There was a rapid tapping sound that disturbed my perfect slumber. I opened my eyes and looked to the right of where I was laying. Emmett sat in the chair with headphones on and I could hear the loud guitar and drums playing from them. He was drumming along with two pencils on the table. I sat up in the bed and got an immediate head rush. My vision blurred.
"Hey Bellaaaaa!" Emmett said pulling off his headphones.
"Emmett." I managed to croak out. My voice sounded like a raspy eighty year old man.
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you. How did ya sleep?" He asked me with a wide smile.
My vision was still blurred and something seemed off.
"Where…where is Edward?"
"Rose forced him to go shopping for you again." He said shrugging his shoulders.
Shopping? It wasn't like I was eating a feast every night. In fact, I had barely touched anything at all. That included the chicken noodle soup that Esme had sitting in the fridge incase I decided I was hungry.
"He said he would be back in about an hour." Emmett added.
"And they left you here to hang out with me?" I asked in a surprised voice. I would have thought Jasper, maybe even Alice. But Emmett, also known as parallel Bella, was always getting hurt, into trouble, and being dumb. It was like we were the same people. But I was certain that I was smarter.
"Well Alice and Jasper went on an alone time hunt. Probably makin out in the bushes. And Carlisle is at work and Esme is taking a walk."
I gave him a puzzled look.
"Vampires take walks?" I asked
"We gotta act human, remember?" Emmett said.
I nodded my head and then looked down at my hands. They were sweaty and extremely cold. I didn't feel too good.
"Hey, Bells…you okay? You don't look so—"
I was out of bed bolting down the hallway, stumbling down the stairs—I don't know why I was heading to the downstairs bathroom when there was a perfectly good one upstairs—and of course I wasn't going to make it in time. There was a beautiful vase that Esme had made a few years ago. It was tall and blue and the opening was perfect size for my mouth.
Emmett came down the stairs, clapping for me.
"Right on Bella! But seriously, that smells awful." He said as he plugged his nose.
"Oh my god…I cant believe I just did that in her beautiful piece of art. Emmett, she will kill me!" I said in horror.
"Nonsense, she wont notice."
"Wont notice? Emmett its got Bella vomit on the inside!"
"Relax Bells, we will go buy a new one. She got the inspiration from some collection that was sold in stores. We can buy a look alike."
The plan was actually rather brilliant but I looked at him with an obvious 'you're dumb' face.
"I cant leave. Im like a bomb! Except, I don't know when I will go off so im like a secret bomb…"
"I can bring your puke vase just incase?" Emmett suggested.
Five minutes later we were in the car. Emmett was the scariest driver out of all of the Cullens. He was weaving around other cars and I didn't even know that a car could go as fast as this one was. My stomach was heaving and I didn't necessarily want to puke again.
"Geez, can't you slow down a little bit Emmett?" I asked
"Bella, we've got no time to waste now hush." He said.
He blasted music in the car. It sounded extremely familiar and I was trying to figure out what song it was. And then, when her voice came on the stereo I knew right away who it was. Emmett broke out into full blast singing.
"Who says? Who says you're not perfect? Who says you're not worth it? Who says you're the only one that's—"
"Are we really listening to Selena Gomez?" I asked.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing I just, didn't expect you of all people to be singing to Selena Gomez…" I said.
"Bella you're missing out if you aren't listening to Sexy Selena."
"Does Rosalie know you call her that?"
"Uh…Rose doesn't need to know…"
I nodded my head as Emmett continued singing.
We reached this fancy store with glass windows and a modern appeal. It looked like a freaking museum. This must have been the store that had the original collection. Emmett and I got out of the car and began walking towards the front door. Immediately, red flags went off in my head. This store was completely full of glass vases, bowls, plates, decorations, pictures, everything that I usually destroyed on accident. This would be a very interesting trip.
There was a small bell sound as we entered into the store. Immediately I was overwhelmed by the number of "DO NOT TOUCH" signs.
Emmett wandered around, and occasionally I could hear him go "oooo this is shiny!"
My stomach was twisting in knots from being both nervous and sick. That's when I saw them, in the back of the room. The beautiful blue vases that had inspired Esme. I wandered over to the shelves where they sat.
The vases looked identical. There was a slight difference in the color. Esme had painted hers a shade brighter but that didn't matter. Im sure she wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
There was one slight problem. Esme had spent probably $20 on clay, $50 to rent a pottery wheel, $10 for paint, and her finished product full of memories was priceless. However, the stupid blue vase that was in the store was $650.
You got to be kidding me. No wonder Esme made her own vase!
Emmett must have noticed my startled expression because when he walked over, he threw a tantrum.
"Oh my…what! This…nawww. This? But—what?"
The store manager, who was behind the front desk seemed to notice Emmett and his loud astonishment.
She gave a confused look and began making her way over to us.
"Um Emmett? Scary dragon lady is strutting over here and I don't like the look she is giving me."
"Quick, sunglasses."
"What?"
"Give me your god damn sunglasses and follow my lead."
I handed them over to Emmett who cleared his throat and then dramatically put his hand to his forehead.
The lady stopped behind Emmett and gave me something that I wouldn't even call a smile. It looked like she was constipated with a side of mental cramps. What was it with women that worked in nice fancy stores? They all had a rude attitude.
"Sir, may I help you?" She said in a rather snobby tone.
Emmett inhaled sharply.
"Why yes. Yes you may. Who are you?" Emmett said. He had suddenly adopted a high pitch whiny voice like Frank from the movie Father of the Bride.
The woman looked surprised that she had been talked to that way. Like she had been verbally slapped across her Botox face. Serves her right. These people always could use a taste of their own medicine. Speaking of medicine, the thought of taking a gulp of cherry flavored cough syrup would probably do me some good at this point in time.
"My name is Ellery." She said in a biting tone.
"Ellery, who do I have to speak to in order to get this vase," he said picking one up off the shelf, "out of this store immediately?"
"Well sir, all you have to do is purchase it at the counter over there. I can ring it up for you if you would like." She said as she forced a smile.
Emmett put his hand to his forehead again and shook his head while mumbling to himself.
"No no no no. No! Perhaps you do not comprehend what I am saying Ellery. Is my logic to fast paced for you?" Emmett demanded.
Ellery had a look of shock.
"Im sorry sir?"
"You don't know my name? My god! I let you sell my collection and you don't even address me by my name?" He screeched.
Both mine and Ellery's eyes widened in absolute horror. Hers because she thought Emmett was the creator of the collection and mine because there was no way that we could actually pull this off.
Leave it to Emmett. Always leave it to Emmett.
"Evander Sotirios? The Evander Sotirios?" She asked. She looked like she was standing in the presence of God.
"Stop repeating yourself and answer my question!" Emmett yelled. I had to hand it to him, he was really doing a wonderful job at acting out the rich over privileged artist role.
"Of course sir—Evander, what can we do for you?"
This poor woman was terrified.
"This vase is wrong. This one is tarnishing the rest of my collection." He said as he shook his head back and fourth.
"What is wrong with it?"
"Its wrong. The vibe is wrong! Cant you feel it Ellery?" Emmett said as he waved his hand over the vase.
Ellery shook her head.
"Damn girl give me your hand. Give it!" Emmett screamed.
Ellery gave him her hand as he smacked it to the vase.
"Feel that?"
"Oh, yes. I do…" Ellery said as she nodded, her eyes still wide and her mouth open.
I rolled my eyes. What a gullible person.
"Its ruining my collection. Im assuming you haven't sold many of these recently?" Emmett said in a much calmer voice.
"Well, no Evander. But perhaps its because of your price…"
"My price! Oh ho ho ho…did you hear that my protégé ?" He questioned as he turned to me. I gave him a 'what the hell are you doing' glare. Oh well, I better act now and act well.
"I hope I heard her wrong Mr. Sotirios." I said shaking my head in fake disbelief.
Ellery looked at me and then back to him.
"She thinks my price is too high? Ellery, look around. See that Persian rug sitting on the corner collecting dust? That's twice the price of my beautiful works of art. And those bowls over there are even triple the price of the rug. I beg to differ with you my dear. My vases are the least expensive thing in your store. And you know why that is Ellery?" Emmett said.
"Because you made it that way…" Ellery answered back quietly.
Emmett laughed again, this time it was more dramatic.
"I made it that way? Can you tell me why I did that?"
Ellery gave him a confused look and then glanced at me for help. I blinked a few times.
"I cant tell you why you made it the price you did."
Emmett swiped the vase away from her hands and stroked it as he held it up to his face. Emmett was a creep, it was official.
"I wanted to give the community something nice and special for a low cost. I was being generous. I was being kind. But however, this one vase was painted by my protégé and she wasn't beaming with sunshine and daffodils while painting! She ruined its vibe! And I tried stopping it from being shipped but, it was too late. And now I am afraid that its cursed the rest of my collection. The only way to undo the curse is to get rid of it."
I watched Ellery for a few moments and Emmett had frozen in place.
"I understand. So what do you wish to do?"
Emmett made a disgusted sound and stomped his feet like a toddler in the terrible two's.
"I need to take it back!" Emmett shouted.
"You can do that but, we must have a certain amount in our inventory at all times. Its part of our agreement." She said giving Emmett a worried look.
Emmett grabbed the vase that was in my hand, my vomit vase, and waved it high in the air.
"And here I have the replacement."
Ellery looked suspicious. She was going to protest and Emmett could tell.
"We would have to inspect it first in order to ma—"
"You're insulting my readings? You doubt my abilities? Fine. See to it that I pull out my entire collection including everything else that I have made for this store!" Emmett screamed in a loud ear piercing voice.
Ellery blinked a few times and then gave the biggest smile imaginable. It was fake of course.
"But that vase looks much nicer then the one you want to take. Im sure it will turn the entire sale around for you. We would be glad to make the switch." She said.
"Perfect." Emmett stated as he placed the vomit vase on the shelf where we had taken the real one from the collection.
"It was nice to meet you Evander." Ellery said as she stuck her hand out for him to shake it.
Emmett wrinkled his nose.
"I do not shake hands. It tarnishes my ability to create such beautiful masterpieces." He said as he just walked on past her. Total snob.
I scurried out behind Emmett as I watched Ellery stand absolutely dumbfounded.
Within a matter of minutes, we were back home. We walked back into the living room and placed the new vase exactly where the old one had been. I kept my fingers crossed that Esme wouldn't notice the slight color change.
Emmett gave me back my sunglasses and gave me a smile.
"Emmett, you were brilliant." I said as I returned the grin.
"Im sorry, can you repeat that again?" He asked in a shocked tone.
"You head me dummy."
"So short lived. But at least you said it once." He told me.
"But I think I am a better actress than you." I said in a teasing voice.
"You? No way. Bella you suck at acting."
"No I don't! I am so good at it!" I said, challenging him.
"Nah, you wish you were." He said as he punched me lightly in the arm. It happened to be the exact place that I had gotten my shot. It smarted a little, but it wasn't exactly awful pain. But, I had to prove him wrong. And it was perfect timing.
As soon as he had punched my arm, the entire Cullen family had walked through the front door and witnessed it. I immediately began screaming bloody murder as I clutched my arm and fell to the ground. I began kicking and screaming on the floor.
"EMMETT! WHAT DID YOU DO!" Edward yelled as he ran towards me.
"Me? Edward…she's faking it!" Emmett stammered.
"Faking it? How dare you accuse her of such a thing!" Edward growled. He lifted me up off the ground.
"Edward, it hurts. Everything hurts. Edward, I cant see you clearly. Edward!" I whimpered.
"Its okay Bella. Its going to be okay." He whispered to me in his soothing voice.
He walked with me up the stairs, carrying me in his arms bridal style.
"Emmett, I will be coming back for you." Edward called out.
The entire Cullen family looked at me. I winked to Emmett who gritted his teeth. I watched as everyone behind him began repressing laughter.
And the Oscar goes to Bella Swan.