We pull up to Jessica's house, or as close as we can get. The street is lined with cars, so I drop Bella off at the front and park.

"Wow," Bella says, slipping her hand into mine. "Her house is huge."

"Yeah. I've gotten lost in it more times than I care to admit."

We walk up the steps and I can already feel the headache I'm going to get from the music. Through the window, I spot people bustling back and forth, spilling drinks and laughing like hyenas.

"Normal," I murmur to myself. "This is normal."

I push the door open and Bella steps inside. Nobody notices us at first. They're all too preoccupied with themselves and their company.

Emmett's sitting in the living room with Rosalie and Jasper, chugging a beer.

"Hey, guys!" He calls us over and pulls Bella into a hug. "You look great, Bella!"

"Thanks," she says.

"Can't believe you guys made it out. Are you sure you trust Jessica to be...nice?" Jasper asks.

"I hope so," I sigh, glancing around for the devil herself. I don't spot her so I assume we're safe. "She practically insisted that we come."

Emmett grabs me a beer, my only one for the night. Bella sits beside Rosalie and sips on her drink while they talk. Everything seems perfect. Falling in place just like she wanted. Just another stupid high school party. Hanging out with friends, having a drink, listening to music. Not worrying about her dad or all of the bad stuff. She was like a little kid experiencing their first trip to Disney World.

"So, you're happy? I mean really happy?" Rosalie asks Bella.

"I couldn't ask for anything more than this," Bella says.

"Even with this dickhead?" Rose nods towards me and I flip her off.

"Yes."

"Bella! Edward!" Jessica squeals, running...if you can call it that, across the room. "I'm so glad you guys are here." She kisses Bella's cheek and then mine and I almost vomit from the smell of the alcohol on her breath.

"Hey, Jess," I say.

"You guys have to come play with us!" She pulls both of us up and we stumble out of the room.

"Play?" Bella asks.

Jessica pulls us through her kitchen and into the great room in the back of the house. I glance up and spot people hanging out on the floor above, open and exposed to the room below. There's a long table set up, topped with red cups and ping pong balls.

"Beer pong!" Jessica yells.

I roll my eyes. Bella laughs. "Normal, right?"

"Right."

"Bella, be my partner!" Jessica pulls her close and orders me to the other side of the table to be partners with some random guy I think goes to school in the next town over.

"How ya doin?" He asks.

"Fine. Thanks." I nod and grab a ping pong ball. Jessica seems to be explaining everything to Bella and for a moment it all seems too good to be true. Jessica's actually being nice.

"So, that girl you walked in with?" The guy next to me glances down at Bella and it's apparent that he's checking her out.

"She's taken," I say.

"My bad."

"Okay, boys!" Jessica yells. "Get ready to get your asses kicked!"

I never really believed in beginner's luck until I saw Bella play. One game turned into best out of three. Before the slaughter was over, they'd beaten us four games to one. Because I was driving, my partner unfortunately had to take the brunt of our loss.

"I think we've got a new star player," Jessica says, stepping away and gesturing to Bella. Everyone around us cheers and I think maybe they finally see the Bella that I see. Beautiful. Fun. Kind. And maybe they aren't the nasty, awful people I always thought they were.

"Take a bow," Jessica says. Bella blushes and laughs as she takes her bow. And I don't see it until it's too late.

Jessica's eyes turn dark as she glances up at the balcony above us. Two guys are lifting a bucket over the railing, right above Bella.

I push the guy in front of me out of the way and try to speak, scream, say anything to get her out of the way. But I can't.

The water splashes down in an instant, drenching Bella and everything within two feet of her.

"No," I say. She's frozen in place, her hair matted over her face. I rush towards her and take her into my arms. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jessica throws her head back, laughing with everyone else. "She's not like us, Edward. When are you going to see that? She's a freak. You don't belong with someone like her."

"You're absolutely right, Jess. She's not like you. Which is one of the many reasons that I adore her so completely. And with her is exactly where I belong."

I pull Bella out of the room, through the crowds of people who did nothing but stare at her. I catch Emmett's eye as we head towards the front door and he jumps up.

Once we're outside, I hear Bella mumbling something. The same thing over and over.

"I'm okay," she stammers. "I'm okay. I'm okay." She's shaking and I can't tell if it's because of the cold water or the shock.

"Bella!" Emmett runs out of the house. "What happened?"

"Exactly what I knew would happen. I shouldn't have brought her here, Emmett," I say.

He takes off his hoodie and wraps it around her trembling body.

"Let's get you home, babe." Emmett puts his arm around her just as Rosalie and Jasper step out of the house, all of our coats in hand.

We all pile into my car and even though I'm thankful for my friends, I wish I was alone with her. I want to apologize. I want to tell her that I'm so happy that she's not so normal. And that I love her.

I'm so angry that I don't notice that I've forgotten to turn the radio on. We ride in silence back to the house. By the time we make it there, she's stopped shivering and looks more calm than I am.

I notice a strange car in the driveway and I assume Carlisle is meeting with a colleague, like he does every now and then. Hopefully Esme has some cookies baking because after tonight, I think we all need one or five. And then I spot the police cruiser on the street and I wonder if Bella told Charlie the truth about where we were going tonight. He probably wants to kill me...again.

Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper get out of the car and give us the privacy I've wanted since we left the party.

It's hard to even look at her. The dress still soaked, her makeup running down her cheeks, and her hair in knots.

"I'm sorry," we both say at the same time.

"What are you sorry for?" I ask.

"For making a big deal about going tonight. You were right. I was so stupid and naive to think that I could just be like everyone else."

"But you aren't like everyone else." I lean over and kiss her cheek. "You're so much better."

She smiles. "I promise to never want to be normal again."

"I like that promise. Now let's get you inside before you catch pneumonia." I hop out and run around to open her door for her.

As we head up the front steps, I feel good, despite everything that happened tonight. Until we walk in the door anyway.

The foyer is crowded with more people than I'm expecting. Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper are joined by Alice by the steps. They look anxious. Esme and Carlisle hold each other, leaning against the wall. Charlie and one of his troopers stand with their hands on their hips, in true Charlie fashion. Demetri sits in the only chair.

My eyes land on the last visitor the same moment that hers do. Bella's knees buckle and I struggle to catch her before she hits the floor.

"No," she whispers. "Dad?"

A/N: Most of you were waiting for the other shoe named Phil to drop and here he is. Ugly shoe. Ugly, ugly shoe. :/ *kicks shoe. kicks it hard*