A/N: Hey guys thanks again for reading. I just want to apologise for the short chapters. I know it is a serious tease, I wish I could do longer ones but I am definitely limited in the time department.
Anyways hope you enjoy x
Chapter Twelve: Hot Showers and Concealer
Bella POV
Charlie's cruiser wasn't in the driveway when I got home and I was glad. I had been fighting back tears the whole way home trying desperately not to cry. I felt so pathetic. Here I was all choked up over a gorgeous boy I hardly knew talking to a gorgeous girl that I was beginning to hate. Okay maybe hate was a strong word, although Jessica wasn't a friendly person to me, she hadn't really done anything wrong.
I slammed the front door in frustration trudging up the steps into my room before collapsing onto my bed. Fighting the tears was hopeless once I was in the safe confines of my room. I wallowed between self pity and self loathing. How could I be so affected by this? I'd seen other people flirt. Christ I was friends with three couples! I grew up with my mother and Phil! Shouldn't I be immune to the common occurrence of public flirting?
My phone started ringing. I didn't have to even look to know it was Alice but I let it ring out not wanting to talk to her while I was in such an emotional state. I started to undress craving the warmth of a hot shower, wrapping myself in a towel I headed to the bathroom. I washed my hair massaging my scalp and just trying desperately hard to unwind and calm down. My thoughts kept flickering to images of Edward and Jessica walking side by side, my breathing would spike and I would have to force myself to think of something else. I must have spent almost thirty minutes under the soothing spray of hot water before I finally felt calm enough to get out. I headed back to my room putting on my most comfortable holey pyjamas and started towel drying my hair.
My phone rang again. But this time I grabbed it, seeing Alice's name and flicking it open. "Hey Alice."
"Bella finally! I've been trying to call you for ages now. Why weren't you answering?"
"Calm down Alice, I just got out of the shower."
"Thank-god. Are you ok Bella? I was worried after what happened at school. And god I was so angry at Jessica and Lauren, but it's not what it looked...."
I cut her off I didn't need her to explain anything. I felt like an emotional idiot enough for how I reacted let alone having to listen to Alice try and make excuses."Its fine Alice, I promise. I just needed to get home. It was nothing."
I knew Alice would see through my lies but I couldn't admit to getting upset over what happened. It just felt too pathetic. God, I internally cringed, I hope Edward hadn't noticed my behaviour. He must think I'm a freak practically running to my car and reversing over Mike Newton.
"Can you come over Bella? Mum and Dad said they haven't seen you in ages. Well it's only been a few days but you know what they're like. Mums made mushroom ravioli especially, your favourite. Pleeeaaassse come round!"
God talk about internal conflict. One side of me totally lit up, butterflies forming in the hope of seeing Edward again. The equal other half quaked in terror. What if he saw the way I acted this afternoon, or worse, what if he actually has a thing for Jessica. "I don't know Alice I..."
"Come on Bells. Tell Charlie to order pizza or something. Better yet invite him over too."
"No!" I practically shouted. For some reason the thought of Charlie seeing Edward was too much, too weird. "Um, I mean Charlie isn't home yet."
"So, there's no excuse then, come round!"
She was right apart from the internal battle that was still waring, my brave half wanting desperately to see Edward. The cowardly half scared of rejection, I had no excuses. "Ok Alice," I sighed she won again. "I'll be over in a bit." My brave half rejoiced, as I said my goodbyes to Alice reassuring her I would definitely come over.
I raced to the mirror and looked at myself in horror. My pyjamas looked ridiculous, hair was still wet and my eyes were a little red and puffy. Shit! Not a good time to cry in retrospect. First things first I started yanking off my pyjamas and in the process got my foot stuck in the leg before hopping wildly and falling onto the bed. I was seriously uncoordinated that I was becoming a danger to myself. I could just see the news headlines, "Girl found unconscious in bedroom after tumbling over while undressing." Idiot, I should come bubble wrapped.
Finally freeing my leg I threw my pyjamas pants at the wall by the wash basket in frustration before grabbing my black skinny leg jeans. I dug through the back of my closet taking a deep blue v-neck sweater off the hanger and slipping it over my head. It was one of my few nicer tops. I didn't even want to start processing why I was going to this much effort for a visit to the Cullen's place. Although I knew Alice always looked well dressed I generally went over to their place in whatever I was wearing at the time. Sometimes even my pyjamas, well maybe not the holey ones.
Taking a second look in the mirror my cloths looked fine but my face was still a mess. I was grasping at straws, I didn't want to go over to the Cullen's place looking all puffy eyed. Alice was bound to be suspicious over my emotional state let alone showing proof that I had actually cried. I hardly ever used the stuff except in emergencies and tonight was an emergency. I pulled open my dresser draw pulling out a complete box set of Napolean Perdis makeup. Rene bought the stuff for my seventeenth birthday shipped all the way from Australia but I had hardly used it. She did a full face of makeup the last time she visited when we went out for dinner with Phil. But apart from the odd bit of a blush and occasional wearing of lip gloss, I never wore the stuff.
I quickly dapped concealer under my eyes and smoothed it over with the foundation brush, I added a little powder to finish it off. Standing back from the mirror, I sighed in relief. The puffiness under my eyes was successfully hidden, but there was no way I was going to risk making a mess by attempting anything more. Not having Rene or a sister in my life, I was lacking in the makeup's skills department. I knew the basics for crisis's such as these, but that was it. With another style problem solved I moved onto my hair, grabbing and twisting it in sections and tying into a messy bun. It was too late to start blow drying knowing it would just go fluffy as hell. A messy bun would have to do.
I slipped on my matching blue converse shoes rapidly tightening the laces and slipping the ends into the instep. By the time I was reasonably satisfied with my appearance I grabbed my bag and headed down stairs. I wrote a quick note to Charlie, knowing he wouldn't mind because I was always over at Alice's house and vice versa, but I knew he'd appreciate the common courtesy as well as the reminder that there was left over's in the fridge. I couldn't let the guy go hungry.
I headed out of the house and down the familiar street. It was twilight, there was a chill in the air as it was just starting to get dark. I quickened my steps, knowing there was nothing to be afraid of, but I couldn't help it as my heart started racing. I walked up the Cullen's drive and hesitated at the front door, taking a deep breath to try and calm my nerves. I realised it wasn't just the dark that was getting my heart racing. I held my breath as I knocked on the door.
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A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging guys. Till next time. Sweet dreams
