I feel a lot of things right now. A little annoyed, uncomfortable, itchy, and hungry on top of it all.
"Bella stop fidgeting," Alice reaches over the console to shake my hand off my top. I've been picking at the lacy blue top the whole car ride and now all of my nerves have manifested into a swarm intent on stopping me from relaxing.
When evil Barbie and the spunky sprite brought up surprise plans for the night, I blanched. But then I caught a peek of myself in the mirror and felt so much better. But now, sitting in the car outside of Emmett and Rose's place, I'm feeling weird again.
"Before we get in there," Rose speaks, "just remember Bella, he'd have to be blind to not have all eyes on you tonight."
"And with the way you look in those clothes..."
"Are we really doing the cliche girl-changes-how-she-looks-to-get-the-guy thing? My hoodie was way more comfortable."
"You can always take it off," Alice snickers, "you'd get way more than his attention."
"Okay. You know what..." I hop up and fling myself out of the car.
Before I have time to find something to toss at the car window, Emmett pushes through the front door.
"Girls! It's about time you three got here."
Edward creeps out from behind him, "Having problems Bel—" he stops mid-sentence as I turn to face him. Lace top is clearly in full effect.
"Yes she's feeling outnumbered, just like me," I turn and notice a scowl present on Alice's normally happy face. I guess it just hit her that there's one couple, herself, and Edward and me. "I'm texting Jazz."
"Are you on the team?" Rose asks Emmett from her place in her arms.
"I think it takes a little more than just one meeting Rose," I add, "Some narcissist classes, one or two competitions to figure out who has the biggest biceps, a growling championship."
"What would you know about competitions Bell?" Edward smirks. I see he's gotten himself back together. "The only thing you've ever competed for was to become assistant to our middle school gym teacher so you could sit out."
Bastard.
In 8th grade, the teacher came up with this extensive exercise competition where the winner would become her assistant for the year. I took this to mean that the winner would be too busy setting things up, grading written papers and anything else that involved the chair to her right to actually exercise. I jumped at the chance. Literally.
"Hey! I worked my ass off for that!" It's true. I worked out and ran so much during that week, I more than made up for doing the bare minimum the rest of that year.
"She had the most annoying shit-eating grin every time we entered and left that gym room."
"After all these years, he's still jealous I beat him out for it." I roll my eyes at him and fake a pout ,"if anything you should be thanking me. You toned up pretty well because you lost, and now you're the star of the football team. You're welcome."
"Right yeah thank you." Ever the sarcastic.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Emmett grins and lightly punches his arm.
"Oh God," I leave them to walk in the house, "Alice!"
A half hour later, I feel way over-dressed for the small circle the five of us are sat in in the basement. The only good part about this is that Edward's sitting right next to me and I would have to be the blind one to not notice his "subtle" peeks at and down my top. A bastard and a perv.
"What are we doing here guys?" I ask before I stuff my mouth with the popcorn Rose just brought down.
"Lets play truth or dare!" the gigantic one shouts.
"Wow I haven't played that in months." Rose says and I look at her sideways, "I haven't played that in years. What kind of middle school parties did you frequent?"
She snickers and tosses a candy bar in my bowl, making popcorn fly out of all sides of it.
"Wow. Just for that I'm eating this and leaving that for you to clean up."
"I'm down," Edward moves his gaze from me to the group. Of course he's down. I'm sure this is how he's found so many conquests.
Alice is practically vibrating in her seat which leads Emmett to start with her. "Alice, truth or dare?"
"Um," she looks up in thought, "I'll do a dare when my Jazzy gets here." Okay Ew.
"Okay," Emmett grins all evil-like while rubbing his hands together like a mad man, "I dare you to wear your hair in a ponytail all of next week."
I nearly choke on my popcorn as I laugh at the bewildered expression on Alice's face. "Alice hasn't worn a ponytail in all the years I've known her." Even when her hair was longer than the shoulder-length spikes she wears today.
Alice's shock passes and she glares his way, "you are an evil man Emmett. Have you seen my hair? A ponytail?!" She throws her arms up, still in disbelief, "I don't have the face or the hair for it. I'm gonna look like a fourth grader all week." I've known Alice to be dramatic, but as she practically collapses and falls backward onto the ground, I've yet to see this side.
"You'll be fine. Just wear it in a bun."
Emmett scratches his head, "Is a bun still a ponytail?"
"Yes," I point my greasy popcorn fingers at him, "a ponytail is hair that's back from the face."
I shrug. He's a boy. He doesn't know how far I've stretched the truth.
"Okay Miss know-it-all," the evil one's wench turns to me, "truth or dare?"
Well, which one would embarrass me less? I'd hate to get a dare that would ruin my outfit and taint how good I look in it in front of Edward. Cue the pan in on my greasy fingers.
"Truth."
"Are you attracted to anyone right now?"
"Like in this room? In life?"
"In your life."
"Well I think lots of people have to be attractive, because while I don't see it, others do. And a lot of girls at school attach themselves to the stumpiest looking guys. Which means they have to be semi-good looking—"
"Bella."
"Fiinnnnee," since she's dragging it out of me. "Yes I do happen to be attracted to someone right now."
"Great!" Alice claps her hands together and shoots a pointed look at Rose to drop it.
While I appreciate her coming into our group with open eyes and trying to push me and Edward together, I wish she'd let it happen, if it's meant to happen, at it's own pace, and I will be ripping her a new one after this. She hasn't encountered the entirety of bitchy Bella yet.
"Edward," Alice asks, "truth or dare?"
He grins and leans forward to grip the tops of his knees. I don't watch the way his muscles flex as he does so. "I'll take a page out of your book Ali. Dare."
If I had been the one to ask him, he would be stripping right now.
But it's Alice's turn to be evil, "Who did you sleep with before you came back to town?"
I stop eating and freeze. Yes, I've wanted to know the answer to this since he brought it up, but now? In front of everyone?
He coughs and runs a hand through his hair. He clearly looks uncomfortable, and I feel conflicted about whether I should feel bad or not. It clearly couldn't have been that good if he's so hesitant to talk about it. Don't guys jump at the opportunity to brag about the women they've slept with? But then again, if it wasn't good, why is it such a weird topic for him? It was clearly memorable.
"Well—"
The doorbell rings and I jump halfway into the air. Half the bowl of popcorn and the candy bar joins the rest on the ground. I'm still not cleaning it up though. Ice Queen Rose can get that too.
"JAZZY!" Alice flies off of the floor, Edward's dare forgotten, and races up the stairs to open the door for Jasper. Rose and Emmett get up as well to go and greet him, and by the time I've turned back to Edward's spot, he's gone.
I notice the basement back door open and stand up to follow Edward.
"Okay," I start as I approach him. "I understand not wanting to say anything in front of the whole group. Half of which, you literally just met, but I'm your best friend. Your annoying best friend, but I still have that title. You should tell me everything so that I can either help you or tease you mercilessly about it. That's how it should always be."
"I was gonna tell you Bell." You look up at me and I catch how haunted and dark your green eyes have become. Wow this girl must've done a number on you. I don't know if I'm jealous or angry, but I sure am anxious.
"Now's a pretty good time."
Edward's past away from Forks will be revealed soon in the next chapter this weekend. I meant to upload this chapter on Wednesday but my HP laptop is having problems. The wifi button and power button lights up but the screen is pitch black -_-
Thank you guys for reading! Review if you want, and if you have any advise for my laptop issue, I'm all ears!