𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 ☾ 𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒍 𝒍𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒆

[19]

"C'mon, Bells, seriously?" Lizzie laughed, watching Bella stumble across the Cullen's patio. Alice was standing nearby, looking firmly unimpressed. "Maybe we should get you some flip-flops."

"Absolutely not!" Alice stated, scowling at Bella's feet as the heels scraped against the stones. She tried to smile at Bella. "You just have to break them in."

"I've been breaking them in. For three days. I even wore them walking to Lizzie's." Bella argued. 

"So that's what took you so long." Lizzie wondered aloud. Bella just shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"I think it's a little much, you know? The dress, the shoes... all of this," Bella stated, gesturing to Carlisle and Jasper carrying in large ornate benches made from entire trees. Esme was currently adding to the buckets of white flowers around their backyard, and there were plastic bins and folding tables everywhere. It was looking more like a warehouse and less like a forest. 

"Where do you want 'em, boss?" Emmet asked, hauling a 15' tree trunk over his shoulder.

"On either side of the aisle." Alice directed, pointing to where the aisle should be. Rosalie was struggling with a thick stump, trying to adjust her grip.

"What aisle?" She asked, scowling at the enormous amounts of boxes everywhere.

"Does no one have vision?" Alice said, frowning as she stomped down the steps. Lizzie and Bella just turned to each other, grinning.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Lizzie asked, turning to Bella as she kicked the ridiculous white stilettos off, replacing them with her sneakers.

"Y-yeah. I guess, yeah." Bella replied. Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds like it." She said sarcastically. She picked up the ornate heels, and Bella followed her inside.

"I'm just nervous, that's all." Bella stated. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Lizzie.

"Hmm." Lizzie hummed. Alice pranced back into the house, placing her hands on either side of Bella's shoulders before whipping her head to Lizzie.

"You make sure she gets home and gets lots of beauty sleep." Alice ordered. Lizzie saluted mockingly, handing over the shoes to Alice before leading Bella to her truck. They drove home in quiet, Bella leaning against the window and staring ominously at the trees outside. Lizzie made a face at her.

"You sure you're okay, Bells?" Lizzie asked. Bella nodded, taking a deep breath. Lizzie pulled into her driveway, being careful not to touch Charlie's squad car.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Bella said, waving her off. She got out of the car, turning back to her friend before closing the door. "You and Paul are coming, right?" She asked. Lizzie made a face.

"I'll definitely be there, obviously, but I don't know how interested Paul will be." Lizzie said, grimacing. "Alice said she'd put him next to Emmet so they could 'strengthen their bond'." She explained, air-quoting. Bella made an equally unsure face.

"Well, he's more than welcome to come to the reception." Bella said. Lizzie nodded, giving her friend a small wave as she pulled out of the driveway. She drove down the street before pulling up to her own house, spotting a familiar silhouette in her window. 

"Do I really have to go?" Paul groaned, spinning around in Lizzie's desk chair as she walked into her bedroom. Lizzie grinned and shook her head, putting her bag down on the floor.