Chapter 6: Rocky
"I have nothing to wear"
Caroline exclaimed. We were in her bedroom and she was throwing dress after dress after dress on the bed. I saw a forest green one that she'd look great in but she had worn it last year and didn't want to wear it again. I rolled my eyes.
"Caroline, he sent you a dress"
she turned around and glared at me.
"Glare all you want, you know you're gonna wear it. I doubt you can go shopping and get ready in less than three hours"
"YOU can go shopping?"
She demanded. I nodded smartly
"yep. I can do it but a- I hate shopping and b- I can do it"
I smiled innocently and she rolled her eyes.
"Come on pretty girl. You go shower and I'll put the dresses back"
I pushed her in the adjoining bathroom and shook my head at her antics. When she was done I helped her into the dress that fitted her like a glove and watched as she did her hair. I refused to be reminded of Alice dressing me on my wedding day.
"Bella can I borrow your ring?"
She asked me wincing. I follow her eyes on my left hand and nodded.
"sure. I need to stop wearing it anyway"
I forced a shrug and handed her the ring feeling as if the anchor I felt pressing on my chest was suddenly gone. I handed her the keys to my car, honestly dressed like Cinderella and her tiny pink car? Too much Barbie like for both our tastes.
When she was gone I decided to sit on the porch swing for a while until felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Liz in her uniform coming from work.
"How come you're not at the dance?"
I asked her when she sat next to me.
"I have a string of murders to solve"
she shrugged
"but before than I need to talk to you about something"
"sure, what's up?"
"Charlie though that since I'm a woman its easier to talk to you"
"we're not gonna talk about the birds and the bees are we? 'cause that's a little too late"
I made a crappy joke trying to get her to smile. it worked
"I tried that with Caroline once. we're both scarred for life. I know Bill just died and we were divorced for years but I know you feel. If you need to talk to a woman, I'm here"
she said awkwardly. I nodded just as awkwardly
"thanks for the offer but, strangely enough, I think I'm ok. I mean its sad because I knew them but it hurt much more when he left me last year"
Liz nodded thoughtfully as Charlie pulled in the driveway and joined us
"hey girls. Bells do you wanna look for houses today?"
"Why?"
Liz asked. dad shuffled his feet
"we're imposing Lizzie"
"No, you're not. This is your house too Charlie and it has rooms, you know that."
I watched them as they argued until Liz gave a triumphant smile and dad blushed shaking his head.
"fine"
"Care to share?"
"we're staying"
dad said fighting back a smile and Liz grinned. I grinned back
"okay then"
"you need clothes though"
Liz stated and my face fell
"I hate shopping"
I objected like a three year old.
"don't we all"
Liz said in a sad tone and pushed me inside to get dressed. Knowing I should respect the authorities I obliged and since my own clothes were hung to dry I scavenged through Caroline's huge closet. I've always been a jeans and a tank with sneakers type of girl but vampirism had brought a new fashion sense in me. I still wore jeans and tanks but they were a little more stylish. I grabbed a pair of jeans and paired it with a casual and cute purple and white top and a pair of ankle booties. I took my favorite tote purse and went downstairs where dad was handing a ring to Liz.
"hey"
"hey bells, I want you to wear this"
dad said and handed me a ring. it was gold, average size and had an amethyst on it. It featured two small swans and the letter 'B' between them. I look at Liz who wore the same ring, only hers had the letter 'L' and dad who was wearing the male equivalent of it with the letter 'C'.
"why?"
"There are a lot of vampires and other supernatural beings in this town. The rings protect you from their gifts and will bring you back if you die an supernatural death"
Liz explained and slipped hers on.
"too late for that"
I quipped
"They're also family heirlooms, put it on"
Dad insisted and shrugging I obliged and slipped the ring on my right pointer finger. We all got in Liz car, thankfully sheriffs in Virginia do not drive cruisers, color me happy!
Liz decided we'd better go to Virginia Beach for shopping instead of Mystic Falls for one very simple reason, there is only one mall in Mystic Falls and that's it.
It was almost midnight when we were done and returned home. we all said goodnight and Liz and Charlie went back into their childhood rooms and within minutes two soft snorings were heard. I looked my new room but it was so full of dust and whatever I decided I'd sleep with Caroline again and stepped into the bathroom. After a long soothing shower I realized I had forgot clothes so I wrapped a big fluffy towel around me and returned to the bedroom.
However before I could do anything a shadow passed through the ajar window. I hid behind it and held my breath feeling my heart stop in the process. A blond male figure in a tailored tux slipped in and headed for the bed.
Hoping I remembered Jasper's instructions well I attacked.
