Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Twilight.
FIRST KISSES AND FIRST LOVES
With the lights out, its less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us
A mulatto, An albino
A mosquito, My libido
Yeah
-Nirvana
Bella's stomach heaved as she leaned over the toilet. She set her throbbing head against the cool porcelain. Even though the coldness of it didn't affect her, she still enjoyed resting her head.
Damn Edward, damn him, she thought.
Because she had actually eaten food at lunch she was now suffering for it. If Edward hadn't of started the flirting thing she wouldn't be bent over throwing up the bread she had teased him with.
When at last her stomach stopped convulsing Bella stood up, flushed, and went to wash her face in the sink.
She wiped her face with a towel and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She saw what she always saw: luscious, brown hair, soft features, small nose, pink lips, perfect teeth, and sunk in, topaz eyes that were getting darker by the minute.
She was still attractive, even amongst other vampires she was considered very beautiful. Everyone always told her she was.
When she was human her looks had paled in comparison to how they were now, but she had still been quite lovely.
After she was turned she had found that being beautiful beyond reason had had its advantages, but it couldn't get you everything. She had learned that the hard way.
Once Bella was sure that her digestive track was completely empty she walked out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, where she found Alice busily picking through her closet, as Rosalie sat on her bed looking bored.
"What do you think you're doing?" Bella asked Alice as the small vampire started flinging clothes about the room.
"Well, I'm trying to find something decent for you to wear tomorrow," Alice said as she threw Bella's vintage, black, Chanel dress on the floor and stepped on it in her haste to get to the next rack of clothes.
Bella winced as she looked at the crumpled couture lying helplessly on the floor.
"Jasper told us that we're going to the little get-together your friend is throwing tomorrow," Rosalie said as she twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
"Oh, right," Bella said, sitting down nest to Rosalie on the bed. "Is everyone coming?"
"Yep," Alice said momentarily looking at her from the closet.
"Everyone," Rosalie said raising her eyebrows in indication.
"Really?" Bella asked surprised.
"Yep," Alice and Rosalie said in unison.
"Well, Esme and Carlisle decided to sit this one out, but the rest of us are coming," Rosalie said matter-of-factly.
Bella had planned on Alice and Rosalie coming with her, but she couldn't imagine why her brothers would want to come, especially one in particular.
"Ah! I found something!" Alice cried from the closet. She emerged holding up black and gray stripped, ¾ length sleeve sweater, DKNY jeans, and black ballet flats.
"My God Alice, you spent five minutes rummaging around in there, and that's all you can come up with? It's not even that flattering," Rosalie said, obviously not impressed.
"It looks nice, and practical. Besides, I'm going to a house party in Forks, not Fashion Week in Paris," Bella said.
Practical," Rosalie snorted at the word. "Why would you want to look practical, when you can look hot?"
"She'll look hot no matter what she wears. At least this way she won't look like a slut," Alice said, laying the clothes on the bed.
Rosalie rolled her eyes, "Whatever."
Bella laughed at her sisters then stood up and walked to the door. "Out," she told them turning back around.
"Excuse me?" Rosalie asked, raising her eyebrows.
"You heard me, I said out. Go! I'm serious, I'll see you guys later, but right now you have to get out."
Rosalie heaved an exasperated sigh as she stood and walked out the door, "Fine. We'll go, but don't forget we're the ones who're backing you up on this whole…friendship with humans thing you're doing. So you should be nice to us."
Alice walked over to the doorway too, but stopped in front of Bella first. "Jasper told me about what happened at school today," she whispered.
"What happened?" Bella asked, feigning curiosity as she avoided eye contact.
"Oh you know what I'm talking about. I'm sure Edward knew you were watching and just did it to make you jealous," Alice said with sincerity.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's all it was." Or he was still hung up on humans and had decided to pick another innocent girl to fulfill his needs. But Bella didn't say this to her sister, she knew it would only upset her.
Alice smiled and followed Rosalie out into the hallway, and stopped again to say one last thing to Bella, "See you at party time, dah-ling."
When the Cullen's arrived at Ryan's house, the party was already in full swing. Bella recognized a lot of her classmates either standing around talking or dancing to the low beats that were coming from two large stereo speakers.
Many of them had plastic cups in their hands, containing liquids of all different colors.
The group immediately split up once they were inside. Bella headed off to the kitchen to try and find Ryan, and noticed that Edward went in another direction, his eyes scanning the room, as if he too were looking for someone.
Bella ignored this and continued to the kitchen.
When she reached it she spotted Ryan holding court in the backyard near the pool.
Bella walked outside and as she neared his group he looked up. When he saw her, his face broke out into a huge grin, and he jumped up from his friends.
He walked over to her and, in a bold move wrapped his arms around her waist. Bella was a little shocked but she recovered quickly and hugged him back.
"I'm so glad you came," Ryan said as he broke their embrace.
"Yeah, well once I told my family about it they wanted to come," Bella said taking a step back.
Ryan's face slightly fell. Whether because she backed away from him or at the mention of her family, she didn't know.
"Oh, you're family came. That's good. All of them?" he asked.
"Well yeah, me and my five siblings," Bella said, "They're inside, if you want to talk to them."
"Why would I do that, when I could talk to the most interesting Cullen?" he said as he led her back to the kitchen. "Come, let me get you a drink."
Once inside, Ryan filled up one of the plastic cups with a clear liquid that came from a bottle with no label. When he handed it to her Bella sniffed the drink before taking a sip. Vodka.
Though alcohol could eventually affect her, she would have to drink twice as much as humans do just to get tipsy.
"So…" Ryan said looking at her take a small sip from her drink.
"Yeah," Bella said back, just as unsure of what to say. The awkwardness between them felt so weird to Bella, so unfamiliar; it made her feel almost…human.
"It's good that you guys came. I mean everyone at school's more than a little curious about your family," Ryan said at last.
"Really?" Bella asked. "How so?"
"Well, I just mean how distant you guys are from the rest of us. You all don't seem like the type to come to a party. Now you can prove everyone wrong," he said.
Bella smiled, "Oh trust me, we party a lot more than you'd think."
"Really?" Ryan said raising an eyebrow. "Well just how much?"
"Well we've traveled a lot, been to all kinds of parties, seen all kinds of things," Bella said continuing to be coy with him.
"What kinds of things?" he asked.
Bella walked over to him and took his hand leading him to the living room. "Let me show you."
The quarter bounced on the table and landed in the shot glass.
"Ok Bella, drink up," someone said from behind her. Bella pick up the shot, dug out the quarter, and downed the whiskey.
At first she had the partygoers experiment with some of the more exotic games she had picked up over the years, the ones with names like Hand-to-Foot and Peppermint Stick Drop.
Then they had gone onto Suck-and-Blow and an assortment of drinking games. Now the party had dwindled to Quarters.
Of course the adolescents around her were starting to look a little haggard and punch-drunk, so Bella considered taking it down a notch to poker.
A small blonde girl across from her picked up the quarter and tried her hand at the game.
Bella stood up and beckoned for Ryan to follow. He had been her loyal companion for the night, never leaving her side. At her request he had gone easy on the alcohol in all the drinking games, she didn't want him totally floored, but he was still over tipsy.
"So what 'ave yous gots now?" he asked, slurring his words a little.
"Yeah, I think it's time we quit the games and start sending people home," Bella said, helping him steady himself as he stumbled.
"Aw, c'mon. Everyone's havin' fun. You're the life of the party!" Ryan said the last part rather loudly.
It was true though, when she had showed everyone all the games she had in store they had eagerly joined in. They were all excited that, not only did they get to play funny games, but that a Cullen was the one leading them.
Bella's siblings had even joined in on some of the games, and people were shocked to see them interacting with people outside their own family.
"C'm 'ere, I'll make yous a Screwdriver," Ryan said heading towards the stairs.
"Ok, first of all do you even know how to make a Screwdriver?" Bella said, grabbing hold of his arm, "And second, the kitchen is the other way."
"I know," he smiled, leaning in to her a little, "But it's more fun upstairs."
Bella hesitated a minute before she pulled away from him. The way he smelled was intoxicating, and it took all her strength not to bite down on his smooth, delicate skin.
She did pull away though and saw that he was staring at her with a mix of intensity and lust. "Yeah, maybe later stud," she said trying to lighten the mood again.
"Maybe," he said in a low, husky voice leaning towards her again.
"Look I think I should go," Bella started to walk away now, "I'll just find my family and we'll go. Our parents will get worried if we're not back soon."
"No, don't go," Ryan said reaching towards her, but she was already half way across the room.
Bella scanned the crowd for one of her siblings, but found none.
She walked outside and her eyes immediately found Edward's face. She smiled and started to walk towards him. She figured he was probably bored to death, excuse the pun, amongst these humans.
But she stopped when she saw he wasn't alone. He was standing with the girl from the hallway and was smiling at her.
Looks like he was having more fun than she thought.
Then he did the unthinkable. Edward slowly leaned down and placed a light kiss on the lips of the small, girl.
Bella's stomach dropped and her whole world spun. She thought she was going to fall over, but then someone's arm snaked around her waist.
She barely even felt the arm, she was still staring at the train wreck in front of her. Bella thought she heard a voice talking to her, but she couldn't tell because of the pounding in her ears.
However, she did pay attention to the owner of the arm when they turned her around and planted his lips to hers. The lips were soft and sweet, and the kiss was very smooth, very natural.
Ryan, she thought. The next though she had was that she should pull away, before she lost control. And she would pull away, eventually.
But for right now she was going to enjoy this sweet kiss. She was going to let Ryan take control, and forget about Edward and his stupid girlfriend.
Bella concentrated on Ryan's slow breathing and the way his lips felt against hers. And she just let the darkness consume her.
In the weeks following the party, Edward came out with his relationship with the human girl.
He brought her home to meet the rest of the Cullens, and since then she was at their house almost every afternoon.
His family had taken to avoiding him, and not just when she was there.
They learned the girl's name was Callie, but none of them called her by name, except for Carlisle and Esme, and only when they spoke to Edward directly. And Rosalie had come up with her own nickname for Callie that Bella thought was appropriate, but still didn't use: whore.
Bella and Ryan had kept their relationship a secret. Although, they didn't exactly have a relationship, other than quick make-out sessions between classes.
Bella felt sick at the thought of how lethal their relationship had become, but all her feelings of guilt quickly disappeared when she saw Edward and Callie together.
"Ugh! She's still here," Rosalie said coming up behind Bella and Emmett who were standing in the kitchen doorway, watching Edward and Callie as they did homework at the small table in the kitchen.
"Uh-uh," Bella said in a monotone, as she still looked at the couple.
"This is ridiculous, she needs to go!" Rosalie hissed.
"Well, yeah she does, but at least he hasn't like started staying with her at night, or kissing her or anything," Emmett said.
"Yeah right. That's just a hop, jump, and skip away," Bella said as she walked into the kitchen. The people at the table looked at her when she walked in. She gave them a fake smile and turned to the refrigerator.
"Huh, looks like Carlisle brought some food home last night. That's good 'cause you're probably hungry, right Edward?" Bella asked innocently. Sometimes Carlisle dipped into blood supply at the hospital for when someone couldn't get out hunting, and needed some blood to hold them over.
Edward looked at her alarmed and was about to say something when Callie asked, "What kind of food does Carlisle bring home?"
Emmett barked out a laugh as him and Rosalie entered the kitchen. "Oh, only the good kind," he said.
"Yeah stuff like O positive and AB negative," Rosalie said joining in on the fun.
Bella and Emmett laughed at the confused look on Callie's face. Edward stood up and started to gather their things. "Why don't I get you home?" he said to Callie.
"Ok," Callie said getting up, still looking bewildered.
"Aw, going so soon?" Rosalie said with fake disappointment.
"You make sure to come back now," Bella said
"Sure," Callie said shuffling out the door.
"Yeah, we'd love to have you for dinner. We usually don't like slender people, you know we prefer a little more meat on the bones, but you'll make due.," Bella said.
"Callie, why don't you go on out and I'll meet you in the car," Edward said, his panic rising. Once Callie was outside Edward turned to his siblings, who weren't even trying to hold in their laughter anymore.
"Ok, we do not joke about eating people in this house," he said very stern.
"Oh, sorry. I guess we're not used to having humans around. Or, we were trying to forget what it was like," Rosalie said.
"Just cut it out, it's not funny," Edward said and then stormed out the door.
The other three burst out into a fit of laugher when he was gone. They stayed like that for a while, until they left the kitchen still snickering to themselves.
Bella went upstairs to her room and lay down on her bed thinking how funny Edward was when he was mad. He was cute too.
Later that night, once Edward came home he knocked on Bella's bedroom door. She knew it was him, but still she asked, "Who is it?!"
"Who do you think?" Ah, same old Edward.
"Ok come in, but I can throw you out anytime I want," Bella called.
Edward opened the door and stepped inside. Bella watched him survey the room, and waited for him to say something.
When he didn't she said, "So, did Callie get home Ok? I hope we didn't freak her out to much."
Edward looked at her then. "No, she's fine," he said.
"Ok…good," Bella could tell from the way he was looking at her that there was something he wanted to say. "Did you want something?"
"No, no. I just…" Edward looked around the room hesitating. Bella wanted to scream at him or tell him not to have a brain hemorrhage or something, but instead she waited.
"I told Callie we couldn't see each other anymore," he said.
"What?!" Bella honestly did not get him sometimes. "Why would you do that?"
"Well, I've been thinking—"
"Never a good thing," Bella said.
Edward ignored her, "And I decided that it was too dangerous for her around here. And… that there's something I want to tell you."
Bella agreed that she was in danger hanging out with vampires, but she didn't expect Edward to end things. Now there was more? "What?"
"Well I was thinking about us, you, me," he said slowly. Bella saw where this was going and she didn't like it.
"Edward…I don't think we should talk about this, you should just go," Bella said walking towards the door.
"No really Bella I need to say this," he said trying to stop her from leaving.
"Edward, I don't want to hear it! Just get—"
"Bella, I love you."
Ok she didn't see that coming.
And I forget
Just what it takes
And yet I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard
Its hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind