Bella´s Friday Afternoon
Bella´s eyes widened in shock as she watched Alice´s car come dangerously close to hitting Edward´s. Her heart raced as she searched for any sign that this was just a stupid dream. If this was real, that could only mean one thing - he was here. But why? Why did he have to be here, of all places?
She felt a surge of relief as she realised that he hadn´t seen her. That was at least something, as she didn´t want to face him yet.
¨Please tell me you didn´t almost hit Edward Masen.¨ Bella´s voice pierced through the stillness of the car like a knife when Alice drove them away from the scene of the almost-accident. ¨I must be hallucinating or something, right?¨
Alice looked at Bella through the rearview mirror, her eyes pleading for mercy. ¨It wasn´t my fault!¨ she said, her voice quivering slightly. ¨He didn´t indicate where he was going and I had to swerve to avoid him.¨
Rosalie gently clasped Alice´s hand on the steering wheel, giving it a reassuring squeeze to help calm her down.
¨But why didn´t you see him?¨ Bella wondered aloud, feeling a knot form in her stomach just thinking about what would have happened if they bumped into each other.
Alice rolled her eyes, her impatience showing. ¨Oh, come on, Bella. He forgot to turn on his lights and we didn´t crash, now did we? So calm down, everything is fine,¨ she said, her tone defensive.
Bella shook her head in disbelief. ¨Fine? Are you kidding me? We almost hit him and you´re acting like it´s no big deal? Why is he even here, Alice?¨
Alice bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously around the car. ¨Shit, you´re right,¨ she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She let out of deep sigh, her shoulders drooping in defeat. ¨I don´t know,¨ she replied softly. ¨But we´re about to find out.¨
Rosalie turned around in her seat. ¨Does he know who you really are?¨ she asked Bella, her voice laced with concern. ¨You know, maybe he found out about this whole charade thing and that you´re not actually Alice?¨
¨I really hope not,¨ she replied. ¨And why would he even come here for that? He could just stand me up at the restaurant tomorrow and save himself the trouble.¨
¨Maybe he´s here for something else,¨ Alice chimed in, her eyes wide with speculation. ¨Like buying the apartment, for example.¨
Bella shook her head in disbelief. ¨No way. And who has that kind of money just lying around?¨
¨You´re forgetting who we´re talking about here,¨ Rosalie pointed out. ¨Edward Masen. That man is wealthy beyond measure.¨
Bella groaned, the idea of Edward Masen as her new neighbour sent shivers down her spine. ¨I´m never coming outside ever again if that ever happens,¨ she muttered under her breath.
¨Don´t worry, Bella. I know you´d rather be inside with your nose buried in a book,¨ Alice teased.
Bella rolled her eyes but grinned back, secretly relieved to have her friend´s lightheartedness to distract her while her thoughts were elsewhere.
¨Yeah, don´t think about it anymore, Bella,¨ Rosalie said. ¨Let´s just focus on finding the perfect dress for tomorrow night.¨
As Alice parked the car, Bella couldn´t help but feel a sense of dread. Tomorrow´s date suddenly seemed like the least of her worries if it were true what Alice proposed. There was something much bigger at play here, and she knew that her life was about to get a whole lot more complicated. Anyways, she would deal with it, but it might become ugly.
As they stepped out of the car and walked to the dress shop, Rosalie´s energy went into overdrive and Bella could see why Alice liked her so much. She was a puppy that had just been let off its leash, and Bella couldn´t help but smile at her sudden enthusiasm.
¨So, spill,¨ Rosalie said as they walked to the store. ¨How many pairs of shoes do you own?¨
Bella couldn´t help but laugh. ¨Not as many as you might think. I try to keep it practical for work. Long shifts are killing.¨
Rosalie nodded and moved on to her next question. ¨And how do you match your outfits?¨
¨Usually based on my mood,¨ Bella replied. ¨I don´t have a lot of accessories either, if that´s what you´re asking.¨
Rosalie gasped in shock.¨We need to fix that ASAP.
¨I´ve been telling her that, all the time,¨ Alice agreed, reaching out to hold Rosalie´s hand.
Bella giggled. ¨Well then, I´m open to suggestions.¨
As they entered the store, Bella´s eyes widened in awe. The walls were lined with the most beautiful dresses and accessories, and she felt like a little kid in a candy store. For a moment, she forgot about everything else with Edward and just enjoyed the moment. She didn´t pay attention to Rosalie and Alice, but she was sure they were having just as much fun as she was. She knew immediately why Alice had brought her here - this was a fashion lover´s paradise.
Bella´s attention was immediately drawn to a beautiful headband, navy blue with delicate roses on the side, made of silk. It was perfect, and she knew she had to have it.
As she reached out to touch it, the shop assistant approached her from behind. Bella hadn´t even noticed her, so caught up was she in the cuteness that was in front of her.
¨Pretty, isn´t it?¨ the shop assistant asked.
Bella started nodding before she could even form words. She could hardly contain her excitement. ¨Yes, it´s perfect. I´ll take it.¨
¨No, we´ll take it,¨ Alice said firmly.
Before she knew it, the headband was paid for, and Bella was already imagining all the different outfits she could wear it with.
¨Last time I made a dress for you, but this time, it´s on me, my treat.¨ Alice said to Bella. ¨Pick any dress you like,¨ she said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Bella looked around the boutique, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sea of colours and fabrics. She twirled around in excitement, her eyes scanning the dresses with anticipation. Then, her eyes landed on a dress that caught her attention because it matched the new hairband that Alice had gifted her.
¨I like that one,¨ Bella said, pointing to the dress.
Alice nodded. ¨Let´s try it on!¨
Bella stepped into the fitting room, her heart racing with anticipation. She slipped the dress over her head, and it fit her like a glove. ¨This is the one,¨ she said, stepping out of the fitting room. Her eyes shone with delight.
Bella twirled in front of the mirror, admiring how the dress hugged her curves in all the right places. It was a simple yet elegant design, with a sweetheart neckline and a flowing skirt that ended just above her knees.
Rosalie clapped her hands. ¨It´s perfect on you.¨
¨And you know, it matched the Cullen crest,¨ Alice winked.
Bella laughed, feeling grateful to have Alice as her friend. She knew that shopping with her always meant an adventure, but she never expected to find a dress that made her feel so beautiful. And she was glad Alice and Rosalie seemed to be hitting it off.
¨I can´t believe you´re treating me to this. It´s too much,¨ Bella said, feeling a twinge of guilt.
¨Don´t be silly. Considering what you´re doing for me right now, this is nothing,¨ Alice said while she hugged Bella.
As they all left the boutique, Bella couldn´t help but feel a little bit excited. With Rosalie´s contagious energy and Alice´s impeccable taste, she knew that tomorrow´s blind date might not be so bad after all.
A/N: I wish I could give you all a shopping trip with Alice and Rosalie. It simply amazes me that there are people -real people!- out there who read this.
Who take time out of their precious day, to sit down and... read... this.
Oh, my God. Thank you so much!s