Chapter Twenty
"You really should come out with us."
I looked at Alyssa, who was standing in the doorway of Charlie's house, her arms folded over her chest. Jacob was standing next to her, and when I looked at him, his eyes seemed to hold this blank stare. I tried my best to tell him through my eyes that I was sorry, but I knew, deep down, that he already accepted my apoligy.
"I don't know," I said again for what seemed like the hundreth time in the past five minutes. "I really should be getting Charlie's supper ready."
"Charlie is a big boy," Alyssa said. "I'm sure he can manage for just one night. Besides, it been forever since we've done something together. I feel like I'm loosing you."
"Just for one night, Bella," Jacob said finally. I looked at him, at his big brown eyes and short brown hair. It's been a while since I've been hanging out with Alyssa, but it seems like forever since I last spent some quality time with Jacob.
"Madison is with Michael for the night, and I have no clue when he's going to want to take her again. So I have to do something tonight. I really, really do. And I want to do something with you."
I bit my lip, wondering mentally is this was a good idea. Well, maybe it was? Mason was with Esme and Carlisle, and the rest of the Cullen's and I deserved a little break, didn't I? But maybe going out, when my baby was "gone" wasn't such a good idea.
"Please..." Alyssa said, her voice a begging tone. I sighed, grabbed my jacket from the peg, and stepped out onto the porch.
"Okay. I'll go. But just this once. And I need to be back before midnight."
Alyssa nodded enthusiasticly, her hair bobbing up and down. "Yes! Of course! Now," she grabbed my hand and started pulling me down the steps, towards her car, "it's about a forty five minute drive, so if we leave now, we can be there by six."
"Where excactly are we going?" I asked once I was in the backseat, fully buckeled, and Alyssa and Jacob were in the front.
Alyssa started to back up out of Charlie's driveway. "Just this little hangout with some of my friends. Nothing really that big."
I relaxed back in the seat. "Alright."
The drive took us about forty minutes. I spent most of that time looking out the window and listening to the radio, which played contry music nonstop, not that I was complaining. It was raining for the first little while, but as we started to drive more and more out of town, the rain stopped. But it was still cloudy, which didn't really help with my mood.
When we stopped, the first thing I noticed was this farily large house that was in the middle of nowhere. It was white, with a grey roof and window pannels. Inside, through the windows, I could see bodies moving. I counted one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, at least. I wondered how many friends Alyssa had.
"This is my friend Wyatt's house," she told me as we all started to get out of the car. "I played soccer with him for a few years before I had Madison. He's a pretty cool guy."
I nodded, not taking my eyes off the house. We started to walk towards it, following this little pebbel walkway. When we reached the door, instead of knocking, Alyssa just opened it. I looked at Jacob, who just nodded and then walked in. I stepped in behind him.
The first thing I noticed was that there was a strong smell of cigarette smoke, and almost every person, male or femal, had a red plastic cup in their hand, which I assumed held some kind of alchol. They all looked to be about our age, maybe some older, some younger. I couldn't really tell. They also all looked to be having a good time.
I followed Alyssa and Jacob through a maze of people and into the kitchen. Alyssa went over to a group of guys who were gathered around a table, then took a seat. Then she gestured to the available seats for me and Jacob. I looked at Jacob again for reassurance, but he just sat down. I did the same.
"Wyatt," Alyssa said, pointing at me and Jacob, "This is Bella and Jacob. Bella and Jacob, this is Wyatt Pearce, and his friend Derek."
"Nice to meet you both," Wyatt said. He was tall, with short dark brown hair with blonde highlights. His friend, Derek, had jet black hair, and was slightly shorter.
"Likewise," I said, and Jacob just nodded and mumbled a hello. Wyatt and Derek then turned to Alyssa and started to talk about random stuff that I didn't even pay attention to. When they were done, Wyatt turned to me and Jacob.
"Do any of you want anything to drink?"
I shook my head. "No thanks."
Alyssa slapped my arm playfully. "Oh, come on! Have some fun for once in your life!" Then she turned back to Wyatt. "We both will, thanks."
Wyatt nodded and got up, going into the kitchen. I turned to Alyssa, who was grinning. "What was that about?" I asked.
"Oh, young Bella," she said. "It's just one drink. It isn't going to hurt no one."
I sighed. There's a first time for everything, right? "Just this once."
Alyssa shrieked excitedly. "This is going to be so much fun!"
When Wyatt came back witht the drinks, in those silly plastic cups, I took mine nervously. Alyssa, who was sipping away on her drink, looked at me. "Go on. It doesn't kill you."
I laughed again, trying to lift my spirits. "Right." I lift the cup to my nose, and sniffed it. I didn't smell like alchol. Actually, it smelled almost fruity. But what did I know? Nothing. I took a sip.
To my surpised, it actually didn't taste that bad. It was like cranberrys, but a little more bitter, which I knew was the alchol. I took another sip, then another. It was actually very good.
"This is good," I commented.
Wyatt laughed. "Cranberry juice and vodka."
I took another sip. "Awesome."
Derek, who was sitting across the table from me, said, "I'm more of a beer guy. That shit you girls are drinking is a little too girly for my liking. Plus, beer is cheaper." He laughed, and I laughed along with him. Even Jacob, who was drinking a beer next to me, laughed.
I drank that cup, then got another one. It was simple to make. One part vodka, two parts cranberry juice. It was simple, and took no time to make. I wondered why I hadn't tried this stuff before, it was that good.
"So how's Michael making out?" Derek was asking just as I got back to the table. I sat down, and took a gulp of my drink.
"Good. Excellant, actually. He has Madison for the night. I actually think that he's taking her to the pool. I don't know."
Derek nodded. "I'm glad he's feeling okay."
"Me, too," Alyssa said.
It was out of my character to be drinking, and I knew that. But with each bit of drink I took into my body, it made me forget about everything that happened, so that I could live in the moment, even for just a little while. I forgot about Edward, about Charlie, about all my problems at school with Savannah and Lauren. I felt good from my head to my feet.
"Bella, slow down," Jacob said after I finished my fourth drink. "Too much isn't good."
"Shut up, Jake," I said with a slightl slur.
Jacob sighed and then turned to everyone at the table. "I'm going to take Bella home now." Then he turned to Alyssa. "I'll take your car, and then I'll come back and get you."
Alyssa nodded. She was drunk, too.
"I don't want to go," I pouted. Jacob, who by now was getting fed up with me, grabbed my hand and started to drag me through all the people, and back out to Alyssa's car.
"That wasn't very nice," I said, folding my arm across my chest. "I was having fun."
"What wasn't very nice is the fact that you're leaving Mason with Edward while you party. Not cool, Bella. And I don't care if you were having fun or not, you're going back. Now."
I didn't say anything. I just leaned back, and fell asleep.
When I awoke, we were just coming up to Charlie's house. I got up, and shook my head. "Don't take me in there. He'll.... kill me if I come in like this."
Jacob nodded, and drove past. "That's true. I'm taking you to the Cullen's then."
We drove for another ten minutes until we got to Edward's house. By now, it was past midnight, but I could still see all the lights on in their house. Of course.
Jacob came over to my side of the car and opened the door. I stepped out, putting all my weight on Jacob and letting him haul me up onto the front patio. Then the door opened, and all the Cullen's, including Edward, stepped out.
"What happened?" Esme asked in a shocked voice.
"She went to a party," Jacob said. "And she drank a little too much. I thought I'd bring her here."
Esme nodded, helping Carlisle take my into his arms. "Thanks, Jacob," she said.
Jacob nodded. "You should probaly call Charlie so he doesn't worry. He's already worried sick about his grandson." He glared and Edward and Rosalie.
"Of course," Esme siad. "Consider it done. Now, go on, Bella is fine with us." Jacob nodded. "And thanks again."
I wasn't aware of anything else after that, except for being put in a large bed and sung to sleep.
--
"It's just too much to deal with. You denying me and Mason crying all the time. It's just too much, I have to get away again."
My eye'd went wide, stinging as the tears formed. "You can't leave me again! You can't walk away from Mason like you walked away from me!"
"I have to," he said, his voice hard and stiff and so unlike Edward. "I can't stay here anymore. I need to get away."
"You can't just... walk away from us like that. You can't..."
"It's not as hard as it may seem. It's rather easy, actually."
"No!"
"I'm sorry."
"You can't go!"
"Goodbye, Bella. Have a wonderful life without me in it."
"No! No! No!"
"Bella, wake up."
"No!"
"Wake up."
"Don't!"
"Bella."
I jolted up, my head spinning in several different directions. I put a hand on my head and fell back on the bed, breathing heavily. Just a dream, I told myself. It was just a stupid little dream. He's not gone again, he's not gone again, he's not.
"Are you alright?"
I looked up to see Edward standing at the foot of the bed, this worried expression planted on his face. I sat up and looked at the side clock, onto to realize that it was four in the morning, it will still dark, and I had a heachache the size of California emplanted in my brain.
"I'm... fine," I said to him, disoriented. "And I'm in your bed."
"You should have seen yourself when you came here last night. You were loaded drunk. What got into you to do that, Bella? You had me so worried."
I shrugged. "I don't know. It was just a spur of the moment thing. But don't worry, it won't happen again. Another headache like this one isn't worth it."
Edward sighed and reached into his back pocket. "I thought you might want some of these." He pulled out too pills, and handed them to me. "I didn't bing up any water, but if you want, I can go downstairs and get some."
I shook my head. "I can take them dry." I popped them in my mouth, waited a few secnds and then swallowed hard. I closed my eyes, waiting for the medication to do it's magic.
"You had Charlie worried, too. But we didn't tell him what you've done. I still can't believe you did that."
"I'm really sorry," I said. "I really am."
Edward nodded. "I know." It was silent for a minute before he said, "I should go back downstairs and let you get some sleep."
He turned on his heel, and started to walk out of the bedroom.
"No," I said. "Don't leave."
--
A/N- I know that Bella drinking isn't her at all. But trust me, it was a one time thing. She won't be drinking anymore in this story, unless for a very, very, very good reason. I just needed an excuse for her to spent some time with Alyssa and Jacob, and for her to end up spending the night at the Cullen's house. So, please don't be mad at me!
Also, some of you have been saying that Bella and Edward are out of charactor, and I just wanted to let you all know that I am aware of that. I do that on purpose, actually. The thing I like about fanficiton is that you can take a charctor that everyone knows about, and twist that charactor around and make him or her something that they weren't in the orignal story. Make sense? I hope so! :]
So, please reveiw!
Oh, and I want to thank my best friend Becca (DramaticField) for the idea. I was begging her all night when she slept over to my house to give me a good idea for this chapter, and she did! Thanks Becca!