[Disclaimer] Everything Twilight belongs to SM.
[A/N] Hugs to all of you who left a nice comment on the last chapter, it makes me happy that you enjoy reading my little story here.
**Hot Tamales**
I try to ignore the rest of my classmates as I make my way through the school cafeteria. The food in this place sucks, even when you are not dieting. After hesitating for a few moments, I finally decide to put an apple and a turkey sandwich on my tray. The sandwich is practically soaked in greasy mayonnaise but it still looks a bit healthier than the pizza or the fried chicken they are serving as well. I sigh, grabbing a bottle of water and a package of Hot Tamales before I sit down on an empty table in the corner of the room. I detest eating here at all but as the alternative would be to eat outside in the pouring rain, I have to endure it. It feels like everyone's eyes are on me and I wish so very much that I could manage to make myself invisible somehow.
The first snappy comment comes after about five seconds, making me choke on the piece of apple on my mouth. Why do people have to be so disgustingly mean all the time?
"Oh crap, we'll stay hungry today. Fatty has already bought the entire food they're selling."
"She shouldn't be eating at all if you ask me."
"Nobody is asking you, shithead!" Rosalie snarls, placing her tray next to mine before she pulls out the plastic chair and sits down.
She grants me a smile, and starts nibbling on her pizza slice. I'm puzzled that she's eating stuff like that, but it is not like Rose has to worry about gaining weight. This awful cheerleader jumping she's doing probably burns a shitty amount of calories. Maybe I should try that as well, it could be fun.
Yeah, like they would ever let me join their pom-pom team, wake up, Alice.
"Since when, are you and Belly-Ali friends, Rosie? Are you trying to look prettier by hanging with a fat chick now?"
My face turns red like fire and I lean forward, covering it behind my long hair. Don't cry now, I try to remind myself but I can already feel the first tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Piss off, Royce. We're not talking to trash like you."
He chuckles and I can hear him stepping closer until he's directly behind Rosalie. When he places his arm on her shoulder, she shrugs back, making the chair squeak against the linoleum floor.
"Come on, sugar, don't be like that. Give me a kiss. You know you want to."
"Royce, we're in the middle of the school cafeteria, can't you just drop it?"
"Don't be shy now."
"I'm not shy, just annoyed but I can't expect you to know the difference with that retarded brain of yours."
"Oh Baby, I'll make you moan underneath me so much your throat will be sore afterwards."
Okay, I'm officially done with eating now. Royce is such an asshole but he's pretty popular so within moments our table is surrounded by a bunch of his stupid friends.
"Royce, please."
"I think, she told you to leave us alone." I whisper hesitantly, my voice barely audible through the tears. I hate ugly scenes like this one and I don't even understand why Rosalie has decided to sit with me today and not with Vera and the rest of her cheerleader team. They would most likely rip Royce a new one for molesting her. He is the worst of all the people who keep teasing me about my weight. I don't even have words to describe how much I hate this guy.
"Keep your mouth shut, Fatty. No one gives a shit about what you have to say."
Someone growls behind us and when I blink through my teary eyes I can see Emmett grabbing Royce on his shirt, pushing him forcefully against the wall next to the table.
"You talk to my sister like that one more time and I'll end you, you piece of shit!"
"Drop your hands from me, Cullen. You are just pissed because I'm the one who's fucking Hale now. You probably weren't man enough to handle the little slut."
I cover my eyes and barely dare to peak through my fingers when my brother starts hammering his fists against Royce flawless face. Blood trickles down his nose, down to his thinly moustache. When Royce lifts his hand to slam it against Emmett's forehead, it only seems to make him more furious. My brother has a big mouth but I can't remember that he ever attacked someone physically before. The whole thing is frightening to look at.
"Cullen! King! What the hell do the two of you think you're doing?"
"He attacked me, Mr. Banner. I was just talking to Rosalie and Alice when he—,"
"I don't care, King. Detention for both, I'll see you in my office after class."
"But Mr. Banner, he injured me. My nose is probably broken."
"Go to the school nurse then. She'll give you some ice and for the rest of you, I hope something like that won't happen again. Are we clear about that?"
"Yes, Mr. Banner."
Royce rushes out of the cafeteria while I turn my attention to my panting brother, examining the bruise that is building on his left temple.
"This will get you in trouble."
"Doesn't matter to me,"
"Emmett, your sister is right. They could kick you out of school for this."
Rosalie pulls out a tissue and I can hear Em inhaling between his teeth when she leans forward, cupping his jaw carefully in her delicate hand while wiping the droplets of blood from his face.
"Are you hurt?" she whispers worriedly. "Maybe you should go and see the nurse too."
"No,"
"But you could have a concussion."
"From that little nudge?"
"It is not necessary to play the tough guy now."
"Hmm,"
"You did that because what he said about me, didn't you, Em?"
"No, I just felt like putting King in his place."
"You suck at lying, Cullen."
"Leave me alone, Rose. It doesn't matter to me at all what's between you and him. We are over."
"So, you don't care. You don't care if I fuck around with every guy in this goddamn school. Excuse me now, while I go looking for my next fuck buddy."
"Don't talk like that."
"Why?"
"Because...because, I can't endure the thought of some low-life having his paws all over you! It makes me livid. You are my girl. Mine, do you hear me?"
XXXX
There is something about people in love that you can probably only endure when you are in love yourself. My brother's face seems in a magically way connected with Rosalie's during the entire ride home. We are lucky not to crash into one of the other cars. It wouldn't make such a good impression on our parents after they decided to buy us a new car.
"I'll call you later, Babe. Kay?"
She nods her head and kisses to bruise on his head one more time before she disappears inside her house.
I can't even remember having seen Emmett as happy as that ever before and I really don't want to ruin that for him but I need to know how he plans on dealing with the Dad-Question now.
"Are you going to tell her about Dad?" I ask him, biting the skin around my cuticles nervously.
"Are you stupid? Of course, not! I don't want to ruin everything again. Please, you can't tell her he's her real father."
"It's not fair to lie to her. I mean, she has a right to know, don't you think."
"I don't want her to know I'm her…brother. That's sick somehow and probably illegal."
I sigh deeply and fumble my cell out of my backpack to check it for new texts. There is one from Bella, asking me to meet at the Mall. Great, like I want to hang out in public where we can't even kiss each other. Still, I type a quick reply telling her to meet me there.
"Incest is illegal in Washington isn't it?"
"Jeez, Emmett, you actually know that you are adopted? You and Rose aren't really related."
"It's still weird. Look, I don't want to lose her. She's important to me."
"If she finds out that you knew and didn't tell her, she'll be pissed."
He steps so abruptly on the breaks that my seatbelt cuts painfully into the skin on my neck.
"Do you think you could manage not to crash this car while I'm with you? I'd like to live to see my eighteenth birthday next year."
"Don't tell her."
"Kay, if you don't want me to, I'll keep my mouth shut. Can you let me out at the Mall?"
"Why?"
"I want to go shopping."
"You hate shopping."
"I'm meeting with a friend but that's none of your business. Can you drive me there now?"
XXXX
Bella is already waiting for me on a bench in front of a Starbucks, slurping on an iced coffee while she's reading a book on her lap.
Rubyfruit Jungle? Isn't that a book about a lesbian?
"Hi there," I greet her and my voice sounds breathless as if I had just run a marathon in record time. The truth is that I'm just so excited to see her. I'm happy and I want to wrap my arms around her and kiss her mouth over and over again. There is no way I can do that here.
She hugs me tightly, rubbing her hands down my spine maybe a split second longer than it would be normal.
"I missed you." She whispers and for a moment I can feel her lips brushing over my hair.
"Do you want to drink something too?"
"I'm not thirsty. Are you sure you want to help me finding a dress? That won't be too much fun."
"We'll see. Do you know what kind of dress you want to have for your prom?"
One that makes me thin and beautiful and maybe a bit older, I think but when I open my mouth again, I mumble. "One that fits," and stare down on my feet again.
Inside the first boutique, I wander through the rows filled with frilly chiffon and lace.
"How about this one?"
I risk a quick look at the price tag, or more at the size of the purple colored dress Bella is waving with in front of my face. It's a fourteen and I'm pretty sure that the American clothing industry hasn't suddenly decided to change dress sizes to my advantage.
"Do you like it?"
"No, I don't think this would look good on me."
"I like purple on you. Just try it on, so that we'll see how it fits you."
This is going to be so fucking embarrassing for me. I try to think of a good excuse in order to avoid having my girlfriend witness how my belly fat squeezes out of the shiny fabric of the A-line dress. If I damage the dress, I'll have to buy it. Do I?
"It's too expensive. I can't spend two hundred bucks on the dress itself."
"Didn't you tell me that your Mom is going to give you the money for the dress?"
"Yes, but I…I,"
"Alice? What is wrong with you?"
"Fine, I just don't want to try this stupid dress. Now leave me alone."
"Why don't you want to try it? I think you'll look pretty in this one. The color makes your hair look beautiful."
I can feel the anger starting to boil up from deep within me but because I don't want to snap at Bella, I take a deep breathe through my teeth before I speak up again. I'm tired of making excuses, tired of lying and so I simply tell her the truth.
"I don't want to try it because it is not going to fit. See? There you have it. Can we leave now?"
"Come with me." she mutters, grabbing her hand around my wrist to pull me with her.
My clothes land on a pile next to my feet and I hold my breath when I can feel Bella fumbling around at the zipper of the dress. Before she starts to pull it up, her lips find mine in a soft kiss that makes my heart race in my chest. For a moment I'm too distracted to focus on the movement of her hands and then, suddenly she breaks the contact of our mouths.
"See, I told you, it would fit you perfectly."