Apologies for the late update, I've been really busy but I have three weeks off school for the Easter Holidays (basically Spring Break...or whatever). Now, as we had two prologues we should have two epilogues? I mean, that's fair...
And this is a really long epilogue, but some things are there because they brought the story to a full circle, but it ends on a cliff-hanger which could be resolved in the last, epilogue which is 20 years later.
Epilogue 1, Prom Night
Bella closed her eyes, waiting for the magic to happen. Alice was poised with a brush when there was a knock on the door. Bella kept her eyes closed. Without moving or checking who was at the door, Alice shouted, "Edward, not yet!" There was a muffled protest.
Bella opened her eyes quickly and saw Alice locking the bathroom door. Bella snapped her eyes shut before Alice turned around. She kept a calm composure but inside her heart was fluttering. She felt the soft make-up brush sweep across her face and it was almost like Alice was muttering incantations when she was in fact rehearsing a scene in her head. It may only be a fantasy to Alice, but for some strange reason they would nearly always happen. There was three knocks on the door and Bella's heart rate increased. Alice sighed and Bella heard Alice's heels make sounds on the tiled floor. She heard the door unlock and then there was a sigh of relief.
"Thank God, Esme," Alice muttered. The door snapped shut.
"Is that Bella?" Esme said whilst gasping. Esme had never seen Bella look so breath-taking.
"Yes," Alice said rolling her eyes.
"Then can you do my make-up? You're obviously a professional," Esme said with a large smile. Alice nodded and Bella cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, can you finish mine first, Alice oh, great one," Bella said in an exasperated voice. Bella didn't like keeping her eyes closed for a long time, and not knowing what was going on.
"You're already done," Alice sighed. Bella opened her eyes and saw herself in the mirror. Bella gasped. She looked so beautiful, yet the make-up and effort was a minimum. She has a little blue eyeshadow above her eyes, and her eyes were then covered lightly with eyeliner and mascara, emphasising her brown eyes. The rest of her face was completely natural but flawless, with no or little hints of foundation and clear lip gloss. Her hair looked effortless and pretty. The first layer was clipped back and the rest was curled. Her fringe was parted so that it showed her forehead. She looked the thing that she had never imagined she could ever be. Beautiful.
Bella got out of the seat and grabbed Alice by the shoulders and screamed.
"What have you done to me?!"
Alice's eyes widened. Bella's eyes were wide with shock, her tone was delirious, there was a stampede which stopped outside the door, and what felt like 3 boys pressing their ears against the bathroom door.
"I just thought you'd look nice like, I can change, I'll do it now," Alice stuttered quickly. Bella burst out laughing.
"That's for stripping me on Rosalie's wedding night," Bella said with a wicked smile. Alice hand flew to her heart and growled, "Bella Swan, you should be careful, very careful."
Bella's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
It was Bella's turn to be slightly worried.
"If I hadn't foreseen a little trick on your part, I wouldn't be able to plan the perfect revenge," Alice said lowly. Bella gasped.
"What? What is it?" Esme asked, in interest and taking the words out of Bella's mouth. Alice went rummaging into a bag and pulled out a blue dress. Bella laughed.
"That's the best revenge you can plan?" Bella said with sarcasm. Alice raised an eyebrow. Bella stopped giggling.
"Put it on," Alice said carefully.
"How do I know it's not lined with lead?" Bella asked sceptically.
"Just put it on," Alice said. Bella obeyed. It was a pretty blue dress that ended above Bella's knees. It was strapless and it felt floaty. It had a bow at the waist. Bella was then handed a few chunky silver bracelets.
"This is the revenge," Alice said, pulling out a box from the large bag. Bella stumbled back. And her breath caught.
"You wouldn't," Bella said in a strangled voice.
"Oh yes, I would," Alice said evilly and opened the box. Inside there was the most ridiculously high, silver peep-toe shoes. Bella glared at Alice. There wasn't even a strap around the ankle so if Bella walked too fast she may walk out of her heels. It wasn't a bad idea, but Bella didn't want to dance around shoeless and who knows could step on her foot? Bella gritted her teeth and slipped her feet into the murderous stilettos. If only she could get Alice back without her realising it, but it was no use, Alice was a master at feeling things and checked her tarot cards every hour or so to see if it was right.
Bella sat on a chair in the bathroom watching Esme getting made up by Alice. The dark aura had returned and was trying to consume Alice's good mood with it in vain.
----------
"Girls," Jasper said after a while with his ear on the door. Jasper, Carlisle and Edward filed out of Bella's room after listening at the bathroom door after hearing a scream.
"I know, so immature," Edward said rolling his eyes and ruffling his hair.
"I mean, who needs to pull pranks after what happened at Emmett's wedding night? It's only been a month or so since it happened and you would have done it already," Carlisle said logically. Edward stared at Carlisle.
"Yeah..." Edward said. They all shook their heads at that and went downstairs.
They sat in the living room in silence. They all looked at each other expectantly.
"So, Emmett, where is he?" Carlisle asked weakly trying to start a conversation.
"Hawaii," Jasper said. Jasper sighed. Emmett and Rosalie were going around basically Northern America on their honeymoon, and hadn't come back yet.
"I thought he was in Tennessee," Edward mused.
"Why would he go to Tennessee?" Jasper asked.
"His family's from Tennessee," Carlisle said. Then there was silence. Edward, Jasper and Carlisle were raging a battle in their heads to start another conversation. To be honest, they worked better as a four, and without Emmett there wouldn't be as much contribution as there should have been. It was the same with the rest of the guys. There was a large sound that rang through the house. Edward went to answer the door.
A tall and lanky man, about the same height as Edward was at the door.
"Your limos here," he said in a bored voice.
"One minute," Edward said. He turned around and yelled that the limo was here. Jasper and Carlisle rushed to the door with their corsages ready. Hell hath no fury like a woman whose prom night is ruined. As Edward could see it, the lights dimmed, knowing what was going to happen, nudged Jasper. Alice was going to be the first one down the stairs, every boy had it programmed in their head what was going to happen because Alice had made sure of it. There was a clicking of heels and Alice walked down the stairs. Her hair was straight inside of sticking out. Her dress was strapless, and white with stripes of gold which highlighted her recent trip to a tanning salon in Port Angeles. She wore the same ridiculously high peep-toe stilettos as Bella but in gold. Jasper didn't wait until she was at the bottom and ran up there and lifted her bridal style down the stairs. Carlisle looked at Edward in horror, for modifying Alice's plan but Alice was bright red and smiling. Next to come down was Esme and ask Carlisle took one step towards her, Alice glared at him and Carlisle recoiled as if the carpet was burning because of her burning stare. Edward and Jasper were mesmerised along with Carlisle at Esme's ability to glide down the stairs without tripping and looking like a swan and not looking awkward. Her purple dress seemed to move without difficulty, even though it looked pretty heavy. It was a feat that was envied by most dancers or models.
When the corsage was put on Esme's wrist, Bella popped her head out from the side. She disappeared behind the large marble column. Edward was confused. He had seen Bella for a glimpse of a second. Everyone else hadn't noticed as they were too busy chattering. Maybe Edward was delusional. Bella took another peek and she saw Edward staring straight at her. She quickly hid away. Edward rubbed his head as he was hallucinating again. He tried to distract himself by getting into a conversation with the others.
"She's beautiful," a gasp rippled behind them. They turned around and saw Rosalie, in a prom dress with Emmett.
"Emmett! Rosalie!" Carlisle and Esme said in unison.
"What are you doing here?" Jasper asked with Edward.
"You didn't think I'd miss my high-school prom did you?" Emmett said with a smile. Emmett looked in the house and saw Bella at the top of the stairs.
"Whoa. She's hot," was all Emmett could muster.
Rosalie jabbed him in the ribs.
"Of course, not as beautiful as you, Rosalie," Emmett said quickly.
Rosalie was pretty. Her hair was curled and she wore a simple white dress, that like Alice, emphasised her tan, but not like Alice, Rosalie's tan was genuine. She wore heels that contended with the height of Alice's and Bella's and even though Rosalie was quite short compared to Emmett, she looked a few inches shorter than him.
"What are you talking about?" Carlisle asked cynically. Emmett looked at a certain spot and everyone followed his gaze. Everyone turned to the stairs and Bella was gliding down the stairs, with the elegance of her aunt. Edward stepped forward. When Bella became distracted by seeing Edward she tripped and fell forwards.
"You never change do you?" Edward grunted at he caught Bella.
"Not really, no," Bella said with a large grin. Edward's lips pressed against Bella's briefly and Edward lowered her to the floor. As Bella looked into Edward's eyes she knew that with all of her consciousness she loved Edward...
--------------
Take my hand. Take a breath. Pull me close, and take one step...
The music began and Bella grinned before yelling the next line, "Keep your eyes locked on mine." Edward chuckled, and looked at Bella and pulled her close. They started to dance slowly. However, before the chorus even started, Bella slipped and Edward caught her in his arms. The music suddenly changed as a new DJ was introduced.
"Girls to the right of the dance floor, boys to the left!"
The large dancing crowd parted and Bella and Alice grabbed each other in hysterics when someone caught Bella's eyes. She froze like the Statue of Liberty in the city that he sure as hell should be in. His arm was snaked around a girl called Victoria, before Victoria went to join the girls' crowd. How did Victoria get him to fly across the continent for her? The last time Bella spoke to the asshole he sounded too ignorant to go out with any girl. Let alone a girl on the other side of the hemisphere. Or was it? Bella didn't like geography much.
"Guys go pick a girl who's not your date!"
Bella had hated games like these. No one picked her at them. As she turned around to face Alice she saw Alice was bombarded with guys. Esme and Rosalie had little crowds of her own. A guy blocked her vision.
"Would you like to dance with me?" he asked.
"No, she's with me!" another argued.
Bella felt a hand touch her elbow and she turned around and saw the face she didn't want to see the most.
"I'm sorry guys, but she's dancing with me."
Bella smiled demurely and nodded. All the guys that wanted to dance with Bella groaned. Music came back on and they started to dance.
"Thanks for dancing with me," he said in a thick Brooklyn accent.
"You're from New York," Bella said. It was a statement instead of a question.
"I live in Seattle."
They were spinning around but getting close to the fire exit. Bella noticed this and tried to move closer to the middle, but he noticed and kept an iron grip.
"James, what are you doing?"Bella asked through gritted teeth.
"How did you know my name?" James asked, glaring at Bella. He stared at Bella. He looked through the prettiness and stared at her eyes. Bella's soul seemed to pour out of her eyes and he suddenly remembered.
"Isabella Swan, the girl who was ugly," James said in a mocking voice. The word sent chills to Bella's blood, and freezing it. Bella became a marionette that James was controlling. James smiled under the lights in a menacing way.
"You're different than the last time I met you," James stated the obvious.
"I wasn't going to mourn over you," Bella spat, finally regaining the ability to move her muscles.
"You did for four years," James said, his eyes narrowing, "what changed?"
"I. Moved. On." Bella said emphasising each word. James laughed as he pushed Bella through the fire exit door silently. Bella fell on the bin bags full of trash. James closed the doors behind him. The wind was cold outside the gymnasium. Bella could hear the music.
"Okay, go find your original dates!" the DJ announced.
"EDWARD!"
Bella was desperate as James pinned her onto the ground.
"You're so pretty," James whispered into her ear before smashing his mouth against hers.
Bella had thought about that moment for four years of her life. The day James came to his senses and kissed her. However, the second that James smashed his lips against Bella's, that what it felt like, there was no magic that Bella and Edward had. Bella managed to kick James off. After all, she was a black belt. However, all that happened when Bella stabbed James with her stiletto was the fact that the stiletto broke. James had some kind of steel pad on his abs. James laughed and he fell back onto her body.
"James, don't do this, please," Bella begged, but James didn't listen to her and Bella heard a loud ripping. Alice wasn't going to be happy about that, it was an exclusive Chanel dress; it was so exclusive that it was a one of a kind dress that her Auntie had Coco Chanel design just for Bella. James ignored her, of course. Bella struggled violently against his non-human strength.
"EDWARD!" Bella screamed, as a last hope. Except, there was no Edward to save her from this, the music was too loud. James silenced her by punching her in the jaw. Bella cried out in pain.
"Why are you doing this?" Bella screamed.
"Because I love the rush of assaulting a girl," James answered quickly as he fumbled about. Bella saw this moment of weakness and successfully kicked James in the face. He was knocked over for a minute and Bella quickly got up and ran as fast as she could. But this wasn't fast enough. James was too strong and too fast. Bella hated this as he dragged her back to the trash bags.
"EDWARD!"
"Bella?!" Bella heard a voice.
"HELP!"
"Bella?!"
Bella could feel something on her mouth and nose, and she screamed but there was only a muffle. She felt faint and was losing consciousness. Her eyelids were drooping.
"Edward..." Bella whispered.
---------
"Bella?" Edward asked rounding a corner where the rubbish bins were. Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle where with him. Edward saw a figure near the bins where he swore he could hear Bella. Edward called out to him.
"Have you seen a girl? 5 foot 7-ish, brunette, blue dress?"
The guy groaned.
"There are loads of girls like that," he replied.
"Um, dark eyes, niece of Marie Swan?" Edward questioned further taking a step forward.
"That girl? Nope." He answered shortly.
"You sure?" Edward asked, with a suspicious look in his eyes. Edward took another step forward and saw a figure on the bin bags, who had her eyes closed. Edward pretended not to see her and asked the person further.
"You sure? She has silver bracelets and a bow on the waist of her dress," Edward said angrily.
"I said I don't know about your chick," the guy said standing up. Edward glared at him.
"You sick son of a bitch, what you think I am, blind?" Edward said and aimed a punch at him. The guy smiled and blocked it and threw Edward away from him. Except, Edward wasn't going to let him get away with it too quickly. He aimed a kick at the guy's crotch which worked and he was crippled for a moment.
"Call 911!" Edward yelled. Emmett came running towards Edward and saw the person unable to stand. As soon as Emmett was there Edward ran towards Bella and saw that her dress was ripped but apart from that she looked fine.
"Edward," Bella mumbled in her unconscious state.
"It'll be okay, I'm here now," Edward said, cradling Bella in his arms.
---------
"Is Bella fine?" Alice asked worriedly at the hospital.
"Don't tell her what happened, she may have already forgotten," Edward instructed Alice. Alice nodded, but she said, "She remembers though, she will remember."
"I hope she doesn't," Edward said, his head in his arms...
"Me too." Alice answered, putting an arm around Edward's waist and they looked through the window into Bella's private hospital room. It was going to be all right.
So, Whatcha think? Review, please – this is the penultimate chapter of TPG...
