XVI. Flower Girl

It's been around forty-five minutes since four girls arrived at one of the Port Angeles' dress boutiques.

''I'm not sure about this one, I feel like it's too tight around my waist and not tight enough around my boobs.'' Jessica said as she was looking at herself in the mirror as she wore one pastel yellow dress. ''Did I tell you guys I gained three pounds?''

''It looks great, Jess.'' Bella told her.

Blair rolled her eyes and gave Bella one of her looks. Bella, who was sitting next to her smiled at Blair without showing any teeth as the two continued to look at Jessica and Angela try dresses.

''How about this one?'' Angela came out of dressing room in a white dress.

''It looks like a weeding gown.'' Bella said looking at Angela. Angela looked down at herself then back at her reflection.

''What? Really?''

''Kinda, yeah.'' Blair nodded honesty agreeing with Bella.

''We tried so many of them already, this is so exhausting.'' Angela said while wiping off her sweat from forehead.

''I bet it is.'' Blair said sarcastically, but Angela didn't hear it. Only Bella lightly elbowed her causing two brunettes to snicker.

''Why don't you try to look at the other side of the store?'' Bella asked the two girls in dresses ''We'll watch your stuff here.''

''Sounds good?'' Jessica asked Angela who sad 'yeah' and nodded before the two girls skipped to the isle on the other side of the boutique.

''Why aren't you searching for a dress?'' Bella asked Blair when the two girls were no more near them.

''Don't feel like it, also did you see these dresses?'' Blair said looking around with wide eyes and almost disgust. ''I want to wear something that matches my personality.''

''Your personality?''Bella repeated and stood up, wiping her palms on her jeans. Bella went through bunch of dresses, examining each very closely.

''I don't know you for long, but I think you're type of person who likes very artistic and very weird things.'' Bella said without even glancing at Blair. Blair's eyes followed Bella's every move from where she was sitting in front of shop window.

''I mean, something like this would look incredibly good on you.'' Bella said while holding out basic pink, long prom dress for Blair to see ''Then again, it's far too simple. It misses something, maybe a bow.''

Blair started laughing, imagining herself in long, pink dress with a bow. Bella turned around and entered the dressing room where Jessica changed, and she smiled.

''Or flowers.'' Blair's eyebrow twitched in interest as Bella picked up a dress from the dressing room's floor. She lift it up for Blair to see it. There in Bella's grasp was a baby blue, long, flowy dress with red and pinkish flowers on bottom. The dress' sleeves were wider and the collar ruffled.

''Wow Bella, you are good at observing and matching people with their style.'' Blair commented her as she was eyeing the dress. Blair would have to lie if she'd say she didn't like it.

''Thanks, I mean we are to be sisters after all.'' Bella said, mentioning the joke they were joking about at her house the day they met.

''Oh, yeah of course, sister dearest'' Blair said, both girls laughed with each other.

''Are you trying it on or?'' Bella mentioned at the dress. Blair rolled her eyes, but stood up anyway, grasping the dress from Bella and entering the dressing room and pulling the curtain to close it.

''Why aren't you going to prom?'' Blair asked Bella as she started taking of her shirt. She tried not to look at the bruises in the mirror.

''I'm travelling to Jacksonville that day.'' Bella said from the other side of the curtain.

''That sucks, I thought I could made you go.'' She said and heard Bella chuckle.

''What, you'd made me go with Jasper and you?'' Bella said and Blair laughed at the thought. Even if she knew it would be very hard for Jasper to hold his hunger, especially after she heard from Alice that Bella has incredibly sweet smell, it almost made her jealous. Almost.

''Or I could've made Edward ask you and we would go as double date together.'' Blair said but only thing she received from Bella was silence. Blair already knew why, but she still wanted to hear it from Bella herself. ''You like him, don't you?''

''I-I...''

''It's alright Bella, you can tell me.''

''He said we shouldn't even be friends.'' Bella said, her voice was filled with sadness.

''Of course he did, idiot.'' Blair scoffed, suddenly angry at her boyfriend's brother.

''But there's something about him pulling me in. He's so interesting and mysterious, yet I feel like he's dangerous.'' Bella explained, making Blair sigh.

All the things she felt before, Bella is feeling now and Blair can't help but feel afraid for the girl. She knows that thing that is drawing her in is the fact that he is a vampire and she is the prey. But then again, there are still feelings involved. Not only Bella's, but Edward's also.

''There is something he is hiding, something that has to do with him and his family and Quileute's legends.'' Blair froze the moment Bella's words left her mouth. If Bella get's too close she will be sucked in black hole filled with impossible stuff that aren't supposed to be true.

After stripping off and pulling on the dress, Blair looked at herself in the mirror and silently gasped. The dress was almost too perfect for her. It fitted perfectly and the length was also perfect.

''Are you done?'' Bella asked, but before Blair could say anything Bella came in the dressing room, leaving Blair in shock.

''Oh my God.'' Bella mumbled as she looked at Blair ''Blair your- Oh my God!''

''Shit.'' Blair cursed, taking her jacket from the hanger, trying to cover her shoulders. ''It's not what it looks like, I swear.''

''Blair, those are- Is everything okay?'' Bella asked with compassionate eyes towards Blair ''You can talk to me.''

''It's nothing, I just fell and-''

''Did Jasper do that to you?'' At Bella's words Blair froze and she glared at the brunette.

''Jasper would've never done that to me on purpose. No! Not even on accident.'' Blair defended Jasper, who was indeed the cause of the bruises. Bella's eyes lingered for a bit on her collar bones until they went down on dress.

''It suits you, flower girl.'' Bella said and left Blair to change back to her clothes.

☆ ☆ ☆

''Look at that.'' Blair said and whistled at the sight of Harvey-Davidson DuoGlide from '63 parked on the street.

''There it is.'' Bella said, ignoring the girl as she turned right and headed towards the bookstore while Blair followed. The two smuggled out of boutique after Bella said she came here only to get some book. And Blair didn't let her go walking around alone, especially because it's getting darker every minute.

''So tell me more about that book you are searching for?'' Blair asked her friend as she went to open the bookstore's door, but she bumped into someone's hard, warm chest.

''Oh crap, I apologise-'' But when Blair looked up her eyes widened at the familiar face ''Mr. Harrison, fancy seeing you here.''

Andrew Harrison's eyes widened also at the sight of smaller girl from his third period, the one that always has time to chat in middle of his lessons.

''Good evening, Trouble.'' He greeted the girl before him ''I don't remember assigning any homework on Quileute tribe, why are you here?''

''Oh, Bella needs something.'' Blair said mentioning towards the girl that's next to her ''I'm fine, thanks.''

''I see.'' Mr Harrison said while looking at Bella for some time then he looked back to Blair. Male teacher with longish brown hair smiled at the brunette and bumped the book he just bought on Blair's head lightly ''See you tomorrow, Trouble. And I advise you to read something about Civil War. There may or may not be pop quiz tomorrow.''

''What? I hate you.'' Blair whined, as she watched the teacher walk away.

''Are you sure about that? I'm the one giving you the final grade in History.'' Mr Harrison said.

''I said 'I hate loving you, Sir'!'' Blair shouted after the teacher who was already far away.

''You have the weirdest relationship with a teacher.'' Bella said and entered the bookstore.

''Mr. Harrison is cool, don't worry.'' Blair said following her.

☆ ☆ ☆

''Why do you need that book, again?'' Blair asked as the two girls  were leaving the store. Blare wanted to go home as soon as she could. It was already dark outside, she was tired and the guy from books store kept glaring at her for no reason.

''It has some fact I want to check.'' Bella answered, making Blair snicker.

''So it has something about your conspiracy about the Cullens?'' Blair teased. Bella noticed something besides playfulness in Blair's voice.

''Do you maybe know something about it?'' Blair was left in silence. She didn't know what to say, but she couldn't be quiet, then Bella would get even more suspicious. As she opened her mouth to say something a group of men crossed their was with two girls.

''Are those...'' Bella started but she never finished as Blair grabbed her hand and pulled Bella and herself left, towards the parking lot, hoping there would be someone.

''Hey girls wait!'' The two heard them shout.

''We just wanna have fun with you.''

''Hey those are those two from the store.'' Blair remembered after she changed to her regular clothes, while her and Bella were having a conversation with Jessica and Angela group of boys were passing the next to store, knocking on the window. Now, they're drunk.

Blair took out her phone from her pocket and dialed Jasper's number. She hoped he will see it ringing and think it is important and actually answer it, like you're supposed to when someone is calling you.

But no one answered, again. This time it wasn't about the bruises nor him. It was about Bella and her. The group of guys already came after them in the parking lot and they were already surrounding Bella. Next number, Blair could think of was Alice's.

''Don't think we forget about you? Don't worry, you two have the same amount of beautiful.'' One of them said snatching the phone away from Blair ''Let's not ruin fun, only if you want to bring more pretty friends of yours.''

''Blair? I had a vision about you and Bella, are you alright?'' Alice answered her phone, but the one of the guys who snatched Blair's phone ended the call.

''Don't touch me.'' Blair heard Bella shout. She looked over her shoulder and saw the girl surrounded.

''Hey! Get the fuck away from her!'' Blair screamed at all of them and pulled one away from Bella.

''Hey, hey.'' The other said and grabbed Blair's forearm, he barely stood on his two feet but his grip on Blair was strong ''Why can't we all be fiends?''

''Let go off me!'' She shouted in his face.

''I said don't touch me.'' Bella shouted again. Blair's head snapped in Bella's direction. She bit on guy's hand that was holding her. He yelped and let her go. Blair was running to help Bella but someone's arms wrapped around her stomach and lifted her up from the ground making her scream.

''You're coming with me.'' He whispered in her hair making her sick. He was walking backwards away from the scene towards the shadows, his hold around Blair was too strong for her to escape so her mind went to the darkest thought in her head.

''No, no, no, no! Let me go!'' Blair screamed and kicked but the man didn't budge.

When was Blair about to beg the man to let her go, on the parking lot where Bella was still surrounded, appeared car with tires screeching. Edward's car.

Out of car came Edward first with dangerous glare towards the men who were surrounding Bella. Jasper jumped out of car a second after his brother, looking around for Blair. Recognising his figure, Blair's eyes watered.

''Jasper!'' Blare screamed out in fright he won't see her, but that was impossible. In a blink of an eye Jasper appeared in front of Blair and a man that's holding her. His eyes were filled in furry and they were dark colour again.

''Hey man, it's okay this was a joke.'' The man let go of Blare and raised his hands in surrender. The moment Blare was free, she ran to Jasper's chest. She didn't care if he was currently deadly, she feels safer with him than anybody at the moment.

Jasper put his hand around man's throat and he was about to kill him before Blair's words stopped him.

''This is not you Jasper, he deserved it but you worked so hard to control yourself.'' Blair said quietly to Jasper, her hands were on top of his chest as she she was whispering. She looked towards the parking lot to check if Bella is okay, but no one was there. Nor car nor hooligans.

''Please man, I said I was sorry.'' The man begged for his life. Jasper let out a hiss towards his direction before he pushed him away from him and Blair.

''Scum, if I ever see you again I'll kill you.'' He said and the man ran away in seconds.

Blair pulled away from Jasper and turned her back facing him. She was starring at the grass as she searched her pockets while breathing heavily. All of a sudden everything went through her brain again and emotions hit her like a brick.

''Blair?'' Jasper called, she turned around to face him with wide blue eyes and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hair was a mess as she was still trying to find something in her pockets.

When she finally found it, Blair took one cigarette from the pack and put it back in the pocket. She went to light her lighter but her hands were shaking too much. Jasper took the lighter from her hands, Blair never even flinched.

Jasper looked back at her with his again golden eyes. He felt sorry towards her, he felt regret she had to lived through this. He felt regret not being with her or even calling her for the past three days.

Using his ability on her for the first time, Jasper sent a wave of calmness towards her making Blair's emotions stable and her hands to stop shaking. Next, Jasper used her lighter to light a cigarette that was already in Blair's mouth.

Breathing in the toxins, Blair felt even calmer. She placed her cigarette-free hand over her mouth and nose and started crying, her eyes were clenched and forehead creased. Jasper's heart broke at the sight.

''I'm sorry.'' Blair apologised '' I don't know why I'm crying.''

Jasper didn't think about for a second before hugging her gently, yet to her the hug was tight and filled with love. Blair hugged him back, her arms wrapped around his neck. The wind picked up, making the cigarette between Blair's fingers to burn faster.

''Let's go home.'' Jasper said into her shoulder.