Thanks for the lovely response on the first chapter.. Here's the second! Enjoy!

Chapter 2:

Jasper Daniels.

Well when I actually think about it, he's not so bad. I even went to school with him. His light brown hair and similarly brown eyes were never that striking. Neither was his pasty skin. But maybe time has changed. I haven't seen much of him in the time since we graduated from high school.

I guess, I just never thought of him as being a proper suitor for myself. He never peaked my interests.

But I smile when I realize my parents have carefully chosen him. That means that they've taken into consideration everything I will need. And hearing my mother's words about wanting to be a grandmother warms my heart.

I can imagine it now, sitting around the living room next Christmas with a little bundle of joy in my arms.

And the fact that Jasper wants that too is just wonderful.

Almost as wonderful as the Sam Cooke song I was singing this morning.

I spend much of the rest of the morning considering Jasper as my husband, wondering what life will be like with him.

"You're party is this evening. And your aunt Rose is coming all the way from Philadelphia," Mom tells me when I finally come downstairs.

"Really Mom?" I ask, getting very excited.

My aunt is jet-setting kind of woman and for her to take time out of her busy schedule to spend my birthday with me is unbelievable.

She nods. "Yes sweetie, we're expecting her in a few minutes."

The afternoon turns into evening and a whole lot of loved ones have come to celebrate with me.

Dad sets up the record player in the living room, putting on some smooth jazz and Mom is pouring drinks for everyone. It's a very tender moment that I try to take a mental picture of them like that.

Aunt Rose has made it and I'm so very excited to see her.

I sit next to her and ask her all about her travels and her life. I can't help it, I'm terribly curious. I haven't ventured far out of the small town of Havre de Grace at all, much less seen all that Maryland has to offer, or Pennsylvania for that matter. But this woman has done so much more than that. She's seen the world. She's been on planes, trains, and buses everywhere.

It's an amazing life, if you think about it. And I must ask her all about it.

"So where do you plan to go next?" I wonder after she tells me all about her recent trip to Canada.

"Oh Bella, the world is full of possibilities. Who knows?" she says nonchalantly.

She's sitting across from me in black, skin-tight, stretch pants. A fuchsia blouse, a leopard print silk scarf, and large, black hat. She looks fabulous and even at her age she can pull it off. Her blonde hair is curled expertly and her makeup is flawless. This woman is awe-some. And to top it all off her nails match her shirt perfectly.

"Well it's just that usually you have your next adventure planned before your last one even ends."

She looks at and her eyes turn sweet. "You're so right honey, but for now, I'm going to go with the flow. And that means sitting at home doing pottery."

I smile and nod. I can't picture Rosalie Hale, this amazing woman of the world, to be sitting at home doing pottery.

"Now Bella, before you go back to the party, I have a gift for you." She pulls out a neatly wrapped gift with elegant paper on it and deep red, silk bow tying it together, and hands it to me.

"A gift? Oh Aunt Rose, you didn't have to do that. You being here is gift enough."

"Bella, this gift is about possibilities. Think about that, when you open it tonight, alone." Her wink tells me that it's not something she wants my parents to see.

I'm perplexed by her words, but I accept the gift and give her a warm thank you for thinking of me.

"Bella, we have a very special guest for you to meet," my mother says, practically dragging me from Aunt Rose's side. I feel a little sad, but I know I'll get to chat with her again before the nights out.

I go with mother, she leads me to the back door and when I see who's waiting for me on the patio, I can't help but swallow loudly.

Jasper Daniels.

I guess when my parents said that I needed a suitor they didn't intend to waste any time. I sigh and step out with her. I guess this morning I didn't really have any objections to seeing him because he wasn't sitting at the table and it just didn't feel real then.

But now…

"Well go ahead son," my father says, who's sitting in a patio chair next to the nervous looking boy.

I purse my lips and try to paint a smile on my face when I see that my earlier hopes hadn't come true. He was still the same Jasper I knew in high school and now instead of pasty he looked sickeningly green. Hi hair was greasy as I he hadn't bathed in days and I just wasn't sure this was going to work. I tried to picture myself with him and I just couldn't…

But he did get up and cross the stones to introduce himself to me.

"Hi Isabella Swan, my name is-is-um- is Jasper," he says in a rush holding out his hand for me.

I shake it and am not surprised when it's so sweaty that I feel as though my hand is dripping when I finish.

"Nice to-to meet you Jasper, but I think we already know each other, am I right?" I ask politely.

He nods and manages a slight smile.

"So," I say, standing there with my mother still behind me and my father sitting just a few feet from me.

Jasper opens his mouth to speak, but just when I think we're about to have a nice little talk, he barfs all over my favorite saddle oxfords.

I'm mortified.

"Ugh," I say as I begin to gag from the smell.

My mother is shrieking and hurrying to try to get the awful shoes off my feet.

"Son, I think you ought to head home," I hear my father telling Jasper, while he's still trying to apologize to me.

After my parents help me clean up, I return to the party, this time barefoot, but believe it or not, I'm still pretty cheerful.

Someone had changed the record and now The Sensations were thumping through the house. And Let Me In is a real toe tapper. I can't help myself from shaking my hips and clapping my hands. Aunt Rose gets up off the loveseat and starts dancing with me. And we really cut a rug together.

The rest of the evening is quite the celebration with a scrumptious dinner and goodies that Mom has made for me. And to be honest, I'm more or less relieved that Jasper's not sitting there next to me.

That night, long after everyone has gone home, I decide to turn in myself.

"Oh Bella," my mother says as I begin to climb the stairs with my aunt's present in hand.

"Yes?"

"Jasper would like to apologize for the mess he's made and requested another date with you. It's tomorrow afternoon around two. Alright?"

"That's fine," I say with a nod. I know I don't really have a choice. I guess in most of the world's eyes, I'm past my prime. My friends are all married up and it's just the thing to do.

I climb the stairs and set the gift on my bed while I change into my nightgown. My aunt's mysteriousness gets curiosity bubbling and I can't hold off opening it any longer.

I sit on the side of my bed, listening to it creak for a moment before pulling the gift to my lap. Then as my nerves are beginning to surface I take hold of the beautiful silk and undo the ornate knot. It falls away from the gorgeous blue paper. I carefully lift the tape at the seams trying to preserve the paper. After I set the paper down next to me I pull the box top off.

I stare into the gift box simply befuddled.

"What in the world?" I whisper.

Well...

What do you think of Bella now?

We're getting to know her a little better right?

She loves music.

And how about that aunt of hers?

Or Jasper for that matter?

Chapter 3 might happen today... we'll see!