Yeah, so it's been months. Sorry to have abandoned my stories for this long. My dog passed away last summer, and I've been having a really hard time. I haven't been able to bring myself to just sit down and write. It takes effort to sit down and work through that writers block, but I do miss writing. And I missed you all. Hope you enjoy.
Episode 3: October
"You know how when you sit in the bath too long your fingers get all wrinkly?" Esme asked.
She and Bella were sitting on their couch in the living room eating stir fry that Esme had made for dinner that night.
"Yeah?" Bella said through a mouthful.
"Do you think we will eventually become permanently that wrinkly from all the rain around here?"
"Mmmmmm. I like to think it will be more like a constant hydrating face mask and we will stay young forever. Twenty years from now someone will knock on this door and find us still looking 17 and 33."
"I like it. We could start our own wellness retreat and products. Eat your heart out Gwyneth Paltrow."
"But what do we call our brand? Rain seems too much like a celebrity fragrance line, and Wet wouldn't work for obvious reasons."
"I don't know, kid. Now that you mentioned Wet, everything I can think of right now sounds a little too much like a Cardi B lyric."
Bella laughed. They had been in Forks for over a month now. September had given way to October, and with the colder weather had come a non-stop dreary downpour of rain. The two of them had practically given up on ever even attempting to style their hair. It was an exercise in futility. Every day when they got home they peeled their wet boots off and left them over the heating vent in the entry way to try and dry before they had to leave the house next. For two women used to living in the desert, Forks was like constantly drowning. Even the air was thick with cold humidity.
"So, Bells, how's school been going?" Esme asked after they had eaten in silence a few more moments.
Bella sighed. Esme let out a chuckle.
"Wow, kid. That good, huh?"
"It's fine. I still can't get Mike to leave me alone, so thank you for that."
"Look, if he was trying to play Ashton Kutcher to my Demi Moore, he would have stopped by the house after the first day. I think it's time to admit that it's you he's interested in, kid."
"Okay, I'm going to need you to pick more relevant celebrity comparisons. They've been broken up for most of my life."
"Can't do it, kid. You've got an old lady for a mom. Deal with it."
"You're the furthest thing from an old lady. You're like a toddler with boobs."
"That might be the most horrifying comparison any human has ever made, Bells."
Bella grinned, waving her chopsticks at her mom.
"And yet, my point stands," she said.
i think he knows his hands around a cold glass make me want to know that body like it's mine
The last half of the school day was always Bella's least favorite part. Lunch with Lauren, Jessica, Mike, and the rest of their friends felt tedious. It wasn't that they were bad people. Hell, they were perfectly fine people. Lovely, and pleasant, and nothing but kind to Bella. And she couldn't help but find them insufferably boring. She thought that probably made her a bit stuck up. The big city girl moving to the small town who felt the people there weren't exciting enough for her, but it wasn't even that. At least, she really hoped it wasn't that. It's not exactly like she had fit in or been wildly popular back home. It was that she had spent her entire life being best friends with her eccentric mother, and Angela, one of the most eclectic girls on the planet. It was their fault really. They had broken her to the monotony of average.
That was probably why, as much as she tried to deny it to herself, Bella actually found herself relieved when lunch ended every day and she got to leave the group to head to her English class. Even though it meant facing Rosalie and Jasper. Rosalie, at least, had moved on from death glares to simply ignoring Bella's existence. Jasper seemed to still enjoy annoying her through the last two classes of the day, but the snippy back and forth was better than endless talks of pep rallies and who was dating whom. God, she was going to burn in hell. It was her mom's fault. She stood by that.
Today, Bella followed the group from the lunch line to their usual table and sat down while they discussed that previous weekend's football game. Apparently, the team had done better than usual. Which apparently meant they had lost, but not as badly as they normally did.
"I still can't believe you missed it, Bella," Mike said. He was on the team, and had been asking Bella to go to one of the games since the season started.
"Yeah, sorry. My mom and I had plans," Bella said, trying not to think of their night in eating stir fry. Esme would have been horrified to learn that Bella could have been out with kids her age instead. She had avoided going out with the group every weekend since they had moved here, but she knew that her mom would notice soon if she didn't start hanging out with some of her peers.
"You missed an incredible game, Bella," Jessica said. "Mike threw this pass in the this pass in the third quarter, 30 yards. It was amazing."
"I'm sure it was," Bella said, trying to muster some sincerity and awe into her voice. She was worried it fell flat. She was distracted trying to decide if she would be able to spend a Friday night sitting through a high school football game just to keep her mother from worrying. Her table mates didn't seem to notice though, as they continued their discussions without missing a beat.
Bella pushed her food around on her tray with her fork, glancing up to see Jasper smirking at her from his table where he sat with his siblings. Every part of his expression said he knew how incredibly bored she was, and he found that hilarious. But he couldn't know that. It was just her endless annoyance at him playing tricks on her. She took another bite a food, forced a smile, and joined into the conversation with her friends with a forced enthusiasm. Not that she was trying to prove Jasper wrong, because he couldn't know. There was no way. She was just trying to be a better person, that was all.
he's so obsessed with me and boy i understand
Esme slipped through the door to the café. Although it was still a little early for a dinner rush, the place was crowded. It usually was. The café was small, and it was the only place in the tiny town to eat. Esme was just hoping to pick up some of the prosciutto mac and cheese to go. She was too tired from her shift to worry about cooking dinner for her and Bella tonight. There had been an outbreak of the stomach flu at the local elementary school, and she and Carlisle had spent the whole day treating kids and cleaning up vomit. Esme just wanted to eat and then collapse in her bed. She slipped through the crowds and up to the counter. Tasha was just walking by carrying a tray full of food.
"Sorry, Esme, I'll be right with you," she said, a little out of breath.
"Take your time, no rush," Esme said back with a smile, settling onto one of the barstools in front of the counter to wait.
"Miss Swan," came a man's voice after she had been there a minute. Esme turned to see the police Chief, Charlie Snow, standing behind her, smiling.
"Officer," she said with a grin, "I promise I'm parked so legally this time it could be used as an example in a Driver's Ed text book."
He let out a laugh. It was a deep rumbling sound. Even his laugh sounded like a lumber jack. Damn.
"Don't worry, Miss Swan, I'm off duty, just here for some dinner like everyone else."
Esme grinned widely. "You really aren't kidding about that everyone else bit," she said, gesturing around the crowded café.
Charlie chuckled again. "It does get a little crowded here. The next closest restaurant is a twenty minute drive."
"Worth the drive?"
"If you've got the time. It's down on the reservation overlooking the ocean. Great seafood. My buddy owns the place."
"Well, I guess I'll have to give it a try."
A slightly flustered Tasha appeared at that moment. "Sorry about that wait. I have your to-go order here, Charlie."
"Thanks," he said, taking the bag from her.
"And what can I get for you, Esme?"
"Two of your famous Mac and cheese's to-go, please. And maybe throw in a couple slices of that incredible looking pie you have over there," Esme said.
"You got it. I'll be back with that in just a minute," Tasha said, disappearing again.
"Uhh, Miss Swan," Charlie's nervous voice came from behind her, startling Esme. She hadn't realized that he hadn't left the café yet.
"Yeah?"
"Maybe I could take you to that restaurant on the rez sometime? Show you some of the site around here."
He was rubbing the back of his neck nervously with one hand.
"Officer Swan, are you asking me on a date?" Esme asked with a grin.
"That was my goal," he said with a sheepish smile. Esme smiled softly in return.
"Can I think about it? I'm sorry, we're still pretty new here, and I don't want to shake Bella's life up too much."
"I understand. If it helps, I promise I don't do too much life shaking. Let me know, Miss Swan."
He pulled a card from his pocked and quickly scribbled his phone number on the back, handing it to Esme before heading out the door. She smiled as she looked down at it. She couldn't remember the last time someone had given her their number on a card rather than just put it in her phone.
"Well would you look at that," Tasha said appearing by Esme's side again with a grin, handing her a bag with the food inside. "I was staring to think our Chief Snow would never date. You going to call him?"
Esme grinned at Tasha. "I'm not sure. Bella did make me promise on our first day here that I wouldn't date the police chief. Seems to think she'll end up bailing me out of jail."
"Sounds like a damn good time to me," Tasha said with a wink. The two of them shared a laugh, and Esme headed out the door. Truth was, she didn't really think Bella would have any problem with her dating Chief Snow. Bella had always been supportive of Esme dating, no matter how much she teased her about it. It was just that the whole time he was asking her out, she couldn't stop picturing Carlisle's smiling face. Maybe Paula had been right to warn her after all.
wanna see what's under that attitude
"What's your damage?" Bella snapped, spinning to turn on Jasper.
They were walking from their English class to Chemistry, something that Bella had yet to be able to shake him for. He always insisted on walking right next to her, even if she paused to talk to someone or took a different hallway, as though he knew how much it drove her crazy. That wasn't what had caused her to snap though. He had had that same amused smirk she had caught on him in the cafeteria all through their English class.
There was a part of her mind, the rational part, that said that she was being egotistical to assume it had anything to do with her. He was probably just having a good day. That part seemed to be fully drowned out by now though. He drove her to the point of distraction, all rational thought no longer applied.
"My damage?" Jasper asked. Even his tone sounded amused. God, she could slap him. She didn't know why she let him get to her like this.
"Why are you running around grinning like the damn Cheshire Cat today?" She demanded as they got to their chemistry class and took their seats.
He just grinned wider and opened his books in front of him as their teacher, Mrs. Francis, started talking. Bella huffed in annoyance, opening her books as well.
"I learned I had something in common with someone I didn't expect to," he said, leaning in close and speaking softly so Mrs. Francis didn't hear. It sent goosebumps across Bella's skin. She looked up at him, incredulous. What a weird thing to say. Especially since she knew the only people he talked to was his family.
"Today we are going to start working on our big project for the semester," Mrs. Francis said from the front of the room, pulling Bella's attention from Jasper. "Every year the science department has a science fair. The teacher whose student has the winning project gets bragging rights for the year. And it is very important to me that I be able to boast at the water cooler, so-" she began walking around handing a rubric for the project out, "you will be working with your lab partner on a science project. We will have a few days over the next couple months in class to work on the project, but this will require some work outside of class. Sorry if that cuts into your social life, I'd say it's preparing you for college, but mostly it's just how it is. Come December, at the end of the semester, you will present to the class, and then the science fair will take place the last week before the holidays. Any questions?"
Several hands shot up, but Bella just stared at the rubric in front of her with dread.
"Well, lab partner," Jasper said, Bella could hear that he was still grinning. She refused to look back up at him. "Thrilled to have you on board."
She hated that a small part of her was happy that this would be a great substitute for having to hang out outside of school with Jessica, Lauren, and Mike. Her mom would still be happy she was getting out of the house.
i think he knows he better lock it down or i won't stick around
"Bells, babe. I brought some of Tasha's Mac and cheese home for dinner," Esme called as she walked through the door to their small home. "You hungry?"
Bella came bounding out of her bedroom door.
"I'm starving," she said taking the food from her mom and bringing it into the kitchen while Esme ditched her wet boots. "But you know, I don't think it's actually Tasha's Mac and cheese. She's just the waitress."
"Well, I've never seen the cook or anyone else who works there, so as far as I'm concerned, it's Tasha's. That's women supporting women, babe."
"Here here," Bella said with a mouthful as Esme walked into the kitchen. Esme gasped.
"You started without me? Does our genetic bond not buy some loyalty anymore?"
"Sounds like you should get faster at taking off your shoes."
"Just you wait, I'm going to institute mandatory grace before meals so you have to wait for me. Either that or God will smite you."
Bella shook her head, taking another bite.
"I prayed in my head. You can't prove me wrong. God is definitely on my side."
Esme grabbed her portion and started to eat.
"Pretty sure lying is a sin, kid."
"So's gluttony. And lust."
"True. But my sins are fun," Esme said with a grin.
"This is why we could never go to a church. I think we would melt like the wicked witch of the west if we stepped foot on hallowed ground."
"Well, we do share a love of shoes with the Oz witches, but I think the rain would have melted us by now if the similarities didn't stop there."
Bella snorted. "I think our extensive shoe collection is wasted on this town."
"Eh, I don't know kid, we could start a collection of trendy rain boots."
"I don't think the words 'trendy rain boots' have ever been strung together like that in the whole history of the English language."
"Are you sure? I hear England is pretty damn rainy, and they like, originated the language."
"I think they call them wellies, not rain boots."
"Damn. Well, we've always known we were meant to pioneer fashion," Esme said with a dramatic flip of her hair. "Speaking of English, how are things with Car- Dr. Cullen's kids?"
Bella didn't miss the small slip.
"I don't know. It's fine. Rosalie has taken to ignoring me, which is nicer than the alternative I suppose. I have to work on a project with Jasper for our Chemistry class though, so maybe you were right about God smiting me."
"Wow, Bells. Talk about being prone to drama. It's a school project. Things are going to be fine. It's not like he is going to ritualistically sacrifice you in the woods."
"I can't imagine where I inherited my aptitude for drama from," Bella said with a grin.
"You can't just sneak the word inherited into that sentence and think blame will be all on me. Clearly, I am the most calm and level headed woman you know. You're welcome."
"Mom, you once took me to a Coldplay concert and threw a bra on the stage. I was ten."
"Hey, it's not like I took my bra off to throw it on stage."
"Only because you weren't wearing one," Bella said with a teasing smirk. "I think the fact that you brought a bra with you with the sole purpose of throwing it on stage is somehow much worse."
"But, you have to remember that Chris Martin did comment on it. In that gorgeous British accent of his. I bet he would clear up the rain boot vs. welly debate for us."
"What kind of role model are you?" Bella asked laughing.
"Well, not a very good one apparently since you still insist on wearing a bra every day, and have adamantly refused to have a crazy crush on a boy, let alone throw your undergarments at him."
"Well, one of us has to stay level headed. We can't all go around throwing bras or having crushes on our boss."
Esme couldn't help the slight blush and how flustered the accusation made her.
"I do not have a crush on my boss. In fact, today Chief Swan asked me on a date."
"Did you say yes? Just so I know whether or not to put a bail bonds place on speed dial," Bella asked with a laugh.
"I told him I would think about it."
"What's to think about, Mom? You like him, I can tell. And, coincidentally he just so happens to not be the father of kids who despise me. Win win."
"I don't know, kid. It's complicated," Esme said with a sigh.
Bella saw how conflicted her mom as, and knew it was time to change the subject.
"So what qualities exactly could make a rain boot trendy? Because I'm thinking we could corner the market on it and sell them at our wellness retreat. We might even be able to get Chris Martin to make a special appearance. After all, you two have a prior relationship," she said with a grin.
Esme latched onto the change of subject with a wide smile.
"We do, thank you for recognizing that. For starters, we are going to have to figure out how to get rid of that awful squelching sound."
"Amen to that. Also, if we could somehow figure out how to make them out of literally anything but rubber."
"Agreed. Basically we should scrap the whole concept of rain boots and start from scratch."
we can follow the sparks, i'll drive
"I'm just not sure what to think. Mike always seems to want to hang out during school, but any time I try to get him alone outside of school he is always busy with his friends. Like, is he not interested or just clueless? We all know boys are dumb, but how dumb can a guy really get away with being? You know?" Jessica was saying to Lauren and Bella as the three of them left their government class and headed to the cafeteria.
"Look, you know I think pretty boy's mind is as blank as a bag of bricks, but I'm here to support you regardless," Lauren said.
"You just don't know him like I do," Jessica said in a small whine. "He's really deep. It just takes a while for him to open up."
"Mhmmm," Lauren hummed in a tone that said she was not so convinced.
Bella didn't feel like it was much her place to comment, but she agreed with Lauren. Mike didn't seem all that deep to her, but to each their own. If he was who Jessica wanted, she certainly wasn't there to yuck anyone's yum. Especially since Jessica so frequently pulled Mike's attention off of Bella herself. She was about to follow the girl's into the cafeteria when she saw Rosalie and Jasper heading out the front door to the parking lot, backpacks slung over their shoulders.
"Hey, I'll be right back. I forgot something in class," Bella said, interrupting the girls' chatter.
Jessica just nodded before continuing on.
Bella slipped away, not sure what possessed her to do so, following the Cullen twins out to the parking lot. They were getting into their car, a fancy looking white Mercedes. Of course they would have a rich person car. Not to mention, it should have been impossible to keep a white car clean in all the mud and rain, but it looked spotless. She was suddenly angry. Were they leaving? She knew she shouldn't care. It should be a welcome reprieve to sit alone through English and Chemistry, but her and Jasper were supposed to start work on their project today in class. She didn't want to sit there alone with nothing to do, like an idiot. Almost as if he knew she was there, Jasper looked back to where she was standing, wearing that cocky grin that made him look like a 1950's heartthrob. It only pissed Bella off more.
"What the fuck?" Bella demanded, unable to keep her annoyance in check even though she knew that was what he always wanted. "Are you really leaving right now? What about our project?"
"What about it?" Jasper asked.
"We are supposed to work on it in class today," Bella fumed, even though she knew he was perfectly aware what the issue was. "You're really going to let me just sit there in class, with nothing to do?"
"No one said you had to go to class, Bella," Jasper said.
"And what? I'm just supposed to ditch like like you two? Some of us are actually trying not to land in detention."
"There is a substitute today. No one will even notice we are gone," Jasper said, smirking.
"Skipping class is good for the soul, every now and then," Rosalie said nonchalantly with a shrug. "You should join us."
Bella couldn't control the look of shock on her face, but she supposed that was fine because even Jasper looked briefly surprised, glancing over at his sister with one eyebrow raised. That was the first time Rosalie had even spoken to Bella in weeks. Jasper and Rosalie seemed to have a full conversation through that single glance, and then Rosalie walked around the car and opened the door to the back seat.
"Come on, Bella. Live a little."
Bella wasn't quite sure what possessed her to do it. Maybe she was still in shock from Rosalie offering to spend extra time with her. Maybe it was just the temptation of a day away from sitting at that lunch table again, feeling both like the center of attention and completely invisible. Either way, she spared one last glance towards the school, and then found herself walking half in a daze, and climbing in the back seat of the car. Jasper got into the driver's seat, and Rosalie walked around the climb into the passenger side. When Bella buckled her seat belt, she looked up to see Jasper grinning widely at her in the rear view mirror. She couldn't stop her small, hesitant smile in response.
"Well, who would have thought? Bella Swan is a rule breaker," he said. Rosalie laughed. For once it was a genuine, happy sound, without a trace of anger or sarcasm. Was this the Twilight Zone?
Jasper backed the car up and pulled out of the school parking lot. Bella couldn't help the feeling that something had fundamentally changed.
i think he knows his footprints on the sidewalk, lead to where i can't stop
"So what does this town do for Halloween?" Esme asked Carlisle as they went around their rounds that morning.
"I'm really not sure," Carlisle said, unable to stop himself from smiling over at her. "By the time we moved here, the kids were already a little too old for Halloween."
"Too old for Halloween?" Esme asked in shock. "That's absolutely not possible. Halloween is one of those holidays that is just as much for for kids as it is for adults. You get to put on a costume, pretend to be something scary for a day, eat lots of junk food. Bella and I used to have a small Halloween party back in Phoenix. Her friend, Angela, would come. I'd invite some of my college classmates or coworkers. We always had a theme and best costume won a prize."
Carlisle laughed softly. Esme couldn't help but compare his soft, gentle laugh to the deep rumbling laughter of Chief Snow. She knew she shouldn't. She only stood a chance with one of the men, and it wasn't the one who laugh made her stomach do flips. Damn. She had to stop thinking like that.
"And how many years did you win this costume contest?" Carlisle asked her. Esme grinned.
"None. The host of the party can't win her own prize. I do know how to reign in my competitive nature from time to time."
"Do you? I get the feeling whether you won or not you liked to have the best costume."
Esme laughed. "Well, I do enjoy a good costume."
"What was your favorite?"
"Oh, easy. One year the theme was Rocky Horror Picture show. I dressed up and Columbia and Bella dressed up as Eddie. We went all out, sequined top hat, leather vests, wigs. I performed a slightly intoxicated rendition of the Time Warp."
"And are you planning on throwing your Swan Halloween Bash this year?"
"If I did, would you come in costume?"
Carlisle laughed again.
"That's a tough ask, but I might be able to be convinced. I can't say I've ever worn a Halloween costume."
"Never?! What about when you were a kid?"
"Oh, my parents weren't big on the whole Halloween thing. Like I said, they were very religious."
"Well, that's practically a crime. But honestly, I think our house here is too small for it. Back in Phoenix our apartment complex had a space you could rent out for parties."
"You could have it at our house," Carlisle said. He seemed as surprised by the words as Esme was.
"You've never celebrated Halloween, and you really want to volunteer your house for a party that you know half this small town is going to show up for?"
Carlisle shrugged, trying to regain a semblance of nonchalance.
"It seems like fun. Never too old for Halloween, right?" He said.
Esme studied him for a moment. She knew it was probably a bad idea. The last thing she needed was to spend more time with the man outside of work. She already couldn't get her off her mind. Practically co-hosting a party together would only make things worse. But then again, maybe he was as eager to spend more time with her and she was with him. The little voice in her head was screaming at her that it was a bad idea. She should say she was too busy, and also probably just go on that date with Charlie. That little voice in her head sounded an awful lot like Bella.
"All right, only because you desperately need to live a little. But you have to come in costume. Your kids too. Tell them it's mandatory."
Carlisle grinned. Alice was going to have a field day. "I'll see what I can do."
i want you, bless my soul
"So where exactly are we going? Because my mom made a joke about you two ritualistically sacrificing me in the woods, and it seemed far fetched at the time, but now I'm not so sure," Bella said as Jasper drove the car further and further along a stretch of road that had woods on one side, and rocky bluffs that dropped into the ocean on the other.
Rosalie gave a small snorting laugh.
"Is this always how you try to make friends? Accusing people of attempted murder?" She asked.
"Is that what we are doing here? Becoming friends? Because if so, I think me accusing you two of planning to murder me is a lot friendlier than weeks of snarky comments and perpetual glares."
"I haven't glared at you in weeks," Rosalie said with a dismissive wave of her hand, as though September was ancient history.
"So you talk to your mom about us?" Jasper said, smirking at Bella in the mirror. She rolled her eyes.
"Of course that would be what you took from this conversation," she said. But she couldn't deny she was taken aback. She wasn't sure how she had convinced this girl who hated her to try and become friends. Maybe some of that charm her mom was always bragging about had finally worn off on Bella. She supposed at least this was better than being hated. The two were making an effort, as apprehensive as Bella was about the whole ordeal, perhaps she ought to make an effort as well. She was about to ask what had changed is Rosalie's mind, when Jasper let out a small chuckle and pointed up ahead.
"Looks like the kids from the rez are at it again, Rose," he said with a grin.
Up ahead the road split, cutting into the forest on the right, and a little further up curving left and continuing along the bluffs. Around the curve there were some boys standing on a ledge half way down the rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. One jumped, and Bella gasped in horror. It was too far a jump, and the water below and rough and choppy. There was no way he would make it. Jasper pulled the car over.
"Oh my God," Bella said in horror, pulling her cell phone out. "What are they doing? We need to get an ambulance here. They are going to kill themselves."
"It's fine, Bella, watch," Jasper said.
She looked up and saw the boy pop up from the choppy water below. She could see his friends on the cliff side cheering before a second boy jumped off as well.
"What'dya think, Jasper? Think they'll take too kindly to being shown up?" Rose asked, climbing out of the car.
"They did moved to a higher ledge this time. You'd think we hurt their pride or something," Jasper said laughing, climbing out of the car as well.
Bella realized what they were planning with horror. She jumped out of the car behind them.
"You two can't go cliff jumping. The water is way too rough. Not to mention, you will freeze," she protested, following after them.
Rosalie grinned at her.
"No, Bella. You can't go cliff jumping because the water is too rough. Jasper and I do it all the time. It's fun. Gets the kids from the rez all riled up. Plus, Jasper told me about the carnival. You saw for yourself, the people on the reservation don't like our family much. This is just our way of having a little bit of fun."
She walked over to the edge of the cliffside, looking down into the water. She pulled her jacket off and handed it to Bella.
"Here, I'd really like to not ruin a perfectly good leather jacket. Wearing in a new one is such a chore."
"Wait," Bella said, clutching the jacket in panic. "You aren't planning on jumping from up here!"
"Don't worry, Bella. I'm a fantastic swimmer," Rosalie said with a grin, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She put two fingers in her mouth and let out a piercing whistle. The boys from the reservation heard it and looked over. And with grace that Bella could only dream of one day achieving, Rosalie swan dived off of the cliff.
Bella let out a gasp of horror. Watching the Cullen kids kill themselves trying to show off was easily worse than a ritual sacrifice. And it was probably worse than being bored at the lunch table again. She wished her mom had said yes to that date with the police chief now, because she was definitely going to be investigated in a suspicious death. A cold hand rested on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Bella, Rose is fine," Jasper said softly from behind her. Bella wasn't sure why, but she did feel suddenly calmer. Down below, Rose popped up from the water and blew a kiss over the direction of the boys from the reservation. They were hollering on the ledge they stood on. Bella could just barely hear it from this far away. She spun around to face Jasper, annoyed and nerves on edge.
"So this is what you two do for fun? Take turns showing up the kids from the reservation? You're going to get yourselves killed. And for what? Some stupid rivalry? We get it Ponyboy, you're very touch and you need to prove it to the Socs, but I really didn't sign up to see anyone die today."
Jasper just grinned at her, his curly golden hair blowing lightly in the ocean wind.
"Calm down, Cherry. We aren't going to die, but if it makes you happy, I won't jump. We'll drive down to the beach to pick Rose up, save her the walk. We have to take a bit of a detour to get there without crossing onto the reservation though."
"Cherry?" Bella asked, her confusion that he was listening to her deflating her anger. He enjoyed annoying her too much. She had expected him to jump just to upset her. It startled her so much she couldn't even think to ask why they had to avoid driving onto the reservation.
"I told you if you kept comparing me to movie characters, I'd have to start doing the same," he said with a grin, placing his hand on her back to guide her back toward the car.
"And Cherry is what you picked?"
"Well, if I'm Ponyboy, it's really the only option."
"The Outsiders is a book, not a movie," she protested.
"I book that was made into a movie. Definitely counts, Cherry," Jasper said climbing into the car.
Bella wasn't sure why that made her smile a bit. She chose to ignore that and get into the car so they could go get Rose.
he got that boyish look that i like in a man
"Hey, kid. You're home late," Esme said when Bella came through the door that evening.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, Mom. I was with the Cullen's. Jasper and I needed to start work on our project."
There was no reason to lie. Her mom wouldn't be upset she skipped. Hell, she would probably be happy, but something about the afternoon made Bella want to keep it a secret.
Esme perked up. "Yeah? Was it as bad as you imagined, or was your beautiful mother right once again?"
Bella chuckled at her mom.
"I will concede that it wasn't so terrible, but I still miss group projects with Ange."
"Well, I'd say it had to have been pretty far from terrible for you to have gone from thinking they were going to sell your organs on the black market to comparing them with your best friend."
Bella made a face as she pulled her boots and rain coat off. "Gross, Mom. Can we please not talk about organ harvesting before dinner?"
"You're so right, kid. That kind of think should be saved to talk about during dinner."
Bella swatted her mom playfully as she collapsed on the couch next to her.
"Just make sure someone nice gets my kidneys, not like Bezos or something."
"No way, kid. This is the black market. A rich sociopath is getting those kidneys, and you know it."
Bella laughed.
"So," Esme said with a mischievous smile, "what would you say about hosting our annual Swan Halloween Extravaganza?"
"Do we even have people to invite?"
"Sure. I figured I'd invite my coworkers, and Tasha, obviously. And you could invite some of your classmates. Maybe Jessica and Lauren? You seem to spend a lot of time with them. You're new besties would already be there because of Dr. Cullen."
Bella groaned. "I'm not sure inviting Jessica and Lauren over is quite as enticing as it was to have Angela over."
"Well, you eat lunch with them every day. I'd say you are going to have to extend that friendship outside of school eventually, but maybe you can see if Angela is able to fly up for the weekend?"
Bella's entire face lit up. "Really?"
"Sure, kid. So long as you can help me come up with a theme for the party this year."
"The Outsiders," Bella blurted out, startling herself with how easily the idea came. Luckily, Esme didn't seem to noticed or question her surprise.
"Ooo, I like it. Greasers vs. Socs. All that denim and leather and hair gel. Killer idea, babe."
"Do we have enough room for a party?" Bella asked. "I love our quaint house, but it's kinda small."
Esme looked away invasively.
"Actually, Dr. Cullen agreed to let us have the party at his place."
"What?! Mom, you can't be serious."
"Come on, Bells. You said it yourself, the Cullen's aren't as bad as you thought."
"That's not quite what I said," Bella huffed. Esme just looked at her with pleading eyes, and Bella knew it was a lost cause. "Fine," she sighed. "I'm going to go call Ange and see if she can come up for the weekend."
"Don't hate me, kid."
"I don't hate you. I could never hate the hopeless," Bella said, getting up and walking toward her room.
Esme gasped. "I am not hopeless."
"That's exactly what a hopeless person would say," Bella said, sticking her tongue out. Esme grabbed one of the pillows from the couch and threw it toward Bella, but she shut her bedroom door before it got there.
it's like i'm seventeen nobody understands
"You told her she cold have a party at our house?" Rosalie angrily demanded of Carlisle. They were all sitting in the living room. Edward was playing piano off to the side, the only one who chose to remain neutral.
"I'm not sure it's a good idea, Carlisle," Alice said softly. "People are bound to notice the house is a little off. Or that Emmett and I live here. It could blow the whole cover. I'm happy here. I don't want to have to move yet."
"Thank you!" Rose said vehemently. "I'm glad someone has chosen to live in reality, because it seems the men of this family have come completely unmoored from rational thought."
"The offer just slipped out. Besides, we can tell everyone the upstairs is off limits. The living room and kitchen look perfectly human," Carlisle protested wearily, but he knew Rosalie was right. It had been a careless thing to do. He was glad Edward had chosen to sit this fight out. He saw Edward's slightest nod of acknowledgement in his peripheral vision as Edward continued to play.
"Come on, Rose. It's been ages since we got to go to a good party," Jasper said, trying to soothe his sister.
"You just shut up. We all know why you're so eager to have the party," Rose said, glaring at him.
He threw his hands up innocently. "I'm not the once who decided to try and make friends with Bella. That was all you."
"Oh please," she said rolling her eyes. "I invited her on a damn drive, not over to our house for small talk and hor-d'oeuvres."
"Come on, babe. It'll be a good time. Plus, I'm sure you'll look incredible in a costume," Emmett said, wrapping his arms around Rose from behind and kissing her cheek. Rose visibly softened. She let out a sigh.
"It would seem we are being outvoted by the men here, Alice," she said. "Will you at least make sure to watch the future to make sure we clear anything that might spark suspicion out of the house?"
Alice nodded, and almost immediately her eyes went blank in that way she did when she was having a vision.
"There is too much fucking testosterone in this house," Rose grumbling, stalking out of the room. "I couldn't have been killed into a family a women, no." Emmett followed along behind her chuckling softly.
Edward looked up from where he sat and met Carlisle's eyes as Rose's voice faded away.
"I know, I know," Carlisle said with a sigh. For the first time he wished his sone couldn't read minds. He was embarrassed by his own thoughts and desires. But at least he knew that Edward being privy to his thoughts would keep him from doing something he regretted… hopefully.
i am an architect, i'm drawing up the plans
"Bella," Jessica said brightly as the girls sat down for their history class, "what are your plans for Halloween? We absolutely must do something epic."
"Well, actually, my mom just decided to host our annual Halloween party this year. You guys should totally come. She really goes all out, costume contests, party games. The theme this year is The Outsiders."
"I don't know, a party thrown by your mom? Not exactly the blowout evening I had in mind," Jessica said hesitantly.
"I don't know, Jess. Bella's mom is the one who got pregnant in high school. I'm sure she knows how to throw a good party," Lauren countered, smiling at Bella. Bella was sure it was meant to be a compliment, but sometime Lauren said the most off putting things. She wasn't even sure how Lauren had learned that. Small town life was the worst. Jessica contemplated for a moment.
"Okay, but we can invite Mike, Eric, and Tyler, right? It's no party without cute boys."
"Of course, the more the merrier," Bella answered with false cheer. She knew that inviting the kids from school would make her mom happy, and at least Angela was going to be there. They had solidified the plans last night.
"Perfect," Jessica said brightly. "Plus, I think Eric has a bit of a crush on you, Bella. Wouldn't it be so perfect if you two got together? Then it would be Lauren and Tyler, me and Mike, and you and Eric. We would be the ultimate couple group. OH! Think of the prom photos."
Bella tried her best to hide her grimace. She had no interest in dating any of the boys from the group, and honestly would be hard pressed to even pick Eric out of a line up. He just wasn't on her radar at all. Jessica, true to her nature, didn't seem to notice. Lauren seemed to pick up on it though and changed the subject.
"So, is the party at your place? Where exactly do you live? Over by Mike, right?" Lauren asked.
"Oh my God. I totally forgot you live by Mike! Why haven't we had a girls' night at your house yet?!" Jessica said.
Bella felt it was easiest to avoid that question.
"Actually, one of my mom's coworkers agreed to let us have it at their house," Bella said. "Our house is a little too small for one of my mom's parties."
"Oh, whose house is it at?" Jessica asked.
"Uhh, Dr. Cullen's," Bella mumbled in answer. That was the part she had been dreading.
"Oh my God. A party at the Cullen's house? My dad is a contractor. He helped build the place when they moved here. Apparently it's huge. I don't think anyone has even been invited over there before. Definitely count us in," Jessica said, now excited.
By the time lunch was winding down, Jessica had spread the word of the party to just about half of the junior class. Bella had a feeling this party was going to end up bigger than she or her mom had anticipated.
he got my heartbeat skipping down sixteenth avenue
Bella heard the sound of the Ranger pulling into the driveway and leapt up from the couch to run out the front door. It was the Saturday of Halloween, and Angela was arriving today. Since the Ranger only had two seats, Esme had driven down to the airport to pick her up alone. It had left Bella anxiously waiting for the arrival of her friend. She flew down the front walkway to the truck where Angela was hopping down from the passenger seat.
"Ange!" She cried when she saw the girl, and practically tackled her with a hug. Angela let out a happy laugh.
"Bella! Oh my God. You have no idea how much I've missed you," she said.
After a moment of embracing, Bella pulled back to take her friend in. Angela hadn't changed a bit. She was a black girl with bouncy ringlet curls that fell to her shoulders, tall and lanky with big, round, metal frame glasses. She had always dressed a little bit eclectically, managing to somehow look both gothic and hippy at the same time. Multiple silver chain necklaces hung around her neck, and a collection of silver rings decorated most of her fingers.
Bella had asked her once why she liked silver jewelry so much, and Angela had told her silver was known to enhance psychic ability and the powers of the moon, as well as conduct spiritual energy. Angela was always like that, constantly interested in the supernatural. She had dragged Bella on multiple "spiritual investigations" which Bella jokingly called ghost hunts. Despite never having seen anything remotely supernatural, Ange clung to the theories. "It's ridiculous to think that humans are alone as intelligent life on this planet," she would say before launching into some new theory. And damn, if Bella didn't love every inch of her for it.
"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Esme asked with a chuckle as she pulled Angela's suitcase from the bed of the truck.
"Meh," Bella said with a dismissive wave of her hand and a grin, "you're old news. I see you every day. You had to know I'd get bored of you eventually."
Esme clutched at her heart dramatically.
"Oh, your friend shows up and the truth comes out, but just wait until you need fed or bills paid, then I will be new and exciting again," she said with a laugh, bringing the suitcase inside as the two girls followed.
"Oh man, I've missed you two. Phoenix is so boring without you," Angela said.
"At least you are surrounded by civilization," Bella said dramatically. "Do you know how long it takes Amazon to deliver out here? I thought it was supposed to be two days everywhere."
"I bet small towns are filled with drama, though. Everyone knows everyone, everyone wants to know everyone else's business. Tell me all about it. What's the most scandalous town gossip? Does anyone have an evil twin?" Angela asked.
Bella laughed. "You are thinking of a soap opera. There is no drama or gossip, just boring town life."
"Nonsense," Esme said with a teasing grin. "Don't let her get off that easy. She is fully convinced there are evil twins. Plus, the neighbor boy follows her around like a lost puppy. Kid's got plenty of drama."
"You're one to talk," Bella said, Turing to Angela conspiratorially and continuing in a false whisper. "She's got a crush on the handsome doctor from work, and a pending date with the police chief."
"Damn, get it Esme," Angela said.
"It is not a pending date! I haven't given him an answer," Esme protested. Angela laughed.
"Keeping him on the hook?" Angela asked and she and Bella giggled together.
"You're a bad influence," Esme said, pointing at Angela.
"Okay, clearly though I need to be filled in on everything," Angela said.
"Well, just make sure you get ready while you talk. I have to head off to Dr. Cullen's place to help set up for the party, but I'll be back in a couple hours to pick you guys up," Esme said heading out the door.
"Oooo. Is Dr. Cullen the handsome doctor from work?" Angela called to her.
"Sorry, can't hear you. I'm driving through a tunnel," Esme said with a grin, shutting the door behind her.
when we get all alone, i'll make myself at home and he'll want me to stay
"Damn," Esme muttered to herself as she put the truck in park, looking up at the large house in front of her. Carlisle's place was bigger than he had made it sound. Huge, sprawling, and peculiarly modern for the town, it lay in the middle of the woods.
She hopped out of the truck and walked hesitantly up to the front door. She wasn't sure why she felt as nervous as she did, but her stomach was filled with anxious butterflies. She knocked lightly on the door, and it opened almost at once. Carlisle stood on the other side of the threshold beaming at her.
"Esme," he greeted warmly, and Esme couldn't help but smile in return. "Jasper and Rosalie are out right now, but Edward and Alice are here to help set up. The Halloween novices are ready to be put to work."
"Excellent, I've got all the decorations in the back of the truck," she said.
He followed her out and they each grabbed a box and started heading back for the house.
"All right, let's see what we have to work with," Esme said, as she walked inside. She had to stop her sharp intake of break when she looked at the house. The doctor had to be rich. Not like, small town doctor rich, but more along the lines of generations worth of inherited family wealth. The home was like nothing she had ever seen. It looked somehow even bigger from the inside, and was immaculately decorated.
"All I ask is that no one goes upstairs. The kids weren't too fond of the idea of people going into their rooms," Carlisle said, clearly unaware of Esme's daze at her surroundings.
She cleared her throat and pulled her eyes away from the room to meet Carlisle's eyes again.
"That's fair enough," she said. She got why teenagers would want some privacy. Bella had never gone through that phase, but Esme was only waiting for it to happen.
Alice and Edward walked in from the other room, greeted Esme, and the four of them got to work.
i ain't gotta tell him, i think he knows
"So she just, out of nowhere, invited you to skip school with them?" Angela was asking as the girl's put the final touches on the costumes for the party. Angela had been eager to go as a Soc, but Bella had convinced her to go as a Greaser with her. It would be too much to face Jasper essentially dressed as Cherry after picking this as the party theme. Esme had gotten back a few minutes ago and was getting ready in her room. She was going as a Soc because it took less time to get ready.
"Yeah. It was crazy weird. One minute they hated me, the next they basically invited me to hang out," Bella answered.
"And you agreed to go?" Angela asked in surprise. Bella just shrugged. She still wasn't sure herself what had possessed her to join them that day. "Wow. Moving really has changed you. Remember that time I tried to convince you to skip a day?"
Bella just laughed. "Ange, you wanted to drive out into the desert because someone had claimed they saw a cupacabra."
"Bella, how amazing would it have been if we had seen a chupacabra? Come on. Only a handful of people on earth have seen one in person."
Bella shook her head in amusement. As far as she was concerned, zero people had seen one in person. But she would never say something like that to Angela.
"You girl's ready?" Esme called from outside the bedroom door.
"Yeah," Bella said, jumping up and grabbing her leather jacket from the bed and pulling it on. The two headed out the bedroom door.
"Awww, look at my little Greasers," Esme said in a baby voice. She had her hair in 1960's curls, a blue sweater with a white collared shirt underneath and a tennis skirt. It was the preppiest Bella had ever seen her.
The three of them left the house. Angela and Bella sat in the bed of the truck for the drive, since their weren't enough seats in the cab. Luckily, although it was still cloudy, it wasn't raining at the moment. It was a little cold though.
The drive to the Cullen house wasn't a short one. It appeared they would be on the outskirts of town. As they drove along, Bella realized something.
"This is the road we were on when they stopped to go cliff jumping!" She exclaimed, pointing out to the bluffs for Angela.
It was dark out, but there was still just enough light to be able to make out the drop to the choppy ocean below.
"Whoa. I thought you were exaggerating. They jumped from the top? And lived?" Angela asked in shock.
"Well, I guess just Rosalie jumped, but Jasper was going to before I stopped him."
"Look, maybe I've lived in a desert too long, but that just doesn't seem possible. Not without at least breaking some bones."
Bella laughed.
"What?" Angela asked with a grin.
"Nothing," Bella said, shaking her head. "I guess I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, but I just like how you are willing to take off into the desert to chase a mythical creature, but humans jumping off of cliffs is where you draw the line for suspension of disbelief."
"It's only a mythical creature still because you refused to skip school and go find it."
The truck had turned off coastal road and was driving deep into the forest at this point. The girls broke into a playful argument about the existence of mythical creatures that didn't stop until they pulled into the large drive out front of the Cullen house. Angela let out a low whistle.
"Damn, this is the size of those houses the trust found kids in Scottsdale live in," she said.
Bella could only nod. Of course the mean kids would live in what was practically a mansion. Isn't that just the way life always worked out?
There were already multiple cars out front. Easily more than people Bella and her mom had invited. It seemed that the word had spread quickly. Through the large open windows they could see what had to be half of the town inside, all in costume, eating, drinking, and dancing. Esme turned off the truck and hopped out.
"Well girls, you ready?" She asked.
Bella and Angela nodded, climbing down from the truck bed and heading to the house.
This chapter got a little too long, so the party itself will be a little mini chapter to come soon. Oops.