Chapter 11
Life's been smooth sailing these past couple of days. Edward's return meant my family's whole again. After the me and Vera patched things up, then came repairing the rift between our friends that resulted in "team Rose vs team Vera" beef.
Vera made amends when we were all gathered at our cafeteria table, just as Vera was about to apologize Jack stopped her, saying it was water under the bridge, which Skywalker smirked "Sure is, nice that you all kissed and made up." he said teasingly. We laughed at what Luke said looking pointedly at Jack and Vera.
With the rumors about me and Jack dispelled it was open season for guys asking me out for prom. In the short time since my enrollment at Forks High there were a few brave souls enough to ask me and the Cullens out on dates or be in a relationship, they were mostly from upper grades and seniors. I did accept very, very few of their proposals but only as casual dates and never more as boyfriend and girlfriend.
Much like before I became a Cullen this led to people thinking I had a preference for older guys, which isn't entirely true I mean sure the Mike Newton debacle doesn't exactly help my case.
Now I had more suitors than I normally have asking me out to prom. Unfortunately for my would be suitors still working up the nerve to ask me out to prom open ended when I accepted from this guy Bradley Branchfield. I know it's kind of cliché, the prettiest girl in school and the jock going together to prom. I figured the 2 of us were a shoe in for prom queen and king and his beefy athletic physique wasn't a bad thing either.
Now most of school was abuzz with excitement about biology Field trip as we boarded the bus. Apart from heading past Port Angeles, students from LA Push high would be joining Forks high for the trip.
We were heading to research facility few hours drive outside Port Angeles that studies flora and fauna of the Olympic region.
On the bus me and my girlfriends sat apart from Jack and our guyfriends, so we could do some girl bonding after the past couple weeks of drama chatting away.
Topics began lite and fun from our bet to school shenanigans to me "fixing" Vera's car to who's got a prom date. This talk lead to us talking about our dates, Vera didn't contribute as much to the conversation. Heather told us how the guys were faring, Luke has 2 prospective dates, her twin brother has a date, then she told us how Jack's been struggling to get a date and she, Kareena and Miranda smiled at Vera conspiratorially. Miranda said: "Yeah Vee, you better make your move, some of these girls aren't gonna wait forever for things to happen between You and Jack."
A blushing Vera asked "What's that suppose to mean?"
Lucy was about to speak and of course bus arrived at our destination that moment and Vera's question went unanswered and thus began our field trip. During the tour Vera tried getting answers as to what Miranda meant but the girls were evasive.
Come midday we had lunch recess. My chick friends and I were munching on our snacks when Jack along. He told us Eric was looking for us. He called out that he found us and Luke came with Eric Yorkie in tow.
Eric greeted all of us of girls and he, Luke, Jack greeted each other with the an elaborate handshake. Eric's said he was looking for Miranda to help with year book business, making her groan about duty calls. Miranda asked for a few minutes to get ready she was while Eric started taking photos.
"Why don't I get a few snaps of the 3 stooges." Eric said to Luke, Jack and Vera.
"Hey!! Who are you calling a stooge?!" Vera protested
With an exaggerated Cockney accent Eric said: "Forgive thee ma lady. I mean the lady and the 2 stooges."
"We're the 3 amigos" Jack said putting his arm over Vera's shoulders.
"Yeah better be careful photography dork." Luke teased.
"Or what? You'll use your Jedi mind tricks on me?" Eric asked.
"Nah! Just make sure you don't get bitten by some radioactive spider." Luke said, playfully punching Eric's arm.
"Ha! You could only wish to be half as awesome." Eric replied.
Eric took his photos of the 3 amigos and then the rest of us. After we were done me and Vera excused ourselves.
Away from the others I said to Vera: "So when do you think Jack going to ask you to prom?"
"Oh come on. That ain't ever happening-" She said sounding resigned "- to him all I am just is one of his best amigo and can't see me as a girl what hope he'll consider asking me to be his prom date much less a potential girlfriend?"
"Maybe he doesn't know how to approach you." I told her.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" She mirthlessly laughed.
"Oh come on Rose that maybe something that happens a lot to you but not to plain Janes like me."
"Don't do that. Okay!"
Sighing she said "Fine, it's just that sometimes I envy you, I mean you look like a freakin Sports Illustrated swim suit model! That alone would have guys wanting to you. Then there's your confidence and you have this thing of getting your way especially with guys. That's pretty intimidating."
"Listen Vera looks alone don't always guarantee it'll get you who you want. They help a lot but you need tentaticity, charm, and audacious cunning. Even with that doesn't always guarantee success." I told her.
Hearing that last Vera said: "Sounds like you're telling me that…YOU once got rejected."
"Twice actually." I told her. Looking at her instead of seeing envious satisfaction at my failed attempted relationships, she looked at me sympatheticly.
Smiling back at her I told her. "The 1st time it happened there was this guy, he was really attractive, who had a good many admirers. A lot of them were too intimidated to approach him and the few brave enough to pursue him were bitterly disappointed. That further discouraged his would be suitors... except me. I on the other hand relished at the challenge of me succeeding where others failed. Looking at him I thought we'd be a picture perfect power couple and set out to get him.
At 1st I thought he was hard to get but much to my frustration as time went by I realised he wasn't going to fall for me despite me being such a bombshell. That ended that misadventure."
"Oh-you don't sound too hung up about it though. Was he...gay?" Asked Vera and further added. "Not there's anything wrong with that."
Shrugging my shoulders I said: "I've wondered about that but oddly no he isn't. As upset as I was at the time but honestly I'm glad my pursuit never amounted to anything. It dawned on me he's alone because he can't love anyone and I wasn't genuinely attracted to him, more with the idea I could be the winner of his elusive affections and how equally we'd compliment each other's beauty. Not exactly the best basis for a relationship."
"The 2nd guy, wweeel-ll he was one handsome hunk." I said with a sighing smile and further added.
"The attraction came at me like black swan, sure he had looks that draw me in but it was his personality that hooked me. He was different from most guys who usually approach me, they're either arrogant, overconfident or pretentious, but even the many admirers clamoring for him he was genuinely down to earth. He had this endless happy puppy-dog energy, unabashedly himself, seemingly unable to take anything seriously at times sometimes annoyingly so but that flaw made him endearing as a sincere realistic person. He became friends with me not because I was some beautiful girl, he just liked me as a person. I wish we would've been more than friends." I told Vera.
Vera asked "Sounds like he'd been a good match for you. So what stopped from being together?"
"Oh, my god! Let's just say there were too many complications for us to work out." I answered. Looking at Vera she looked like she wanted to know more, but left it at that.
She then said: "After hearing your experiences I'm even more nervous about telling him how I feel. What if he doesn't feel the same and it gets awkward? If someone as gorgeous as you can strike out what about me? What..."
Interrupting Vera's tirade of "what ifs" I said to her: "Woah! Deep breaths Vera. Listen I only told you those misadventures to show you that looks aren't everything and while those attempted relationships didn't work out how I would've wanted, I'm better off having done something than nothing at all. I want to help you because you've got a better shot at being a couple. So Vera – what if you admit your feelings and he feels the same? Which you won't know unless you try, so...are you going to try?"
With groan of resignation and a deep breath in Vera nodded her head.
We went around seeking out Bradley's and his gang's company, when we found them I said to Vera.
"Now your 1st lesson will be flirting." I told Vera.
"What? No Rose I can't flirt with them. I wouldn't know how and why anyway?" Vera asked.
"Think of it as a confidence building excerise and maybe having Jack see guys hanging on your every word like they like you, might stir up some jealousy in him." I stated.
A slightly nervous Vera said: "I'm not some seductress they'd be interested in me and it sounds a bit manipulative."
My reply was "Firstly you aren't seducing anyone 2ndly it'll be mostly a look 'n learn lesson you'll flirt later. Thirdly guys like the company of attractive girls so they'll be least be intrigued by you. As for it being manipulative maybe it is but it took jealousy to get to admit your feelings for Jack, maybe it'll do the same for him too. Remember what I said...hmm?"
Vera looked at me momentarily stumped then answered: "It takes tentaticity, charm and audacious cunning to get who you want."
Smiling at her I said: "Good, take notes cause your lesson's about to start."
