Old soul

PORT ANGELES

Jess drove faster than the cheif, so they made it to Port Angeles by four. It had been a while since Natalia had a girl's night out, and the estrogen rush was invigorating. They listened to whiny rock songs while Jessica jabbered on about the boys they hang out with. Jessica's dinner with Mike had gone very well, and she was hoping that by Saturday night they would have progressed to the first-kiss stage. Natalia smiled to herself, already knowing Bella was going to be pleased. Angela was passively happy to be going to the dance, but not really interested in Eric. Jess tried to get her to confess who her type was, but Natalia interrupted with a question about dresses after a bit to spare her. Angela threw a grateful glance her way.

Port Angeles was a beutiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quant than Forks. But Jessica and Angela knew it well, so they didn't plan to waste time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay. Jess drove straight to the one big department store in town, which was a few streets in from the bay area's visitor-friendly face.

The dance was billed as semiformal, and they weren't exactly sure what that meant. Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when Bella told them she had never been to a dance in Pheonix - Natalia on the other hand wasn't at all surprised.

"Didn't you ever go with a boyfriend or something?" Jessica asked dubiously as they walked through the front doors of the store.

"Really," Bella was trying her hardest to convince her she was being truthful without admitting her awful dancing problems. "I've never had a boyfriend or anything close, I didn't go out much."

Jessica shared a look with both Angela and Talia who shrugged at her, "Why not?" she demanded.

"No one asked me," Bella asked, only half telling the truth. But Jessica was skeptical as always "People ask you out here," she reminded all four of them, "and you tell them no." They were in the junior's section now, scanning the racks for dress-up clothes.

"Well, except for Tyler." Angela amended quietly.

"Excuse me?" Bella gasped as Natalia covered her mouth with her hand "What did you say?" Jessica looked over a dress before shrugging and turning to face Bella "Tyler told everyone he's taking you to prom," her eyes stayed suspicious.

"He said what? " Bella sounded like she was choking and she most definitely looked like her eyes were going to fall out of her head.

Angela told Jessica it wasn't true, but Talia couldn't help but snicker at the girl beside her. Jessica nodded and shared a smile with Natalia "That's why Lauran doesn't like you."

Bella ground her teeth "Do you think that if I ran him over with my truck he would stop feeling guilty about the accident? That he might give up on making ammends and call it all even?"

Natalia shrugged, running Bella's small plan around her head and trying to figure out of her friend was actually joking "Who says that's why he's even telling everyone? Maybe he just likes you, Bella."

The dress selection wasn't large, but both of them found a few things to try on. Talia sat with Bella on a low sofa just inside the dressing room, by the three-way mirror. Jess was torn between two - one a long, strapless, basic black number, the other a knee-length electric blue wirh spaghetti straps. Talia encouraged her to go with the blue, instantly agreeing with Bella, the colour really brought out her eyes. Angela chose a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey tints in her light brown hair. The two complimented them generously and helped by returning the rejects to their racks. The whole process was much shorter and easier than simpler trips she'd taken with her aunt in Pheonix. Natalia guessed there was something to be said for limited choices.