Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
A/N: Are you guys ready for Bella to meet the rest of the gang? Edward wasn't very receptive, but what will everyone else think?
BPOV
I awoke a little later the next morning, but went about my normal routine. I wore yesterdays jeans and boots with a simple black scoopneck sweater. The parking lot was already filling up when I got to school, and I quickly hurried to my home room, taking my seat before Jake got there. I smiled politely at Tyler and Eric when I walked in, cringing as their eyes roamed by body. When I reached my seat, my attention was devoted to the schedule in front of me, making sure I remembered the order, until a voice by my side forced me to look up.
"Hi, I'm Alice!" My eyes shot up to the little pixie girl from the cafeteria, now bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly at my side. She had an earsplitting grin on her perfect lips, waiting for me to respond. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face; she was contagious.
"Hi, Alice, I'm Bella," I replied quietly, reaching out to shake her hand. She surprised me by ignoring the handshake and leaning forward to hug me tightly.
"I wanted to introduce myself yesterday, but Jazzy said you probably needed some time to get used to the school," she explained, frowning at having to wait to meet me. Her expression brightened again however, as she continued talking at a ridiculously fast rate.
"Anyway, I've met you now, and I just know we're going to be the best of friends! You and Jacob should sit with us at lunch today!" she suggested, vibrating all over with energy. I couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm, almost missing Jake as he took his seat across the aisle.
"I would love to," I replied, even surprising myself. "Jake?" I asked, looking around Alice to ask his opinion. He smiled kindly at Alice but shook his head.
"Thanks, but I'll just sit with the guys," he shrugged. "You have fun though, Bells," he smiled at me. I smiled back, then looked up to grin at Alice, who looked like she was ready to explode.
"Yay! This is going to be so much fun!" she clapped excitedly, hurrying back to her desk. I shook my head, but couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Alice seemed to like me. So what was her brother's problem?
The rest of the morning passed slowly. I moved to sit near Angela in calculus, the two of us settling into a comfortable silence after making casual small talk. I had never really had any friends in Phoenix, and it was nice to have someone to talk to, even if only at school.
When I finally reached the cafeteria, Alice was waiting with her mega-watt smile by the front doors. I grinned in response, and she linked arms with me, leading us over to the line. She walked beside me as I bought my lunch, then pulled me over to the table on the far side of the room.
Panic momentarily swept over me as I realized what I had agreed to, but my heartbeat returned to normal as I realized that Edward wasn't there. A small part of me was disappointed in his absence, and I quickly pushed that to the back of my mind.
Alice released my arm as we reached the table, and she danced over to her boyfriend's side, smiling beautifully. She pointed a dainty arm to the chair on her other side, motioning for me to sit.
"Everybody, this is my new friend Bella," she announced proudly, my cheeks growing warm. "Bella, this is my Jazzy," she said, leaning against his arm as he smiled and nodded his head at me, "and this is Rosalie and Emmett." She pointed to the two across from us, and Emmett smiled an adorable dimpled smile while Rosalie snarled. Apparently she was with Edward on this one. I waved my hand at them all lamely, and Emmett chuckled before they all started digging into their lunches.
"So, Bella, where'd you move from?" Emmett asked, his mouth full of food. Rosalie smacked him on the back of the head, and he swallowed what was in his mouth before smiling sheepishly.
"Um, Phoenix," I answered nervously. They were all even more beautiful up close, just like Edward, and I felt out of place at their table. It also hadn't escaped my notice that we were receiving many odd looks from the other students. Well, I was receiving odd looks. Lauren was currently glaring a hole in the side of my head. She and Jessica had talked for hours last night about how she just knew that she would be sitting with 'Edward's table' by the end of the week. I'm sure she was just loving this.
"Wow, Phoenix...that's a big change," he nodded. Jasper smiled at me, understanding how I felt, having moved here from a warmer state himself.
"So, why the move?" Alice asked, sipping her coke quietly. My eyes dropped down to my food, not sure how to answer. I knew people would be curious, but I didn't really want to broach the subject.
"My stepmother started dating this guy online," I finally answered, "and she thought it would be best if we moved up here to live closer to him." I shrugged at the end of my answer, hoping that would be enough of an explanation.
"Where's your father?" Emmett asked, tilting his head in confusion. My heart clenched at the question, and I bit my lip to keep the tears at bay. I heard the distinct smack of Rosalie's hand on the back of his head, and I looked up to meet her apologetic gaze.
"Sorry, he's not well-known for his tact," she apologized, quickly replacing her scornful glare. Emmett looked at each of us in confusion, but shrugged his shoulders and kept on eating.
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here," Alice smiled softly. I returned her smile, nodding in agreement, then looked back down at my tray. I risked a quick glance over at Jake's table, and he looked up to catch my eyes. He tossed me a wink and a grin, then went back to talking to the guys.
"So, are you and Jake, like, a couple?" Alice asked, regaining my attention. I choked on the lemonade I had been drinking, and started laughing, shaking my head vehemently.
"No way," I giggled. "Jake's just a friend; more like a brother. His dad, Billy, is why we moved up here," I explained. They all nodded their head in understanding, but I caught a strange look in Alice's eyes. It disappeared almost as quickly as it had come, and I shook off the thought.
The warning bell rang before they could ask anymore questions, and I smiled and waved goodbye to all of them as I headed off to biology. I was hoping that Edward would be absent from there as well, just so I could avoid his angry glares. But I had to admit, a part of me, maybe my masochistic side, was hoping to see him again.
When my eyes landed on our empty table, I sighed heavily with my mixed emotions and went to take my seat. Mike called out a happy 'hello' to me, and I smiled quickly before moving down the row. Lauren was glaring hatefully at me as I took my seat.
"Why were you sitting at Edward's table today?" she demanded in a hushed whisper. My eyes itched to roll back in my head, but I fought the urge.
"I didn't realize it was his table," I replied sarcastically. "Alice invited me to eat with her, so I did." I shrugged, and opened my bag to get out my things. I felt her stare weigh heavily on me for a moment longer, and when I glanced up she was watching me with a contemplative look in her eyes.
"Just stay away from Edward, got it?" she finally said, turning back around before I could reply. I shook my head in disbelief, then looked toward the front where the lesson was beginning.
Gym was uneventful once more, and I changed quietly before heading to the parking lot. I looked up in surprise to find Alice leaning against my truck with Jasper, waiting for me to come out. She bounced over to me happily, hooking our arms together and walking me to my door.
"What are you doing Friday night?" she asked, catching me off guard. I froze for a moment, before remembering how to speak.
"Um, nothing?" I responded, making it sound like a question. Her smile got impossibly wider, and she pulled her arm from mine to clap while jumping up and down excitedly.
"Great! You should totally come to my place for a sleepover!" she declared. I didn't have the heart to turn her down and ruin her excitement, so I merely nodded my head in agreement. She squealed loudly, then placed a peck on my cheek and turned to leave with Jasper. I stared after her dumbly for a moment, disoriented, then climbed into the cab of my truck.
I had to admit, today had been, by far, one of the weirdest days of my life. It felt like a dream. Meeting absurdly beautiful people, having them befriend you, then getting invited to slumber parties at their homes were not normal events for me. But I couldn't fight the smile that came to my lips. I barely knew Alice, and yet, I could feel that she was right. She made me more comfortable than anyone had before, and I knew we were going to be close friends.
Sue was, surprisingly, not averse to my plans for the weekend. Actually, I don't think she even really heard me. She mentioned something about spending the weekend with Billy, and reminded me to get all of my chores done before I went anywhere as she headed up to her room to call him.
Butterflies of excitement began to form in my stomach as I thought about my plans for the weekend. This would be my first slumber party, and I wasn't sure what to expect. The anticipation was killing me, and I prayed that Friday would come faster.
I spent the rest of the day cleaning every inch of the house, hoping to leave it spotless before I went to school Friday, so there would be no reason for me to make a stop here before going to Alice's. I had a momentary anxiety attack when I realized that Alice's house was Edward's house too, but I quickly brushed that thought aside. Surely he wouldn't bother me with his sister and friends there. He may hate me, but I doubt he was a complete Neanderthal.
School the next few days was much the same as the last. Nothing too eventful; classes, lunch with Alice, and no Edward. When he didn't show up by Thursday, I mustered up the courage to ask Alice if he was okay. She said he went away for the week with their dad to visit the school he was planning to attend in the fall. I sighed to myself in relief, my fears about the weekend put at ease.
The week seemed to crawl by, but at last, Friday was upon us. I danced out of gym at the end of the day, unable to contain my smile when I saw Alice sitting on the hood of her canary yellow Porsche. She hopped gracefully down from her perch and flitted to my side, bouncing with each step.
"Okay, so you're gonna follow me to my place, right?" she asked.
"Yep, I've already got my bag." I grinned brightly at her, and she tossed me a wink before slipping into the driver's seat, Jasper nestled comfortably on the passenger's side. I threw my bag into my truck before climbing in, the beast roaring to life as I pulled out of the lot behind Alice.
She led the way out of town, and I became more curious as the forest around us grew denser. When she finally turned on her blinker, I frowned at our location. There, on the side of the road, only visible if you knew to look for it, was a narrow dirt drive, winding into the trees. I turned off behind Alice, following the long lane until we broke out into a clearing.
The house sat in the middle, just as stunning as its inhabitants. It was a tall, three story colonial style home, with white siding and dark blue shutters. The door was a deep red, and shone brightly from the large porch.
Rosalie's candy apple red BMW convertible pulled in behind me, and I climbed slowly out of my truck, walking to Alice's side. Her smile nearly split her face in two as she grabbed my hand, dragging me up the front steps and into the foyer.
I couldn't help but stare in awe at how beautiful it all was. The home was tastefully decorated, modern but still warm and inviting. Everything was perfectly matched, looking too perfect to be a real home.
Alice didn't give me much of a chance to absorb my surroundings. She quickly tugged on my hand once more, beckoning for me to follow her. We passed down the hallway and around the corner, landing ourselves in the middle of a gourmet kitchen. There was a beautiful woman with caramel-colored hair and a gentle smile sipping coffee at the island, and she looked up as we entered.
"Mom, this is my new friend, Bella," Alice chirped. "Bella, this is my mother, Esme." I stepped forward to shake her hand, but she pulled me into a warm hug, just like Alice. The simple gesture of motherly love brought tears to my eyes, and I fought to hold them at bay so I wouldn't embarrass myself.
"It's so nice to meet you, Bella," her voice rang out, soft and melodic. "Alice has told me so much about you." She smiled at her daughter, who simply shrugged her shoulders.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Esme," I smiled, immediately at ease. The warmth that radiated from her was staggering, and I couldn't help but think that she was the mother I had always wanted.
She gave my arm a gentle squeeze, and greeted the rest of the group as they walked in behind us. Emmett immediately went to the pantry and pulled out a Tupperware filled with cookies, grinning as Esme clucked her tongue at him teasingly.
"Alice, why don't you show Bella around the house," Esme suggested. Alice quickly agreed, grabbing my arm to lead me back through the door. We passed through the family room and dining room downstairs, as well as a small powder room, then we climbed to the second level. This floor contained Alice's room, the master bedroom, her father's office, two guest bedrooms, and a guest bathroom.
The third floor, she said, was mostly Edward's. She led me up there anyways, pointing to a door that led to his room, and another door that was a music room. My curiosity piqued, I pushed the door slightly, just enough to see the edge of a grand piano on one side of the room.
My heart constricted with longing for my own, and my fingers twitched to feel the smooth ivory of the keys. Before I could ask who the instrument belonged to, she was leading me back down to the main level.
We arrived in the family room to find the gang all gathered around the couches, watching some cheesy action movie while they waited for us to return. Alice and I plopped down on the couches beside them, and we all quickly became engrossed in the film, only pausing to accept the snacks and drinks that Esme brought for us.
Once the film was over, we spent the afternoon playing video games, watching more movies, and laughing about Emmett's antics. I hadn't felt so at ease since I had Charlie. It was a sad relief.
Finally, the point came where we all started winding down. As the credits for our latest movie started to roll, Alice muted the TV and turned to look at me.
"Bella, you know you can talk to us, right?" she asked earnestly, confusing me a little. I wasn't sure how to answer, so I just nodded my head.
"I understand that there are things about yourself and your life that you're uncomfortable sharing right now, but I just want you to know that you can tell us anything. We all love you," she smiled softly.
I looked around at their faces, tears starting to form in my eyes. Even Emmett's face wore a somber expression, the love shining through each of their eyes. Rosalie had been distant from me at first, but she had even begun to come around over the last few days.
"Thank you," I whispered, reaching up to wipe at the tears that had begun to spill over. "I've never really had any friends before, besides Jake, and I've only known him for a few months," I admitted. "It's nice to finally have someone," I chuckled humorlessly.
Alice scooted over to hug me, and Rose reached out to put a hand on my leg. I looked up at them through watery eyes, and took a steadying breath.
"My mom died when I was just a baby," I started, suddenly aching to tell them everything. "I was too young to remember her, so it was never really that painful. I had Charlie, and he was best friend." my voice cracked as I said his name, and Rose clutched my hand in her own.
"He met Sue when I started school; she was my kindergarten teacher. The next thing I knew, they were getting married, and Sue was moving Jessica and Lauren in with us." I couldn't help the bitterness that started leaking into my voice. I took another deep breath to calm myself, before continuing with my story.
"Then one day, Charlie just didn't come home. Sue got a phone call that night. He was a police officer, you know," I smiled fondly through my tears. "He was killed on the job by some idiot that didn't want to get caught with a stolen bottle of Jack Daniels and the $27 he'd taken out of the liquor store's cash register. I've been stuck with Sue ever since," I shrugged, my eyes dropping to my lap.
I closed them for a moment, trying to compose myself. When I looked up, they were all staring back at me with tears in their eyes, Alice sniffling quietly into my shoulder. It was so freeing to talk to them about all of this, even if I hadn't gone into detail. Just the knowledge that I could tell them all of the details was enough to lighten the weight on my shoulders.
"I didn't mean to be such a bitch when I first met you," Rose finally said, catching me off guard. She laughed at my expression, but kept talking as she dried her cheeks.
"Lauren's in my home room, and I thought you were going to be like her: a popularity starved psycho," she chuckled. I couldn't help but laugh with her, reaching up to dry my own face.
"I really do love you though, Bella. Despite all that you've been through, there's just something about you," she said, squinting her eyes in concentration. "I don't know what it is, exactly, it's just like a...light, I guess...a strength, that shines through you. You may not make eye contact when you walk through the halls," she giggled, the rest of us joining her, "but your shoulders are always back, and your chin held high. You're pretty incredible," she finished with a shrug. I blushed at her compliment, but leaned over to hug her in thanks.
I looked over to Jasper and Emmett next, laughing as the both tried to inconspicuously dry their eyes, trying not to look like they'd been crying. They both chuckled at having been caught, and we all joined them.
"I think that's enough love for one night," I giggled. We all stood to say our 'goodnights', and I followed them all upstairs. I quickly changed into my pajama pants and a tank top in one of the guest rooms, settling down into the large bed.
I tossed and turned for two hours, unable to calm my thoughts. My mind raced with memories of my dad, the deep loss echoing through my chest. When I finally couldn't stand it anymore, I rose quietly and slipped out of the room.
My feet carried me silently to the one thing I knew that would calm me. I made sure to close the door behind me, and I slid onto the bench, breathing a sigh of relief.
I placed my fingers gently on the cool ivory keys, and I began to play.
A/N: Alright, so we're getting to know the whole group better. What do you think so far? Send me some reviews plz, and I'll get you an update as soon as I can.