Belle

Chapter 2 (REVISED)

"Come on! It'll be fun, I promise." Megan begs on her hands and knees, her hands collapse together under her chin as she quivers her bottom lip.

"You look pathetic, Megan." James cuts in from my right as I try to hold back a laugh. His lips were turned up in a smile as he watched her try to presaude us into going to a lame party.

"Parties are not my thing, and you know it." I cross my arms over my chest, trying not to give into her stupid request.

"You've never even been to one. You can't knock it until you try it." She pleads, her gaze switching between James and I.

"What do you think?" I raise one eyebrow, turning my attention to James for an answer.

"I don't know, maybe it'll be fun. Summers almost over and I can count on one hand the fun things we did." He shrugs, looking at me with his big chocolate-like eyes. My mouth opens a jar from shock and I hit his arm.

"Jay! What the hell? You're supposed to be on my side." What a traitor. He chuckles, rubbing his arm dramatically.

"Ouch, that hurt. I'm always on your side, but this time I agree with Meg. We need to have fun, all we've done all summer is lay around and watch chick-flicks." I throw my head back with a disappointing sigh.

"Fiiiiine." Megan shrieks, standing up off the floor and jumping up and down in excitement.

"I promise, you won't regret it. This party will change our lives forever!"

~ ~ ~

"Bella?" The calling of my name brings me back from my thoughts. Laughs and chuckles erupted from the classroom as I made eye contact with my now angry English teacher.

"Y-Yes?" I stuttered, feeling my cheeks heat up in a blush. Mrs. Horrell gave me a disapproving look before shaking her head.

"What a great first impression, Ms. Carpenter." A few eyes from the class landed on me and I covered my face with my hand.

I felt a strong hand on my shoulder and I turned around to see James giving me a reassuring smile. I forced a smile back, not wanting him to suspect something's wrong. The bell rang, making everyone around me scurry to their feet and shuffle out of the classroom. I soon followed everyone and swung my backpack over my shoulder. James was standing by the doorway waiting for me. I ignored him, walking into the hallway.
   
"What's wrong, Belle?" James asked, scurrying his way beside me in the hallway, concern lacing his voice. I didn't make eye contact, instead focusing on the walk in front of me.

"Yeah, why would you ask that?" I acted dumb, maneuvering my way around the people in the hallway as I tried to remember how to get to the cafeteria.

"You've been acting distant all day. Are you sure you're okay, Belle?" I sensed him staring at me, but I didn't look at him. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I spotted the cafeteria doors.

"I swear I'm fine. Would I lie to you?" I opened the cafeteria doors and looked around before I spotted Megan sitting at a table by herself.

"No, but I just want you to know you can talk to me about anything." James said as he took a seat next to me and across from Megan.

"What are we talking about?" Megan jumped in, staring between the two of us with a questioning look.

"She's been acting distant, has she not?" James asked.

"Yeah, are you okay, by the way?" She looked at me with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can we just drop it?" I say a little more annoyed than I meant.

"Whoa someone's on their period." Megan held her hands up in surrender and James laughed.

I wish.

"So what are everyone's plans after school?" Megan asked, propping her head on her hand.

"I have a modeling thing so I can't hang out, if that's what you're asking." I bit my lip as I heard Megan groan.

"Can't you just tell your mom to shove it and say you don't want to model anymore?"

"I wish, most of our income comes from my modeling and if I told her that, she would dig me an early grave." I let out a frustrating sigh.

"What's this gig for?" James asked, taking a sip from the water bottle he brought.

"I think it's for a swimsuit magazine." He almost sips out the water in his mouth and I watched him choke.

"Are you good?" Megan asked, wide eyed but with a smile. I just sat there and laughed as his face turned tomato red.

    "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Can I uh...can I come? You know to see the other models there." He asked as he wiped his mouth.

"Yeah, no. If you haven't noticed over the last ten years, my mother isn't very fond of you." I told him as he attempted to take another sip from his water.

"Ugh. You're mom needs to get the stick out of her ass. Boys and girls can be friends without sleeping together." Megan said. James choked on his water again and started having a coughing fit.

"Okay, I think you've had enough water, Jay. We don't want you dying on us." I chuckled as Megan took the water bottle from James's hand.

"T-Thanks, Meg." I finally looked at James. His big chocolate eyes looked at me with a sad but knowing look. I tore my eyes away from him and looked at Megan as she started speaking.

"Anyways, so I heard Nick is throwing a back-to-school party on Friday-" I cut her off before she could finish.

    "No no no. I will not let you talk me into going to another party." I stated, making Megan's lip quiver in fake sadness. Nick the popular guy that has the reputation of a-- how do I put this lightly?-- fuckboy.

"Come on Bella! You had fun at the last party. Why can't we go to this one?" I glanced at James, but he was just staring across the room and away from me. "Please please please, Bella! I won't ask to go to anymore parties, I swear." She lifted her hand up and sticks her pinky up towards me. I bit my lip, thinking carefully over my decision.

At least this time I won't be drunk to get into anymore trouble.

"Fine, but no more parties after this one." I noticed James turn his head to look at me.

"Yes yes yes! I promise, you won't regret it! And we can leave whenever you want. Though, you didn't leave until the next morning at the last party." She wiggles her eyebrows up and down suggestively. "Who was the mystery boy you spent the night with, anyways?" I took a deep breath, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. I suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of sickness wash over me.

"It doesn't matter." I stood up fast, but I quickly regret it as I have to put my hand up to my mouth to keep myself from throwing up right then and there.

I quickly ran out of the cafeteria and down the hall. I dashed into the closest stall in the bathroom and let the poptart I had for breakfast come up and into the toilet.

"Bella?" Megan's voice called from the bathroom. I soon felt a pair of hands hold my hair back as I realized I wasn't finished.

Great, I forgot to lock the stall door.

I managed to stand up and flush the toilet before I pushed past Megan to the sink to rinse my mouth out.

"Are you feeling okay, Bella?" She asked, her voice voice and eyes soft.

"Yeah, I just have a cold, that's all."

Lies.

I chewed on a piece of gum from my pocket before I walked out of the girls' bathroom. James was standing by the wall, his face looked at me with concern when he noticed me standing there. Megan appeared at the doorway with the same face as James.

"Are you okay?" He asked,

"Why do you guys keep asking me that. My answer is the same every time so can you just stop?" I ask- well, more demand.

They both nodded vigorously before I turned on my heel and walked back to the cafeteria.