Chapter 6: Changes – David Bowie
As I lay in bed the following morning after Alec and mine's little adventure in the apple tree, I couldn't help but recall the last few weeks. To say that they had been boring or eventless would be a lie and a serious understatement. Beth had come and gone in the Volturi castle as she pleased much to… well, most of the Volturi guards dismay – especially Alec's. He really didn't like her and whenever he even had sensed her being near, he tried to steal me away, but she always seemed to find us. I had felt like a toy being pulled at by two disagreeing children and it was rather tiring – but it hadn't gotten much better, though they seemed to… tolerate each other now. Spending time with the two of them separately was nice, but I had wished they could lay aside their differences and at least try to tolerate each other. They were both very important to me, and I would love for them to at least not look at each other as if they wanted to rip each other's throats out… literally.
I smiled slightly as I thought about a certain moment.
I was hiding from both Alec and Beth with the help of Felix and Demitri. We were all three stuffed into a cupboard with several brooms, buckets and detergents. I had found it a bit odd for the Volturi to have something as normal in their castle, but I guess they needed to clean the place once in a while – I had discovered there was these kind of cupboards all over the place.
"This is silly, Noel. They are both vampires and will easily be able to find us – especially since you can't turn off that heartbeat or breathing of yours" Demitri smirked. There was so little space, we had no room to move and I could feel Demitri's breath in my hair as he spoke. The smell of the detergents was strong to even my nose. I couldn't imagine how bad it must've been for my two friends.
"Well, you're not helping, now shush" I whispered and strained my ears to listen if anything happened outside. Ok, I admit, this was truly ridiculous, but… I needed a break from Alec and Beth until they pulled themselves together and grew up. If they wouldn't listen when I told them to lay differences aside and not bicker all the time, I had to get their attention some other way. Besides, this was kind of fun!
"All I'm saying is…" Demitri began, but just then the door opened and I yelped as we all fell stumbling out. We all landed in a messy pile on the floor, tangled up in each other. It was a wonder the two of them hadn't reacted faster – a stumbling vampire had to be a very rare sight.
"I think we have to find a better hideout. This one has been compromised" Felix commented in a teasing note as we all looked up at Corin and Chelsea who had a questioning eyebrow raised at us.
"Hiding from Alec? Or Elizabeth?" Chelsea asked. She was actually one of the few who seemed to like my best friend. I hadn't talked much with Chelsea myself, but from what I could tell, she was a lot like Beth – just a tad more… controlled. Strong-willed, superior in her own mind and never bothered to sugarcoat much that came out of her mouth – if anything.
"Both" Demitri smirked and looked exasperatedly around as if the two people of topic would pop up out of thin air.
"I don't think they are anywhere near. Come on, we don't have much time to spare. We have to find a new place to hide" he said as if he was some sort of secret agent on a mission in a very cheesy movie. I giggled.
"Demitri, do I have to remind you of your gift?" Corin asked with a wry smile at his antics.
"Oh, brilliant! You're awake" Heidi observed, ready to hand me a pile of clothes. When did she get around to choose an outfit for me today? Oh, well.
"Pft" Beth was perching on one of my armchairs, clearly not in the mind of moving any time soon. She found it hilarious how Heidi was set on dressing me all the time. I obediently took the clothes from Heidi and went to the bathroom to change. Demitri was sitting in the chair opposite of Beth. He didn't mind her company and I could often find them teasing each other in a friendly manner. Just as I moved to close the door, Beth flashed into the bathroom, quickly settling down on the edge of the bathtub. I still had to adjust to her being a vampire, so every time she did something… supernatural, my heart skipped a beat.
"Don't you want to close that door?" she asked nonchalantly as she inspected her manicured, pink nails. I reluctantly closed the door and put the clothes Heidi gave me on the counter beside the sink.
I turned on the water and started washing my face. It wasn't unusual for Beth to invade whatever privacy I had left, but I was used to it from boarding school.
"Ew, is this what you're going to wear? I like the underwear, but the sundress?! It looks like something my dead mother used to wear. In the 1800s" she complained holding up said dress as if it was poisonous or something.
"Then your mother must have had an excellent taste because that dress is perfect, not to mention fashionable!" Heidi almost yelled from the other side of the door. I had already changed my underwear and was reaching for the dress.
"Don't start, Bethy. Just let me get dressed" I whined, but she pulled it out of reach.
"No way am I going to let my best friend wear this dreadful thing" she said and tossed the dress aside. I rolled my eyes. She was being overdramatic. The dress was pretty and simple in a light blue.
She opened the door without warning and strolled towards my wardrobe. I quickly covered my half-naked body with a towel and ran after her.
"Beth!" I spluttered in embarrassment while Demitri laughed good-naturedly. Heidi had crossed her arms across her chest and was now tapping her foot impatiently. She hated how Beth always tried to get a say in what I wore. It was Alec and Beth all over again! Just… slightly different.
"Beth, can't you just choose my outfit tomorrow and let Heidi choose for today?" I asked hopeful as I reached her. She was already going through all my clothes with a scrutinizing glare.
"I'm guessing she bought your clothes too, huh?" she asked, completely ignoring what I just said.
"This is not going to do. There isn't… oh, wait!" she took out a black pencil skirt and a peach-colored tank top.
"This ought to do at least until I get around to buy you something" she smirked and handed me the two pieces of clothes. I didn't even know that was in my closet, but I took it on with only a tiny sigh.
Beth turned her scrutinizing look to me as I stood uncomfortably in front of her. Then she placed a pair of dreadfully high stilettos at my feet. I sighed yet again, but knew I couldn't argue with her. Despite everything, I had actually gotten better in walking in heels, though I still tripped and got incredible sore.
"Good, good, now stand still" she told me as she started doing my hair. She didn't do much, just puffing it up a little in a casual manner.
"I just brushed it, you know" I smiled at her and she stuck out her tongue at me in response. She pulled out her purse and quickly found a mascara and lip-gloss. I knew better than to object so I simply let her do her magic. When she was done, she stepped back like a painter would step back to observe ones piece of art.
"It will do" she nodded not completely satisfied and I rolled my eyes with a smile.
"You're going to buy me something revealing, aren't you?" I asked knowing the answer all too well as we walked out of my closet. Well, she walked and I wobbled.
"What have you done to her?!" Heidi gasped as if Beth had cut off all of my hair. Demitri was looking at me with wide eyes and his mouth hanging slightly open. I blushed a bright red. The clothes felt all too tight as they revealed all my curves – not that I had that many.
"Alec is going to kill you, Beth" Demitri chuckled and she winked at him. I pouted. She hadn't dressed me up like this just to bother Alec, right?
"Oh, don't give me that look, Noel" Beth grinned at me and poked my cheek.
"I can't even look at that" Heidi all but scowled and left my room in a rush. I couldn't help feeling guilty, but before I had time to go after her, Beth had grabbed my hand and dragged me out of my room and down one corridor.
"Where are we going?" I asked with a bad feeling.
"Shopping, of course" she grinned and I started.
"Now?" she did say she wanted to buy me new clothes, but I didn't think she meant right away!
"Why not?" she argued and I could come up with nothing as to why now wasn't a good time as any, so I silently let her drag me out in town. Without permission!
..:-:..
"So… how are things with Alec?" Beth asked nonchalantly as she looked through yet another rag of clothes. She had quickly decided Volterra had nothing to offer – clothe wise – so she had swung me onto her back without a warning and ran off towards Siena. I had spent the first hour looking over my shoulder and feeling anxious. I hadn't gotten permission to leave the castle much less go this far. I did wish we wouldn't get into too much trouble for this. Well, after a couple of hours with Beth telling me to relax and not be ridiculous – which I weren't! – I started to at least not show my anxiousness and pay more attention to my best friend.
"Are you asking me about Alec? I thought you didn't like him" I smiled wryly at her and she rolled her eyes.
"I don't particularly like him. He is dangerous to you, evil and I think his sister is the Devil reincarnated, but he treats you good and knowing you, you will need my help" she defended and my smile grew.
"Just answer the question, you dimwit" she smiled at me with another roll of her eyes. She was wearing brown contacts as we were moving openly around among humans. I couldn't help but wonder how weird it would be when I was turned and moved like this through society. Would I feel like an outsider? Would I look at people differently when I was no longer the same species as them?
"Could you be a bit more specific?" I asked forcing myself back to topic. The thought of Alec made my insides flutter and my palms a bit sweaty. My heart sped up and my cheeks flushed. That couldn't possibly be a good sign. I had these… symptoms for a rather long time now, but it didn't feel as if something was wrong. Rather… it felt as though everything was just right.
Beth almost violently discarded a shirt back on to the hanger before turning to me.
"I don't know what would be worse: you being too dense to know what I'm talking about or you pretending to not know what I'm talking about" she sighed exasperatedly and I looked at her wide-eyed. Pretending? What pretending? Oh, dear, had I missed something she said again?
She sighed yet again, but this time with an amused smile before she snaked her arm around mine and pulled me towards the stores accessories.
"This is what I love about you, freak. It's a wonder no one has taken advantage of you yet" she sounded almost as if she was praising me, but I knew it was her way of teasing me for being too gullible – according to her, that is. I blushed slightly.
"What I meant, my sweetling, was if you and Alec dearest have kissed yet. I know better than to ask if you have done the dirty deed. I already asked Demitri, so I know you two have gone on a date – which is ridiculously long ago if you ask me" she smiled almost wickedly and my blush deepened.
"No! We haven't! Kissed that is" I said in a bit of an outrage. Why was she even asking?! It wasn't that I hadn't thought about it or wanted to, but… how did she know?! Or was she just asking out of curiosity? Or was it something else? Goodness, I would get a headache before figuring out how Beth's brain worked.
"Well, that doesn't surprise me. Do you want to? Hell, that's a stupid question too! Your raised heartbeat can be heart miles away" she smiled teasingly and nudged me playfully. I was almost spluttering with embarrassment. Why had I never thought of that?! Every single vampire in the Volturi castle could probably hear every time my heart jumped.
"Oh, don't fret, little one, we will find the perfect outfit for you and you know what I always says…"
"… there's nothing a beautiful dress or a nice pair of shoes can't fix" I finished with her and she winked at me. I giggled and on we went to the next store. I never knew how clothes or accessories could change anything other than how you looked in the moment you wore it, but Beth worshiped fashion and everything money could buy. At the boarding school, she had covered an entire wall with cutouts from magazines in her room. The closet that had been standard interior in every room hadn't been able to hold all her clothes and instead her room had looked as if the closet had thrown up or outright exploded.