One day late…don't kill me. It's out, after all!!! By the way, this has got to be my favorite chapter to date. It was hilarious writing it, and I hope it's equally hilarious to read.
Music: Paralyzer (Finger Eleven) Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna) Dance Floor Anthem/I don't wanna be in love (Good Charlotte) Just Dance (Lady Gaga) Evacuate the Dancefloor (Cascada)
The wheels on Leah's rental Maserati screeched as she pulled into the New Moon parking lot. She cackled wildly for Rose's and my benefit.
Rose sighed heavily. "God, Leah. You almost gave me a heart attack."
I looked at Leah. She'd pretty much transformed her looks for the night out so that no one would be able to tell she was actually Leah Clearwater of Breaking Dawn. Ren had changed her look too, hiding her famous auburn locks under a beret (which really didn't match her outfit) and wearing sunglasses. I still thought she looked pretty Ren-ish, but maybe that's because I'd been around her a lot in the past two months.
"Shall we?" Leah asked. She pulled open the door and ran around to mine, pulling it open with a bow.
I laughed. "Aren't we the ones that should be doing that for you?"
"Ah, but I'm the driver," Leah said wisely. "Now, come on."
Emily pulled up alongside us and she, Ren, and Alice got out.
Alice hopped out. "Come on!" she exclaimed. "This place is awesome. Bella and I have been here a few times, you know, for parties and stuff. It's, like, the best nightclub in Arizona!"
I began to drift towards the end of the long line, but Rose grabbed my wrist and tugged me forward.
"Where are you going?" I asked. "The end of the line is that way."
"But we aren't going to the end of the line," Rose said. "I work here."
We gaped at her.
Rose flipped her hair. "Is it really that surprising?"
"I guess not," Emily said.
Rose waved to the bouncer, a burly Samoan. "Hey, Shaun. Having a good night?"
"Definitely." Shaun smiled. "It's pretty crowded in there. Lots of pretty girls, if you ask me. Go right on in, guys. Say hi to Jasper for me, Rose, won't ya?"
"Sure," Rose grinned. "Have a good night."
"You too, Rose and company." Shaun smiled.
"Nice to meet you," Leah said.
I blinked. Did Leah actually say that?
"You too, um…" Shaun trailed off.
"Alex," Leah supplied. It was her alter ego.
"Nice to meet you, Alex." Shaun stuck out his hand, and he and Leah shook. "Have a great night, ladies."
"You too," Leah replied before following me into the nightclub.
As soon as we passed through the doors, I resisted the urge to throw my hands over my ears. "Do they have to play the music so freaking loud?"
"Oh, come on!" Alice rolled her eyes. "This is a nightclub, not a middle school dance, Bella! The music isn't exactly going to be soft and comforting, is it?"
Without waiting for an answer, she ran off to find a table big enough for the six of us with Ren and Rose in tow.
I was about to go find somewhere to get drinks, until I realized that would leave Leah and Emily together. Not exactly a good idea.
"Uh, Leah, want to go get drinks? Emily, you could go find the others and, uh, get food or something?"
"Okay," Emily agreed. I silently thanked her for not calling my bluff on the fact that new Moon didn't serve food, only drinks.
Leah and I found the bar pretty easily. Since we were all under drinking age besides Leah and Emily, we ordered Cokes for everyone. We got Emily a beer, since she'd volunteered to be the designated driver. Leah ordered a cocktail that was supposed to be world famous—or at least, Arizona-famous. Emily'd apparently sent Ren over to help carry drinks, so we made our way to the table that Alice had picked, on the balcony-type second floor. It wrapped around the edge of the walls, with railings at the edge so you could look down into the crowd. Looking down now, I saw a mass of moving bodies all swaying in synchronization to the song playing. It made me a little seasick, watching the people move like that.
"Drinks!" Ren called cheerily, plopping down the glass and bottle she was carrying. She slid the Budweiser to Emily and kept the soft drink for herself.
"Nice seats," Leah commented. "They have good music here."
I had to disagree. The song playing currently was definitely in the metal category. I didn't know Leah was a metal type of person. Then again, I bet her fangirls knew more about her than I did.
"Let's go dance!" Alice exclaimed.
"Somebody needs to stay here and keep an eye on our stuff," Rose reminded her.
"I'll stay," Emily and Leah said at the same time.
"Or I'll watch you guys," Emily said.
I opened my mouth to protest. I was going to volunteer to stay. But before I could get a word out, I felt myself being dragged away from the table and towards the stairs by none other than the hyper pixie herself.
I sighed. "Alice, must you really drag me everywhere?"
"Yes, I must," Alice said. "Otherwise you'd never go anywhere." She did release my wrist, though. "And I want you to dance, Bells. Not just watch like Emily."
Like I had any choice. I was already on the dance floor, and the mass was enveloping me into its midst. A new song began playing, one that I'd heard before on the radio. It was upbeat and happy, and most definitely catchy. I found myself shouting out the chorus with the rest of the crowd, and swinging my hips and waving my arms like many people were doing. Next to me, Ren and Alice were full out pop-lock-and-dropping it, attracting stares from men and on my other side, Rose swayed her hips in a way that would have been innocent if anyone but Rose was doing it. Tongues were practically hanging out of the guys' mouths as they openly ogled her. People began to close tighter around us, pressing us into them and each other, and it was becoming slightly uncomfortable for me. It wasn't until a pair of men actually came up and started dancing with me and Rose without asking that I went into a full-out panic attack. Scratch that—they were dancing on us. The pimply Asian all over Rose was rubbing up on her from the back, and the gangly guy with a buzz cut and a really big nose was slowly herding me towards the doors as he danced. Meanwhile the other two friends had actually lifted Alice and Ren up and were shoving insistently through the crowd.
A cool voice spoke from behind me. A voice I knew.
"I'd appreciate it if you could put my girlfriend down," Jasper growled menacingly, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
The man holding Alice set her down and backed away. "Hey, sorry. Didn't know she was taken." He and his friends, still with us, continued towards the door.
"And her," another familiar voice said. "You might want to back away, because she's taken, too." Edward stared at the man holding Rosalie. Rose's jaw dropped and her eyes lit up.
"Mine too." Emmett stepped beside Edward.
The Asian and his friend set down Rose and Ren. They held up their hands. "Fine. We'll be going," The man with the big nose, who was still holding me, said. He turned to leave.
"Oh, you aren't going yet," Edward said. "She's with us too." He pointed to me.
Big Nose turned back around slowly. "Oh, really?"
Edward stood his ground. "Oh, really."
"Who's she with?" Big Nose asked.
"Her boyfriend couldn't make it."
Big Nose stared at him. "You know, I think you're lying. I'll keep this one."
"Oh, no you won't." Edward stepped forward, fists raised. Big Nose's friends moved in front of him, looking violent.
Then three things happened at once: Rosalie screamed, Edward tried to punch the guy holing me, and I bit his hand and stepped on his foot. He dropped me and moved aside, but Edward's incoming punch then had nowhere to go except straight into the side of my head.
And then everything was black.
EPOV
I stared morosely across the dance floor. Beside me, Emmett was pumping Jasper for information on Rosalie. I guess I technically should be mad, seeing as Rose was sort of my girlfriend, but right now I really couldn't care less. Honestly, for once in my life, I didn't want to think about girls. I finally find the one I know is the one, and of course she's the only one I can't have. I wasn't surprised, I guess. I mean, I couldn't be the only one who'd felt the instant attraction to Bella. She was pretty, and funny, and smart, and a great actress…
I watched a blonde with her back to me wiggle her hips to the music. There was something oddly familiar about the slim hourglass figure, the graceful legs and arms. She turned, and with a shock I realized it was Rosalie.
And dancing next to her was Bella.
I watched them dance side by side. The girl I loved, and the girl I dated. The supermodel, and the girl next door. The outgoing, funny and loving blonde, and the shy, quiet, kind brunette.
It was painfully obvious I would always prefer Bella.
I sighed. "I don't want to be in love," I whispered.
"What?" Jasper asked.
"I don't want to be in love," I repeated.
"What do you mean?" Emmett questioned.
I gestured across the floor to Rosalie and Bella. "I love her. And I shouldn't."
"Who? Rosalie? I mean,. Bro, I like her too, but I'll probably never be able to tell her, so I mean, no hard feel—"
"No," I said. "I love Bella."
Jasper and Emmett gawked at me.
"Dude, she's engaged!" Jasper said.
"To Jacob Black!" Emmett added. "As in, the six-foot-four star guard for the Phoenix Suns!"
"I know that," I said. "And that's why I shouldn't love her. And that's why I think I'm going to have to tell Rose that I like her as a friend. Maybe you could try catching her on the rebound, Em."
"Hey! This is my sister we're talking about!" Jasper said. "Do you know how much she likes you, Edward? Do you know what it'd do to her if you told her that?"
"I don't what to hurt her, Jazz. I really don't. But when I'm with Rose, I just can't keep my mind on her. It always goes back to Bella."
"Hey, dude, what's happening to them?" Emmett asked.
"What do you mean?" Jasper asked, looking across the dance floor. I looked too. Two men were pushing Rose and Bella towards the doors, hands over the girls' mouths.
Jasper stormed off towards the girls without a word. Emmett and I followed quickly.
"Jazz?" Emmett called.
"They've got Alice," Jasper growled. And indeed, Alice and Ren were next to Rose and Bella. They were being carried of the dance floor.
Jasper reached the four guys. "I'd appreciate it if you'd put my girlfriend down," he said to the man with Alice.
The guy turned and set Alice on the floor. "Hey, sorry. Didn't know she was taken," he claimed.
"And her. You might want to back away, because she's taken, too." I looked at Rose. She let out an audible gasp. I wonder why? Oh, of course. I called her taken. It was an accident, but I don't know if I'd have the heart to tell her that.
"Mine too." Emmett spoke from my right side, arms folded over his chest.
"Fine. We'll be going," the man with Bella said as Rose and Ren scuttled behind us.
"Oh, you aren't going yet," I said. "She's with us too."
The man turned. "Oh really?"
"Oh really," I replied.
"Who's she with?"
"Her boyfriend couldn't make it." It was true. Jacob just was never invited.
"You know, I think you're lying. I'll keep this one."
Oh, no you didn't. "Oh, no you won't." I curled my hands into fists. I didn't want to make a scene, but if I had to fight the guy for Bella, then I would. The three other guys raised their fists too.
Rosalie screamed as I swung my fist at the man's head. But for some reason, he wasn't there. My fist slammed into the side of Bella's head, effectively knocking her out.
"Oh God," I said.
One of the men looked at the guy who had had Bella. "Let's get out of here," he suggested.
"Yeah," another agreed. And just like that, all four disappeared into the crowd.
I stooped to pick up the now-unconscious Bella.
"Dude, you knocked her out," Emmett said in awe.
"Emmett!" Ren frowned at him.
"Let's get her upstairs. They have couches there," Rose said. "Are you sure you can carry her, Edward?"
"I'll be fine," I replied. I maneuvered my way carefully off the dance floor, people parting around me. They probably thought Bella passed out from drunkenness or exertion.
I carried her upstairs and set her on a couch by the girls' table. Leah stared. "Where'd you come from? And what happened to Bella?"
"Long story," I said.
"Oh, look! She's waking up!" Alice exclaimed.
Bella groaned, and then her chocolate-brown eyes flickered open.
BPOV
Oh my God. That is one hell of a headache.
I blinked, and quickly shut my eyes again. The bright lights made me dizzy. The force of the punch, plus the loud music, was making my head pound.
"Oh look! She's waking up!" someone said. Alice. I groaned at her overly perky voice. I blinked again, and then opened my eyes. Everything swam. I was staring at something bright and round…the sun? No, the sun isn't green…
"Bella?" Edward asked. The green sun separated into his eyes, full of concern, and then I could make out the rest of his face.
"It hurts," I groaned. I put a hand on the side of my head.
"Get her something to drink," someone said. Footsteps, and the tinkle of ice on glass. I felt a straw being stuck in my mouth.
"No, that's Leah's! Get the Coke," the same person said. I took an experimental sip of whatever it was in the glass beneath the straw, and almost blacked out again. Wow, that is some strong stuff.
I drank some more.
"Don't drink too much of that," Edward said. But I didn't listen. I drained the glass and stood up, becoming dizzy instantaneously and sitting back down with a thump. My head was swirling, my vision was blurry, I was dizzy.
I felt great.
"Let's dance," I told Edward.
Edward stared at me. "What?"
"Let's dance, Eddie," I said.
"Eddie?"
I giggled.
"I think I'm drunk," I told him.
"I think so, too," Edward said.
"She has a really low tolerance for alcohol. Even lower than caffeine," Alice warned. "One glass of strong stuff can total her for a whole night."
"What was that stuff, Leah?" Rosalie asked.
"Uh…I don't know exactly. All I know is that it had a lot of vodka," Leah said sheepishly. 'Apparently it's one of the strongest cocktails in Arizona."
"Oh, damn," Edward said.
"We're in for one hell of a night," Alice said.
"We should get her home," Jasper said.
"This is gonna be fun," Emmett said.
"Shut up, Emmett," Ren, Rose and Alice said.
"Bella, do you need water or something?" Rose said.
"What do we do, Edward?" Ren asked.
"Edward, this isn't a good idea," Alice warned.
"Should I get the car, Edward?" Emily asked.
"Eddie, I want to dance," I whined.
'Everybody, just be quiet!" Edward exploded. "Look, Alice, how bad d'you think she'll get?"
"Definitely tipsy," Alice said. "And a little clingy. She'll dance, and probably sing, too. But not stripping or anything like that."
"Alright then," Edward said. "Then I don't see why we need to leave."
"So can we dance?" I asked, and then giggled loudly.
"We can dance if you stop giggling," Edward told me.
I shut up.
"Are you guys coming?" Edward asked.
Rose looked at Alice. "I'm in."
"Me too," Alice said.
"Then I am too," Jasper claimed.
"Wouldn't miss it," Emmett chimed in.
"Ren? Emily? Leah?" Edward asked.
"I'll stay," Leah said.
"Yeah, me too," said Ren.
"I think I'm heading home," said Emily. "Sorry, guys, but I'm really tired. And I don't feel well…"
"See you tomorrow!" Alice chirped before skipping down to the dance floor. I followed, Emmett, Edward, Jasper and Rosalie in tow.
"Omigod! I love this song!" I yelled. And then to everyone's embarrassment, I began to sing.
"Bella! Bella, stop!" Edward begged.
"Sing with me, Edward!" I laughed. "Fergalicious, so delicious…"
"Bella, I won't dance with you if you don't stop singing," Edward threatened. That shut me up quickly.
When the next song came on, I threw my arms around Edward's neck. He carefully placed his on my hips.
"Do you know this song, Edward?" I asked.
Edward sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."
"Sing," I requested.
I thought he wasn't going to, but he began to sing, very softly.
I've been looking around, always looking down, and all I see…
His voice was so beautiful, like bells. I listened, entranced.
"Painted faces fill the places I can't reach…" he continued.
"you know that I could use somebody," I joined in softly.
Edward stopped. "You know it too?"
"yes, I do," I said simply. "Keep singing, please."
"Only if you sing with me." Edward smiled crookedly.
"Alright," I replied.
Edward continued. "Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak… You're not singing."
"I want to listen to you," I said. "I'll sing the next song."
"Oh. Er, okay." Edward let out a deep breath. "You know that I could use somebody, you know that I could use somebody, someone like you…"
His voice was so much better than the actual singer's. I wondered if he had ever considered a singing career.
I didn't realize the song had ended until Edward said, "It's your turn."
"Huh?" I looked up.
"You said you'd sing. You know this song, right?"
"Yeah. I like Kelly Clarkson," I said. "Miss Independent, Miss Insufficient, Miss Keep-Your-Distance…"
I sang along to the song under my breath so that Edward was the only one who could hear me. I'm sure I sounded terrible after Edward's stellar voice.
I looked up at Edward shyly when I finished. He chuckled and applauded my effort.
"You owe me a dance," I reminded him, beginning to sway.
"This dance?" Edward said.
"Yes," I said.
And so we danced to Avril Lavigne's singing. I could feel the alcohol beginning to wear off, and began to wonder if it really was smart to encourage him like this. We were dancing, after all, to Things I'll Never Say, a song about loving a guy but not being able to tell him. But the part of my brain that was still under the influence said 'what the heck' and kept dancing.
I don't remember much after that. The song ended, and we danced some more. We went back to our table with Alice, Jasper and the rest, had a bit more to drink, and finally left the club for home. I rode with Edward and Emmett in Edward's Volvo. Edward walked me in, hugging Alice and I goodnight. I collapsed on my bed, fully clothed. I was so tired, so very tired…
I didn't have my nightmare that night. Instead, my dreams were full of Edward.
The plot thickens even more! Just a recap, in case you're really lost: Emmett likes Rose, but is dating Ren. Rose is dating Edward. Edward likes Bella, and Bella is engaged to Jacob. Don't worry, it will all get straightened out…somehow.
Review please!