Jessica’s POV  

“I don’t know, Jess,” Angela said doubtfully, shaking her head and not meeting my eyes.  She pretended an interest in the dark scenery outside the car window.

“Oh come on!” I replied scornfully. “You know Bella planned to meet up with Edward Cullen. Look at the facts. She comes all the way to Port Angeles to go shopping, and doesn’t buy anything. She insists on going to the “bookstore” alone. Bella has been staring at Edward Cullen since Day 1. And she just happens to run into him here? In a city the size of Port Angeles? And he just happens to decide to take her out to dinner and drive her home? I’m sure!” I snickered. “She planned it all right. And we’re her cover story for her dad.”

Angela was shaking her head again. “I don’t know. Bella just doesn’t seem to be like that. She’s so nice.”

“Oh, you’re so naïve, Angela. Bella Swan is constantly flirting with most of the boys at school – including your date to the dance, my date to the dance, Lauren’s boyfriend Tyler and most definitely Edward Cullen!  Do you know how hard I had to work to get her hooks out of Mike?"  I cried in outrage.  I wasn't used to having to fight for what was mine.  Winning Mike away from Bella had felt really good.  It was my own personal victory, proof that I was still the reigning queen of Forks High School.  Mike Newton was a great guy and cute and he was all mine now.  Bella had better stop flirting with him. I snorted in aggravation.  “She’s like a spoiled child trying to keep all the toys to herself. She’s mad that she lost Mike.  And now she’s working at getting Edward Cullen.  She’s definitely sneaking around with him.”

Angela just pressed her lips together, not arguing out loud anymore but clearly disagreeing.  I couldn’t take it anymore. 

Thankfully we were just pulling up to her house.

“OK. Bye then,” I told her as I stopped the car. Time to get out, Angela. I was so frustrated with her.  Just because Angela was too much of a goodie-two-shoes to plan a secret meeting with a guy didn’t mean Bella hadn’t planned it. Angela could be so . . . thick.

“Oh. Well, thank you for driving, Jessica. I had a great time and it was nice to have someone to help me choose my dress.”

“Uh hunh.” Yeah whatever. Get out. I looked out of the driver side window to make sure she understood the night was o-ver.

Angela sighed and reached into the back seat to collect her shopping bags. “Oh,” she said in surprise. “Bella forgot her coat.” She held it for a moment as we both stared at it in surprise.

“I’ll take it and give it to her tomorrow morning,” Angela said.  She pulled the jacket to her chest and reached for the car door latch.

“No,” I snapped, grabbing the jacket from her hands. “I’ll give it back to her.” Hmm. This could work out nicely. I looked up to find Angela staring at me in surprise. “So goodnight,” I told her to remind her to get out.

With a final sigh, Angela opened the door and got out. I pulled out of her driveway before she had gotten to her front door.

Good. Now I could finally think, without her incessant . . . ugh, whatever. She was so . . . sickeningly sweet, I could puke.

So, Bella had arranged a secret meeting with Edward Cullen. That girl had some nerve. I clearly had first dibs on that man. I mean, I saw him first. Mike was great and I liked him, but only because Edward was off the market.  If Edward was finally dating anyone, it should be me.  When he and his family moved here two years ago, I had bent over backwards to try to make him feel welcome, to make sure he knew he had a place in Forks (right beside me) . . . so he wouldn’t be lonely, of course. Someone of his beauty needed to be with someone who was gorgeous, as well.  But he was ungrateful. He hadn’t given me the time of day! He was such a snob.

But at least he didn’t date anyone else either. I snickered then.  He was probably waiting for his foster-father to adopt him a sister for him to date.  Like a mail order bride.  Seriously, where did Dr. Cullen get all those kids?  They were all so good looking.  Did he pick them out of a catalogue or what?  It wasn’t hard to tell Dr. Cullen picked his kids for their looks.  Weirdo.  And what’s with them all dating each other?  That was pretty sick.  Poor Edward – it looked like his sister got lost in the mail.  I giggled at my own witty joke.

But the smile slipped off my face as I remembered he was with Bella right now. Hmph. She had nerve!

What a tramp. First she made eyes at Eric and Mike, then Tyler. And now she’d gotten Edward interested in her. Damn her.

What was so special about her anyways? Clearly I was better looking. I mean, everyone knew that.  What was it about Bella that made guys so interested in her?  She wasn’t pretty or rich.  She wasn’t well connected, like I was.  Her clothes were plain.  She didn’t even wear make-up, for crying out loud.  There was nothing special about her.  What did guys see in Bella Swan?

Then it dawned on me. She must have told Edward she’d put out. Sure! That made sense. What else about her could interest a man like him?

How shocking! I smiled with delight. I mean, the Chief of Police’s daughter behaving like that! How embarrassing for him! Some detective he was. Yup, he was right on top of things! I snickered again. Well, I could fix that.

Really, it was wrong of Bella to put sweet Angela Weber and me in a position of having to cover for her. That just wasn’t right.

And while under normal circumstances, I would never condone snitching, clearly I had to take the higher road in this. Someone had to be the responsible one. As one of the leaders in my school, the responsibility fell squarely on my shoulders. I smiled to myself. Yes, making sure Chief  Swan knew what his daughter was up to was clearly my responsibility.

Now, how to go about it? I could drive by and drop off her jacket and explain to him how she forgot it in my car before leaving with Edward Cullen.

However, I was just approaching my own house. Why drive all the way back to Bella’s house when a phone call could achieve the same results? Plus then she’d have to see me tomorrow to get her coat back. I’m sure she was dying to dish the details out to me.

Oh, I’d better make it sound like an accident that Chief Swan found out – like it just slipped out. That way after I apologized (very sincerely of course), she wouldn’t be mad at me and we could chat about everything that was going on.

I practiced what I’d say to Chief Swan. “Hello. May I speak with Bella? This is Jessica. . . She’s not back yet? Oh dear . . . well . . . Could you please let her know that I have her jacket and not to worry . . . Isn’t she with me? . . . Well, you see, sir, oh dear, no, she’s not with me right now. She didn’t come home with me.”  I could sound very sincere with a little planning.

I paused for a moment after I parked in my driveway. Was I being conniving about this? Hmmm. I thought about that as I tapped my lips with my finger. After catching my reflection in the rear view mirror, I decided the pensive look made me look even prettier.

No, I wasn’t being conniving at all. Bella was. I was just being . . . dutiful. A dutiful friend to Bella by making sure her dad knew enough to keep her safe at home from now on and by being a friend she could confide in afterwards. Yes, I was definitely a good person. She was lucky to know me.

I got out of my Mercury and retrieved my bags from the back. Then as I entered my house, it occurred to me that while I was being a great friend to Bella and had been since her first day, she had betrayed me.

I mean, everyone knew that Edward Cullen was mine. I was the obvious choice. I was the prettiest girl in school and I was well connected and everyone loved me. I’d be a perfect doctor’s wife – because it was obvious that Edward would be a doctor, like his father. As soon as he realized who it was he needed to complete his life, I’d be there for him. My Edward.

And in the meantime, there was Mike. Mike was popular enough for me to go out with. And I really liked him.  Bella shouldn’t be trying to attract him, either!

I was double betrayed!

And here she was making eyes at my Edward. How dare she!

Suddenly I couldn’t get the image out of my mind. Edward was kissing her right now, running his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer, pressing his hard body against hers . . . That’s it! I’m calling her dad!  I felt absolutely vindicated, now. Calling Bella’s father was my duty, damn it!  I couldn’t let her get away with deceiving him! 

I picked up the phone and dialed her number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jess, I was just going to call you.”

“You made it home?” So she wasn’t still with him. That was fast. They didn’t even have time to eat dinner, what with the hour-long drive home. Maybe things didn’t go so well between them. Maybe he saw through her to the skank that she was. Maybe seeing me at the restaurant reminded him of how good I looked, how good things could be with me. Maybe he was thinking about me right now . . .

“Yes. I left my jacket in your car – could you bring it to me tomorrow?” she said interrupting my fantasy.

Her jacket?! Who cared about her jacket! I needed to know what happened. Did he dump her already? I couldn’t wait to tell Lauren. “Sure,” I agreed quickly. “But tell me what happened!”

“Um, tomorrow – in Trig, okay?”

Oh yeah. Her dad was right there, of course. She wasn’t going to say anything interesting in front of him. I played dumb. “Oh, is your dad there?” I asked innocently.

“Yes, that’s right.” She sounded relieved that I got it.

Fine. I’d let it go for now. But she was sooo going to spill everything to me tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to get the dirt from her.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow then. Bye!”

“Bye, Jess,” she answered.

As I hung up the phone, I started to plan who I would tell first tomorrow. Lauren would certainly be interested. She hated Bella.  Hmmm. Mike would be interested too. I smiled as I pictured his face when he found out Bella had secretly gone out with Edward Cullen.  I was sure that now Mike would see Bella for the tramp that she was.  It would go a long way to securing my hold on Mike; there was no way he’d give Bella a second look after this.

Oh, this was going to be fun. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow morning!