Hello! I wanted to personally thank Twilightcringe, DxGRAYxMAN, Twin268, and Guest for leaving reviews on the last chapter! I appreciate it so much! It's just really nice hearing your thoughts on what you do and don't like! I hope you all enjoyed Angela standing up for Bella. Angela is a quiet soul who doesn't like confrontation, but she cares for Bella and I thought maybe she would have stood up for her in this situation! You guys thought Bella would run into Edward in Seattle? Hah. Nah. Alice would've foreseen that easily since Jacob wasn't at the dress shop until the end. And Alice would've warned Edward that Bella was in Seattle to stay away! Don't you worry, I have a plan... All rights to the Twilight Saga and these characters go to Stephenie Meyer! Enjoy!(:
Chapter 43: Party
The drive home from Seattle was long as expected, but it was enjoyable in a way especially for the rabbit that couldn't take up a lot of speed. But Jacob had built it from scratch, and it rode well for what a sixteen-year-old boy built. Having my two best friends with me, getting along. Jacob already had Angela's approval from the start but having them get along together and hold up a conversation together during the drive home was comforting. I knew Angela would be a longtime friend in my life, and I appreciated her every minute for it.
She invited Jacob and I to join them for a double date before prom, which was very generous of her to allow him and I to intrude on their own dinner date. But Angela beamed with excitement at the idea of us showing up to prom together. She continued to hint to Jacob that he would love the dress she had picked out for me, and I could see a small tint of blush form under his bronze cheeks. His wave of blush caused me to feel nervous, and anxious at the idea of what he would expect me to look like in it. If Angela happened to over exaggerate the way I looked in it, and if he would be disappointed by the reality of it. But prom was less than a month away, and it wasn't worth getting overly anxious about it.
We dropped Angela off at her house thirty minutes past midnight which was long due past the time that we were supposed to be home if we had driven to Port Angeles instead. Jacob held his hand out towards me, holding only the other hand on the steering wheel. I put my hands into his and watched as his thumb continued to graze the top of my palm. How the heat of it left bumps protruding from my skin across my wrist and up my arm. The car was much colder than his skin, especially. His touch caused me to shiver over the rest of my body that wasn't feeling the contact of his warmth but lavish in it the more.
"So, did you have fun shopping today?" he said with a dry laugh. I rolled my eyes at his sly comment that held meaning towards the uncomfortable situation that had happened at the dress shop. I was more worried at the time of how he would have reacted. If he would have shifted into his wolf form in front of her, in front of everyone. How out of control the situation could have become if he wasn't able to contain the heightened testosterone that is caused by his other physical form.
"Did you have fun?" I said sarcastically back to him. His mouth quivered with a smile, as we both joined in on a laugh together.
"Yeah, totally. Getting punched by a girl was the highlight of my night," he looked at me nodding with a dry laugh under his breath.
"Yeah, real good right hook there. Might have to call animal control on that feisty one," I replied, nodding my head trying to fight a smile. I looked straight ahead at the road to avoid eye contact with him to not see the facial expression he was making when I said the smart-ass remark. I broke the contact, unable to bear not seeing the expression that would have shown on his face. His jaw was dropped at me, as if he was holding that expression the whole time just waiting for me to look at him, and we both broke out in a laugh again.
Joking with Jake felt so easy. It was natural to laugh with him and just as easily to be around him entirely. It felt right, as if we were meant to be by each other's side forever. I stared out the car window contemplating my thoughts of the day. Contemplating the question that Angela asked me, but I never answered. Contemplating the thought of when I was distracted by the redhead in the window across the street that had saved me from that answer. Of course, those were my own nerves getting to me. There was no business that Victoria had in Seattle, at least that I knew of. Possibly the population density was high and hunting there was an easy source of food for her. My body shivered at the thought of those helpless souls.
"You okay?" Jacob said, interrupting my thoughts as he squeezed my hand. The warm of his lingered through my palm and through my veins, boiling the blood underneath my skin comfortably.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the party tomorrow." I lied. "Are you sure you can't come with me?"
"We are allowed on their territory when they aren't here, but it's not the most comfortable feeling trespassing it. We mostly just try to avoid it." He said, now turning his face to the road going down to my house. I could see the corner of his mouth turned up. "Besides, you and Angela will be able to figure out how to have fun without me around."
"Hardly. You're the most fun person I know." I pouted.
"Geez, Bella. Stop trying to flatter me." He said, rolling his eyes sarcastically. I involuntarily giggled at it.
He slowly pulled up to the curb in front of my house and idled the engine. We sat there for a minute while I enjoyed the warm of his hand in mine.
"You're coming over Sunday, right?" He asked.
"Yeah, wouldn't miss it." I smiled at him with a nod.
"Good, we have something planned. Thought you might find it fun."
"Oh, boy." I replied to him, now returning the sarcastic eye roll as I opened the passenger door of the car letting myself out. Jacob reached behind him grabbing the dress wrapped in the protective plastic and handed it to me. He glimpsed at it when I pulled it from him and smiled back at me.
"Didn't know my woman was so boujee" He replied with a chortle under his breath. I could feel the heat surface to my cheeks. I tried to hide my face from him, looking at the ground.
"Didn't know my Jacob knew what boujee was." I replied with a smirk still hiding my face.
He placed his hand against his chest clenching it. "Ouch, that hurts, Bells." He let out a heavy sigh, moving his head farther down to see my expression. "You're going to look beautiful; you know."
I shook my head at him, trying to hide a flattered smile within my face. "I have to go. Charlie is probably waiting on me with a rifle in his hand."
"See you at the funeral." He smirked back at me. I tapped my hand on the hood of the car like one of those car salesmen and closed the door; heading inside the house.
Charlie was already in bed asleep before he got home. I walked in the kitchen looking around for him and seeing a note on the table. I placed my fingers on it, pulling it towards me reading it.
Hope you had fun, Bells. You deserve it. See you in the morning.
It was odd of Charlie to leave a note. He wasn't the most emotional kind of dad, or mushy enough to leave a note, but I was glad he wasn't worried about me. I dragged myself and the dress up the stairs feeling exhausted by the late night. I wasn't used to staying up so late, especially past midnight. I was an old man when it came to a solid bedtime.
I showered and got dressed for bed, closing the door behind me softly so I wouldn't awake Charlie. I looked at the dress I had laid on top of my bed and lifted it to put it on the hanger in my closet. I marveled at it and thought of Alice. I wondered if she would have approved of it for me. I couldn't see why not; I thought it was stunning. I had missed her ways. She was my sister, and the last time I had seen her was when she came to Forks to check on me, but then mysteriously slipped away to never return. That was almost two months ago, but it still stung incredulously.
It had piqued my interest to think of the party for tomorrow night. Having me wonder if she were the one to have chosen to invite all the seniors behind the anonymous email. I wouldn't put it past her in the slightest, but if she had, I only hoped she would have thought to greet me when she had come back into town.
Exhausted was an understatement to describe how I felt. I couldn't think any more, or it would drown me into a new headache. I laid down in my bed, holding my face smashed into my pillow with my body bundled up under the covers. It was starting to sprinkle outside, but not in an irritating way. It was nice the way this rain had fallen on the roof. Lightly, and continuing the same pattern instead of an irregular one.
I found Charlie downstairs reading the newspaper and sipping some of the burnt coffee that left an aroma to linger around the first story of the house.
"Morning, Bells. Coffee?" He raised an eyebrow up at me as he held the mug up towards me.
"No, thanks." I chuckled and shook my head. I walked to the fridge to look for something to prepare. "Want anything to eat? Might make some pancakes."
"Damn, Bella. Making pancakes when I have to leave soon?"
"Where are you going?"
"Billy decided that it would just be me and him fishing today. He said he'd meet me at the spot, so it'll be a little longer for him to get there..."
"He didn't ask you to drive him?"
"Nope, that's a stubborn man, Bells. Too good to ask for help. Ruins his pride."
"Understood." I said, nodding at him. I pulled out the eggs, milk and flour from the fridge and pantry and started to prepare the creation quickly in a bowl before I put the first ladle full into the pan. "I can make them quick; you know. You have time to eat."
"Yeah, I guess I can stay for a bite." He replied. "So, you get back late? Heard the pipes from the shower moving around pretty late last night."
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," I felt disappointed about that.
"It's fine. I'm glad you had a good time. Seattle is a good distance away. Did you find a dress?"
"Yeah, Angela helped me pick it out," I replied, flipping two average sized pancakes. They got stuck together since the pan wasn't big enough.
"Good, good. Jacob asked where you were."
"Yeah, he showed up there, too. Jess and Lauren found him a rental tux."
"That boy drove all the way to Seattle to find a rental tux. Geez Louise." Charlie took another sip of his coffee, setting it down and exhaling a satisfied breath. I pulled the two pancakes off the stove and put them onto a plate and placed the bottle of syrup onto the table next to it. Charlie scarfed the two down and put his mug and plate in the sink.
"I'm glad you got home safe, Bells." Charlie said, nodding at me as he grabbed his fishing rods that he had laid against the entrance wall next to the door.
"Oh, dad? I'm going to go out tonight. Jessica invited us for a sleep over. I might come home pretty late tonight if I decide not to stay."
"Sounds great, Bells. I'm glad you're spending time with your friends." Charlie closed the door behind him with a grin on his face as he left.
I cleaned up the mess from breakfast after I had finished two pancakes and went up to my room to read a few of the marked pages in my Wuthering Heights book that I enjoyed the most. It was getting repetitive for me to continuously read this book numerous times. I remember seeing that bookstore in Seattle that was filled with a copious amount of options and decided that I would have to go back eventually and buy some more. Going for an almost four-hour car ride to buy some books from a store seemed silly since we had a local one here, but the one here was filled with ones that I already grew familiar with.
The phone rang downstairs, so I went to it and answered. It was Angela on the other end of the line.
"Hey!" she said enthusiastically.
"Hey, Ange. What's up?"
"Not much, I'm glad you got home safe. Just didn't know if you wanted to carpool together to the party. Ben said he wouldn't mind picking you up from your house and taking us there."
"Yeah, that sounds great, actually."
"Okay, cool! I don't really know where Jacob lives. Is he going to meet you at your house?"
"Jacob isn't going. He has plans with his family tonight."
"Bummer, I'm sorry, Bella. So, you still want to go? We're going to have fun together, I promise."
"Yes, I still want to go." I replied, chuckling through the receiver. "I'll see you tonight," I said and placed the telephone back onto the dock.
It was getting close to the time of the party and I decided earlier to put my hair in loose braids and uncoil them when they were dry. It was a trick I saw in a magazine that I read when I had nothing to do at Forks Newspaper for easy curls. I didn't know much how to use a curling wand, nor cared to try. The dress that Jessica gave me on the other hand would have to wait until Angela was here to help me with the buttons on the back of it.
Angela had shown up and knocked on my door. I held the dress close to my body to keep it up and opened the door for her to come in.
"Bella! That dress looks really nice on you."
"Thanks, you look really nice too, Ange." I smiled at her and turned around after I shut the door behind her. "Would you mind buttoning this up?"
She clasped the buttons together and coiled her fingers a slight bit through my hair. "There. Really weird to make dresses that are impossible to put on yourself."
"I agree, let's go." I grabbed my shoes from upstairs and we left the house and got into Ben's car.
I knew how long this drive would take and exactly where we were going. The tree line was the same, and the amount of them grew numerously when we got closer to the old Cullen house as less and less houses resided on the street. The road was dark and foggy from last night's showers, with unlit streetlights lining it. Ben and Angela started to get more nervous as the ride grew longer, but I assured them that the vacant house was close by. They didn't question how I knew, nor did I tell them.
When we pulled into the dark driveway that was generally long and fitted deeply into the forest, it started to illuminate as we grew closer to the house. It was the same, but it looked more maintained than I thought it would for a house to be as vacant as it had been. I wouldn't have been surprised if they had monthly gardeners to clean up the exterior while they were gone.
The windows were beaming lights through them as the inside was encased with purple and gold mood lights along with strobing ones. Angela gawked at the house. Her jaw dropped at the amount of people that were already inside dancing.
"Wow, that sure is a party," Ben said. Angela just nodded as she continued to be mesmerized by it. Ben opened the door for both Angela and I and we walked inside together.
Surprisingly the house was furnished as if it was normally lived in. It didn't seem dusty as I expected it to be, but again, maids were possibly normal here to keep it maintained. I recognized the long couch in the living room, along with the end tables and coffee table. It seemed generally the same, besides the normal decor that Esme had picked out specifically.
The pain in my chest from the small reminders was apparent but suppressed enough to not affect me like it had before. I held in a breath of air as I continued to walk around the house which was very crowded for the small number of seniors we had at our school. I suspected that news got around and people had invited seniors from the other high schools, as well. I didn't recognize over half of the people here. The strobing lights suppressed as I walked into the kitchen, which had loose hanging lights in the doorways that you were forced to push apart to enter. As expected from the crowd, the kitchen was filled with different kinds of snacks and entrees for the guests, along with a bar filled with bottles of different liquors. If this party was busted by the police, we all would go to jail.
I had no desire myself to drink tonight, and I expected the same from Angela, so I grabbed two cans of Sprite and a beer for Ben. I wasn't sure if he would participate with a drink either, so I grabbed a spare Coca-Cola for him, as well. My hands were already full, but I grabbed a bag of Doritos to take back to the living room couch for us to snack on.
The music was blaring through the house, so it was an understandable spot to host a party to keep it private enough from law enforcement and nosy neighbors. I found Angela and Ben sitting remotely awkward on the couch as they watched people dancing in the middle of the living room. I handed them their drinks, and well enough, Ben had decided to drink the beer. I sat down with them, and we all continued to gaze at the dancers together, snacking on the Doritos I brought.
"Wow, this is insane," Angela said, her eyes gawking around the house
"I agree."
"What?" Angela said, raising her voice, trying to break the sound of the music and the crowd's voices.
"I said I agree!" I shouted at her again. She nodded at me, raising her thumb up. Ben was tapping his hands to the beat on top of his thighs and bobbing his head up and down sipping on the beer.
I finally had noticed what the crowd of people were all huddled around as few of them strayed away from the living room to the kitchen leaving an opening towards the middle of the crowd. We could see Jessica and Lauren with bottles in their hands bouncing their arms up and down as they were grinding on each other. The boys and a few girls were becoming enticed by their interaction, but Angela's face was less amused.
"You okay?" I asked her, raising my voice so she could hear me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit annoyed."
"Why?"
"Have they called to apologize to you?"
"No, why would they?"
"Because they were so rude to you, Bella. It was painful to watch them do that to you." I had noticed over the past year and a half that Lauren was the rudest to me, and gradually Jessica became that way towards me, too. But it didn't bother me as much as it seemed to have bothered Angela. I chose to generally ignore them.
"It's fine I promise. I'm sure they've been busy today." Angela nodded at me sipping her Sprite. "You and Ben should go dance! Go have fun!" I said to her enthusiastically.
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you by yourself."
I held up the bag of Doritos and the can of Sprite in my hand. "I promise you I am perfectly fine right where I am," I said, nodding at her forcing a smile on my face to convince her. She returned a smile and stood up, grabbing Ben's hand to go join the rest of the dancing crowd.
I sat there watching Angela enjoy the party with Ben as they danced together. It was amusing to watch as they both moved awkwardly with each other, trying to find the right rhythm to the beat of the music. It had made me feel envious for Jacob to be here to enjoy it with me. I understood why he wouldn't come, but I still wish he had. I knew this kind of thing would possibly be fun for him and the pack, especially the younger ones, not that I would condone for them to drink. I watched as people came in and out of the kitchen, along with others who were touring the different levels of the house. It was a sight to see, especially if it was your first time being here. The openness of it was intimidating as the exterior was almost entirely glass windows.
"Bella!" I heard my name shouted from the staircase. Mike Newton walked recklessly but slowly over towards me. It was clear he had already intoxicated himself with the alcohol. He stopped halfway towards me as he looked over at Jessica and Lauren as they continued to grind on each other as the senior boys expressed their satisfaction with their upbeat encouragement. Mike's face fell glum, and then he continued to stumble towards me, but then retain some composure as he got closer. "Bella, I didn't know you were coming!"
"Here I am," I said, shyly giving a small wave to him.
"Yepp, here you are." He nodded at me, tapping his foot to the beat of the music. "So, you're not drinking?"
"No, not my thing, honestly."
"Not your thing? You're at a high school party! It's everyone's thing." he said, stumbling back as he waved his arms to emphasize 'everyone's thing.'
"Yeah, I'm just not into drinking, is all." I held my lips pressed into my face in a flat line, continuing to nod at him.
"Well, that's cool… that's cool…" He looked around the room mirroring my same facial expression. "So, do you want to dance?"
"Dance?" Odd question to ask from someone I thought generally knew that I had two left feet. "No, definitely not." I chuckled dryly at him.
"Oh, c'mon, Bella. You look amazing tonight, and it would be fun. Just get up, and dance with me." He held his hand out towards me, stumbling a bit to keep himself balanced.
"No, really. I don't want to," I tried to assure him, sternly. He leaned in further, grabbing my wrist forcefully causing me to drop my can of Sprite onto the floor. I held my feet down, forcing my own weight to keep me pressed against the couch cushions. "Mike, really I don't want to." I said, grabbing my hand onto his that held my wrist; trying to break it free.
"Just dance with me, goddamnit, Bella!" He shouted back, still holding a grip on my wrist, trying to use his weight to pull me off the couch. He was much stronger than me, so I could feel my rear losing its place against the cushion as I struggled to keep it against it.
"Mike, stop! Let go of me!" I shouted at him angrily.
Mike was irritating me, especially from the smell of his breath that the alcohol had coated. He was tugging on me more, but my wrist was suddenly free from his grip, as I was slammed back against the cushion of the couch. I could see a tallish young man with curly brunette hair dragging Mike by the shoulder away from the living room. I didn't see his face, but I would have to thank him later for the encounter he saved me from.
I hadn't noticed Angela was back on the couch sitting oddly close to me as her stare was directed onto my face. "Bella, oh my god. Are you okay?" She expressed concern, out of breath.
Huh? "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine."
Angela shook her head but settled her back against the cushion of the couch slouching. I could see her chest lift up and down as she was trying to get a breath of air into her lungs. I handed her the opened Sprite can she left next to me and watched as she chugged on it. When she lifted the can from her lips, she set it in between her knees, staring back at me. "Are you sure? Mike looked like he was going to yank you off the couch."
"No, no it's fine I promise. He just wanted to dance, and I didn't want to." I looked back into the other room, trying to investigate who that person was that had pulled Mike away from me. "Did you see the guy that took Mike into the other room?"
"Yeah, he really dragged him out of here."
"Do you happen to know who that was?" I asked her, staring back at her face now, investigating her facial expressions.
"No, not that I know of. Must be from one of the other high schools. He did look vaguely familiar, though"
"Forks is a pretty small town," I added.
"Yeah, it is, but I don't recognize half of the people here, either."
I looked back at the crowd of dancers seeing Jessica push herself through them with Lauren following slowly behind her with her head held up high and a smirk on her face.
"Bella, Bella, Bella! You made it!" Jessica squealed at me, wrapping her arms over my shoulders and around my neck still clinging onto the bottle she was drinking from. Her breath was much sweeter from the choice of alcohol she chose. Lauren didn't stand close to me, and more so hid behind Jessica crossing her arms. Jessica looked around the room into the doorway leading away from the living room and then back at me. "You guys got here so late! Can I get you something to drink? I have margaritas!" She said sloshing the bottle of premade margarita in her hand.
I laughed uncomfortably, "No, thanks though. I'm actually going to go find some more soda." I replied standing up from the couch. "Angela? Want another Sprite?" I asked.
"I'll come with you actually, if you don't mind." I nodded at her and we both went into the kitchen.
Angela and I slid our way through the crowd, bumping into a few other teenagers who spilled their drinks as I stumbled on them. Parties were not my scene in any way, especially for someone as clumsy as I am. Angela and I looked through the drink options which there were plenty of. Angela grabbed a fresca, and I grabbed myself a root beer. I was still a tad hungry from eating those chips that didn't curve my appetite, so I helped myself to some of the buffalo chicken dip which had a kick to it. I looked around the kitchen tapping my fingers excessively on the can of root beer.
A small beautiful petite girl stood next to the window with the tall boy with curly brunette hair. Her hair was dirty blonde with bangs that draped over her forehead and she had a small little mouse nose. But her lips, and the rest of her facial features other than the high cheekbones and eye color had looked familiar. Familiar like I knew who that person was. Her dress was short, but elegant in a way. It was a dark forest green, but it shimmered under the lights in the house. I still hadn't seen the tall curly brunette boy's face, so I was becoming skeptical. They were standing away from everyone else and glued to each other. She had her hand gripped around his forearm and his hand was pressed against her upper back, pulling her close to him. They seemed inseparable, the way she looked at him. Their height was a notable difference as she seemed to be over a foot shorter than him, but that didn't stop them from gazing at each other in a loving way.
"Bella? Want to head back into the living room?"
"Yeah, in a minute." I lightly grabbed onto Angela's elbow to get her attention. "Her, right there. Does she look familiar to you?"
"No, not really but she's gorgeous. I mean, I would say oddly familiar, yes, but no one I can assure myself of." Angela replied, chewing on another chip that she had dipped into the buffalo chicken dip. I nodded at her, still staring at the couple who had not noticed my gaze on them. "They are a little tan to be from Forks, though."
They were tan, the both of them. Their skin radiated the same color throughout their arms, hands, neck and face. If it had reminded me of anyone, it couldn't have been someone from Forks. Arizona maybe. But the height, and the lovingly way they looked at each other, had reminded me of a couple in particular. Particularly Alice and Jasper.
"Yeah, I think you're right," I said to Angela, still staring at the couple.
"Ooo, Bella. They have tuna salad. We can make tuna sandwiches." Angela said enthusiastically, making us both a plate. She handed me mine and we both glided to a different area of the house, one that held a piano that I remember faintly of. It was uncovered, and the piano keys were encased under the wood. The seat itself was hidden under the large piano, begging to be pulled out for someone in particular to strike the keys. But that person wasn't here, and that person hasn't been here for a long time to strike those keys. To play the tunes of his own creations. Of his own repertoire. None of them were.
Angela and I pulled the seat out and sat backwards from the piano looking out towards the river that was greeted by mountain ranges and hills on both sides. People gradually walked into the room with us after they noticed it was inhabited. The music streamed in, as well. Or it already had been in the room and I didn't notice while I mostly concerned my thoughts and attention on the dark night, where the moon shed light onto the peaks of the small ripples of the river. Angela and I were both quiet as we stared at it, chewing on the tuna sandwiches that were undeniably good. Whoever put the food together was exquisite in the kitchen even if it was only for a tuna salad sandwich, unless a caterer was hired. Strange for a caterer to be hired by a high school student.
It didn't take long for Angela to go and look for Ben. She ended up finding him in one of the libraries reading some of Carlisle's medical books that he left behind. Most of them were gone, especially the ones that were from the times of his youth where things were still a mystery, and old medicine was still being practiced. He left behind the newer ones that he had contained what he had already known of and practiced daily. Ben on the contrary, while he was seducing himself with new knowledge of the medical field, he also was trashed by succumbing to more beers than he could tolerate.
"Hey, Angie?" Ben said, pressing his cheek against the open book looking up at her. "Did you know… that cobwebs actually have natural anti—anti—anti-septic and antifungal properties… so you can use them for bandages if you have none?" He said, looking up at her with a sweet smile; his eyes dazed from the alcohol and stuttering his words.
"No, I did not know that, actually. Is a medical book advising you to do that?" Angela asked.
"Mmm, I don't think it's advising… but it throws in some random facts every now and then in the books to keep you engaged, I think."
"Are you engaged?" Angel asked, raising her eyebrow, turning up the sides of her lips.
"Yes," Ben, replied with a shy smile.
"Well, it's getting late and I think it's time to take you home. I'll be the one driving." Angela said, taking the book out of his hands gently and putting it back on the shelf. "Are you ready to go?" She asked me.
"Um, if you don't mind, I'm going to stay a bit longer," I said, flattening my mouth as I looked around. I was particularly interested to look around the house before I had to leave it behind for good. It was nice seeing it alive, again. Even if it were just humans in the facility.
"Oh, how will you get home?"
"Jess and Lauren might need a D.D. or something."
"Yeah, probably," she replied, chuckling.
I helped Angela get Ben into the passenger seat, and she buckled him. She opened the driver side door closing it behind her and rolled the window down.
"Are you sure you don't want a ride home with us?"
"I promise, I'll be fine. Get him home," I smiled at her, warmly.
"You're so brave," she replied, chortling.
I waved to them both as she and Ben drove off together. I walked back inside to people still dancing in the large living room to the blaring music, but there were less of them now as the night shifted to midnight. Jessica and Lauren were in the kitchen stuffing their mouths with some of the mac and cheese casserole that was out for the party guests to enjoy. They both looked awful and very incapable to get themselves home.
"Hey," I said to them both, walking up to them.
"Hey," Jessica said less enthusiastically with her mouth full. I knew she was just tired and intoxicated greatly.
"I thought maybe in a little bit I could drive you both home?" I leaned my hands against my knees arching my back to look down at them. "I wanted to look around the house a little more, but when you guys are ready, you can hand me your keys and I'll drop you both off."
"Didn't you read the invite? We can spend the night if we drink too much," Lauren said, in a more condescending tone. She rolled her eyes at me as she continued to stab her fork into the bowl of mac and cheese.
"Oh, I just thought maybe you wouldn't want to have to stay the night. I told Angela and Ben to head home without me in case you guys needed a designated driver."
"Ooo, perfect Bella doesn't drink because she's a goody two-shoes." Lauren stabbed at me. "Why don't you chug down a bottle of vodka and get over yourself already."
"Excuse me?" I replied, bewildered by her comment. I knew Lauren didn't favor me, but it surprised me that she was more upfront about it now.
"Don't— don't listen to her, Bella. I'm sorry, she's just cranky tonight." Jessica said, still looking down at the mac and cheese in her bowl that she started to slow down on.
I scoffed at them both, now ignoring. I left the kitchen and looked up at the staircase that winded to the next floor of the house. I looked over, seeing the small petite beautiful blonde and the tall curly brunette-haired boy now looking at me while they stood against the wall near the entrance of the living room. It seemed that I possibly interrupted their conversation about something, so I quickly took off my wedges to better walk myself up the staircase.
The upstairs still generally looked the same, besides the priceless paintings that no longer hung on the walls, or the sculptures that used to reside on the long skinny table that was against the narrow hall. I slowly walked myself down the hallway, carefully opening each bedroom door as I passed by them, peeking inside to see any differences. As usual, they were generally the same, except they were lacking the ancient decorations that were there before. Carlisle's office was the same, as well. Less books were on the shelves, but practically held the same man-cave office look to it.
I closed the doors behind me and walked farther down the hallway that I had already grew fond of. It was the last door at the end of it, unopened for quite some time. I hesitated when I got closer to it, reaching my hand towards the doorknob slowly, not touching it yet. My heart throbbed in my chest, and the pain quaked for something I hadn't opened the door to view, yet.
I leaned my head against the door, taking in deep breaths to calm myself down. I didn't know how I would feel if I walked in. I told myself I would leave this feeling behind. I would leave the memories behind in the past to allow new ones for the future. My future with Jacob. The ones that should matter, because my Jake loved me, and so generously allowed me to come to a house that I once spent my hours at after school. But my curiosity curled over me, restraining my mind, and pushing my hands to turn the doorknob and forcing me to walk into the room I used to marvel at.
As the other rooms were, it was left the same. The ottoman was against the window paned walls, and the shelf that still held the CD's had a numerous selection, but the most adored collection of them were missing. Edward must have taken them with him to wherever he had gone to with his family. His stereo still stood there next to the CD shelf, in perfect condition. I turned it on and opened the disc drive to see what was inside. The disc drive still held the Debussy CD as it had before when Edward and I would enjoy our time up here together; listening to it. The music downstairs was more muffled now that I had closed Edward's door behind me. Muffled enough to be able to enjoy the music that played on the CD.
The pain quaked inside of me, much stronger now, but bearable. It was as if the pieces were not lost, as if I never had imagined that I made up the entire family I loved. As if they never were a distant dream that I conjured up. The evidence of the proof that they were real was apparent, and more comforting to have found in just this room. Seeing Alice almost two months ago was clearly proof that I hadn't made up my relationship with the vampire I loved and adored, but being here, opened more doors. Filling in holes that I didn't realize were still there. I had known the larger ones were still present, but it filled the smaller ones that desperately needed to be.
I walked over to the ottoman, sitting down on it, looking out the window towards the river that was encased on both sides by hills and mountain ranges. The view was almost the same as it was from the downstairs level, but up here, there was a higher elevation view to it. You could see the river coming to a point far away as my vision no longer could see any farther. I rested my head on the end of the ottoman, curling myself into a ball onto my side, for the ottoman was much too small to spread my legs out on. I just continued to look, to stare at the view as the music played in the background, almost less noticeable now as my eyes drifted until I allowed them to close.
"Bella? Bella wake up!" I could hear a familiar voice shouting at me. I held my eyes closed as the light through the glass windows streamed through my eyelids. I bared my face deeper into the side of the ottoman, holding onto it. I wasn't ready to wake up, not just yet. "Bella, please we have to go!" The familiar husky voice shouted at me, again. I turned over onto my back, pressing my hand against my eyelids and rotating my fingers around on them. I felt groggy from the lack of hours I must have had slept.
"What— What's wrong?" I asked softly as my vocal cords weren't properly lubricated yet to speak aloud. I could feel a blanket slipping off of my body that I did not remember putting on me before I had went to sleep.
"We have to leave, now. Please, let's go." The husky voice said again. I sat myself up on my elbows, and held one hand above my eyes, shielding them from the light that was coming through the window. I opened my eyes; noticing it was Jacob looking at me with a desperate look on his face that also hinted anger underneath it. I didn't understand what was wrong, or why he so immediately wanted me to leave with him. I knew our plans for this afternoon weren't to begin till later this morning.
"Jacob, what are you doing here?" I asked, smacking my lips together to lubricate the dryness of my mouth further. My voice sounded hoarse, but it was a usual concept for me when I would wake up from a restless night of sleeping. "How are you here?"
"We will talk about this later." He leaned forward, lifting me into his arms. I clung to the heat that was emitting from his chest, baring my cheek into it. This was one nice way to wake up in an early morning after a short amount of hours of sleep; pressed against his chest. I giggled at the heat that tickled me as it began radiating through my body. The sun wasn't completely risen yet so I knew the hour of the morning had to be early.
Jacob quickly carried me out the room and down the staircase. I looked around, noticing that Jessica and Lauren were still passed out on the couch along with several other teenagers that were still asleep. One of them took over the love seat and others were asleep on the floor. Blankets were draped over all of them as they seemed to have been tucked in. The ones who were asleep on the floor were kindly given pillows to rest their heads on.
"Jacob, hold on... wait," I said, pushing my face back against his chest as he carried me out the door into the brisk chilled air. "Jessica and Lauren are still inside."
"They have a car, they can get home." He replied to me, sternly.
I looked up at him, confused; not understanding what had bothered him or what was on his mind. His eyebrows were furrowed together and his jaw was clenched. If only I had super sensitive hearing, I would most likely be able to hear his teeth grinding together. "Jacob, why are you here? I— I thought you didn't cross their territory." He ignored me, opening the passenger door of his rabbit and scooped me into the seat, buckling me in. "Hello?" I said to him, annoyed now that it was growing more noticeable by his silence that he was unhappy with me; ignoring me.
Jacob climbed into the driver side, and backed up at full speed out of the drive way in reverse looking in the rear view mirror. He didn't swivel the car forward into drive until we had left the driveway and entered the long road ahead.