Chapter 4 – Friends
"You could always buy your reading material online," Bella said with a smirk after I walked up to her counter with a random book in my hand to purchase.
"Eh," I shrugged, "I like to support local businesses."
Bella looked down at the book I placed on the counter, and raised an amused brow. "READ MY LIPS…If Vaginas Could Talk."
"Yeah, well I'll be taking a course in gynecology this upcoming year, so I figured I should get a head-start with some light summer reading," I said, pulling that excuse straight from my ass. It was believable – at least it was in my mind.
Of course she wasn't convinced. "Sure. As weird as this sounds, I'm not surprised you showed up."
"Really? Why not?"
She shrugged. "I don't know, I just had a feeling. Judging by our conversation during the drive back from Port Angeles, I'd say you were more than a little interested in my condition – which I suppose is understandable, since you're in medical school."
"Are you implying that I'm only here because of your issue, as a way to aid my schooling?" I asked, slightly offended by her probable assumption.
"Why else would you be here? You admitted you were disturbed by whatever I did during the beginning of our date, and you claimed to understand why I don't want to date. No average person would be interested in spending time with a certifiably mentally insane woman, so please spare me whatever excuse you may try to give me for showing up here after I explicitly asked you not to."
"I just want to be your friend."
"Sure you do," she retorted, not believing me for a second. "I know how this works. Anyone who had ever learned the truth about me, and wasn't immediately scared off, thinks of me as some side show freak that they want to hang around hoping to be entertained by whatever antics my alters create."
The accuracy of her judgement made me feel like absolute shit, however instead of making me back off like I knew I should have, I found myself trying to find a way into her life that much more.
"People that did that to you suck, but that's not why I'm here. Honestly, I just really enjoyed our time together and I wanted to see you again… on a strictly friendly basis, of course. I respect your desire to only keep platonic relationships."
"I never said I only wanted platonic relationships, what I said was that I didn't want any relationships at all. Even friendships don't bode well for me. One of my alters always offends them, and I'm left getting their cold shoulder and wondering what the hell happened. I have my dad… and an old family friend, and that's all I need."
"Look, I'm not going to force my company on you, but I just wanted you to know that I'm not like all those other jackasses. I don't get offended, like, ever, and my medical knowledge only makes me more understanding about your condition. Besides, I do have a personal background with mental disorders. My grandma lived with us for a few years before she died; she was severely bipolar."
Bella nodded. "Bipolar? Yeah, that's totally similar to DID."
"Yeah, so… wait, no," I was forced to backtrack when I realized she was being facetious. "I know it's not similar, I just mean that I probably have a better grasp on what you're going through than most other people you come across."
The more I spoke, the stupider I was sounding. I didn't want to patronize her in any way, or to make her feel like I didn't take her seriously, but I suppose I just wasn't sure how to not be a jackass.
It was clear she was getting frustrated with me, but after taking a call in the back room, she reemerged with a different attitude.
"So, you really want to be friends?" she asked, almost sounding too sweet.
"Wait, who are you?" I asked tentatively, assuming one of her alters just showed up.
"Still me," Bella said through her teeth with a fake smile.
"How do I know it's really still you? Maybe that's the exact way one of your alters would respond."
She rolled her eyes, and then dropped her fake over-friendliness. "Okay, here's the deal – obviously, we still don't know each other very well, and while I think it's best to keep it that way, I'm sort of in a pinch and now desperate for help."
"Okay, what's up?" I asked, legitimately more concerned than I would have previously predicted.
"There are exactly four people in this town currently that know I have this disorder; my dad, my family friend, my doctor, and now you. Unfortunately for me, I have this big event planned for tonight, and my dad just called to say he absolutely cannot get off work for it like planned. My friend happens to be in the hospital recovering from a recent accident, and I would never ask my doctor for something like this, so that leaves you."
I found it hard to believe that so few people knew of her disorder, considering how outlandish Alice had behaved, but I wasn't about to question it at the moment. She was letting me in, and I hadn't been that thrilled about anything in a long time.
"What do you need me to do?" I asked, eager to help her in any way she would allow.
"Babysit," she replied, scrunching her face in a way to convey pain.
"You have kids?" I asked, surprised.
She pressed her lips and shook her head no. "I am the kid…sometimes. One of my alters, Bree, is between six and nine, depending on the day. She doesn't come out often, but when other kids are around, she tends to fight her way to the surface, and in that case, she needs to be watched and maybe even controlled."
"What exactly is this event?" I asked, feeling far more excited than I probably should have.
"This store needs help. Business isn't doing well, so I arranged for a relatively famous children's book author come and do a few readings of her latest best seller. It should make the local news, and hopefully generate some more customers. I've received dozens of RSVPs from families with kids saying they're coming. There's going to be a raffle and a door prize. I hired a few people to handle most of it, but I have to be here. If I start acting crazy, I really need someone to diffuse the situation. Maybe even cover for me with the guests and try to distract Bree from being too conspicuous."
"I see," I said, thinking I understood her request. "But if Bree is a kid, won't she get a little freaked out, and possibly make an even bigger scene when I try to approach her? I mean, I've never met Bree, so to her I'm just some random stranger. Aren't kids afraid of that sort of thing?"
"Well, you're still some random stranger to me too," she reminded me.
"True, but you kind of know me. I mean, you at least know I'm not trying to kidnap, or assault you, or anything."
"Do I?" she deadpanned. "I'm still not convinced you don't have an ulterior motive for coming here today."
"Hopefully, after I help you with this event, you'll see that I really just want to be your friend," I tried convincing her, even if I wasn't completely sure myself. What the hell was I doing there anyway?
"I honestly can't believe I'm even asking you this, except to say that I'm desperate and I don't have anyone else to turn to. So, if you pull through for me tonight, I'd say I'm indebted to you."
"Or, you could just count me as a friend since that's the kind of thing a friend would do," I reiterated with a smirk.
"Are you really sure you're up for this? Watching a crazy woman you hardly know, in a crowd, and trying to get her to not make a complete ass of herself isn't going to be easy." She sighed. "My dad suggested that I reschedule the event to an evening he can get off work. Maybe I should just follow his advice."
"It seems like it would be extremely complicated to reschedule. Your dad really can't get off work for this? Most parents wouldn't want to miss this sort of thing."
"He doesn't want to miss it, believe me, but that's one of the pitfalls of small-town living. He has no one to cover for him at the station. The only other guy in the area qualified is out of state at a funeral."
"Oh, that sucks."
"Yeah, it's all just super shitty timing. So, either I reschedule with a high probability that my author can't make it and most of the people don't come, or I suck it up and get it done. I'm so tired of being ruled by my condition. It has fucked with my life for far too long, and this is too important to give up on. Without this store, I have nothing."
"Okay," I said, sincerely admiring her perseverance. "Do you have any pointers or tips for me in dealing with your alters? How sure are you one of them will come out?"
"Over the years I've come to somewhat predict when they'll emerge. For instance, I know when there is a party or loud music with people dancing, Alice usually likes to be involved. When there are a lot of kids or animals around, Bree pushes her way out. They chose it, and most of the time I'm incapable of stopping them."
"And when they're out, what do they do?" I questioned curiously. "I mean, I guess I've met Alice, but they all just do their own thing, or do some of them actually try to blend in?"
"I think it all depends on the situation. The longer the span of time it's been since they've been out last, the more intense they push their own wants and desires forward. As far as I know, Alice hadn't really been out since the night she met you, so when she came back for that date, she was more uncontrollable than usual. Plus, she probably felt that since she is the one who actually met you, she could act however she wants and be herself instead of trying to be me."
I nodded as I let myself process what she was saying. "So, for this particular event you're pretty confident Bree will show up because of all the kids coming?"
"Exactly."
"Okay, so what should I say to her so she knows to listen to me, or that I'm not some random stranger there to scare her?"
Bella raised her shoulders. "I honestly don't know much about them other than what my dad has told me that he's witnessed. Bree can be sweet, but she can also be a brat. As far as you being a stranger, that isn't necessarily true. Even though I don't remember anything they do, they often have some kind of knowledge of my life. I don't know how or why, but they seem to know the people I do, so hopefully she will recognize you and listen."
I laughed once. "You don't sound too confident."
"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly.
"You don't have to keep apologizing to me," I told her yet again.
"I know you said that already, but I really don't think you understand exactly what you're getting yourself into here. You certainly don't owe me anything, so I would totally understand if you just walked away right now. I wouldn't even blame you for ditching me at the event if it gets too much for you."
"How could it be too much?" I questioned, thinking about the wild way Alice had behaved on our date. It was embarrassing, but the more I considered it, the more I realized I wasn't really all that embarrassed. "What's the worst that could happen?" I told her. "So, she gets out of control and acts out in front of a bunch of strangers? I could see how that would upset you, but as for me, I really wouldn't be affected."
"Whatever Alice did to you before, might actually be tame compared to some of the things they're capable of," she tried convincing me. "Even my dad has a hard time with them sometimes."
"I think you're confusing me with someone who gives a shit about anyone around here. Your dad lives and works in this community, so I understand why he would want to save face, but I really could care less what these people think of me. So, in that sense, I'm probably the best person to help you with this."
Bella was still understandably apprehensive, but like she told me, she really didn't have anyone else to turn to. Her unwanted dependency on me gave me a sense purpose that I seemed to be lacking in my life recently, so as much as Bella was nervous for that evening's event, I personally couldn't wait.
…
It wasn't a particularly dressy event, since it was supposed to be mainly for children, but I put on my best pants and a nice button down, just to look my best.
I arrived early, but there were already a bunch of people moving about, getting everything set up.
"Excuse me," I said to the first person that walked past me. "Do you know where Bella is right now?"
"I don't know any Bellas," the woman with way too many facial piercings replied. "I was hired by a temp, so…" She shrugged before continuing on her way.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," I heard a voice say from behind me. I turned to see Bella standing there, with her arms crossed and her brow raised as her eyes raked me over. "You look like a shlump."
"Shlump?" I questioned, unsure what that meant. "Am I overdressed?" I asked, guessing she was referring to my clothes.
"No, you just look stupid," she replied full of unexpected attitude. "Stupid like a square."
I scratched my head. "Alice?"
She scowled at me, but I knew it was her, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as the result. It certainly wasn't my first meeting with that alter, but after learning about Bella's condition, I was absolutely fascinated by the idea of speaking to her knowing she wasn't real.
"Why are you here?" she asked me full of attitude.
"Bella invited me," I replied, perhaps a little too loudly.
"Bella doesn't date," she retorted, not believing me. "And I don't date either… By the way, when I say I don't date, what I mean is I don't date squares like you!"
"I'm not here to date anyone. Bella just said it would be cool if I came."
"Oh, that's right, you're the pretty boy plagued with perpetual boredom. Look, I tried to show you a good time, but you proved that the problem with the lack of excitement in your life, is you. I actually feel a bit sorry for you. You're basically a conch."
"A conch?" I asked bewildered.
"Yeah, a pretty shell, but completely hollow on the inside. Pathetic, really. Such a shame. And the worst part is you're actually good in bed. I wouldn't even mind going for round two if you weren't such a conch. I do have standards, you know."
"Um, Miss Swan, please excuse my interruption," a small woman wearing an apron said meekly. "Where do you want these?" she asked of the large vase of flowers she was holding.
"Why am I the only one with vision?" she said, exasperated. She grabbed the flowers from the worker, and then walked off with them, presumably to place them somewhere she deemed worthy. I was left just standing there, completely mystified in her aftermath. As much as I believed Bella when she explained her condition, it wasn't until speaking to Alice again that I truly understood it. She really was an entirely different person when an alter was in control. From the mannerism she used, to the cadence of her words; she even walked completely different. It had to be one of the most enthralling things I ever witnessed.
"Hey there, would you mind helping me with this?" I heard a voice say from behind me. I turned to see another of the workers holding a long banner out towards me in need of a little help pinning it to one of the shelves. The strikingly beautiful blond smiled and batted her eyes, almost as if she thought she needed to flirt in order to get the assistance she was requesting.
Her flirtation was unnecessary, but certainly not unwelcomed. I smiled back at her with my most irresistible smile that always won over the ladies, and I replied with, "Sure, of course."
As I was helping her, she accidentally dropped her end of the banner and giggled playfully as I picked it up for her.
"Thanks, I'm such a klutz. So, how long have you been working here?" she asked with more eye batting. "I'm Lauren, by the way."
"Edward," I introduced myself with a smile. "Uh, I don't actually work here. I'm just a friend of the owner's."
"Oh, I was wondering why I didn't see you when I was hired last week. I'm actually new in town, so I'd love to make a couple friends myself. Would you be up to hanging out sometime?"
I shrugged. "I'm not really interested in making anymore friends in this town, but if you want to just be friendly for the night, I may have tomorrow open," I told her, though I was surprisingly unmotivated to put on my usual charm when it came to potential one-nighters.
Her smile widened. "Perfect."
"Oh, you don't want to fuck him, Lauren," Bella, er Alice, said, suddenly appearing behind me. "Trust me, I've been there, and it wasn't worth my time," she told her while holding up her pinky finger as a grossly false reference to my penis size, before sauntering away. What the actual fuck?
"Oh, I see," Lauren replied with a disturbed and disappointed expression.
"What? No, trust me, I'm more than fine in that department," I said defensively.
"Uh, well either way, she's my boss and she clearly wants me staying away from you, so…" Lauren let her words trail off, before not-so-subtly busying herself with anything other than me.
Disgruntled – mainly due to the hit to my pride rather than the actual blown hookup – I caught up to Alice and threw my hands in the air. "What the hell was that?"
Initially, she looked confused, but then her confusion fell into satisfaction. "Hey, I just did you a favor. That girl has seven different types of STDs."
I scrunched my nose. "How the hell would you even know something like that? You probably just met her today!"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh relax, conch; there are plenty of bitches in the pound. I'm not personally interested in a round two with you, but I'm sure you won't have trouble finding someone a little less diseased."
As she turned and walked away, I took a moment to seriously consider what the hell I was even doing there. I told Bella I would babysit her, and I wasn't about to bail on that, but what confused me the most was just how much I wasn't even really bothered by her action. Lauren was fucking hot as hell, and under normal circumstances I would definitely be interested in a night with her, but at the moment, my fixation was set on the crazy woman that shared a body with several others.
People finally started arriving as the event was set to begin, and when it became crowded, I mistakenly lost sight of Alice. My chest actually tightened as I began to panic. I had one freaking job that night, and now I couldn't find her. Some friend I was.
The guest author sat down, and all the kids gathered around a rainbow-colored carpet to hear the reading. I damn near had a heart attack as I realized Bella was about to miss it, but then I finally spotted her. Just as Bella had predicted, she was sitting with the children, and eagerly awaiting the story. Even from where I was standing, I knew Alice was no longer in control. Everything about her had shifted. The way she was giggling with her hands covering her mouth, to the rocking of her body as she sat with her legs crossed in front of her. A new alter had arrived, and I found myself desperate to meet her…
…
***A/N: In this chapter, Edward refers to Alice as not being real, please understand that I am well aware that is a shallow and insensitive notion. Edward is ignorant on the matter, and he will come to understand the seriousness to Bella's condition. Thanks for your understanding!