Author's Note:
We love that everyone is following and or adding this to their favorites. This story is somewhat of a first for myself and my twin (KatastrophicKat) in that, we've never worked together on a story before- only given each other feedback for our own. Seeing as it is a collaboration, we would love to hear from you guys. Tell us what is done well, what you think should happen (it'll honestly be debated between us, I'm sure) and what we can improve upon. It does us no good to hear that a chapter was 'good' (Other than possibly inflate our egos a little bit and make us smile). We'd love to hear just what MADE it good... reviews and feedback are awesome ;)
Now that my rant is over with . Enjoy.
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"I'm a fight with myself until I'm bleeding. Just a taste of your skin starts the healing. Anyone from my past, get your ammo. Find my sun in the dark side of my shadow." Not Your Fault- AWOLNATION
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Bella woke to pounding on her door. She glanced at the clock and almost eep'd at the time. It was after 4am. Anyone who was pounding on her door was either seriously hurt, or seriously put out. She threw her robe around herself and thought of calling the police. When she had went to bed, she'd not been nude, nor did her bedroom have such a disarray of strange clothing. She opened the door and saw…
"Angela?"
At least she thought it was Angela.
Angela Webber, the daughter of the church's preacher.. Judging from the girl's attire, Angela was doing what she only wished she could do. She'd never seen Angela showing so much skin, let alone wearing makeup in the fashion she was.
"Isabella, don't play dumb with me! I saw you!" She yelled, pushing her way into the apartment.
Bella blinked, genuinely confused at the actions of the one female she had considered a real friend. Angela saw her? Where?
"Angela, what on EARTH are you talking about?"
She watched her friend whip around. "I saw you. Your innocent act is NEVER going to fool me again!" A feline-like smile came over her friend. "I saw you on that motorcycle, showing off your body wrapped around that amazing piece of man meat. You're lucky it was me who saw you and not Edward or Alice or- GOD FORBID- your parents…"
"Angela, I don't know what you think you saw, but I've been here sleeping since my classes let out. I feel like I'm coming down with something."
Angela snorted. "Whatever you say, Princess. I saw you. This innocent act you've got going is going to be ripped to shreds. You looked happier than I've ever seen you with that guy. Maybe it's time to cut Eddie loose, eh?"
Bella huffed and opened the door, "Angela, you woke me up and now you're speaking in ways I've never known you to. I had thought you to be a lovely young woman and a great friend to me, but perhaps Edward is right- Yes Edward- and I can trust no one but my family and his…"
She watched Angela slowly walk out, the other female appraising her with a curious eye.
"Just think about it. Either you have a twin, or you're lying. I'll find out which. At least I can admit that I put on a false image for the community and my parents. Why are you hiding?" And she left.
Bella closed the door and began tidying her apartment, AGAIN. She figured the clothes must belong to Edward's cousin, Rosalie. She often used Bella's apartment to change clothes for her dates with Emmett, her secret lover. It wasn't that Rose was ashamed of Emmett, he had actually met her parents and they adored him, she just knew they'd have kittens if she went out wearing what she actually wanted to for a "date" when she was "virgin" and a whole bunch of other things that just were NOT the real Rose…
Her parents would have a coronary if they knew she possessed them, no matter if they were not actually hers.
She put them in the wash for next time and hung the jacket that had been on her bed previously across the chair with care.. A little more care than the thought she would give it.
She tried to muster the urge to go back to bed, but she was wide awake. She sat at her desk to start on her assignments, but all she could think about was dreaming of Izzy. She'd finally learned the name of her mystery dream man.. His name was Paul. She couldn't remember many distinguishing features now, but she knew his name was Paul. She wondered where her subconscious had pulled that from…
One of her assignments was to write about ways to early-diagnose someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or Multiple- Personality Disorder. As she read through the passages and started hi-lighting things for her paper, she started thinking about Angela's visit as well. Could Angela perhaps have DID? No, because she even acknowledged her duality…
She had finished all her work by 9:30am and gathered her required items to take a shower and "start" her day. She had stayed only in the robe, loving the wicked feeling of being nude. Her mother would have had kittens!
While styling her hair, she thought she saw a strange shadow on the back area of her neck/shoulder.. She couldn't tell if it was a shadow or actually part of her skin, but she brushed it off. Edward called and asked if she would like to go to breakfast with him before heading to her parents and she readily agreed. Alice would be their chaperone, of course. She dressed in her usual fashion and twisted her hair up into a fancy style on top of her head, hoping Alice would be pleased. That small woman was obsessed with clothing and fashion!
She walked to the diner and smiled as Alice waved her over. She sat dutifully and respectfully beside Edward, greeting them both. She turned to place her small purse on the back of the chair to hang when she heard Alice gasp loudly. She turned quickly. The small female had gone pale and her almost-fiancee was turning red.
"What is it!?" Bella cried out, quite alarmed at the behavior of the two normally composed siblings.
"Isabella!" Alice hissed, "Have you been engaging in crude activities?"
Bella was once again highly confused. "Excuse me?"
Edward cleared his throat to try to regain composure, but could not keep the venom from his tone. "Isabella, there is a mark on the juncture between your neck and shoulder. I believe the term for it is a hickie. It is similar to a bruise but is only brought on by lewd activities.. I do not engage in such behavior, nor would I intend to suck on your neck to leave a mark such as that. So how did you get it?"
Bella looked down at her hands and said in a small voice, "I thought it was just a shadow this morning. I have no idea what is going on. First, Angela acts strangely and now there's a mark of unknown origin on my skin... I... I..."
She felt tears welling up in her eyes, "Excuse me but I believe I need to leave."
The siblings made no move to stop her. Once she got home she threw herself into her rarely used car and thought of where to go. Her parents wouldn't be any help, though she could always see the yearning in her father's eyes for a better life for his daughter. Too bad he couldn't get out from underneath his wife's commanding personality... She only knew of one other person...
Two hours later, she was pulling into the driveway of her Grandma Swan's home. Her mother had never approved of Grandma Swan's "free" nature. Grandma Swan liked to garden without gloves, listen to all types of music, bake cookies with REAL sugar, dress in casual fashion no matter where she went- She thought Marie Swan was a no good hippie and a drain on the world since she lived off disability payments and "organic" vegetables...
She threw herself out of the car as soon as she turned it off and started running up the steps of the old house. Her grandma walked out just in time for Bella to throw herself, sobbing, into her old arms.
Marie simply held her grandchild, thinking the pressure her mother had always put on her to be perfect was finally cracking her apart. She listened through Bella's tears as she told her about the strange dreams, Angela and then the mark on her skin.
Marie cooed and cuddled until Bella's tears were almost non existent.. Finally, their eyes met and Bella pleaded..
"Grandma Marie.. What is happening?"