Bella Pov
Alice was still waiting for her in the parking lot, like normal, when Charlie dropped her off the next morning. Bella got out of the car and almost walked away.
"Bells." Charlie spoke up and she turned back to see him waving a piece of paper at her from his opened window. "Your note."
"Oh, thanks." Bella sighed as she took it and he gave her a small smile, before turning to drive away. Bella glanced at the note and then toward the main office.
"We might as well ask about that summer class while we're there." Alice spoke up as she moved up along side Bella.
"They better say yes." Bella muttered and ignored the small laugh Alice gave at that.
"Edward's back." Alice spoke softly as they made their way towards the main office. "He wasn't happy that we're staying."
"Of course not." Bella couldn't keep her irritation out of her voice. It earned her an odd look from Alice.
"Do you know much about him, like you do me?" Alice asked quietly and they stopped just outside of the main office door.
"Look, I know enough to know he and I wouldn't get along." Bella didn't want to go into the 'story' and any mention of Edward might go into that. "I have a mind of my own and don't like other people assuming I don't."
Alice gave her a small hint of a smile. "I don't care for that either." Alice reached out and opened the door.
The woman, Mrs Cope, was standing at the counter and Bella moved with Alice to hand in their notes. "Mrs. Cope, Bella and I would like to sign up for a summer class." Alice smiled brightly at the woman and Bella watched Mrs. Cope's stunned expression for a moment, before the woman collected herself.
"Summer classes are for students behind for graduation." The woman spoke up and Bella stared at her for a moment.
"So if I'm irresponsible and don't do my homework I am 'punished' with summer classes, but if I honestly want to take something over the long and boring summer I am 'punished' with no summer classes?" Bella asked, and she noticed that Mrs. Cope was a little stumped by being pushed on this.
"No, Bella, I'm sure this is about money." Alice told her loud enough for Mrs. Cope to hear. "The school doesn't want to pay teachers to teach in the summer, but perhaps if they had a few openings in a class that was going to happen anyhow and could slip us in, and we offered to pay some tuition, and had our own supplies, like laptops with the software they use in that Video Production class and wouldn't even need to take up a computer,"
"How about I take down your names and numbers and run it past the principal and the instructor." Mrs. Cope finally said something somewhat helpful and Bella followed Alice's lead in writing that information down for her. She wondered if Alice knew when she bought the computers that they would be needed to even get in, because Bella suspected now that it would be the laptops that gave them a shot at the class.
"Thank you." Bella told Mrs. Cope softly, moving closer. "I really want to take that class. In fact we're hoping to get into Advanced for next school year, so we'll put in as much work as it takes to prove we're ready."
Mrs. Cope smiled at her and then briefly at Alice, but Bella got her response. "I can't promise anything, but if you have laptops it will help. You might want to talk to the teacher today before I bring it up, let him know how excited you are to take it. Most kids aren't excited for summer school; I think that might earn you some points." She sounded like she was conspiring with them and Bella smiled and nodded.
Once they were out the main office doors, Alice smiled. "And since you handled Mrs. Cope, I'll talk with the teacher."
"Why?" Bella asked.
"Because I 'know' if I approach him with Jasper, we can make him feel 'cooperative and excited' about students who want his class. Grading apparently takes time and he won't be receptive to more students without a nudge from my man." Alice admitted.
Bella smiled just a little as she realized Alice was moving a lot of pieces around to get what she wanted. It was actually a bit impressive to realize Alice was a planner, a planner and a schemer. "I prefer a more straightforward approach if you ever need to 'play' me." She teased the psychic and got an insulted look in return.
"He was going to say no, I had to change our plans." Alice explained and Bella smirked at her and just walked along beside her. "You wanted that class, and we will have so much fun."
"I'm not criticizing, Alice." Bella took Alice's arm the way Alice usually took her own. "I'm just saying using Jasper is a bit unfair and I hope you skip that part when you want something from me."
Alice gave her a wicked teasing smile. "I don't need Jasper to get things out of you."
Later that day, when Bella was sitting in the library with her lunch she felt cold hands cover her eyes. "Guess who?"
"Tinkerbell?" Bella teased and her vision was restored, to see Alice in front of her with a teasing pout after a moment.
"I was going to say the coolest woman in the world who just got us permission to join that class." Alice told her with a smile by the end of her words.
"That's great." Bella told her, but in all honesty she never thought it was iffy, once Alice started to work on it.
"Yes, I am." Alice laughed and sat down across from her. "So our summer plans are set. We'll take the class and when it's over we'll take our shopping trip." Alice sang out the words 'shopping trip'.
Bella looked at the list she'd been making and spoke softer, finally able to just ask for help. "I'm looking for a summer job that will give me enough hours to start to save up for thing, and help me start to rebuild my resume." Bella pushed her list toward Alice. "Are any of these places a mistake? I've taken jobs only to have them keep my hours low. I'm looking for about 20 to 30 hours during the summer, regularly, and no problems with taking our week off."
Alice took the list from her hands and pulled the pencil Bella had been using out of her hand. "Okay, they aren't hiring, they never hire." Alice crossed off two places right off the bat. "Visit these four." Alice marked four more. "Don't go there, that is one of those places that would have said they could give you twenty hours only to stick you with ten all summer and ask for twenty once school starts." She crossed off another. Alice then set the list down. "You won't be happy at any of these places for long Bella, by the end of the summer you'll be fed up with any of them."
"I don't expect to be happy. I'm not going to be able to get a better job with decent pay until I prove I can show up on time, work hard, and do a good job at something. When I get a car I might be able to try for something a little more challenging, but what idiot would give a sixteen year old any real responsibility? I'm just going to have to make it work, and wait." Bella spoke softly, knowing it would be years before she could get a job that wouldn't make her feel like she'd worked for twenty years only to end up stuck doing things she had been doing at fourteen.
"Okay, well, something better may come along before school starts again, so" Alice handed her the page back. "If you get any offers talk to me before accepting. Once more decisions have been made I'll have a better picture of what would be best." They were alone so it was safe for Alice to be so obvious, but it still felt odd to have her doing this in the school library for Bella.
….
Emmett Pov
Alice was with Bella, so it was his turn to be in the cafeteria. He got there early and sat waiting for Rose. He ignored Edward, even as Edward came up to their table and sat down. Jasper made it to their table and still Rosalie was missing.
"Lauren just asked to have a word with her." Edward told him and Emmett remembered Alice's vision, it seemed like so long ago, but he started to grin as he imagined that little discussion going on. He strained his ears to see if he could hear it. He could see Rosalie standing outside the building and down the walkway enough the humans in the cafeteria wouldn't take much notice of this through the large windows, her arms crossed in front of her as she stared at an increasingly nervous looking Lauren.
"I think you and Emmett make a cute couple." Lauren started.
"Thank you." Rosalie's voice was sugary in that way that she got when she was setting someone up and Emmett's grin grew.
"I'd hate for anyone to ruin your relationship." Lauren added.
"So would I." Edward muttered, "But Lauren is lying, she would love for you two to split up."
"She'll have a long wait, like forever." Emmett muttered, irritated at Edward still, and his comment didn't help. "Nothing will split us up."
Lauren started to talk, so Emmett stopped. "I hate to tell you this, but I overheard Bella talking about Emmett, and well, it sounds like she's after him. She was talking about his body, and how he was the catch of your family and she made it sound like she was getting rather intimate with him."
"Oh, I see, you want to save me from Bella stealing my man." Rosalie spoke a little slower.
"Yes, yes, she's trying to steal your man." Lauren agreed quickly. "She even said she'd been feeling his muscles."
"I didn't think that little girl had the courage for this." Jasper muttered and Emmett nodded his agreement.
"Oh I know she has." Rosalie nodded just a little as she spoke and Emmett watched his Rosie lean in closer to Lauren. "I was there." She whispered. "In fact, I'm usually there. This bullshit story of yours won't work, because I watched her feel Emmett's muscles." Emmett blinked and started to grin at the mental picture that was being built by Rosalie's words and tone. "And I trust her with my boyfriend. She's not a whore, like some of the girls I see." Rosalie eyes Lauren obviously. "No, Bella respects her friends and I know she wouldn't go behind any of our backs."
"She's not a little liar, like you." Rosalie had to be glaring at Lauren, because that human started to pale. "I don't want you spreading any more lies about her, not one. And if you ever touch her you will regret it. Do you understand?"
Lauren nodded her head in a jerky fashion and started to back away from Rosalie.
"Rosalie is not making empty threats. How is that not dangerous for us, that she'd be willing to hurt that human for bothering Bella?" Edward spoke up even as Rosalie started to make her way to the doors of the cafeteria.
"I think it's more dangerous for Lauren actually." Emmett ignored Edward's glare and kept his eyes on Rose as she made her way to their table. "And I think my girl is so sexy when she's threatening someone."
"I can't believe that insignificant little toad actually said something." Rosalie said as she sat down beside him. "I feel slimy just having talked to her."
Emmett just wrapped an arm around her and gave her a small grin. He liked how protective Rosalie was of Bella Bear. Edward gave him a disgusted look, which Emmett ignored.
"Do you really trust her like that?" Edward asked and it wasn't clear who he was asking. "You don't think she'll become overly attached to anyone?"
"Not that it applies here, but let me let you in on a little secret." Rosalie spoke quietly. "If you have a mate, you have to make sure that friends like you enough not to try and break up a relationship. I'll admit when I met Tanya, that was on my mind, before she became such a good friend." Rosalie looked over at the teenagers Lauren was sitting with. "Those girls don't have a friendship that would stop any of them but Angela, and that's just because Angela was raised right."
"But Bella Bear is a bit different." Emmett filled in with a smile. "She's my BFF, and she does her damnedest to respect our relationship. Also I've never seen anyone treat Rosie as good as Bella does, even when she doesn't know we're there she treats Rose like the Angel she is." Rosalie went quiet and was watching him, so Emmett found his eyes trailing to her even as he answered Edward. "I don't consider any level attachment Bella gets to us as too much."
Edward gave him a disgusted grunt, but Emmett ignored it in favor of giving Rose a smile. She looked thoughtful, but they continued on with the charade of lunch.
Lunch was over soon enough and Emmett and Rosalie dumped their trays of food before heading for Biology.
"Ready for the test?" Bella asked as they sat at the table with her and Emmett rolled his eyes. He'd taken Biology how many times now? He was ready for the test decades ago.
"You have to ask?" Rosalie spoke gently as she took the seat next to Bella.
"It's almost time to sign up for classes for next year." Bella's voice went quieter. "I'm debating about going with what I know, or going with something new where I could actually learn something."
"Try a little of each." Rosie told her and then the teacher came into the room. "We get you next weekend. Start thinking about what you'd like to do." Rosalie continued and Emmett grinned at them. They both look forward to their Bella weekends, and it was just a shame that Alice and Esme were both in the mix or they'd have more of them. But considering the atmosphere in the family right now, it was a good thing they had shared Bella time.
"Class, put your books away, I'll be handing out the test." The teacher interrupted, but Bella looked so cute with those confused eyes.
"How do I think of something to do? I don't know the weather, and what kind of limits we have." Bella started even as Emmett tossed his book back into his bag.
"We'll talk later." Rose told her and then the teacher hit their row and Bella couldn't hear subwhispers so they had to stop talking to her.
Class was boring and Emmett had to pretend to take longer on that test than it really took. It was kind of neat to see Bella was the third one done, but they had to sit there quietly and Bella pulled out her other homework to try and get it done. Emmett just sighed heavily when he saw that homework come out. Bella liked to leave the school work at school and he understood that but he hated it when she did this in the one class she shared with him.
After school he picked Bella up and drove her to the part of town she considered close enough to walk to from her house. He stood outside of various stores as she went in to apply and talk about the work. She talked for a while with the people in each of the four places and Emmett started to wonder what her real work experience was like, and how she felt about applying to scoop ice cream or wash cars. He kind of hoped she got the car wash, they had enough cars they could bring through here to help keep her busy, and tips were allowed.
…..
Bella Pov
They pulled up in front of her house and Bella had barely opened her door when Emmett was there to help her out of his Jeep. She smiled just a little at him as he picked her up and put her on her feet on the ground. "Thank you." Was all she could say. He was convinced she'd break an ankle getting in or out on her own, and it was a bit high. "You coming in?"
"For a while." He said and grabbed something out of the back of the jeep. It was the PS2.
In grabbing a drink, she noticed four messages on the answering machine. Given the last time she had someone over, she decided to check to make sure one wasn't a message telling her Billy Black was coming over again, when she had Emmett over.
"Bella, I've got good news! Answer the phone or call me." Renee's voice filled the room and Bella set her glass down on the counter with a heavy sigh.
"He proposed, right on time." Bella muttered and Emmett sat down at the table. "That's Renee, her first call to her daughter, and I've been here over a month. I knew she'd have to have news to share before she called."
"Bella, you need to call me. Where are you?" The next message started. Bella leaned over the kitchen counter and grimaced. "Schools already out, where are you? Call me as soon as you get in!"
"Wow, she expects you to just sit in this house if you aren't in school." Emmett grimaced.
"Isabella Marie Swan, why aren't you calling me! You haven't called since you left and now you're ignoring my call?" Renee sounded upset.
"Wow, was that ten minutes after her last call?" Bella muttered as she glanced at the face of the voice mail machine. "That is fucking ridiculous, even for her."
"Phil proposed and I need you to come back to Phoenix to help with the wedding." The message finally said why she'd called. "There is so much to do, and he wants to get married this Summer, Married Bella. Isn't this great? Maybe you could come back for good, I found a new doctor that thinks he has the answer. Call me as soon as you hear this!"
"Oh shit, this again." Bella sighed heavily and stared at Emmett.
"You gonna call?" Emmett asked her and Bella shook her head no.
"I want to talk to Charlie first, because clearly this could get ugly, and I want him a part of it from the start in case she decides to play it like I'm the unreasonable one. It sucks being a minor, because if I don't have Charlie's support I have trouble. Thankfully he's pretty damned good to me. I'm not seeing any more doctors, it's gone from annoying to dangerous the minute she started considering drugs or other 'treatments'. I'm sure I'm stuck attending her wedding, but I'm not planning it. What is she thinking? For all she knows I'm a sixteen year old kid with amnesia and she wants me to plan her wedding. Well, for once she's asked for something I don't know how to do."
"I'm glad that's not your real mother." Emmett said quietly. "I think this would hurt a hell of a lot more if she were."
"Oh yeah, definitely would." Bella muttered, "But my mom was responsible and strong. She held things together even when we didn't have enough. Losing Dad nearly devastated her, but she was bouncing back before she was killed." Bella glared at the phone. "My mom had real problems, and suffered a hell of a lot, and she died hard too, and listening to this whiny woman grates on me, really grates on me."
"How did your mom die?" Emmett asked softly and Bella felt tears prickle her eyes as she remembered. It had been so many years, but it was still so hard to talk about. The Psychologists had always pushed her to talk, but she couldn't then. She barely could now.
"She left the house for an interview, and Danny was away for most of the day. I was away at college, but I was going to be home in three more weeks. I heard that it wasn't until the next morning that anyone realized she hadn't come home." Bella watched the tears fall onto the kitchen counter as she stared at it. "She was naked when they found her, I'm sure you understand what happened. My mom died that way, my mom." Her voice shook and she was in strong arms before she could finish the pained whimper.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry." Emmett held her tight. He held her and gently rubbed her back. Bella gripped his sides and leaned into his body. It was an old wound and she didn't burst into sobs, but his arms stayed around her as she took shaky breaths.
"The school counselor referred me to a psychologist when I admitted to why I needed to withdraw from my classes so late in the semester, I needed to plan another funeral. I can plan funerals, but Renee wants me to plan weddings. I can't plan those."
"I'm so sorry this happened to your family Bella." Emmett whispered into her hair, and she knew he had to be bent over a bit to do that.
Bella took a deep breath and nodded, but she noticed he wasn't letting go of her, so she didn't pull away.
They stood like that, him holding her, until they were interrupted. "Bella?" Charlie's voice was firm and cold and Bella found she was able to pull away from Emmett then. She could see Charlie's expression was stony, but once he got a look at her face it became more concerned. "What's wrong?"
Bella shrugged and glanced at the phone. It was all she had to blame this on. "Renee called. She wants me to call her back."
Charlie looked between her and Emmett, who stood behind her. "What did she say?" His stony demeanor was coming back, but this time it wasn't directed at Emmett at all.
"She wants me to come back and plan her wedding, and then she wants me to see a new doctor who thinks he can 'fix me'. It sounds like if I can be 'fixed' she wants me back. I don't want to go back." Bella let her voice crack, it wasn't hard she was just getting over a tough conversation.
Charlie's eyes were hard. "You won't go back Bella. You live here now and she can't kick you out and then drag you back. It doesn't work that way." He moved forward to rest a hand on her shoulder, "Don't you worry, you live here now." He stared into her eyes and then she saw him look over her shoulder and give Emmett and approving nod. "I'll take care of this. You two go play."
Emmett grabbed her glass for her, and the PS2 as they left the kitchen. Charlie was pacing in front of the phone as they started up the stairs.
"You'd make a good vampire, you think quick on your feet." Emmett muttered quietly as they got to the top of the stairs.
"Speaking of vampires, you didn't catch the human sneaking up on us?" Bella asked just as softly, but she just turned to see his eyes and knew Emmett had not been paying any attention to anything but her and his own thoughts. "It's okay. I wanted him involved with the Renee mess anyhow." But she did feel bad that Charlie was in overprotective father mode with his ex as the target now. It wouldn't be an easy conversation for him, but one she'd needed him to have with Renee for a while now.
Emmett set up the game, but he was moving a bit slower. She just watched him, and it wasn't hard to see he was a man, and not a boy in this moment. His expression was more serious and he'd been so gentle and supportive. He hadn't been lost when she started to tear up, and he'd been able to just be the shoulder to cry on. He was so youthful and playful most of the time, but when he needed to be a man, he was fully capable of it. "I love you, you know. You are the best friend I've ever had." He told her, or her reflection in the television at least.
"I love you too." Bella told him just as honestly.
"You ever need a shoulder, I have two really broad ones." He gave her a gentle smile as he turned around, the TV behind him coming to life.
"Good to know." She gave him a soft smile and took the controller he held out for her.