A/N: GAH! Sorry, this chapter came in much later than I expected. My writer's block has gone worse since yesterday and it refrains me from finishing a chapter in one day. So, yeah.

Enjoy reading, everyone. Remember to leave a review afterwards! :)

Disclaimer: I absolutely do not own Twilight. Or even the inspiration that made this fic possible.

But she wears short skirts
I wear T-shirts
She's cheer captain
And I'm on the bleachers

The loud buzzing of the alarm clock pulled me from my deep slumber, cutting me off from dreamland and bringing me back to reality. It was an ordinary Wednesday and I knew I have to get up this instant if I still want to keep my records clean. It would've been an easy thing to do if only I could get my body to act accordingly. I peeked one eye open to look at the clock on my bedside table, pleased to know it was only 6'o clock in the morning. Classes won't start until 8'o clock, which leaves me a good two hours to waste. I stopped tossing and turning in bed when my cell phone rung underneath my pillow. I picked it up; not minding who in their right mind would disturb me from my sleep.

I was greeted with Alice's shrilling voice on the other line. "I'll be there in half an hour, like it or not!"

Leave it to Edward's sister to act all hyper at this time of the day. Hastily, she hung up, leaving me speechless and aggravated at the same time. What could she ever want this early?

I forced myself to get up from the bed, to temporarily restrict myself from dozing off again; that would have to wait until I get home later this afternoon. I started to fix the messy bed I was in, neatly placing pillow after pillow over the soft mattress. I still have ten more minutes to myself before Alice arrives. I wanted to do something productive with the remaining time, to busy myself while waiting for her, but the thought of her having something sneaky and terrible on her head made me want to slump back in bed and detach myself from whatever world she wanted me to be in.

I didn't have to wait long as a car abruptly hurled to a stop in front of our house, the tires making those awful screeching noises. I scurried down the stairs to get the front door and meet Alice. Opening it, I saw Edward still on his car and her pixie-like sister waving feverishly at him.

Edward caught my eye, smiled his crooked smile, and said, "I'll see you later at school." With that, he dashed off, his silver Volvo running at a petrifying speed. That guy seriously needs to be tutored on how to properly drive at a small town like this.

Alice turned around and tugged my arm to get inside. She led me to my own room, like I'm the visitor here and she's the owner of the house, and comfortably plopped on my bed. She still hasn't told me what she was up to. And not knowing her motives only drove me insane to my very core. "Alice, what is really happening?"

She grinned. It wasn't the innocent smile that escaped her lips. No; this grin wouldn't fit in that category. Instead, it was her wicked one that came into view—something that advised me to run away before she gets too caught up with her plans. "We have a fashion emergency!"

I groaned at the excitement leaking in her tone. Why would Alice be in such haste to come over here? To dress me up, of course. I was expecting some kind of major problem that bothered her like being bullied by her older brother, Edward, or dealing with a very difficult homework. But fashion emergency? That is by far off the least thing I could—and would—handle.

Seeing the disgruntled look written on my face, she spoke, "Come on, Bella! You have to look extremely adorable today at school. The cheerleading auditions are up for today until Friday. You have to—"

I promptly cut her off as everything finally made sense. "Wait. You want me to audition for the cheerleading squad?"

She nodded and I couldn't help but chortle at the idea. Dancing without exact, patterned movements was bad enough for my horrible luck, let alone following a routine and doing stunts. This girl has too much of an imagination for my and her own good.

"Are you trying to be funny this early morning, Ali? 'Cause if you are, then I'd like to inform you that you're terribly succeeding at doing it," I managed to blurt out in between laughs.

She huffed in disappointment, an adorable pout pronouncing itself on her pale face. "I didn't get up early for nothing, Bella," I heard her mumble under her breath.

I heaved a sigh as I took a sit beside her. "Ali, dancing and Bella just do not exactly fit together. You, of all the other people living here in Forks, should know that."

"Well, since you won't let me mess with your wardrobe, could you at least let me do your make-up?"

My eyes abruptly widen at the sound of her request. Dressing up never made a good impression on me and, as far as I know, I never wasted a chance to try and get that message through her head. I was about to voice out my protest when I noticed her sudden change in attitude. Her features softened into a pleading expression as she consumed my horror-struck reaction. She knew how much I easily give in when she looks at me like that. And she—and her brother, if I may add—often use that advantage to get their way. I groaned in frustration. When you think the world couldn't get any more unfair, something comes your way to prove you're dead wrong. How could the world be truly unjust at times?

"Okay, Alice," I surrendered. "You can have your way just this once."

"Yay! You're going to love this, Bella! I'm sure. You'll even plead me to fix you up everyday once I'm done with your makeover."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Sure, Alice. I'll be begging my knees off to have your super magical hands work on my too average look."

"I'm serious, Bella."

"Why, Ali, I'm also dead serious with what I said earlier."

She nudged me in a playful way, with force just enough to let me feel the slightest impact, and I could not help but laugh at our silly conversation. Alice and I never had a tough time dealing with each other. Since I often stay at Edward's place, we always had the chance to talk about random stuff, to share each other's stories, and to give one another a good kick in the butt if needed. She's my best friend and I love her like my own sister; except, of course, when she irrationally blows her mind over the latest fashion and forces me to cooperate with her daily makeovers. That I couldn't handle.

"Isn't it time for you to clean up, Ms. Slowpoke?" she asked.

I shot a quick glance at my clock and hurriedly moved as it registered 7:15 AM. I still have at least 45 minutes left before class starts. I mentally calculated the total time it would take me to be ready for school: 20 minutes at the shower, 10 minutes to get dressed and blow-dry my hair, and another 10 minutes to drive my way to school. Well, that leaves me…5 extra minutes to get to class. That would do.

I grabbed my bag of toiletries and scurried down the stairs again towards the bathroom. Once inside, I turned one of the knobs of the shower and, almost simultaneously, hot water came out, drenching my petite frame with just enough warmth. I washed my hair with my favorite strawberry-scented shampoo, soaped every part of my body, and rinsed everything thoroughly. I dried myself with the towel and quickly put on my blue jeans and a black hooded long sleeved t-shirt with red streaks on the side. I have a fair guess Alice wouldn't agree even one bit with my choice of clothes, but then again, when had she?

I hesitantly stepped out of the bathroom and weaved my way up the stairs to get to my room. Just like what I had expected, Alice looked aghast upon taking in my black-and-blue combination.

"Bella! What are you wearing?"

Isn't it obvious yet? "Ali, this is called a t-shirt. Have you been drowning yourself with skirts and dresses these past few days?"

"I know what it is, silly. I mean, why are you wearing…that? You look like a crap imitation of an emo schoolgirl. Do you want to complete that outfit with eyeliner?"

"It is necessary for a human being to keep their innermost thoughts to themselves at some point, Alice," I spat.

"But I don't have innermost thoughts," she said brightly. "They look just like my outermost thoughts."

I chuckled at her response. That was true. Whatever went into Alice's head came out of her mouth, which made her look like a little too candid for others. "Fair point."

"Now, come on! I'm excited to do your makeup."

I sighed. I thought she had forgotten all about her part of the deal. Oh well. I shouldn't have hoped. I reluctantly sat on the bed beside her, my hair fixed into a neat bun, and prepared myself for the worst. She must've sensed the tension lingering between us as I heard her grumble, "Will you please loosen up? It's not like you're facing your death sentence here."

"If it's makeover we're talking about, then I probably am," I retorted.

I saw her features disarranged in annoyance. "Please drop the whining, Bella. We have no time for that. I have to do this real quick or else we'll be late for class. Now, be very still, alright?"

I eased off a little at her words. It's not like I have any other choice, anyway. I mean, who knows what she could do with that makeup kit? The mascara and lipstick looked scarier and deadlier once they're in Alice's hands. The eyeliner and eye shadow were no different. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted as I felt the brush lightly grazing my cheeks, giving them a soft tone of pinkish red. Her hands felt light; like she has been doing this all her life. But knowing Alice, I might have guessed correct.

"Hey, Alice?"

"Hmm?" she mindlessly asked back.

"Why aren't you accompanying Edward to school today?"

My question slowed her actions for a while, but she quickly regained her pace just seconds after. "Edward wanted to drive Tanya to school this morning. And you and I both know that I can't stand being close to that girl. So, I asked him to drop me off at your house first."

"You should start accepting her now, you know," I said calmly. "Besides, I don't think you'll be seeing another girl dating your brother anytime soon."

With my response, I heard her let out a sigh. "I'm not losing hope, Bella. And you shouldn't too."

Alice knew of my feelings towards her brother. And I admit it was such a relief to let her know. Just the idea that I'll finally have someone to talk to about Edward—without being too safe with my words—has lifted a huge weight off my soul. Ever since then, she kept on insisting that I should let his brother know about my deepest sentiments, that I should try and not be afraid of the consequences. But, really, how can I not? With the steady friendship going on between us, I don't think it'll be worth the risk to ask for something more.

Her high-pitched voice, filled with satisfaction and happiness, tore me from my reverie. "There! You're all done!"

She held up a handy mirror to my face and I can't tear my eyes away from the girl I saw in the reflection. She was indisputably beautiful, simple yet elegant with the light makeup she's in. Her cheeks were tinted with a pinkish hue, her chocolate brown eyes more striking than ever. Alice kept it subtle—not too over the top, yet just enough to be noticeable.

"Speechless, are you?" she asked, a smug smile plastered on her face.

I smirked back. I couldn't deny her victory this time. I got up from the bed and tugged her arm, pulling her out of the room in an instant. "Okay, you've had your fun. Now, let's go or else we'll never make it to class on time."

"With your truck, I'm sure we won't," she murmured as she settled herself on the front seat.

I kept my mouth tightly shut and decided to let that little remark pass. It won't help anything if I respond, anyway. My arguments with Alice were never different with the ones I had with Edward—they tend to go around in circles, us missing and dodging the finer points. But in the end, we would wind up laughing and forgetting what the argument was about. It gets all very silly and childish at times. With the key already popped in, I started the engine and finally drove off towards school.

It was not long before we arrived at Forks Highschool, the parking lot filled with lots of different cars and not many students. Once I parked my truck in a nice, open space, Alice and I quickly got out, our feet dragging us at light speed. We ambled through the deserted hallway, our steps as inaudible as possible, as we sought for our own classes. Biology's up for my first class, and knowing Mr. Banner, I'll only end up humiliating myself once I come in late.

Cautiously, I peered inside the classroom, my eyes scanning its every corner to check if Mr. Banner had already dropped in. To my relief, he hasn't. Thank heavens!

"Hey, Bella!" My head jerked up reflexively at the sound. Instantaneously, my eyes found the person who just called my name; it was Edward and he was frenziedly waving at my direction.

All the other students inside the room, probably curious to whom he was waving at, also stared to the exact place where I stood. Great. Thank you, Edward. A little attention really helps.

I stepped inside the classroom and hurriedly took a seat beside Edward. He was still grinning like a madman when I settled in. I shifted in my place and returned his grin with a piercing glare. What was wrong with him today? I take my statement back a while ago. He doesn't only need a tutor to properly teach him how to drive. He also needs a psychiatrist to figure him out.

"You look really nice." I froze in my seat, obviously caught off guard with his greeting. I totally forgot I'm still covered in Alice's makeup.

I was sure Edward sensed my abrupt uneasiness with his words. Really, the guy knew me too well to not even notice. "What? I can't give compliments now?"

I feel like my words were suddenly caught up in my throat at that precise moment. I couldn't get my mind to think straight or my cheeks to stop blazing from the effect of his flattery. I was absolutely grateful when Mr. Banner entered the room, temporarily cutting my conversation with Edward. I don't know what else could happen if he hadn't stepped in.

~*~*~

The whole day passed like a blur; I barely noticed it was already 3'o clock in the afternoon. I was about to march my way towards the gym for Edward's basketball practice today when two familiar faces caught my attention: It was of him and Tanya. From afar, it seemed like they were arguing over something again. But that's not a big surprise, is it? Like I said, they have all the time in the world to fight over every silly thing. I almost jumped in astonishment as Edward noticed me, standing not too far from their position. He somehow managed to give me a weak smile despite the predicament he's in. Tanya, on the other hand, having noticed my presence, threw me a menacing glare and then stormed off towards the gym.

What was the non-verbal threat for?

Edward, not even moving an inch after Tanya left, looked miffed and disappointed at the same time. I mustered all the courage I could get and walked directly to him. Should I keep it light or just be straightforward?

I decided to go for the latter. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Wow, Bella. You're seeking for the most obvious answer there, I thought bitterly.

I was expecting him to say 'No' or to berate me for even asking, but instead I heard him lightly chuckle at my question. "You can really ask me the most difficult questions, can't you?"

I grimaced unintentionally. I didn't know what to make out of his words. Was that a proper question or was he playing with me again, teasing me like nothing really happened? Frankly, I really think I'd be lucky enough to pull out a proper answer from him. "Edward! I'm serious. What's up with you and Tanya again?"

"Okay," he trailed off, hesitant. "I kind of…talked to her about her clothes."

"Her clothes?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes. Didn't you see how short her skirts were? She parades all around school in such provocative outfit, as if telling everyone that she's still single. And I'm bothered, of course. There's no reason why I shouldn't be."

Oh. "Well, Tanya apparently likes attention. You can't blame her for being so bold when it comes to dressing herself up," I explain matter-of-factly.

He sighed dejectedly. I hated to find him like this, to see him putting up with his girlfriend's constant changing moods and factitious dramas. He already had to cope up with his parents' divorce yet Tanya never seemed to get tired of throwing herself into the picture. She can't stay oblivious forever, can she?

I tugged at Edward's arm, suddenly realizing he was already late for his practice. "Come on, we'll deal with that later. You still have a basketball practice to catch up on."

"Promise we'll talk after?"

I beamed. "Promise."

I know, I know. Not much fluff and Edward stuff here. But I just felt like building Alice's character on this chapter, and I hope I did a fair job. I'll be bombarding you with lots and lots of fluffy goodness on the later chapters. So, please just keep reading. :)

If you took the time to read this chapter, then please leave a review. Nothing makes me happier than knowing you people enjoy every chapter I post. And, I'll be sending a sneak preview of the 4th chapter for those who will.

1st chapter for 'I Kissed Who?' will be posted up next! Be a dear and check it out if you haven't yet. Thanks!

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