..Creed.: I'm so sorry! My life has been so hectic right now. For the past week, I had to keep myself at bay, without internet or a computer, while I listened to a stuck up, Brit bashing me and my country. So not cool. And yes, I changed my name from Alpha-beta-omega1996.
Vampirefan17: Woo-hoo, another chapter! Hey, you cannot blame me for the delay this time, k? Review! Hey, if you take the first two letters of Renee, the first two letters of Victoria, and the first and third letters of Edward you get review! So if not for us, do it because it has their names in it and they'd be very sad to see it go to waste! (Yes, I totally made that up on the spot, lol)
BPOV
"Whoo!" I yelled as I jumped from one couch to the other, landing on Emmett, who was concentrating on beating Jasper on my Xbox.
"Bella! You just lost me the game!" He whined like a child who can't have a cookie before dinner.
"Sorry. Meant to land beside you. Where's Aunt Kate?"
"Oh, she left for Vegas last night. Won't be back till next Friday." Like mother, like son.
"So, we're here, by ourselves, no adult supervision, until next Friday?"
"Yep." He replied happily.
"Bella?" Edward's sister, Alice, came bouncing down the steps. I really liked Alice. She was the epitome of hyper. And I loved it.
"Huh, pixie?" I asked.
"Will you go shopping with me? Pretty please?"
"Umm, yeah, why not? Lemme go get dressed." I smiled, running up the steps. I grabbed my Hollister skinnies and an American Eagle hoodie. When I got downstairs, I grabbed my Uggs and purse and met her back by the front door.
"Who's driving?"
"Me, duh." She scoffed. I stuck my tongue out at her.
It was a short drive to the Port Angeles mall. Alice nearly dragged me into the mall.
"Hey, Al?" I asked, remembering I needed to drop off the new designs where I worked.
"What?"
"Have you ever had a tattoo or anything other than your ears pierced?" She shook her head.
"Oh, but that sounds fun!"
"Well, that's the kind of place where I work."
"Okay, don't you need permission if you're under eighteen?" She asked.
"Not where we're going."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." I said as I walked into Clearwater's Tattoos where I designed tattoos.
"Leah!" I squealed as I jumped into my best friend's hug.
"Hey, girl! Where's the new design you've been working on? Me and Seth have been dying to see it!"
"Right here." I patted my purse. "But first I want you to do my little pixie friend. Alice, this is my best friend Leah, Leah, this is Alice, my new step-sister."
"How come I never met you before?" Leah asked Alice while looking at me.
"Leah, you know why! Mom would have a heart attack if she found out I worked here and if I told Alice, Alice would probably tell her brother and he would tell mom just to spite me. No offense, Ally."
"None taken, I do tell Edward everything." Alice shrugged.
"Okay, Alice, tattoo or piercing? If it's a piercing I'll do it, if it's a tattoo, Bells or Seth will do it."
"Ooh, who designed all these?" Alice walked over to the wall where all my designs hung. I raised my hand sheepishly.
"Bella! These are amazing! Do you think I should get one? How steady are your hands? Is it safe? Sterile? Does it hurt? Will my dad flip out? Which one should I get?" The questions came pouring out of her mouth.
"Thanks. It's completely up to you whether to get one or not. And as for how steady my hands are, have you seen the tattoo on Em's back, or the one on Jasper's hip? I designed them especially for them and did them myself." The only adult who knows about my job is my aunt Kate. She's just as easygoing as Emmett is.
"Oh yeah, the one on Emmett's shoulders is amazing!" The tattoo Emmett had is a memorial for his father. I did it about a year ago. It was the most intricate tattoo I've ever done. I had to stop several times because I was sobbing so hard. My uncle Keith was the closest thing I had to a father. It was a huge gothic cross with wings that stretched from shoulder blade to shoulder blade with each individual feather in ink. The inscription below it read, "Beloved father, husband, brother, uncle and friend. Keith McCarty, until we meet again." in my finest hand.
"But I thought he told my dad that one of his friends at school did it." Alice cocked her head to the side. I'm better at giving tattoos than getting them. I only have one tiny one on my right hip I did myself.
"Em's my best friend. Home and at school, except for Leah here. So it wasn't a total lie." I shrugged.
"I think I'll get this one." Alice pointed to a dainty, tribal design heart.
"You sure? I have some new designs I've been working on." I grabbed my sketchbook from my bag.
"Seth!" I yelled. He came from the back room, wiping his hands on his jeans. His two little brothers, Paul and Jared followed him out. Paul and Jared were eight and six and I loved them to pieces.
"What do you wa—Bells!" He ran and grabbed me into a hug. It's hard to believe that Harry, Seth and Leah's dad, let his fifteen year old work at his nineteen year old sister's tattoo shop, but he did.
"Okay, need oxygen!" I gasped at the crushing of my lungs.
"Sorry, do you have the new designs?"
"Yes, but first. Are my boys too old for a kiss?" I put on my puppy dog face and turned to Paul and Jared.
"No!" They both jumped into my arms, kissing all over my face, knocking me down.
"Okay, okay, help!" I laughed as Paul straddled my stomach and started tickling my ribs.
Seth grabbed Paul and I picked Jared up and threw him over my shoulder.
"Alice, this is Seth. And these two rascals are Paul and Jared. Guys this is Alice." I grabbed my sketchbook from the counter.
"Here's my new designs." I handed the book to Seth. He 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed over my new designs.
"Do you want me to work on yours for a while, Leah?" Leah has an incomplete set of angel wings on her back that I've been working on for a few months now and my hand keeps falling asleep.
"Sure, but you can do pixie's first." She shrugged.
"Bella, how much will this hurt?"
"Well, this one," I pulled up my sweatshirt and pulled down the waistband of my jeans to reveal my tiny star on my right hip, "Hurt less than it would if you kicked a wall barefooted. What I tell people is it's like a match. You light it, blow it out and drag it across your skin; it isn't quite painful but still hurts a little bit. I'll help you with all the cleaning and keeping it sterile."
"You wanted that heart, right?" I pointed to the one on the wall. She nodded nervously.
"Ally, don't worry. Do you want to think about it?"
"No because if I don't do it now, I'll never do it." She gulped.
"Okay, where do you want it?" I led her to the table behind the curtain.
"Umm, right here," she pointed to the back of her neck. "Do you think you could make it really small?"
"Sure, hon, and keep talking to me if you need something to distract you." I pulled my gloves on and started to prep her neck.
I prepped the needle and pressed it to the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. If she starts crying, I swear to God, I'll lose it. I never finish the tattoo if they're crying, except for Emmett's because that was for other reasons.
"So, Bella, you know the new girl Rose? I have been wanting to go see that new Johnny Depp movie. Ya know, Public Enemies. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me and I could call Rosalie and ask whether she wants to go." Alice whispered and cringed a little bit. I was already about halfway done.
"Ooh, that's a really good one. Em and I went to see it last week when it first came out. Jasper was out of town and we were bored. I'd love to see it again. You want to make a girl's night of it? Ask her if she wants to come back to the house and we can stay up all night watching movies, or whatever." I said, placing a bandage over the healing scar.
"Yay!" She squealed. "I'll go call Rose. Is it done? It didn't really hurt at all."
"Yep. You'll have to wash it like four times a day and for the next week or so, it will feel like a bad sunburn and even peel like one, no matter what, don't peel it. I'll help you with keeping it clean. Mine got infected because I didn't keep it clean and picked at it when it peeled."
"Okay, how much do I owe you guys for the ink?"
"Ally, it's on the house. It was so small; it barely used any at all."
"Alright. I'm going to call Rosalie." She grinned happily. I'm actually pretty happy myself. She didn't act like I hurt her at all. And Alice is the type of person who makes her pain known by yelling or crying.
She whipped out her little expensive cell phone.
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven
"Hello?" I answered my phone.
"Bella! You've gotta come home. Emmett fell and hit his head pretty hard." Edward's voice carried through my phone.
"Okay, is he unconscious?" I asked, grabbing Alice's keys from her purse and tugging her along behind me.
"Yeah. He is. He mutters things incoherently like "the gummy bear's got my corn"." Edward sounded really nervous. I stopped Alice and I dead in our tracks.
"Where's Jasper?" I seethed.
"He left to go call the ambulance." Edward said, bewildered.
"Go find him and put him on the phone!" I growled.
"H-hey, Belly Bean!" Jasper laughed nervously.
"What the hell is the matter with you?!" I screeched.
"W-we were just joking around." He defended.
"You probably scared the poor guy to death! Go and wake Emmett up, NOW!" I put the finality and authority into my voice.
"But Bella!"
"Now! And put Edward back on the phone. We adults will be home in a few hours."
"Bella?" Edward asked. My heart beat erratically.
"Sorry. Emmett and Jasper used to pull that shit on me and our moms. He would fall down the steps and pretend to be knocked out. I am really sorry for not warning you about the two jackasses. Thanks for calling me first instead of calling the squad. We could get into some trouble. But, Alice and I will be home in a few hours or so, if you need me, call me." It was kind of endearing how much he cared.
"Alright. Thanks. Bye."
"Bye." I love you. I added in my mind.
"Ali, if Emmett ever falls down the steps, ignore him unless he's bleeding." She looked at me curiously.
"Emmett and Jasper always used to pretend to fall down the steps, giving me and our parents freaking heart attacks. We've started to ignore them lately. But they've never done it around you or Edward and they pulled that shit today. That was Edward that just called me, freaking out, thinking Emmett was actually hurt. So like I said, just ignore them."
"Oh, okay, I thought something was actually wrong."
"So, did you get a hold of Rosalie?"
"Yeah, I did. She's supposed to meet us at Café Habana in half an hour."
"Okay, do you want to shop until it's time to meet her?"
"Uh-huh. I need to get a new pair of shoes for this party we were invited to next Saturday." She shrugged nonchalantly. Oh my God! Why do people never tell me things?! First with Aunt Kate going to Vegas, now parties I was invited to!
"Alice! Why didn't you tell me?" I asked as we walked into the shoe store.
"Because…well, just because I forgot. Besides, I already have your outfit picked out."
"How can you remember to pick out my outfit and forget to tell me about the party?"
"I don't know?" She shrugs, pointing out a pair of gold, strappy heels that would wrap all the way around your calves. "These are so cute!"
"Alright, well get those and we'll have just enough time to get to the café."
"What? No! I just said they were cute. In theory, I never said I was even thinking about buying them." She said defiantly.
"Well, can we come back after we eat? I'm so hungry, it's not even funny." I begged. She looked at my pouting face and I could see her resolve crumbling in her eyes.
"Fine." She said flatly. "Let's go." She grabbed my hand and practically skipped out of the store and toward the other end of the mall where Café Habana was.
"Hello, what can I do for you today?" Ugh! I forgot Mike Newton worked as a host here!
"Nothing, Mike, just seat us with her." Alice snapped, pointing to a beautiful blonde girl sitting at a booth.
"Okay. And by the way you ladies look wonderful today."
"Fuck off, Newton." I said stiffly. He leaned in to whisper in my ear.
"I don't want to fuck off, I want to fuck you. Maybe throw in a little pixie and it'd be a party."
"I swear to God, Newton. If you don't back up off me right this second, I will hurt you." He backed up and tried to look professional. "Now, just take us to our goddamn table."
"Here you go. If you need anything, anything at all, let me know." He said with a disgusting grin as he sat at our table.
"Oh, go stalk someone, sleaze." The beautiful girl, Rosalie, said. I had a feeling she and I will get along really well.
Mike's face fell as he loped back to the podium.
"Rose, this is Bella Swan. Bella this is Rosalie Hale."
"Oh yeah, aren't you that new girl that hangs out with Lauren Mallory?" I nearly gagged. Lauren was the Queen Bee at our high school. She never really messes with me, though, because she knows she can't humiliate me and never does anything physical because she knows I'll retaliate.
"Yeah, she seems like an okay person. Aren't you the girl who always hangs out with that football player, Emmett McCarty?" She asked, taking a sip of her water.
"Uh huh. Nothing better than hanging out with Em, that's for sure, right Ally?" I laughed.
"Are you guys like together? Because you always seem so close and always touching." Rose asked, she kept her expression cool, but I could see the anger, hurt and jealousy in her ocean blue eyes.
Alice and I looked at each other and busted out laughing. Rosalie immediately looked shocked.
"Ohmigod, no!" I guffawed. "He's my frigging cousin for Christ's sake!"
"Sorry." She said sheepishly.
"Hello, my name's Anna. What can I get you girls today?" The waitress asked.
"I'll have a Caesar salad." Rosalie said.
"Me too." Alice requested, handing Anna her menu.
"I think I'll have the Jamaican-Jerk chicken on a bed of rice. Ooh, and a strawberry-kiwi smoothie, please and thank you." I smiled and handed her my menu.
"Coming right up."
"When does the movie start?" Rose asked.
"5:00." Alice replied.
"It's really good. I loved it." I smiled again.
We spent a few minutes getting to know Rosalie.
"So, how'd you fall into the clutches of Lauren?" Alice asked, taking a sip of my smoothie, which we were passing around the table.
"She seemed like she was pretty okay. She was the first person to talk to me. So I've just been sticking with her and her crew." Rosalie shrugged. "Why?"
"No reason. You seem so different that Lauren, though. She's so hateful to everybody that doesn't bow down to her. And she has it in for me and Bella, but never acts on it." Alice explained.
"Why?"
"Because we hang with the hottest guys in school and she knows she'd never have a chance with them if she's mean to us." I smirked.
"You do!?" She almost screeched.
"Yeah. My stepbrother, cousin and best friend." I said with a nod of my head.
The check came and we all paid our portions and left for the movie theater.
"Sour gummy worms, one extra large popcorn and an extra large Pib X-tra." The girls looked shocked. I have no idea why though. "What do you girls want?"
"I'll just have a pack of Resees and a bottle of water. Ally?" Rose asked.
"Oh, I'll have a large popcorn, Sno-Caps and a large Mountain Dew."
"Where will you put it all?" Rosalie asked us incredulously after we paid, poured miraculous amounts of butter on my and Alice's popcorn and went to our seats in the very front of the theater.
"I don't know." I shrugged, munching on some popcorn.
The theater was near empty. Save for a few couples, scattered here and there. When Johnny Depp appeared on the screen in all his 1930's garb, I pressed my thumb and forefinger in my mouth and let out a low, slow, wolf whistle that had a lot of people chuckling and making catcalls of their own.
When the movie was over, Rosalie had to get home. She couldn't stay because she had some major studying to do on the Bio test on Monday.
We said goodbye and headed to our respective homes. Once back in my room, I slipped on some flannel boxers and a black tank top.
I said goodnight to Emmett, Alice and Edward and retired from a long, tiring day.
..Creed.: Please, please, please review! Reviews are better than going and seeing a new movie with your girls...well, not quite.
Vampirefan17: But close! Um, so I'm going to be gone for, like, three weeks… he he, sorry! I'll get the next chapter up asap, but don't expect it to be up before a week! However, review and I will personally give you a cyber-cookie!!!