After my mom and I had a great lunch in the sports café I went to meet Alice and her brother in The Loft. I found it really easily because it was right above where we ate. When I got to the door I saw I wasn't the only one up there. There was a huge boy with muscles like a pro-wrestler in there. He had brown curly hair and looked rather cute. There was also a blond girl who looked like she deserved to be a fashion model. It was very obvious to me that they were flirting with each other. She was twirling her hair and fluttering her eyelashes while he was flexing his muscles and trying to make her laugh. I felt scared to interrupt them when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I quickly turned around and was face to face with a tall and lean boy with blond colored hair. I felt immediately at ease with him and wondered who he was.
"Um, hi I'm Isabella Swan but I prefer Bella. Uh, sorry if I'm in your way." I stuttered looking down shyly. I never really talked to boys back in Phoenix where I live.
He flashed me an easy but reserved smile, "Hi I'm Jasper Hale actually I don't think I need to get through. That's my sister in there and it looks like she's really putting the moves on that guy. She might kill me if I interrupt her fun." He winked at me.
I blushed and looked at the ground. "Do you want to go up to the Oasis? We could relax down there or I think we could spy on them if you want."
"That would be fun. Actually I'm supposed to be meeting someone here soon though. His name's Edward Mason and his sister will be coming too." Jasper said.
"That's funny. I'm supposed to be meeting Alice Mason and her brother here. It's a small world isn't it?" I laughed at the irony.
Jasper laughed too. "That it is. Want to just wait for them here?"
"Sure that would be fun. So how old are you?" I asked.
"19. How about you?"
I was surprised. I didn't think he was that old. "I'm only 17."
"Huh." He responded startled. "You seem older. But anyways, where are you from?"
"I'm from Phoenix. I'm guessing you're from down south by your accent."
"Correct you are. My sister and I are from Houston, Texas. You know for being from Phoenix you aren't very tan."
I sighed knowing this would come up sooner or later. "Yea my mom is part albino." I replied, my voice dripping sarcasm.
He just laughed at me. Then I saw Alice coming up the stairs to the loft and ran forward to greet her. However I stopped short for in that moment I saw the most beautiful boy ever. He had slightly messy bronze hair unlike what I had ever seen before and the most beautiful crooked smile. But his eyes were the most amazing they were a brilliant emerald color that made me just want to dive into them. I stared like an idiot for a few seconds before composing myself and greeting Alice. "Hi Alice is that your brother?"
Alice laughed obviously noticing the way I had looked at him. "Yes that's Edward but you should call him Eddie he loves that nickname."
"Alice you know perfectly well I hate that name. I'm Edward and you must be Bella." Edward said coming up to shake hands with me.
I'm sure I looked like an idiot as I turned bright red and looked down at my feet. I stuttered, "How do you know my name?"
"Alice told me. And I figured you were the only beautiful brunette on this ship." He explained. I flushed again and turned back to Alice.
"Edward stop flirting with Bella and introduce me to your friend up there who is looking quite lonely." Alice retorted looking at Jasper in the way I had looked at Edward.
At this point Jasper walked forward and greeted her. "Hello Alice I am Jasper Hale and I am honored to meet you."
Alice blushed and giggled quietly. "Well now that we're all introduced why don't we go on into the loft? I hear they have a music station. Hopefully there will be something good." I said. Then I led us through the door only to see something very surprising indeed…
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Rosalie hitting the boy we thought she liked over the head with a pillow and cursing like a sailor. Fortunately it looked like Jasper knew what to do.
"Rosalie calm down. What's going on in here?" Jasper asked in a calm voice that somehow caused everyone one to relax. I was quickly realizing he was very sensitive to people's emotions.
"He actually said, in Spanish, that I looked pregnant after helping me up after I fell!" She exclaimed furiously.
"No I said embarrassed. I swear I did!" The boy exclaimed.
Edward suprised all of us by laughing. Rosalie glared at him and I was wondering about his mental sanity. "Are you failing Spanish?" he asked the boy smirking.
"Well maybe, sort of, yes but it's not my fault!" The boy whined like a teddy bear.
My eyes widened in understanding. "You called her embarrassada didn't you?" I questioned.
"Yea because that means embarrassed." He said slowly as if questioning my mental functions.
Rosalie looked calm again and a little relieved. "Emmett that means pregnant you dingbat."
He looked absolutely horrified. He ran to Rosalie and started begging for her forgiveness.
"Calm down I forgive you." She cut him off with a smile. I felt Jasper stiffen next to me in suprise for a second before relaxing again. I guessed Rosalie didn't normally let people off the hook that easily.
Alice interrupted the brief silence with a cheerful introduction of her and her brother. I learned they lived in Chicago and felt a sharp pang of sadness for a moment before quickly smothering it.
I shouldn't care about them that much, I critisized myself. Yet I did, I realized with a dizzying jolt of awareness, I was quickly getting attached to these strangers I didn't really know. And that was very dangerous.
"Bella? Bella?!?!? Wake up Bella!" Alice snapped me out of my daze.
"Wait, what?" I asked confused.
"I told you it was your turn to introduce yourself. Are you okay?" Alice exclaimed sounding concerned.
I flushed bright red. "Sorry I kind of spaced for a minute. Well my name is Bella and I'm 17 years old. Oh and I'm from Phoenix."
"Cool. I'm Emmett and I am 19 years old. I'm from Forks, Washington. Oh and I love competition."
I gasped in suprise. "No way! My dad lives in Forks! He's the police chief there!"
Everyone else looked suprised as well. "No way your Charlie Swan's daughter! This is too freaky!" Emmett practicly screamed.
"I guess it really is a small world." I responded smiling.
"And about to get smaller. My parents own a house in Forks." Edward said smiling.
"And my gradparents live there!" Jasper exclaimed.
"We could actually all see each other again after this cruise! On all the ones I've been on I've never had this sort of thing happen before." I was cheering inside as well as out. I could get attached to them without knowing I would never see them again.
"Wait how many cruises have you been on Bella?" Alice asked suspiciously.
I flushed again. "Well this one is number 26. Once my mom got remarried to Phil we traveled a lot because he plays baseball and he likes to spend time with us by going on trips like this. But this is my first Holland America cruise."
Everyone just stared at me openmouthed. But Rosalie quickly composed herself and just said cooly, "Well that's nice." But the way she said it wasn't really mean.
I was starting to get uncomfortable so I decided to put on some music. I selcted "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park and I heard the familiar and somewhat sad notes starting to play.
Everyone groaned but Edward who jsut looked at me suprised. "You actually listen to this?" He asked.
I glared at him and responded in a growl, "Yes I do and don't insult my music."
"I'm not insulting it. I love this song. I just haven't met many people before who have. They say it's too depressing. According to Alice I listen to too much death music."
I blinked suprised, "Really? Same with me. I never can listen to all the music I like for fear my parents will call me depressed or something. Do you have an I-Pod?"
"Of course I do. You want to switch and compare music?" He responded cooly. I vaguely noticed we had sat down on the couch and the others were watching us.
"Definately. Let's see if you have as good of taste in music as it seems you do." I handed him my I-Pod and took his in return. I started scrolling through the Artists and was nodding approvingly until one caught my eye. "You have Debussy?" I asked. I hadn't thought most people had even heard of that.
"Yes I do. I know it's a little old but I like it." he fired back protectively.
"I do too! I actually think you have good music. I approve which let me tell you has never happened before. Be proud of yourself.I replied very impressed handing him back his I-Pod.
He gave mine back as well. "I must say you impress me Isabella Swan. I actually approve of your music."
I smiled at him but I was interrupted by Jasper's gasp of worry...