Chapter 40: Firsts
B POV
Senioritis had begun to infect every student graduating this year. Fewer students were in the library and more were skipping classes.
The Spring Talent Show had been cancelled due to lack of funding, typical.
As for Prom, it was still going strong thanks mostly to Alice, Jessica and Lauren. Those three girls had taken it upon themselves to fundraise, organize and advertise the entire affair.
The Masquerade theme was quite the hit among the students so far. Having the inside scoop on the theme, my dress had been tucked safely in my closet for the last month and I made my mask last week. The only thing I was still waiting on was Edward to ask.
We had a week before Prom and he hadn't formally asked me, which is currently the cause of my frustration as we make our way to our next class.
"YES!" A girl squeals further down the hallway. I look wistfully over as the relieved guy hands a bouquet of flowers to her. She wraps her arms around him for a hug, then pulls back to admire and smell her reward.
"Bella?" Edward's voice brings me back to the conversation at hand.
"Huh?" I ask not paying attention.
"We're meeting in the cafeteria after class right?" He looks at me intently for a moment.
"Of course," I nod in agreement.
"Okay, see you then." He pulls me in for a quick kiss before dodging into the classroom across from mine. I silently fume as I enter my Spanish class.
I sit and stew during class, not even aware of what the teacher is saying. It isn't until Angela leans over and whispers do I break out of my hypnotic state.
"Has he asked yet?" She whispers under the loud echoing of the students as they repeat Senora Verde's instruction. I shake my head firmly.
"Don't worry about it," She waves her hand. "I'm sure he will when you're least expecting it." I shrug, not wanting to uncork the dam of frustration that is threatening to overflow.
Finally class is over and we all pack up. I walk with Angela to the cafeteria for lunch. She's chatting mildly about her homework load, obviously avoiding the touchy subject of Prom because she realizes it's what is upsetting me at the moment. Nothing she's saying demands a response from me, so I keep quiet. As we round the corner she completely cuts off mid-sentence.
I look up to see the entire baseball team standing in matching white t-shirts with black letters on each. It takes me a second to comprehend what they are spelling.
W-I-L-L U G-O 2 P-R-O-M
It isn't until I get to the last shirt that my smile breaks out. Edward is standing on the far right with a shirt that says 'With me?' on it. He's holding a single red rose, reminding me of that night in December when he showed up on my doorstep.
As I open my mouth to give my answer the boys break out in a low hum. The whole lunchroom is quiet save for the thirteen boys. All thirteen begin to snap in a line and do a sort of shuffle with their feet. Edward steps up into the center and begins to sing, not very well I might add.
"I got sunshine,
On a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside,
I got the month of May."
"I guess you'll say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl!" Followed up by the back-up singers "My girl, my girl"
"Talkin' 'bout my girl." "MY GIRL!"
I blush violently as he shimmies his way over to me.
Angela, as well as the rest of the girls in the cafeteria, are giggling, as girls do when a fellow female is being publicly put on the spot by their boyfriend. I try not to focus on them and connect only with Edward. The boys continue their chorus of 'my girl' in the back, Emmett now leading the group.
Edward gets right up close to me, kneels on one knee and pushes the rose up toward me. "Isabella, will you be my date for prom?" He asks sickeningly sweetly.
I can't form words due to the fact that I'm about to burst, so I just nod excitedly and give him a smile. He grins and stands as I take the rose from him. He wraps me in a hug as the cafeteria begins to clap.
"Took you long enough." I whisper in his ear as people begin to dissipate and move on to the next public recognition of another couple pairing off.
"It only took me so long because none of the guys were ever here when I needed them to be. I couldn't very well show up with a sign that said 'ILL UG 2 ROM With me?" I giggle and kiss him so that he knows I'm not upset. Well, not any more anyway.
"Oh goodie!" Alice squeals as she approaches. "You finally managed to ask her. Now that that's settled, let's move on to everything else." Alice grabs my arm and pulls me away from Edward to continue breaking down how the entire week is going to go.
The night has finally arrived, which is both a relief and a nerve-racking fact.
It's a relief because it means all the hard work that Alice has made us do all this week has finally come to fruition. Either it's a huge hit, or it will be a dud. However, based on the fact that it's Alice, and nothing ever goes wrong when she wills it into being, I know for a fact that everything is in perfect position for this night to be unforgettable.
Rose and myself have spent all week with Alice, choosing centerpieces, tablecloths, making playlists for the DJ, organizing seating and floor plans, decorating the gym, making sure the photographer is good to go, that the chaperones (aka hired parents) are informed of their duties, that refreshments are in place, that rope lights are hung, that the voting booth can't be tampered with, and on and on and on. I can't think of a single thing Alice doesn't have covered.
The only thing I have left to be nervous about is the fact that my father is one of the chaperones.
He somehow managed to get tonight off work. I was barely able to talk him out of driving Edward and I in the back of the cruiser. That is not how I wanted to arrive to my Junior Prom. Thank God for Esme. I told her of Charlie's plans, she managed to talk him down in a parent-to-parent advice sort of way.
Currently, I'm staring at myself in the mirror, through the peep holes of my mask.
I barely recognize myself. My hair is curled in long tendrils, which have been pinned up and back, allowing the lower ones to flow freely over my shoulders, but the higher ones to fountain down the back and nape of my neck.
My mask has been applied using a type of adhesive and rests delicately above my nose, the butterfly accenting the right side of my face.
My shoulders are bare and elegant. My breasts are perfectly round, lifted and separated.
The dark blue, light blue and white gathered material makes my skin look even more porcelain. The jewel-encrusted empire waste drops down into a long white, flowing skirt; the bottom of which is adorned in an intricate and beautiful pattern of blue butterflies. The moment I saw this dress I knew it was perfect, I just didn't realize how perfect.
I take a deep breath, lift the gentle and flowy fabric an inch or so to reveal my white wrap peep toe heels and step out of my room.
I take each stair carefully and grip the banister, making sure I don't slip and fall. As I come around the corner I clutch to the door frame to prevent myself from losing balance. Did I mention these heels were higher than any I've worn to date?
"Dad, you ready?" I ask after I've assured myself I'm not in any danger of falling.
"Ya," He turns around from trying to figure out his new digital camera he bought yesterday—he decided that he needed to document the evening for himself. He freezes when he sees me. "Wow baby girl." He breathes. I blush under his discerning eye. A look comes over his face I've never seen before. His eyes get distant, like he's looking at me through some sort of filter.
"You look so grown up. It's hard to believe that you're my little girl anymore." He whispers as he fumbles awkwardly with the camera in his hand. I smile.
"I'll always be you're little girl daddy." I answer, walking over and hugging him. In my heels my head tucks into his shoulder. His hands wrap around me and he squeezes me tightly. I pull away and smile at him. He coughs awkwardly before he gives me his eyebrow wiggle. I giggle and take a step back.
"We better head over to the Cullens. Esme told me I have to get there at exactly 7:15. We have ten minutes."
"Okay." I nod as I take his arm to stabilize myself. He walks me to the door and grabs my jacket. As he holds it open for me I slide my arms into the sleeves. I pull the hood over my head because it's begun to sprinkle outside and I don't want my hair to get wet and fall apart.
We both dash through the misting rain, me slower and more cautiously due to the dress and heels, and quickly pile into the cruiser.
Charlie fires the engine and we drive the speed limit—exactly— to the Cullens' house.
When we pull up, Alice is waiting for us at the door. She squeals and waves at us in excitement. I shake my head and walk towards the porch, Charlie following close behind.
"Bella, you look hot!" Alice chimes.
"Not as hot as you!" I laugh as I motion to the strapless purple dress that Tinkerbell herself might have worn to her Prom.
If I thought my shoes were high, Alice's are Mount Everest and her mask is the exact shade as her dress. The pearlescent flowers at the right side of her forehead create the base of the large purple plumage that projects over her face.
"Well thanks!" She sticks her tongue out at me. "You, me and Rose will be the best looking chicks there, GUARANTEED!" She quickly turns on the ball of her foot, as if the shoe is just an extension of her and delicately bounds back through the door. I glance at Charlie and he smiles and gives a small eye roll.
"CHIEF SWAN AND BELLA ARE HERE!" Alice calls up the stairs to no one in particular. The stampeding and sounds of bodies getting thrown into walls is heard from above us.
"Emmett! Knock it off!" Edward's muffled threat echoes down to us just as another slam shakes the walls, followed by a smack.
"EMMETT!" Esme calls. "Let your brother go!"
The wrestling sounds end and Edward stumbles onto the landing at the top of the stairs rubbing the back of his head and grimacing. Emmett guffaws and slaps his back, earning an elbow to the rib from Edward in return.
"Douchebag…" Edward grumbles at Emmett as they both begin jogging down the stairs.
Rose enters behind Esme and my mouth gapes a little at her outfit. Her strapless silk dress is raspberry pink, form fitting and flowy. A slit up the side reveals all ten miles of her left leg. Her mask is the same color and framed in gold sequins. The right side of which has dangling beads at the bottom and feathers jutting from the top.
I feel a tad bit self-conscious before turning to look at Edward. His face mirrors the look on mine, but the only thing he's captivated by is me. I feel the familiar blush spread against my face and chest. Will I ever tire of seeing him look at me like this? I don't think so.
E POV
I have a feeling that I'm going to need a twelve step program to handle this addiction that is my girlfriend. When I saw her in her prom costume I was floored, and I'm still floored as mom lines us up on the stairs for pictures.
"Emmett, be serious! This is your senior prom! You'll never forget this!" She scolds as she positions my older brother towards the top of the stairs.
"Then why do we have to take a million pictures to remember it?" Emmett jokes.
"Because that way I can show my future nieces and nephews that their dad wasn't always so ugly." I shoot back.
"You think my boyfriend's hot too?" Rose fires back. "I didn't know you swung that way Edward."
"Knock it off you three." Bella nudges me. "The sooner we get this done the sooner we can get there."
"Good point." Jasper agrees from in front of Bella.
"Alright everyone. Say cheese!" Esme squeals as she frames the shot. I put on my most genuine smile as I rest my hands on Bella's waist, giving a little squeeze for emphasis. She giggles lightly causing my grin to widen just a little.
"Perfect!" Mom gushes just as the honking of the limo is heard.
"ALRIGHT! LIMO!" Emmett shouts before lifting Rose caveman style and whisking her down the stairs toward the front door. Rose squeals and smacks his back in weak protest.
"Shall we?" I offer my arm to Bella and she twines hers around mine and kisses me on the cheek.
"Absolutely." She winks.
A short ride in one of the most lavish limos Forks has, which isn't saying much, we all pull up in front of Forks High School. The line is long, ridiculously long.
"Well," Alive sings. "Shall we skip this line and go through the VIP entrance?"
"Really?" Rose scoffs. "Of course!"
We all chuckle and begin to bypass the line, but as we're walking I hear someone call my name.
"Edward? EDWARD!" An unidentified female shouts. Bella and I both pause and I turn to look around.
I'm praying it's not who I think it is, but God must not have heard my prayer because no sooner than I think that, I see her. The voice in question is coming from a blonde girl who is wearing a black flowing dress with purple, green and white wisps climbing from the hem of the dress. She's holding a peacock mask but removes it to show her face. She's waving directly at Bella and I with a great flourish and beckoning us over. I put on a forced smile and grip Bella's hand.
She smiles at me and begins to head towards the young woman. I submit to following a footstep behind her. As we reach the girl who is now smiling brightly and has stopped waving her hand.
"Long time no see Edward!" She reaches out and gives me a big hug, causing Bella to release my hand. I robotically hug her back as I break into a cold sweat. I would have hoped that I could bypass this experience.
"It has been a long time." I answer mechanically as I stiffly pull away from her. She smiles and looks between Bella and I. Bella also looks at me expectantly as well.
"Oh, excuse me," I cough. "This is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is Meg."
B POV
Meg? As in Meg his "first time" Meg. Why is she here? I thought she lived in the Tri-Cities. Wow, she's pretty. Why is she here? I can't seem to respond, although I know it's my turn. He said something, what did she say.
"Bella?" Edward whispers at my side. I snap out of it and respond.
"It's nice to meet you to Meg. Thank you, you're costume is stunning as well." She complimented how I look, but she looks like she stepped right out of a magazine. Her mask the kind you hold rather than wear and her hair is in an ornate up-do with peacock feathers twined into and accentuating her honey gold locks.
"How have you been Edward?" She asks, and I think I'm only imagining the suggestive tone in her voice.
"Fine," he answers stiffly as he twines my arm around his. He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze but I think I'm in too much shock to register it. His first girlfriend, alright not really girlfriend is standing in front of us, flirting with him. Alright not flirting, but still…he's my boyfriend now! It's our prom! Life is a son of a bitch sometimes.
I smile congenially as I try and pay more attention to what's being said.
"…and when I saw you at the auction I just had to bid. I mean we had such a great time last time we hung out." She laughs softly and I get the sudden urge to strangle her. She was the one trying to outbid me for the night with Edward.
I'm seething at this point and any hope of following the conversation vanishes. How dare he. He told me it was some forty year old drunk, not a blond bombshell who he slept with over the summer before he met me. I'm internally fuming but have the biggest forced smile I can muster on my face as they finish up their conversation.
"Well, see you inside." Meg winks and gives a flirtatious little wave. "It was nice meeting you Bella."
"You too." Bitch, I internally tag onto that last part. That's when I realize I can't be thinking this. I'm sure she's a nice person. I mean Edward is just too attractive for his own damn good. She must have been pulled into his tractor beam of hotness too. Edward pulls me away and as soon as we're out of earshot he start in.
"Bella, I'm so so sorry. I didn't know she was going to-" I cut him off with a look. "Bella?"
"Don't."
"But-"
"Edward, I'm too pissed off right now." I answer curtly as we walk into the side entrance. We join the quickly growing line for pictures with the rest of our group. Alice and Rose take one look at me and decide to give Edward and I a second alone.
"She's one very attractive drunk forty year old." I hiss at him.
Edward gives me a shocked look before pulling my hand to his lips. The ice in my mind melts a little as he begins pleading.
"Bella please, I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you. She means nothing to me anymore. It was a one-time thing."
"I'm done talking about this right now." I cut him off with a pointed glare. "I just want to enjoy prom, is that too much to ask?"
"No." He sighs as he lets our hands drop. I nod stiffly and turn back to the group just in time for Emmett to realize that we've joined them. He talks animatedly with a stone faced Edward. I take this time to look around.
I admire some of the costumes people are in. Most are just generic masks that we meant to match the color scheme of the couples. One mask captures my attention, it's a red and black devil mask. It covers everything from the lips up and the person behind the mask is staring right back.
For some reason I see him staring at me and don't look away. We have a stare off for what seems like hours before I feel Edward lightly pulling on my hand, signaling me that the line is moving. I look back and the horned mask man has disappeared.
I shake it off and continue to delve into conversation with Alice and Rose as we gossip about some of the other dresses and costumes.
"Did you see Tanya Denali's?" Rose quietly hisses so that only Alice and I can hear her.
I shake my head no.
"Oh my God! First of all, her and her sisters are in the same dress, but different colors. How tacky is that? And they all three have the same mask. So ridiculous.
"What do their dresses look like?" I ask.
"They have animal print bodices that flare out into black skirts. Heavy on the tooling." She rolls her eyes. "Not to mention the cat masks."
"I didn't think they were that bad." Alice answers sweetly. "The dress would look good on anyone else that is." We all burst into giggles at that before we are called up to take the formal pictures.
After dishing out nearly three hundred for the whole group for pictures we make our way into the gym. It has been transformed into an elegant and lavish room. I feel like I've stepped right into the scene from Phantom of the Opera. Everything is black and gold and classy looking.
"Alice you did an amazing job!" Both Rose and I gush.
"I know…" she sighs as she takes in her handy work.
"Come on Jazz! Let's go dance." And with that Alice is off. Jasper, Rose and Emmett following close behind.
"Bella?" Edward grabs my attention.
"Hmm?" I acknowledge him. I'm still pissed and he knows it. I head towards the table and set my clutch next to my name card.
"I…I'm-" He begins but stops when he sees the look on my face.
"I'm going to go get us a couple drinks." Edward sighs, apparently giving up on talking me down at the moment.
I sit and watch Edward lithely dodge through the other students as he makes his way over to the beverage table on the other side of the gym.
I sigh and turn away, taking my cellphone out of my clutch and checking the time, 8:12. I'm not being unreasonable am I? I mean Meg is really pretty, and Edward's first time was with her, there has to be some sort of connection there. I replace the cell phone just as a cup of punch comes to rest in front of me.
"That was quick-" I begin before looking up at the person depositing the drink. It's him. The guy in the red-horned mask I saw staring at me earlier. I tense and furrow my brow.
"Umm, hello." My tone of voice changes from light and flirty to tense and confused. "Can I help you?"
He does nothing but offer me his hand and bows as if in invitation.
"Oh, umm. I'm with someone. I'm waiting for him to come back from getting drinks." The stranger simply nods and reaches down to take my hand. He pulls on my arm gently and for reasons I can't fathom his touch is oddly familiar. I let him pull me up until I'm standing. He nods his head toward the dance floor. I bite my lower lip and war with myself over whether I should do this.
What's one dance going to hurt? I mean, I'm pissed at Edward, sure. But I'm not cheating on him. It'll only make him jealous in return for the jealousy issues I'm having, what with Megan and the whole bid war that was just revealed. One dance won't hurt. I timorously let this stranger lead me to the dance floor.
We get lost in the center of the crowd as the song Warwick Avenue by Duffy begins to soothe the dancers into a slow rhythm. The stranger's strong hands wrap around my lower back.
It doesn't feel right, but was I expecting it to? I mean, Edward's hands are the ones that I love being on me. I tense and maintain an arm's length away, my hands resting on his biceps. The black silk of his shirt is cool and makes my arms break out in goose bumps.
His mask covers his face from his lips up, and the lack of light in the gym prevents me from discerning his eye color. They look dark and the pupils dart up and down my body. His lips curl in a sneering smile and it makes me uncomfortable.
I tense and he takes notice, moving his body closer to try and calm me. It has the opposite effect. My breathing becomes rapid with mild panic. I want to stop dancing but the curious part of my mind has taken over. I want to know who this guy is.
"Who are you?" I manage to stutter.
"You don't remember me?" He asks, his voice is like the consistency of grease, thick and unctuous. The alarm bells go off in my brain because I can tell he's disguising his voice.
"Should I?" I squeak.
"I would hope so. It seems that your body does. You're practically hyperventilating with how much I'm exciting you right now." My breath hitches and I freeze. My eyebrows knit together in an angry glare.
"This is not exciting me. This is pissing me off. Who do you think you are?" I almost growl.
He chuckles in appreciation. "Oh look who's playing coy now. Come on you don't remember me even a little."
"No, not an ounce." I spit as I remove my hands from his biceps and push his hands off my waist.
"Sure you do. Nobody forgets their first time Jelly Belly." He coos and reaches behind me to grab my ass and pull me towards him. My whole body locks up and I can't move, or fight or scream.
The only thing I manage to choke is "Drake?