"Isabella. But I prefer to be called Bella." I said, zipping the side of the dress up. I stepped out and was met with my relection in the mirror. Hmm. The sunglasses totally threw off the whole elegant look the dress was going for. The dress was long and met the floor, hiding my feet. It was a halter top, with a low V neck. There were sequins that were carefully sewed on the neckline and I turned around, examining my body vainly. I let my long brown hair down and it cascaded well past my shoulders.
"Take off your glasses," Felicia commanded. I hesitated before swiping them off. She gasped and stood, only about an inch shorter than me. She came closer and and I held my breath as she brought her face into mine, staring at my eyes with . . . . adoration?
"I. Love. Them!" she squealed, hugging me tightly. I gasped, but she had pulled back and was looking at my eyes again. "Where did you get them? The only vibrant color I can ever find is gold. Gosh, I've always wanted red contacts!" I let out a sigh of relief as she backed up to examin my dress. She thought my eyes were red because of contacts. Perfect.
"I got them off the Internet," I shrugged. "I'm trying to punish my parents." I gave her a loose grin and she nodded.
"I totally get it. When I was a sophmore, I died my hair bright pink to prove to my parents that I was old enought to decide my fate. Worst mistake of my life." she waved a hand, rolling her eyes. I laughed and looked at the strange human in front of me. Felicia had bright, eccentric blue eyes and gorgeous black hair that flowed over her shoulders. She was wearing a simple butterfly print dress, but it had a huge life-like butterfly on the right side of her chest. She had a matching butterfly barrett and wore little make-up and had a lip piercing on the left side of her bottom lip. I guessed that she was maybe nineteen.
"So," I said and turned back to the mirror. "The dress. So not simple." She laughed and motioned for me to shuffle back into the dressing room. I slipped out of the dress and put it back on the hanger. I opened the door a crack and handed her a dress. She shoved a different one into my hands and I sighed as I slipped it on.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
This continued on for about an hour. She finally handed me the last dress and I simple took it out and looked at it. My jaw dropped and I ran my hand down the dress. It was gorgeous. I felt like this was the one. I zipped up the dress and smiled as it fit my form perfectly.
"This is the one," I murmured quietly.
"Well, then let me see it!" Felicia cried, hearing my comment. I rolled my eyes as I swept back my hair back.
"You knew this was the one all along," I accused as I stepped out. She nodded and her eyes glazed over a bit as she saw me. She smiled softly as she circled around me and I shifted to look at myself. I wasn't vain, but I had to say,
I looked nice in the dress. I was glad I could let the dress be at it's full potential and be unique and beautiful.
It was a strapless dress that came down almost to my knees, hovering slightly above them. It was black, of course, and was a soft silky material on the inside. The outiside was made of black lace that traced intricate designs on the dress. It was gorgeous. Simple, yet unique. Surprising even myself, I turned and hugged Felicia.
"Thank you!" I said. I laughed and twirled in the dress, having the most fun with a human than I've had in decades.
"I knew it! I knew it was perfect for you when I first saw it!" she said happily. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"So, you made me go through an hour of endless torture, even though you knew which dress was 'the one'?" I asked and she shrugged.
"I don't get too many customers in here. So I like to make the best of things." she replied and shrugged. I laughed and slipped back into the dressing room. I took it off and put it on the hanger. I slid the dress out to her and closed the door. She blocked it, slipping one more dress into my hands. I rolled my eyes, but I had grown quite fond of her and put it on anyways. It was the blue dress I had been admiring earlier and smiled as I stepped out. Felicia smiled widely at me, twirling me around to get a better look at the dress. Simply as well. It ended before my knees and was spaghetti strapped. It was a gorgeous silky material and was something I could wear anywhere.
"Perfect," she sang. "Blue looks amazing on you. Has anyone ever told you that?" My smile faded and my face turned into a bitter and cold mask. I was glad Felicia had her back turned to me. The look I had on my face was venemous.
"Yes," I replied stiffly. He had. Alice had, too.
Alice . . . .
Oh, how I hated the memories. Memories were unsurfacing and I struggled not to get drowned in them. I pushed them back and smiled falsely at Felicia. She reminded me too much of Alice. Enough, I chastised in my mind.
"I'm going to get changed now," I said softly, and changed quickly out of the dress. I winced at the price tag I caught on the blue dress. I barely had enough for the funeral dress, and as much as I liked this dress, it was out of my price range. I memorized it one last time before handing it back to Felicia and picking up my funeral dress.
"You didn't like it?" she asked, frowning. I shook my head.
"It's out of my budget range," I informed her. She grimaced and shook her head.
"So, where do you get all these dresses anyways?" I asked curiously. There were hundreds of them! She shrugged and scanned my dress casually.
"I make them," she said, and ducked under the desk to pull out a dress cover. I felt my eyes widen as she slipped the dress into the cover carefully.
"You make these?" I asked, flabbergasted at how a human could do such and extraordinary task. I remembered the gown I had tried on earlier and how each sequin had been sewed on with care.
"Yep. And once I make one, I never make another one exactly like it." she set the dress on the coutner and turned her blue eyes to mine. "I make them all in my size. If the person who come in happens to be a different size, I make a different size of that dress. But then I get rid of the other dress. Each dress is meant to be unique. Different in it's own way." I was looking around at the hundred and hundreds of dresses, wondering just how much spare time she had on her hands.
"Wow," I murmured, impressed. I handed her the money and picked up my dress gently.
"Thank you," I said, my voice dripping with gratitude. She smiled and shook her head.
"No, thank you. I haven't had a good time like this in a while." she said. I grinned at her and made a snap decision.
"Do you do hair?" I questioned and she nodded.
"Could you come over next week to help me get ready for the funeral?" I asked. Her grin expanded across her face and she gave me a card.
"This is my number. Call whenever." she grinned and waved as I exited the store. I carried my dress gently and was only a few feet away from the store when Felicia dashed out.
"Bella! Wait!" she shouted and I turned in surprise. She handed me another dress and I frowned.
"But, I don't-"
"You love it. I can see it in your eyes. And besides, it's yours. No matter what happened, it was always yours. I knew it the moment I saw it on you." she flashed me a toothy smile and I felt my facade melt a little.
"Thank you," I whispered, touched.
"Your welcome. See you later!" she replied over her shoulder, going back into the shop. I smiled to myself, what a peculiar human.
XxXxXx
Back at the hotel, I hung up my dresses in the closet carefully and collapsed on the bed.
"I'm turning into a human-lover," I muttered darkly. "Next thing I know, I'll be eating food." I sighed and turned over on my side, trying to curl in on myself. I took a deep breath and retreated into my mind, freezing the walls that had been melted. The spaces of vulnerability disappeared and I curled up on myself even more.
But, the truth was, under all the fighting and coldness, I was still the same Bella. The Tiger was just a facade, a disguise. And I hated myself. I hated it. My body began to shake with dry sobs and I growled at my foolish behavoir.
But the sobs didn't stop and I buried my face in my knees. I built those walls to protect me from being hurt ever again. But when I was left alone, the enemy was me. I would fight my weak emotions, or any emotions at all. And every time I did this, the monster inside would take over. I had to get rid of this feeling. The feeling of . . . loneliness.
The truth was, I came back to Charlie only for one reason. I was going to spend my last year with him. I was going to start school in September and try to be as normal as possible. I was going to try and regain my title as "Daddy's Little Girl", before my time was over. I forced those thoughts away and stood quickly. If I wanted to go the funeral, I needed to look presentable. I sighed as I exited the hotel, and ran into the forest.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. Elk, two miles to my left. They may not smell as appetizing as humans, but I had to do it. I took down an elk and drained it. I sighed as I stood again, tracking another one. I snapped it's neck and swallowed the blood, draining it quickly. In the course of an hour, I took down a total of seven elk, three deer, two rabbits (Poor Thumper), and a bear. I buried the bodies of the animals, and just about keeled over. I had gorged myself to my all time limit, about to regurgitate the blood. I blinked sleepily and groggily while I made my way back to the hotel. I stumbled my way into the hotel and it was sometime around three am. I collapsed on the bed and curled into a somewhat sleeplike state. And all the while, my thoughts were on the Cullens.
XoXoXoXoXo
READ THIS!
Okay, so I know Bella seemed very...mushy in this chapter, but I had to show that she still had compassion. If that makes any sense...so...next chapter, there will be a slight encounter with the Cullens and possibly a Cullen POV! YAY! :D So, I'm gunna put the links for the dresses up on my profile kk?
CONTEST IS STILL OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ENTER!
R&R
Luvs ya!
-fangluver