Chapter Nine

Sunday I spent the entire day relaxing, reading stuff about the Quileute shifters. They weren't really werewolves but shapeshifters who turned into one thing... wolves.

Anyway I decided to try my hand at making the special potion in the book that would help a shifter through the painful process. It could only be used once.

I called Billy and told him about what happened with Sam and he promised to keep an eye on him for me.

I would feel bad if Sam shifted, that would mean there was a vampire nearby yesterday, and if it was the vampire I thought it was, he and I would be having some words.... on the other hand Sam's life would be changed overnight.

I would be totally shocked if it did happen, there hasn't been a shifter in a couple of generations and we always had the thought if anyone did shift Jacob would be number one.

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Monday morning I woke up early, did my normal routine and sat on my floor cross legged, mediating. I heard my second alarm going off as usual.

Opening my eyes sunlight was leaking through my window, warming my face. I smiled feeling at ease and stood up, putting everything away, setting my cauldron on the desk and opened my window letting the smoke blow through.

I glanced at the sky, the sun was bright with a few clouds hanging around.

"Thank you Goddess.." I said happily.

Smiling brighter excited about the sun and the good feeling I was having, I turned moving over to my closet and searched for something to wear.

Slipping on a pair of my black shorts, I paired it with a really cute purple short sleeve shirts. Ater playing with my hair I tied it up into a messy bun and applied my usual amount of makeup before shoving my feet into my tennis shoes and added my normal jewelry.

I grabbed my things and headed downstairs, Charlie was snoring away in his room, I was kind of relieved he was sleeping cause he was always working lately.

Anyway I made a quick breakfast for Bella and I, setting a plate in the microwave for Charlie and wrote him a note.

While eating I got some chores done until Bella came down.

Something seemed to be bothering her, she ate slowly like she was forcing it down. I could see her aura change with different emotions but I shook it off.

We grabbed our things and walked out the door.

---

At lunch time I was laying on a picnic table sunbathing, I had my black sunglasses on and enjoyed the warm feeling.

Jess was on the bench doing the same thing I was while picking at her tray of food.

Bella sat next to me, her eyes scanned the crowd of kids. I noticed she was doing that and sighed mentally in my head.

Edward and the others wouldn't be here, the sun was out.

"He's not here." Jessica said.

Bella looked down at Jess, in confusion.

"Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullen's disappear.' Jessica said in her usual snippy tone.

"They just ditch?" Bella asked.

"No." I said with full respect. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen yank 'em out for hiking and camping and stuff, I got to go a few times, it's really fun."

"I tried that stuff on my parents." Jessica said snarky. "Not even close."

Suddenly Angela came running up to me, grinning ear to ear. I sat up, pushing my sunglasses up.

"I'm going to the prom with Eric!" She exclaimed pulling me into a huge hug. "You were right. I just asked him and took control."

I smiled feeling happy for my friend and pulled back.

"Are you sure you guys have to go out of town?"

"It's a family thing." I told her.

"Well at least promise us you'll come help us shop for dresses." Jesscia told me pleading. "We need your fashionable eyes."

"Jazz and I were headed to Port Angeles tonight after school." I told her. "You're welcome to come along and we can go dress shopping after we pick up some stuff we need."

"That would be awesome." Angela told me, making me nod.

"Yeah perfect we can hit the stores before all the good dresses get cleaned out." Jessica said in agreement.

"Port Angeles?" Bella asked making me look at her seeing the expression she had. "Can I go with you?"

"I don't see why not." I told her shrugging.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch, we picked up our trays and made plans for this weekend, I would pick everyone up.

----

When the final bell rang, Jazz, Bella and I practically rushed out of the school and to the jeep. Getting in Jazz rode with us to our house, setting our things in our rooms.

I slipped on a jacket and a pair of my skinny jeans before going downstairs, leaving a note for Charlie.

Bella met me outside the door.

"I left a note for Charlie." I told her as she slid into the backseat, Jazz took passenger and I got into my drivers seat.

"Good thinking." Bella said nodding.

After picking up Angela and Jessica, the drive to Port Angeles was quick with me driving. I wasn't Edward fast but I wasn't as slow as Charlie or Bella.

While driving the girls and I minus Bella made small talk about dresses, styles, colors and what nod. Bella just stared out the window.

When we finally got to the city, Bella, Jessica and Angela went to the dress shop while Jazz and I made a quick stop into a special magic shop.

I had to drop a shipment off and wanted to find some of the ingredients I needed that I couldn't find anywhere else. Jazz offered to help.

Anyway after doing our thing we joined the girls. They were all standing in the junior's section of a popular dress shop.

Bella was sitting on a window seat looking at a map staring at the 'Thunder and Whale book' store.

"Ohh I love this one." Jessica said right away, pulling out a pretty pink dress from the rack. "Lena what do you think?"

Jessica held the dress up against her chest, I crossed my arms, staring at her.

"The colors pretty but the style and the one shoulder thing isn't for you." I told her honestly. "You need something that screams Jessica, try to stick to the pinks."

Jess nodded slowly, giving me a thoughtful look and placed it back where she got it and started looking at other dresses.

Jazz stepped over to help her.

"What about me?" Angela asked making me turn. "Any ideas?"

"For you I'd try a lavender color, it would pop against your dark skin."  I told her spotting a pretty dress drawing my attention.

I pulled it from the rack and moved in front of the body mirror. The dress was a raven black color with a glittery purple belt. I wasn't really here shopping for prom but I did love clothes, and purple and shopping.

For the next ten minutes, Angela and Jess ran in and out of the changing rooms with random dresses, showing me, they stuck to the colors I sorta gave them.

Bella would briefly look up at them but then go back to what she was staring at. Jazz and I would share a look every once in a while but chose to ignore it.

There were a few things I tried on myself while giving helpful hints to my friends.

"Okay... Lena last one." Jesscia said grinning, she stepped out of the changing rooms and came over to me posing in the mirror. "I really like this halter, makes my boobs look good..."

Jazz gave her a stern look.

"It's perfect." I told her smiling. "The style fits you, the color is great and your figure looks great too."

"Lena?" Angela asked stepping out of the dressing room next in a pretty satin lavender dress.

"I love it." I told her earning a bright smile. "You look beautiful.... seriously girls your both beautiful, Mike and Eric are lucky guys, they'd be dumb not to notice you."

Jessica and Angela smiled at me.

"Thanks."

I smiled at them.

As I continued shopping a little, Jazz was over in the accessories department and the two girls posed in front of the mirror. Outside the window, a group of rowdy looking frat boys walked past the window. They started laughing and knocked on the window.

I glared at the boys making them walk away.

"That was uncomfortable." Jessica said turning her back to the windows, while Angela tried to cover her chest a little.

"Some boys need to be slapped." I said making them nod in agreement.

"Oh that's gross." Bella muttered

The four of us turned to look at her. She's been silent for most of this time.

"What do you think Bella?" Jessica asked turning to face my cousin.

"Looks great." Bella said shrugging.

"You said that about the last five dresses." Jessica said pointing it out.  I could hear she was annoyed, her thoughts were annoyed but was trying to be friendly.

All my friends were welcoming to Bella but sometimes I think they only hung out with her because she was my cousin. There are reasons I chose Jess and them, I can't tell you what they are but each one of my friends are good people.

"You're not every good at this, are you?" Angela asked sympathetically.

"I kinda just wanna check out this one bookstore." Bella said shaking her head, standing up. "Can I just meet you at the restaurant?"

She looked at me.

I stared at her, sharing a look with Jazz for a second. She gave me a soft and firm nod, I sighed turning back to my cousin.

"As long as you don't take too long." I told her. "It's late, there's a lot of creeps out at this time."

"Okay." Bella told me before grabbing her purse and walked out of the dress shop. She waved as she walked past the window.

I sighed for the hundreth time, turning to my friends.

"Sorry about her." I told them gently. "Shopping's never really been Bella's thing unlike me"

"It's okay." Angela told me, giving me a small smile. "We understand."

"You were right about this halter though." Jazz said to Jess. "It does look great, it makes your eyes pop."

I laughed.

-----

We shopped for a few more hours, I bought the dress I saw earlier along with a pair of shoes and accessories and a bag to go with it.

We paid for everything and made the short drive over to a fancy restaurant I had made reservations for and made our way inside.

"Hello ladies." The hostess greeted, smiling politely. "Just four?"

"Actually there's five." I told her gesturing to a book she had. "I made a reservation under Lovelace... there's one coming to join us, she's running a little late."

"Lovelace? Are you by chance related to Iris?" She asked.

I smiled.

"She's my cousin." I said nodding.

"Awesome well let me show you to your table." She told us walking away.

"That was super cool." Jess said under her breath.

I smirked, there were perks to having connections. Iris was Eleanor's great granddaughter, and owned a couple fancy restaurants, including this one.

We were led over to a table set up in a private section of the restaurant.  The four of us sat down, an empty chair between Jazz and I for Bella.  The girls and I made small talk. The waiter came over taking our drink orders.

----

Our server had came by twice after ten minutes of our waiting and I was getting nervous.

"I'm going to call Bella, see where she's at." I told the girls.

They nodded their heads, Jazz gave me a hidden look while I got up, pulling my phone out and walked outside. Dialing her number, it rang a few times going straight to voicemail.  I hung up and called again.

When I got her voicemail a third time, I sighed in frustration. Ending the call, I walked back into the restaurant and sat in my seat.

"Where is she?" Jazz asked.

"I don't know, I only got her voicemail... but I'm sure she's fine." I told them.  "Let's just order some food and wait a while longer."

They nodded, I turned to signal the waiter and we all ordered what we wanted.

----

Half an hour later we had finished our meals, I ordered something to go for Charlie and paid the bill. Bella did not show up and I was kind of livid. We put on our coats and walked out the front door.

Exiting I stopped on the stairs with my phone up to my ear.

Just as I got the voicemail for the hundreth time, Bella came into view.  I hung up my phone and headed right to her.

"Where the hell have you been?!" I exclaimed not caring if anyone heard me yelling.

"Lena I-"

"You promised you wouldn't take long! Have you got any idea how worried I was? What if something happened to you?! What the hell am I suppose to tell Charlie!? What if those boys did something or worse?!"

I gave her a knowing look, by now Jessica, Jasmine and Angela had made their way down the steps and stood next to me.

"I'm sorry-"

"um we waited for you but we were starving so we-" Jessica stared only to be interrupted by Edward getting out of his Volvo and stood next to Bella.

'Edward?'

I stared at him, the girls froze in shock.

"Sorry Ellie I kept Bella from dinner." Edward said giving me a light smile.

'She was almost attacked'

'By those punks or something else?' I thought in question.

'The humans.. I scared them off'

I sighed slowly calming down before seeing what happened through his mind as he thought back, it made me feel calmer but a little worried.

'Did you?.... are they still alive?.... Wait are you okay?'

'Don't worry'  I heard him think before talking out loud. "We ran into each other and got talking."

"I-we -understand. We were just.... leaving so." Jessica said before the two started to walk away.

"Okay well thank you." Bella said starting to follow her friends.

"Maybe I should make sure Bella gets something to eat." Edward said glancing at me. "If you don't mind, then I could drive her back myself."

' Just keep her safe that's all I ask.... the girls and I sense something big coming.'

I spoke to him telepathically. He gave me a small nod letting me know he heard me.

"That's so.... thoughtful" Angela said.

"Really thoughtful" Jessica added.

The three girls didn't notice what we were doing.

"I could eat." Bella decided, looking at me. "Can I?"

"As long as he..." I told her nodding towards Edward pointedly. "Is the one who brings you back and don't take too long... Charlie will be worried" I gave them both a look, knowing that she knew.

She nodded, I sighed hugging her tightly, giving Edward another look, before heading for the Jeep.

I swear Bella might be the oldest but sometimes I swear I should have been born first.

Jazz wrapped her arm around me, knowing how worried I was.

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4/13/2024