WARNING: Very short chapter up ahead. I wrote this chapter during my lunch break the other day. Until then I had been suffering from the dreaded writers block. Then suddenly like the stench from your brothers room, came forth this. I couldn't wait till I got home so I went for it. Took thirty minutes, hense the length but I had so much fun doing it. Another fun chapter. Hope you like it. And I promise the long awaited get together that many of you have been waiting on is coming. Maybe. That's if I choose to go in that direction...lol!

Chapter Twenty Three

Around four Esme told us that we could change and get ready for dinner. Alice entered my room surprisingly not to help me get dress but to talk a little as we did so. I was sure it was because after replacing almost everything in my closet that she didn't have to worry about what I wore anymore. Sneaky little devil.

I dressed in a simple, a grey knit dress with a long sleeve black under shirt and my black booties. With silver jewelry and light make up applied we finally headed down stairs. The table was gorgeous and once again, if I hadn't made note of it yet,it looked like a photo in a home maker's magazine. The food was steaming and it smelt great. Like Esme stated, Carlisle was there seated at the head of the table. I took my seat beside Emmett, Edward directly across from me. He smiled at me as I took my seat. I returned it before turning to Carlisle.

"I'm grateful that I can once again spend another Thanksgiving with my family." Then he turned to me. "And I'm glad that you could spend it with us."

I smiled as my face heated up. Then for the first time, a large goofy smile pulled across Carlisle's face.

"Now lets eat!" Even I laughed before the dish passing began.

The entire meal lasted a couple of hours before Esme served dessert. Her Sweet Potato pie was too die for, and Emmett almost lost his life to Rosalie over the last slice. I didn't feel like a stranger at the table, and it allowed me to join in with them and have fun the way a family should.

Later, after all the food was put away and the sky was dark, we all went outside unto the back porch to watch the stars. The sky was so clear up here, no lights, no distraction. I was huddled on the swing set next to Alice as we rocked back and forth. I understood why Carlisle and Esme had decided to live here. It was beautiful, mysterious and vibrant just like the Cullen family.

I wasn't aware of when I had fell asleep but when I woke I was wrapped up tight in the soft bed of the guest room. It took me about thirty seconds to realize where I was. It was a beautiful day and the bright sun beams shining in the room was the reason why I had stirred in the first place. I sat up rubbing my eyes when there was a low knock on the door and Alice's head appeared before she through open the door.

"GOOD MORNING!" She yelled and it actually scared me. She flew across the room and jumped on the bed, mostly on top of me. Why was she in such a good mood? It was way too early? She was still in her night clothes, a silky pink dress that reached mid thigh. More cute than sexy really. I would say just like her, but Alice could turn the steam on when she wanted too.

"Get off of me," I groaned from beneath her boucning body. She listened and pulled back allowing me to sit up once again.

"It's a wonderful morning," She sang. I stared at her strangely as she jumped from the bed to the window and threw open the curtains even more than they were. I hissed and threw up my hand because the light burned my eyes. Crazy witch.

"Come on Bella, get up," Alice chimed dancing now.

"Sure, sure," I yawned as I pushed the covers away and put my feet to the floor. I knew she wasn't going to stop unless she got her way.

"Today's going to be a wonderful day," Alice sang as she twirled around my room. I hadn't seen her like this in a long time. Getting to my feet I wondered why it was going to be sure a great day when I realized that something was off. It was cold and I felt a draft. It was then I realized that I wasn't wearing what I had fallen asleep in and I glanced down.

"What the hell?" There was only one person who could have done this. I was wearing a black camisole that exposed more cleavage than I really had. It would have been okay had I had on some bottoms but no! The only thing I had was a pair of lacey lime green boy short panties from a Victoria secret's sale four weeks ago. It barely covered anything. What little ass I had was almost entirely exposed. What the little material actually covered was only negated by the see-through material.

I glared up Alice. She only grinned.

"Nice," I heard Emmett laugh from behind me. I gasped as I twisted around to the door. Both Emmett and his brother stood in my door frame. Emmett was just laughed hysterically holding his stomach, while Edward stood frozen holding his toothbrush in his mouth.

I could have ran. I could have tried to hide. I could have made a huge scene, in fact I watned to bury myself in the back yard and wait to die, I was embarrassed enough but I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. Nothing at all, except close my eyes as I sighed at my dancing best friend, her idiot brother and my frozen boss. If today didn't go down in my history as my most embarrassing moment of my life, then nothing would make the ranking.

No one asked me why I was so unusually quiet at breakfast, but I was sure everyone had heard something because Emmett could not stop grinning to himself everytime he so much as glanced at me. Edward wouldn't even make eye contact not that I was looking to. Even Esme had a delighted smile on her face when she greeted me. I couldn't even think about Edward without my face going red which meant the blood never left my face. I was at least grateful that I had worn a cute pair of panties instead of the regular boy shorts with the holes in them, the ones I had been holding onto for far too long.

"Hey are you listening to me?" Alice asked waving her hand in front of me.

Oh, that was right. I was listening to Alice in her room go on about her up coming fashion show as I flipped through her high school year book.

"Of course," I lied. By the look on her face I knew that she didn't believe me and I wasn't sure that I had tried hard enough to care. I hadn't completly forgiven her for earlier. Still she only smiled and continued.

"As I was saying, tonight we're going out."

"Out? Out where?" Alice had been trying, in vain I was proud to announce, to get me to go to the club with her and by some miracle of God I had yet to set my foot in one. For two reasons was I against going. One, I didn't just not dance. I couldn't. It was strictly against my physical make up and Two, I had never done good in crowds.

"Every year, the town opens the rink after Thanksgiving and we go skating." She placed the shirt that she'd just placed on a hanger in her closet.

That caught my attention. "Skating, as in ice skating?"

"Yeah, we haven't missed a year since I've been here."

I sat back suddenly uncomfortable. I wasn't good at regular skating, adding ice and a blade wasn't such a good idea with me.

"Is it even cold enough to go ice skating," I implied hoping that things would turn out in my favor.

"Of course not, silly. It's a man made rink." She beamed. I sighed and continued to flip through the book until I spotted a familiar face. I sat up and smiled.

"Is this Edward?" I pointed. It was of course him. It looked just like him, just as handsome, just as mysterious except he was about ten years younger. About fourteen I would say.

Alice peeked at the picture I was pointing too.

"Yep that's him. And here's me." My eyes flickered to the small girl wearing all black. She looked really goth, but cute some how. A lot different from the women standing front of me. I raised an eyebrow as I glance up at her.

"Yeah I know. I was going through a phase." She shrugged turning away. I flipped the page and spotted Rosalie in a cheer leading outfit. Of course she was a cheerleader. There was no surprise there.

Still turning through the book, I heard I loud noise followed by laughter from outside. Alice didn't even seem to notice. Curious, I placed the book aside and moved to peer out the window. It was kind of hard seeing as Alice's window didn't completely face the large back yard. Most of it I couldn't even see. But I was able to view Emmett bouncing a ball back and forth in his hands before he tossed it to someone that was out of my view.

"What are they doing?" I asked quietly to myself.

"What kind of ball do they have?" Alice answered and it didn't surprise me that she'd heard my whisper from across the room.

"A football, " I answered watching Emmett catch the ball which had been thrown back at him.

"Then they are probably playing football," she replied snickering to herself. My eyes narrowed at the back of her head.

"I can see that," she stated. I frowned.

I voiced through tense lips. "What I meant was, why? Isn't it too cold?" I mean it was too warm to ice skate, but it was way too chilly to be playing out door sports.

Alice sprung to her feet then and grabbed my hand.

"We're use to it."

"Where are we going?" She didn't answer as she pulled me from the room. I didn't need her answer because I knew. Luckily for me I was able to grab a sweater before it was too late. I never did like the cold. Or the wet.

I was made to participate and I actually did better than I thought I would. I had only fallen a few times and that was a given. I had even some how scored a goal. I believed that Edward had let me pass him because everyone knew that had he even thought about chasing me that I would have been done for.

It wasn't until the sun was slipping behind the mountain peak that Esme decided to call it quits so that she could fix dinner. Happy to finally find a way off the field I asked if I could help her. She accepted it thankfully. We ate left over's and no one complained. It was just as good as it was the day before. And to be honest I had completely forgotten about our ice skating adventure until Alice brought it up as she finished putting the dishes away. I glared at her but she only danced off to change. I took a quick shower after working up a sweat playing with the Cullens and dressed in an old navy sweater and jeans. I wonder how I could talk myself out of it.

The small skating rink was located in the middle of town and was rather packed when we arrived. The entire town most have been here, mainly children with there parents and couples I noted. And currently, Alice was walking me across the grass toward the skating booth.

"Alice please," I moaned.

"No Bella. You are going skating." She was already gripping my wrist with all her strength and was doing a good job was pulling me along. Had she always been this strong?

"But I don't want to-," I whined. I was trying to get a good standing but it was impossible as the grip on the bottom of my flats had already been grinded down.

"Of course you don't, but you're still doing this." She halted infront of the booth and swung me around until I fell against the counter.

"Hey Alice be careful." I heard Edward and looked up. He was taking a pair of skates from the guy behind the stand.

Alice only rolled her eyes and turned back toward the guy.

"Are you okay?" He asked. In the back of my mind I could hear Alice ordering her size and mine.

"No," I sighed. And snatched my arm away from her. I wasn't going to run because it would do nothing but tire me out. She would catch me and we'd do the whole thing over again.

"But she'll survive." Alice stated poking her head around me. I was actually really upset at her. She always did this. Always pushed me when she knew how much I didn't want to do something. It was like I had no choose in the matter. To her I probably didn't.

"Now shoo," She pushed him away.

"Okay, okay," He groaned. He gave me one last, 'I'm sorry, but I can't help you' glance. I shrugged. I knew that there was nothing he could do.

"Here," she dropped a pair of heavy boots in my arms and walked off. I let out a loud breathe before I took a deep one in and followed her.

Some how my mood had changed from the time I was dragged out of the car to now, where I sat on a bench lacing up the heavy tan skates. I enjoyed watching others skate, just as I enjoyed watching Esme and Carlisle circle the large ring as if they were champion gold medalist. I, personally had stayed away from it because I knew that I would never be good at it, and it would make me not only a danger to myself but to everyone around me. It was like handing a psycho killer a steel blade, except I wasn't a psycho or a killer. I sighed as I pulled the knot tightly and sat back. Alice had already pulled hers on and had forgotten all about me. In fact now would be the prefect time to slip way, return the skates and disappear for the rest of the night.

But I wanted to skate. I wanted to glide across the ice, I wanted to atleast try. Deep down, after watching my mother and Phil all these years, I realized that I wanted to do it too. Of course I wouldn't ask for the impossible. I completely understood what I would look like once I got to my feet and how sore my ass would be before I left here tonight but for some reason it wasn't enough to keep me seated. I stood and immediately losing my balance was back on my bottom before anyone realized I had even gotten to my feet. Thank god no one was pay any attention to me.

After clearing my mind,with more determination, my mother called it stubbornness I tired again this time able to keep for falling back. Still my ankle's buckled and bent in towards each other. I knew in order to make this work I would have to keep my ankles straight. So after pushing them apart I took one shaky step forward. This was harder than walking in five inch heels. However I continued to step forward until I fell against the wall that encircled the rink.

It was chilly out, definitely and I could see the small cloud of my breathe as I panted. I was in my own world, no one saw me and more importantly I saw no one. Ready to give it a try after resting for a few moments, still holding unto the waist high wall I stepped into the ice.

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