The Twilight Saga is the rightful property of Stephenie Meyer. I only take credit for my own ideas.

Chapter Nine: Dinner Party

Man, am I glad that today is over. Not only did I get stared at again by the Cullens, which was seriously becoming a habit of theirs, it seemed, but I had to have one of the slutty bitches on my team in volleyball. Alice and I were the team captains, this time, and we kept picking students besides Jessica and Lauren. Unfortunately, we ran out of players and I had to choose one of them, so I decided with Jessica, because she wasn't as bitchy as Lauren, or so I'd seen, anyway.

Of course, I didn't let her have the ball at all since the day before she proved her skills were…less than par. My team won since Lauren demanded to hog the ball from Alice, and Alice gave in for some unknown reason. Regardless, most of the class was beginning to realize I was the player they'd want to pick first no matter what sport we were playing, and the guys found me a hoot.

But that was probably because I was a hot chick with spunk. Boys are so easy to please.

Still, I was glad when I walked through the front door, only instead of being alone I was greeted with the sound of pots and pans clanging together and feet scurrying across the floor.

"Charlie?" I asked as I hesitantly dropped my backpack on to the couch, taking slow and small steps toward the kitchen.

"In the kitchen, Bells!" he called, and when I knew it wasn't a burglar in the house, I walked normally into the kitchen to see Charlie turning on the stove. "Have a good day at school?"

"Yeah," I said as I nodded hesitantly, looking around the kitchen to see what he was doing. Since I had been here I hadn't really seen Charlie in the kitchen, except to get a Monster, because he usually ate at work or brought home a pizza. "What are you doing?"

"Making dinner. What else does it look like?" he asked with a smile as he got out a bag of potatoes and took out five of them from the bag. "I suggest you drink your Monster now if you haven't already. We're going to be having guests over."

That explains the five potatoes. "Who?"

"Oh, uh, just my girlfriend and her kids…can you get the corn out of the freezer?" he asked, pointing to the fridge as he popped the potatoes into the oven.

"Why are they coming over?"

He shrugged as he got out two pots. "I figured it was time for you to meet my girlfriend."

"You mean your Anam Cara?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah. I shouldn't hide you from her, should I?"

I shook my head. "No, it's a good idea for me to meet her. I'm just not too sure about Leah and Seth, considering I punched their alpha and all."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "I thought you only punched Jacob?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's their alpha. He was able to send them all away pretty easily, so that was the only explanation I had," I said with a shrug. "Still, you think they said anything to their mom about it?"

"I doubt it," Charlie said. "I don't even think she knows that they're shifters, so I doubt they'd tell her you were able to hurt Jacob. To her, you should be able to anyway, even if he is a boy."

"An ignorant boy," I snorted. "Did you know he's dating one of the vampires?"

He shook his head. "Huh. I guess that explains why they're close. When the vampires first moved here I thought that the shifters wouldn't really like it, since they have a legend about making a treaty with a group of vampires from before, and it surprised me to know that the two got along. Which one is he dating?"

"Edward, the one with the bronze hair."

"Wow, I didn't know that boy was gay either," Charlie said before shrugging. "All well, not my place to judge."

"I think he's bisexual, considering he flirted with me and all," I said. "Anyway, do you need help?"

Charlie looked around the kitchen with pursed lips before he shook his head. "No, I think I'm good."

"Alright, well, I'll do homework before they arrive," I said as I walked out of the kitchen and flipped on the television, getting out my homework papers and working on them as I listened to some stand-up comedian on Comedy Central.

After the third subject of homework I finished, the doorbell rang. The house had begun to smell like the food Charlie was cooking; steak, potatoes, corn and green beans, and I heard the timer ding just as our guests arrived. Charlie must've timed that perfectly.

"Bells, can you get that?" Charlie called from the kitchen just as I heard him open the oven.

With a sigh I got up and went to the door to find Leah and Seth smiling behind an older woman, one who was obviously Quileute. Her black hair was cut short, like Leah's, and she had the same copper skin and brown eyes that her children had. You could easily tell she was their mother, Leah more so, as they all seemed to look similar.

"You must be Bella," the woman said with a smile, offering her hand. "I'm Sue Clearwater, your father's girlfriend."

I smiled and took her hand, glad that her hand wasn't hot like Leah and Seth's. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Clearwater."

"Please, call me Sue," she said with a smile. "You've met my kids already, and I hope they weren't a burden."

"Nope, they were perfectly fine."

"Sue!" Charlie said as he walked into the living room. "You came at just the right time. The food just got done."

Sue chuckled. "I just have good timing, Charlie."

"Alright, well, everyone get settled and I'll get the food."

So we all settled down in the living room, since Charlie didn't really have a dining room, and I moved my backpack and school crap out of the way for everyone else. Charlie made a plate for everyone, bringing them in one-by-one, and eventually we had begun eating. Leah, Seth and I were sitting on the couch while Sue sat in the recliner and Charlie sat in the chair he brought in from the kitchen.

We ate in complete silence, the only sound being the ones of forks scraping the plate and the occasional gulp of a drink.

"So, uh, Bella's a lesbian," Charlie said, breaking the silence.

I almost groaned internally. I didn't have a problem with people knowing, I just didn't like people to blab about my business. It was annoying. Plus, I didn't want to set the wrong example in front of Charlie's girlfriend; I didn't know her views on homosexuality.

It looked like I didn't have to worry, though, as Sue only chuckled. "Oh, that's great dear. Anyone special in your life?"

"Uh, yeah, I have a girlfriend back in Phoenix," I said, completely taken aback from her reaction. Not that I thought she'd be totally against it, but I didn't think she'd ask me if I have a girlfriend.

"That's nice to hear," she said with a smile. "You know, Leah has a girl in her life too."

I turned to look at Leah who gave me a smile. Well, that explained why she thought I was hot when she first saw me. "Oh, do I know her?"

"Probably, but I can't tell you who she is. We're not out as a couple yet, and we won't be until she graduates because she's focused on her studies and doesn't want to worry about people gossiping and stuff."

"Truth be told, I don't think I could go out with someone who wanted to keep the relationship in the dark. For a little bit is fine, I understand that much, but for a year or two? No, I think that's a deal breaker."

Leah shrugged. "It would've been for me too, but she's the one and I love her to death. I'd do anything to please her."

I nodded. "How long have you been going out?"

"About a year now. I've got another two years before we can have any PDA's, but it's worth it, just to be with her. And its fun sneaking around, I have to admit."

Another two years, huh? So she's with a Junior…maybe I do know her. I tried to think of her girlfriend the best I could while I chatted with her and her family, but I kept coming up blank. Maybe when I went to school tomorrow I could spot her.

The conversation drifted from girlfriends to school, and eventually I got to know Sue. Apparently she was a widow and she had met Charlie through her ex-husband, as they were friends, and it took Charlie about a year or two before he had the courage to ask her out. Her kids were thrilled that she was going to get out of the house and the two had been together ever since, which had been about a year or so.

Nonetheless, Charlie was glad that I was hitting it off well with his future family, but there was one thing in the back of my mind that was bugging me. I decided to wait until they left before I asked him about it.

"Charlie, when do you plan on telling her that you're, you know, a werewolf?" I wasn't sure if he knew the Irish term the pack used, so I decided it was better to be safe than sorry. "Surely since she's your Anam Cara, you plan on doing it, right?"

"I just haven't found the right time, but I think the time is drawing near. I'll do it before I propose, most definitely, but…I'm afraid she'll freak out."

Pursing my lips and twisting them to the side, I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him. "It'll be alright, Ch—Dad. I'm sure she'll love you any other way. She is your Anam Cara, after all."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at me. "You just called me Dad."

I nodded. "I figured you needed it. Besides, you deserve the title of Dad more than Renée deserves the title Mom; you're a much better parent than her."

I could see his eyes beginning to water and he pulled me into a big hug. "You don't know how proud I am to hear you say that, Bells."

I smiled to myself as I realized I probably just made his day.

"Hey, Bella, can you wait up a second?" Mike asked as we were let out of our Humanities class by the bell, Mike trying to catch up to me the best he could.

He eventually did when I pushed through the cafeteria doors. "Didn't you hear me back there?"

Who couldn't hear you? "No, sorry."

"Oh, well, I told you to wait up because I have a question to ask you."

Oh, bother. Don't tell me he's going to ask me what I think he's going to ask me. "Shoot."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me this weekend? Go and see a movie or something?"

A groan escaped my lips as my hand automatically reached up to smack my forehead. "Mike, didn't I tell you the day before yesterday that I was gay?"

"You also told me you had yet to be with a guy, so I thought that once you had a taste of the fairer sex, you'd be hooked."

I rolled my eyes. "I have had a taste of the fairer sex, Mike. It's called women, and believe it or not, I'm only attracted to women, not scrawny little bitches like you who think they've found the cure for lesbianism, because believe me, you haven't."

With that, I walked through the lunch line and gathered my food, going to sit down next to Angela as I watched Mike sulk out of the cafeteria.

Angela was busy looking through her books, scratching her forehead with her eraser as she pursed her lips in thought, and I had the sudden realization.

Leah said that her girlfriend was very studious, and Angela was the most studious girl I knew. And, she seemed like the type who would want to stay away from gossip.

I think I found Leah's girlfriend.

With a smirk, I leaned closer to her. "What'cha working on?" I asked as I non-chalantly took a bite from my French fry.

"Just some homework I got from first, second and third period," Angela said with a smile before returning to her work.

"So, have you ever been to La Push?"

"Sure, I have. Plenty of us have, actually. We don't have malls here in Forks so the most fun we have is going to the beach during the summer. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I just know some people down there and wondered if you knew them and if you could tell me something about them."

"Oh, like who?"

I pursed my lips before I leaned closer. "Leah Clearwater?"

It was then that I knew my hunch was right. It only lasted for a brief second, but it was there. Angela hesitated and her lips twitched, but she quickly recovered herself. "Yeah, I know her. There was a tragic story about something that happened with her and her ex a few years ago, and I've met her at a couple of parties. She's really nice and her brother, Seth, is nicer. Why do you want to know about her?"

I shrugged. "She's just the daughter of the girl my dad is dating. I wondered if you knew any stories about her. Tell me more about the tragic story?"

"Well, it's not really that tragic. Her boyfriend of a year dumped her and then went out with her second cousin, who was also her best friend, shortly after. It broke her heart and she was quite bitter there for awhile." Angela shrugged. "I don't really know if she was bitter, though. I met her after she got over it, so she was nice."

I bet you had a reason for her being nice. "Wow, that sucks."

We remained silent throughout lunch, and I took this as an opportunity to find that the Cullens were partaking in their favorite hobby; spying on Bella.

"I don't think she knows too much," Alice whispered. "I mean, she can't, right?"

"If she did she would be dead," Jane said, crossing her arms as a smirk spread on her lips. "I wouldn't mind doing it, either way."

"Of course you wouldn't, Jane," Rosalie said. "That's just what we need, a mysterious disappearance on our record."

Jane shrugged. "This one would be free of charge, of course. As long as I believe she knows something, then I'm able to do as I please. I am the favorite."

I shook my head as I turned back to my food. They were still trying to figure me out, and, thankfully, they haven't succeeded.

They aren't going to, I thought just as the bell rang.

As I walked into the locker room I was stopped by the duo of slutty bitches, ignoring their crossed arms and smirks as I passed them.

"Hey, Swan," Jessica said as she tapped my shoulder hard, making sure she had my attention.

I turned to face her. "Yes?"

Lauren smirked. "You'll get what's coming to you, Swan. I can promise you that."

With that, they left out of the locker rooms.

Damn, if that wasn't cryptic, I don't know what is.

Regardless, I should watch my back from now on.

A/N: Many of you guessed Leah was in the other femmeslash pair, and you are right! Only question is, did you see Angela being her imprint? Hehe.

So the Cullens are very intrigued about Bella, and we got to see some Charlie/Bella bonding (Aww) and, well, next chapter Jessica and Lauren live up to their threat. You'll see how, though. :D