Ch 1: Another Day

Bella.


Blurs of green was all that was visible through the rain beaten window where I stood. Rivers of tears shed from the skies above. It was comforting to me. I don't know whether it was the dreary day that mirrored my life or the fact that there were more shadows to blend in to shrouding my misery, but it fit me. I loved it when it rained. I loved Forks. We were one in the same.

Growing up in Forks was for the most part what you would expect of small town life. Dad worked long hours. I worked hard in school and stayed out of trouble. I had a quiet life and I liked it that way. The most excitement I ever saw was when my two best friends would drag me out of the house for some party or shopping trip which I usually tried to get out of.

It was on days like this I found myself thinking. I wondered if there was more. More to life.. or was this it? If there was something I was missing I don't know what it was.. I don't even know if I would welcome change if it presented itself. I was comfortable. I sighed. Maybe this is where I am supposed to be. I would not tempt fate today.

Pushing away from the window I looked around my small bedroom. My bed was comfortable and soft currently tousled from my restlessness the night before. There were a few old posters on one wall. I should have taken them down but couldn't bring myself to do it. Getting older sucks. Even when you make no sudden moves and shy away from any choices that might invite change life pushes you forward.

My tiny desk was cluttered with books and papers. I was making notes and thinking about college although it wasn't really something I was looking forward to. Change. Change is not me. I was comfortably complacent. I could live here with dad like this forever but that wasn't realistic. Reality bites.

Know what else bites? Edward Cullen, but I didn't know that yet.

I trudged to the dresser yanking out my drawers pulling out a pair of jeans and a shirt and tossing them on my bed. Reaching back and grabbing a pair of panties that Alice, my exuberant best friend, insisted I buy the last time she wrangled me into a trip to the mall in Port Angeles. Black cotton with red embroidered hearts. Nice Alice.

I didn't have much choice anymore when it came to my underwear. Alice was a freak. But a freak of the best kind in a weird sort of way. I loved her. Hot water came screeching through the old pipes as I turned on the shower. Smiling, I stepped under the steaming water.

Alice had come over a few months back while we were getting ready to go out to some club in Port Angeles when she discovered my drawer full of boring cotton panties and bras. After getting a lecture about sexy intimates making a woman feel even more womanly somehow she managed to empty out my drawer while I wasn't looking and she stole every pair of panties I owned. Weird, right? Well, you just have to know Alice. After waking up the next morning and discovering I would be going commando that day I received a text from Alice stating she was taking me shopping after school.

Turning the water off I towel dried my hair and stared at my naked form in the bleary mirror. I was thin and wet with mousy hair. Same as yesterday go figure.

I heard the front door slam downstairs. Ut-oh. Shit I wasn't dressed yet! I threw on my panties and jeans and was in the process of pulling my shirt down over my wet head when my bedroom door flew open.

"Morning sunshine!" the tiny pixie was a blur of color dancing into my room. Alice grabbed my comforter and flipping and guiding it in the air settled it onto my bed. Smoothing the biggest wrinkles out of the way she flopped down on her stomach and stared up at me through huge twinkling eyes and waited for me to respond.

"Morning," I grumbled gently walking to the dresser and picking up my hairbrush.

"So, I was thinking. We need to make some plans for this weekend. Angela and Ben are going out of town and Rose is fighting with her boyfriend again so I was thinking maybe we could just hang out at my house if you want to get out of here." She looked apologetically around my small space her eyes lingering for a moment on the old band posters.

I nodded slowly. Her idea of a sleepover usually entailed me being primped and prodded, dressed and undressed.. I was her life sized Barbie doll. Smiling so big her face might spit I swear if this girl had a light bulb it just gone on. Yeah she was that obvious. Who knows what all she had planned for me.

Alice was a good friend. The kind every girl should have. We had known each other since the 7th grade when her father decided to take up residence in the sleepy town of Forks. They moved here in hopes of starting over after a terrible tragedy that consumed Alice's mother. I didn't know a lot about it but it involved a horrible car accident that left Alice's father heartbroken and Alice pretty much had to fend for herself for the first few years.

Greg, Alice's father, used to travel as much as his wife and Alice was sent to the best boarding schools available. After his wife died Greg brought Alice home indefinitely. Ultimately it was the loss of his wife that allowed an amazing relationship to be born between him and his daughter. Alice, without much trouble was able to talk her father into allowing her to attend public school close to home. And that is what brought them to Forks. It was quiet and safe. Greg still traveled a bit for work more so after Alice went on to high school but back then it was Rose's Aunt who would keep an eye on Alice when he was out of town.

And that is how we came to be. Three best friends. Alice, Rose and me.

"Geesh! Are you ready yet?" Alice practically vibrated. If I could bottle her energy I'd be rich. If I had a penny for every time I thought about getting rich off bottling her energy Id be rich!

"Yep," I popped the 'p' as I spoke.

Alice stood and grabbed my arm dragging me downstairs. Slinging my pack over my shoulder and grabbing my hoodie we headed out the door. The sky was still drizzling and Alice giggled as she attempted to shield her carefully painted face ducking down and skipping in a hurry to the driver's side of the car. It was all very Alice. How she pulled off being so damn cute is beyond me. I would have looked ridiculous doing that.

The little sports car started with ease and responded to Alice with enthusiasm. I swear her car had as much get up and go as she did. We were at the mall a few years back and there had been a car show going on. Alice spotted a little car that she absolutely fell in love with.. she said it 'reminded her of the car driven by roger rabbit'. After spending a few months working with Rose and searching the internet Alice and Rose found what they were looking for.

Rose knew things. Like men. And cars. Rose grew up rough. She didn't share much with Alice and I and we never pried. We pretty much didn't know much of anything except what was said around town. Rose's mom had been a prostitute in Seattle. She had a drug problem. She gave up her child to her sister because a baby didn't fit her lifestyle. She went missing when Rose was six. That was pretty much it, she was never found and Rose's aunt and uncle raised her.

Rose's uncle was a classic car fanatic and he loved to share his hobby with Rose. From a young age Rose spent hours in the modest shop behind their house helping her uncle with any one of his three classic hot rods. Rose had also spent a fair share of time working on my own beast, a faded red truck from the late 70s that my dad had purchased for me the week I got my license.

Alice whipped into the school parking lot and I almost forgot where I was. Damn that car was fast. Or maybe it was Alice, or both. Alice had been singing the whole ride to some obnoxious girly bop on the radio. "We will just order pizza tomorrow. Do you want me to come and help you pack after school? We can just leave your things in the car tomorrow when I pick you up so you won't have to go home after school? Oh, do you like this polish? Its new." Alice thrust her neatly manicured nails in my face.
I cracked a smile. Only Alice. "Pizza sounds fine. No, I think I can pack since once I get to your house you wont let me wear my own stuff anyways, and yeah that's a cute color, if you are a pixie," I emphasized the pixie and she laughed.

"Don't worry I have plans for you!" she exclaimed wiggling her eyebrows at me.
I couldn't help but smile, Alice was a trip. A kind, good soul with lots of happiness and way to much fucking energy. Alice was the epitome of loyal and sincere and I wouldn't trade her for the world.

"What are you crazy bitches doing in there?" a loud female voice made me jump slightly. The door opened suddenly and Rose's cleavage came into plain view. As she bent over to peer in the car I couldn't help but laugh again. If she moved just another inch lower surely her whole chest would be flopping out on my lap. Scooting forward before she attempted to climb in the crowded two-seater and join us I got out of the car.

"Morning Rosie!" the pixie was like a welcome-to-the-new-day greeting card.
"We are making plans for this weekend.. a girly sleepover at my place.. if you are still free this weekend you should join us." Alice skillfully eluded the elephant in the room 'Are you still fighting with your boyfriend?' question.

Rose paled a bit and wavered. Something was off. Rose never displayed any signs of weakness or faltering. Whatever it is I'm sure we would find out soon and when we weren't at school. She offered a brave smile and replied, "We'll see," and turning her back to head up the steps to the school she added, "I'll let you know." No snide comments, no sarcasm or any reference to her current relationship issues. Something was definitely off.

Alice and I followed Rose up the stairs to the entrance. It's always so funny to watch Rose in the hallways. She is one of the girls who has to do nothing but walk into a room and the guys are either drooling in a chicken shit stupor or they are devising ways to slip her their number or engage her in conversation. Most of the guys at our school had learned by now though that there was more to Rose than a knockout body and pretty face. A mean right hook and silver tongue graces Rose with the ability to hold her own in almost any situation.

I reached my locker and told the girls Id see them at lunch. We didn't have any classes together until 5th period gym. I gathered what I needed for my first and second class. I didn't like to come back to my locker between those classes because there wasn't much time. When I hurried I had accidents. Usually the kind that had me landing on my ass. By changing my habits over the years I tried to avoid as much of that as possible. Not only does it hurt my ass, its terribly embarrassing when done in front of others.

Sitting in class I scribbled into my organizer on the current assignment and turned my attention to the rough draft of my book report. I spent the remainder of class working from notes and editing my own work. The rest of my morning classes followed suit and the day droned on at an even pace as always. My life. My mundane, safe life.

Stuffing my books in my locker I swung the door shut and spun the lock. Turning on my heel my first step brought me in contact with a warm body. "Oops! Sorry," I blurted out. Looking up I saw Jasper smiling down at me. "Oh, hi Jasper!"

The tall lanky guy looked down on me grinning ear to ear. "Hey Bells, going to the cafeteria?" I nodded and jamming his hands in his front jean pockets he set pace beside me as we headed down the hall. "So, I was hoping to catch you before lunch…," he trailed off.

I glanced at him sideways curiously. "Well, you caught me, what's up?"

"I…huh, I really don't know if you think.. or what you might think.. I thought maybe you could.. or would rather.. "

Okay this is new, I thought. Jasper tripping on his own words.. Wow! He was usually so smooth. I stopped walking and faced him waiting patiently.

"I am thinking of asking Alice out this weekend. Do you think she would go with me? Is she seeing anybody?" His eyes were so serious I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.

"No, she isn't seeing anybody and yes, I think you should ask her." Little did he know Alice had been raving about him the last six months driving Rose and I up the wall. I felt a stir in my heart. Jasper was always uber nice and smiling with kind words for all; a perfect match for a certain dark haired pixie with the same outlook. Suddenly I was looking forward to lunch.

Sitting at our table Rose and Alice were completely absorbed with their heads together having a private moment. I'm sure I would get filled in later. Jasper stayed at my side. When I sat down the girls looked up practically gawking at poor Jasper who looked terrified.

"I ask Jasper to sit with us if that's okay?" I looked at the girls who were looking back at me with a million questions I couldn't answer. Jasper looked thoroughly uncomfortable and I truly felt bad for him. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this crap. I like boys don't get me wrong but sometimes the whole thing is just so silly.
When no one at the table said anything I pulled out the chair next to me and patted it for Jasper to sit down. Alice kept staring at him and he just stared at the table while Rose stared at me.

Finally, Alice broke the ice, " So Jasper, what brings you to our table? Not that you aren't welcome you can join us anytime I just know that you usually sit over there," she motioned to a table on the other side of the room where the majority of Forks football team sat. Blushing, she gushed on, " I mean you can sit here now and every day if you want I didn't mean to be rude!" Clasping her hand over her mouth obviously suffering from a case of I-just-ate-my-foot-itis her eyes grew twice their normal saucer size.

Still standing Jasper grasp the back of the chair I had offered to him with white knuckles. "Actually I was wondering if you would like to maybe go out with me this weekend if you are free." After the words escaped Jasper's mouth there was no turning back. Even though he hadn't gotten an answer back yet Jasper looked so relieved to just have gotten this far.

I looked at Alice wondering why it was taking her so long to answer. She was staring at me like she wanted permission. Oh der ! I could have slapped myself.. duh! I could feel my mouth turn up at the corners as I gave a little nod. We had plans this weekend but it wasn't like I was going cry if I had a break from playing dress up for a few hours. I silently thanked Jasper.

Of course, Alice said yes beaming like a lighthouse on a black night. After they had settled the day and time Jasper turned to go to his usual table. Rose and I sat through the rest of lunch listening to Alice squeal as discretely as possible prattling on about dresses and shoes for her very important and very long over due date.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK EDDIE! GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"

What in the hell? I swung my attention to the cafeteria doors where the familiar face of Emmett, Rose's current fling was hollering like a mad man. Holding his arm was a slightly smaller guy. I didn't recognize him although I don't know how I could have missed him before. He was tall almost as tall as Emmett with a head of wild red hair that seemed to have a mind of its own. He was pale next to Emmett but he was strong obviously. He held Emmett in place against the door frame with what appeared to be little or no effort on his part.

Rose jumped up and immediately her eyes flew to the back exit. As she abandoned our table in flight Alice and I shoveled our things up in our arms and followed closely behind her. We got half way to the back exit when Emmett turned his attention to her fleeing back.

"ROSIE DON'T DO! THIS I CAN EXPLAIN! I WILL MAKE THIS RIGHT! BABY PLEASE, I LOVE YOU…."

The farther we got from the commotion the more shaken Rose became. I had never seen her like this. She was pale, almost as pale as the stranger with Emmett, and she was quiet. This cant be good. Turning out of the building and spilling into the parking lot the three of us piled into Rose's mustang just in time so that no one would see the onslaught of tears that soaked our dear friends face.
Rose never cries. What the hell just happened?

I looked at Alice and she looked back at me. Without a word she started the car and pulled out of the school.

_____


We all know who Twilight belongs to and it isn't me.~~