Author's Note - YES!! chapter nine is FINALLY out! I am so sorry for taking months and months to finish it, but here it is. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

BPOV

I felt myself blushing as I walked into the living room. Edward gave me a small smile of encouragement, but it only made my cheeks feel warmer. As I made my way up to the makeshift runway, I was suddenly blinded by a flash of bright light. It took me a moment to realize that Alice was shining the flashlight in my face like a spotlight. She had suddenly appeared on the sidelines with Edward and Jacob without me noticing her run past.

Great, I thought. Now I'm humiliated and blind.

Squinting down at the floor ahead of me, I saw that Edward had lined the runway, which was simply a path cleared through Charlie's camping equipment, with the candles we had found earlier.

That Edward, I thought gratefully. Always thinking.

I supposed that he had done that so that I could see where I was going and wouldn't trip, but knowing me, I would most likely trip over the candles and set the whole house on fire.

"Coming down the runway," Alice's voice rang out through the living room, "is top model Isabella Swan."

"Yeah!" Jacob cheered. "Go Bella!"

"Excuse me!" Alice scolded him. "I'm doing the commentary for this show and I don't need any assistance from the peanut gallery!"

"Well, pardon me," Jacob mocked in a high-pitched voice.

I rushed past them, keeping my head down the entire time. However, I could feel their eyes on me as I walked.

"Keep your head up, Bella," Alice instructed. "You have to make eye contact with your audience."

I stopped walking and turned to face Alice. "What audience?" I asked.

"The one watching you and thinking how amazing you look in that dress," she answered, which a slight hint of pride in her voice.

"You can't be serious," I muttered to myself as I continued on my way. I realized after a second that Alice probably heard me anyway.

"Oh yes I am," she said. "Now stop right there…and strike a pose!"

"I will do no such thing!" I retorted.

"Strike a pose! Strike a pose!" Jacob chanted.

"How vulgar," Edward said disgustedly.

I stood at the end of the runway looking like a complete fool while the "audience" watched, waiting for me to do something.

I awkwardly put my hands on my hips and said, "That's as good as it's gonna get."

With that, I turned around and quickly began to make my way back to the kitchen.

"Bella is wearing a fabulous Galliano original," Alice commented as I walked past them again.

"A Galliano original?" I gasped, stopping to face her again. "Alice, how much did you pay for this?"

"Eyes forward! Keep walking please!" She ordered quickly, completely avoiding my question.

I groaned loudly and kept walking, making a mental note to myself to bring up the subject again later. I finally reached the kitchen, after what seemed like the longest five minutes of my life, and joy and relief washed over me.

"Thank goodness that's over," I breathed.

"Over?" Alice had suddenly appeared right beside and I jumped in surprise as she spoke.

"You're not done yet," she said. "That was only your first pass. You have at least five more outfits to model."

"Five?"

"Yes," she said, "and your next one is over there on that chair."

"I refuse to humor you all night, Alice!" I said.

"Not all night, Bella," she insisted. "Just for another hour or so. Now hurry up and change. We can't keep our audience waiting."

"What audience?" I demanded again. "There are only two people out there, and neither of them would be horribly disappointed if I were to end the fashion show right now!"

"But you wouldn't do that, Bella," she said, a pleading tone creeping into her voice. "Would you?" She stared up at me with wide eyes and an innocent expression that not even a grown man could refuse.

I thought about it for a moment before answering. On one hand, I could stop the madness right now and save myself form further humiliation. But on the other hand, I felt the guilt start to crawl into my conscience once again, getting in the way of my better judgment.

"Bella," I heard Edward call from the living room, "don't let Alice bully you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"You stay out of this Edward!" Alice yelled back at him. "This doesn't concern you!"

"Well I have to put up with it, don't I?" he replied. He had appeared in the doorway and was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Besides, anything that concerns Bella concerns me."

"It's okay, Edward," I said. "I can handle her myself."

I turned to Alice and said, "Alice, I will model one for outfit for you. After that, I'm sorry, but you will have to think of something else to play."

"Aw, come on!" Jacob groaned from the living room. "This was just starting to get fun."

"Oh, shut up!" Edward growled at him.

Alice looked at me with big, sad eyes and pouted her lips. However, I already knew what was coming and quickly shut my eyes before she had a chance to work her evil magic on me.

"My mind is made up, Alice" I said firmly.

"Fine," she replied. "But you have to go along with whatever I want to do next."

I looked out into the living room at Edward for any clue of how horrible her next idea was. He smiled mischievously at me and nodded his head slightly.

"Fine," I said.

Alice clapped her hands excitedly and yelled out the doorway, "Show's over, boys. Bella needs to change."

"Alice!" I yelled.

Jacob chuckled from the other room and mumbled words I couldn't hear. I heard a noise that was sounded similar to a slap. I began blushing as she moved to block the doorway.

As if that's going to help, I thought. It wouldn't be very hard to see past Alice.

I stepped away from the doorway and blindly found my way to where Alice had laid out my outfit.

"Could you shine that over here?" I asked Alice.

She shone the flashlight over to where I was standing and I was able to get a better look at my latest torture. It appeared to consist of a pair of expensive looking black pants and a light-colored blouse with ruffles. Lying next to the clothes was, of course, a pair of high-heeled, pointy black shoes.

Oh boy, I thought sullenly.

I took off the dress, but as I reached for the pants, Alice's hand shot out of the darkness and pulled them away.

"Wait!" she said. "You have to put the blouse on first."

"Why?" I wondered suspiciously.

"Because the blouse tucks into the pants," she explained.

"…Why?" I asked again, now getting scared.

"Because the pants are high-waisted," she answered.

"How high?" I asked, putting on the blouse.

"Um…above the belly button…just under the bust line," she said.

"What?" I sputtered. "That's a bit too high for me, Alice. I'll look like a freak!"

"No you won't, Bella," she reassured me. "You'll look very fashion forward. High- waisted pants are all the rage in Europe."

"Well we're not in Europe," I mumbled.

I pulled the pants over my blouse and Alice darted behind me to tuck in the blouse. Because I was shorter than the average model, I assumed that the pants came up even higher on me than they were supposed to.

I bet I look like such a loser, I thought glumly.

As if she had heard my thoughts, Alice squealed, "Bella you look so cute! You really should dress more like this everyday. It's a great way to get people's attention."

The last thing I wanted was to be the center of attention, and I could definitely do without the kind of attention these pants would get me. I slipped on the pointy shoes and without another word to Alice, made my way towards the doorway. Because the heels on these shoes were higher than the last pair, I wobbled a bit before I was able to keep my balance. Once I felt confident enough that I wasn't going to trip and fall on my face, I took a deep breath and stepped out into the living room. By the time I got to beginning of the runway, the spotlight was on me again and Alice had joined Edward and Jacob in the "audience."

"Whoa there, sassy pants!" Jacob laughed.

My face changed color instantly and I felt ashamed as irrational tears stung my eyes. Edward appeared beside me before the tears had time to fall and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't listen to that idiot, Bella," he said. "I think you look beautiful. You always do."

"That's what I said!" Alice cried.

"You don't have to lie to me," I mumbled back to Edward. "At least Jacob's being honest."

"Bella, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." Jacob said, but I heard the smile in his voice as he fought back giggles.

"Listen, you mutt," Alice snarled at him. "If I have to tell you to keep your mouth shut during my fashion show one more time, so help me I'll –"

"Alice!" I interrupted. "Please calm down."

"But he's –"

"I know Alice," I said. "But can we at least finish this before you all start fighting again? The sooner I can get out of these clothes, the better."

"Fine," she answered.

Edward gave me one last kiss and returned to his spot in the audience. I sighed, loud enough for everyone to know my extreme displeasure, and began my second walk of shame as Alice began her commentary once again.

"Appearing on the runway for the final time tonight…"

And any other night, I thought.

"…is Isabella Swan!"

Alice shot Jacob a dirty look as if daring him to say a word, so Jacob settled for clapping politely along with Edward. I dashed past them and exhaled a small breath of relief as I reached the end of the runway. Not even pausing to "strike a pose" I quickly turned around and walked back to the kitchen. I could feel Alice refraining from commenting on the outfit I was wearing and I knew it was because she didn't want to remind me of the money she spent on my new wardrobe.

"You're not getting away that easy," I thought to myself.

"Alright, show's over." I said in a monotonous tone as I entered the comforting darkness of the kitchen.

Chapter 10 will be out soon! Review please!