A/N: Hey y'all! I'm so so so so so sorry about not updating in forever. I have excuses, I'm sure, but I'm also sure that none of you really care and just want to get on with the story! I've recently acquired a new beta: ellseigh! She's totally amazing and is going to keep me on track from now on. Check in at the bottom for a longer A/N!
Chapter 8
BPOV
"Aren't we a little old for that?" Jacob chuckled nervously as he observed the group of vampires seated around the living area. He was right – most of us were pretty old (in Carlisle's case, especially).
"You're never too old for Truth or Dare!" Alice grabbed his arm. "You know you have no choice," she smiled up at him, showing more teeth than was absolutely necessary.
Jake glanced down at Renesmee. "I don't see a problem, Jake," she smirked, then yawned. "But I'm exhausted…I'm gonna sit this one out. Besides, Truth or Dare with Mom and Dad? I'll pass."
I think she was right – her father and I probably wouldn't be setting the best example during this game. "Alright, sweetie," I said. "Give us a minute, Alice." I grabbed Edward's hand and we followed our daughter up the stairs.
"I'm just going to take a shower and then a nap, okay, guys?" Renesmee said as she began to shed some of her layers of clothes. "Today was great, but I'm worn out!"
"Whatever you want, sweetheart," Edward smiled. "We're really proud of how well you're doing!"
"I know, right? Me and Jake should be out there with you guys any day now," she beamed. "But right now you should get back down there and have some fun. You worry about me too much," she looked pointedly at me.
"Not us..." I chuckled, elbowing Edward in the ribs. "Get some rest, dear. Come get us if you need anything!"
Edward and I made our way back downstairs. Was a game of Truth or Dare really mature enough for a group of eight vampires and a werewolf? Surely there were other things we grown-ups could be doing…but we had forever and tonight we wanted to act silly. At least most of us…
"What exactly do you have in mind, here, pixie?" Jake looked uncomfortable wedged in between Alice and Jasper on the loveseat. It was easy to guess why – Jasper's waves of discomfort were overwhelming a ten-foot radius. A quick look from Edward stopped them, however, and everyone but Jake seemed to calm down.
"I don't know why you always suspect me, Jacob!" Alice put on her best hurt expression. "I know you're going to enjoy yourself. I can see it!...Well, indirectly, anyway."
"Alright, alright. Let's get this thing started, then," Jake settled back into the cushions and arranged his features into an almost-believable "I'm-ready-for-whatever-goes-down" expression.
Edward chuckled quietly at my side and led me over to the sitting area. "Well, Alice?" he looked pointedly at her to begin.
"Excellent! Emmett You first. Truth or dare?" Alice grinned at him. Emmett wasted no time in giving his answer – though we all knew what it would be.
"Dare!" he bellowed. Rose rolled her eyes and tucked a blue strand of hair behind her ear.
Alice thought for a second. "Alright, then. Tomorrow, you'll make your first ski run in a hula skirt and coconut bra." Emmett opened his mouth to protest, but Alice cut him off. "And don't start with the 'Humans would get suspicious' business. There will be excellent cloud cover tomorrow, and I've seen crazy humans pull stunts like that all the time on YouTube."
With his objection foiled, Emmett had to suck it up. "That's not so bad," he laughed uncomfortably. He looked around for his victim. "Now it's my turn! Jasper, my man! What'll it be?"
Jasper looked a little shocked to be chosen so quickly in the game, but overcame his surprise and chose. "Dare."
"Sweet! Remember that t-shirt I have with Abe Lincoln's face on it?" Emmett settled back into his seat, a huge smirk on his face. Jasper cussed under his breath. "Next time we're in public," Emmett concluded.
I relaxed now, knowing Jasper wouldn't pick me. If Emmett hadn't, the odds of me being picked in the near future were slim. Suddenly, Edward tensed at my side.
"Bella! Truth or dare?" Jasper smiled knowingly at me. I shot him a look of disbelief. We were on the same side! Revenge for our earlier pranks maybe?
"Truth." There was no way I was being dared tonight. Not with this crowd.
"Okay," Jasper thought for a second. "Most embarrassing injury." A stifled chuckle rose from the entire group. I had to pick just one? My entire life was an embarrassing injury...
"Umm…" I struggled for a few seconds and Edward tucked a lock of hair behind my ear reassuringly.
"And we know you can't blush anymore, but no lies!" Emmett was bouncing in his seat. "Jazz will know!" Jasper nodded.
"But there's so many to pick from!" sighed, earning a guffaw from Emmett.
"I'll limit it a little, then," Jasper piped up. "We know pretty much everything that's happened since we met you, so give us one from before then."
I stiffened. Even Edward didn't know all of the humiliating things that had happened before he came into my life! He rubbed my shoulders soothingly.
"Alright, alright. Let's see…it was a Saturday morning, and I woke up around six, like I usually did on weekdays. I got up to go to the bathroom, but I forgot that the bathroom door was closed. I was still half-asleep, and I tripped right in front of the door and ran straight into it. All I remember is waking up on the floor a few minutes later with a huge throbbing in my nose," I paused to let out a deep sigh, and noted that Emmett was holding his sides together to keep the laughter from escaping. "When I went into the kitchen, Renee asked if I dropped something heavy earlier that morning because she heard a really loud noise. Then she got a good look at my face and freaked out…I broke my nose. I had to go to school for almost a month with a screwed up face, and I had to tell everyone that I broke my nose because I ran into a door. That's all."
I covered my face in Edward's chest, and felt as he tried to stifle a chuckle.
He failed miserably.
And no one else even tried to hide their guffaws. Emmett's were loudest, of course, but I didn't think I'd ever heard Rosalie laugh that hard. After everything they knew about me and my self-destructive tendencies, you'd think this wouldn't be as hilarious!
Apparently not.
Even Jacob was rolling around on the floor. "Really, Bells?" he spit out between bursts of laughter. "You couldn't see the door that was right in front of you?"
I just sat and waited for the storm of hilarity to roll over. It did, slowly, and I tried my hardest to compose my face into a mask of indifference.
"Well, I guess now it's my turn," I tried to redirect the activities. I was ready for revenge now. "Jacob. Truth or dare?"
I made contact with Alice as the corner of her mouth drew up in a small smirk. She nodded imperceptibly to let me know that the plan was on the right track. Jake squirmed uncomfortably in his seat as Jasper stared him down, no doubt intimidating him into making the right choice.
"D-d-dare!" he proclaimed, his voice shaking just the slightest bit. Jasper might have overdone the intimidation…
"Excellent!" I smiled. "Now, let me see…" I put my finger to my chin as I pretended to ponder his fate. I made contact with each golden pair of eyes, and finally settled on Alice's. "Alice? Do you by chance have those props you told me about from Halloween a few years ago?"
Each Cullen turned to look at Alice, a few cracking a smile, and others (Emmett…) with looks of confusion on their faces.
"Of course, Bella! I'll get them right away." Alice took off for the stairs.
Jake turned to look at me, his expression uneasy. "What…?"
I took the opportunity to explain to everyone what was about to happen. "Apparently, Alice felt like thoroughly enjoying Halloween a couple years ago. Let's just say she...wanted her and Jazz to...be themselves."
As I finished talking, Alice reappeared at the top of the bottom of the stairs, arms full of black and red fabric and a small duffle bag.
"I know it was cliché," she rolled her eyes. "But it was all on sale, and the irony was just too much! I never even wound up using everything…" she pouted. "For its intended purpose, anyway…" she looked pointedly at Jasper. He looked down, and Edward shifted uncomfortably.
"Alice, please," he begged, looking at her in annoyance. I didn't want to see the images flashing through his head right now.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Alright, already. What is that stuff?" Jacob leaned toward Alice, trying to get a better look.
"Why don't you go find out, Jake? We'll be waiting out here," I pointed to the bathroom, signaling that he was to go put on the items. "We need to hurry, anyway. I don't want to be out all night."
"Out all night?" Jake grabbed everything out of Alice's hands. "We're going somewhere?"
I shot a glance at Edward, who was trying to hide a smirk.
"Yeah, Jake. That's part of your dare," my tone of voice implied that he should have known that already.
"Why can't you just tell me what it is?" Jake was getting antsy.
"Will you just put the things on, Jacob, so we can go? You're wasting time." I was enjoying this. "Alice? Will you go assist Jake, please?"
Jake stomped off to the bathroom, followed by Alice, who was practically prancing with delight, and the room erupted in whispers.
"We're going out, Bella?"
"Where?"
"What's the dare?"
"Is Jake gonna be in drag?"
I tried to answer all the questions. "Yes, we're going out. To the first bar we find. I'll explain when he gets back. And, no, Emmett, Jacob will not be dressed as a woman."
We waited with mounting excitement for Jake to reenter the room. When he did, there was silence first, then sideways glances, then outright laughter.
When we were deciding what to do for Jacob's prank, we knew it had to be good. But Jake didn't get embarrassed easily, and it was almost unfair to mess with him while he was sleeping. We determined that whatever we did, Jake needed to be conscious, and we had to take advantage of the fact that he was the only werewolf on this trip.
So that's why Jake now stood in front of us with the biggest pout I had ever seen on his face.
Wearing a black cape and plastic vampire fangs.
Alice had done his makeup so that he was almost as pale as the rest of us, with dark circles under his eyes and blood red lips, complete with fake blood dripping from the sides of his mouth. The fangs poked out over his bottom lip as he pouted, and the eyeliner was absolutely perfect.
"Really, Bells?" he glared at me. "I'm going out in public like this?"
After his momentary shock passed, Emmett began guffawing at the top of his lungs, and the rest of the family was quick to join in.
It was hard for me to cover my own peals of laughter, but I managed it for Jake's sake. Edward didn't try as hard, of course.
Jake crossed his arms and continued to pout, waiting for the initial hilarity of the situation to pass.
It took a few moments, but everyone soon quieted down and turned to me for further direction.
"Now that you're dressed, Jacob, it's time finish your dare," I announced. "Is everyone else ready to go out?"
I was greeted with seven nodding heads, so I turned on my heel and started for the door. After a momentary pause, everyone began to follow me.
We all loaded up in the cars, half of us in the Volvo and half in the jeep. Jake was the last to pile in, seeing as how he had drug his feet all the way from the living room, still sullen. His brooding expression added to his vampire facade.
Edward drove down the mountain and to the tiny village at the center of the resort.
After the cars were parked, we all unloaded and walked to the front of the bar, assembling in a huddle under the awning.
"Here's the deal, Jake," I looked over at him as he tried to worm his way to the middle of the group so he wouldn't be seen. "You must remain in character for as long as we're here. I'm talking accent, mannerisms, the way you walk, everything. Got it?"
Jake nodded his head slowly, as though the action caused him actual pain. The group started to head inside, but I stopped them.
"Oh, and one more thing, Jake," I added, earning a dirty look from my best friend. "When we walk in, you must announce your entrance. Play it up, bud, or it won't count. We'll go in first so we can properly judge."
With a few snickers from my family, I grabbed Edward's hand and pulled him through the double doors, the rest of the group following.
The bar was pretty full, but not overcrowded. Just right for tonight. We settled ourselves at a large table in the middle of everything so we could watch everything go down.
We were not disappointed. Jake must have mustered some courage alone outside, because his entrance was perfect. Leave it to Jake to go all out.
The double doors flew open with a bang, leaving visible indentions on the walls.
A/N #2: Hello again! I'd like to apologize again for the terribly awful delay in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it – I know it's not my best, but I'm working on it. Honestly, my mind has been on my next story for ages…but I felt like I was cheating on this one with the new one, so I settled by not doing anything at all. Don't tell me…I'm a terrible person. I hope you think my next story is amazing, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
I have the rest of this story outlined in my head; I'm just working out the details. I love to incorporate suggestions, so feel free to REVIEW! That's the only way I know people are still reading this story. If you've made it this far with me, you're one of the faithful few! Thank you so much for reading, y'all. Keep checking for updates or add this to your Story Alerts! Bye y'all
