Chapter 6: A girls night out and clubbing

Bella POV

The next weeks passed slowly but eventfully. They were dedicated to Homecoming week and in order to strengthen my friendships and take my mind off things, namely the strange vampire that lives in my house and has nothing in common with the other vampires I know and also my recent breakup.

I went to school every day were I worked hard to strengthen my friendships, primarily with Angela and secondly with Jessica. I always felt that Jessica was drawn to me not for friendship but for my unwanted popularity. Lauren and I were never friends so I didn't feel bad for shutting her out. I spent most afternoons at work and when I wasn't working I was with Angela working on homework and talking about college. I hadn't even thought about college since I found out about Edward. I had no idea about what I wanted to do with my life. Every evening I'd have dinner with dad and Damon. I'd go to bed after spending quality time with mom on the phone or spending time with dad watching movies.

However as the days were moving fast and homecoming approached fast. Only one more week left. Homecoming week. I got asked from Mike, Tyler and Eric. At my wide panicked eyes Angela was quick to feed me an excuse and get me away from them every time I was asked. I talked about it with dad and Damon one night and they both thought I should go; they even got Renee on their side. She loved the theme (Red Carpet Party) however and was hell bent on sending me a dress for it. Damon especially was excited because for some reason that guy likes to party.

One evening after closing up at the store Mike and I stayed back for a while talking and after he understood that while I wasn't a mess after breaking up with Edward, I wasn't ready for a date or a dance yet. In the end, not wanting to bring the whole group down, we decided to go as friends. Mike and I, Ben and Angela, Tyler and Lauren, Jessica and a guy she had her eyes on.

I have to admit that although I hated dress up the homecoming week was fun. Monday was 'Accident Day'. Everyone at school had to dress up as if we were all injured. As I told Angela I had experience on that subject and dressed up both in elastic bands on wrists and some stitches like makeup. Tuesday was 'Opposite Sex Day' where everyone dressed up as obviously one of the opposite sex. Thankfully it was easy for girls to look like guys but not the same was for the guys. Mike in a dress was absolutely hilarious. Wednesday was 'Zombie Day', obviously the whole school look like the video clip of 'Thriller'. Thursday was 'Color Day', everyone got dressed in specific colors. Freshmen: yellow, sophomores: purple, juniors: pink, and seniors: red, thank god I look good in red. Personally we looked more like Baywatch in full clothing but anyway. Friday was 'Show Your School Spirit', everyone dressed in red and white to show their school spirit for the Forks Spartans. Then was Forks High School's Friday night football game! Needless to say that those days I worked extra hours because of Mike's extra practices. And last but not least Sunday was the Homecoming dance.

That Friday I skipped lunch claiming I had an unfinished paper and opted to stay at the library with a book. I was soon joined by Angela

"You ok?"

"No, actually. I am not ready for dances and stuff. I don't even dance; I didn't want to go to prom either."

"I see, will you go dress shopping with me though?"

I chuckled

"Yes, I will go dress shopping with you, tomorrow though. Tonight we are both supposed to be at the big game!"

"Don't forget the dance"

"Of course, the dance, I will never forget"

I said dramatically and we both burst to laughter and got the evil eye from the teacher.

Saturday morning after breakfast we went to Port Angeles, which in my beat up truck meant almost 1.45 whole minutes! Thankfully Angela was a good sport and we were talking or more like gossiping the whole time. When we got there we went to a clothing store and straight to the dresses collection. After spending so many months being ordered what to wear (and having many of my own clothes thrown to the trash) I simply wanted clothes that actually are me! Angela was thinking along the same lines and we got dresses and shoes for the dance and headed to a more casual store fairly quickly. The whole ordeal was more fun now that it was just the two of us and not Jessica around, who did not like the fact that I was going with her ex, even though we were going only as friends in a bigger group. After a lot of browsing we ended up with a few winter clothes and in my case, some lighter ones. (I had a feeling Damon wouldn't let a lot of winter this year).

Angela wanted to stop at a beauty salon as well to get her upper lip cleaned and I decided to let them work my eyebrows a little since Alice had made me look like a Spock look alike. I went to a nearby bookstore afterwards and got a DVD about working out while dancing as Angela had overdone it with waxing her legs and was sitting at the diner waiting for me. After having a quick lunch we went to a beauty store to get the 'appropriate makeup for the occasion' as Jessica had put it the previous year. I was browsing the hair dye section and was thinking of coloring my hair when I was approached by the owner who talked me out of it. After that we went to Angela's optometrist to buy a pair of contact lenses as her old 'special occasions' ones expired a few days ago.

After another 105 minutes I dropped Angela off promising I'd see her at the party and went home. Dad was out fishing and Damon was out somewhere as well when I decided to deal with homework after hanging up my new purchases. When I was in the bathroom I looked at myself and saw that while my dark circles were gone I wasn't myself. I still looked like the girl that Edward left at the forest. Just then I got a phone call from a panicked Angela that begged me to go there ASAP. We don't live that far apart so I grabbed my purse and jacket and rushed at her place in under 15 minutes. She opened the door and was blond?

"Angela, what happened, did you confuse the shampoo with the peroxide bottle?"

"I tried to color my hair"

"I can see that, why?"

"For a change? Now I want to change back."

"Of course you do, what can I do?"

"Go to the beauty supply and get me a black dye then help me do this? Please?"

"ok, I'll be back in a few minutes"

Angela lived near the center of Forks I went on foot to the beauty supply store. I got her a black dye and a brown one as I wasn't sure at all which one I should get. With a smile I got a red one too and went back to Angela's. Thankfully her parents were at a church function so we could move around the house freely. At Angela's request I took my shoes off at the entrance and left my purse there as well, I simply put my cell in my back pocket and we headed upstairs to Angela's bathroom.

She still had the towel draped over her shoulders and I read the directions. We would dye her hair black and then maybe add some highlights. The procedure didn't seem difficult in paper. So 25 minutes later we had set the timer for 30 minutes and we were sitting on her bed discussing college options, she was thinking of studying journalism and I knew that Mike was thinking along the lines of Business degree. Me? No clue yet. I was thinking teaching but I wasn't sure yet. After the timer went off I helped her wash the dye off and also (god bless youtube) helped give herself, and myself, some highlights. Hers were in a soft light brown tone and mine in a dark red, almost like my own color under the sun and a second set of light brown ones. The result was good and by the time we were done it had gone almost 7pm. Her parents and siblings came back and asked me to stay for dinner but Charlie and I had plans with Billy and Jake so I had to rush.

Dad was already at Billy's when I got there and Jake was once again happy to see me. I got positive comments on my hair and I replied the truth, time for a change. We didn't stay long as dad and I had to be up early. It was nice staying with them until Billy asked me in a strange tone if I had any plans for college yet. Charlie seemed to get the hidden message and exchanged a hard look with Billy but they both calmed soon. Billy had made a recipe that 'was in the family for generations', ragout with pasta. We all laughed and enjoyed our dinner. Jake and I went to the yard and talked for a while. A bit after 10.30pm Charlie and I got up to leave and headed home. After a nice, long shower I got dressed in a big shirt and fell asleep. Like the previous Saturday I was awakened by Damon a little after 1 am to go out.

"Do I have a choice?"

"No, be ready in 20 and come downstairs"

Frankly after the college talk today I could use some time out so I got dressed quickly. I got dressed in white leggings, my new denim light blue skirt, a hot pink halter top, I repeated the makeup from last time and my hair were straightened at Angela's. Lastly I took in my arms the red leather jacket, purse, shoes and went downstairs barefoot. We got in Damon's car and went to Port Angeles to the same club as the last time.

It was full once again and Damon was once again hell bent on alcohol. I reminded him that I had to be up at 7am and I slowly relaxed. We had a few drinks, danced, and talked. He'd been distanced all week and I was wondering why. I didn't knw if I should ask though. Were we friends? Could I ask? I took a deep breath and leaned to ask him and the answer was that he had a lot in his head. It was clear that he was being deliberately cold so I didn't talk more. We may have had fun but there was a distinct difference from this night out and the previous one. This time Damon and I were talking, dancing, flirting but not together. He was rounding a few girls and I was talking to the bartender mostly. I felt like I did the numerous times Alice forced me to go out dancing and she was having the time of her life and I was being the statue on a chair. I felt small, insignificant. We did not have fun.

Almost silently I watched him take numbers as if he was the new employee at the phonebook and we returned home. I went straight to bed after an even colder goodnight and knowing he could hear me perfectly I did my best not to cry. I slept easily and was woken up by thunders when my alarm went off at 7am.

Damon POV

That whole week had been a nightmare. Stefan had called to update me on the news that Caroline woke up from her coma only to remember everything that happened and he tried to compel her into forgetting but didn't succeed, so she now knew everything. 'Maybe I should go back to compel her once again' was my baby brother's suggestion.

Charlie was determined that Bella should go to the dance her school held and while I would agree with him otherwise I didn't like the fact she'd be accompanied by an overeager boy. I didn't know why I was so pissed off. I wanted her to get well and move on didn't I?

I was distant that week by spending a lot of time in Port Angeles drowning my thoughts in good malt, and maybe a few female patrons. I would still be with them for dinner even though human food does nothing for me.

Most nights Bella would work and I admit I was stalking in my raven form where she was talking and smiling to her 'friend' or she'd be a female friend she had who talked her to dying her hair. Yes she looked hot when she came back from dinner with Charlie on Saturday. I was on my way out when I woke her up and asked (well more like ordered) her to join me hoping it would bring us to our former friend zone. That changed the moment I saw her coming down. A tiny jean skirt, an even tinier pink top and heels in hand. Was she doing it on purpose? Did she have to throw in my eyes that she is a hot girl? We were ok until we hit the club. The flirty smile the bouncer gave her and the eagerness the male bartender gave her in handing her alcohol angered me. The moment she discarded her jacket and showed her smooth back a big part of me wanted to order her to put it on but a smaller one kept me rooted in my chair. We held a light conversation that did not go smoothly. She was uncomfortable and it showed, why though? We had gone out before. She asked me where I kept disappearing all week and not knowing what to tell her (a first for me) told her that I had a lot in my head. It is true but as I saw her face falling I felt a pang of regret. I decided to dance and was surrounded by girls immediately. I glanced at Bella to find her smiling and talking with the bartender.

It was almost a relief to see it was around 3.30am and after gathering the numbers of my future meals we left. She was cold when we returned home and definitely sober. She bid be a frozen goodnight and headed to her room. I laid in my bead thinking how bad that night went.