Tripping The Prom Queen

Ch 12: Firsts, Part 1

Author's Note: It's baaack!

I was glad to see that so many of you didn't forget this story… and so many new readers found it, since it's been… almost a year (gasp!) since my last update! Because I never forgot it either! I've actually been busy working on my first original novel… which, hopefully will find a publisher some day…

I hope you all get to read that, too, someday… In the meantime, here's a new season of "Tripping The Prom Queen"… Will Bella and Alice get revenge on Rosalie? Will Bella and Edward hook up… or will she succumb to the charms of someone else?… Or both? And just what is Victoria's evil scheme?

Happy Holidays, everybody! Read on and enjoy…. And please, let me know what you think!


Chapter 12: Firsts, Part 1

Edward led the group down to their basement studio. Bella watched as he eagerly bounded ahead, practically leaping down the steps.

He's so… easily distracted… Just a minute ago…

Bella walked far more slowly, still in a trance.

What just happened? I thought that he… we…

But I guess… I'm wrong. Of course I am! He's just… too perfect! No way someone like him could be meant for me!"

It's a beautiful song! We were just caught up in it! He wasn't going to kiss me!

Just because I wanted him to…

Instinctively, she clutched the banister as she descended the rickety stairway. Automatically, she released it and followed Alice to the tattered old couch. Her friend looked at her curiously as Bella sat down, a million questions in her bright eyes.

However, Alice knew not to ask them now. They weren't alone. Besides, Bella's attention remained fixated on Edward, who strapped on his guitar and now played "their" song for Jasper, Aro, Caius and Marcus.

"Where does it hurt…"

"Please tell me, cause I understand…"

"The words of the heart…"

"Beating like wings in my hand…"

"We can't hide…"

"We'll never lie…"

"I'll always see into you…"

You do understand… Bella thought. You do…

"Bella…" Alice's voice whispered. "Bella?"

"Yeah…"

"Amazing!"

"Mmm…"

"So great!"

"Yes…"

He is…

"I can't believe you never wrong a song before!"

Oh! She's talking about the song…

"I didn't." she confessed. "It's all Edward."

"Yes" Alice purred knowingly, thinking

It certainly is! So obvious! How did I not see it before!

This certainly changes things…

Bella's attention shifted back to Edward. Everyone, everything else just evaporated. She leaned forward, as his intense green eyes beckoned her closer.

The others were into the music now, trying out the new song. They seemed to learn it quickly. However, Edward was not so easily satisfied.

"Try that part again." he insisted, now singing.

"I've been there too…"

"I've wasted myself…"

"But you were there for me…"

"Where does it hurt…"

The group remained hard at work for another hour, perfecting the song. Edward seemingly as focused on the music as Bella was on him. They were finally interrupted by a loud clunking sound, coming closer and closer.

"What's that?" Alice asked.

"Footsteps" Bella announced,

The noise thudded down the stairs.

"Whose? An elephant's?"

"Close. Emmett's" Edward snorted.

What the hell is he doing here? Like I don't know!

He wouldn't bother coming otherwise! He never has before! Even though, I've asked him to!

He's just here for Bella…

The door thrust open. For a few moments, no one spoke.

"Emmett!" Jasper finally said, snapping the odd tension that had saturated the room. He didn't know why Edward's cousin suddenly arrived, nor why Edward was not pleased to see him.

If Emmett was aware of that, he chose to ignore it.

"Hey!" he greeted everyone with his customary cheerfulness, lowering himself onto the rickety couch next to Bella. He leaned over and kissed her lips quickly, then asked.

"How are you?"

"Fine"

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked frostily.

"You invited me. Remember?" Emmett replied stiffly. "To see you rehearse."

"That's true."

"And I wanted to see how my girl here was doing…"

Um… Your girl? Bella thought. We never discussed that…

His girl Edward pondered. He moves fast… Things must be more serious between them than I thought…

Emmett took Bella's hand and looked directly into her eyes.

"I heard about what happened this morning… I tried to find you, but you weren't in school."

"I was excused."

"I know. So, I called you, but you didn't answer. I was going to come find you, but I had practice."

"I'm okay. You didn't need to do that."

"But I wanted to." Emmett insisted.

"How did you know I was here?" Bella asked.

Yeah… Edward wondered. How did you?

"I went to your house and you weren't there. Then I ran into that Native American kid I've seen you hanging out with… Jacob, right?"

"Yeah…" Bella confirmed, feeling her cheeks flush.

"He told me you left with Edward. So I thought you might be here."

"You though right." Bella replied. "I didn't realize you knew Jacob."

"I don't. Not really. He showed up at my last party. Very briefly…"

"Briefly?" Alice interjected. "Why? Where did he go?"

"He disappeared. Into the woods. With Victoria!"

"Victoria!" Bella exploded.

I think I'm going to be sick!

"That girl certainly gets around." Jasper said blandly.

"Yeah! And why not! She's smoking! Most guys can't resist her!" Emmett grinned.

"Like a succubus!" Edward snorted.

"A what?" Em asked.

"Never mind."

"Anyway, do you want a ride home?" Emmett asked Bella.

"I really want to stay and hear the rest of this."

"We wrote this song together." Edward told him sternly.

"Cool" Emmett replied, twisting around to face the band. "Go ahead. I want to hear this, too."

Edward shrugged and turned back to Jasper, Aro, Caius and Marcus.

"And one… and two… and three…"


While the band played, Rosalie Hale slipped on her expensive black suede jacket and stepped out into the damp streets. The doors of Fork's police station finally slid shut behind her and her parents. They had been detained there all day, discussing the graffiti on Bella's locker. However, it clearly wasn't over yet.

"I'm so disappointed." Mrs. Hale repeated. "I can't believe this."

"Really. Doesn't that man know who we are!" Mr. Hale sniffed. "I lost a whole day of work for this! Do you know how much that cost me!"

"Chief Swan should certainly know better!" Mrs. Hale agreed. "You hung out with his daughter for years. Even though, she's clearly beneath you!"

"I can't believe it!" Mrs. Hale moaned. "You know how bad this looks! Everyone is talking about it!"

"I didn't do anything!" Rosalie exploded angrily. "Don't you believe me!"

"Sure you didn't!" Mr. Hale snorted. "Fat lot of good that does us!"

"Our reputation…"

Expertly, Rosalie tuned them out. She had heard this all her life. Anger crackled through her like static, sharp and electric, hurtling her towards rage.

Always about our family's image… Nothing else matters… Certainly not me!

All they care about is how I make them look! And, it's never enough! No matter what!

No matter how many beauty pageants I win! No matter how good my grades are! Or how well I do in sports!

And the more I try to live up to their expectations… The more my own dreams disappear!

They don't care about me! No one ever has! Except…

A shiver of remorse ran through her.

Bella…

Yeah! Right! Look what she did to me!

Maybe… it wasn't her…

Who else could it be! Who else would dare to mess with me!

She'll pay for this! And for Emmett, too!

Her parents continued to lecture. Rosalie continued ignoring them, following her own thoughts. More important matters were at stake.

I can't believe I missed cheer practice for this! With homecoming only two weeks away! We need new routines! I have them all ready!

They must have cancelled practice! No point, if I'm not there!

Rosalie opened her Marc Jacobs bag and slid her silver phone from the inside pocket. The words on the screen glowed ominously back at her.

No new messages.


An hour later, Bella sat besides Emmett in the front seat of his car. He drove her home, still amazed by what he had just heard.

"I can't believe it!" he enthused. "That song… rocks! You wrote that!"

"No. Not really." Bella shook her head. "Edward did it."

"That's not what he says!"

"I really only helped him a little."

"Somehow, I don't believe that…" Emmett grinned, pulling up in front of Bella's house.

"Yes, well, thanks for the ride." Bella answered, reaching for the door.

"Hey, wait. You don 't think you're getting away that easily, do you?" he teased her, with a catch in his voice. "Leaving me so soon?"

"I have to. Dad's probably starving. And I have a calculus test tomorrow."

And I need to be alone… To think.

"Well, I can't let you go…" Emmett persisted. "Not until you agree to go to the Homecoming dance with me."

"Homecoming…"

"In two weeks."

"I… don't know."

"What's not to know?" Emmett asked impatiently.

"I just need to think about it, okay!" Bella snapped.

"Whoa! Sorry!"

"No… I'm sorry."

"It's cool." Emmett assured her. "You had a rough day."

"Yeah"

He has no freaking idea!

Where does it hurt… Tell me, because I understand…

Edward…

"I get it." Em continued. "You just let me know. This week."

He leaned in to kiss her. Bella kept it brief, turning away and slipping out of the car.

Half her worry was unfounded. Charlie was not home. He left her a note, saying he would be working late.

Because of me… Trying to find the heinous criminal who defaced my locker! And when he does…

She quickly nibbled at some leftover lasagna, barely tasting it. She had not been lying about the math test. With everything else that had been going on, she hadn't done any studying yet. Bella despised math at the best of times, and tonight she truly loathed it.

I'm doomed… I can't concentrate…

Not like Edward… Bella thought, remembering again his dedication to his music.

And he just forgot all about you…

He didn't forget! He just isn't interested!

Why are things so tense between him and Emmett, anyway?

Should I just go to the dance with him?

I may as well… Who else is going to ask me?

Stick to the plan…

Speaking of… Jacob hooked up with the Vixen! That's disgusting! And definitely not part of the plan!

Neither was what happened with him this afternoon!

Not everything goes as planned…

I need to talk to Alice…

She dialed her friend's number, but Alice did not answer.

Speaking of hooking up…

Study! Or you'll never get out of High School!

That thought frightened her enough to concentrate on Calculus for two hours. Her mind drifted, but she was able to re-focus on her work. Finally, exhausted and with burning eyes, she closed her books, took a shower and went to bed.

She wrapped herself in her violet comforter and dozed off. Soon, her eyes slid open.

She wasn't alone…

"Bella…" his velvet voice intoned seductively.

"Edward… What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you." he whispered, stepping over towards the bed. "May I sit down?"

"Yes."

He sat down next to her, atop the covers.

"I want to try something…" he murmured hungrily. "Be very still."

His slender, strong fingers caressed the sides of her face, angling her chin up, before placing his lips on hers. His kiss was tender, but still so sensuous.

"Yes" he whispered.

"Yes"

He kissed her again, with increasing intensity. His tongue glided over Bella's smooth lips, which parted eagerly, an invitation Edward could not resist. Their kisses continued to deepen. Edward slid down besides Bella, who threw her blankets aside. Together, they fell backward on the bed.

"Yes" he whispered again.

"Yes"

His hands slid gently under her tank top, moving lovingly over the smooth, soft skin of her back, before gliding forward.

"Tell me to stop." he murmured between kisses.

"No. Never."

His skilled touch found her breasts, nimble fingers caressing the small mounds, dancing over their silken peaks. He moaned.

"Not enough"

"No"

"Bella…"

She reached for him, showing him what she wanted. In one unbelievably quick motion, he whipped off his shirt, hurling it on the floor, before returning his hands to her pulsating body.

"Perfect" Bella breathed, as her own small, delicate fingers explored his muscled chest.

She didn't have a chance to speak more. His lips again found hers and their mouths undulated hungrily against each others. Bella felt air against her chest, as her tank top lifted and slowly inched upwards. She moved away from Edward just long enough for him to remove it and toss it on the ground near his own.

Edward rolled her onto her back, and looked down at her pure ivory skin, silhouetted only by moonlight. His breath caught in his throat.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"No…"

"Yes." Edward insisted, bringing his lips back to hers.

His soft kisses graced her mouth, before floating tenderly over her face and down to her neck. His fingers ghosted first over her left breast, moving in circles over her nipple, before paying equal attention to the right one.

Bella felt the ache heighten between her thighs. This was everything she had dreamed of and more… But how far would things go tonight?

"Bella…"

Edward's lips now reached her chest. He planted the lightest of kisses where his fingers had been, until Bella moaned in protest. His lips then burrowed more deeply, as his hands caressed her flat stomach.

"OMG, Edward…" Bella murmured.

"Yes, my love."

"It's… so good."

"Yes" he agreed. "I love you. I love you so much. I can't get close enough to you."

"Yes. You can."

"Bella…"

"Yes." she said confidently. She knew. She had always known.

"I love you, Edward. Make love to me."

"I love you, Bella…"

"Yes…"

His hands found the waist of her cotton pajamas…

Suddenly, a loud noise reverberated through the room

"What the…"

"Good morning! It's 7:00 AM and it looks like it's going to be another rainy day here in Forks!"

"Damn it!" Bella screamed, as light flooded her face.

"Only a dream…"