Watching Her Chapter 20 - The Alley Cats

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Chapter 20 – The Alley Cats – The Aristocats

My phone wakes me way too early and I reach for it with my nose still pressed into my pillow. I mumble a raspy, "Hello."

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," my mom says excitedly. I grimace just a bit, only because her voice is so chipper and I haven't had enough sleep.

With a grunt, I roll over and tell her, "Thanks, Mom. It's weird not having you and Dad here."

It really is, too. Not that I mind being able to hang out with my friends, but I've never celebrated my birthday without my parents. I also can't help the tiny twinge of guilt that makes itself known when I think about the party tonight. I'm pretty sure they'd be okay with me having a few friends over, but I know for a fact that Tyler's older brother is getting some beer for Tyler to bring over, so it's liable to turn into a bit more than the guys just hanging out playing video games and eating pizza.

I just hope I don't get caught, because it would really suck to get grounded from Alaska.

"I knew we should've come home early," Mom says and I sit up. Too fast judging from the way my head swims for a second, but it doesn't last long.

I love my mom, I really do, but she has a tendency to get overly emotional about things, especially things concerning me. And yes, I'm a mama's boy, too. I embrace it even if I don't admit it. Jasper would have a field day with that information.

"Mom, come on. I'm eighteen, not a little kid. It's fine."

She sighs and I can hear my dad in the background telling her not to be upset. "If you say so, dear, but we will do something when we get back to celebrate, okay? Now, here's your father. He wants to talk to you, too. Love you, sweetie," she gushes and hands the phone to my dad before I can even tell her I love her.

"Son, happy birthday," my dad says in a much calmer voice and I can hear him chuckle at Mom. "Do you have big plans today?"

I yawn and fluff the pillow behind my back. "Not really," I hedge. "The guys will probably come over and hang out, maybe swim a little. We'll order pizza or something and play the PS3."

All of which is more than likely true.

"Hmmmm," he says pointedly and I brace myself for what I guess is coming next. "And will there be girls at this get-together?"

I cringe again, and squeeze my eyes closed. Fuck. I can't lie to him. One, he'd be able to tell, even from that far away, and two, I just don't lie to my parents like that. I'm not an angel, but outright lying is something I'm not particularly fond of doing. A white lie here or there, sure, but I won't lie about something like this. Besides, we live in Forks … everyone knows everything that goes on in this town.

Except for apparently the appearance of a brown-haired, drum-playing, gorgeous girl.

Coughing to buy myself some time and to clear my throat of the lump, I slowly answer, "Probably so." Dad doesn't respond, he merely waits for me to clarify. "Yes," I amend. "Jessica, Lauren, Angela, and a few others I think."

"Edward, that's fine, son. Your mother and I trust you," he tells me and I really start to feel like shit when I think about the beer he hasn't asked me about. "We also trust you to use your best judgment if a beer or two happens to make an appearance. No drinking and driving for anyone, you hear me?"

"Yes, Dad."

That's all he says, but it's enough. It's not like any of my friends are huge party animals or anything anyway. Mike gets out of hand sometimes, as do Garrett, Alec, Bree, and Heidi, but I'm not too worried, especially now that my parents know I'm having people over.

Emmett and Jasper come over a few hours before everyone else to help me move around some of the furniture and make sure the pool's ready to go.

"Eighteen, dude, can you believe it?" Emmett asks as he flops in a lounge chair after we set up the volleyball net in the pool.

I run a hand through my hair and look at my two best friends. "Nah, not really. I mean it doesn't feel any different, but I know it kinda is."

"It's weird to think that this time next year, we'll be done with high school and you'll be getting ready to head off to the other side of the country for college or to train with the National Team." Jasper bumps my knee with his when I don't say anything for a long time.

"I hope so, Jazz. I really hope so," I tell him, suddenly a little unsure of the future I had so concretely planned out just a few weeks ago.

Before I spent my nights standing in the trees.

Before a stranger captivated me so completely that she's all I think about.

Before the stranger became Bella.

"The beer's here. Let's get this party started, bitches!" Eric and Tyler yell as they walk in carrying twelve-packs of beer in each of their hands.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Emmett claps gleefully.

I cringe when he knocks into the coffee table with his knee as he hurries toward the door and my mom's favorite vase rocks back and forth.

Jasper catches it before it falls and hands it to me. "Better put this on the bookshelf, man." I look around the room calculating the chances of something getting broken. I move a few things to the cabinets below the shelves and say a quick prayer that the house doesn't get destroyed.

A few hours later and worrying seems like the silliest thing ever. Emmett's walking around with a towel tied around his neck, and a bathing suit covered in the brightest, ugliest fucking flowers I've ever seen. A loud crash barely registers - it's just Marcus and Garrett trying to stack all the beer cans … again. Mike and Jessica are dancing, hanging all over each other, along with Tyler and Lauren and Ben and Angela.
"Come dance with me." Heidi giggles as she grabs my hand and tries to pull me off the sofa.

Jasper snorts beside me and I turn to glare at him. At least I think I do. I'm so buzzed I can't really tell. I do know I don't want to dance though, at least not with Heidi. There's only one girl for me and she's not here.

Damn it.

I shake my head at her and take my hand back. I rub it on my leg like she's got cooties - a move which makes her huff and storm off and makes Jasper double over. "Dude, what the fuck's the matter with you? She's hot and she obviously wants you."

I look back across the room. Heidi doesn't seem to be too broken up about not dancing with me because she already has her tongue down Alec's throat.

A picture of Bella fills my mind. Even in my just shy of drunk state she's hotter than fucking hell. No one has ever made me feel the way she does. I look from Heidi to Jasper and say, "She's not who I want."

The sound of a door slamming startles me awake and makes me fly off my bed like I'm attached to strings.
"What the hell?" I groan and very tentatively, because my head's throbbing like fucking crazy, open my eyes. I'm in my room, but I don't remember falling asleep. It's still pitch black outside, so it's not morning yet and for some reason that's important. I shake my head a little, again because sudden movements makes me wish I was closer to a toilet and gingerly I sit up.

I set my feet on the ground, thankful that the room's not spinning and run my hands through my hair. My mouth tastes like ass; my clothes are a rumpled mess.

Holy shit. Ugh, I am never drinking again. Damn Jasper and his whining about missing Alice. I groan again and I turn my head from side to side to loosen the sore muscles in my neck.

4:30 shines bright red, a warning flashes in my mind.

Oh no … no … no … no … fucking son of a bitch NO! 

I whip my head around, hoping that I just forgot I went to Bella's, that I was so tired when I got home I passed out … not that I passed out and didn't make it to her house. I grab the notebook and then throw myself back on my bed.

Fuck.

It's the same one from yesterday.

A sound makes me sit up, and I wince when a white-hot poker stabs me through the eyeball. When I can focus again, Jasper is sitting in the chair at my desk.

He stares at me, not saying a word for a few moments until he hisses, "Who the fuck is Bella, Edward?"
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