Hi people,

First of all, I must say sorry to those who had to wait so long for my update. Trust me, I want to update as soon as I can, too, because then I could read your reviews.

However, I had a major exam this week. And I hope that's a good enough excuse for my lateness.

I want to thank those who PM me, and though you threatened me, I was touch that you wanted my story to update. Thanks.

Here is chapter 7. Before you read this, I must tell you that everything happens for a reason, whether good or bad. And I understand if you would hate me afterward. But it will get better. I promise.

Without further adue, I give thee chapter 7.

-Stormy Bella


Chapter 7- Movie.

Bella came home on a Saturday after her hours at work. Today was another bad day when she had to serve Mike Newton. Mike was a nice person, but too clingy. After that first week of being Bella's friend, Mike seemed to be tired of it. And he also seemed to be under the impression that Bella wanted more than friendship with him. As if. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she never really did straight out reject him, but apparently, he didn't get the hint.

Jacob has threatened to beat Mike to a pulp once. And though Bella felt pretty guilty afterward, at the moment, Bella couldn't help but laugh. Jacob can always seem to make her smile. There never was a moment she spent beside Jacob feeling sad. He erased her worries, and brought laughter to her voice.

Bella groaned and threw herself onto the sofa. Edward was spending today on another date with Tanya, and so it was just Bella, sitting alone in this huge house with nothing to do. Maybe I could finish my homework.

Just then, the phone rang. Bella trudged on her feet just to hear Alice's chirpy voice on the other end.

"Bella, what are you doing?" she asked excitedly.

"I just got home from my work, so nothing yet. But I'm deciding on doing my homework." Bella sighed. Knowing Alice, it didn't matter what her answer was, because Alice probably had something else in mind.

"Not anymore." The pixie sang. "You're going to the movie with us." She announced.

"Come on Alice. I just got home, I'm tired. Let me off today, please." Bella begged. She wasn't in the mood for the movie.

"But Bella, it's only six am. There's this romance movie that Rose and I want to watch. The whole gang is coming, and I have already invited Jacob." She could hear Alice smile on the other end.

"Jacob is coming?" Bella asked, startled. Suddenly, she smiled. The movie didn't sound so bad now. It's been a long time since she's been inside a theater.

Bella was debating over a night alone doing homework, or a night out watching movie. And she must admit that the later sounded more tempting. Alice, taking the advantage of Bella's change of heart, added. "So it's settled. I'll be on your doorstep in 15 minutes to help you with your outfit." And by "helping", she meant a makeover.

"Damn." Bella muttered to herself. If there was one thing that Bella hate worse than Alice's shopping trips, it would be her makeovers. Of her three months living in Forks and knowing Alice, she had suffered severe makeovers, and she didn't like it at all. The shortest ones last for about at least an hour and a half. She didn't want to think about the long ones.

Sure enough, Rosalie and Alice were knocking on Bella's door, dressed to kill. Rosalie adorned her ethereal body with a strapless red tube shirt and a black mini skirt that was too short to be decent. Her beautiful lips were the color of fresh blood, and her blond hair reached her back, looking just as perfect as perfection could ever be. A classic beauty that clashed with Alice's bold choices. The pixie was wearing hot pink bubble dress, and Bella blushed as she thought of how low a cut the neck was, almost revealing Alice's entire chest. Her black high heels with laces on them helped tremendously with Alice's height. Her hair was pulled back for a chic look. Alice looked no less beautiful than Rosalie. Jasper will have a heart attack when he sees this.

"Bella, I thought of a perfect outfit for you on the way here." Alice chattered as she bounced into the living room, taking Bella with her. Rosalie just chuckled and followed.

It took them almost two hours. And it was two of Bella's most miserable hours. Rosalie pushed her into the bathroom for a bath. When Bella stepped out, they attacked the girl. Or, to Bella, it felt more like an ambush well thought out. Rosalie immediately took over Bella's hair, combing it until Bella couldn't feel the brush in her hair anymore. Then, Rose used a curler and did some strange things to Bella's hair, putting mysterious product on as she went along.

Alice was much worse. She turned Bella's back to the mirror, so that Bella couldn't see what she was doing. All she knew that Alice had drawn things on her eyelids, applied lipstick and powder of some sort. It was a good thing, Bella decided, that she couldn't see what Alice was doing. Bella wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.

Then, without saying anything, they threw the outfit into Bella's hand and pushed her once again into the bathroom to change. Until now, Bella didn't have a chance to look at what Alice had picked out for her. It was a dark green, off-the-shoulder shirt that came out to short to cover Bella's entire belly. Her frown grew more prominent when she saw how low the black faded jeans were. And it was so tight that it hugged every non-existent curve. Bella looked into the mirror.

Staring back at her was a strange girl she had never seen before. The girl's eyes were touched with a little bronze, making those dull brown pools looking deeper than ever. Her lips were colored with slight red lipstick. Her hair were combed to sleek almost-perfection, and made into big, loose, flawless curls at the end. That girl didn't look anything like Bella.

She stepped to the squeal of Alice and the praises of Rosalie. She blushed. Plain old Bella was praised by Goddess of Beauty Rosalie. This must be the event of the century.

"Oh My God, Bella!!! You look so beautiful." Alice squealed. "If I were a guy, I'd definitely make out with you." She commented.

Okay? That must be the freakiest thing I ever heard in my life.

"She's right, Bella. You look amazing."

It didn't take a lot of time for the guys to arrive at Bella's house. Apparently, Alice had made plans to meet there. Emmett whistled as he saw Rosalie. Just as Bella predicted, Jasper looked like he was having a heart attack. His face was priceless, making Bella regret not taking the camera that Renee had bought her.

Jacob was silent. He didn't say anything, but his stare made Bella blush furiously. He was looking a Bella with intense black eyes, and with two strides, he came to her side.

"You looked absolutely stunning tonight." He whispered, leaning so close to her that the heat from his body radiated to her. His lips brushed gently against her ears, making her shiver.

They set off in Emmett's Jeep. Emmett and Rosalie were in the front, leaving Alice and Jasper, Jacob and Bella in the back. The seats were a little crowded, so Alice was almost perching on Jasper's lap. She blushed the whole ride, to Bella's shocked amusement, and kept on apologizing to Jasper, because every time there was bum on the road, her body would jump up and then landed directly on Jasper's lap. Jasper looked like it took every ounce of his self-control to keep himself from touching Alice and the dress that she was wearing didn't help. He didn't look like he minded though, Bella thought.

The ride wasn't very peaceful for her either. Though she didn't have to practically sit on Jacob's lap, she still felt very nervous. Not bad nervous. It was the kind of nervousness that gives you butterflies in the stomach. As soon as they got into the Jeep, he put his arm around her shoulders. And then he stared at her, not even trying to be discreet like Edward, and not turning away when she caught his stares. And though it was rather flattering if Bella should say so herself, it was a feeling that she didn't really want to have.

They arrived at the movie theater seven sharp. After a while debating, because Emmett wanted to watch an action pack movie and Rose and Alice preferred the chick-flick, Emmett lost. It wasn't that he didn't have a plausible reason, but when they voted, majority rules. Bella and Jacob couldn't careless, but Bella voted for the chick-flick because one glance from Alice told her that if she didn't, there will be many more shopping trips to come. She wouldn't be bought with money, but the memory of Alice's last shopping trip was still vivid in her mind. And so she was bought by fear. As for Jasper, he just agreed to everything Alice suggested. She could have suggested eating dirt and he would have said that it's a good idea.

So it was Emmett against all of them, and in the end they resolved to watch P.S. I love you

Bella didn't understand why she agreed to the movie in the first place. It wasn't like anyone was watching. Ten minutes into the movie, Rosalie was found in a heavy lip-lock with Emmett. And the worst was that, because there were only the five of them there, sometimes Rosalie would make small noises that shouldn't be made in public. Alice and Jasper looked, not uncomfortable, but flushed. Maybe that's because they knew Rose and Emmett all their lives.

But the case wasn't the same with Jacob and Bella. She was extremely uncomfortable. And the looks he gave her told her that he felt the same way.

"Bella, do you want to go somewhere else?" he leaned over to whisper, and she noticed how warm his breath was against her ear.

"Where?" she was distracted.

"Anywhere." He exasperated. She almost giggled at the desperation in his voice.

"We can't leave. It would be rude to Alice and Jasper. We can't just leave them here to fend for themselves." She whispered back.

"We aren't much help, if you have noticed." He smiled in the dark. Contagiously, she smiled too, and couldn't help it.

"Yes, but at least now they don't have to suffer alone."

"Then why couldn't they just come out and say they like each other, and then start making out." He whined.

"So you see it too?"

"I would be a blind bat if I didn't see it." There it was. Jacob, blunt as ever.

But they didn't have to worry about that for very long, because Alice and Jasper got up and leave right after that. Alice shot her the apologetic look, but the relief and excitement was written all over her face.

"So does that mean we're free to go now?" Jacob leaned over to ask, and again with his breath.

Bella didn't even think. She was so glad when he took her hand and led her out of the theater. Once they were outside, he asked.

"Care for a walk?"

"Sure" she nodded.

So there they were, walking together in the cold of a December night. The wind started to pick up, and Bella found herself tightening the trench coat that Alice has put on her. She could see the fog coming whenever Jacob breaths, and that made her remember the night she had with Edward not three months ago, when Edward tightened his arms around her as she cried. That night was just as cold, yet somehow she felt much warmer then than she was now.

The lights on the street have been up. It was almost Christmas now. Everywhere she went; there were signs for big sales and year-end clearance. It was a beautiful night. There were couples walking around hand in hand. Her hand was still inside Jacob's big fist. Did they look like a couple now?

"What are you thinking?" Jacob asked, his smile brought the calmness to her mind. He was so different from Edward. Recently, she was feeling very uncomfortable whenever Edward was around. She would feel very self-conscious, and the jitters in her stomach just wouldn't stop.

And Tanya' presence just irritated her to no end without any plausible reason at all.

With Jacob it was different. She didn't feel nervous; she could be herself. She felt like spending time with Jacob.

"I'm just thinking about what Jasper and Alice could be doing right now." She lied. She had always been a bad liar. But recently, she had been lying to Edward so much that she was almost expert at it. Every time he asks her to spend the evening with him and Tanya she would have to think of an excuse not to. Practice makes perfect.

"Aw, Bella, I'm offended. You're here with me, hand-in-hand, and all you could think about it Jasper and Alice." He feigned hurt, his eyes filled with humor in one moment. Then it turned serious all of the sudden. "You thought of only Jasper and Alice. Where am I in your heart?" he asked solemnly.

She turned blood red. What was he asking?

He turned his eyes away from her, an action that she was most thankful for. "I just want it to be you and me for now." He sighed, whispering just like Edward always does.

She didn't know what to say. What was he saying?

For a moment, they were silent, with him looking ahead. Then, turning to her with a smile, he said, "I know this place really fun. Wanna go?"

And she just couldn't resist that charming, eager smile.

He led her through town, his hand still wrapped around her. They stopped in front of a go-cart place.

"G-go cart?" she asked as he paid for their ticket. "Jacob, you know I can kill people with that, right?" she pointed out the window where rows and rows of miniature cars were lined up.

"Come on Bella, stop being a wimp for once. It'll be fun." He said, leading her outside. He handed the ticket to the guards, and they lead them to a row of red cars.

Bella looked up at Jacob nervously as he strapped her into the car. "You know where the brake and gas pedal are, right?" he asked.

She nodded her head uncertainly. "Are you sure, Jacob?" she asked again. After seeing him nodding his head, she knew all was lost. She put her helmet on.

At the whistle of the guard, the cars in front of her took off. She pressed a little too hard on the gas pedal, and the cart jerked forward. She let out a tiny scream.

"Come on, Bella. Don't be a coward now." Jacob mocked, honking behind her. Her pride flooded her body. She would show him. She pressed the pedal harder, with new found confidence, and sped off.

Soon, she was enjoying this. The feel of the wind in her face, and rush of the race made her feel alive. She laughed out loud. A car flew past her.

"Come on, you snail. Who are you waiting for?" she heard Jacob's voice teasing. She pressed

harder.

It was more fun than she had had in months.


They were laughing as they stepped out into the cold street. It was almost 1 pm now, and the sky was pitch-black. But the street looked as busy as ever. Jacob took Bella's hand and they walked together on the sidewalk. Bella glanced over. The windows of those shopping stores gave a view of the darkness inside. Some of the stores were still opened, thought mostly fast food places and grocery stores. Jacob squeezed her hand.

She looked up, and saw him staring at her with an unfathomable light in his eyes.

His moods changes as fast as Edward's sometimes.

"What?" she asked, once again feeling self-conscious at the stare.

"Did you have fun today, Bella?" he asked.

"More than I have in centuries." She answered. If only that was all.

He turned her shoulders so she was facing him.

"I like you, Bella." He whispered.

Her face burned. He liked her. Jacob Black liked her. She should be flattered. She didn't know what to say. Should she say she liked him back? Did she like him back?

He took her face in his hands. She said nothing.

"Would you be my girlfriend?" he asked, smiling as he did.

She should say yes. Her mind was screaming for her to say yes. He's Jacob Black. And surely she liked him. Of course she liked him. He could make her laugh. He could make her feel so at ease. She wanted to be his girlfriend. Right?

Then say yes, her mind screamed.

What about Edward?

Yeah, what about Edward? Her mind scoffed.

Would he approve of this? Would he like her choice? Would he be happy with it?

Would he care? Her mind screamed at her. He had Tanya. Beautiful Tanya. What does he care if Jacob was her boyfriend? What does he care if someone was interested in her?

Face it, he doesn't care. Her heart gave a painful tug.

She nodded her head.

Jacob's face pulled into a smile. "Really?" he asked.

She nodded again.

"You would really be my girlfriend?" he asked once more.

She smiled. "Yes, I would be your girl friend." She assured him. And herself.

"Thank you, Bella. Oh wow." He shook his head. Then pulled her into a hug.

He was so warm.

They pulled apart. He lowered his head, looking into her eyes.

Her heart gave another tug and went faster. Just a little bit.

Their lips met in a warm kiss. His lips on hers, moving with hers. He brought his hands down her neck. She pulled closer.

Her first kiss. Her first real kiss.

It's a lost cause.


They went home by a taxi. Jacob had dropped her off and kissed her before he took off.

She glanced at the watch that Alice had brought her. 2 am. Edward would be asleep by now. She felt an incredible urge to tell him about Jacob. Yet, at the same time, she didn't want to face him at all. She didn't want to hear how his date with Tanya went, how perfect Tanya was.

So she opened the door, wishing that he wouldn't be awake.

And the dim light emitted from the lamp next to the sofa startled her.

There he was, sitting on the sofa, looking much like a Greek god than anyone should have the right to.

His eyes gently closed. Even in this limited light, she could still see the moonlight washed over his shiny bronze hair, a strand fell out of the untidy mess and touched his face. His arms folded across his chest.

He's asleep.

Bella wanted to touch his face so badly. She wanted to wake him up, and get him to bed so he wouldn't be sore in the morning. But she didn't want to face him right now.

So she quietly crept up the stairs.

"Why did you come home so late?" a velvety voice rose in the cold silence of the night.

She whipped her head around. He was still sitting in the same position, his eyes still closed. As she surveyed them, they opened slowly.

They looked nothing like the Edward she remembered. His eyes were cold and deadly, piercing right through her soul.

She mentally shivered. He looked like a predator right then and there.

"Uncle Edward, did I wake you up?" she asked, though she knew it wasn't going to be answered.

"Bella, where have you been?" he asked again, his voice strained.

"I have been out with Alice." She said, cringing at the silent austerity in his voice.

"Is that why you're so late?" he asked.

"Yes." She didn't want to give him the exact details of her date.

"Liar." He said, his eyes accusing.

She was so surprised she didn't realize she was angry. He had never said anything like that to her.

"What?" she asked, her voice rose.

"Alice called at 11. She asked if you were home yet. You weren't with her." he stated. Her heart gave a tug. Stupid Alice. "Do you know how worried I had been?" his voice held a silent thunder.

"Sorry Uncle Edward." She said quietly, wanting this conversation to end.

"Sorry? Sorry? That's all you could say?" his voice rose as he stood up.

"What else do you want me to say?" Hot anger pulsed through her.

"Who were you with?" he asked, changing the subject.

"It doesn't matter." She refused to answer, staring into his narrowed eyes. All traces of gentleness gone.

"Answer me!!" His voice was dangerous. She had never seen Edward like this.

"Jacob Black. I have been out with Jacob Black." She held her head high.

His expressions changed from anger to shock. Then it was mocking.

"So, you're wandering out on the street in the middle of the night, dressing like that, with a stranger, like some hooker." He sneered, the venom in his voice dripping. "What would Renee think?"

She was so close to tears. That's the thing with Bella. She tends to cry when she's angry.

"Don't involve Renee into this. It is you who have a problem, Edward." She glowered back.

"I don't have a problem with you. I don't care." He said simply, not taking his eyes away from her. Not even blinking.

She could feel the tears almost spilling over. She didn't want to cry. But he didn't care, and that hurt.

She didn't say anything. She just turned her back and walk upstairs.

Halfway through the stairs, she turned to face the Edward still standing there. With a painful sneer that mirrored his, she said. "Just so you know, Jacob Black is not a stranger. I am dating him."

And with that, she walked defiantly upstairs. Not catching the pained look in Edward's eyes.

She closed the door behind her and collapse on the floor. She should be happy. Jacob Black has asked her to be his girlfriend. She had had her first kiss. She should be happy.

Tears that were held up now spilled relentlessly.


So, I know you guys hate me right now, and probably wouldn't want to read the story anymore. But wait and you'll see.

Next chapter will be in Edward's head.

-Stormy Bella.