Cerulean Star

Chapter 6: Mind Games

Jess drove faster than Charlie, but not quite as fast as Edward did, but we still made it to Port Angeles in decent amount of time.

Jess and Lauren went off on their own hunt for dresses and I stayed with Angela, much to both of our desires it seemed. I sent Charlie a text message letting him know where I was.

"How are things at your father's? I'm sure that might be a little rough." Angela asked me, and it surprised me that she was the first person that seemed concerned about my life at home. All anyone wanted to know about was Italy.

"It's okay, I guess. Huge difference from what I was used to, but Fork's is rubbing off on me I guess." I answered, and it almost felt like the first time I told the truth about anything since moving to Forks.

"Having Edward Cullen's interest for even a moment must have been nice." Angela winced at her words as soon as she said them. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. It's just Lauren was talking about it while we were waiting for you and Jessica and I was mad at her for it."

"It's okay Angela. To be honest, I'm not fazed by Lauren with Edward. Everybody is free to choose who they want to be with, I just hope Lauren chose right." Despite the fact that Lauren was nasty sometimes for no reason towards me, did not mean that she deserved whatever Edward had planned for her this weekend. But then again, the way she dumped Tyler for Edward in a heartbeat..., maybe she did.

I helped Angela find a beautiful light pink, off the shoulder dress. She admitted to being intimidated about the above-the-knee slit and I told her to laugh it off. I reasoned the dance was just a prelude to prom and she agreed.

"Hey Ang, why does Lauren hate me? Ever since I arrived, she has had some sort of animosity towards me."

"Hmph, it's silly really. She and Jessica have always kind of vied for the top position of being the most popular girl in school. They're really more of the frenemy nature. But as soon as you came, that spot was pretty much handed to you, especially with the guys. Jessica is more forgiving for it. Or more conniving, she kind of befriended you to boost her popularity. Lauren on the other hand just simply hates you for it."

I smiled at Angela when she blushed. I'd never heard her speak so much at once.

"This really isn't your scene is it?" Angela asked as we were about to rejoin Jessica and Lauren. I could see Lauren leering and whispering something to Jessica, and I just knew it was about me.

"Not really. Hey is there a bookstore around here? I didn't pack too many books with me when I left Italy." Angela wasn't too sure about the exact directions, but she gave me a vague description of the area I needed to go.

I pulled my coat closer to me as I stepped out of the warmth of the dress shop. One look at the waning sky told me snow was probably going to arrive sometime during the night. I chuckled at the thought that suddenly I could interpret the weather, or even that I was interested in the weather since discovering vampires in Forks.

I continued walking in the general direction that Angela had showed me, but I couldn't find anything that resembled a bookstore. There was a New Age store that I passed but I hoped that wasn't the bookstore that Angela envisioned in her head.

Suddenly, involuntarily, my body tensed up for no reason, and I looked around to get a feel for my surroundings. Behind me, about forty feet, were two guys who were following me. At least I think they were following me, they were trying not to make eye contact with me. Nevertheless, there was something unnerving about them walking without making a sound. I rounded a corner, only realizing too late that I was going the wrong way. Instead of headed back toward the tourist friendly part of town, I was headed into the warehouse district, where the streetlights were scarce.