My first Human-Twilight Story. I hope you all like it! (Doesn't follow Twilight's story, only characters which Stephenie Meyer created)
The room was thick with the smell of cigars, liquor, and sweat. Everything was painted deep chocolate, the only light from the dim entertainment stage. No one was playing right now. I saw familiar faces in the crowds of pink faced drunks, my friends. My fellow soldiers, still wrapped in their uniforms. Their hats were askew, their mouths already moist with beer. I heard the loud laughter, the buzzing of people's non sober minds. I myself didn't care much for liquor--it messed with your senses, and being soldiers, I though my fellow men knew that that was their most crucial tool.
I supposed now I shouldn't care much. I'd been released that evening, and hadn't yet told anyone, not even my army buddies. Not that I had many, but I didn't want to stir the pot on a night like this, with everyone together and ready to have a great time. How would they feel if I told them I wasn't going back to camp, that I could walk out of here a free man while they piled back in the truck?
I looked around for my brother--where could he possibly be? He was to be the first person I told. I had the admit sheet folded in my pocket now…I touched it just to make sure it existed. A few years back, I would have gone eagerly for the extra few years of service--fighting was in my blood, it felt. But now; homesickness had gotten me bad, and I just wanted to see my brother.
I had wrote him, telling him our automobile would be stopping at Crazy Anne's Bar tonight. I had wrote him, I had made it clear. I knew he lived in this little town that we were stopping in, and I wanted to see his familiar face. I didn't know how long the men would be staying (not that it mattered to me), but another half of our men were at the campsite by the river. It was at the edge of town, and they got permission to have a night out, one of very few, though I could do whatever the hell I wanted now.
I tilted my shiny black hat rim from my face, feeling my long hair spill around my face. It wasn't unreasonable length, but it had grown out and our general hadn't paid enough mind to have me clipped again. I wasn't one for the buzzed look, anyway, and I didn't mind if half the men teased me about it. I smirked to myself at the memories.
"Jazz!" I turned quickly at the source of the boisterous call, and found my brother entering the bar. Smoke broke around his smiling face, parted around his massive shoulders.
"Emmett!" I shouted in joy, shoving past the fat drunks that could hardly feel anything anymore. He squeezed me in his huge arms, and I had to push away slightly before he smothered me. We were the same height, but he always seemed three feet taller. I grinned at my brother.
"You're looking real good, Jazzy." He smiled, his dimples showing merrily. I chuckled and let him catch a waitress by the arm.
"Excuse me, miss, but is there a table we could possibly get?" he asked the cud chewing girl. Her half lit eyes actually sparked for a second at the sight of my brother. I knew that he had that effect on women, what with his neat jet black hair and huge body and boyish face. His bright green eyes pierced into her peanut butter-colored irises, blotted with plum-black eyeshade.
"Ummm…" Her painted red mouth fell as she assessed this. I rolled my eyes. No, she didn't have a chance. No, she shouldn't even try! "I think we are real full, sir."
Emmett laughed in that boyish, charming way. I smiled at the memories connected to it--now would be the time he--
"Will this make a table appear, miss?"
--would whip out the five spot. I watched as she stole a glance over her shoulder and snatched it from his white hand. Her own hand was the color of toffee and freckled mercilessly. She shoved the crumpled bill into her pocket and grinned. She had a gap in her teeth, I noted. I smiled again to myself.
"Right this way, gentlemen." I guessed she just now realized I was there, and she took her good sweet time with gawking at me, too. Emmett was always telling me what a heartbreaker I looked like, but I never really believed him. I was a little lanky, longish hair, plain green eyes. Sure, I wasn't ugly, but not dashing like my older brother.
We followed her through the maze of people. I saw my buds with women in their arms already. Their tawny hands were on women's faces, smearing the rogue and lipstick, kissing and embracing in the booths, empty glasses of beer on the table. I kept close to Emmett and the lustful waitress, dodging a man that was swinging his beer bottle about as he told a story with drunken flourish.
I nearly rammed into Emmett when he stopped, and we both watched as the waitress stalked up to a man that was passed out in his seat. Emmett and I exchanged a glance and smothered our laughter into our hands as the woman tapped the fat man's shoulder with her stiff fingers.
"Eh, Rudy! Time to go!" She called, trying to break his sound slumber, her cud snapping away in her jaws.
Emmett chuckled quietly, and the fat man stirred, his face ruddy and beet red. He lifted a limp hand and patted it against his forehead, and I realized that a dirty napkin was in it. He blotted away the sheen of sweat that glistened through his thinning hair. He tried to sit upright , snaking his rubbery arm across the back of his chair.
He groaned and began to head for the floor before the waitress caught him. He patted her shoulder and muttered something into her face, obviously reeking of the liquids he had downed that night by her grimace.
The waitress stood up with the fat man hitched on her hip like a child. He leaned against her, his shoes tangling together as she began to walk off.
Emmett laughed as the two disappeared into the crowd. He began to pool the many empty bottles together in the center of the table, stuffing the used cigars and napkins inside. I laughed along with him, wondering why we were even in this place. I look a seat as Emmett did.
"Is this the best restaurant in town, Emmett?" I jested. Emmet rolled his eyes.
"Now, don't you got dislikin' Crazy Anne's just for the loons that come her every Friday night." Emmett said sternly and jokingly at the same time, motioning at a faraway waitress for two drinks. I couldn't see her move in the crowd as Emmett turned back to me. "Y'know why it's so busy on Fridays, right? And Saturdays, too?"
I shrugged. "Off work?"
"Naw! No sirree. It's something way more important than not sittin' at home listening to the radio." I watched as his eyes widened, and he got that mischievous grin like he was hiding something. "I guess you'll find out pretty soon, though, Jazzy."
"Oh, come on, now! By the way you made that sound, it was like they hand out wads of cash every weeknight!" I protested. Emmett was in mid chortle when our drinks came.
"Thank you, little lady." Emmett nodded to her. I gazed up at her as well. She shyly smiled, her chestnut hair spilling over her face. I could see, even in the darkness, the way her cheeks bloomed of scarlet. I smiled softly when she met my eyes. Hers were chocolate brown and big, fringed with pleasant eyelashes. "Anything else whilst I'm over, gentlemen?" She spoke just loud enough to be heard over the hoots and catcalls of the bar.
I shook my head and reached for my drink, but Emmett was contemplating. "What's the special tonight?" The waitress smiled and looked up, brushing away her long hair.
"Turkey club. I heard it's real tasty. Olives, cheddar, Swiss--all the fixing's."
Emmet grinned. "Good, cuz I am one hungry fella!" The waitress blushed again.
"I'll have your order up as soon as possible."
"Gee thanks, uhh--" Emmett leaned in real close to look at her name tag, obviously making her uncomfortable. Her brown eyes shifted to the floor. "--Isabella!"
She smiled shyly. "I actually go by Bella. See you."
She turned on her heel and started into the crowd, just to be tripped by a large boot. She stumbled quite violently, her knees banging together. She froze, hoping no one had notice, before brushing away her hair and adjusting her skirt. I was disturbed to see that what had tripped her had been an army boot--shiny and black, laced to the top. The man wearing it was a guy I knew well enough--and he was in the arms of a powdery looking gal with a painted on mole on her cheek. It looked like a tick to me. I frowned and looked away.
"So, how's the life of a soldier treating you, Jazz?" Emmett asked, popping off the cap to his drink with the edge of the table. It clinked to the floor, and he didn't even bother to gaze down at it. He grinned even as he sipped it, his eyes glued to me, his brother. I supposed I hadn't been able to avert my eyes from him, either. Was he always so huge? I smiled, nearly forgetting his inquiry. I hadn't smiled so much in a good long time.
"Pretty fine. I miss home an awful lot, though." I hadn't lived here, I had a little cottage a few towns over, but Emmett was the closest company I came across, and we would exchange visits from town to town every weekend we could. I wasn't a stranger to Crazy Anne's, but it'd been years since I'd visited. I had seen Emmett a while back--we'd stopped a few hundred miles from here, and he was excited enough by my notification to drive all the way out. Bless him.
When I looked up, Emmett's face had sobered. It was stone like and serious. I bit my lip at the change in mood around us. I could feel something coming on…what he'd ask.
"You been keeping low, Jazz? Haven't got hurt much, right?"
I picked up my drink, set it down. Touching its coldness, letting my hands be numbed. I sighed.
"I've been trying--well…I did try."
"Jasper?" Emmett asked, his voice soft and concerned.
"Just a damned man that had a knife, that's all." I muttered, wondering if he caught it all. By the look of his face, he did. His stark green eyes were wide, his pink lips pressed together in silence. He waited.
I let my hand fall to the table with a thud. "It's nothing, Emmett. It doesn't matter."
"Yes, it does, Jazz. Was it--serious? I mean, you're okay?"
I nodded, the rim of my cap shielding my eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Emmett awkwardly sat in silence, and my ears were only filled with the buzzing around me. "An inch deep. Foot 'n' a half long down my back. Caught me after I tripped over a barbed wire like the dolt I am." I tugged at my hat more and brought the drink to my lips, cool and refreshing.
"I'm so sorry, Jasper. I wish I had been there for you." Emmett murmured.
I simply nodded and rested my lips on the glass mouth of the bottle. "Let's move on from all that junk."
Emmett shuffled in his seat, silently agreeing. I tipped up my hat to meet his muddied eyes.
"So what's up with you these days?" I brought my voice to a light tone. He smiled feebly.
"Nothing much, other than coming here every weekend. And working the mills the week. Nothing much has changed, my friend."
I chuckled darkly. "Wish I could agree to that." Emmett nodded solemnly. He became erect, stretching his huge arms, looking like they were about to tear his dark blue shirt to shreds. The lights behind me glowed; looked like a show as about to start.
Emmett's eyes glowed feverishly, and his palms hit the table, making the glasses shake. He broke into a smile, gazing at the stage, which I noticed was very near our table. We had a great view. I turned my body in the chair, and the lights began to grown brighter. I watched them burn bright yellow, casting streaks upon the red curtains. Emmett whistled and clapped his huge hands, stompin' his feet.
"God, Emmett. What gives?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow at my brother, who's eyes were trained on the stage like Jesus himself would step out of the curtains. He smiled idiotically wider as a man in a black tux sashayed onto the stage.
His pomaded hair was greasy and inky black, his face tanned perfectly, his teeth bright white. He smiled with his smoldering eyes, making me want to gag. I rolled my eyes as Emmett leaned forth in is chair.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you all know what tonight is, don't you?" the man asked with the smile plastered on his face.
I hadn't realized that practically everyone else in the restaurant had been watching just as intently as Emmett. I nearly clapped my hands over my ears as the place went into an uproar of hoots and shouts and spilling of beer. Tables were pounded, boots flopped around on the floor, fists were pumped. I watched, wide eyed. What was this all about, for God's sake?
"That's right, Friday night! We have the best entertainment on this side of town--hell, this side of the state!" The audience agreed heartily, and in the mix of the uproar, I heard several glasses smash with excitement. I imagined poor little Bella cleaning up after some drunken fool.
"You know them, you love them, and you want them--so here they are! The lovely ladies we call The Orchids!" The men shouted at this, practically on their feet now. Emmett was sitting up tall, pumping his hands together, making a sonic boom right into my ear. The velvet curtains fell away.
There stood a row of four ladies, as lovely as any. What was the fuss about? Each had a silver mic in front of them, all four sheathed in dark blood red. Each had a blooming white orchid in their hair, which would only make sense.
"Say hello to Annie!" The crowd hooted at the woman with medium length brown hair. She was pretty--dark eyes, fine freckles, defined legs. I clapped politely.
"And here we have Mona!" The crowd raised an octave to her--she had delightful red hair that spilled over her shoulder and bright red lips that looked like they were glowing. She twiddled her fingers at the crowd, and more glass shattered, more eardrum damage.
"And let's not forget the lovely Rosalie!"
"Yeah! Rose, you're a doll! Woo!" Emmett was out of his seat, and the empty bottles shook and fell, rolling every which way. I bit my lip at the craziness my brother was showing. I looked at Rosalie--she was a show stopper, making the others look boorish. It was cruel, really. She had long golden hair, catching the light in such a sultry way. Her eyes were masked in deep black, her lips large and luscious. Her fine brown eyebrow raised as she assessed Emmett, who she could clearly see right at the feet of the stage. She tucked her hands behind her and nodded privately to Emmett, who sighed like school girl and clasped his heart.
"And last, but not least, the wonderfully gorgeous…Alice!"
My eyes followed the black suited man's hand, to the one named Alice. I froze, my hand clasped around my bottle. I felt my face go numb, my jaw hang slack. Alice was the most stunning of them all.
She had short black hair, curled upwards and pinned with the lovely white orchid. Her eyes were a stunning sky blue, her eyelashes seen from my seat. Her lips were thin but beautiful, her cheeks dappled with a soft blush. She looked both modest and heartbreaking in that dress--it hugged her tiny frame. She was the shortest, but she looked ten feet tall and demanding attention to me. She smiled shyly as hats were tossed in the air, glasses clinked together in toasts, hands beating at each other, throats gloating.
I just stared at her. Alice. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, and as each moment passed, I felt luckier and luckier to have ever seen her.
I didn't hear the man introduce the song, I didn't see him leave the stage. I didn't see Rosalie, Mona and Annie adjust their flowers and dresses and mics. I simply watched Alice as she smiled into the spotlight, her face radiant and dazzling. She was beaming, rare and delicate rays shooting from every inch of her.
She touched the steely rod the mic was on, swaying to the far off music. I heard faint trumpets…
The way she swayed her hips--was she trying to drive me insane? I swallowed, my throat feeling suddenly parched. I reached for my glass, not daring to let my eyes off of her. I accidentally tipped my bottle with a numbed hand, but I didn't care as I heard it trickle onto the floor. I couldn't care.
"'L' is for the way you look at me…" Annie began. I knew it was her, but I felt like I was wasting my time with her. I wanted to hear Alice, Alice who was driving me mad up there on stage. She was smiling at her co-singer and swaying her small, incredible hips.
"'O' is for the only one I see…" Mona continued, her voice a little gruffer than Annie's--though I knew both would be put to shame soon enough. Alice nodded at the music, her eyelids fluttering, her body swaying deliciously--
"'V' is very, very extraordinary…" That was Rosalie, and she already shamed the past girls with her powerful voice. I was impressed, and by the way Emmett exhaled sharply, he was, too. Alice licked her lips, her eyes widening as she opened her mouth for her part--
"'E' is even more than anyone that you adore." Her voice…I melted in my grimy chair, wooden and littered with chew underneath the seat. Her tiny pink tongue flicked inside her mouth, wide as the words spilled from her. She smiled into the light, her eyes glistening, before she unleashed their mighty power on the audience. More uproar, but none too loud to overshadow the song.
"Love is all…that I can give to you…" Now they were all singing in unison, but I trained my ears on Alice and only Alice. Her voice was sweet, innocent, pure. I couldn't strain out Rosalie's voice completely, however--it was proud and shook the bar. Alice stroked the mic, her eyes closing as the music overtook her…overtook me.
"Love is more…than just a game for two…" Her lips parted and opened and closed, perfectly heart shaped and stained a beautiful red. Her wonderful eyes opened, piercing a man here and there. Oh, to be sought by that woman's eyes…I swallowed through my sandpapered throat again.
"Two in love can make it…take my heart and please don't break it…" Alice bopped her hips once to the beat, raising an arm as the men hollered her on. Her eyes opened, flashing in the spotlight, killing men dead in their seats. I watched, not realizing I was leaning forward, wishing for her eyes to just gaze my way--
"Love was made for me and you." The sound was so sweet, like clean silver water for a man near death of thirst--ravishing and necessary. How could I have gone on all these years without hearing such a glorious voice? Her final word spilled out in a smooth tone, unwavering and perfect. She clasped the mic, angling her hips, her feet following as her thin white neck swayed around the room.
I sat up, my eyes burning into her face, so angelic and heartbreakingly beaut--
Her shocking blue eyes met mine, and I froze up, my throat constricting, my hand clawing the smooth tabletop. I bit my lip, clenched my jaw. Her eyes lost that commercial flirtiness…there was something more, something she was thinking. Or realizing.
Her eyes were widening, her mouth pulling away from the mic. Her hands clutched the rod like her life depended on it, and I was shocked to hear the other women continue the song as she stared at me. I stared back, feeling electricity course through my veins as I held her eyes, wishing to never let go.
After what seemed years--but that wasn't near long enough…she tore her gaze from mine, and I think we shared the shock as the song ended without her joining the final note. My chest heaved as the song died, the music drawled off. I clutched my heart, which was beating feverishly. Never had it gone so loud--not even in battle. My breath caught, and I wished for her to spare me one more glance before she disappeared, eaten my the velvet curtains…
I watched her nod politely and brush away flyaway hairs as the crowd cheered, shattering my eardrums. She and her co-singers were beaming and curtseying to the audience, but her smile seemed thoughtful--not fully there. Rosalie grabbed Alice's hand and squeezed it, and the two girls smiled at each other as the spotlight beamed upon them.
I didn't catch it when the announcer closed the number, and the curtains began to glide down, to shut her from my sight. I was horrified--no! I had to see her--her beautiful face, piercing eyes, goddess body…
Just at the split second before the curtains slapped together, I caught Alice's gaze. Her mouth was parted, her blinding teeth showing with slight curiosity. She clasped her hands and watched me with doe eyed innocence, and I wanted nothing more than to hold those eyes, more perfect than anything else ever created.
The curtains shut her away, leaving me with the bombarding of applause. I winced, and was stunned to find myself out of my seat, my chair hitting the floor. I turned to it, watching it fall. I wanted to leap onstage, find her…
Emmett was up, too, so I wasn't making a scene any more that the others. Every man and woman was up, smiling and shrieking and bellowing. I turned to the dimmed lights, wishing somehow they were bright again, upon Alice.
"Woo! What a show, eh, Jazzy boy?" Emmett's voice thundered, far away and clouded. I stared at the curtains. He shook my shoulder, his hand huge, consuming the whole half of my body. The crowd quieted. We relocated our chairs.
"Hey, Jasper!" I snapped around at him, staring bluntly into his playful eyes. I felt the need to ask bubbling up inside of me like vomit.
"Will there be another performance?" I hissed. Emmett cocked an eyebrow at my urge. His face smoothed into jesting recognition.
"You fancy any of them Purdy ladies, Jazz?" I sneered at him, though it was true, but the way he was teasing about it made my skin crawl. "Hey, I don't blame ya!" He rose his palms in an act of surrender. "I, myself, have the eyes for the blonde beauty. The Goddess they call Rosalie." He drew out her name long and dreamlike, both a mockery of himself and half true to his previous behavior. I watched him closely--was this how I looked whenever Alice flashed into my mind?
"Is there another show or not?" I asked, twirling a used bottle by the neck. I stared into the non iced brown fluid in the bottom. Emmett chuckled.
"Aye, there is another show. Usually the girls have their own little spotlights shows with only one other or so accompanying them, and a few more like that one." Emmett explained, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, and there's this fella that plays the piano with the gals an awful lot, too. He's to the ladies of the bar what The Orchids are to us gentlemen, if you get me." He winked at me before bringing his lips to his drink, leaning back in his chair, nearly swaying it over.
He plunked the empty glass on the table and let out a refreshed sigh.
"Here you are, sir. Sorry it took a while." Bella the waitress came up to the table, a platter with a hearty looking sandwich balanced on it. It indeed, had all the fixing's. Stacks of cheese and lettuce and meat were kept from towering over by a rather long toothpick topped with several oriental green olives.
Emmett grinned as it was set in front of him with Bella's shaking pale arms. She straightened up and brushed her palms on her apron, smiling at us both. "You guys enjoy the show?" I guess she must've caught me eyeballing the stage. I turned from it and smiled shyly, tipping my cap.
"Yes, ma'am. Quite a show."
"It was, wasn't it?" she sighed. Emmett didn't touch his masterpiece of a meal just yet. "They are all awfully lovely ladies, it's a shame about the contract."
I straightened up so quickly that I nearly bowled over more glasses racked up by the previous drunk. "Contract?" Emmett and I said in unison, startling Bella.
She blushed feverishly and lowered her eyes. "Aw, I shouldn't have told you that." she said meekly. She wiped her hands on her apron over and over, obsessively. Her chocolate eyes met mine, then Emmett's. They were the eyes of a person about to tell a scary and cautionary story. "I--can't tell. Not now. Come see me near closin' if you really want to find out, 'kay?" She dropped her hands, her eyes hopeful. I nodded quickly, and I was sure Emmett was matching the gesture. Bella nodded to herself and scurried through the crowd.
I leaned in my chair, my eyes feeling heavy, but my anxiousness burned through my heart. Emmett peered at me under my askew cap. "So which one is it that you have an eye for, Jazz?" His crystallized green eyes danced.
"Alice." I blurted. Her name tasted so sweet on my tongue, yet so bitter that I had said it shamelessly and bluntly. Emmett smiled softly, looking into her drink. I clamped my jaw shut audibly and turned from him, my face burning. I was such a fool.
"The one with the short black hair and hips that could kill." Emmett commented; chuckled into his drink. He swished around the last swallow and set it aside. My mind thirsted for her vision now that Emmett dangled such a description over my head like that.
My eyes went back to the stage, waiting.
