Chapter 3

Alice designs a school uniform

13th February 2014

To: Alice345Draculaluva , Eddddward03 , BellaBella4 +26 more…

From: ,

Subject: School photos

Homeroom 3,

School photos are this Thursday in the atrium from 9:10-9:30 am. Dress nicely; you will be on display in the 2014 yearbook. One inside class photo is taken in the atrium; individual outdoor photos are taken behind the atrium near the elementary school.

Regards,

.

Argh!

Why did the individual photos have to be taken outside? I wheeled away from the computer before I could smash the fragile screen to pieces in my frustration.

"Things can't always go as planned, Alice." Edward smirked.

"Aren't you glad that you don't have to be in the spotlight?" Bella teased, chasing me up the stairs to my bedroom.

I sat on my prop bed, my head in my hands. "This was supposed to change my life, Bella! "I could become a fashion superstar, making billions of dollars that we don't even need! It'll be fun, Bella. No more shopping trips- we could make our own clothes!" I said hopefully, clapping my hands together.

"But it will expose us, Alice. Sparkling in the sun in front of 26 humans isn't exactly keeping a low profile." Bella sighed. She hated all the things that me and Rosalie enjoyed- shopping, clothes, parties, being the centre of attention, makeovers, and epic vampire sleepdates that never worked out.

"You're such a tomboy, Bella." I pouted, my bottom lip sticking out.

"But surely, people would start wondering if we randomly started to sparkle! This is just sooooo stupid, Alice. Everyone would figure out what we are, then, BAM! Everyone in the school is having a Maddy-like temper tantrum." Bella tried to clarify to me, but I knew she was in no position to do anything, after her little incident last week.

"Get your facts right, Bella! Vampires burn in the sun, not sparkle. We can probably pass it off as a rare skin condition." I whined.

"But… Alice, won't it be kind of suspicious if all of us have this rare skin condition?" Bella inquired.

"Well… you didn't want to do it, five seconds ago. If only I go, it won't be suspicious at all!" I harrumphed, folding my arms.

"But, it might be all they need before they have an epiphany, and realise what we are…" Bella's protests were getting weaker and weaker. By Thursday, I knew I was going to get my way.

"Bella," I said sternly. "There are humans alive that burn when they touch water. I'm serious; they get big, red, welts on their skin upon contact. They can't go swimming, or even have a shower, just as we can't go in the sun in front of humans!" I cried. "If their condition is real, why isn't ours?"

"Alice." Bella responded seriously, rising up onto her toes so she was towering over me. "That story has been warped and twisted, destroyed…" Bella plucked my old phone off my bedside table and crushed it to powder in her fist, "By rumours. Now, the tale is, when those people touch the water, they turn into mermaids. What if they take sparkling in the sun the same way, except with a vampiric twist?" Bella flashed her perfect teeth at me, hissing.

"I doubt they will. There isn't any legend to prove that vampires sparkle in the sun," I said, shaking my head.

"Alright." Bella sighed, hugging her knees to her chest. "You have my clearance, but you still have the Rosalie obstacle to tackle." She smiled sardonically. "Good luck."

I inhaled for the first time in 10 minutes, taking in the sweet air around me. I could smell my freesias on my bedside table, Rosalie's motor oil, Bella's defeat, and Esme's irony as she put another batch of garlic bread in the oven to donate to the local kindergarten.

And then there were the male smells. I could smell Edward's scent fresh on the piano- he was playing a sad, mourning tune for Bella, who was currently in a mood. I could smell Jacob's putrid dog smell on the loveseat with Nessie, who was curled up in his chest, sleeping. Emmett was playing Minecraft on his x-box with Jasper. Carlisle was pouring over his latest medical textbook on Rheumatology.

I quickly scanned the future for any arguments, but it was pretty blurry with Jacob around.

I took a deep breath.

Interrogation time.

"You're really not going to give up, are you?" Edward asked, giving me a lopsided smile. Bella was curled up behind him, carefully massaging his back.

You didn't have to be Jasper to know she was in a bad mood.

"She'll be careful." Bella grumbled.

"You have to let me, Edward." I pleaded. "Everyone else did. The pressure is on."

"Pressure schmessure." He muttered.

"Please?"

"I don't know, Alice. I really don't know. It's a stupid idea, exposing yourself to everyone in the world for no reason at all."

"But there is a reason!" I moaned. "I want to start my own clothing line. Maybe if I can express myself through the school photos, it'd be easier to gain popularity!"

"Alice, is popularity what you really want?" Edward exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, Edward, it is. And you can't deny my right to go to the school photos any more!" I had the burning desire to stick my nose in the air and prance off, but I decided against it.

"Ok, then. Just don't do anything to reckless or stupid." "Ow!" Bella had hit Edward on the arm playfully, and was now howling with laughter.

I left before they started to take their clothes off.

The next days at school were pretty much normal. I was eagerly anticipating the school photos- that was going to run 7 minutes behind time. Edward and I managed to land us in the Extension German class- an offer that Edward politely turned down, so he could be with Bella.

Best of all, Jasper's eyes were turning gold again, and his control was slowly returning, so he would probably be back at school by the end of the semester.

Finally, after what seemed like 1 million years, Thursday came along. I fast ordered a big, pink, poofy dress from France for the photos, with matching shoes and the same shade of lipstick to complete the look. Now, I was examining my self in the mirror, turning from side so I could see how every inch of the dress looked on me.

I had to admit, I looked stunning. Every fold of the dress exaggerated the few curves I had, and it was almost as if the dress enhanced the sparkles on my skin. The lippy and shoes looked perfect, too.

"I'm ready!" I warbled happily as I skipped out into the lounge.

"You look wonderful, dear!" Esme trilled.

Edward and Bella muttered something like; "Overconspicuous."

"Carlisle has rung the school to tell them about your 'medical condition' so you won't have to worry too much about overexposure." Esme told us.

"I've fixed up your Porsche, Alice." Rosalie stepped into the house in her working overalls, motor oil all over her face and hands.

"Thanks, Rose! I owe you one!" I said brightly.

"Good luck," Rosalie replied.

I ran out of the house at vampire speed towards my beloved Porsche. I hadn't taken it to school before, as we usually took Edward's new Aston Martin.

I always got a thrill when I drove my favourite car in the world. I could run much faster, of course, but there wasn't the same feeling of wind rushing through the windows, snow and rain lashing your face as you picked up speed.

Today, however, I drove unusually slowly, savouring the look of my diamond skin, sparkling brightly in the sun.

I pulled into the school parking lot carefully, pretending to avoid my tens of gawking fans, crowding around my car, trying to reach through the open window to touch my sparkling skin.

"Alice, I mean, wows. How come your skin sparkles so much?"

"This is the new fashion. Who did your plastic surgery?"

"Is this why you guys never come to school on sunny days? Are you embarrassed of your super-sexy skin?"

"You almost look like you're burning. All you need are some fake fangs, red contacts, and a black shawl to complete the look."

I swivelled my head abruptly to the right at that comment. It was from Maddy, the screaming girl. She was holding her head in her hands, like she had forgotten something.

"Hmm…" She mumbled. "I feel deja vu when I'm talking about vampires, like I've run into one in my dreams…" Roars of laughter from Bella's gym class interrupted Maddy. I remembered my vision of Maddy's 'discovery' temper tantrum and shuddered- what a close call that had been.

"Actually, it's an extremely rare skin condition I was born with, that makes my skin sparkle in the sun. It's called nitorem cutis," I explained.

"Wow. How rare, exactly, is this skin condition?" One boy asked.

"I dunno," I lied. "But I haven't met anybody with the same disorder, yet."

"Homeroom 4?" A short woman with a clipboard beckoned us over. "Come on up, please. Short goes at the front, tall at the back. Sparkly, you'll go over here, please." The woman grabbed my arm with surprising force, for a human, and led me to the middle of the front row.

This continued on and on until all twenty-nine of us were in the correct spots, putting on our best fake smiles. I wasn't sparkling anymore, for we where in the hall, now.

"Ok. One, two, three." The short lady took a shot, the flash blinding the humans for half a second.

"Wonderful." She said flatly. "And again. One, two, three."

"That's over!" The little woman sounded relieved. "All I need to do now is take a picture of my seven-year-old daughter! The lady breathed.

"Good luck with that!" Sniggered one of the boys.

Ignoring the rude boy, she shuffled off to validate the photo.

I bounced gracefully off my stand, dancing my way to the queue for the individual photos. As soon as I stepped outside, boys, and girls alike started to gawk.

I guess I really was weird.

When it was my turn to get my photo taken, the old man at the camera tutted with disapproval.

"What types of cosmetics make todays' teens look like that? It's simply ridiculous. We will all have sparkly skin, soon." He muttered, fumbling with the massive camera, which was now tilting perilously on the edge of its tripod.

"Would you like me to help?" I smiled sweetly.

The camera landed on the ground with a resounding thud, causing everyone from the queue to crowd around the damage.

"I'm so sorry!" The man said, almost half-heartedly.

"Really, it's alright." I said pleasantly, lifting the camera back onto its tripod. It had a few scratches, but was all right, otherwise.

"You'd better smile, then." He grumbled.

I showed my best smile, watching the camera as it flashed brightly for a split second.

"Perfect," The man said, inspecting the photo on the camera screen. "Next!"

I skipped into the open air, and punched Mrs Haville's number into my phone, quickly explaining that I wouldn't be here for the rest of the day, because we had a family reunion in Canada, and we were due at the airport in a couple of hours. It was a pretty good cover story, because I knew the teachers were getting sick of the 'camping' excuse. I quickly scanned the future for any major turn of events, but found nothing. No one even came close to discovering what I was, Maddy included.

I then rang the Cullen home number, only to find an overly sour Rosalie on the other end of the line.

"Alice," Rosalie addressed me bitterly.

"It all went fine, Rose." I breathed.

"No discoveries, then?" Rose answered, trying to hide her relief.

"No, not as far as I can see," I replied.

"Excellent!" Rosalie chimed, the mood lightning considerably. "Me and Bella have a surprise for you,"

"Ooh, I like surprises!" I trilled, wondering what Bella and Rose might of gotten up to.

"Well, I'm not telling now, because it's a surprise," Rosalie said.

"Be home in 5," I replied, flipping my phone shut.

I raced to my car, slamming the door closed as hard as I dared, causing it to shudder and groan. I had kicked the engine up, and was speeding one hundred miles down the freeway, when I heard an 'oy!'

I pulled over in a shady spot in the trees, and watched as the Police car slowly chugged in my direction.

Uh-Oh.

I didn't see this coming.

"Why were you going a hundred miles per hour in a school zone?" The officer barked.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I guess I was just a little over excited." I hung my head, pretending to be ashamed.

"You don't even look old enough to drive," he said gruffly.

I wordlessly pulled out my fake licence and handed it to the policeman.

"Teenagers these days." The man muttered. "You're gonna have to take this home, if that's alright. This is a school zone, young lady." He tapped his fingers impatiently, shaking his head.

"Ok. Thank you very much." I said politely, putting my window up again.

"See, you!" He bellowed. "Stay safe!"

I drove back to the house, feeling slightly annoyed. Why did a stupid policeman have to step in and muck everything up?

Sometimes, half-life was just so unfair.

"Do you like it?" Rosalie had dressed a wooden bust in a pretty red-and-white checked dress.

"Oh, Rose, it's wonderful!" I skipped up to hug Rosalie. "I can't believe you found my journal! This uniform was intended for Forks High! But it would look so good at this school, too!"

"I'm glad you liked it, Alice. Did I make it how you would have wanted me too?" Rosalie's brow furrowed with mock concern.

"Yes! It's really perfect! If only we could actually wear this uniform! Rosalie…"

"But we are NOT." Bella made an entry, taking long, purposeful strides up to the bust at human speed. "I really can't believe I got tangled up in this, Rose." Bella breathed a long, heavy sigh, putting her head in her hands.

"But you found the journal, Bella!" Rosalie squealed. "You're a genius!"

"Agreed." I replied. "I haven't felt so happy in a long time, and I am almost always happy, Rose."

"Anything to make the fortune teller happy," Bella mumbled.

"Please don't be like that, Bella!" I whined. "We all know the world revolves around fashion and shopping."

Rosalie burst into laughter, but Bella just stood there, pouting.

"Edward." Bella muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Jasper and Emmett."

Bella only stuck her tongue.

Life was good.

After all, it had to be, if the Volturi weren't around.

All that I had to do now was bring Jasper back into my school life.

Then, the puzzle would be complete.