Chapter Three: Back to Life
Sing this song with me
And you will never be sad or alone
On the road or at home
Sing along with me
And your eyes will see what your ears hear
And that's our voices, my dear
"Our Voices" by Matthew Barber
Paul drove me straight into a trap. Instead of driving me into town, to Charlie's house, he drove straight into La Push. And straight into a surprise, welcome back Bella bonfire. I could have shot him as he smirked smugly at me. Kim pretty much attached herself to me and babbled on and on about bridesmaid dresses (apparently I was elected to be one?), sex with Jared (gross) and how boring the reservation had been all summer. Leah took pity on me and slipped me a beer when Sam wasn't looking (I wouldn't be 21 for a whole week yet) and I sipped it while only half listening to Kim's babble.
The breath left my lungs when my eyes rested on Jake. He was talking seriously to Quil and Embry, arm draped casually around Raven's tiny waist, and her face glowed as she laughed. I couldn't help but think, rather bitterly, that he used to hold me in the same way. His eyes met mine and I saw the laughter drain from his eyes. I looked away quickly, back to Kim who was now describing my bridesmaid's dress (in red of course!) in vivid detail.
"…originally was going to have you walking with Jake, he's Jared's best man you know but I switched it around so you'll walk with Paul now," she was saying.
"You don't have to change anything for me," I protested. She waved it away.
"It will look better that way anyhow. Otherwise you'd be crossing the maid of honor on the way back down the aisle," she said. "But we have to get you in for a fitting! The red is going to look spectacular on you but I wasn't sure of your sizing…" and she was off again. A warm touch on my back alerted me to Paul's presence. If he hadn't been holding a beer for me I might have slugged him. I settled for a death glare.
"You should have warned me," I hissed. He popped the top off the beer and handed it to me.
"Why? So you could jump out of the car as we sped over here?" He challenged. We were interrupted by Kim's squeal. We both jumped as she clapped her hands together.
"See you two look so much better next to each other, no offense to Jake. My wedding pictures are going to be perfect!" She squealed. Then giving each of us a hug she bounced over to Jared. Paul and I exchanged baffled looks and then burst out laughing.
"I don't get weddings," Paul said when we finally stopped laughing. "You spend thousands of dollars on the dress, the photographer, the flowers and whatever hell else you have at the wedding. Basically just to take pictures and drink."
"And dance," I reminded him. "Chicken dance even." We laughed again.
"But seriously ever since you and Jake broke up she kept saying how he was too tall for you anyway. None of us could figure out what the hell she was talking about. But I get it now, for the pictures you know," he said. I held up my beer bottle.
"To being short," I declared. We clinked bottles and drank.
"You're lucky she isn't dragging you to try on the dress now," Jared said. He gave me a quick hug. "Looking better I see."
"Thanks," I said. "How have you been?" He smirked.
"Just riding the wedding craze wave," he said. "I will say I can't wait until it is all done. My head is seriously spinning with shit I never wanted to know about weddings."
"Like the chicken dance," I said helpfully. As we all laughed Kim bounded back over.
"You should try on your dress!" She exclaimed. I was barely able to pass my beer over to Paul as she dragged me straight for the house.
"Who is the maid of honor?" I asked as she shoved me into a bedroom.
"Me," Raven said coming up behind me. I stiffened but fought the urge to bolt.
"And the other bridesmaids?" I asked. Kim flipped through the closet.
"Emily and Leah," she said. "Best man is Jake, groomsmen are Paul, Sam and Embry. Strip down Swan." She reminded me too much of Alice to argue so I stripped to my skivvies. She handed me what was, I hated to admit it, but a gorgeous red dress. It was silky and flowed on the fingers like water.
"Pretty," I commented as I stepped into it. I had almost forgotten Raven was in the room until her hands zipped the back of the dress for me. "Thank you," I said softly.
"It will need some adjusting," Kim said. "But I guessed pretty close. You put on a little weight but it worked for us. Your boobs look amazing."
"Uh…thanks?" I said.
"I would suggest having your mom adjust the straps a little," Raven said. She tugged them gently. "They'll fall down all day."
"What do you think?" Kim asked studying the dress critically. It cascaded softly down to my feet, which Kim informed me would be in heels (sigh). Raven stepped back and studied me too. I felt a little bit like a piece of meat but I endured the treatment.
"I would say take it in about an inch on the straps and another inch around the hips," Raven answered. "It will show off her waist a little more. And maybe a little tighter around the hips too? God I would kill for her figure." Shock filled me. The woman who would essentially become my ex-boyfriend's wife was jealous of my figure.
"Right?" Kim said. "Tiny little waist, perky little boobs." I covered my ears as I blushed.
"Okay can we be done talking about me now?" I asked loudly. They both laughed and I found myself, very much against my will, liking Raven. She reminded me a lot of Jake, actually. They had the same sunny, self-assured personality.
"Okay perky tits," Kim quipped as she unzipped me.