Sorry it's been so long I had a writers block and then my life just got very hectic. I'm starting University in less then 2 weeks so I've been getting ready for that and seeing my friends and boyfriend most days and of course drinking a lot in celebration
Thanks to 'SPOONS Secret Agent Alice' for being my amazing beta, even though she was a little angry with me for this chapter :P
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So it's been about three months since that first family meal, yes that's right I said first, there has been many more since then. In fact every Sunday I have to doll myself up for one of Esme's famous shin digs. Alice managed to persuade Emmett to wear tops underneath his shirts so he wouldn't have to button them all the way up again, avoiding any future superman-esque mishaps, which was a shame.
I got out of the shower, wrapped myself in a big fluffy towel and made my way to my bedroom. I wasn't surprised to see a certain Cullen lying in my bed with an innocent expression on their face, like they didn't steal all the room in bed and keep me up most of the night.
"For such a small person you take up a lot of room Alice." I said while walking over to my wardrobe.
"It was your idea to watch that monstrosity of a film!" she said, not quite sounding as ferocious as she meant to be with sleep still thick in her voice.
"I didn't realize it was that bad Alice, yeah it was an 18 but the description was about some kids going site seeing in Amsterdam, how was I supposed to know..."
"That one by one they get kidnapped and people kill them in horrific ways for shits and giggles?"
"Well yeah." I said reaching for a top before Alice cut in.
"Oh no Bella, why don't you let me?" she said kindly while walking off toward the spare room to pick out something she's bought me.
You see about two weeks ago Alice and I decided that she spent so much time here that she might as well move in, so she has. Just we and Edward actually knew. For you Friends fans, it was like when Phoebe was living with Monica and moved out without telling her, gradually moving her things to her new place. But of course this was Alice we were talking about, so she simply just bought new things, but brought some of her essentials like the photo of her and Jasper which was also pride of place on her brand new nightstand. But for a reason I couldn't fathom, when buying all these new things she decided she'd also improve my wardrobe while she's at it, which Edward thinks is hilarious.
Ah, and that brings me to Edward. If possible, things have gotten better. We're now officially a couple, but even now it still gives me chills thinking about Edward being my boyfriend. There hasn't been a day that I haven't seen him, he's around here more than Alice; and she's here five out of seven days a week. Although last night Edward had to attend the night shift, which resulted in Alice and I having a 'girly' night in. To avoid the wrath of the romcoms, I picked out a horror film for us to watch. Which led to Alice refusing to spend the night in her room and having me sleep on the outside of my bed, so if anyone from the film did decide to jump out of the DVD case and sneak into my room they'd get me first and give her more of a chance to escape. What are friends for, eh?
Alice waltzed back in and threw items of clothing at me before picking up a towel and going to the bathroom herself. I complained about this sort of behaviour for a while, but learnt it did me no good so I just sucked it up and became Alice's Bella-Barbie most mornings.
--
Once we were finally ready we left my place and caught a bus into town, tonight I was being forced to go to a college party. I detested these things and did my best to avoid them, but Alice was adamant that I was going. Edward was also being forced to attend so that's a little something to look forward to. But there is still one main problem, it's a pool party which means dressing up and with dressing up comes shopping.
The first thing we needed was swimwear; apparently my tankini just simply wasn't good enough. Bikinis were all the rage for beach parties apparently. I aimlessly followed Alice around the aisles before getting two pieces of material thrown at me and my marching orders to try them on. It was an orange halter neck but it surprisingly looked good with my pale skin. I peeked out of the curtains to check no one was around before running across to Alice's cubicle which was opposite mine. She was sporting a purple halter neck which of course looked amazing on her.
"We match." Alice said with a cheery laugh raising her hand for a high five which I obliged to, Alice's happiness was always so infectious.
"Jasper's not going to know what's hit him when he sees you."
"Oh like you can talk you..." but she was cut off by her own laughter.
I just looked at her like she was special as she clutched her ribs like she was trying to keep them in or something. Noticing my confused gaze she tried to stop which only resulted in more of a laughing fit.
"I-I'm sorry Bella, its your... you and Edward... you'll match!" was all she managed to get out before laughing again.
"What?" I asked, but then realised what she was gesturing to, the colour of my bikini resembled Edwards hair.
"Tanya will definitely know Edward's yours." Alice said calming down a bit.
"Well either that or I'm trying to be her date this evening." I said before again checking no one was around before dashing back to my cubicle to change back into my clothes.
After remerging fully dressed we bought our new bikinis, with me nearly having to lock Alice in a stock cupboard while I bought mine; that little pixie tries to pay for everything.
Next stop was the fancy dress shop fittingly called 'Partyz R US'. Alice decided we needed some Hawaiian grass skirts and Hawaiian leis to really get us into the party spirit. I was happy to know that Alice had no clue where to look in here; this was a first for the both of us at least.
"Bella look at this." Alice said with a chuckle pointing towards one of the costumes. It was called the 'Virgin Mary' but the lady on the front looked anything but a virgin, which I know was the point, irony and all that. But it just looked like something from a horror movie. Then came the onslaught of the Disney costumes which were all too short and far too revealing.
"Jeez Alice this place might as well be called Sluts R US."
My point was then proven by the bell of the door ringing and Tanya and Lauren walking in.
"Could you of had any better timing." Alice said with a laugh before pulling me around a corner, "I really don't have the patience with them right now; we've got ourselves costumes to buy."
Luckily the corner we'd walked around was the right place. There was a variety of Hawaiian styled outfits ranging from the hideous to the just plain scary.
"Check me out." Alice said holding up a hairy looking coconut bra and dancing around in circles with it.
"Ouch, surely that's not comfortable?"
"It really isn't, it's like having a man with stubble constantly brushing his chin against your rack."
"As always you're the pinnacle of lady Alice." I said with a smile before something hideous and florescent caught my attention. It was a bright orange Hawaiian shirt being sported by a very happy man but the scary kind, you know the ones who smile too big you worry their gums are going to fly out and slap you?
"What the hell is this?" I said picking it up and showing it to Alice?
"That by far is the ugliest thing I have ever seen, it looks like it was made out of vomit! I admire you for simply having the courage to touch it! Oh these look good, put that monstrosity down and come check these out." She said while picking up a pre packed back and throwing it at me. I tossed the florescent abomination to the side and picked up the bag Alice had thrown at me. On the front was a normal looking girl in a bikini and a grass skirt that was cut off just before the knee, with a Hawaiian Lei and various flowery bracelets and anklets.
"Yeah this one looks pretty normal, shall we try them on?"
"Yeah before the ho-some twosome come along, they'll have a hoot with those coconuts."
There were two cubicles and only one was vacant so we decided to share one. After successfully changing in and out of our new costumes we heard the familiar cackling of Jessica and Lauren shuffling into the now free cubicle next to us.
"Oh God help us, Alice let's go before..." But I was cut off by Tanya talking loudly to Lauren.
"Do you think Edwards going to come tonight?"
"I heard Bella is going and they've been attached to the hip recently." was Jessica's muffled reply through the wall.
"It's pathetic isn't it? Tonight, I'm going to show Edward what a real girl is."
I gave a pleading look to Alice to get out of here but her eyes were glazed over and that evil smile was playing on her lips again.
"What now?" I whispered, trying to avoid being overheard.
"We have to switch their costumes!"
"To what?" I asked.
"What do you think?"
"How do you plan on doing that?"
"Not I, you." she whispered back before darting out of the cubicle.
I really don't know what I'm going to do with that girl.
I'd only just had the chance to think that when Alice was back holding the coconut bra in one hand and the sick top in the other.
"Great plan Alice, now what?" I hissed.
"They have about a brain cell between them which is easily fooled. Once a boy is involved that one brain cell takes over all other functions. Just watch and do your part, remember to remove the real tops from the bags and place these at the bottom, okay?"
"I think I can manage that." I smirked.
"Oh, tonight is going to be so good!" Alice laughed while running off toward the other end of the shop. I pulled the curtain across so they wouldn't see me for whatever Alice had planned; it had only been about ten seconds when I heard Alice shout,
"Hey Bella is that Edward outside? Why's he in his costume for tonight, was it your idea to have him come topless?"
I hadn't even had a heartbeat before the two of them came crashing out of their cubicle and bolting over to the other side of the shop. Knowing Alice would kill me if I didn't do this right I quickly went into their cubicle and placed the awful pieces of clothing into the bottom of the bags the costumes come in, making sure to hide them at the back because the side was see through. Then I dashed back into my own cubicle before I got caught.
I waited until they'd returned muttering something about Alice getting their hopes up and that I was a genius for having him come topless tonight. I don't know what was worse, the fact that they actually thought he was outside or that they think he's really coming topless tonight.
I grabbed mine and Alice's bags and made my way over to her, to no surprise she was knelt on the floor holding onto the window frame for support while shaking of laughter.
"Their faces! I wish I had a camera. Did you do it?"
"I did now come on chuckles lets buy these and get out of here." I said walking towards the till. At least she was too incapacitated to argue over paying.
--
After a lot of primping we were finally sat in my living room all dressed up and waiting for Edward to pick us up. A few more games of Uno later there was a knock on the door which I knew was Edward. Since Alice was now 'living' with me we thought we'd give Edward a key to the main door so he didn't have to wait outside in the rain to be buzzed in.
I opened the door to as always have my breath taken away by just Edwards's mere presence. He was wearing a green Hawaiian shirt which brought out his eyes and a pair of light brown board shorts.
"Hello beautiful." he breathed while leaning down to kiss me, running his hands along my bare back to pull me closer to him.
"Enough of the PDA we've got a party to go to kids." Alice said grabbing onto my wrist and pulling me toward the door with Edward still attached to my lips.
"Did you two have a good night last night?" Edward asked. We were now in his car and nearly at college.
"Maybe you should ask your girlfriend." Alice replied moodily while crossing her arms and pouting.
"What did you do?" he asked me.
"I thought we'd watch a film that was on the movie channels, it seemed innocent enough."
"What was it?
"Hostel, you heard of it?" I asked.
"Ha, you had Alice watch that? What did she do when the first guy got his Achilles heel cut?"
At that Alice physically shuddered "Will you two stop talking about it? I'm trying to erase it from my mind forever and having you two yak on about it like its not one of the single most horrible things you have ever seen isn't helping."
We both mumbled our apologies knowing it wasn't in our best interest to anger Alice and stayed quiet until we got to college.
When we got there it was hard to recognise the place, there were lights and fake palm tree's leading a trail to where the pool was.
"Looks like the party committee would have even outdone you Alice." Edward said smirking knowing it would get a rise out of her.
"Oh please, the lights would have started way back at the entrance of the parking lot and I would have gotten a lot more trees and had someone handing out lei's to everyone before they get to the pool." She finished off happily before catching site of Jasper and running through the mass of people over to him, the no running signs obviously meaning nothing to her.
"You can see why it wasn't a big surprise she hurt her ankle that day you first met her."
"I can, I can also see something else."
"What?" he asked confused looking around.
I stood on my tip toes and put my arms around his neck while leaning up to give him a quick kiss, "She's left us all alone."
"So she has, and knowing her she's going to be busy with Jasper for the rest of the night."
"Which leaves us all night together," I smiled happily.
"Indeed and for the first act of the night, you're going to dance with me." He said pulling me slowly towards the makeshift dance floor.
"Dancing isn't really my thing I'm not very good, I-" I didn't get a chance to finish because Edward cut me off with his lips.
"It's all in the leading and I'm not taking no for an answer so come on."
I'll admit that dancing with Edward wasn't as horrific as I thought it would be. I stumbled a few times at first but it was too easy to just get lost in his eyes and forget about the room full of people and just concentrate on us. But our moment only lasted for two songs before everyone's attention was drawn to the late arrivals also known as Lauren and Tanya. Tanya was rather bravely sporting the coconut bikini while Lauren had cut the sick top to try and make it more fitting but it just looked like it was going to come apart at the seems any minute and had been cut by a child. I looked over to where Alice was standing to see that she'd buried her head into Jasper's chest and was shaking with silent laughter.
"What the..." even Edward was at a loss for words.
"They really go a step too far sometimes don't they?" I said innocently.
"Just a step?" he asked.
"Okay, several steps."
"Either way, let's just forget about them. Tonight it's just me and you." He said about to lean down to give me a kiss when a very large wet hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Hey Edward, how's it going?"
Edward sighed onto my lips, "Hello Emmett, and you too Rose."
I pulled back from Edwards embrace to see a large Emmett who was topless and dripping with water, next to a dry looking Rosalie who looked stunning in a red bikini top and little green shorts.
"You two should check out the pool it's really warm." Emmett said excitedly almost child like, which is what I loved most about Emmett.
"Maybe later, I'm trying to make Bella dance with me at the moment." Edward laughed.
"Didn't look like you were doing much dancing little brother." Emmett joked before him and Rosalie went to get a drink, Rosalie giving both me and Edward a hug before she left. Rosalie and I had become good friends lately, Edward reckons it's because I brought Emmett into her life but either way its nice to know that both his sisters like me.
"Now, where was I?" Edward asked with a coy smile.
"You'll have to remind me." I cooed.
Edward again leaned down to capture my lips with his; just as I was about to taste the softness of his lips on mine a little hand grabbed my arm and turned me around.
"Bella there's going to be fireworks!" Alice said jumping up and down on the spot.
"Not anymore there isn't." I mumbled.
"What?" she asked?
"Nothing Alice, what about fireworks?" I asked.
"Over there." she pointed to the large field behind us where a crowd was starting to form. "C'mon we have to find a good spot."
"Where are Emmett and Rose?" I asked seeing only Jasper was with Alice.
"I don't know I can't see them, which is a surprise since Emmett's so big."
"I'll go find them." Edward said from behind me, leaning down to give me a kiss again.
"Hey what have I told you two about PDA? Come on Bella you can survive a few minutes without my brother." she said pulling me away from Edward; I gave him an apologetic smile before following Alice.
We found a nice quiet patch to the side by the trees, no one had thought to come here which was good.
"Will Edward be able to find us here?" I asked
"Yeah Edward will be fine, but if you're not too sure climb up the tree a little bit so you can wave him over." Alice said.
"Climb up the tree?" I asked, Alice of all people knows about my clumsiness.
"I'll give you a lift up to the first branch." Jasper offered kindly holding out his hands to me.
I timidly put my foot on Jasper's interlocked hands and held onto his shoulder with my other arm as he lifted me up high enough that I could sit myself down on the tree branch. It wasn't too high up but enough that Edward would see me over the crowds of people.
"Thanks Jasper, just make sure to stay there in case I fall." I said with a laugh.
"Sure thing Bella," Jasper said, making me feel calm knowing he was there.
"Can you see them?" Alice asked.
"Erm, I can see Emmett and Rosalie." I said noticing Emmett's big form holding onto the petite one next to him. I smiled at the image of them; they were such a great couple. They evened one another out. I saw Emmett looking around and managed to catch his eye; I waved at him and pointed down to Alice and Jasper. He could probably only see dark figures since it wasn't lit up where we were.
"What about Edward? Isn't he with them?" Alice asked.
I looked away from Emmett and Rosalie and started scanning the remaining people. I saw Lauren stood by herself trying to keep the sick top together, it looks like it had slowly come apart and she was desperately trying to find some way to put it back together. I wonder where her partner in crime is.
Just then I saw the familiar flash of bronze hair, except it was accompanied with a flash of strawberry blonde hair too. What I saw took my breath away but not in the good way, more like someone had punched me in the stomach and winded me. Edward was cradling Tanya in his arms, and it looks like she was getting the kiss that I had wanted earlier.
--
Please don't hate me, I have a plan! And I was genuinely a little scarred after watching Hostel, the eye bit gets me every time.
I'm not sure how long the next update will be but I'm going to try and have the next one up before I leave, depending on how many reviews I get, let's try and get more than ten this time please? Especially since last chapter got over 300 hits.