Lesson three – Mom is always right

I was woken up by the sound of the TV and the throbbing pain in my head. I groaned in pain. I can't believe I was so stupid to accept a ride with a stranger. No matter how handsome and sweet that stranger was. Ugh! How could I be so naïve!

"Bella," I heard my name being whispered. I moaned in response.

"Oh my God, Bella!" Suddenly I was pulled up and attacked with a hug. Only one person could hug like that.

"Alice?" I asked opening my eyes slightly to be met with Alice's big purple ones coated in tears. "Oh Alice," I whispered, tears flowing out of my eyes as I embraced her.

"Bella I'm so sorry…I didn't mean for this to happen…I'm such a horrid friend," Alice sobbed. I'd rarely seen Alice like this. The last time I'd seen her like this is when her cat died.

"Alice this isn't your fault." I said rubbing her back.

"Yes it is. If I hadn't set you up on this stupid date, you wouldn't be here right now."

"Ha," I laughed once without humour, "If I hadn't accepted a ride with a stranger, I wouldn't be here." Alice sniffed hugging me tighter.

"You had me so worried, Bella. You were knocked out cold for three days! I was getting so scared that-" Three days… I was knocked out for three days! I guess it serves me right for riding with a stranger. But then why is Alice here?

"Alice," I said interrupting what she was saying.

"Yeah,"

"Not that I'm not glad that you're here but why are you here?" Alice looked a bit sheepish.

"Well… I kind of had my own blind date. I guess that blew up in my face as well," she said, gesturing down to her black dress that reached her knees, her voice sounding depressed.

"Oh my. Are you ok … did he hurt you…?"

"No I'm absolutely fine. He just gagged me." I hugged her fiercely.

"I'm just glad you're ok" I cried. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Really Alice I –"

"Shhh" Alice suddenly whispered cutting me off. Her, widened, eyes masked with worry staring behind me.

"What's the matter, Alice? What is it?" There was no reply, her eyes still trained on the thing behind me. Reluctantly I turned around to see what was bothering her so much. What I saw shocked the hell out of me. There on the TV behind me was a picture of Alice and I on CNN.

"Oh my gosh" I muttered. I grabbed the remote and turned the sound up.

Isabella Swan, 17, 5"6, and Alice Brandon, 17, 5"1, have been missing for a total of three days now. Friends and Family are devastated. No-one knows where they could be. There are no notes from the girls and none of their clothes are significantly missing. Also the car that has been recognized as Alice Brandon's car is outside the apartment block. This only gives us one conclusion. The girls have been kidnapped. We question some of their friends for further information.

A teary eyed Jessica Stanley, 17, says "No-one hated Alice and Bella, so I have no idea who these kidnappers could be"

Lauren Mallory, 17, states "Bella was a socially deprived freak, who would want to kidnap her"

"They were one of my best friends. I hope they are ok" Angela Weber, 17, whispered distraughtly.

Parents of Isabella Swan and Alice Brandon are tremendously concerned for their child's well being and refuse to answer any questions.

If you know anything about the girls' whereabouts feel free to call 0800001066

"Oh my God." Alice whispered. I nodded solemnly understanding how she felt. Poor Charlie, poor Renee they must be so worried. I thought as I put my head in my hands. Not to mention Alice's parents.

"Oh my God," Alice said slightly louder.

"What's wrong, Alice?" I murmured, my head still in my hands.

"Look!" she said shaking me viciously. I looked up to see two pictures one of me, when I went to my parents' house for thanksgiving, and one of Alice, at her parents' house probably thanksgiving as well.

"Yes Alice. It's a picture of us. I thought we already established that"

"No it's not that, it…" she paused dramatically, "it's … what you're wearing"

I looked at her questionably, "Alice I'm wearing jeans, people do wear jeans you know."

"Not to thanksgiving they don't!" she nearly screeched.

I looked at her incredulously. She was thinking about my outfit while we were being held hostage. My outfit! I sighed. Well some things never change, I thought as I looked around the room noticing the door on the far right. I guess I'd been so caught up with the whole TV and Alice thing that I never really noticed where we were. It was a medium sized room almost the size of my bedroom. On the wall next to the door there was a window way too small for escape. But that was it -well apart from the TV and the bed we were currently laying on- it was just an empty room. The walls were white and the floor was wooden. The room just felt… cold. Maybe it was because of the short red dress I was still wearing.

"What are we going to do?" I said flopping back down on the bed.

"I don't know" Alice said flopping down next to me. A moment of silence passed between us.

"Bella,"

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to die?"

I was silent for a second. "I don't know Alice" I said not wanting to give her false hope. "But I know one thing," I said as I sat up pulling Alice up with me and staring her straight into her purple eyes, "We aren't going down without a fight. Promise me that Alice."

"I-I promise." She stuttered as I hugged her ferociously.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way out of this, together." I promised.

Alice sniffed lightly. "Promise"

"Promise" I said stroking her spiky black hair. Alice had always felt like a little sister to me even though she was the one always dragging me to parties. But there were days when Alice was actually calm and we would just talk and laugh for hours. It was times like those when Alice felt like my long lost sister, sweet and innocent.

"Lets sleep now, who knows what's in store for us tomorrow" Alice nodded mutely and laid down putting the cover over her body. I guess waiting for me to wake up had taken all the energy out of her. Which is saying something, Alice never ran out of energy. I laid down next to her, listening to her breathing even out and fall asleep.

Right there and then I made a pack to myself to make sure Alice got out of this. And whoever had done this to her was going to pay, I thought violently. I closed my eyes and fell into darkness.

.Update. That's the drill :D