"Alice, I won't do it. I'll do anything for you, and you know it. But this? I can't. I can't-" Bella had to run away from the deranged pixie. What got into that girl's head? The moment life turned a little too monotonous for Alice- she decided it was time to vicariously live through Bella. Last time, it had been the runway fiasco, and now this!
"Look, it's just one photoshoot. It won't go anywhere big, just a little gallery for my friend Rosalie."
"You just said the words nude and Vogue, you have to be shitting me."
"Well, yes, but I see you are uncomfortable with the idea, and I don't know why! You are perfect for this project. You're not letting me explain myself."
It was time to brandish the fabric shears. Bella pointed the scissors at Alice in playful warning.
"Alright," Bella said, cautiously. "Explain yourself."
"My friend, Rosalie, is doing a little project about the female form and biblical connotations. She, and I of course, think you are perfect for the section on angels. You have the most wonderful back to plaster some wings on!"
Bella lowered the scissors. Alice's idea of "little" was always huge.
"She just needs my back? Nothing else?"
"Just the profile, Bella. You can remain anonymous and I can make sure you are paid handsomely."
"Alice, stop. Our friendship isn't about money. I will do it for you, as an artistic favor from a friend. I just want to remain anonymous."
God forbid anyone from her previous life knew about it. She would be...remembered. There had been a couple articles speculating on why she stopped performing, but the chatter died down almost immediately as the next star rose to claim the limelight. God, she thought she did something. She had thought she had been destined for big things. This forced break in her life made her realize three big things. One, she loved playing her violin more than anything. Two, she hated playing her violin more than anything. And three, the only reason she performed was to fulfill the wishes of her dead mother.
As far as Bella was concerned, that wish was over. She gave a lifetime to this, and it was no longer her passion. The transition away from performing had been incredibly smooth, thanks to a slimy little contract with a certain Devil. She was sure he had sent Alice her way, but she always played innocent whenever asked.
"Great, thanks!" Alice's voice floated back into focus as Bella reviewed a couple invoices to be sent off to clients. "Rosalie is going to be here in thirty minutes. We're gonna have to get you ready."
Horror. Of course it is happening now! Alice never planned yet she never did anything half-assed either.
"Can't you give a girl some time to prepare? I haven't been working out!" Bella said. That was all she knew about modeling. You need to workout to look good.
"You don't need it. You're one of the lucky ones," Alice said. Bella flashed back to all of the things she did to keep herself in shape while practicing ungodly hours in the conservatory. It was more of a ruined appetite than "luck".
Alice flitted around and closed down the shop so fast, one would think a tornado did it. When Bella had been forced to clean up the first day, it was just a show. Alice did not care in the slightest how things were organized, and clients were oftentimes taken aback by the state of disarray Alice functioned in. However, it was this disarray the master did their work in.
Alice took Bella by the arm.
"Let's go to my place."
Bella stood in front of the largest mirror she had ever seen in her life. She watched as Alice applied some sort of glue to her back in preparation for placing the wings onto them. She had only a large cotton cloth covering her front. In the vastness of the mirror, and in her utter nakedness, Bella felt oddly vulnerable. Her eyes were large, scared and lonely. She was mercilessly thrown around by her status as a small celebrity. Being without a family, there were many people that wanted control over Bella's career. Not all those she chose to be around her had well-being as a priority. The only thing she learned was that to rest would be a sin.
Yet, she rested. A respite granted to her by the literal Devil. She was comfortable. She had Alice and Angela to keep her anchored to reality. She didn't know when this would end, she didn't know what was next. But she was prepared to run at any moment. Bella jumped when there was a soft knock on the door. Alice looked at her pensively, like this was something she wanted to comment on. She thought better of it.
The most beautiful woman Bella had ever seen stepped through the door. She was a modern version of a Greek statue with long wavy blonde hair. She wore the most impossibly high heeled black boots with jeans and a crop top. There was a camera at her hip and a lollipop in her mouth.
Rosalie peered at Bella over her sunglasses, and her lips first pursed, and then she smiled.
"Perfect," she exclaimed. "You are exactly what I have been looking for, a little angel."
Alice nodded enthusiastically, finishing the application of the glue along Bella's neck. In comparison to Rosalie, Bella was decidedly little. She conjectured that Rosalie was usually surrounded by similarly tall people.
"It's so nice to meet you, Bella. This won't take more than an hour. Do you have any modeling experience?"
"No," Bella said. "None."
"What a shame!" Rosalie started adjusting her camera settings.
"I'm too short."
"That's just an excuse, sweetie."
Bella blushed at the word. Rosalie's east coast accent gave her words a warm inviting ring. This woman could make anyone feel like a million bucks. Bella's mouth dropped open as Alice brought out the most life-like pair of angel wings she had ever seen.
"Alice…" both of the women whispered in awe.
They were large, at least twice as long in either direction as Bella's arms. Each feather was snow-white, almost glowing.
"Watch this," Alice said. She tugged at something inside one of the wings, and they flapped once.
"Jesus fucking christ, Alice, how do you get this shit? I don't deserve you." Rosalie tried to feel a feather but her hand was slapped away.
"Stay away, these are for Bella only. I don't want the cotton staining."
"That don't look like any cotton I have seen," Rosalie snorted.
"Does it matter how I made it? There were no animals harmed in the making of this." Bella shivered at the way 'animals' was uttered. Could Alice harm someone else in the making of these? Could they be real? This idea was quickly disproved as Bella realized the wings were a clever illusion. They were extremely light and held together by some sort of transparent wiring. The glue Alice put on Bella's back held them well.
Rosalie taught Bella some basic poses, as well as how to create movement in a photo. Bella was thoroughly exhausted by the end of the process. It was a far cry from simply sitting on her knees and exposing her back. By the end, Rosalie convinced her to take a couple headshots for possible "opportunities" which Bella vehemently declined to partake in, yet.
"You're going to keep me anonymous?" Bella asked. Rosalie nodded.
"Completely. I can send it to you in writing, if you would like. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable, any moment you want me to pull the photos, I will."
"That would be great," Bella said. Rosalie made her feel perfectly safe but it never hurt to double check.
"I will have them done very soon. Thank you for agreeing to this."
Bella glared at Alice, adorned in her underwear and wings only. Alice only grinned back, admiring her handiwork.
"The pleasure was all mine," Bella said.
I placed down my drink onto the bar. It made the barest of clinks as it touched the table. Edward knew if he wanted to meet with me it would have to be in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. I was a sucker for irony, even though it was completely Edward's invention. God cannot control what the Devil claims.
"You showed, finally, brother." Edward was dressed to the nines. One of the small pleasures of existence was seeing him confuse his own centuries. He had the look of a man barely past the nineteenth century.
"I did, now what do you want," I all but snarled. Both of us were stuck in this infinite existence, and I would forever have to circle with an insufferable bigot. I long ago cast away dreams of living in Heaven.
I used to be so like him. Then, the snake was born in Eden.
"So touchy, what, I cannot catch up with my little brother?"
I smiled at him, taking a sip of the cheap whiskey.
"You can catch me anytime you want, that is one of the agreements in our little treaty."
"Ah, that old thing? You still think about it?"
"You're a bastard."
"Our father would beg to differ, mother was the same both times."
"Don't speak of her."
"No, that would be crossing the line, wouldn't it. Give me some wine, bartender." Edward snapped and the man scuttled off to the back to find the best he had. For a benevolent "god", he sure loved the pleasures of human life. I would not be surprised if he indulged in hellish activities from time to time. He sure left the humans to create their own Hell.
The only thing that separated me from him was a history, a line of events which occurred over mere human days.
"You've been avoiding her," he said, giving me a sly smile.
"Who?" I feigned ignorance. I knew he spoke of Bella. I wanted to break his neck for even being in her presence. I didn't know why Bella didn't tell me what he said to her on the stupid plane ride.
"Your Isabella. Such an exquisite creature, wouldn't you agree?"
"Good things must be taken in stride-"
"Saving the best for last? Eh?" he gave a small nod as the bartender poured the wine.
I simply took another sip of my drink. The fire inside me burned hotter than any human drink.
"I can't believe you haven't noticed yet," Edward shook his head in mocking disbelief.
"Noticed what, brother?" My words were infected with poison, warning him to be careful of next words.
"She isn't mine." My gaze snapped up to Edward's for the first time. His green eyes were full of so much life, and happiness. Only God could afford such folly.
"She isn't your creation?" I whispered. "Is this some game you are playing with me?"
"No games, the match was decided long ago." And he won, was his insinuation.
"There are many things out of your or mine control, you know this. We do not control fate-"
"And the sun," I finished for him, rolling my eyes. "Are you telling me our father created her?"
"I do not know. What I do know is that if you do not move soon, this exquisite creature will become mine."
Edward slid over a small piece of paper to me. It was a small polaroid photo of a strange angel with her back turned to the camera. Her wings shined with an ethereal light. The angel was small, and her wings outstretched around her.
"Recognize her?" Edward's voice annoyed my ear.
"Bella."
I smashed the wine bottle over the bastard's head before he could think to vanish on me.
Thank you for stopping by! Hopefully, I'll see you next time.
Just in case it isn't totally clear:
Edward = God
Jasper = Devil
At least, that is the human interpretation of them. :)