Author's note: Hope you are all enjoying the story so far, review and tell me what you think. Also let me know if there is anything you would like to see happen to any of the characters in my story.
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, not me!
Chapter songs: Vampires – The Dukes, Uprising - Muse
"There you are!" Alice exclaimed as I walked into her bedroom which she had set it up like a beauty salon, "So Edward gave you a ride home huh?" she said smiling.
"Ummm yeah" I mumbled.
"And?" she prompted.
"We hung out at his place" I answered sensing a Spanish inquisition.
"Details, now" ordered Rosalie.
"We watched a DVD" I replied, they looked disappointed, so I decided to let them hear the juicy part they so desperately had been waiting for, "It was quite good, some new thriller" I added drawing it out, they were staring at me waiting "In his room"
Alice gasped.
"On his bed, but nothing happened" I added timidly.
They both looked at me with huge grins on their faces, "It's a start Isabella, it's a start" said Rose nodding.
I grinned, Alice was staring at me scrutinising me, "Be-lla" she said slowly, "Ho-ly crap you like him don't you!" she exclaimed excitedly, of course I blushed giving myself away.
"So when did you finally admit it to yourself?" asked Rose smiling.
"Just today" I said truthfully, I filled them in on what happened when he grabbed my hand getting a few squeals from Alice.
"Aren't you glad you got a hot costume now?" she asked.
I laughed, "You will totally knock his socks off" added Rose, "I cannot wait to see Tanya's face" she said gleefully.
After showering, make up was first on the agenda, followed by hair then we put on our costumes.
After taking a few photos of each other we headed downstairs for a drink while we waited for the boys. I was starting to feel nervous at the thought of Edward seeing my costume. I didn't have long to dwell on it, as soon as Rosalie had poured our cocktails they walked in.
Emmett was wearing a pilot's hat and suit complete with pilot's wings, and Rosalie was wearing an air hostess uniform, which was short, aqua blue dress and hat. They looked amazing together.
Alice and Jasper had gone for a gangster suit and bowler hat for Jasper and a black, beaded flapper dress for Alice. She had gone all out with her hair, which was in waves, jewellery, pearls and makeup, immaculate with red lipstick.
I turned my attention to Edward, who was looking me up and down in with his mouth open.
"We match" he said grinning widely.
I smiled realising that Alice must have had something to do with that.
Edward was wearing a vampire costume, he looked incredibly sexy. He was wearing black dress pants, a white shirt with a fitted burgundy red vest and a black cape, complete with vampire teeth.
While I was wearing a corset style dress, with a red laces up the front. The skirt was layered and short with these amazing red fibre optic lights. I also had on knee high black boots and a matching dark red cape. My hair was down and slightly curled and I was wearing vampire teeth like Edward, although I doubted I would wear them all evening.
Emmett whistled "Nice Bella! Looking good!" I blushed.
"Thanks Em, you guys all look amazing!" I added.
"Group photos" announced Alice.
After photos we headed out to the waiting taxi, Rose put her arm around me and whispered "He was practically drooling Bella! You look damn hot!" I laughed and wrapped my arm around her as we walked to the taxi.
The taxi ride was uneventful and soon we were pulling up at Riley's party, the decorations were impressive, fairy lights and scary Halloween decorations everywhere.
We jumped out of the taxi and headed inside which was equally as impressive as the outside. Immediately we made our way to the bar and each grabbed a drink. Edward didn't leave my side and I was thrilled. He stood close to me and we looked around at all the other costumes, whispering and laughing at some of the worst of the bunch.
A guy dressed up as a fireman and another dressed as an FBI agent made their way over. "Hey! Glad you could all make it, love the costumes!" said the fireman.
"Looking good man!" said Emmett.
"Thanks for the invite" added Jasper.
"No problem, looking lovely as always" he said to Alice and Rosalie who smiled and thanked him.
I figured this must be Riley, "Edward! Love it" he said gesturing at his costume, Edward laughed "And who is this?" he asked smiling at me.
"Riley, this is Bella, Bella this is Riley" Edward said.
"Nice to meet you Bella" he said earnestly, "I've heard a lot about you! How's Seattle treating you?" he asked me.
"You too, good, I really like it here" I replied, Riley seemed really nice.
"Oh and Bella this is James" he said introducing me to his FBI friend, I looked at James who was staring at me and making me feel incredibly uncomfortable, Edward must have noticed, he narrowed his eyes at James and put his arm around me.
"It's a pleasure Bella" drawled James "I'll come and find you later for a dance" he added winking.
A shiver went down my spine, he was definitely creepy.
"Yuck, he is so gross" said Alice when they had walked away, nodding in agreement Rose added "Watch out for him Bells, he is a total sleaze bag. He will take any opportunity to make a move on you"
"And if he tries his face will meet my fist" Emmett said "I have been waiting for the opportunity to get that slimy bastard for years"
I looked at the group worriedly, 'Don't worry Bella, I'll keep you safe" Edward told me.
I had all but forgotten about James an hour and a lot of drinks later. We were all pretty drunk and had been rather enjoying looking at some of the guests costumes.
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Jasper who was obviously drunk as his loud alter ego had appeared, "A giant hot dog!"
We looked in the direction he was looking in and saw a man awkwardly trying to make his way through the crowd in a hot dog costume. We all burst into laughter as he kept hitting his hot dog end into people as he turned.
"Great, look who's arrived" said Rosalie sarcastically.
"With such original costumes too" Alice added, I looked towards the door and saw the two people I was dreading seeing tonight walk in together giggling loudly.
Tanya was dressed as a trashy looking nurse; I was glad I had talked Alice out of making me go as the same thing and Lauren who was dressed as a playboy bunny.
"They're friends?" I asked grimacing; bumping into them tonight was going to be far worse than I thought.
"Oh yes, BFF"S" chanted Jasper in a high pitched voice making me laugh.
I looked away hoping they wouldn't spot us, "Let's go get another drink Bella" said Edward leading me away, I went gratefully.
Edward got me a strong drink that I gulped down so quickly I barely had time to taste it. "Bella, hey slow down" Edward said softly, I looked up at him wincing "Don't worry about those two" he reassured me.
"You're right" I said sighing. "Come on let's grab another drink and head back to the group so I can face those two head on." I said with new found confidence, there was no way I was going to let those to tramps get one over on me.
As we made our way back to the group Tanya and Lauren must have noticed us and started making their way over too. "Oh joy" said Rosalie sarcastically.
They walked up to us in what they obviously thought was a sexy manner but they both looked ridiculous, Jasper and Rosalie began to snigger.
"Hi Edward, hi boys!" purred Tanya, Lauren just attempted to bat her eyelashes, I was struggling not to burst into laughter.
"So Edward, I just love your costume!" she continued, still none of us said anything, but that didn't stop them, "And Emmett and Jasper, you both look great too" she said in a seductive tone. Ha if she carried on like this Rose would take care of her, "Oh and hi girls" she sneered.
"What are you all supposed to be?" added Lauren.
Edward jumped in and told them before Rosalie could get a word in, which was probably a good idea.
"Oh I see now!" said Lauren in an amazed tone, "Your costumes are actually kind of cool" that earned a deathly glare from Tanya.
Poor Lauren, she wasn't overly bright. "So what do you think of our costumes?" Lauren asked, "I bet you think they are like just amazing" she said answering the question for us and doing a little twirl.
"Yeah something like that muttered Rose, Tanya narrowed her eyes, "Edward, I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me?" she purred.
I waited anxiously to hear his answer, not many men would turn down the opportunity to dance with a scantily clad nurse, "I know you think my costume is sexy" she added posing.
"Actually Tanya, I was just about to ask Bella to dance with me" he stated, I froze, "Also I don't really find the whole nurse thing that sexy" he continued "But I do think vampire costumes are" he finished sneaking a glance at me and smiling.
I was still trying to process what he had just said, he thought my costume was sexier than Tanya's, I felt like doing a victory dance.
Tanya glared at me "Well I don't think her costume is at all sexy" she sneered, she turned to me "And I also really don't like ugly, stupid bitches like you moving in on my territory" she spat moving closer to me, oh crap, I began to panic, she is going to smack me right in the face. I am beyond useless at anything that requires co-ordination; I figure defending myself from an enraged blonde would fall into that category.
"Edward would never go for someone like you, I don't know why you would even waste your time" she continued, my heart sank, she was confirming all the doubts I had already been having about Edward returning my feelings "Maybe you should just go back to wherever it is you came from because people like Edward are just too nice to tell someone that they don't want them around. Besides look at you, you are just so plain, boring, average" she spat.
"Back off Tanya you bitch" warned a furious Rosalie, "You wouldn't want security to drag your skanky ass out of here would you? I don't think that would look good for your reputation" snarled Alice.
"Fine" she spat, "But Swan you have been warned"
Five pairs of worried eyes turned to study my face as Tanya flounced away with her minion.
"I ummm I'm just going to go get some air, alone" I spluttered and then I fled as fast as I could. I needed time to go to pieces privately.
I stumbled out into a small courtyard; there was no one else out here that was good. I found a bench and sat down with my head in my hands. She was right, she was completely right, I was plain and I was boring and Edward would never go for someone like me.
I sighed sadly; I struggled against my tears that were threatening to fall.
I heard open the door and walk into the courtyard, I looked up and it was James. I looked back down quickly, this was just great.
"I saw you walk out here alone, you look upset and I thought perhaps you had had a fight with your boyfriend" he drawled.
"My boyfriend?" I asked confused.
"Yes, that Edward" he said, I could hear the bitterness in his tone, "I thought maybe I could be the one to comfort you" he added with a grin. "Perhaps I could get you a drink and we could get to know each other" he said suggestively putting his hand on my leg, I was desperately trying to figure out an escape route.
Just then I heard the court yard door open again, "Bella" called a worried voice.
Edward! I tried to jump up but James held me back down, I gulped. Hopefully Edward would come around the corner to check; I didn't trust James and didn't want to be left alone out here with him.
"Get your hands off her" he snarled, James jumped up and glared at Edward as he passed him, as he reached the door he winked at me. "Bella, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" he asked worried.
"No" I said in a small voice.
He sat down beside me and put his arm around me, "Bella, nothing that Tanya said is true" he said softly, "You are far from plain, did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?" I just stared at him, "She is just jealous, she always has been, of girls who are prettier than her, that's why she is so horrible to you"
I highly doubted that, but I was still thrilling at the fact that he called me beautiful. "Bella" he said softly "You are far from boring, far from average, far from plain. You just don't see yourself clearly"
My heart all but stopped, he opened his mouth to say something else, but then suddenly the court yard door opened and loud, shouting voices interrupted us. "Come on" he encouraged, its cold out here, let's go back in" he put his arm around me and led me inside.
"Bella!" they all exclaimed as we reached the group.
"Honey are you okay?" asked Alice.
"I'm fine" I said, well I was fine now, after all the sweet things Edward had said to me.
"I really hate that bitch" stated Rosalie, "I have had enough of her giving you a hard time"
"You know what?" asked Edward, "I think I have been far too nice to her, there's something I should have done a long time ago. I'll be right back" he said then he disappeared off into the crowd towards Tanya.