Chapter 1

"How many stores, Alice?" I whined to my shopaholic sister and best friend.

Currently, we were in New York's downtown in the umpteenth high-end fashion store, which name I couldn't remember. I was bored and felt like a Christmas tree because Alice found something in every five minutes she wanted me to try on. I looked into a nearby mirror and examined myself.

My long, slightly wavy brown hair flew freely on my back, onto the blue shirt I wore, my golden eyes looked irritated, and I was white as wall, just like any other vampire. I tapped my sneaker-clad feet in impatience as I thought of how out-of-line I felt in the fancy store. I didn't wear any make-up, nor expensive jewelry, just a wooden and a leather bracelet. The first one was old, I used to wear it as a human, and the leather one had our family crest on it.

"I planned only two or three more stores, don't worry. I want to go back to Jasper." Alice sighed.

This statement made me smile. In my sister's life the two most important things were shopping and her husband, Jasper, who was also my brother.

Our family was big and strange . First of all, we were vampires, but we could blend with humans, because we drank animal blood instead of human, and we didn't resemble to the bloodsucking monsters seen in movies or TV shows. In fact, I found them offending. We couldn't turn into bats, and didn't have huge fangs like those ridiculous show vampires. Being on the animal blood diet wasn't easy at all, but it was worth the effort. Back at home we had more one sister and brother, named Rosalie and Emmett, who were a couple, like Alice and Jasper, and the most wonderful parents in the universe, Carlisle and Esme. Although we weren't related to each other, some "real" families could learn from us.

With a sigh, I slowly returned to reality and watched Alice who went to pay for her purchase that meant at least four closet-worthy clothes.

"Can we go now?" I asked eagerly.

I wasn't such a shopping fan like Alice, but today I particularly couldn't wait to get out of the store. I had a strange feeling all day, but Alice (who was a psychic) didn't see anything, so I tried to forget about it.

"Yes, yes, Miss Impatient!" she laughed.

I laughed with her, but my smile froze on my face after she spoke again.

"Are you a girl at all, Bella? I've never seen any female who disliked shopping and fashion and clothes and cosmetics like you do."

I was offended. I didn't dislike shopping (okay, I didn't love it either).

"Thank you very much, I'm 100% positive that I'm a girl, just not as girly as you and Rose." I spat. "Why, what's wrong with it?"

"You will never find a man if you are like this." Alice explained, as if she wanted to explain the alphabet to a six year old.

We were at my least favorite topic. I absolutely didn't miss a man. I loved my family dearly, and this was enough.

"And what if I don't want a man? I don't need one." I grumbled angrily.

"Okay, okay, don't bite my head off." Alice dropped the issue. "Now let's go to Hollister."

She advised, surely trying to cheer me up.

I agreed with her, I liked that store. They had nice clothes in my style and nothing was too expensive, like Alice's designer clothes.

"Let's go." I said as we stepped to the street and I followed Alice in the right direction.

At that moment I didn't know how cruel fate can be and I wouldn't make it to two or three more stores.