AN: To anyone that has read my other story, Breaking the Silence, this story is going to be NOTHING like that. While I have a slight bit of drama planned out for this story, there will be nowhere near the amount of angst that was in BTS. I'm aiming for this to be fun, light, and lemony. I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. SM does and she graciously allows all of us FF writers to borrow them from time to time.
Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
BPOV
"Bella, get up. Come on, you can't keep doing this day after day," my little pixie of a best friend whined as she pulled my blankets away from me. I huffed and snatched them back and buried myself back into the warm and comfy confines of my sanctuary... otherwise known as my bed.
"For Christ's sake, Bells. It's been two goddamn years! We're not letting this go on a minute longer. This is beyond ridiculous!" my other best friend ranted as she pulled me from the bed by my feet. I flopped onto the floor with a resounding thud followed quickly by an angry "Ow."
"No, Rosalie! What's ridiculous is the two of you storming in here every other day and disrupting me from the one thing I enjoy in life... SLEEP!" I said angrily as I tried to crawl my way back into the bed.
I was suddenly snatched by two pairs of hands and led forcefully into the bathroom.
"Bella, take a fuckin' shower, will you? I swear I'm going to burn those damn holey sweats and those funk nasty sheets!" Rose muttered as she pushed me into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind me.
I stood in the bathroom, glaring at the door and knowing that it was useless to try and open it. A few weeks ago, or maybe it was months I'm not quite sure, they had flipped my door knob around so the lock was on the outside and they took everything out of my apartment that they could find that would somehow enable me to fix it. The sad part is that they did that knowing that I would never leave the confines of my crap hole to buy a simple screwdriver. I huffed and stomped my foot as Rosalie's voice sounded from the other side of the door.
"Bella, either you get into the shower or I'm going to hose you off with the fire hose in the hallway!"
"FINE! Get the hose, I dare you!" I yelled back as I stomped my foot once more.
"SO HELP ME GOD, BELLA! THAT SHOWER BETTER TURN ON IN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS!" she yelled back.
"What does it matter? No one sees me besides the two of you. No one else gives a damn," I spluttered as my traitorous tears began to appear.
"Bells, please don't cry. We know it's been hard, but you can't keep doing this to yourself. Rosalie's right. It's been two years that you've been holed up in this apartment. You don't eat properly unless we bring food here, you won't shower unless we force you to, and you haven't stepped foot outside of your door since the day you moved in, with the exception of us dragging you to your clinic appointments. Please, we just want to help you get back to being the person you're supposed to be and stop living as an empty shell," Alice pleaded through the door as I slid down the wall.
"I can't Alice. I just can't. I don't even know who I am or who I'm supposed to be. He took all of that away when he left," I sobbed and two seconds later I heard the click of the lock and the door swung open.
"Bella, he was an ass. He had always been an ass. Jake treated you like shit the whole four years you were together as a couple, but you kept going back to him. Why? Why would you do that to yourself?" Rose asked softly as she slid down the wall next to me and wrapped an arm around me.
"Don't.. I'm dirty. You'll ruin your clothes," I whispered as ignored her questions and tried to pull away from her in a futile attempt.
"So what? That just gives me an excuse to buy new ones," she chuckled and I shot her an incredulous look.
"Bells, we love you, but this has to stop. You deserve to be happy, and locking yourself up in this apartment while you write your tragic romance novels isn't going to find you happiness. Where's the girl that loved to head out for a night on the town with us? Where's the girl that would have spontaneous bouts of word vomit, and usually at the most inopportune moments? Where's the girl that stood by us and threatened to kick any guy's ass that hurt us? We miss her," she said with a heartbroken expression.
"I don't know. She's just gone," I replied as I looked at her sadly.
"She's not gone, she's just hiding. You're in there, Bells. Just, for the love of God, let us help you find yourself again," Alice pleaded and I looked from Rosalie to her.
"You guys aren't going to play Bella Barbie are you? I really can't handle that," I said warily as I looked between the two of them and tried to wipe my face dry.
"Not if you don't want us to, but please at least take a shower and brush your hair. We'll leave you clean clothes on the counter, and I promise it won't be anything outrageous," Alice said as she handed me a tissue.
"Okay," I whispered in defeat.
Alice and Rosalie helped me up off the floor and then exited the bathroom, not locking the door behind them for once. I stood and faced the mirror and stared at myself for a few moments. I couldn't even recognize myself anymore. I had always been pale, but Christ I was practically translucent. Regardless of how much time I had spent in bed, I still had dark, puffy circles underneath my dull brown eyes. My lips were chapped horribly, probably from dehydration, and I just looked sallow and sickly.
I finally turned away from the mirror with a shudder and turned the shower on. When the water was finally warm enough, I stripped out of my clothing and stepped under the hot stream. I had to admit, it was actually quite soothing and refreshing.
"Bella, your clothes are on the counter whenever you get out. I brought you a new toothbrush and hairbrush as well. Take your time," Alice said softly.
"Thanks, Ali," I said quietly.
"Anytime, Bells," she replied sadly before exiting the bathroom.
Ugh. Why did it have to come to this? I can't believe it's been two damn years since he walked out with that wench. Hell, I can't believe he had the nerve to bring her to our home. Home...ha! What a joke. Home implies something that's warm and inviting, and something that you look forward to returning to. I loved that house. It was my first real reward for having followed my dreams.
All through high school I was told repeatedly that I wouldn't make it as an author. I heard it time and time again. Bella you need to go to college. Bella you need to find a real career. Bella you need to get your head out of the clouds. Bella, Bella, Bella. Ugh. At least I can say they were all wrong. Only problem is that I've succeeded in my dreams, but have now lost the ability to enjoy any part of that success.
Four years we were together. Four damn years. I can't even say that there was a single one of them that brought me the happiness that I thought you were supposed to find when you loved someone. Yeah, okay, so I have a somewhat warped view of what love is based on my parents' marriage, but I never lost the notion that love equaled happiness. My parents are happy...somewhat. Oh who the hell am I kidding...they're down right miserable with each other, but for some reason they stay together.
I thought for so long that if we had just stuck it out, it would work out for the best. We had always been such great friends and I thought that if we just tried to make it work as a couple, then one day we would find our happiness within each other. I was a goddamn fool for ever thinking that. I was a fool for ever giving into his relentless pleas for a relationship. I was beyond a fool for ever thinking that he meant it when he said he was sorry for cheating on me, and that he would never do it again. I was a complete fool for ever believing him when he said he loved me. Worst of all, I was an imbecile for ever thinking he'd come back after he left that final time, wench in tow, or even wanting him to come back.
God I hated her. She was everything I wasn't. She was tall, dark skinned, graceful... beautiful. She even had a laugh that sounded like melodious bells...unlike mine that sounded like something off the Three Stooges or Revenge of the Nerds. The sound of that laugh as they left my house in shambles will haunt me until the day I die...and possibly even longer.
"Bella? Did you drown in there?" Rosalie asked with a slightly worried tone, effectively bringing me out of my internal musings.
"No, sorry. I spaced out. I'll be out in a minute," I said as I realized that my hot water was quickly running out.
I hurriedly washed my hair and soaped myself up, even going the extra mile to quickly shave my legs. Yeah...not a good thing to rush. I sliced the hell out of my ankle.
"Shit," I muttered as the soap began to sting the gash.
"Are you alright?" she asked as she flung the bathroom door open.
"I'm fine, Rose. I just cut myself while shaving," I said quickly as I finished running the razor over the last strip of my leg.
"Oh la la, shaving? I never thought I'd see the day again," she said sarcastically and I scoffed as I rinsed off underneath the frigid water.
"Can you hand me a towel please? And possibly a band-aid... or hell a roll of gauze, cause this sucker's bleeding like crazy," I said as I shut the water off and stood shivering behind the curtain. She thrust a towel between the curtain and the wall and I muttered my thanks with chattering teeth.
"Alright Bells, there's a bandage on the counter. Hurry up, we have to be out of here in forty five minutes at the latest," she said, but I didn't get a chance to reply as she quickly departed the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
Forty five minutes? Where the hell were we going? Crap, if I knew they were dragging me somewhere I would have fought harder to stay in bed. This is just fan-freaking-tastic.
I quickly hopped out of the shower and toweled off before getting dressed. I eyed the clothes that Alice had set out warily for a moment before shrugging. She could have done much worse than a pair of Bermuda shorts and a tank top. At least it's plain... like me.
I bandaged my leg before getting dressed and quickly brushing my hair, pulling it back into a simple pony tail and then brushed my teeth. I even went as far as putting on a little chapstick to smooth out my lips. With one final look in the mirror, I finally departed the bathroom.
"She lives!" Rosalie cried out theatrically as Alice rolled her eyes. I let out a sardonic laugh and made my way towards the bed.
"Ah, ah, ah. It took us forever to get you out of that bed, Missy. There's no way in hell you're getting back into it. Besides, I haven't stripped those god awful sheets off of it yet," Rosalie said as she pulled me away from the bed and led me out into the living room.
"Umm...guys? Why are there suitcases by the door?" I asked warily as I sat down on the couch.
"Here, put these on," Alice said as she handed me a pair of flip flops. I put them on and waited for one of them to answer my question.
"Bella, don't get mad," Rose said cautiously as she approached me. "We're going on vacation."
"What? Where? For how long? I have a deadline to meet you know!" I screeched as I shot up from the couch.
"Yeah...about that. Um, I knew that your manuscript was pretty much finished and that you've been fiddling with the editing..so I took the liberty of e-mailing it to Angela. She said to tell you to take a long break and not to worry about the editing. She'll handle it," she said with a grimace as she braced herself for me to lash out.
"WHAT THE HELL ROSE!" I shouted. "I wasn't finished with that yet! What if I wanted to change the ending? What if I wanted them to have a happy ending for once?!"
"Oh come the hell on, we all know that would never happen!" she retorted and I huffed as I plopped back down on the couch.
"I'm not going," I said defiantly as I crossed my arms across my chest.
"Bella, come on. Please? It's been forever since we've done anything together, and I've spent MONTHS researching this place," Alice pleaded as she sat down next to me.
"Ali, I don't want to go. Where the hell are you both trying to drag me anyway?" I asked as I shook my head at her.
"Isle Esme. It's absolutely beautiful, and it's not one of those couples only resorts. Most of the guests are young and single," she said with a pleading expression.
"Oh God no, this isn't one of those "where you come to find love" things is it?" I asked as I rolled my eyes and made sarcastic air quotations.
"No, it's just a resort for young people that want to have fun," she chirped and smiled.
"I've never even heard of it," I huffed once again.
"It used to be a privately owned island by some wealthy couple. They decided to turn half of it into a resort a few years ago. The north and east sides of the island have little villas right on the beach. It's beautiful, Bells. There's even a little shopping area in the center of the island," she said with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Where is it though?" I asked as I waved off her description. I could really have cared less about tropical anything, shopping, beaches, or even private villas.
"It's off the coast of Brazil," Rose said as she finished zippering up a bag by the door.
"WHAT? We can't go there! We'll probably get Montezuma's Revenge from drinking the water and end up sick the whole time!" I screeched.
"Now there's the Bella I remember! By the way... it's in Mexico that you might get Montezuma's Revenge," Rosalie laughed and Alice snickered next to me.
"Face it, Bells...we're going. Now get up because we only have a half hour to get to the airport," she said as she dragged one of the bags out into the hallway.
"Why? Why are you both doing this to me?" I pleaded as I held my face in my hands.
"Because you need it, and after taking care of you for two years, we do too," Alice said gently as she tried to pull me from the couch.
"I hope that bed in that private villa is comfortable," I muttered as I stomped behind her.
"It should be divine, but you won't be spending much time in it so don't get your hopes up," Rosalie said with a smirk as she tossed a bag strap over my shoulder.
"Yeah, we'll see about that," I said as I rolled my eyes and shut the door behind me. Alice locked it and together we dragged our bags down the hall to the elevator.
"Thank God we talked you out of that first dump you wanted to move into. I so would not be carrying these bags down six flights of stairs," Rose said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms, waiting for the elevator.
"Hey, what do you need stairs for when you don't plan on ever leaving?" I retorted sarcastically.
"Oh, Bella my dear. You'll be singing a much different tune when we return," she replied with a wink.
"So have you decided what you want to do with the house yet?" Alice asked, successfully diverting my defiant stare at Rosalie.
"No," I sighed and looked at the ground. "I can't bring myself to sell it, yet I can't bare to live in it either."
"Bells, that house is gorgeous and you loved it. Don't let him take that from you. It was never his... remember that. He didn't do a damn thing to help you get that house," Alice said as she rubbed my arm comfortingly.
"I know, Ali, but there's just too many memories in that house, and not many of them are good. Hell it would probably take me the entire flight to Brazil to think of just one handful of good memories in that house," I said as I slumped against the wall of the elevator.
"So make new ones in it," she replied encouragingly and I quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah, Ali...cause I want to remember days upon days of laying in a bed alone in that monstrosity of a house," I replied dryly.
"No one said you had to lay in that damn bed day after day, Bells. You took it upon yourself to stick to it like goddamn superglue," Rose cut in as she rolled her eyes and looked at her fingernails.
"Okay, I'll make a deal with you both right now," I said and they both looked at me curiously."If we stay away from the topic that I've holed myself up in a bed for two years, then I'll try, key word here try, not to spend the entire time at the resort in bed."
They looked at each other with matching grins and quickly looked back at me.
"Deal," they both said in unison as they nodded.
"How long are we staying there anyway?" I asked curiously.
"Four weeks," Rosalie said with a wide grin.
"Four weeks?! That's almost a damn month!" I wailed in disbelief.
"Honey, it's gonna take a lot longer than just a few days to break you out of your shell," she chuckled and I shook my head as I looked at the floor just as the elevator doors opened.
Four weeks... unfreaking real. Damn me and my big mouth for making that deal. Just shoot me now.
AN: So Bella's a bit cranky right now...but that will change soon...I promise. Thanks so much for reading. Reviews are better than holing yourself up in a crap hole apartment for two years! Leave one please, I love hearing what you guys think..thanks so much. ^_^ ~Jersey~