Tripping The Prom Queen

Chapter 8: Use Somebody, Part 1

Author's Note: And now… to answer the big question… Jacob and Victoria? Did they or didn't they?

Don't be too hard on Jacob! He's only… human! And you do have to love a certain two persons… response to it all!

The title of this chapter is both literal and ironic. "Use somebody" can mean both needing someone and taking advantage of them… interesting! Because both apply here! Of course, this title came from the Kings Of Leon song… one of my many favorites!

Thanks as always to those who reviewed: MadTwilighter, itsjadee, StacySapphire, jayd-n33, , EsmeAliceRose, IKNOWIMWEIRD1117, and Mittenzs


Chapter 8: Use Somebody, Part 1

Jacob awoke alone, in pitch-blackness.

What the hell… where am I?

He stretched and his thick, muscled forearm smacked into something hard.

Crap! What the f is that!

A few anxious minutes passed before he realized what he was lying on.

My bed… My arm collided with the damn wall!

This had been happening with increasing frequency lately. As Jacob grew, shooting quickly past the six foot mark, his tiny bedroom seemed to shrink. His feet dangled over the edge of the twin bed that took up half the the room. There was just enough space left for a chair and a small dresser.

My room… Jacob realized, gratefully. "But how the hell did I get here. I don't remember coming home…"

"I was at that party…" he recalled, head and heart pounding. Checking out those bitchy cheerleaders… Like Bella and Alice wanted me to… Especially that Victoria…

Victoria!

We… No!

Images swirled through Jacob's brain.

Her hands… Her mouth! OMG… her mouth!

Gingerly, he touched the side of his neck, then reached for a mirror. Four very large, very red hickeys marred his otherwise flawless bronze skin.

How the hell am I gonna explain those! he thought desperately. I can't hide them!

They look like friggin vampire bites!

And it didn't stop there… he realized.

She was… all over me!

Bile filed his mouth when he realized exactly where Victoria's had been.

She… We… No! There was no "we" involved! She did everything! Gave me a…"

That wasn't supposed to happen! Definitely not part of the plan!

But… the plan still worked! he rationalized. We found out what we wanted to know! Victoria isn't loyal to Rosalie. She'll screw her over in a minute!

But… I knew that… before she… I didn't have to… I could have stopped her!

But I didn't… I didn't want to!

And it was… amazing! Jacob had to admit.

His phone beeped. Wincing in pain, he checked his messages. Bella had left him a voice mail and Alice had texted him.

He played Bella's message first.

"Hey Jake, it's me! Just wondering what happened last night? I guess you're still sleeping it off!"

She has no freaking idea!

"I'm working today. Call me! Bye!"

OMG! Bella! What the hell am I going to tell her!

He then checked Alice's text.

J? We want all the dirty details! A

No! You don't!

With difficulty, he dragged his limp body out of bed, noting that he was still fully dressed in last night's clothes. He walked into the cluttered living room, glad that his father had gone out and that he was alone. He was even more grateful to see that there was still coffee percolating in a pot on the stove. Jacob quickly drained a large mug of it, using the brew to wash down three asprin. He sat down at the battered table, waiting for it to kick in. From that vantage point, he could see out the living room window, and notice the two people heading towards the front door.

Crap! Not who I want to see right now!

However, he knew that these visitors were relentless and could not be ignored. Before they could start pounding on the door… and further aggravating his still throbbing head, he let them in.

"Jacob." Embry Call, one of his best friends greeted him, his smile fading when he saw Jake's ashen face. "Dude, what happened?"

"You look like hell!" Quil Atera, his other best friend stated frankly.

"Thanks!" Jacob said. "I feel like hell!"

He led the two boys back into the living room.

"So, what the hell happened to you last night?" Quil asked, as he and Embry spotted the bites on Jacob's neck.

"No freaking way!" Embry cried out enviously. "Bella did that to you?"

"No" Jacob admitted.

Unfortunately!

"Then it was that Alice babe!" Quil concluded, clearly just as jealous as Embry. "Damn it! You are one lucky…"

"Will you two just shut up!" Jacob screamed.

His friends immediately stopped their teasing.

"Dude, what's wrong?"

"I hooked up with someone last night…" Jacob confessed. "Someone who isn't Bella or Alice."

Quickly, he told them what he could remember of his encounter with Victoria.

Quil and Embry were impressed.

"Dude! No way!"

"And this is a problem because?" Quil asked him.

Jacob didn't know how to begin to explain this. His friends knew nothing about the "revenge" plan he concocted with Bella and Alice.

They won't get it. he realized. Hell, I'm not even sure I do!

"Bella and Alice hate her."

"So, Bella and Alice wouldn't like you hooking up with Victoria." Quil summarized.

"Yeah!"

"So? Why do they need to know about it?"

"Don't they?" Jacob wondered.

Can I really keep this a secret?

"They'll get mad at you if they know, right?" Embry said.

"Hell, yeah!"

"Then don't tell them!"

"Embry's actually right for once!" Quil agreed, as Embry threw a book at him.

They're right! Jacob realized. I can't tell them. I don't have to! I still did my part!

Besides… it just happened… Once!

It's not going to happen again! Right!

"You're right!" Jacob told his friends. "I can't tell them."

"And don't worry!" Embry assured him "We'll keep your dirty little secret!"

"As long as you tell us every disgusting detail…"


"I want details!" Alice wailed across town. She and Bella were working at Esme's, but things were fairly quiet that day.

"I hate waiting!" she moaned, for what seemed like the thousandth time. "Why doesn't he call? Maybe something's wrong?"

"He'll call." Bella assured her. "What could possibly have happened? A big, bad wolf got him?"

"Well, those football players are real party animals!" Alice joked.

"If this is what you are like now, I'd hate to see what you'd be like if it was someone you were into?

Unwittingly, she cued Alice's other obsession. Alice had alternated all morning between ranting about Jacob and mooning over Jasper.

"Worse" Alice confessed. "If I was waiting for Jasper, I'd be climbing the walls!"

"He'll call." Bella repeated.

"Jacob or Jasper?"

"Both!" Bella laughed. "But you'll have to actually meet Jasper first!"

"No problem!" Alice purred. "He's just… so amazing! But I have a plan!"

"Of course you do!"

"And I have a plan for you and Emmett too!"

However, before she could divulge them, a new customer, a handsome flaxen-haired man, entered the store.

"Who on earth is that?" Ali whispered.

"Bella" he greeted her. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I just started, Dr. Cullen." she replied politely, then turned to Alice.

"This is my friend, Alice Brandon. Her mother owns the store."

"Your mother is Esme?" Carlisle smiled.

"Yes. She is." Alice smiled, as a delicious idea crystallized in her head.

"Why don't I introduce you?"

"I would be delighted." Carlisle agreed.

"She's in the back room. I'll just go get her." Ali disappeared, then returned a few minutes later.

"Mom, this is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Dr. Cullen, this is my mother."

"Esme" Esme said, smiling at him easily, trying to calm her racing heart.

It's… him!

"Were you looking for something special?" she asked

I think… I just found it! Carlisle thought, stunned by his intense reaction to this total stranger.

Unnerved, he was grateful to focus on the business at hand.

"I need a birthday present?"

"For your wife?" Esme asked. She had seen the gold band adorning his left hand, and gracefully hid her disappointment.

"No" he replied solemnly. "I'm not married."

"I see." she answered simply, not pushing for more information.

"My wife passed away. From cancer. Two years ago." Carlisle divulged.

Why did I just say all that?

"I'm sorry." Esme replied sympathetically. "I know how hard that must have been for you."

"My husband died too. Also from cancer. At about the same time as your wife."

How ironic… How strange!

"Really?" Carlisle said softly.

"Anyway…" Esme continued nervously. "You need a birthday present?"

"Yes, for my sister-in-law. Can you suggest something?"

"I do have a few ideas." Esme smiled gently. "Shall we take a look?"

"Sweet!" Alice grinned, nudging Bella. "Just look at them!"

"They do look good together." Bella had to admit. "But don't get your hopes up! Dr. Cullen's been through a lot."

"My mom will be good for him." the other girl insisted. "Trust me!"

"I hope so."

"Speaking of good…" Bella changed the subject, taking her ringing phone from her pocket.

"Jacob"

"About bloody time!" Alice shrieked. "What does he say?"

"Just a text." Bella said, reading it.

"Mission accomplished. We were right. V wants to be #1! Feeling sick. Talk later."

"That's it." Alice was disappointed. "There's got to be more to this! I'll get it out of him sooner or later!"

"But we were right!" Ali cooed. "She'll take Rosalie down!"

"Maybe…" Bella said, feeling slightly sick herself.

This may turn into… more than we bargained for. We have no idea what this girl is capable of… She could really hurt Rose…

But isn't that… what we wanted?

"Bella?"

"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" Bella asked. "I'm started to think… maybe we don't know exactly what we've gotten ourselves into?"

"I know." Alice said seriously. She had always had very bad feelings about Victoria.

"But Victoria would do what she's going to do no matter what. She's not doing it for us, remember?"

"That's true. It's not like we can stop her."

"How bad can she be?" Bella added. "It's not like she's planning to kill Rosalie."

"She'll just take her down a few pegs. Crush her ego. "

"And we don't even know if whatever Victoria is planning will work." Bella added. "Rose is pretty tough!"

"Right" Alice agreed.

"You're not backing out then?" she asked Bella.

"No"

"Then, let's decide what we're doing next… "


Monday morning came too soon for Bella. She knew it was time for the next step of their plan, and it was the scariest thing she had ever done.

Flirting with Emmett from across the football field is one thing… Actually talking to him is another! What will I say?

She wore the first outfit she had chosen from Esme's- the sapphire blue skirt and matching top. She knew she looked good. However, even her favorite outfit failed to provide her with the confidence she needed now.

Here goes nothing!

Heart racing, she rounded the school corridor, nearing his locker, where she would "accidentally" bump into him.

What could I say to him? What could we possibly have to talk about?

"Hey, Bella!" Emmett called out to her.

He's… talking to me?

"Earth to Bella!" he teased her.

"Um, sorry!"

"You were a million miles away!"

"I was… just thinking."

"Must have been about something good!" Emmett smiled warmly at her.

"Yeah" Bella agreed, feeling her tension ease.

"Anyway…" Em paused.

What could he possibly want from me?

"I was hoping you could help me with something?"

"That depends." Bella answered. "With what?"

"English. I'm not doing so good."

"Well" she corrected.

"See. That's exactly what I mean!" Emmett said, laughing easily. His mood was contagious, and Bella found herself laughing too.

"Coach Benjamin" says that if I don't keep my grades up, I can't play football."

"And we can't have that now, can we?" Bella flirted, surprised at herself.

Where did that come from?

"The team really needs you."

"And I really need them." Emmett said honestly, adding.

"Mr. Mason said you were his best student."

"Really?" Bella answered.

"But of course, I already knew that."

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

"Always has!" Emmett boasted shamelessly, before turning serious and asking.

"So? You'll do it?"

"Why not." she agreed. "Anything for the team!"

"Great!" he answered. "So, when? I've got practice this afternoon. Maybe I could come by your house later?"

"Um, sure." Bella promised nervously, wondering how her father would react.

Note to self. Ask Dad to put away his gun!

"So… I'll see you later? Around 8:00?"

"That's cool."

He turned and left. Bella somehow contained herself for a few minutes, before exploding.

It worked! I did it!

After a fist pump, she reached for her phone to text Alice.

A, Got him! Meet in parking lot?" B

Alice texted back just a minute later.

Knew U would! Got something to tell U 2! See U ASAP!"

The two girls rendezvoused in Alice's Porsche.

"Wait until I tell you what happened?" Bella gushed.

Quickly, she recounted her meeting with Emmett.

"He wants to "study" with you? Classic!" Alice grinned. "We all know what that means!"

"Maybe not." Bella said. "Maybe he just needs the help?"

"Maybe he just needs you!" Ali retorted, singing

"You know that I could use somebody! Somebody like you!"

"Alice!" Bella admonished her.

"We'll see."

"We sure will." Alice smiled naughtily. "Now, let me tell you about Jasper."

Bella was only too grateful to change the subject.

"You talked to him?

"Of course I did!"

"What did you say?"

"He was alone, inside the music room. I walked up to him. And I told him "You've kept me waiting for a long time!""

"And he didn't freak out?" Bella asked. From the little she knew about guys, it seemed that remark would send them running away from most girls.

But Alice isn't most girls! She's definitely not ordinary!

"No! Why would he?" Alice said confidently.

Deep down, he knows what I do… This is meant to be.

"So, what did he say."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. With a Texas accent!" Alice laughed. "His family is originally from there."

"I didn't know that." Bella said.

"So, we talked for a little while. Mostly about music. He has his own band! He wants me to come hear them practice. Today!"

"That's so great!"

"Yeah." Alice smiled happily. "So, we're going?"

"We?"

"Yeah! I can't go alone. I need a wing chick!" the other girl pleaded. "Please?"

"Sure" Bella agreed. She loved all kinds of music and was genuinely interested to see what Jasper's band was like.

"Ok!" Alice said. "We'll go right after school."

That afternoon, after dropping off Alice's car, the two drove off together in Bella's old truck, Alice navigating.

"Pass over the bridge at the Calawah River. Keep following this road north."

"Where on earth are we going?" Bella asked, as the houses grew fewer and further between.

"We're almost there!" Alice assured her, as they reached an unpaved road. "Just a few more miles."

They drove through the forest, following the twisting path. Finally, the woods thinned and Bella could see the huge house looming before them. It was like no home she had ever seen before.

"So beautiful… It must be a hundred years old! Three stories, soft faded white, rectangular, well-proportioned. Those windows and doors are either antique or a perfect restoration."

"Wow!" Alice exclaimed, just as impressed. "It's gorgeous! I love the wraparound porch."

"And the gardens." Bella agreed.

"My mother will love this!" Ali cooed. "Perfect!"

What is she talking about Bella wondered. What does Esme have to do with it?

"Jasper's family sure is lucky!" Bella announced.

"Jasper?" Alice said. "Don't I wish!"

"What…"

"This isn't his house."

"No?" Bella said. "Then whose is it?"

"Edward Cullen's..."


Author's Note 2: Ok… Bella's at Edward's house… cue the drama! Finally some Bella/Edward action!

And how much did you love Quil and Embry? I think those guys really could "Use Somebody"! They need dates! Badly!