Chapter 11.

Bella.

Jessica was prancing around our room, humming a tune I didn't know. She was decked out in a very short (so short, I could almost call it a top) dress that was covered in red, shiny sequins. I should have never told her where I was going that night. I should have kept my mouth shut and told her to mind her own business. But, because I was borderline retarded, Jessica was coming with me to Jasper Hale's dorm party. She had pestered me and pestered me until I finally caved.

"Okay! If you get kicked out, it's not my fault!" I near shouted at her. She didn't look harassed by the tone of my voice, like I had expected her to, but she squealed and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm going to a Cullen dorm party!"

"Cullen?" I asked.

"Emmett Cullen is Jasper's brother. Yeah, I know. The names don't make sense…" I personally thought it made perfect sense, being they were adopted siblings, but there was no need to point that out.

"I'm going to hook up with Emmett, you just watch me" she declared, shooting me a sultry smile. I had to hold back a shudder.

"You're such a cool friend, Bella" she added then walked out of the room like she was the Queen of freaking England.

Since that moment, she had declared me her friend. And although I really wasn't warming up to her, I might eventually. It was worth a try. Now we were friends. I watched her move over to her vanity and begin to apply bright red lipstick to her lips. She had now succeeded in looking like an actual hooker. She deserved a medal. She went from annoying college girl to slutty hooker in less than half an hour. That must be some world record, right there.

"I'm so excited" she gushed, streaking a thick cover of black mascara over her already massive lashes. She turned to me and looked me up and down. Her red lips curled into a smirk dripping with superiority.

"You're wearing that?" she asked, not bothering to keep the venom from her words. I glared at her, showing no signs of the sudden drop of self esteem that her comment had brought on. When she turned back to make herself look more of a slut, I shuffled over to my own vanity and glanced at my reflection. I had thought I looked rather nice, compared to my usual shabby attire. I had on a dark blue blouse that hung loosely around the lower half of my body, but tightening up around my breasts, creating the illusions that I actually had some curves. I also had a pair of black leggings and some grey short shorts. It wasn't nearly as dressy as Jessica's outfit, but it showed I made an effort nonetheless.

"Let me do your hair" Jessica said, watching me inspect my body with another smirk that made me want to hit her over the head with the clutch in my right hand. I sighed and let her pull me over to her vanity and burn my hair until it was straight and smooth.

"There!" she said with a large grin, impressed with her handiwork on my usually lifeless hair. I had to admit; it did look nice. But it wasn't me. I felt too done-up. I never wore makeup or did my hair anymore, and it just felt like I was trying to impress somebody, when I had nobody to impress in the first place.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Hmm? Oh, sure" I said without enthusiasm. Jessica looked at me like I was insane for not being excited about going to my first college party, but I didn't let it bother me. I probably was insane, somewhere deep inside. But aren't we all?

I stepped into a pair of worn Converse, ignoring the look of shock that spread across Jessica's face, and stepped into the hallway. I was glad I had thrown on a leather jacket at the last minute, because the air itself was like ice cubes being thrown at me. Jessica stood next to me, almost having convulsions, in her small, skimpy dress. I had to chuckle to myself. The price girls pay for fashion.

Call me a sadist, but I thrived in seeing her suffer so much. Her legs were shaking as she started walking ahead of me in her high heels, stumbling slightly as we reached the stairs. Maybe if she fell, she wouldn't laugh at me for falling myself the day before. I pictured her tumble down the ice-covered concrete steps in my mind as I followed her down. Unfortunately, she stayed upright the whole time.

We walked side by side, shaking in the cold, all of the way to Jasper's dorm. When we arrived in the long corridor, Jessica moved to the door that the music was blaring out from, and walked in like she owned the place. Nobody would be telling her to leave tonight. I followed her and was instantly glad that all eyes were on her and the amount of skin she was showing. I hugged my jacket tighter around myself and made for the beer keg. Some tall, burly guy handed me a red plastic cup that I had seen so many times in movies, but never in real life. It was stupid, but holding the cup in my hand made me feel like an actually college student. A goofy smile spread across my face and I tipped the cup's contents into my mouth. It was bitter, but that didn't stop me from grabbing another.

"Easy there, you'll be passed out by ten" said the guy behind the keg. I noticed he fit Jasper's description of his brother. This was Emmett.

As if reading my mind, Jasper appeared behind Emmett and clapped a hand on his back.

"Bella" he smiled, "This is Emmett."

Emmett grinned at me and messed up my hair like I was some little puppy. I frowned and they both laughed.

"Nice to meet you" I said sarcastically. Emmett laughed again; it was booming and loud but yet so controlled and beautiful. I looked up at his pale face and realised his eyes were nearly the same colour as Jasper's. His skin was the same shade and he wore the same thoughtful expression that Jasper often did. It was hard to believe they were only adoptive brothers, they were so alike.

"I want you to meet somebody" Jasper said in my ear. He had made it to my side without me noticing, and the shock of his sudden closeness made me jump. He led me into a back room as Emmett's laughter stung the back of my head. I couldn't have been that amusing to him, but evidently I was.

"My girlfriend; Alice Cullen" explained Jasper as he took me to face a gorgeous, small girl. Her hair was short and brown and spiked up fashionably. She wore a cocktail dress of black silk that made her look like a supermodel and not a hooker like Jessica Stanley. She had kind eyes, that same golden brown colour of Jasper and Emmett's. Maybe they all wore contacts. But they couldn't be contacts, they were so captivating.

I noted her skin was pale as snow too.

"Bella" she greeted me, rising from her seat and shaking my hand in an overly-friendly manner that I wasn't used to. If it were anybody else, I would have suspected that they were faking. But Alice's kindness was genuine.

"It's very nice to meet you" I smiled.

We hit up some small talk until I realised I was craving another beer. I'd never been keen on alcohol, after seeing what effects it could have on somebody who became dependent. But one night wouldn't hurt, would it? Besides, that part of my life was far behind me now, and I had no reason to limit myself because of one insignificant boy and his mother.

I walked back to the keg and found Jessica flirting shamelessly with Emmett over her red cup. He wasn't paying her much attention. I got the feeling that he thought she was amusing, maybe even pathetic.

I cleared my throat as I approached them both. Emmett snapped his head up and smiled sheepishly, pouring me another cup. I could already feel myself becoming carefree and giddy. I never had good alcohol resistance. A few more beers and I would be drunk.

"What is she doing here?" snarled a heavenly, yet deadly voice from beside Emmett. I looked up in curiosity and found a tall, slender girl with pursed lips and a look that could kill. She had long, flowing blond hair and plump lips. Her face was perfect. I took a moment to marvel in her astonishing beauty before returning to reality.

I noted, once again, that she had stunning golden brown eyes and pale skin. She had to be a Cullen (or Hale).

Jessica looked up and her face drained of all colour. She obviously had some beef with this girl, and was intimidated by her. But who wouldn't be? She was possibly the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Models and celebrities I had seen in the occasional magazine had nothing on her.

"Come on, Rose, she's not doing anything wrong" Emmett said casually, handing me a cup.

"Light beer for you, now" he said, flashing his teeth. I didn't mind. I would take what I could get.

The girl called Rose glared at me with intense attitude and I sauntered away shyly.

I stood nearly on the opposite side of the room, with my back against the wall, but I could still hear the argument happening around the keg. A lot of other party goers had stopped chatting and dancing to witness the fight.

Rose was sneering at Jessica, who was cringing while being screamed at.

"Stay away from my boyfriend!" she shrieked. Jessica took a step backward as Emmett's girlfriend advanced on her. Rose's expression could have scared even the toughest of men, I was certain.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" chanted a few drunken guys nearby. Emmett chuckled and Rose glared.

"Sorry" I heard him mutter.

"I'll just go" squeaked Jessica, nearly running out of the room. I had no doubt she would return to our room to cry her eyes out all night.

Rose stormed out of sight, leaving Emmett to return to his manning of the keg. After a few awkward moments, the chatter started up again and somebody turned the bad techno music up. It almost made my ears bleed.

"Bella" said Alice's voice from next to me. I turned to her and nodded in recognition, taking a large swig of my beer. It didn't have nearly as much kick as the full strength beer had, and it tasted even worse. I pulled a face at the cup in my hand.

"How are you liking the…" she started, but trailed off. Her eyes glazed over and she turned stiff beside me. My heart thumped so loudly that it was almost deafening. What the hell was going on? She was having a fit. Oh, God…

"Alice!" I screamed, dropping my cup and proceeding to shake her to her senses. And as if nothing had happened, her eyes returned to normal and she smiled.

"Sorry" she said sweetly. I could hear the faintest linger of worry in her apology. But she masked it well, wearing a bright grin.

"What just…" I started to ask, but Alice cut me off.

"I just remembered something important. I have to go, we'll talk later!" she called out, already leaving the room we were in. I tried not to wonder what had just happened, or what Alice was talking about, but I couldn't help it. My mind raced so much that it brought on a slight ache in my head. I needed more beer.

Emmett agreed to give me one more light beer, and then I would be onto water or coffee. I didn't have a problem with that. My head was already cloudy. I even started dancing, having fun.

Out of the corner of my vision, I could see Emmett and Jasper having a very serious conversation. Their eyes kept darting to me, and I hoped it wasn't because of my drunken dancing.

I watched them for a while longer as I shook my hips in time with the alternative music thumping through my body. They really didn't fit in, the Cullens. They looked uptight; almost unnaturally anxious, like they wanted to belong, yet knew they didn't. Of course, from what I had heard around campus, everybody wanted to be 'in' with the Cullens, but were always to afraid or self aware to approach them.

"Bella" whispered Jasper, suddenly next to me like last time.

"What?" I asked with a slurred voice. I stopped dancing to get a good look at him. He was perfect, simply perfect.

"You need to leave."

"I don't want to leave!" I yelled. Jasper grabbed my hands.

"Oi!" I yelled, stamping on his foot. Pain shattered through my own foot and I howled in pain. Was his foot made out of stone?

"Fuck!" I yelled again, but Jasper wasn't paying attention to my behavior. He tightened his grip and looked into my eyes sternly.

"You have to leave, Bella. Now. Don't ask why. You just do. I'll take you myself" he said, beginning to drag me out of the room.

"Noooooooo" I drawled, scrambling to the dance floor. I didn't get far, as he was stronger than he looked. It was like trying to pull against a moving car. It was no use. I let him drag me out of the room with a pout.

"I was having fun!"

"Yes, and you can have fun at another party. Next time. Now, you just need to leave. Go back to your dorm. Lock the door. Go to sleep…" he said quickly, his eyes darting around the darkened corridor like something was about to jump out and kidnap us.

"Jasssssssssssssssspeeeeeerrrrrrrr" I whined as he led me through the pitch black courtyard.

"Bella" he hissed, "Just let me take you back, please…"

"But I don't want to go back!" I argued. Just as Jasper had been about to lift me into his arms to avoid having to drag me across the ground any longer, my foot caught on a raised section of pavement and I fell straight to the ground. Jasper hadn't caught me in time. My face slid against the pavement and I felt warm blood pool around my eyes and mouth. I could feel it seep into my mouth. I tasted the metallic liquid on my tongue and started to gag uncontrollably.

"Jesus..." cursed Jasper, pulling me up from the ground. Still gagging, I let him lead me to a bench and set me down. He inspected the damage done to my face and neck with a strained look in his eyes. He must not have liked blood either.

I controlled my gagging eventually and Jasper began to wipe blood away from my eyes and mouth.

"We need to get going" he said, rising.

"I hurt!" I cried out childishly.

Jasper's head snapped up suddenly and he sniffed the air like a predator hunting prey. I watched him in awe and confusion with a bloodied face and uneasy stomach.

"Let's go. Now" he said in a harsh but frightened voice. He pulled me into his arms and began running to the set of stairs that led to my dorm. Before we could reach them, though, he fell. I flew out of his arms and smashed against a brick wall. I felt blood trickle down the back of my head and I let out a loud groan. But something was wrong, I noticed in my drunken state. Jasper wasn't here.

I tried to look for him in the dark, but I couldn't see a thing. I could hear something, though. Grunting. Maybe he was badly hurt. Oh, no, not Jasper.

I crawled across the pavement of the courtyard towards the sound. It didn't take too long until I could hear a noise like rocks colliding with more rocks. I stopped crawling to vomit a little, wiping my mouth before setting off towards the noise again.

I could hear voices soon enough. One was Jasper's, one was somebody else's. The voice sounded strangely familiar, but so unfamiliar at the same time. Trying to remember whose voice it was made my head hurt, so I didn't bother.

"LET ME GO" the unknown voice roared. It was so loud I was forced to cover my ears.

I heard a few snaps and before I knew it, something collided with me. Hard. I was thrown back to the wall I was slammed into before, and I wondered what could have possibly sent me sliding that far. I gulped when I saw whatever had hit me, getting up from the ground and moving towards me.

It's a murderer, oh my God. He's about to kill me. He killed Jasper, now it's me…

I started to shake uncontrollably with fear as the figure reached me. I could feel his cool breath on my face. I was a goner.

It was then, with the murderer staring at me, that the moon peeped out from behind the dark clouds and I saw his face. And when I did, I almost threw up again.

But it couldn't be him.

He was dead.

Gone.

"Hello, sweetie" he cooed, reaching out a pale hand to my face. I flinched at his touch; his skin was ice cold.

"Wh-wh-wh…" I stuttered, unable to string together a coherent sentence.

"Hush now, human. Screaming will only cause a fuss" he snarled, moving closer to my face.

I couldn't believe what was happening. I had to be dreaming. Maybe I passed out back at Jasper's party. Yes, it was all a dream…

But the feeling of his breath on my cheeks and his cold, hard lips pressed to my neck let me know it was definitely not a dream. And somehow, miraculously, Edward Masen had found me. And for some reason very much beyond my knowledge and comprehension, Edward Masen was about to kill me.