Aha! For me 5 days between updates isn't bad. ^^ I finally had a chance today to sit down and simply write this out, hope you like it... I'll admit I do. ;)

Chapter Thirteen

After the stress of the movie was finally at an end we grabbed some Mexican food. Alice of course didn't eat but I had quite enough for the both of us. Cassidy explained she was on a diet and munched on a taco salad that probably had as much fat as my burrito. Knowing Alice we weren't going to leave town without stopping by at a few shops and Cassidy unfortunately was right along with her. I hadn't realized how much I'd grown to like shopping until it wasn't just Alice and I. Moreover Cassidy was good at it. She knew what garments went together and wore anything well. It annoyed me how she kept picking out the skimpiest things you could barely call clothes. Not just for herself, but Alice too. I sat outside on the lonely bench while the sounds of giggles and zippers wafted over from the dressing room. I bit my nails and tried not to listen. This was the first time Alice hadn't doted over me, pulled me along, making sure I was thoroughly embarrassed but having fun. I felt like the spoiled and suddenly neglected child sulking on my own. The worst pat was I knew I deserved it.

"What do you think, Bella?" They sprang out as if from a pop up book sporting brightly colored bridesmaid and prom dresses which I barely glanced at.

"Charming as always, ladies," I managed in a monotone. "Alice, it's getting pretty late. I told Charlie I'd be back at eleven."

"So call him and tell him you'll be late," Cassidy suggested with a wink.

I smiled back, perhaps a little too cheekily, "I don't think so."

"I'm sure if you explain that we'll be a little late he'll understand," Alice reasoned.

I started to argue but swallowed my words. I didn't feel like arguing, especially with Alice.

"Ugh," Cassidy groaned. "I think that Mexican food is starting to get to me..."

I took a deep breath and walked to get some privacy. I took out my phone and dialed Charlie's number.

"Hey there, Bells. Everything okay?" he turned from the phone to yell something. I could hear a football game on and someone else's voice.

"Fine, Dad. Do you have company?"

"Yeah, Billy and some of the others are watching the game. It looks like it's going to go over so don't worry about-"

"One second, Dad." Alice was pulling at my sleeve.

"Cassidy is sick," she whispered urgently.

I groaned. "Seriously?" That was all I needed.

"Really bad. She can't be in a car right now or she'll just be worse."

"What do you suggest?"

"It looks like we're going to have to stay the night."

I froze. "Stay?"

"She's really sick, Bell."

I weighed my options, only seeing one. "Um, Dad, would it be okay if we got a room here and came back in the morning?"

"Why?" He was speaking in that tone he uses when his eyes are half glued to the TV.

"Cassidy, you met her today, is sick pretty bad. She can't be on the road."

"Well... Yeah, Billy, help yourself. Bella, the game's going to go over anyway and..." he paused for a moment. I could hear the goal made and the room filling with cheers. "Go ahead, Alice is with you right?
 "Yep, still here."

"Okay then. But call in the morning and don't stay in one of those run down motels."

"We won't. Night, Dad. Enjoy the game."

"You too, Bella," he said distractedly. "Bye."

I would have rather been home watching the game of all things. I turned to find Alice motioning me to follow her. She was back in her own clothes. We went to the bathroom and found Cassidy in one of the stalls sitting on the floor.

"Don't come in, it's bad," she warned.

Alice quickly plugged her nose though I couldn't smell anything. Cassidy was still wearing one of the dresses.

"Why don't you hold her hair back while I go find some soda," I suggested though it was apparent Cassidy's hair wasn't long enough to get in the way.

"Soda?" Alice asked, puzzled.

"It might help her stomach." I was out the door before another word was said.

I went straight back to the store and payed for Cassidy's dress, which luckily was on sale. I bought her a 7 Up but didn't want to go back in. The idea of an entire night and morning with the happy new flirtatious couple almost made me sick too. I thought of calling my mom, just to hear her voice and maybe summon the courage to ask her for advice, but I didn't dare. I was a horrible liar and I couldn't risk having my true feelings come out especially when they were still so foreign to me. I sat down for a moment trying to gather my thoughts. Cassidy had asked me outright if I had romantic feelings toward my best friend and I had said no. So of course she had every right to make a move.. But I didn't expect to realize how close I actually felt to Alice and also how open she was. I wondered if Cassidy was her first girlfriend. She had lived over a century, giving her far more time to get to know herself and what she desired in others. Cassidy too already knew since she was little that she was bisexual. I'd only just found out today and was still pretty confused.

Back in the car Cassidy kept the window rolled down and I handed her the soda when she needed it. Alice parked at a palace not too far off from the theater in a square dotted with fountains and little expensive boutiques. It took me a second to realize this was where we'd be staying.

"Alice," I drew her aside. "We can't afford this."

"You should be used to this sort of thing by now," she smiled, helping Cassidy out of the car. "I'm not putting my friends up in some shabby sinkhole."

When we went inside and I saw how nice everything was and realized also how tired I was from the day I quickly let the matter drop. Cassidy spent the rest of the evening in the bathroom and we made her as comfortable as possible. I flipped on the TV and mindlessly searched through the infinite channels. Our room must have been a suite, what with its two queen sized beds, plush furnishings, complimentary mints, kitchenette, and free toothbrushes. I went to the living room area and sat on the couch, glad I had brought a book with me.

"You can't be serious," came a giggle from the other room. "What a nerd you are."

I glanced up for a moment to find her hanging off the large bed upside down, sinewy limbs stretched out in a satisfying stretch. I looked quickly back to the text.

"With all your infinite wisdom I have to catch up with you somehow don't I?"

"Perhaps but I did not attain my 'infinite wisdom' as you call it by sitting around reading."

"Oh? Then what did you do."

I did my best not to jump as I realized Alice was sitting next to me, crouched on the couch like a cat ready to spring.

"Experiment."

I caught my breath as she grinned wickedly, leaning over me and my shield of a book.

"Living. I swear sometimes it's like you're the one who's become the undead."

"Shh, Cassidy will hear you."

"Nonsense. Now put away the homework." She reached out her pale hand.

"It's not homework and I'm enjoying reading it. You're distracting me." I shooed her away with a gesture, pretending to ignore her.

"Oh," she feigned an apology. "Am I distracting you?" Her nimble fingers found their way between my ribs and started to tickle me. "Am I?"

I jerked away, not able to conceal my smile. She latched on though and in the struggle I lost my book. I shrieked with laughter despite myself.

"I'd hate so very very much to distract you from your homework while we're in a hotel all to ourselves!" I slid off the couch, unable to catch my breath or my words as the attack continued.

"Al-Al-ice-Al-!" My face was turning hot and I could feel tears welling up as my stomach ached from laughter. She had consequentially rolled down with me and I didn't realize her face was so near mine until I felt something wet on my cheek. I slowed down my breathing, realizing that she had tasted one of my fallen tears. We froze, eyes meeting, catching ourselves in a moment that should have been painfully awkward but wasn't. We stayed like that for a moment longer before Alice took me by the hand and helped me up. Before I realized what had happened she pulled me into a hug.

She whispered, "I need to hunt tonight. Can you share a bed with Cassidy?"

I'll admit that wasn't exactly what I had expected to hear.

"Um... But she's sick, and you can't get sick can you? Can't you share with her?"

"I don't want to take any chances. I might wake her up accidentally and besides... I'm much more comfortable around you than her when it comes to, you know, blood."

I tried not to blush at her last words, knowing it was silly and I shouldn't read into it. "But you'd never wake her up in a million years, you're way too stealth... and-"

"With her being sick I can't very well freeze her to death too."

"But you don't even sleep. You don't actually need a bed," I countered.

"Cassidy doesn't know that. Suppose she were to wake up in the middle of the night and find me just sitting there in the dark. Please Bell? For everyone's sake? I don't do sleepovers well..."

How could I turn her down while her eyes were so big and amber as honey. I agreed.

Needless to say I didn't sleep well. Cassidy had showered and was feeling much better, she herself sleeping like a log. That is if a log sprouted legs and went on a wild kicking rampage. Was she doing karate in a dream or something? I groaned as finally the last inch of bed and covers I possessed were replaced with carpeted floor. Groggy, too asleep still to be completely pissed off, I went to the bathroom and returned, grateful to find the bed less raging. Maybe the dream of fighting off ninjas had finally subsided. I fell back asleep quickly but it wasn't to last long. With several months of Edward's icy body slipping under the covers with me it was hardly difficult to identify the reason I had woken back up. It still hadn't quite sunk in yet that I had gotten into the wrong bed until a chilly arm was wrapped around me, a hand softly stroking my hair. I, either by lack of will or sleep, did not move, allowing the soft fingers to caress my neck and cheek. More than half asleep, I rolled over and snuggled closer into the ice sculpture, gradually feeling it absorb my body heat. Strong, slender arms enveloped me along with a deep, beautiful sleep.

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