Oh how I wished the night was one of my unusual dreams.
The fairies, the flying, the laughter was as real as real can get. We drifted through the tall oak trees and waved at the moon. Alice ended the night by promising she'll always be by our sides.
It was grand fun, but I wished our magical adventure ended up with me waking up on my comforting sheets, wondering what the hell did I drink to create such a colorful dream, but instead, my night ended with my mother waiting for me on our porch. Renee sat angrily on the white cushioned bench with her legs and arms crossed.
I made Edward drop me off a block away from my home, because if Renee saw him, or even his license plate number, she'd have his head.
"Tonight was interesting. Fun but weird," I told Edward in the passager seat of his Volvo "Let's never speak of it again," I laughed but I was serious.
"The magic will stay between us," he told me. I bit my lip and wondered if his words had a double meaning.
"Isabella Marie Swan! Where have you been?" Renee asked me after entering the tall metal gates that surrounded our Beverly Hills home.
I crossed my arms and kept my eye on the flooe "I was at the drum circle,"
"And didn't I say no to going to that?" she asked sternly.
"I just wanted to go out and be normal for once!" I tried to keep my voice calm "What's so wrong with that?"
Renee stood up "Because you are not normal, Isabella. You're a star, my little star." I made a face "Who were you with just now?"
I gulped. "I was with Rosalie,"
Renee smiled a fraction "No, you weren't," she tsked, "I was on the phone with her an hour ago and she said you left with some boy."
Fuck, Rosalie!
"It doesn't matter who I was with," I was on fire now and tried to walk passed my mother. "Just let it go."
"The more you tried to hide, the more I want to know," she trailed behind me "You know I'll find out who you were with. The paparazzi are really good at what they do."
I halted before the grand white tiled staircase "You!" I turned around "You sent those despicable people directly to me!"
My mother's eyes widen "Watch your tone, missy! I don't know who you think you're talking to. Look at you, accusing your own mother! What's the matter with you? You're acting like such a diva and letting Hollywood getting to your head!"
"What?!"
"I didn't send those cameramen to you. Are you insane?!" My heart was pounding "You're a A-listed actress. The whole world is watching you which is exactly why I tell you to be careful of everything you do. Every breath you take." Tears started rolling down my face "The paparazzi were just a consequence of your poor choices. Now, another consequence will be how long you're gonna be grounded for! You won't be seeing Rosalie for a very long time, missy!"
"Mom!" I cried.
"Go to your room! Those false tears won't get me this time!" My mother stormed off the opposite way.
"This is not fair!" I collapsed on the stairway.
Suddenly, my giant mansion in Beverly Hills felt like a personal prison. I was a princess locked in her castle. Even life outside the castle walls was another prison. Life as as a top Hollywood actress was some type of hell. All I'm good for is being someone who I'm not! My fans love a false version of me. I am just acting. What's so great about it?! Why are people so obsessed with people who they don't even know? I'm nothing special once you strip away my title.
"No!" I sobbed at the bottom of my staircase like a sad girl who saw her crush kissing somebody else. Just a taste of freedom was not enough! I want to be a normal girl and do normal things.
I cried because I was so frustrated by life. I hated how stalked I felt from the world. I just wished to be freed of this pressure to be perfect!
I stomped to my room and slammed the door. Not that my mother would hear, she's in the other side of huge house. Probably chatting on the phone by the fireplace.
"Don't cry, Bella." said a voice.
I jumped around and made eye contact with Alice. The fairy from the woods was now floating in my room.
"What are you doing here?!" I yelled quietly. This was supposed to be my room! My sanctuary from the outside world.
"I think I'm bonded to you," she smiled. "I feel this cord connected to you!"
I was already in the middle of a mental breakdown "Well unbond from me!" I growled. She was making my anxiety worse.
"Bella, what's wrong?" Alice looked very concerned.
"You can't be here!" Am I going crazy? "You're not supposed to be apart of my life. Cut the cord and shoo fly! Just go away," my last words wobbled as I crashed onto a fluffy chair nearby. I huddled my legs together.
"Bella I'm not here to cause distress! I'm a friend!" She floated around me.
"I can't be friends with a fairy!" I scoffed "That's crazy. How do I even know you're real? What if I'm talking to myself?" What if paparrazzi's are spying on me right now and are ready to write up a story of how I'm talking to myself? Another child celeb gone crazy.
"I'm real, Bella," Alice giggled and landed on my knee. Her glow reflected on my skin made me gasp.
I shook my head "Edward supposedly has schizophrenia," I mumbled "Maybe he passed it onto me, as well."
"Bella, no!" Alice lifted up my face. I froze from feeling the sensation of a tiny force lift my head. She had golden eyes. "Edward isn't crazy, he's a sensitive person but he isn't crazy."
"Sensitive person?" I asked.
"Yeah, like he can feel energies and emotions in the room." said Alice.
My head got lost in thought and I swallowed hard "H-He can sense what I'm feeling?" I was getting lost in her eyes.
"He can sense me, too. He can feel everyone's emotions. I think his sensitivities brought him to me. Then, he brought you to me. There's a purpose for this unheard of friendship!" Alice giggled "Oh, I'm so excited to be your friend!"
I pushed her away.
"Maybe it's you that's crazy!" That's a plausible theory. "Leave me alone!" I stood up and opened my window "Shoo!"
"But Bell-"
"Get out!" I roared. Alice had a sad face and flew away out the window and hopefully out my life forever.
I had already enough issues to deal with, I don't need a fairy to make me even more imbalanced.
I couldn't sleep that night.
The anxiety of my face on the news kept me up. The sight of normal teenage girls laughing and dancing haunted my mind. The fight with my mother was pretty bad. I have so much to do tomorrow. And a pair of golden eyes and a mysterious sexy man were the cherry on my overthinking sundae.
I woke up to spamming from Jacob.
It was the afternoon for him in Europe so he was the first to read the latest news.
'Isabella Swan seen leaving a party with a NEW MAN'
"Who is Isabella Swan's NEWEST Man!'
Jacob had a fit on the phone. The photos of Edward and I left his car from the drum circle were on the front page of every news site, talking about my new man or supposed affair. Fake sources claimed we were getting close by the bonfires.
I tried to explain to Jacob the truth of what happened that night, I thought he'd understand that my side of things,but he refused to see it from my view. He didn't understand why I would willingly leave Rosalie to go talk to a man in public.
"I love you so much and this is how you re-pay me? By embarassing me like that?" he asked.
"Jacob, I didn't mean for any of this to happen," I sniffled.
"You're so stupid, Bella. Anyone could have seen that happening a mile away! If it weren't the paparazzi, what if it was a beachgoer who took that photo of you talking to him? Jesus, Bella!" I started crying. But it wasn't for what Jacob thought. I was crying because I wish life wasn't so hard. So complicated.
"Who is he to you?" Jacob sounded so mad.
"He's just some random guy on my set. He doesn't mean anything." I said.
"You work with that guy on set every day!" he roared
"Jacob! He's the director's son just observing! I don't interact with him at work!"
"And I'm just supposed to believe that?"
"Yes!" I said, "because I'm you're girlfriend!"
"I hope you're not turning into a slut," he huffed. I gaped.
"What is going on with you!?"
"What? You're not a virgin no more."
"Because of you!"
"I know," he said "That's something no one can ever take from me. I was your first and I want to be your last. You're mine, Bella, I don't like to share."
"Why are you being so crazy!" Jacob didn't sound like himself. I felt so frustrated, the chains of my life pulled tighter. I can't break up with him, my managers won't allow it. Especially not after a scandal.
"I just miss you so much, Bells!" he said "I love you so much and it kills me to be away from you! You're the best thing in my life. You're my rock. My life would be nothing without you. I'm sorry I can get jealous sometimes, it's just you're so amazing. Every guy wants to be with you and it pains me that I'm not there to be holding your hand."
"Jacob," my heart was pounding at his confession, this conversation took quite a turn. "I love you, too. You have to trust me, though. That's the risk in love sometimes, to trust one another. I wish I was with you in Europe, too!" Tears huddled in my eyes "I feel the same way, especially" when you're on tour and all the women want to be with you. I know this type of relationship in the spotlight and especially long-distance isn't easy, but I have a commitment to you and only you. I love you, Jacob. Forever and always."
He sighed. A beat passes before he spoke "I still don't like this,"
"Just trust me." I said, "Like I trust you."
"I don't like this, Bella. Not one bit. You better stay away from that guy."
"I will," I told him. I definitely have to know with extra eyes on us.
~*~ Ms. Perfect ~*~
Edward wasn't on set the following Monday.
My mother dropped me off in a salty silence. The tension between us has been thick all weekend long. I hardly came out of my room except when I was needed. I rehearsed for hours in my room, on-call with Rosalie. I ignored my mother as much as I can. Giving slight nods when told an order. I got a lot more orders this weekend, including to do chores, which I never do.
Seth found me when I walked on set. He gave me the biggest hello hug. He and the rest of the crew acted as if nothing happened at all this weekend. Like my life hadn't taken some extreme turn. Alice has yet to show up back in my life. I sometimes stared at the window at night, wondering if she'll appear again.
It was only Carlisle that pulled me into his office and asked questions about that night. I was so grateful that he was the only adult to listen and trust me when I said nothing happened, Edward was just saving me from the paparazzi.
"I've told him many times to help out any of the crew members, especially our stars, so I can't be upset at him for that."
"What happened was nothing like the stories tell. Edward just took me to a park and we hung out on the swings and calmed me down till it was time to go home." I told him. My mind flashed back to the laughter and games we played.
"I'm glad," Carlisle smiled gently "The media still hasn't figured him out yet, so that's good. No harm done." He was right. It was just a little slip up, I'm sure my mom will get over it eventually.
I smiled. I felt relieved and most importantly, I acted perfectly on set today.
"That sucks," Jessica stabbed lettuce with her fork. She dangled the fork for a bit, never really taking a bite as she listened to the weekend I had.
"I got in trouble, too, this weekend if that makes you feel any better," said Lauren.
"Did you troubles end up #1 on trending?" I asked bitterly.
"No, thank god!" laughed Lauren "I got caught sleeping with my church's pastor."
My brows shot up "What?!" I choked on my ice tea
"Yeah," Lauren glanced at her perfectly manicured nails "His wife found our text messages. Such a shame. Now they're moving away. Which is so annoying! He's a great lover. His wife is being so prudish right now, like, I think it's a huge accomplishment to fuck me." She rolled her eyes and I felt very alarmed at the lack of remorse she had for having an affair with a married man! "She should be proud of him.
"Ugh older women are weird," Jessica snickered. "i bet she's just jealous.
"Right?" said Lauren in a stuck up tone "I never wanna hit my 30s. I never wanna see a wrinkle or crack on this," she caressed her cheek.
"Being old must suck," said Lauren.
"That's why I like sleeping around now. There's some sort of power in being a beautiful woman. I could get any man in here on their knees!"
I chewed my sandwich awkwardly.
"I know you're grounded now, but just remember you have all the power, Isabella. You're a star! You can have whatever you want," smiled Lauren at me. Her eyes, as beautiful as they were, are like cold brick walls. They give me weird chills sometimes.
"Right! Like, I'd laugh if my mom ever tried to ground me. The last time she tried, I put her in her place. I pay the bills around here, so I do whatever the fuck I want!" Jessica snickered mischievously.
"Fuck yeah," Lauren gave her a high five, and Jessica glowed at her approval.
"My mom is keeping away all my money in a trust fund for when I'm 21," I said.
Both girls gaped at me "Is that even legal?"
"Yeah, I signed an agreement at the start of my career," I huffed. It's one of my biggest regrets so far but my mother told me when I was a child that it was so I wouldn't let the money get to my head or overspend it. Savings for the future is what she called it. She still gives me a big weekly allowance that affords me beautiful clothes and the best coffees.
"Gosh that sounds like hell," scoffed Lauren. She looked at me with distaste.
"I just manifested the newest Louis Vouton bag," bragged Jessica suddenly.
Lauren gasped "I just manifested a yacht ride in Mexico!"
"No way," Jessica clapped.
Lauren nodded "Way!" The girls kept prattling about things that they manifested while I ate in silence. How is it that we both are in the same position but I'm living my life completely different than theirs? These girls hunger for more power. They get whatever they want. Do whatever they want. Spend all their money on the latest bags and shoes.
While I lived stuck in my mansion and since I'm underage, my mother keeps all my money away in a savings account. I can't drive. Can't eat what I want. Can't go anywhere without her permission. My mother even tells me what to wear.
Could life get any more frustrating?
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