Thanks to my Beta! I know i know i'm so off on posting but i got ACT prep and college stuff and holidays. It's heavy
*Bella squirmed in the large leather chair. The sun streaked through the shades causing little specs of dust to appear in the air. She took in a breath letting it out to watch the dust dance in twirls.
"Isabella…" The voice broke through her concentration. Bella looked over to him, Mr. Darren, he studied her large brown eyes.
"Uh… I'm not sure?" Bella whispered as she pulled at her dark jeans. She suddenly felt itchy as if her clothes were not starched enough.
"Isabella where did you sleep the night of Angela's death?" The man leaned forward his shaky hands grabbing the thin gold wire glasses from his face.
"The nurse's office." Bella whispered looking at the specs of dust again.
"Isabella these sessions are mandatory, so please…try." Mr. Darren sighed loudly.
Bella closed her eyes wishing to be somewhere else. "It sucks that she's gone, and I don't know how to mourn her." Bella opened her eyes. "Do I miss her as a friend? Roommate? Or as a stranger? She was all of them to me." Bella turned to look at the man.
"You miss her as a beautiful young lady who took her own life who-"
"Angela didn't commit suicide." Bella sat up looking at the man.
"Isabella she jumped out of a fourth story window." Mr. Darren said softly.
"She didn't jump."
"She was sadden by the distance from her family, she even told her friends that-"
"Angela was not suicidal, she didn't jump some one came into the room and pushed her out that window!" Bella snapped.
"Okay." Mr. Darren sat back. "Isabella no one murdered Angela. Those dorm room windows are to narrow for anyone to push a person out."
"Angela was not suicidal." Bella whispered.
"Why do you believe that?" Mr. Darren whispered.
"She wasn't like that."*
(Hours earlier)
Edward sighed as he squirmed on the bench. He watched as the leaves fell to floor gracefully, he sighed closing his green eyes. He reopened them and looked across the grassy field. That is when he saw her.
Her pale soft skin and long brown hair, her jeans were snug and her blue sweater blew in the small wind. She stood inches in front of the flagpole. She watched the American flag and the school flag both dance in half-staff.
Her eyes traveled down the pole to him. He smiled kindly at her hoping it would bring her closer.
It did.
Her soft black flats crunched the grass as she traveled along towards him. He pulled at his gray sweater sleeves. He stood moving his messenger bag off his shoulder.
"Hi." Edward whispered as she came in front of him.
"Hey." Bella nodded then looked down.
"I'm sorry about that night." Edward cleared his throat. "I didn't mean too…" He closed his eyes remembering the woman in the kitchen.
"It's okay." Bella looked wildly around. She mentally kicked herself, this bronze haired god was standing in front of her apologizing and she could not even form a full sentence.
"How are you holding up?" Edward shoved his hands in his pockets.
"It's kind of weird. Some one I know dying in the same room as me." Bella moved her hand to hair pushing the wild strands back.
"It would be like that for anyone." Edward looked at his feet.
"Yea…" Bella looked at her feet as well. "I guess I'll see you around." Bella whispered.
"Yea." Edward closed his eyes. "I guess."
He watched her feet turn and disappear. He listened to the crunch of the leaves wishing that with each step his heart had the guts to just ask her for a date.
Nevertheless, the footsteps faded and his eyes opened. He instantly thought that maybe he was just dumb for thinking he could try.
Alice twirled in the empty mirrored room. Her left foot high above her nose, she gracefully turned in a circle before stopping. A strong hand grabbed her leg tenderly pulling it down. She gasped in fear.
"Oh my god Edward…" Alice raised her hand to her chest. She looked down at her black tights and pink dance suit.
"Sorry Ali." Edward whispered walking across the room to the small chair.
"What's wrong Eddie?" Alice walked over to him somberly.
"I have a problem." Edward whispered.
"A female problem?" Alice smiled gently.
"How do you-"
"Grapevine, apparently a certain Cullen boy has been asked out twenty five times, five times by the same girl." Alice shrugged, kneeling in front of her brother.
"I just don't know how to ask out this girl." Edward whispered.
"Edward, you need to have more confidence." Alice grabbed her brother's knee. "Just because you have a disorder doesn't mean there is something wrong with your heart." Alice smiled.
"I don't think I can." Edward whispered.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" Alice bounced in her spot.
"When did you start dancing again?" Edward looked around the room.
"Yesterday." Alice said slowly.
"The last time you did this was before I was.."
"Diagnosed?" Alice nodded.
"I'm proud of you." Edward leaned forward whispering into her hair.
"You too Eddie."
"Am I interrupting something?" The voice was booming loud.
Emmett loomed in the doorway with a small frown.
"Hey Emmett." Alice jumped up racing over.
"Emmett?" Edward stood.
"Emmett here is going to help me with the dancing, at least until I can find the male counterpart of the dance."
"Yup until then I'm just lifting and throwing." Emmett nodded smiling down at Alice.
"You're going to throw my sister?" Edward frowned.
"Not literally bro." Emmett smiled.
Edward walked towards Emmett then looked at Alice. "Text me when you're done here."
Emmett frowned as Edward left through the door. "He's friendly."
"Yea, I know." Alice chuckled.
Alice lay spiraled out on the dance floor giggling like a lunatic as Emmett sat next to her.
"Don't doubt me." Emmett raised his hand in the air as if to praise god. "I do know how to do the simple leap."
"Apparently not!" Alice giggled as her body shook with no remorse for Emmett's feelings.
"What ever!" Emmett slammed his hand on the floor.
"I should text Edward." Alice laughed looking at her phone.
"Yea we wouldn't want fluffy to get angry."
"Fluffy?" Alice giggled harder.
"His hair you know." Emmett smiled.
"Excuse me am I breaking a bond?" Rosalie stood with her arms crossed in a workout suit.
"Rose?" Emmett said coming off his laughing high.
"Maybe I should go." Rosalie turned around grabbing the door.
"No!" Alice jumped up. "It's okay I was just leaving really."
Alice turned in her pink tights carrying herself to the chair by the window to gather her things.
Rosalie frowned placing her bag on the floor by the door. Her long blonde hair tied in a bun as her grey tights hugged her lower body perfectly.
Emmett smiled softly as he stared at her; she flowed over to the stereo, her fingers flying over the buttons searching for the track she desired.
Alice watched Rosalie and felt the discomfort of being so close to her. She was a gorgeous girl and just being in the same room with her plummeted Alice's confidence. Her eyes scanned the room of mirrors and felt a pang in her heart as she saw the body comparison. This girl….this woman was the person Jasper lost his virginity too.
Alice turned her head and looked out the window. She felt the past feelings crawl to her eyes. She pulled her jeans quickly over her tights as behind her Rosalie stared at herself in the mirror.
Alice could read nothing behind her ice blue eyes. Rosalie lifted her arm over her head and began to spin gracefully.
Alice turned gracefully and sped from the room with a nod to Emmett who smiled watching Rosalie's body.
Alice's feet carried her quickly yet she felt she was walking slowly. The jealousy burned lightly; did Emmett have to watch her so intently? She felt nothing for the man in the studio but he did not even look at her once as he had Rose.
Jasper. He slept with her, he knew the curves and dips of the marble statue called Rosalie. Alice felt the insecurities chase her to the school store. Her mind rumbling with the hunger of distractions, the chilling wind followed her as she opened the store door.
The native looking boy looked up at her from behind the register. "Evening." He smiled.
Her eyes scanned the empty store. The rows of notebooks and supplies with the Blair logo. The bags of chips and cans of sodas. The long beaded necklaces in the back of the store, the small key chains in the corner. She had not a dollar to her name, but she needed peace.
"Evening." Alice responded walking in deeper to the land of temptation.
"Hey, aren't you Bella's friend?" The boy spoke out. "Remember me from the beach party? Jacob?" He smiled.
"Oh yea, nice to see you again." Alice nodded looking at the red and orange beaded necklace.
"Crazy about the suicide uh? Everyone's on edge." Jacob chuckled. The door jingled behind her as the chorus of hellos were offered.
Alice's soft slippers walked across the cement as the sun started setting high above her. Her ears burned from the cold as she dialed Edward's number.
"Hello?" His voice came in softly. A woman's giggle danced in the background.
"Edward.." Alice said warily of the situation. "I left practice." Alice opened the dorm building's door.
"Great, actually I'm out right now with Victoria."
"My roommate?" Alice frowned as she walked up the stairs.
"Just for pizza." Edward's tone mocked her worry.
"Okay, good luck." she whispered hanging up as she opened her dorm room door. She dropped her bag on the floor and walked to the windows shutting them from the cold wind. She pulled off her shirt laying it on the bed as she stood in front of the mirror. Her eyes cast downward as she pulled off her pants letting them fall to the bed as well.
She turned from the mirror searching for her pajamas. Her thoughts fell slowly into the same pattern they have been falling into for the last few days. Would she always be less then some one else?
Her eyes wondered the phone wondering where was Jasper's call. She pulled the shirt from under the bed pulling it over her head. With one last check of her phone she fell into her bed under the covers with small tears pecking at her eyes.
Victoria walked in quietly as Edward followed her. Victoria watched him as he walked over to Alice sitting on her bed looking down at her closed eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, he smiled as he eyed the red and orange beaded necklace balled around her fist.
Edward sat down at the coffee house table lightly stirring the milk substance around. His eyes wondered to the empty chair across from him, with a sigh of frustration he pulled his cell phone out looking at the time.
"Sorry." Alice rushed out as she came sliding into the chair across from her older brother. "I got caught in the traffic."
"It's three blocks down from the school." Edward stared at his sister in disbelief.
"I know but the bathrooms at the dorm were packed and no one could get in to take a shower." Alice breathed out waving down a waitress.
"Alice…I know…" Edward whispered his eyes looking at the beaded necklace that hung loosely around her neck.
Alice's hands flew up to her latest release. "Edward, I didn't…I mean…"
"You've been putting off your project with Maria because of Jasper." Edward whispered as he brought the cup to his lips.
Alice paused for a moment. "Oh…no…Edward. Maria is just really busy being a bitch and all.."
"Alice." Edward frowned. "Don't mess up so early in the semester."
"Well…okay what ever I don't care about that. What I really care about is you and your sudden burst of dates." Alice leaned forward.
"What do you need?" The female's voice cut through their conversation.
Bella's brown hair was tied up in a bun falling with curls gently over her shoulders, her brown apron tied tightly around her waist hiding the blue shirt and black jeans.
"Bella?" Alice smiled.
Bella's eyes averted from her note pad to the people at the table.
She sucked in a large breath and silently cursed herself. Did she have to volunteer for this table?
"Alice?" Bella struggled to remember perfectly. "How may I help you?"
"You work here?" Alice leaned forward with a smile.
"It's not that bad." Bella said on the defensive side. Her fingers tightening on the pen.
"No, I just mean it's so cool you work here. Do you get like a discount on the donuts?" Alice said eyeing the cooking pastries.
Edward cleared his throat. "Hi." He smiled.
"Hey." She looked down burning holes into her black flats.
"I just want a small coffee and maybe two donuts?" Alice smiled gleefully.
"Of course." Bella mumbled after a few scribbles. Her eyes met the green ones one last time before she turned away scurrying behind the counter for release of the embarrassment. She had worked here for a while and was quiet used to running into the familiar faces but this time was different.
"Edward!" She heard called from behind her. She turned just a fraction to see Rosalie and her friends stride in.
Rosalie looking as stunning as ever in a pair of blue pants and red t-shirt. Bella turned slowly back around until a hand hit the counter. "I'd like some service here." the voice rang like heaven's bells but Bella waited until she was forced to turn around.
Rosalie watched as Bella walked up the counter with a small force smile.
"I'd like some one else for service please." Rosalie growled.
"I'm the only waitress for today; Angela was the other one…." Bella's voice died off.
Rosalie's eyes fell to the counter.
"Hey Rose!" Maria called from across the coffee house. "Get the usual?"
Rosalie turned quickly to her friends and after a quick nod, she turned back to Bella. Any remorse that had painted her face moments ago had left.
"Listen closely, mess this up and I will send a very nasty letter to your boss." Rosalie said as she fingered the cup of stirring straws. "I want two Mocha lattes, make one shaken and stirred with whip cream thinly scraped off to the cup's rim, and sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon and just a little mint. Make the other filled to the top with liquid and add about three pinches of mint and a shot of extra cream. Give me one coffee with two sugars and three creams and five marsh mellows but place them on the surrounding plate so they don't get soggy. It has to be above room temperature but not to hot so I burn my tongue. Give me a glass of lemon squeezed water with six ice cubes in a tall glace and pour just a smidgen of sugar. Then finally give me a coffee black nothing in it but make it room temperature." Rosalie paused. "Oh and throw in one big cookie, two strawberry filled donut and a chocolate donut and one of those twisty ones yea? That should come out to $32.67." Rosalie threw down the two twenties on the counter. "I'll come back for my order and change."
Bella looked down at her empty notepad and then back up to the retreating Rosalie.
Alice kicked Edward under the table. "Oh my god you so like her."
"Who?" Edward whispered as the girls chattered around them.
"The girl at the counter." Alice rolled her eyes.
Rosalie joined them at the table near Edward and Alice. "So when are you going to start that annoying project?" She stared at Maria who looked at Alice.
"When ever I guess." Maria shrugged.
"We could start now." Alice offered as Bella placed down the two donuts and coffee on the table.
Bella paused looking at Rosalie as Rosalie looked up at her.
Bella turned heading back to the counter as she watched over the group of teenagers. She kicked herself for wishing she could be part of them.
Bella pulled the tray with the five coffees and donuts. She thanked her memory for working double time on this order. She had worked hard to please this costumer. As she balanced the tray in her hands, the girls got up slowly. Alice following their example, they headed for the door only to be stopped by Bella's call.
"Rosalie, your drinks?" Bella frowned.
"Oh." Rosalie rolled her eyes as she and the girls snatched the coffees off the tray taking small sips before placing them on the tray once more. They turned quickly leaving Bella behind balancing the unsteady tray.
"You put to much mint." Jane stood by Bella placing her cup on the tray not so gently.
With Jane's crackle laughter and the swinging open of the coffee house door the tray found it's way to the floor and the coffee to Bella's pants.
A few costumers laughed while others paid no mind.
Bella sighed with a choking sob as she bent down to grab the tray. A hand beat her too it.
"Sorry about that." Edward said holding the tray out to her.
It took a few moments for Bella's mouth to start functioning. "No…it's…okay."
"Let me help you." Edward whispered bending over picking up the donuts and stepping over the broken glasses.
Bella followed him to the counter placing the tray on top as she pulled a hand full of napkins out of the drawer scrubbing furiously on her apron and pants. Edward stood at the counter with a small smile.
"Do you maybe have a broom?" Edward inquired.
"Uh…." Bella turned still scrubbing as she walking to the closet behind the counter. She pulled free the broom handing it to him over the counter.
She watches him as he turned around and starts to clean the broken glass.
Her arm slowed with scrubbing as she stared at his back as his muscles moved under the green shirt he was wearing.
She placed the napkins gently on the counter and untied her apron letting the wet cloth drop to the counter as she grabbed a few more clean napkins before leaving her post and kneeling to the floor the soak up the coffee and whip cream. Edward grabbed the dustpan near by and began to sweep the glass away. They worked in harmony with out saying a word, nor making eye contact.
When the mess was cleaned and done Bella turned to face her helper for the first time in a while. "Thanks. I don't know how to repay you but maybe free coffee?" Bella shrugged.
"How about ice cream? With sprinkles?" Edward sighed as he sat on a barstool.
"We….we… don't sell ice cream during cold seasons." Bella whispered wringing her hands in circles.
"Take a break and come with me to get some?" Edward offered almost shyly. His smile growing wider.
"I already took my break 40 minutes ago." Bella looked down. "Sorry maybe another time?" Bella turned her back quickly to him before busying herself with something.
Edward looked around as his eyes landed on a small chart that read "Clock-in and Clock-outs"
"Sure," He said. "Another time."
With that, he left.
"So," Jasper stood in front of Alice's dorm room door. "It was a nice screening." Jasper whispered. His skin prickling with gratefulness. He was happy that it was a real horror movie and nothing else.
"You want to come in." Alice looked over his shoulder at the girls walking the halls in just towels alone. She could not erase the image of Jasper talking to that pretty blonde during the screening. Sure, he said they were just discussing the movie's similarity to another movie but Alice did not trust it. She just wanted for once to be the center of someone's eye.
Jasper sighed feeling her distance. "Alice, is this about the girl?" Jasper leaned against the wall with his shoulder. His hands finding refuge in his pockets.
"I'm fine."
"Al, I told you it was nothing."
Alice's eyes traveled to Jasper's. "Al?" Alice crossed her arms over her chest she hugged herself. "You gave me a nickname?"
"Umm…yea?" Jasper looked at her with confusion.
"What are we doing Jasper?"
"What do you mean?" Jasper's blue eyes bore into her.
"Are we dating? Causally hanging out? Are just going to be text friends?" Alice's eyes pricked with tears of emotions she held in.
"Al…Alice." Jasper stared at her with confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"It's been two weeks. Two weeks of your insane amount of texting me and calling me and meeting up with me for lunch. Are we ever going to be more?" Alice ran her fingers up to push her hair behind her ears.
"Alice are you joking me? Are you seriously going to rush me?" Jasper stood up straighter towering over the girl.
"I'm tired of waiting to see if you want anything from me! You haven't even kissed me let alone talk to me about a hint of liking me!" Alice snapped.
Jasper sighed turning his body away from her. He rubbed his face then turned back to face her. "Where is this coming from?"
His cool and calm attitude lit up Alice's anger. "This is coming from my heart!" Alice grabbed her purse tighter.
"Al, I'm sorry but I'm not rushing into anything. Last time I did that…"
Alice dove into her purse frantically revealing her keys. She felt like an idiot because of this boy. Pulling free her keys she swung open the door to the empty dorm room, she kicked it shut with her foot not caring if it shut in Jasper's face.
She heard his footsteps retreating down the hall as she ripped off her bright red spaghetti shirt and black plaid skirt. She kicked it with her foot as she marched into the closet pulling free her large yellow nightshirt.
She had just turned off her lights and pulled back the comforter when there was a heavy knock at the door.
"Victoria remember your fucking keys for once!" Alice swung open the door. But the figure's hands reached out pulling her into their chest; her scream was cut short with a whisper.
"I do want to be with you?" Jasper spoke into her shoulder. "More then anything, but I don't want to mess us up." Alice clung to his back with her nails. She buried her face into his chest, "I don't want to lose you, so if this is what you want. I'll do just about anything to make you happy."
She looked up at him his features shaped in soft images of the evening light. She stepped out of the hug to step on her toes to kiss his lips. They were soft against hers, his smell surrounded her. The musky smell of cinnamon and apples collided around them.
Just once, Alice thought to herself. Just once, I want to be some one's everything, not upstaged by the bi-polar brother, or compared to the beautiful blonde.
The beep of the cell phones awoke the sleeping children. Alice rolled over in her bed looking at the bed across from her, she found it untouched and empty. She rolled back over to look at Jasper who lay still sleeping; his shirtless chest shimmered in the morning sun. Alice stretched letting her body rub against his, she felt his boxers press against her leg. She sat up with a groan her lower pelvis area sore and throbbing, she pushed herself up crawling to the edge of her bed where her purse laid. She fell to her stomach gently as she searched through her purse. Jasper groaned pulling the pillow over his eyes, his phone also chirping for attention.
He reached over by his side of the bed grabbing the phone he saw the blocked number and turned a glance over to Alice as she sat in his shirt on the edge of the bed.
He turned back to his phone and opened the message. His stomach plummeted as the picture popped up on the screen.
The picture was of Alice and himself, his body under hers as his hand grasped on to her chest. The outline of her naked body cast by the single lamp they had left on in the room.
Under the compromising photo was the caption
"Roses are red Violets are blue peek-a-boo I see you."
Jasper's body lit on fire as he dropped the phone. He jumped from the bed as if fire graced his path his eyes turned to Alice who looked up at him.
Alice held her phone opened to the message screen. A message from Victoria had graced the screen previously explaining to her about her absence of not being in the room last night. Yet it was the second message that chilled her soul.
"I wonder if you'd ever use a pencil with out the rubber. He did."
Alice sorted through the night in her head and not once did she hear a wrapper tear.
Her frantic look met Jasper's.
Alice walked rapidly down the school's lawns. Her inner thighs ached and her head did as well. She thought about the morning when she and Jasper dressed and spilt ways with out words. She reached her literature class and paused outside the door. She was scared of so many things, the only thing ringing in her mind is who texted her this morning.
She pressed her palms against the doorframe and took a deep breath. She was early to this class just so she could talk to him. However, as she stood outside of this challenge, she was ready to run in the other direction.
"Alice?" The voice was soft from behind her.
Alice turned frantically to look at Isabella Swan, her brown hair pulled into pigtails and her body covered in a black shirt and loose fitting jeans. Her torn up converses pulled the look together as a city tomboy, but it was the black eye that polish the look off.
"Bella?" Alice's pain and torture left her body. "What happened to your eye?"
"Nothing." Bella looked down with a bit of shame. "Why are you here early?"
"Umm…trying to find Jasper, you?"
"Wanted to talk to Mr. Masen." Bella pulled at her shirt.
"Oh," Alice looked down and then back up at Bella. "Go ahead, I think I left some stuff at the dorm"
Bella looked down and backed away gently, "Actually I think I can wait." Bella sped off down the hall brushing passed Edward.
Edward paused staring after the thin girl then back at Alice. "Did she have a black eye?"
"Uhh…yea." Alice looked down from her brother's gaze. "I have to go."
Alice marched through the aisles of a near by corner store she stood at the aisle where the condoms and pregnancy test were located. She twisted her ring around her finger, she reached out grabbing a pregnancy test from the shelf. She knew it would be too soon but she just wanted it for safety, she pulled a second one out. She paused when she heard the girl's soft voice.
"Please I just want too know which item would help conceal skin disfiguration."
Alice poke her head around the corner. Bella stood there looking at the store clerk her eye covered by some freshly cut bangs and layered hair cut.
"Isabella." Alice stepped fully out of the corner. The girl looked drawn and pasty, the brown eyes traveled down Alice's hands.
"Alice?" Isabella gasped.
Alice looked down and felt tears prick her eyes. "I think we need a friend."
Bella took in a sigh.
(Present hours)
"Millions of people are killed by sadness Isabella." The man leaned forward in his chair.
"Angela was a happy person, unlike the rest of the school."
"Is there something about the school you don't like?" The man pushed the pen on his thigh.
"Everyone has problems in the school, everyone has a story."
"Maybe we should bring some people in and talk about their stories."
Bella shook her head, "The more people tell of their stories the more we all melt into one large story and when there are too many Snow Whites and Cinderellas to all be saved no one gets the happy ending."
"Do you think drama was the reason Angela killed herself?"
"No, I think drama was the reason some one killed her." Bella whispered.
Imma try to get things up sooner.