Chapter 16

After Emmett's question Bella felt completely humiliated. All she wanted to do was run back up to Alice's room and hide. Of course Alice wouldn't let her, she just threw the crust of her sandwich at her brother and told him to shut up.

Then they spent the rest of the day downstairs with everyone else. Bella was very uncomfortable. It didn't help that Edward's eyes followed her everywhere. She didn't know why but she assumed he was trying to telepathically tell her to go away.

After dinner Bella was finally able to get her phone so she could call Charlie to come pick her up. She had left it up stairs when they came down for lunch and didn't want to be rude to her host.

Alice threatened that she was going to burn her clothes if she tried to change back into them while she was still there. She had said it jokingly, but Bella wasn't willing to take the chance that she wasn't.

Seeing the cruiser stopping in the driveway, Bella ran down the stairs and out the door: clothes in hand and barefoot.

Charlie just rounded the front of his car when Bella barreled through the door.

"Hey." Charlie said, then he took a good look at his daughter. "You, umm, you look very pretty." It sounded like a question.

"Bella your shoes." Alice came running out behind her.

Bella cringed then pasted on a smile. Taking the shoes she thanked Alice and told her she would see her tomorrow.

For the first couple of minutes the car ride was silent, but all too soon for Bella's liking Charlie started talking.

"So, your new look is nice." The complement sounded forced

Bella mumbled, "You have to say that, you're my dad."

"No, I don't have to say that. It's just that you don't seem happy about this new look."

Bella shrugged her shoulders even though it was unlikely her father had seen.

"You know," He continued, "There was nothing wrong with your old look, both are nice. They're just different."

Bella crossed her arms over her stomach.

Pulling in their driveway Charlie finished. "What I am trying to say is, even though sometimes change is nice. You shouldn't feel like you have to change to impress someone. Your true friends will like you for you."

"Yeah I know, I'm not. It was just a bit of fun."

"Okay then." He didn't look convinced.

During their third class the next day Alice asked Bella. "Who's taking you to the homecoming dance?"

"I'm not going." Alice gave her a large smile. Bella thought her reaction was strange but refrained from commenting.

She was about to sit down at her lunch table when Edward approached her.

"Hello Bella."

She gave him a side-long look. "Um, hi Edward."

"I know the homecoming dance is this weekend and I wanted to escort you there."

Before Bella could break herself from her stunned silence she heard Mike's voice. "I'm taking Bella to the dance."

What? Did Edward just ask her out? Did Mike really just say that? What was happening?

Tyler spoke up. "Oh, come on man, I was going to ask her."

"No, you're taking me." Lauren told Mike.

"No," Mike insisted "I'm going with Bella."

She was starting to feel dizzy. Luaren looked pissed and Jessica looked betrayed. She had to stop this.

"No, no, I'm not going to the dance. I don't want to." Leaving her lunch on the table Bella turned and walked out of the lunch room.

Going after her, Mike asked. "Bella, are you okay."

"Mike, why did you do that." She hissed at him.

"What, I was trying to help. That guy has been an ass to you since he got here. The way he's always looking at you, I don't like it. It's like he hates you or wants to eat you or something."

"So you decided you were going to save me by taking me to the dance yourself?" She asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "I figured we're friends. It would be fun."

"Yeah we're friends Mike, but I'm pretty sure you just lost me a friend."

He looked confused. "What do you mean."

"Jessica, Mike. Don't tell me you don't know she has a crush on you."

"Oh, that."

"Yes that. Why don't you ask her to go, or go with Lauren. What would make you think I was the better choice."

"Lauren is just going to end up hooking up with Tyler and I don't want to lead Jessica on. I mean she's pretty and all but, way too clingy. If I were to ask her to the dance she would assume we were dating. If I were to date her I would never get to spend time with just the guys or get any time alone. I mean I'm only fourteen. I need time to live before seriously dating. I just want to hang out with my friends." Mike was pacing back and forth, his hands pulling at his hair.

"Okay. I'm going to go now." Bella said carefully.

Mike nodded his head.

Bella attempted to talk to Jessica in their last class. The curly-haired girl ignored all her attempts. When the dismissal bell rang and they were packing their bags Bella made a last-ditch effort.

"Jess, I'm not going to the dance." She announced.

"Whatever Bella. You know Lauren might be a bitch, but at least she's upfront about it and not going behind my back. You must think your real slick dating Mike right under my nose this whole time. I bet you got a kick out of watching me cry over him and Lauren." There was bitterness on her face and tears in her eyes.

Bellas stomach sunk. "No Jess. Mike and I are just friends. I swear."

The other girl shook her head and turned away.

Bella just wanted to go home. The bus had just pulled out of the parking lot when she reached the door. She called Charlie and asked him to come pick her up early.

She waited in front of the School for almost twenty minutes ignoring texts from both Angela and Alice.

When the cruiser pulled up to the curb Bella jumped into the passenger seat.

"Hay Kiddo, what's going on?" Charlie's concern was evident.

"Nothing. I Just want to go home." Bella wouldn't even look at him.

Halfway to the house he tried again. "You know you can talk to me about anything right."

He thought he heard her sniffle. "I know. Really I'm fine, I'm just tired." She still wouldn't look at him.

"Listen," He said when he pulled up to the house. "I still have some work to do back at the station. Are you going to be alright here on your own?"

"Yeah dad I'll be fine." She kept her eyes down in her lap.

"Okay, if you need me just call me. I'll come home. And Bells, I love you."

This brought Bella up short. Renee would push and push until Bella told her something, even if she had to make something up.

"Um, yeah dad, I love you too." She mumbled.

Putting pen to paper she started to write about her day trying to figure out where it went so wrong. It all came down to Mike. She knew he was just trying to help her out, but he went about it all wrong.

Well Mike had gotten her into this mess then he was going to get her out of it. Now she just had to find a way to convince him to take Jessica to the dance.

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