"Whoa! Autumn, what happened in here?" Bella laughed as she stood in the doorway of my bedroom.

Clothes were scattered from one end to the other, thrown across the bed as if a tornado had ripped through my room. I stood in the middle of the floor, rubbing my hands over my face as I tried not to groan.

"I'm freaking out, that's what happened." I grimaced, looking across the room. "Just move the clothes over and find a spot to sit."

"Is this about your date with Jacob tomorrow?" Bella sat cross-legged on the bed, watching me.

"Yeah." I said sheepishly. "Ever since he asked me out four days ago, I've been losing my mind. What do I wear? What do I say? How do I act?"

"You didn't really go on dates back in Michigan, did you?"

"Not really. Unless you count school dances and football games. And even then, we hung out with our friends most of the time."

"Well, I never had a real boyfriend either, so I won't be much help. But I may know someone who can," Bella pulled out her phone and began to text furiously.

Fifteen minutes later, Jessica and Angela appeared in my bedroom. They both gasped as they took in the sight of scattered wardrobe.

"Whoa, Bella was right." Jessica whistled. "You do need help."

"Where do we start first?"

"First, we're going to clean up this mess," Angela said, motioning to herself and Bella. "Jessica is going to go through your makeup and search Google to find the perfect makeup and hair look for you."

"You," Jessica added, "are going to sit in the chair and let us work our magic."

I sat down at my desk as instructed and watched silently as Angela and Bella began to hang up shirts and dresses in my closet while Jessica took over the bed, snagging my laptop from the desk in the process.

"Well, there really isn't anything for her to wear on a first date with Jacob," Angela said, hanging up the last piece of clothing. "Maybe we should take her out shopping."

"Oooh yes!" Jessica squealed. "There's a sale in Port Angeles at my favorite store. I know we can find something there!"

"Do you want to come with us?" Angela asked Bella.

"Sure," Bella glanced at her phone. "As long as we're back before six. Edward is coming to pick me up then; his family invited me to play baseball with them."

"You, play baseball?" I teased.

"More like I'm going to watch." She laughed.

"Let's go, then!" Jessica shooed us downstairs, eager to go shopping.

"Bye, Mom!" I called over my shoulder as I pulled on my favorite booties. "We're going to Port Angeles for a while!"

"Be safe!" Mom called back from the kitchen.

"Shotgun!" Jessica hollered as I closed the front door behind us. Angela shook her head as she climbed into the driver seat while Bella and I slid into the backseat.

A half-hour later, we found ourselves inside Darla's Boutique, browsing through racks for what Jessica called "the perfect first date look." Splitting up, we each took an end of the shop, picking out different clothes for me to try on. Once Jessica was satisfied that we had enough outfits to choose from, she ushered me into a changing room.

"Ta-da!" I flung open the curtains that separated the changing room from the waiting area. The first outfit I tried on was a navy high waist floral pleated skirt and a burgundy long sleeve shirt, courtesy of Jessica.

"Hm. It is cute," Jessica said, circling me as she looked me over. "But I don't know if it's necessarily the outfit for your date."

"I have to agree," Bella said, shrugging. "It's not quite you."

"Next outfit!" Angela clapped, smiling.

"What about this?" I asked, showing off the black skirt and pink sweater combination Angela picked out.

"Wait. Here," Angela helped wrap a tan infinity scarf around my neck.

"Not too bad, but still not the one." Jessica said, tilting her head as if thinking. Bella shook her head in agreement, and I went back into the changing room.

As soon as I stepped out of the changing room, the other girls shook their heads in dismay.

"What? I really like this one though," I said, turning to look in the mirror. Bella had picked out pre-ripped blue jeans, a gray shirt, and a gray-and-white-striped cardigan.

"It's not you," Angela said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"She's right, it's more Bella's color." Jessica sighed disappointedly.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" I turned to Jessica. "I mean, all this for an outfit?"

"It is absolutely necessary." She assured me. "You want your outfit to be amazing!"

"Fine," I huffed. "Keep the clothes coming then."

After two hours and too many outfits to count, I was ready to give up. Sighing in frustration, I plopped down onto one of the sofas as Jessica tore through racks, a woman on a mission. Angela and Bella looked at me in sympathy as I closed my eyes.

"We'll find something." Angela whispered reassuringly, leaning over to pat my hand. "Don't worry."

"I somehow doubt that," I mumbled.

"I have an idea!" Jessica hollered, excitement in her voice. She hurried over from the rack she had been searching through and looked right at me. "First, do you prefer to wear jeans or a skirt?"

"Probably jeans." I admitted sheepishly. "I'm more comfortable in them."

"Okay, that settles that... Angela, do you remember seeing a pale pink shirt in Autumn's closet?" Jessica asked.

"Um... yes! It's just a plain pink shirt, though." Angela crinkled her nose in confusion.

"Good, good." Jessica nodded. "Obviously, that doesn't help us here, so I picked out a similar shirt."

Jessica held out the shirt in question before revealing a light tan knitted cardigan vest and a long bead necklace.

"We can pair this with a pair of silver hoops and those brown knee-high boots you wore the other day. This just gives you an idea of what it'll look like."

Taking the items from her, I headed back into the dressing room and quickly changed, noticing my sulky demeanor started to change as the soft cotton material smoothed over my skin. Adjusting the necklace over the tops carefully, I stepped out into the waiting area. My friends took one look at me and Jessica squealed, Angela and Bella sharing a high five.

"It's perfect!" Jessica threw her arms around me. "You look beautiful!"

"Thanks." I blushed, turning around in the mirror. "I can't tell you guys how much I appreciate this. Especially you, Jess. You're the best."

"I know." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Go change, then we'll check out makeup."

"We should get going soon," Angela glanced at her watch when I walked over to the makeup counter. "Bella needs to get ready for her date with Edward."

"Tell the Cullens I said hi, and I'll be over soon to kick Emmett's butt during game night at the Cullens'." I shot Bella a wink, smirking at the memory of Emmett's face when he found out he had new competition to beat.

"I will. Esme misses having you over. You're a great buffer between Rosalie and I," she mumbled the last part low enough for me to hear.

"Is she still mad at you?" I whispered back. Bella nodded.

"What about this color?" Jessica held up a blush pink nail polish. "Or should we go with another color?"

"That's fine," I said, shooting her a smile.

"Alright, back to Autumn's house. We still have a lot of work to do." Jessica said brightly after paying for the items; she turned on her heel and walked out of the shop not waiting for us to respond, waving goodbye to the staff.

"If you need anything, text me." I gave Bella a hard glare as we stopped in front of her house about twenty minutes later. "I mean it. Anything happens, let me know."

"I will. We'll be okay, Leaf." Bella glanced over her shoulder to where Edward was standing against his car parked on the side of the road. "I have to go let Charlie know Edward's here."

"Good luck!"

As Bella disappeared into her house, I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door to get out.

"Give me a second," I called to Angela, shutting the door. Knowing Jessica and Angela were watching me, I plastered a bright smile on my face as I walked over to Edward.

"Whoever killed Charlie's friend is long gone by now," Edward said in a low voice through his smile, which was directed toward my friends in an attempt to keep them from worrying.

"Still. Be careful with my best friend, Cullen. I like having her around." The panic in my voice was evident enough because Edward looked me in the eyes and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"If anything happens, you're number 2 on Bella's speed dial and number 5 on mine. I'll keep you informed."

"Thank you." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I probably should go, Charlie's waiting to meet me with a shotgun in his hands." Edward chuckled as my eyes widened. "Don't worry, he's just being cautious with Bella. I am her first boyfriend after all."

"Right. Good luck."

With a small wave, I headed back to Angela's car and we drove down the street to my house. Grabbing my bags, I braced myself for the next few hours with Jessica in her operation first date mode.

"I'll be back tomorrow to help you with your hair." Jessica said once we decided on a hairstyle, gathering her things. "And makeup."

"Just remember to breathe." Angela added. "You're going to do fine."

"I really appreciate you guys doing this," I said for what seemed like the millionth time. "You're the best."

"We know." Jessica grinned, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

As I walked with them outside, my phone buzzed in my pocket. There were four texts from Bella.

You have got to see them play baseball sometime. Crazy!

We might have some trouble. Three new vampires.

One of them found out I'm human. Chaos just erupted.

We're coming home. I have to leave, will explain soon.

A new text flashed across the screen; this time it was from Edward.

Keep an eye out for us, but stay inside. We're being tracked.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." I absently smiled at my friends and waved them goodbye. As soon as they disappeared around the corner, I ran back inside my house to wait for Edward and Bella.

Ten minutes later, I saw Emmett's jeep stop outside Bella's house. Edward got out of the driver's side, scanned the area with his eyes, and noticed me in the window. Holding up a hand, his look said "five minutes." I nodded, knowing he could see me before thinking, please be careful.

I knew he heard me because he nodded in response before helping Bella out of the jeep. They headed up the porch, where Bella slammed the door in his face. Edward waited thirty seconds before moving toward the side of the house where the window to Bella's room was.

When he disappeared into her room, I turned my attention to the street, watching for anything unusual. Holding my breath, I watched Edward get in the jeep and drive to the corner, where he met Alice and Emmett. Bella stormed out of her house and climbed into her truck. Within seconds, she pulled into my driveway, Edward right beside her. They hurried toward the door and I flung it open as soon as they got on the porch.

"What's going on?" I asked, closing the front door behind them.

"Bella's being tracked by a vampire named James. One of the vampires who have been killing people the past few weeks. We have to get her out of Forks until we catch him." Edward said in a hushed voice.

"What are you going to do when you catch him?"

"Kill him." Edward's voice was blunt.

"I need you and your mom to watch Charlie." Bella pleaded. "Make sure nothing happens to him."

"Of course." I hugged her tightly. "Be safe. We'll see you soon."

"Thank you." She whispered in my ear. Edward touched her shoulder, and they left, Bella in tears.

"Mom!" I called out as soon as they were gone, trying not to panic. She appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Bella left. She's going back home, to her mom. I think we should check on Charlie." I said, pulling on a jacket from the closet as Mom fled down the stairs.

"I hope he's okay," Mom murmured, grabbing her jacket. Together, we walked down to the Swans' house as I scanned the neighborhood.

Mom rang the doorbell and smiled sadly when Charlie appeared in the window. He opened the door when he saw it was us.

"Hey, Julie. Autumn," his voice cracked as he tried not to cry.

"Oh, Charlie." Mom stepped through the door and hugged him comfortingly. I shut the door behind us and Mom led Charlie toward the kitchen, where she started a fresh pot of coffee.

"I just don't understand." Charlie began to say to Mom. I wandered into the living room, tuning out their conversation and pulling out my phone to text Edward.

With Charlie now. He's sad, but he'll be okay. Mom's making him stay at our place, guest bedroom.

Within a minute, I had a reply.

Thank you. I know he'll come around. Tell him I love him. -B

"Autumn?"

I turned around to see Mom standing by the door. Her expression was sad, wrinkles creasing by the corners of her mouth as she frowned.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Why don't you go home and make sure the spare bedroom is ready for Charlie? Then you can get ready for bed, since your date with Jacob is tomorrow."

"Sure." I headed for the door, stopping in front of Mom to hug her tightly. "I'm not going to leave you, you know."

"I know." Mom hugged me back, sniffling. "Go on. We'll be over in a few minutes."

Pulling away from Mom, I hurried home, wiping falling tears off my face. I couldn't imagine how Bella was feeling, leaving her dad behind; it would kill me to not be with my mother.

Making sure the doors were locked and windows secured, I went upstairs to make the bed for Charlie. After placing the pillows on top of the comforter, I wandered into my bedroom and changed into my pjs. Climbing into bed, I listened for Mom and Charlie, sighing in relief when I heard them walk through the door before passing out.

* * * * * * * * *

Adjusting the white bow against the braids and fluffing out the curls, Jessica took a step back and smiles triumphantly in the mirror.

"There!" She exclaimed. "You're officially ready for your date!"

Opening my eyes, I was shocked to see my reflection. I didn't recognize the girl staring back at me, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You did a great job," I said to Jessica as I admired her handiwork. "You can't really tell I'm wearing makeup!"

"I tried to go as natural as possible, since I know makeup isn't your thing. But peach is definitely your color," Jessica said, nodding to herself.

"I'm surprised you found a makeup that matches my skin. Everyone back home used to call me porcelain, because I'm so pale." I joked, smiling at the distant memory.

"Well, they weren't lying." Jessica glanced at the clock. "Alright, Angela. You can take over from here. Jacob will be here soon."

"How are you feeling?" Angela asked, standing in front of me.

"Nervous." I admitted. Angela placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Take a deep breath and slowly release. Relax, you're going to do fine."

I did what she said, and my body began to relax. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on breathing.

"There you go. Keep taking deep breaths while I talk, okay? Now, don't be afraid to have fun. Whatever he takes you, make sure you enjoy being with him. You don't have to get too personal but talk about yourself if he asks questions. What you like, what you don't like. Just be yourself."

"Do you really think I can do this?" I whispered, looking at Angela.

"I know you can." She said reassuringly.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang and Jessica hurried to the window, grinning.

"He's here!"

"Okay, we'll go downstairs first. Take your time, but don't leave him waiting too long!" Angela said, Jessica dragging her out of my bedroom. I could hear them saying hi to Jacob as they headed outside.

Taking another deep breath to calm my nerves, I double-checked that my brown boots were completely zipped up and grabbed my purse before going downstairs. Mom and Jacob were both waiting in the living room, a bouquet of pink carnations mixed with baby's breath in Jacob's hands.

"Wow," he said in awe as I walked into the room. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks. You don't look bad yourself." I smiled back at him, my cheeks growing warm. Needing a distraction, I turned my attention to the flowers and raises an eyebrow.

"These are for you," Jacob handed the flowers to me, clearly nervous.

"Let me guess. Another thing you asked Bella?" I teased, heading into the kitchen; Jacob followed, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Actually, this time I asked your mom." He admitted, nodding to Mom who had sat down at her desk.

"Guilty." Mom laughed at my confused expression. "He came back to the bakery the next day when you were in school."

"Clever." I looked at Jacob and nodded in approval. "Sneaky, but clever."

"I have my moments."

A horn honked outside and Jacob groaned under his breath, rolling his eyes.

"That would be Sam. He's driving us, since I have to wait until the summer to get my license." Jacob explained. "He's impatient because he's planned a surprise for his fiancee, Emily."

"Well, let's not keep him waiting. Bye, Mom. Love you!"

"Love you too!"

Jacob opened the passenger door and made a small dramatic bow before he helped me inside. I shook my head as I slid into the seat, grinning.

"Hey, Sam."

"What's up, Autumn? Heard you agreed to go out on a date with this fruitcake." Sam teased, meeting Jacob's gaze in the mirror as he drove toward La Push.

"Well, he bought me a cinnamon roll. How was I supposed to say no to that?" I said jokingly, winking at Sam as Jacob sputtered from the backseat.

"He's a good kid," Sam replied, his tone turning serious. "Make sure he treats you well."

"You know I will, Sam." Jacob scolded his friend.

"Alright. Enough protective brother act. You two have fun." Sam parked in front of a roller rink. Jacob stuck his tongue out at him, before getting out to open the door for me.

"We're going rollerskating?" I asked, staring at the building in excitement.

"There's also an arcade, in case you don't want to skate." Jacob said hesitantly. I grabbed his hand and smiled.

"I'd love to go skating with you."

Laughing, Jacob led me inside where he paid for the roller skates. After getting a pair that fit and lacing them up, I stood up and rolled around as Jacob put on his skates. Once we were comfortable, we headed out onto the rink, staying near each other as the DJ played some upbeat song.

Five songs and lots of laughter later, I skated over to an empty booth and collapsed onto one of the bench seats. Jacob brought over a pitcher of pop and two glasses. Setting a glass down in front of me, he poured some pop into it before getting his own.

"Pizza will be done in about ten minutes. I figured you might be hungry after all that skating."

"I am kind of hungry," I giggled. Just then, the DJ announced couples only on the rink, and the beginning notes of "Beautiful Soul" by Jesse McCartney began to play.

"Would you like to skate with me one more time?" Jacob asked, holding out his hand.