CHAPTER 5: WHEN THE DAY MET THE NIGHT
When the sun found the moon
She was drinking tea in a garden
Under the green umbrella trees
In the middle of summer
When the moon found the sun
He looked like he was barely hanging on
But her eyes saved his life
In the middle of summer
When The Day Met The Night – Panic At the Disco
One of the many reasons I loved Alice was that everything was beautiful to her. Little tiny things, she saw a totally different way than anyone else. Vines growing out of a sewer grate, an oil stain on the street in the shape of a heart…a decrepit bar called Partners was no different. To the rest of us, it was a disgusting townie bar that we avoided at all costs. It was constantly full of alumni from our high school from the past 50 years – people we didn't really want to see, to put it mildly. The only beer they had on tap was Budweiser, and that didn't fly with our group's somewhat snobby beer tastes. (I'm sorry, but a good Belgian beer would win over a domestic, any day.) But Alice dubbed Partners "Club P" and would desperately try to convince us that we wouldn't get hepatitis just by walking through the door. I've got to admit, whenever I go there with her, I have a great time, and it was exactly what I was in the mood for tonight. I didn't need to get dressed up or spend much money there. Phil loved Club P, partially because he was a little in love with Alice, and partially because he's a little bit of a townie dirtbag. Rosalie wasn't from our town, so she didn't have the same aversion to the clientele the rest of us, and Emmett went wherever Rose did. Jasper, for once, was the crimp in Alice's plan – he abhorred Club P to a bizarre degree.
I pulled on a pair of jeans and a grey V-neck shirt, and threw on my comfy-as-hell flip-flops. I wrestled my long hair into a slightly more controlled messy bun than usual. There. Club P appropriate
"I'm ready!" I sang, slipping some cash into my pocket. No one answered. I turned around. Emmett was sitting at my computer, checking sports scores. Phil was gone – I could hear him banging around in his own room. Rosalie was coming back in from the bathroom, rubbing her temple.
"I swear, Alice called me just to give me a migraine. She just made me sit there and listen to her and Jasper argue over what we were doing tonight for twenty minutes. I peed, and they didn't even notice! Assholes," she complained.
"What was decided?" I asked, praying I wouldn't have to change. Rosalie rolled her eyes at me.
"Really, you think Jasper had a chance in this?" I laughed.
"BELLA!" Phil bellowed through the wall. Groaning, I punched the wall to let him know that I didn't appreciate his screaming, and went to his room. I stood in the doorway, looking at him expectantly.
"Does this look okay?" He asked, rather sheepishly. I smirked. My brother thought he was God's gift to planet Earth, but he still had his insecurities, and apparently putting together an outfit was one of them.
"You look great. Hot date?"
"I'm going with you guys to Partners."
"So why does your outfit matter? There's a layer of dust seventeen inches thick in that shit hole. You could wear your Harry Pot-head T-shirt and no one would even notice."
"I just wanted to make sure I didn't look like an ass, shut up," he snapped. I could see him blushing as he turned away. The Swan blush was apparently a genetic thing, though Charlie didn't seem to ever get embarrassed.
"Okay, whatever. Let's go, already. You're worse than a girl with your primping."
Ten minutes later, we were squished into Emmett's car, completely massacring Toto's "Africa" as we all belted out the lyrics and Rose giggled and took a video on her cell phone. Emmett parked right in front, and we saw Alice and Jasper waiting for us outside. Alice was bouncing up and down in excitement, waving, while Jasper leaned against a wall scowling.
"Quick," I cried. Everyone paused their unbuckling and looked at me. "I say Jasper's pissy mood only lasts fifteen minutes after we get a booth. Losers buy the winner their own pitcher of Club P's finest Bud."
"Jasper seems really mad this time, I say an hour," Rose mused.
"Thirty-seven minutes exactly," said Phil.
"Half an hour, he'll need to get situated before he relaxes," Emmett declared.
"And, break!" I yelled, wrenching open my door and jumping out.
"Hi guys!" Alice cried, hugging Rose and Emmett. "Phil! You're even taller than the last time I saw you!" She gave him a hug as well, and I could see that quick blush flash across his face even in the settling dusk.
"Yeah, well, college…" he stammered. Alice laughed.
"Exactly, all that beer, its like fertilizer for guys, isn't it?" She smiled at him, then linked her arm through mine and began dragging me towards the door. "What am I working with, Bells?" she whispered to me.
"I said fifteen minutes," I hissed back. She pinched me angrily.
"Fifteen? He's barely spoken to me all night. Damn it, Bella, you have too much faith in me."
"Come on, Alice, I think you're forgetting about Club P's fantastic jukebox. You got this one in the bag." Sighing dramatically, Alice began fishing for singles in her pocket, and I could see her creating a play list in her head.
We walked into the dingy bar. Multicolored Christmas lights were strung haphazardly along the back wall. Tons of eclectic old signs littered the walls, many of them with a nautical or beer theme. A creepy mannequin was dressed in a feather boa and sombrero and was propped up on an old barrel by the dartboard.
Scanning the room, I saw an empty booth and scurried over to it. It was much safer to be in a booth than standing out in the middle of the floor, and no one sat at the bar besides the elderly die-hards. I had already spotted Lauren Mallory back by the pool table, since her white-blond hair and too-angular features were hard to miss. Avoidance was easier with some walls around you. Emmett and Rose went to get a pitcher and some mugs, while Alice pranced over to the jukebox to begin battle. Phil and Jasper slid onto the benches, and I sat next to Phil. Alice came back and snuggled in next to Jasper, just as Emmett and Rose returned with our drinks. I tapped my watch as subtly as I could, reminding everyone to watch the time and Jasper's mood.
"To Bellsie's homecoming," Phil said, once we'd all poured. I smiled as my brother and best friends raised frosty glasses in my honor. We clinked and drank, laughing and talking. Suddenly, the opening notes of a familiar song began to play. Oh, Alice was good…
Have you ever met a girl that you tried to date?
But a year to make love she wanted you to wait
Let me tell ya a story of my situation
I was talkin' to this girl from the U.S. nation
The way that I met her was on tour at a concert
She had long hair and a short miniskirt…
Jasper loved this song. He almost always requested it during karaoke. I realized that we were all painfully obvious, because all conversation had halted and we were just staring at Jasper to see his reaction. Then the chorus hit:
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
And you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend, oh baby
You, you got what I need but you say he's just a friend
But you say he's just a friend
That was all it took. We were all ignoring Jasper and singing along atrociously. I was so into it, I'd closed my eyes. I opened them tentatively, and Jasper's face hadn't changed. I nudged Rose, who smirked at me. I knew she was proud of herself for being right, ultimately forgetting that meant that Jasper was extremely angry. Phil and Emmett were rapping back and forth at this point, trying to remember the more obscure lyrics. Alice was laughing, seemingly carefree, but I could see her glancing at her solemn boyfriend.
"Okay, I give up, that Biz Markie is quite the wordsmith," Phil said eventually. Emmett whooped and pumped his fist, having won their rap battle. Rose kissed him on the lips proudly.
"Casper, don't you know like, every word to that song?" I asked, using the nickname I knew he hated. I was desperate for a reaction at this point. That Biz Markie song is long as hell, and my fifteen minutes were almost up. Jasper just glared at me. I started assembling Casper the Friendly Ghost jokes to slip into everything I said as the next song started.
Too perfect. All my Friendly Ghost jokes flew out the window with that first guitar strum.
Hold on little girl
Show me what he's done to you
I stood up, chugged the rest of my beer and slammed the empty glass to the table.
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
I waggled my finger at everyone at the table to join me as I sang loudly, backing out of the booth towards the center of the bar.
When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
Emmett was the first to join in, singing along and grabbing my hand to twirl and dip me.
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you
Phil slid out of the booth next, pulling Alice and Rose with him.
I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you
I checked my watch. It had been thirteen minutes. I had to step up my game.
Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
I grabbed Alice and Rose's hands and pulled them to me. I knew I was a horrendous dancer, and Alice straight refused to move her tiny body in front of people, but Rose was fantastic
Wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I initiated some awkward shimmy move in hopes that Rose would salvage it, which she did. Phil groaned and clapped a hand over his eyes, while Emmett catcalled.
I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
At this point, I was becoming aware of the other bar patrons noticing us. Lauren Mallory was snickering to some other vapid girl I graduated with. However, the song was coming to a close and I had a free pitcher of beer with my name on it.
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you
I clumsily pirouetted in circles, before dropping to one knee and patting the other for Alice to perch on.
I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
"FEEL IT TOO!" Jasper cried, finally unable to resist the call of Mr. Big. He flew out of the booth, and in one motion grabbed Alice around the waist and sat both of them on top of my bent knee. The weight and flurry of motion was unexpected, and the three of us went down onto the disgusting linoleum floor in a heap.
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you… ooooooooooooooh
We drew out the last note for as long as we could, our voices cracking, and then dissolving into hysterical laughter. A loud burst of applause rang out across the room as Phil came over to us and gingerly plucked Alice and I off the nasty floor. He pulled Jasper up and clapped him on his back.
"Jasper, man, I thought you were better than that."
"Who won?" Jasper asked, finally smiling. Phil glared in my direction as I was brushing off my jeans.
"What?" I asked as innocently as possible.
"What did she win?" Jasper asked. My face lit up and I ran to the bar. I squeezed in between Eric Yorkie's grandfather and some big guy in a black hooded sweatshirt.
"Barkeep!" I called. The weathered, middle-aged woman with the over-dyed feathered hair looked over at me. "A pitcher of your finest Budweiser. And three straws!" I peeked over my right shoulder and flashed thumbs up to Alice and Jasper, letting them know that I planned to share my winnings. I looked over my left to see Rose and Emmett pulling out money for my pitcher, and just beyond them, Lauren Mallory hitting on my brother. Vomit. I stalked over to Rose.
"Rose, please work some magic and get my brother out of the death grip of herpes, personified." I begged. She immediately shoved her share of the money into Emmett's hand, pulled down the hem of her shirt and sauntered over to Phil and Lauren. Emmett grinned and went to pay for the beer.
I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I saw Phil's eyes get very large, and Lauren's jaw drop open as Rose dragged Phil away. They arrived back at our table just as Emmett did with the pitcher, still holding the wad of cash.
"Hey, Bella, they said it was already paid for," Emmett said, confused, as he plunked the slippery pitcher on the table.
"Huh? Who paid for it?" I asked.
"That guy." He pointed at the big guy in the black sweatshirt I'd been standing next to at the bar, who was heading towards the door. Maybe he liked our performance earlier. I jumped up to say thank you, but he was moving very quickly. Just as he got to the door, Lauren jumped out of seemingly nowhere and started squealing. I put my hand out to touch his shoulder.
"Oh my God, you have to take a picture with me!" She pulled the man's hood down, and a shock of bronze hair I would have recognized anywhere was revealed.
I froze. All the Christmas lights were blurring together, accented by a couple of bright pops of light. I felt like I was underwater. I heard some muffled noises, people yelling. His bright green eyes connected with mine. I felt like a cassette tape being eaten by a VCR – everything slowed comically, and then shot into fast forward. I heard Phil's voice and felt Alice's small hands touching my hair. I tensed, saw nothing but the color red, heard a sickening crunch and then, slowly, the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt shot through my hand.
I blinked, blinked, blinked. Finally, I focused.
Blood everywhere.
So I fainted.