A/N: I felt like I had to update immediately since the last chapters were shorter so this is my treat to you - about 3,000 words. I think you guys might kill me at the end of the chapter. But go ahead threaten me. Also, some things in this chapter might seem impossible but 1) this is fiction and 2) in my opinion it's definitely possible. Enjoy and review if you want to know what happens next!


M A S Q U E R A D E

Chapter 7

Back to Bella's Point of View!


I could feel warmth on my eyelids. I groggily opened my eyes to see sunlight shimmering in through the window. Yawning, I stretched and searched for the time. 5:37am. I guess I won't be able to sleep anymore. I changed into the clothes that Alice had laid out for me last night – a jean miniskirt and a blue boat necked shirt with a black tank underneath – but decided to not put on the black shoes I wore yesterday that were clearly meant for this outfit too. After brushing my teeth and such, I went into the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat.

I searched the silver fridge. Not much looked edible. I continued searching through but decided to give up and just grabbed a soda which I occasionally sipped while I leaned against the bar.

Outside, the remains of the darkness of the night disappeared until Alice and Rosalie tiredly walked in. They had small bags under their eyes but other than that they looked like their regular selves. Alice had a knowing expression on her face that told me I was missing something. I idly wondered what it was for a moment but decided it was nothing.

"You have hardly anything edible in your fridge, you know that right?" I asked Alice.

She nodded. "I've been eating take out, pizza, and fast food since my parents went on a vacation. They're the ones that do grocery shopping. I don't unless they need me to."

I just shrugged.

"Time for school!" Alice squealed and dragged us to her car. I put on my scary heels and followed them obediently.

Alice blasted the radio and put the roof of the convertible down. The cold wind tangled my waved hair and bit at my face but I didn't mind. We all shouted the lyrics to the song that was playing at the top of our lungs. I was constantly pulling the miniskirt down so it would expose that much less skin.

Once we got to the school, our hair was windblown and we were panting from singing so much.

You know those moments in movies when the car door opens and they only show part of the ground? And then you see the lead actress' high-heeled boot come out from the car and the camera slowly works it's way up to her face? And then when you see her face you realize she's some hot chic that James Bond has some 'thing' with?

Well that's what it felt like when I stepped out of the car.

Everyone's eyes traveled from my high-heeled shoe and slowly up to my face.

To tell you the truth, it felt awkward. The situation felt almost the same as in a movie except I had no James Bond to rescue me from the guys that started walking over. My friends giggled into their hands as one by one guys started crowding my personal bubble.

I grabbed my messenger bag and made my way into the school hallways. Alice was on my right and Rosalie was on my left.

I knew that the whole day I would be feeling like I'm in a movie. Right now, I felt like I was in Mean Girls and I was the popular girl who everyone thought was perfect. I had my 'mean' friends following me and we were dressed almost like the girls in that movie – mini skirts, tight tops, heels, skinny jeans, etc.

The hallway crowd thinned as we walked straight through the halls. People were staring, glaring enviously, or practically drooling with lust. Not the usual reaction to me, but whatever; it's probably for the taken Rosalie and the single Alice.

We walked without a care in the world to a group of jocks which Emmett was hanging out with.

Emmett was talking about some of his famous football games. "…and so then I passed the ball to the quarterback-"

"And you win, blah, blah, blah, we get it," I interrupted. All of the boys in the group looked at me with awe and… lust? Creepy

"I was just getting to the good part! Thanks for ruining the suspense," Emmett pouted.

I only laughed.

The doors opened again and Edward, his friends, and Ally walked in. I quickly hid behind Emmett feeling almost overcome by guilt.

Edward stopped across from me in the wide hall in front of a counter I hadn't noticed earlier. It was a snack and soda place.

"I'll have a coke, and…do you want something guys?" He asked his friends politely.

"Hmm…Does sprite have any calories? I'm on a diet so I'm not having any calories at all today," Ally spoke up.

I snickered into my hand. How stupid can you get?

"Of course it has calories," Edward told her gently.

I got in line behind them to get a soda and was still trying not to laugh.

"How 'bout lemonade? Does that have calories?" she tried again.

Apparently they can get more stupid. Who doesn't know that there are calories in sugar drinks? I was having trouble breathing I was trying to control my laughing so hard. I bid my lip hard and put more pressure on the hand covering my mouth.

Edward visibly sighed and nodded his head.

The cashier had an impatient look on his face.

"What about water?" Ally asked. She's just a stupid cheerleading slut.

I was full out laughing now. Finally, miss blond anorexic bimbo Ally guesses the best choice for a calorie-free drink.

The group of cheerleaders and jocks turned to look at me along with everyone else in the area. The girls - who I rightfully assumed cheerleaders - looked at me with hatred, disgust, and envy. Some of guys looked at me with disbelief, awe, and lust, but Edward looked shocked for a second. Then he looked like he wanted to laugh with me.

When our eyes met, I felt that weird shock again but brushed it off.

The main emotion throughout the hall was confusion. Probably wondering why I was laughing my ass off.

Ally took a step up to me.

"What is so funny?" she asked angrily.

I choked back my laughter and shook my head. "N-nothing."

Cheerleaders always seemed to like to make fun of me while I was always completely terrified.

"Ally, stop," Edward said harshly.

"Shh Dannie-kins. I'll take care of that thing," she murmured loud enough for me to hear."So you were just randomly laughing, hmm? Like some retard," she cackled to me.

"Ally," Edward warned. Why was he defending me?

Okay, so now I was pissed off. Very pissed off. Someone needed to teach her a lesson.

I suddenly got a burst of courage like the one I had yesterday when I bit off Edward's head that spread throughout me and burned like a wild fire.

"That's not very nice to say things offensive like that about the mentally handicapped. I also consider you to be a 'retard' for not being able to count to ten. But, if by some miracle, you lean how to count, I wouldn't even bother to call you stupid because that would be a total insult to all of the idiots. Oh, and by the way, I just found it hilarious that you couldn't think of a drink that has absolutely no calories in it except for water and that wasn't your first guess. How can you be so stupid? And tell me, how do you plan on not fainting when you don't eat anything during your 'diet?'" I asked.

"Burn," some of the jocks said, dragging out the word.

The girl had a look of confusion on her face for several seconds and then it turned into rage. "Are you calling me stupid?" she shrieked.

I smirked. Now she gets it… "Probably."

Edward started laughing quietly into his hand. The sound amazed me for a moment but I quickly snapped out of it.

Ally silently waved two other cheerleading looking girls over.

"You did not just insult the head cheerleader!" she screamed.

"If I remember correctly, I did," I said matter-of-factly.

"Wipe that stupid smirk off your face. You're just a wanna-be who will never be cheerleading material."

"Ally, stop," Edward told her. Why would he want her to not yell at me? I did kind of yell at him yesterday and I do regret it but it didn't make sense.

Ally just waved him off.

I felt half mad because I'm not a 'wanna-be' and the other half of me found if funny because she didn't know that when I was ten my gymnastic skills were probably better than hers right now. The half of me that found humor in the situation took over and I started laughing.

"Okay, several things. Firstly, I'm not a 'wanna-be.' Second, why would I want to be with your gang of sluts?" She opened her mouth to say something but I held up my hand to stop her. "Thirdly and lastly, you are right one thing though. I will never, ever be cheerleader material because, I can do this."

I took several steps back and motioned arrogantly for the cheerleaders, the jocks, and the cashier to move which they did curiously. After taking off my intricate black ribbon shoes, I calculated with my eyes. The counter that had the cash register on it had enough room for me to use it as a vault and it was about the right height. The ceiling was high enough that I wouldn't hit it. There was enough room behind the counter for me to land. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath because I didn't like to show off and never did but I was so pissed off right now.

Please don't rip tiny skirt…

Opening my eyes, I bolted to the counter and put my hands firmly down on it. I did a double summersault with a slight twist – Olympic material. Due to the slight twist, I landed facing everyone and sticking it. I held up my hands and stuck my chest out.

I herd gasps all around and there was a look of disbelief on Ally's face.

"Tada," I said smugly.

The first to break the silence was one of the jocks. "Holy shit," he muttered.

There were murmurs through the hallway.

Edward looked at me with a wide smile. He started clapping loudly and was followed by others.

I then turned to the cashier, handed him a five dollar bill, and grabbed a coke from the fridge behind me. "Keep the change," I told him, smiled, and winked.

The applause was starting to hurt my ears.

I couldn't believe I was so bold.

I walked off after grabbing my shoes and messenger bag with Alice in tow.

When I sat down, she started babbling. "What you did was so awesome!" she screamed.

"But you knew I could do gymnastics."

"No, I mean the way you pissed Ally off! You should've seen the look on her face! No one's ever done that! She might want pay back though so you've been warned. And I told you that you should join the cheer squad!"

Oh great! I've only gone to this school for over one day so far and I already have someone who wants revenge on me.

"You know how much I hate cheerleaders – especially the sluttish ones. But I'm not going to bother trying out for cheerleading. I most likely am way better than their captain, Ally. What's the point of trying out for something when the captain isn't as good as me? And anyway, she wants pay back. I'm also not pretty or popular so I have no chance of making it," I told her truthfully.

"I'll get you to do it one way or another," she said smiling evilly.

Not good, not good, not good! She's planning something bad. Last time she had one of these plans, nine people ended up hospitalized and two arrested. And yes, I did end up hospitalized.

"I'm scared," I whispered. "Don't hurt me."

She laughed evilly. "Don't worry. It doesn't involve cars, paint, eggs, squirrels, spray paint, or dogs."

I sighed in relief. "Good. I still think I have a tiny scar from those pit bulls though." I shivered involuntarily.

She just cackled evilly. "Oh, never mind. I won't do it. You'll refuse the offer anyway."

"Thank you."

Several classes later, it was gym. Alice and I were quietly sitting on the bleachers when the teacher started speaking. "We will be starting on the high beams today. You and Mr. Garcia's class will be walking on the high beams today. If you can do a trick that you know, like taking one foot off for example, then you can do it. If you don't want to do a trick you don't have to. All you need to do is walk across. Girls are going first. Volunteers to go first and questions?"

I raised my hand.

"Yes Bella?"

"Can I go first?" Why not show off to Ally a bit?

Mrs. Greene looked surprised. "Um… Okay."

Another class came over. I could see Edward. Laughing jocks and several girls surrounded him. He had an expression that showed that he was deep in thought but he was hopeful.

My guilt flared but I quickly swallowed it back down. I hid it with a wide smile. I pulled off my shirt to reveal a sports bra so my shirt wouldn't get in my face. People were staring at me with surprised expressions now. I heard several wolf whistles and rolled my eyes at the immaturity. "Perverts…" I muttered.

After stripping off my shoes and socks, I walked up to the high beam. Putting my hands on it, I hoisted myself up ignoring the stool. I thought back to a fancy looking routine I did two years ago. It consisted of showy and difficult flips but it was short.

Once I stuck it and threw my hands in the air, I went and sat with Alice. I felt many eyes boring into me.

Alice was the first to break the speechless silence. "WOO! Go Bella!" She was clapping as fast as she could and people joined her.

Ally just made an "Hmph" noise.

I quickly pulled my shirt, shoes, and socks back on. I looked to the teacher to see her awed expression.

"Settle down class!" Mrs. Greene called.

The gym became quiet once again. I still felt someone's eyes boring into me. Not many people were staring at me right now – their attention was now on the teacher. My eyes met Edward's. He had some unreadable expression on his face but I quickly turned my attention back to Mrs. Greene.

"Any more volunteers to go first?" she called.

Ally raised her hand.

Mrs. Greene nodded for her to go.

Ally smiled and put her magazine and purse down. She walled over to the beam and climbed up the stool. She held her arms out and started a cartwheel. It the middle of her fantastic performance – note the sarcasm-, she fell off the beam and landed on her ass.

Alice and I started laughing at her surprised expression.

Ally looked at her nails. "I chipped my nail!" she cried.

That just made us laugh harder. I could still feel someone's eyes on me again and it was starting to bug me. I searched for the owner of the gaze until my eyes locked on Edward's…again and my guilt flared…again.

I quickly looked away from his intense stare and the building guilt.

Eventually it was lunch and I was forever grateful. Guys wouldn't stop looking at me. I was starting to get worried.

Alice and I were waiting in line for lunch when we heard a shriek.

With a loud bang, the cafeteria doors opened and the chatter was silenced.

In walked Edward and some of his minions. He still had that thoughtful/hopeful expression on his face. Ally came rushing in with them excitedly.

"Every one, like, needs to be quiet!" she screamed.

The room was immediately quiet.

"Okay! I have the cast list for the spring show, Romeo and Juliet. No one's looked at it yet but I'm positive that Edward is going to be Romeo and I'm going to be Juliet!"

I rolled my eyes. She needs to stop being so self-centered.

She pulled the casting list out of an envelope. "Okay, so Juliet is…" She didn't say anything else. She just stood there with her face plastered with shock.

Alice immediately ran up and snatched the paper from Ally. "Juliet is… Bella Swan! Go Bella!"

Edward got another spark of hope in his eyes while the room erupted in applause and cheers but got quiet once again for Alice.

"And our Romeo is… Ben Dover!"

Oh my God. Either that's someone's sorry excuse for a name or Alice is just joking.

People were laughing and holding their sides so I took it as a joke.

"No, no. I'm just kidding. Sorry Ben!" That got a few more laughs. "Our real Romeo is… Chris Cook."

Almost everyone applauded. Well, everyone except Edward.


I know you guys want to kill me! I told you there were unexpected twists and turns. But seriously, I wouldn't mind a review. Ooh! and be sure to check out my other story, The Not So Secret Life of a Hollywood Starlet! H&H, dream-a-lot!