"Well, this summer's been good from the start, and it looks like we never shall part
Where are we going? I don't know
How do we get there? So and so" Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
2006 Prisses and Playboys
"It's all about confidence," Rose says adjusting her shades.
"Pretty easy to talk about confidence when you're built like a pin-up girl," I huff and toss my magazine to the end of my towel.
Summer has graced us with its presence and it's so very welcome. We're showing our appreciation by sun worshiping at 1st Beach. We've been scoping boys in board shorts, working on our tans, and sipping margarita from Rose's red cooler all day. Rose is treating her learners permit like it's a real license and we've booked it to the beach pretty much every day this week. My skin is started to brown quite nicely. Like Bradley said it's "summertime and the livin's easy". Our conversation turned into a dissection of how to flirt when I made us take a quiz in my magazine. When it comes to flirting I'm apparently a "shy Sally" and Rose is a "bombshell Betty". Stupid quiz. Who even talks like that?
"Please, Bella, I wish I was as skinny as you. You eat pizza like three days a week and don't gain an ounce. I look at carbs and my ass doubles in size. Besides, it's like I said, it's not about looks. It's confidence. It's not giving a fuck and saying exactly what you think. Guys dig that," my friend says.
I sigh.
"Problem is I open my mouth and crazy falls out. Or stupid," I say. It's true. Anytime I try to flirt with a guy I get tongue tied and silly. Except when I'm stoned or buzzed. But then I'm not really worried about flirting.
"What exactly are you thinking about when you're talking?" Rose asks.
"Usually I'm worried I have something on my face. Or I'm wondering if the last thing I said was stupid. And usually it was because it was about some book or movie or song he's never freaking heard of. It's like I live on another planet," I reply.
"You do live on another planet. I've been telling you that for years," she laughs.
"Bitch," I say sticking my tongue out at her.
"But there's got to be some guy who's from crazy planet Babydoll too. I mean you and Jake had plenty in common."
"We did," I agree. "At least I thought we did. You see how that ended up."
"Ok, bad example," she recants. "But there's plenty of guys out there. Guys who read and spend hours making perfect playlists and watch weird ass movies. And we have all summer to find them."
I like to think she's right. There are plenty of boys out there. And we really do have all summer to find one for me. My dad has been stupid swamped at work lately. There's been a rash of cars boosted in the city and it's starting to trickle down to our little town. It's crazy because nothing like this has ever really happened here before. I hate to benefit from other's misfortune but those missing cars mean that I get to spend most of my time over at Rose's. And some at Allie's too. Not as much at the latter though. Dad's still not that keen on me staying the night in a house where teen-aged boys are right down the hall. I've told him a million times that he has nothing to worry about but worrying is just what dads do.
God knows he should really be worried about me being at Rose's. Her mom has turned into a total train wreck lately. Her dad finally left and it's like her mom is just done. Done with worrying about appearances, done with monitoring what the teen-aged girls under her roof are getting into, done with everything. She's just riding out alimony checks laying around the house in lounge wear drinking more wine than can possibly be healthy. Rose seems to be taking the whole split up and resulting train wreck pretty well. She misses her dad a lot but the trade off is doing whatever the hell she wants. It works out for her. Plus she has Allie and me to talk to and lean on when things get to be too much.
And of course I've always got some herbal remedy at the ready if we need it. I won't say that I'm turning into a pot head but I will say I spend a fair amount of time hanging with Irina and the guys at the Rec. And I have my very own pink sparkle cig case that has three expertly rolled joints in it at pretty much all times. At first Allie was all telling me how that has to be bad for me and reminding me how crazy my dad would go if I got busted. She changed that worry-wart tune as soon as she smoked for the first time. Rose never even batted an eye. I get the idea she probably smoked before I ever even thought about it. And I do worry. Not about health risks. I mean they use it for medicine. I worry about getting busted and my dad being disappointed. But then he can't really be that disappointed because I've seen the pictured of him and my mom from back in the 70s. He can say whatever he wants but I know what those silly cheesy grins are all about.
I'd rather smoke than drink. I can smoke all I want and there's no hangover but one too many drinks and the next day my head is pounding like there's a riot inside my skull. It seems like I'm the only who gets them though. Em and Allie both seem to have some sort of drinking super power. They can both pound drinks no problem. It's kind of expected since Em is the size of a house but watching Allie drink is cause for awe. Rose combats the dreaded hangover by liberating a little help from her mom's medicine cabinet. Can't get a hangover if you're Xanax calm. Edward and Japer are the only two in our group who don't really indulge. Jasper likes to stay straight so he can watch out for Alice. She's told him a hundred times she can take care of herself but he never listens. I don't know what Edward's deal is. He'll have the occasional drink or toke but I've never seen him trashed. He's in complete sober control at all times. I kind of wonder what he would be like all messed up.
Our dialogue about the art of flirting comes to a halt when we both look up at the familiar sound of a shutter snapping. Allie looks adorable in her fringe bikini top and super short cutoffs. I smile happily at my friend but it fades when I see who's trailing behind her.
Victoria Smith. Edward's girlfriend.
"Great," I hear Rose mutter. "This bitch."
This bitch, indeed. Victoria is the worst kind of bitch. Not an in your face, fuck everybody bitch like Rose. Victoria is the fooling all the adults into thinking she's princess perfect kind of bitch. She's the kind of bitch with family money that makes her untouchable and she uses it to her advantage every chance she gets. She's the kind of bitch that will smile sweetly in front of teachers and parents and then cut you to shreds with her blade-sharp tongue when they turn away. I once saw her reduce Jess to tears just for accidentally stepping on her shoe. Rose may be the meanest mean girl around Forks high but Victoria is a close second.
And her look is amazing. I mean, she's so beautiful it hurts to look at her. She has this frail perfection about her. Like she's china doll delicate. She's almost as short as Alice and her red-blonde hair is halfway down her back. And it's always, always perfect. Never a strand out of place. It's like her hair doesn't even dare defy her. Her eyes are icy blue. Every time that icy stare falls on me I feel like judgment has been passed and I've been deemed completely lacking.
Seeing the mostly reformed bad boy and the princess together for the first time was a bit of a shocker. The two of them together was pretty much the last thing I expected to see that night. We'd just finished a joint on Rose's deck when Em came through with his usual calamity.
"Joint sub-committee on the 50 yard line!" He spouted off as wood clapped against wood when he flung the gate open.
Rose, Allie, and I all dissolved into giggles. Mine tapered off the quickest when I saw Edward following behind his brother with his pretty princess' hand in his. It was just a lazy Friday night with no party on the horizon and there she was in a prissy floral dress and cork wedges. She looked impossibly girly and pretty. I felt myself begin to fidget with the knotted tail of my dad's ancient Johnny Cash t-Shirt. My ripped skinnies and Vans that felt so comfy and perfect just moments earlier suddenly felt so raggedy. Since the night Edward came to my defense things between us were pretty weird. Sometimes I'd catch him looking hard at me like he was trying to figure something out. Those looks always made me feel transparent like he could see the thoughts in my head and how being under his microscope made the butterflies fly no matter how straight a face I held.
"What the fuck?" Rose asked with a wrinkled nose.
"Rosie, you know Victoria," Em said gesturing to the two behind him. His encouraging tone told us all we needed to know.
Be nice, be calm, be friends. Rosie schooled her expression into one of sugar sweetness.
"Sure, from the Girl Scout fundraiser last weekend. We raised so much money for those sweet little orphans," she gasped breathlessly.
Allie and I burst into laughter again while Rose stared at Em with wide-eyed innocence. I could tell it was hard for him not to laugh but he did manage to give her a disapproving headshake. Even Edward had to chuckle. But not miss Ice Princess. She merely stared at us blankly and cuddled close to Edward's side.
"Don't mind the bitch-squad," he assured his girl. "That's just what they do."
"So what's up tonight?" Em asked, diffusing the situation.
The three of them piled onto the deck with us and we proceeded to discuss the merits of doing something versus not doing a damn thing. I only half-ass listened. I couldn't keep from staring at the interloper. She sat right next to Edward with her head delicately on his shoulder and her fingers wrapped around his bicep. Her fingernails were perfect pink and manicured. It looked like she was digging them in just a little. As the plan of just bullshitting, hanging out right where we were materialized I watched her tilt her face up to look at him. Ice blues blinked softly and full pink bottom lip pouted. Mr. Answered to Noone nodded.
"We'll probably cut out if nothing's going on," Edward remarked.
All wrapped up by a pretty princess. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped and I had to look away quickly to avoid curious glances. Allie only made it worse by making a whip snapping noise under her breath. Of course my same wavelength bestie would see exactly what I was seeing.
"You two have smoked yourself retarded," Rose told us shaking her head, which on brought on a fresh round of giggles.
Our laugh fest broke up when Mrs. Hale's half lit voice called my name out from the living room to let me know my dad was on the phone checking in. After another stellar I'm not stoned performance I headed through the kitchen to grab a drink. Much to my surprise Edward managed to unleash himself and was in the fridge getting his own drink. My mouth chose to run independently of my brain.
"Why are you with her?" I asked looking over the refrigerator door. In my head and out of my mouth, thank you Mary Jane.
Smooth as ever, he answered immediately without even sparing me a look.
"Why do you care?" he returned.
In my head I told him because she's bitchy and she's not going to make you laugh. I told him she's never going to fit in with us and she's going to pull you away every chance she gets. I told him I don't want to have to miss you again when you're so wrapped up in her that I don't get to see you. But I didn't say any of those things. I said nothing. As I stood there silent he finally turned to look at me. As always his full attention made my world spin and whirl. I shrugged. He smirked.
"You really wanna know sweet Babydoll?" he asked. That smile was wickedly delicious. My own smile stretched up to answer it. I shrugged again but he knew I meant yes. He motioned for me to lean in close. His breath on my ear when he whispered gave me chills. "She lets me put it anywhere."
"Oh my God!" I gasped, backing up as if his dirty words burned. And I was giggling again. His impish grin and sparkling eyes were just too much. He was too much.
Now I can't look at miss Perfect in her ladylike, floppy beach hat without thinking I know what you're really like. I know why he's with you. I grin cheekily.
"Hi, Victoria," I say. Rose looks at me like I've lost my freaking mind.
"I see we're playing nice," she sighs and rolls over on her stomach. Ignoring someone she doesn't like is Rose's version of playing nice.
Instead of returning my salutation Victoria just gives me a tight little smile as she settles carefully on her towel. She doesn't want to be there. She doesn't want to hang out with us. I know why he's with her but I still don't get why she's with him. Before I can even consider trying to figure it out I feel ice cold water against my sun warmed shoulders. Two grinning, laughing Cullen boys are assaulting us with water guns.
"Mother fucker!" Rose yells laughing, stumbling to her feet. She's been super soaker assaulted too. She rushes Em who shoots her the whole time. I turn my attention to the younger Cullen boy.
"Wanna get wet?" he asks me with that dirty boy grin.
Summer sun and sweet Margarita make me fearless and feisty.
"You can try," I tell him with my very own smirk. I run at him.
He doesn't even use the gun. He tosses it to the sand and instead snatches me up and throws me over his shoulder. I squeal and wiggle and try to get away…but not really. Nearby Em is following Edward's lead and has Rose over his shoulder. The stream of profanity that flies out of her mouth would make soldiers blush. Allie is laughing behind her clicking camera and Victoria is watching the whole display with the faintest look of disgust on her face. I don't have time to puzzle over why I'm the one in his arms instead of her before were crashing into the salty water.
A/N: Love to everyone reading/reviewing favoriting/alerting. Y'all make my heart pound like Edward just invaded my personal space.
Chapter Songs: Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John
Holiday From the Real – Jack's Mannequin