Chapter 2

BPOV

We got to the airport in record time. Jake and I managed to get first class tickets to a plane leaving within the hour. And with luck on our side, it was also a direct flight to the airport just outside of Volterra itself.

We boarded the flight quickly, not worrying about luggage, since we didn't bring any. Luckily, we were also the only two people in first class, so we could talk easily.

"Ok, Bells, shoot. What's going on?"

"Jake, if I'm going to talk, you can't interrupt, alright, no matter how angry you get."

"You got it Bells."

"I read an article in the newspaper, about a girl who committed suicide because her boyfriend controlled her life. I started to question mine and Edward's relationship after this, but I didn't dwell much. He was taking me to school, when the sun came out, so he had to drop me off and go home. After school let out, I realized nobody was there to take me home. I thought nothing of it, and since it was a beautiful day, I decided to just walk to the Cullen's house. When I got there, it looked like no one was home, but I let myself in. I was going to just wait in Edward's room until they got back. When I opened the door…I saw Edward….with Alice."

"What's so bad about that, sweetheart?"

He hadn't understood what I meant.

"He and Alice were fucking like bunnies on MY bed in HIS room! Then I confronted him, and HE threatened ME. He told me I was going to marry him. I was never to be changed. And I was to keep my mouth shut, or he would shut it for me. PERMANENTLY!"

I broke down. It was too much. I couldn't handle so much emotional stress in one day. Jake put his arms around me and pulled me into his chest and just let me cry it out.

"Are you Ok?"

"No, Jake. But I will be. This time I won't break. In Volterra, there is a castle. The same one I rescued Edward at. The vampire kings live there. I'm going to go to them, and ask them to change me."

"WHAT! Bella, I will NOT allow this."

"Do NOT start Jacob Black! This is my life and I will do with it what I want. I am tired of being the weak, breakable, defenseless human. I WILL become a vampire. You were right. I am too selfless and forgiving. But not this time. This time I am going to be selfish. This is MY LIFE. I refuse to let someone control it for me. I am going to follow my own path, not the one forced upon me. I only asked for your help, because Alice can't see you. I need to be alive to be changed, and Edward would have killed me before letting me leave him forever. That, and I needed the support of my BEST FRIEND."

I spoke more quietly now.

"I need you Jake. You are my best friend, my brother, the one person I can trust, and the one person I can truly be myself with. I may never love you the way you want me to, but I do love you. And if you love me and know me, like I KNOW you do, then you know that I need this. I need to make my life MINE again. Will you help me, Jakey?"

I paused, and he didn't say anything. I felt rejection sting at me, and tears fill my eyes. Then, I felt Jake's hand pulling my face up to look at him.

"Finally."

"Wait, WHAT!"

"Finally. I thought that you would never stick up for yourself Bells. Never do what's right for YOU. But you did, and you are, and I support that. I am not here as a werewolf ready to save you from becoming a leach, but as a best friend ready to support you. If you want to be a vampire, then fine. Just promise me you will still be my best friend no matter what, and that you'll never lose contact with me, or lose sight of who you are."

"I promise, Jake. Cross my heart and hope to die for real."

We both laughed at my REALLY bad joke. Then the stewardess brought us our food, which, I must say, was actually really good. Go figure. Then again, it is first class.

"There's just one more thing, Jake."

"What's up?"

"I want to change my look first. If I'm gonna be frozen in time, I'm gonna do it in style."

Once we got off the plane, I bought myself a red Porsche Boxster S. Then, I bought Jake a Metallic Midnight Blue 2005 Ferrari 575M Maranello. He almost didn't take it, but I reminded him of all the money I took from me ex-fiancé. I also gave him money to have it shipped to the US for him.

After car shopping, I decided I needed to go shopping. I gave Jake some cash to use while I hit the closest mall. We decided to meet in the food court in six hours. I needed the time to figure out who I was now that I wasn't Edward's Bella. That's when it hit me, I wasn't Bella at all.

From now on, I would be Izzy.

So, first things first. Hair.

I went to the salon and luckily, the women spoke English. All three hairdressers crowded around me, complimenting my beauty, and you know what. I didn't. Blush. Once.

They ushered me into a chair, and e of the three washed my hair, while the other two went back to the other customers.

"Miss, I have an incredible idea for your hair, yes? If you will trust me, I will make your beauty shine even brighter than it does now. The boys will simply fall at your feet."

"That would be perfect. Show me what you got."

At that, she turned me away from the mirror so I would be surprised when I saw the results. I caught a final look in the mirror, and I wondered what I would look like when I turned around.

The woman, whose name I learned was Loretta, spent over an hour on my hair. She cut, trimmed, highlighted, pulled, brushed, and primped every inch of it.

Finally, she said "Si è fatto. It is done. What do you think?"

She turned me around to look in the mirror. What I saw shocked me. I had never thought of myself as pretty, but as plain and ordinary. But I had to say it. The woman in the mirror was .Gorgeous.

My hair was cut. My once waist length curls reached just below my shoulders now. And, my hair was also permanently straightened. I found I also had side bangs framing the left side of my face. And OH. MY. GOD. I had highlights. Bright red highlights. Although, the way it was done made them look amazing. Instead of having streaks, the tips of my hair were the firy red that made my hair look longer and darker than it was.

In other words…."I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WHAT YO HAVE DONE TO MY HAIR, LORETTA. Thank you sooooooooo much."

"It was my pleasure."

After paying for my new look, I went searching for clothes that matched the new me. I walked into dozens of stores, tried on hundreds of clothes, and bought myself a whole new wardrobe.

I bought tons of blouses, tanks, t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, shorts, capris, skirts, dresses, shoes, make-up, and accessories.

I lost count of how many thousands of dollars were gone, and how many trips I made to my car to drop off bags. My whole back seat, trunk, and shotgun seat were packed.

Before meeting Jake at the cafeteria, I went to the bathroom to change out of the clothes that total BITCH Alice bought me, and into an amazingly HOT one that I bought.

This outfit was the one I would meet the Volturi AGAIN in, and I was dead set on making an impression completely opposite of the last time I met them. I would not walk in the weak, scared human who wanted to save her true love's life. I knew what I wanted and I would walk in as a drop-dead gorgeous, sexy, confident woman, with an aim to misbehave.

First, I put on jean booty shorts that were tight as hell to show off my ass, I also put on a tight black tank top with deliciously thin straps, and a plunging neckline. As to not look like a total slut, I put on an army style jacket. It was three-quarter sleeved with frayed ends. It ended above my belly button, and it was fitted. The buttons had black, shiny real onyx stones on them. I completed the outfit with army print converse high tops, a black coach purse, D & G sunglasses, the charm bracelet Jacob gave me (sans diamond), a Helio Ferretti watch, diamond studs, and a silver necklace with an onyx and diamond charm on it in the shape of a skull. I even got a matching skull charm for my bracelet. I dabbed on some gold and glittery eye-shadow, black eyeliner, and shiny lip gloss. Finally, I painted my finger and toe nails gold.

There, perfect.

I checked my purse to make sure I had my car keys, iPod, phone, and id. All there.

Time to get Jacob, and meet the Volturi again. This time, however, I would be joining their family, not avoiding death.

It was time to walk, or rather drive, towards my destiny.