Disclaimer: Once again, I own NOTHING. Sad, I know! I also do not own the songs mentioned in this chapter. I have written music before, but I'm not very confident in my ability so I wanted to save myself the embarrassment.
This chapter is slightly more humor than the drama and suspense and romance than I have been throwing at all of you. I thought you guys deserved a break! Haha enjoy!
The next morning, I woke up to the distracting sound of my cell going off. I grumbled and rolled over to see who the hell would be calling me this morning. Jacob. Apparently, my best friend had been feeling quite the guilt since our missed play date. He had smothered me with messages last night that I just ignored. I was probably being overly sensitive about this situation, but hey, he hasn't seen me for five years! The least he can do is give me some one on one time!
I ignored the phone as it rang again and rolled out of bed, only to hit the wood of my floor. "Dammit!" I groaned, as I picked myself up and lazily stumbled to the bathroom. As I let the warm water from the showerhead rain down on me, I contemplated whether or not I should go back over to the Cullens. My doubts of them wanting me still were all flooding back into my mind. Were they serious when they said they wanted me to visit more? Or did they feel obligated because Jasper had already ran into me and pulled me to them out of common courtesy?
I wrapped a towel around me just as my phone rang from my room. I carefully made my way over to the table stand beside my bed to answer my cell. "Hello?"
"Bella?"
"Alice! Hey!"
"Hi! Get dressed." She sounded extremely hyper and too thrilled for my liking.
"What? Why?"
"Trust me, Bella! You don't want to know!" I heard Jasper's warning of advice in the background. Oh God! Was it that horrible?!
"Shh," I heard Alice reprimand her husband. "Bella, we're going to the mall in Seattle. The boys are coming with us so get dressed. We'll be there to pick you up soon." And with that command, my little pixie vampire friend hung up.
I sighed heavily before pulling a long-sleeved black top on and some torn jeans. I sided for some black converse for shoes and ran into the bathroom to apply a little mascara and eyeliner. I heard a knock on the door a few minutes later and with my hair hanging partially wet, I ran to answer it. Charlie had obviously left
hours ago. The five Cullen teens were standing on my doorstep looking giddy to see me. That feeling of joy rose in the pit of my stomach and I felt at ease again. I was swept into hugs by Edward, Emmett, and Alice while Rosalie and Jasper smiled affectionately. This definitely washed away the dread I felt about them accepting the fact that I was partially a demon; a deadly one at that.
"Ready, Bella?!" Emmett asked.
"Sure, sure." I nodded and grabbed a white and gray checkered scarf, wrapping it around my neck. I grabbed my purse as I was practically pushed outside by a very eager Alice with the rest of the group following. "Where's the fire?" I mumbled. Of course they all heard and burst into hysterics. Something funny was going on here.
"What?" I asked, annoyed and impatient.
"Nothing. We just don't want to waste precious time when we could be shopping," Alice answered in a high pitched voice as Edward placed me in the passenger seat of his Volvo. Alice and Jasper climbed into the back and my glare bounced from the two males in the car. "Since when are you two so eager to shop?"
Edward just chuckled and shook his head. "Not eager to shop. Just eager to spend time with you." What a kiss ass! I focused on Jasper who just smiled sheepishly at me and shrugged. I growled and leaned back into the seat. "Don't frown, love," Edward commanded. My glare intensified causing him to grin. Wait! Had he just called me 'love'? As in he still loved me? I shook my head in disbelief. There's no way they could accept me. They were just putting up an act for my own good.
The drive to the Seattle mall took less time than it should have. Of course that was due to the beautiful God who walked beside me. As soon as we entered the mall, I got very nerve racking stares from people who obviously noticed me as Isabella Acklin, the new famous singer of the celebrity world. I tried to ignore the stares until children started coming up to get my autograph. I couldn't say no to the pouting and pleading of their little faces especially when it was actually kind of flattering. Teenagers started to swarm me in stores and in the food court. Thankfully, the Cullens had started acting as bodyguards. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper stood surrounding me with their arms folded over their chest. It would have been hilarious if they had given me room to breathe. Alice and Rosalie were leading the way through crowds telling people to leave me alone; although they actually seemed excited for some odd reason.
Then that's when I saw it. The reason for all the Cullen's 'eager beaver' faces. In the center of the mall, a large stage had been set up and a crowd was starting to form around it. Above, a sign saying Isabella Acklin in metallic letters was dangling for all of the people in the freaking mall to see! I turned murderous eyes to Alice. "What. Did. You. Do?!"
She just smiled innocently. "Nothing. It was just a little arrangement. Mostly for our benefit, but we were ok with sharing you with Seattle."
I turned to the rest of the Cullens who were all giving me hopeful looks. "Please, Bella," Alice whined. "Money will be made for the Lung Cancer Alliance of Washington. And since I read that you do a lot of charity wok, I figured…,"she trailed off and I sighed.
"Fine," I agreed. Wide grins spread across their beautiful faces. "But I don't have a band and…and," I stuttered. Emmett wrapped a strong, powerful arm around my shoulders and led me towards the stage.
"Don't worry, sis. We got you covered," he chuckled. I was officially scared.
I was onstage in front of half of Seattle. I wasn't exactly nervous. I had performed many times on stage in front of large crowds in huger spaces. However, I didn't feel confident when Jeremiah, Ryan, and Matt weren't standing behind me. Instead, I had Emmett on the drums, Jasper as lead guitarist, Alice with another guitar, Rosalie as back up singer, and Edward on the keyboard. I didn't want to voice my concerns about their experience, wanting to spare their feelings. I knew Edward was amazing, but I was concerned for his siblings. But I was used to performing with my band of five years. I guess I was going to have to do my best as the music began.
"HELLO, SEATTLE!" The crowd went wild. "I'm Isabella Acklin as many of you may know. And I only have one question for you." I smiled and looked behind me at the Cullens, who were all wearing encouraging, excited smiles on their radiant faces. "ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?!" I screamed into the microphone. Once again I was met by the screams and cheers of the audience. Alice told me I only had to sing three songs. It was like a mini concert. I chose the songs very carefully. I glanced at Jasper and Emmett and nodded as the beats blared over the raucous.
This is How it Feels
You keep calling my phone non-stop
Don't you know I won't pick it up
You never leave a message
Look how you've changed
You got nothing to say, gettin' in the way
Show up at my house
Your gettin' so obsessive
Like I have time for you
Wasn't it me you didn't want?
Wasn't it me who was hanging on?
Now I'm done but before I go I want you to know ...
This is how it feels
When you wait for a call that never comes
Are you waking up 'cause you miss someone?
This is how it feels
When the trust you had is broken,
And your left to burn with your heart wide open
Oh Oh
You wanted me, not to tell me why
Why and how you had the heart to fk up my whole life
That's just so you
And now I've moved on by myself
And maybe I won't forgive
I'll just forget you lived
And I hope it hurts
Wasn't it me you tried to blame?
Wasn't it me you threw away?
But before you go there's something you should know ...
This is how it feels
When you wait for a call that never comes
Are you waking up 'cause you miss someone?
This is how it feels (oh oh)
When the trust you had is broken,
And your left to burn with your heart wide open
You taught me how to hate you
And I was so in love
When I tried to save us it was not enough
So what the hell is different
'cause now that I am gone
You're crawling back to tell me
I'm the one
Oh Oh
This is how it feels
Oh Oh
This is how it feels
When you wait for a call that never comes
Are you waking up 'cause you miss someone?
This is how it feels (oh oh oh, oh oh oh)
When the trust you had is broken,
And your left to burn with your heart wide open
Do you only want me
'cause you can't have me?
Do you only want me
'cause I'm gone?
Do you only want me
'cause you can't have me?
Do you only want me
'cause I'm gone?
Do you only want me
'cause you can't have me?
Do you only want me
'cause I'm gone?
Do you only want me
'cause you can't have me?
Do you only want me
'cause I'm gone?
Oh Oh
When the song ended, the crowd cheered wildly and I felt a satisfied smirk spread across my face. The Cullens were even more ecstatic. Alice was practically bouncing up and down. Emmett was trying to flex his muscles to impress the female crowd which just earned him a roll of the eyes from me and a glare from Rosalie. I turned back to the audience. "I want to introduce you all to the amazingly, talented group behind me," I told the crowd before pointing to each Cullen and introducing them individually. As one by one their names were called, the family of vampires waved or smiled at the crowd, except for Emmett who had to make a show. "This next song was written less than a year after I ran away from home and I hope you all enjoy it." The music began.
Let Go
drink up, baby down
mmm, are you in or are you out
leave your things behind
'cause it's all going off without you
excuse me, too busy you're writing your tragedy
these mishaps
you bubble wrap
when you've no idea what you're like
so let go, jump in
oh well, whatcha waiting for
it's alright
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown
so let go, just get in
oh, it's so amazing here
it's alright
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown
it gains the more it gives
and then it rises with the fall
so hand me that remote
can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow
such boundless pleasure
we've no time for later now
you can't await your own arrival
you've 20 seconds to comply
so let go, jump in
oh well, whatcha waiting for
it's alright
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown
so let go, just get in
oh, it's so amazing here
it's alright
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown
Once again, cheers exploded over the crowd as the song came to an end. Only one more song and I was out of here. "You guys are sweet, Seattle! And I've been informed by a little pixie," I started, earning chuckles from the family behind me as I referred to Alice. "…that this will all be going to charity which is the center of my priorities. So I want to thank you for allowing me to give back to you."
I turned and signaled for the music to begin.
The Way I Am
If you were falling, then I would catch you.
You need a light, I'd find a match.
Cause I love the way you say good morning.
And you take me the way I am.
If you are chilly, here take my sweater.
Your head is aching, I'll make it better.
Cause I love the way you call me baby.
And you take me the way I am.
I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair.
Sew on patches to all you tear.
Cause I love you more than I could ever promise.
And you take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.
By the time the concert was over, my voice was spent. Edward pulled me to the food court and I didn't object, not that my voice would allow me. I had over done my vocals and I knew better. A girl with practice like me, should have known that my voice needed nourishment. After we ate, Alice practically dragged me in every store while the boys and Rose just followed.
"That was AWESOME, Bella!" Emmett said for the thousandth time. Apparently, the Cullens were on a serious hype about this concert stuff. They were even thinking about starting their own band! I laughed. I was glad that we could share something that we all loved. Edward's eyes kept glancing at me, sneaking peeks at every chance he got. When he had finally moved to holding my hand in his cold one, I didn't object. Truth be told, I wanted more than just hand holding. I wanted him to make me his. But I was pretty sure I didn't deserve a King like Edward Cullen.
When I arrived home, Charlie was already in bed. I sighed and made my way upstairs to my room with my shopping bags in tow. I opened my door, only to find a familiar figure standing in the center of the tiny room.
A/N: I know you guys are probably thinking, what happened to the thing they were all supposed to be chasing. Don't worry, the danger is still about and in the next chapter we will dive back into the dramatics. I love you all! Please don't shoot the writer!
The song artists in this chapter were: the Veronicas, Frou Frou, and Ingrid Michaelson.
