Hello again everyone!! I'm happy to say that this chapter contains two letters; one from Edward and one from Bella. And also, a quick note; the big lines breaking up the sections of the text represent time-changes.
Now, as for the reviewers!!
Bethany Knight, beggingtobebitten, HarvestEclipse31, Grillllz, laibballfan, GinnyBrown is here and now, books and bojangles, Ghosts in the Snow, LookAfterMyHeart, FrEvrNvrLasts, Music ADD, edwardsfavouriteflavour, bedwardforever, Princess-Tinkerbelle, jacob is the new black, dollegirl, smile for the paparazzi, AlwaysBettingOnAlice, musicormisery4105, BellaAtHeart, twilightaddict26, jennifier potter, yaaaay, 143twilighter, It's Moe, CrazZy-BunNy, x-aly-x, elmooo., Jade.
Lots of people mentioned that they liked how I wasn't making Emmett into nothing more than a big bundle of muscles! I'm really happy about that, because I think Emmett would actually (as in, in Twilight) be an unexpectedly deep guy. And I'm a sucker big time for deep guys, I mean, what girl isn't?
Special Mentions:
HarvestEclipse31: "they only think with one head and its not the one attached to their shoulders LOL!" - Ahahahahahahahahahaaaa! Fanulous, fabulous, love it lol. Aww, you check if I update? That's so nice!! And I loved your Twilight-related analagies to do with stacking it, and seeing a nice pair of buns!
Grillllz: Hella yeah! I'm a sucker for a pair of puppy-eyes (well, however you can make cyber-puppy-eyes lol) and a big 'pleeeeease?' But my self control held out!! Lol. Ha, spanish. I hope you weren't yelling at me, though, cos I had no idea what you were peddlin'!
books and bojangles: Heh, my friend said "no blood?" when I stacked it last weekend at netball. When she saw I was fine, everyone was like, "Yeah, lets get on with it, she's tough!" and there's me, limping down the court! Lol, joking, but I stack it in netball so much that my teammates just don't notice any more! Lol. Reviewers can be scary when they want, I know.
Music ADD: Hahaha, death by treadmill, love it!
bedwardforever: Of course! Who else would our Bella be thinking about but the dreamy Edward... -sigh-
Princess-Tinkerbelle: Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry - I hope the chapter was good despite the badness? (How weird of a sentence is that!) You're right about the lady at the reception, too. And you'll find out which picture it was a little later. (I do that a lot, don't I? Leaving some questions unanswered... but, a little mystery is a good thing!) Ha, drama, I lurve drama. Seriously. It's like my favourite lesson - because we're actually meant to stuff around and be creative and everything. Great outlet!
jacob is the new black: Hey, no problem, every great story deserves shameless promotion!
dollegirl: Good, good, I wonder sometimes if my constant updating irritates people... Yeah, Bella was totally having an emo moment that day! I heart Wise-Emmett: "Oh, Emmett, please tell me the ways of the world, and I'll buy you a new set of weights..." lol. Not that that boy needs any more weights! You're right about the mysterious lady, too!
smile for the paparazzi: Good! I was worrying that you'd lost interest in the story! That was fully a momentary freak-out. But hey, it's all good now! Haha... "i wish i was good friends with emmett!...then i could get to his brother... " that was GOLD!
AlwaysBettingOnAlice: Lol, Bella+gym don't seem to quite fit, eh! But hell, that's what OOC is! I love messing with their character-style minds. It's great. Wow, 5.5 miles, great effort! I like cycling a bit better than running, but I don't like the butt-pain that accompanies it lol.
BellaAtHeart: Yeah... -sighs dramatically- isn't Emmett just a sweetheart? I lurve adorable boys! Bella was at the gym because her, Angela and Alice had a full pig-out the previous Friday and she thought it would be a good idea to try and balance the equation. She'll see Edward very soon. I might write about Emmett and Rosalie's 'I love you' moment, but that will depend where other things fall into place. As to the moth importance, the appearance of moths seems to represent impending problems for Bella. Thanks heaps for reviewing!
jennifier potter: Heh, sneaking onto the computer eh? I love doing that. But I hate it when I get caught, cos the punishment extends for like another week. So frustrating. Hope you can read this soon!
It's Moe: Cool! A new viewer! I hope you're liking the story so far. And thanks for your review!
CrazZy-BunNy: Bella's more happy/insane in this chapter, lol, it's depressing to write Bella when she's depressed. Hope you like it! Thanks for your review!
x-aly-x: No worries, I'll give her a buzz on your behalf when I see her next. I like Emmett being all relationship/destiny-ish too :-)
Jade: Oh Jados, how sweet you are! Thanks for reading this, by the by, and I'm really glad you like it! The masquerade ball is going to be fabulous, don't you worry! Jasper and Alice will get together but I won't spoil it by saying when or how ;-). Okay, I'll keep you and your judo moves in my mind and use them if necessary, lol. My holidays are going alright, a bit dull, but I totally love sleeping in now! Maths was alright, and I'm glad it's over! Super genius? Me? Ha!
Chapter Nineteen: A Soul
It was Monday again. I was sitting in class with Alice, happy that'd I'd thought of a reason as to why I hadn't read the assigned work set for the weekend. To be truthful, I'd totally forgotten about it. I had considered making it up, but knew that with my luck I'd end up creating a bigger problem than the original. So I had gone for the age old girl's excuse – aside from 'my dog ate my homework'.
You don't really need an imagination to think of what the excuse was. And Miss Faulkner could easily sympathise with my situation.
So now, with Alice on one side and Emmett on the other, I was pretending to write down the notes on the board, but I was really reading Edward's letter (happily supplied by Alice) and holding my pen over the paper to fake writing motions.
--
Dear Bella,
Whoa. Big news much? A split, after six months. That sucks. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not really, because I don't reckon he deserved someone as good as you in the first place. (Sorry if I just put my foot in it.)
And also, with the moth/butterfly thing, you're totally right. Nature does seem to have a bit of a vendetta against you! What'd you do, eat a ladybeetle when you were little or something? Haha. Maybe that was just me…?
Now, down to the serious stuff. I've been thinking about this all day, so I hope this comes out right, because I think I've found a way to explain what I think on the topic. Though reading your thoughts was really interesting too, it challenged me. Okay, here I go;
It's not enough to want to love someone. It's not enough for you; it's not enough for them. It's a good thing to want to make Mike happy, but it will eventually be the death of the relationship. You have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince, Bella. If you found your perfect guy without having any practise, how will you know what to do? How will you know he's the right one if there's nothing to compare to? You will meet your prince. You'll have to work pretty damn hard not to! And yes, there are millions of people in the world. But your perfect man wouldn't be your perfect man unless you meet him. That's why he's all yours.
Life is just one big coincidence. What if I hadn't chosen your name for this pen pal thing? Plenty of people have stopped writing to their pals already. I think Leah and I are part of a dying trend at the moment.
People stop looking once they find their "soul mate" because they honestly can't imagine anything better than the one they're with. They have no reason to want to keep looking. And I agree with you; no one deserves to be truly happy unless they can return that happiness to the other person. Things can go wrong very suddenly but your soul mate won't go running in the other direction at the first sign of problems. You are only seventeen, Bella! You've got years and years to find your perfect guy. Don't give up, otherwise that will be the end.
Now, I hope that sounded the way I wanted it to. Hmm ... I'll tell you a story; the one of how Jared and Kim got together (for your inspiration).
Jared and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. I'd always come down when I was little to stay with my Aunt and Uncle. We were never best friends, but when I moved here to stay for the school year we became that way. What happened between Kim and Jared was completely love at first sight – or at least, a version of it.
Jared and I went camping one weekend. Being the stupid idiots we are (yes, are, not were), we decided to go rock climbing with nothing more than tent ropes for support. I know, I know, it was stupid, but we thought we were indestructible. Kind of still do, I think. But anyway. Jared went down first, and I was controlling the ropes. He started being a fool and swinging from side to side. I couldn't hold it properly, and my hands got caught between the rope and some rocks. I had to let go, or lose my fingers, which would have sucked because I love to play the piano. I tried to step on the rope to hold it up, but I wasn't heavy enough. Jared fell down the rock face about twenty metres, into some shrubs below. He was knocked out.
I got him air lifted out of there. He was still unconscious when we got to the hospital. Fortunately, my Uncle covered the cost of the helicopter and it was all okay, because Jared woke up and only had a concussion. He got the week off school.
When he woke up the same day he'd fallen, he told me he thought he'd died. He said he'd wasted his life and that this second chance wasn't going to waste. He wouldn't even let me apologise for letting go, because he said it was the best thing that'd happened to him in a long time.
Anyway, when he came back to school a week later, he sat down in class and looked at everyone in the room like they were new and wonderful. Then he looked at Kim, the girl who'd sat beside him for more than half of that school year, and fell in love with her. He just saw her and couldn't help it.
I'd known that Kim had a crush on Jared for ages because Leah was best friends with her, even then; and being Leah's cousin automatically means I get every piece of information that her ears do. It was really strange to witness. Jared actually thought he was dead, and that Kim was some lovely product of his imagination.
So there you have it. Love comes in many forms. Even if it takes a life or death situation to make you realise it, it'll always be there. And really, how lost would this world be without it? Everything that is stable is united by some kind of love, as sappy as that sounds. But I think it's true when you think about it.
Anyway, I think I've talked your eyes off (haha aren't I funny?)
No, not really. You are LAME Edward. Go play with your yoyos or something and leave me to the ladies :-)
Yes, hello Paul. Now go away.
Sorry Bella, I've got someone who needs to be given a dead leg or arm before they leave. Hope to hear from you soon!
Stay happy, and concentrate on the good stuff cos it'll always be there.
Edward Masen
P.S. Leah actually hit me when I suggested that she wear my clothing. I think I'll give up and settle for smelling like a man.
P.S.S. I heard there's a Pen Pal Meet Party or something coming up – have you heard anything about it? It's a good idea. I'll be there if you'll be there.
It was Tuesday night, and like the good students we were, Alice, Angela and I were watching movies late into the night.
"When great love is rejected, something in a man dies." Angelica said, looking at the clueless lead woman like she was beyond blonde.
Alice sobbed fiercely from beside me, a handful of tissues shoved under her nose. Angela was on my other side, her eyes looking dreamy but sad at the same time. I knew my own were red and puffy, but I didn't care, I loved this movie.
Win A Date With Tad Hamilton. One of my all-time favourites. And Alice and Angela obviously approved of the choice, because as everything moved along and they two leads admitted their love for each other, we all cheered happily from our places. Alice sat up and turned it off once the credits started to roll.
"I love Tad Hamilton," Angela said, cooing over the gorgeously attractive Johnny Knoxville.
"Yummmm," Alice hummed, staring at the DVD cover.
I wriggled in my seat, my thoughts in a place deeper than the one Angela and Alice were currently cooing in.
"If you had to pick right now, who would you date?" I asked them both, looking between them for an answer.
"Going on looks, personality, or both?" Alice asked, eager to clarify the rules of the 'game'.
I thought for a moment. "Looks; and you can create his personality."
Angela piped up this time. "Famous or real?"
"Real."
We all sat in silence for a few seconds. Obviously, Alice was first off the mark.
"I got one," she said, wrapping herself more tightly in the blanket.
"Yeah?" I urged her on. Angela, beside me, leaned around me to see Alice better.
"I'd have to go, on looks alone, either Jasper or Sam Uley from Port Angeles."
Angela and I were stunned. We understood the 'Sam' part – but Jasper?
"Really?" Angela asked; curiosities clear in her voice.
Alice rolled her eyes. "This is going on looks alone, girls. He may be the most horrible person on the planet… but he's definitely hot."
Angela and I squealed with excitement. We started making kissy faces at her so she smacked both of us lightly on the legs.
"Your turn," she declared, turning on Angela first.
"Okay, well, I think you both know who I'm going to say-"
"BEN CHENEY!" Alice and I yelled at the same time.
Angela shrieked, horrified at our volume, and jumped on both of us to silence our new-found chant of 'Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben BEN BEN BEN!'
We all rolled around and laughed together for a minute before Angela caught her breath and sat up.
"Okay, Bella?" she said, pushing Alice so she wasn't leaning across my knees anymore. Alice rolled over on the ground and landed in front of my folded legs, taking most of the blankets with her.
I tugged at them to distract myself as I said my answer. "On looks alone," I said, being deliberately slow, "I'd have to say Jacob or Edward."
"I KNEW YOU HAD A THING FOR HIM!" Alice practically screamed in my ear.
"Shh," I cautioned, thinking her parents must think we were being hacked to bits with all this noise. "And I do not. This is just on looks." I didn't even know who she was talking about – Edward or Jacob – but I didn't care either. I didn't like either of them like that. They were both friends; Jacob a friend of sorts and Edward definitely a friend. Right?
"You suck at lying, Bella," Angela said, laughing and hitting me with a pillow.
"I do not! And I wasn't lying!"
"Yeah, right," Alice contradicted me. Then she hit me with a pillow.
Right. If they wanted a pillow war, they were about to get a pillow war.
I jumped up, sending both of them tumbling to get tangled in their blankets and lolly wrappers. I seized a pillow and started whacking Alice about the legs with it before I felt Angela's weight on my back. I fell onto the soft pile of blankets and cushions at the foot of Alice's bed, then felt the weight of a pixie added to my mass as Alice regained her vigour and jumped on Angela.
We rolled around, giggling furiously, until we were too out of breath from laughing, running, jumping, dodging, hitting, being hit and laughing some more. It felt good to laugh so entirely, and not worry about anything to do with anything.
Dear Edward,
Wow, you and Jared must be good at getting yourselves into silly situations, cos, honestly, rock climbing? With tent ropes? Way to go!
And on the note of Jared and Kim … awww! That's so cute! And romantic too, gosh, why can't there be more guys like Jared in the world? Maybe I could kidnap him and unleash him on the boys of Forks. I don't think many of the girls here would object – though I don't know that Kim will be all-for the idea.
Sorry about my last letter – I know it was pretty damn depressing. I just think I was having a really bad week and I decided to use you as a vent. You don't mind? I am a girl, so I reckon it might happen again one day. Might...? Haha, anyway, back to more normal things.
Guess what happened to me last week? I went down to the supermarket to get some bread, and my truck wouldn't start when I wanted to leave! So I eventually found my phone, and called Charlie, but he wasn't home, and all my friends were unavailable. Unlucky? Yes. Unusual for me? No. So I had to call this guy I knew and was good friends with once upon a time – Jacob Black – I think I might have mentioned him ages ago when he interrupted me writing to you. Anyway, so Jake agrees to help me, and once my truck was fixed he left again. I thought I might have scared him off because I had a minor break down when he mentioned Mike, but he seemed fine. So the next day at school I saw him, and was about to say hello when his best friend cut me off and totally insulted me right in front of Jacob; who didn't do a thing. I was this close to punching his stupid face into the ground (both Jake's and Jasper's). Jasper just makes me so mad sometimes! But I'm getting off the topic. So I was about to say hello to Jake, and he ignored me. He went back to being the horrible nuisance he usually is in one night! How is that possible? And why?!
So, moving on … Oh, I know! When Alice was texting me when I was stranded, she said she was watching the Port Angeles football practise. Do you play? Do any of your friends? If Sam doesn't, I think he should. That guy is a tank! He could clean up the whole field of opponents by jumping up and down a few times. Joking, joking! Don't tell Sam I said that. He's a fantastic guy. But he is buff to the max. And I think you'd be a really good quarterback, I mean, you're like supernatural when you run! Incredible. I'd love to be that coordinated.
Speaking of which, guess what I was brave enough to do the other day? When was it? …-scans memory-… Sunday! It was Sunday when I went to the gym. And you know what? I didn't hurt myself – until Emmett turned up and scared me to death. I slipped off the treadmill and ended up almost being crushed to death by a big stack of weights. But I think I succeeded in running off the ten or so pounds that I gained during my junk-food fest with Alice and Angela on Friday night. So once I'd managed to not kill myself, Emmett got me some ice and a drink and we sat and had a chat for a while. He told me some really interesting things, like, his perspective on life and stuff. In fact, what he said sounded a bit like your perspectives on this whole 'love' thing. So my weekend was quite interesting.
Now; this Pen Pal Meet Party thing. I asked Alice about it, and she said that there is one happening. I didn't know about it, though! I think she wanted to surprise me with it, so thankyou for spoiling it, Edward. I hate surprises. I owe you one. She said that it is this Friday and that it'll be in the high school gym (e.g. here in Forks). Regardless of whether I want to go or not, I'll be dragged along. You might as well have a share in the social misery, if you really want to!
See you soon, but that's not an excuse to not write back! I'd better be seeing a letter on Monday, Mr Masen!
Still concentrating on the good stuff, cos it is here,
Bella Swan
P.S. I like Leah more and more each time you mention her!
--
I looked around the history room, wondering why I was the only one. The lesson was supposed to start more than five minutes ago, and Mr Arnold was not one for lateness. I was beginning so suspect that I'd missed a room change or something when Alice came bounding through the doorway, humming.
"Good morning!" she said happily, her arms swinging by her sides as she moved in a way that looked to defy gravity.
"Hey, Alice," I returned, relief unknotting the tightness in my chest. "Have we moved rooms?" I asked, hoping that we hadn't and that I was right and everyone else was just freakishly late.
But Alice crushed my minor dream when she said, "Yeah, we're all in the gym watching some lame video on the Wall Street crash."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Mr A. sent me back because he left our assignment sheets in here and he needs photocopies of them." She yanked open a drawer in the teacher's desk and rifled around for a minute, then revealed a likely-looking piece of paper.
"Can I come for a walk, then?" I asked, thinking of how everyone would turn and look at me if I were to walk into the gym late – and on my own.
"Sure!" Alice bounced on the spot while I shoved my books into my bag and slung the strap over my shoulder. Obviously, the habit of going to my locker every day was long lost and dead.
I followed Alice out the door, noticing that she was wearing a dress with more layers than I could count. It was black, long sleeved, and she was wearing tights with a pair of black sandals. Only Alice could wear such an ensemble and make it look good.
I looked down at my plain jacket-and-track pants outfit. At least I blended in better than Alice did. And how was she not freezing to death?
We passed a heater then, and I immediately got goose bumps. That was how she was not freezing to death.
We walked under the sheltered areas to get to the front office. Alice took the side door rather than the front door, something students rarely did in case a bad-tempered teacher caught them. I followed her in and sat down on one of the dull looking chairs while Alice chattered happily to Mrs Cope. A moment later, she joined me while the copies were being made.
"So what's up, Bella?" she asked, examining her fingernails.
I didn't have much to say, so I just said, "Nothing. You?"
"Well, actually, I was thinking of this party you might want to go to." She looked away from her hand to me. "Are you busy on Friday night?"
"Am I ever busy on Friday nights?"
"Good point. Then you'll go?"
I looked at the poster-covered notice board opposite me. A bright pink one caught my eye- it was for the Pen Pal Meet Party. No doubt this party was the one Alice was referring to – but I thought I'd better make sure, just to be safe.
"You're talking about the Pen Pal party, aren't you?" I sat up a bit because I'd been sliding down the seat while we talked.
"Yep. The very same." She held her hands together over her nose, like she was praying I would go.
I rolled my eyes, and nodded. Alice immediately started squealing and bouncing on her seat.
"You will?!"
"Yes, Alice," I said, trying to sound bored. But I knew she'd heard the badly masked anticipation in my voice, because I certainly had.
"Bella! You're going to have the most awesome time, I promise!"
She kept rambling on about how she was going to dress me up and how we were going to meet lots of cute Port Angeles boys and that she would have to go shopping to get something 'to die for!' to wear.
I looked around the room as Alice kept up her constant stream of words. On the notice board I looked at the hot pink P.P.M.P. note, and tried to cement into my memory that it started at about seven thirty and that only those people who actually had pen pals were permitted to be there.
I scoffed in my own mind, thinking that if someone who wasn't a pen pal wanted to get in, it wouldn't be very hard.
When I looked over at the counter to see if Mrs Cope was anywhere near finishing the copying process, a blue shoebox caught my eye. The sight of it reminded me that I needed to return Edward's letter.
I turned back to Alice, who was still chattering.
"…will have to come too. Did you know she was writing to Kim? I didn't know that. I thought it was pretty cool to be honest. I still haven't found out who Angela's writing to, though."
I cut her off before she could take another breath.
"Alice?" I asked, pulling my hand out of my bag with the envelope in it. "Can you chuck this in the shoe box for me?"
She eagerly took it from me and didn't say a word before she hopped up and posted it. Mrs Cope appeared behind the desk before she could come back to me.
"Here you are, dear," she said to Alice, and handed her the small wad of papers. Alice took them from her with a perfected teacher-friendly smile.
"Thank you so much, Mrs Cope. Mr Arnold will be happy with this!" She laughed in a manner different to her usual laugh, but it fit the presence of Mrs Cope perfectly. Alice would be very good at customer service.
"No problem, dear. Have a nice day. And say hello to your brother for me!"
She waved a small wave as Alice and I left through the same side door we'd come in by. It was a good choice, because the sheeting rain had returned and was determined to make its protests against two lost victims. I could still hear it when we got back to the darkened gym.
Despite my original fears, no one turned to look at us as we came in. Alice skipped over to our history teacher and handed over the papers, graciously thanking him for his thanks to her before turning and taking the stairs two at a time to join me where I sat beside Rosalie. Rose had put her things on the seat beside her to save two spots for Alice and I; I'd seen her picking them up when we came in.
"Thanks," I whispered to her. Alice sat down beside me and exhaled loudly, energetic as always.
"No problem," Rose whispered back, giving me a small but friendly smile.
The three of us turned toward the projected images on the opposite wall. For the remainder of the lesson, I was distracted by the unfortunate people who had suffered through the depression.
Now, since you all are champions and far more creative than I, I was hoping that this chapter's question could be more of a request. I'm aware that the summary for this story is shirty, so, could you please write one for me? I'll mould the best ones together and update the summary when I post the next chapter. Thanks heaps!! Here's the summary I'm using atm:
"ALL HUMAN. Bella and Edward write to each other for a school program. Alice hates Jasper, and Bella hates Jacob. There's nothing Bella can think of to improve in her life... until Edward becomes a part of it."
You can copy parts of the original if you like. Thanks again, and as always, tell me what you thought of this chapter!!
-Shaps