~~Summer Dance of Passion~~
~~Bella~~
"What did the two of you do last night?"
At my father's question, Em and I stopped clinking our plates whilst eating breakfast, although we were both probably shitting bricks inside...At least I was...Putting my glass of orange juice down on the table for fear of having it damage my favourite white dress, I swallowed hard and decided to find the guts and answer, pulling a lie out my arse as well.
"We had a quiet night...Nothing too interesting" I answered, shooting my parents a forced assuring smile – their intuition and mind-reading when one of us lied is not welcome in this present moment.
"Games and stuff" Emmett added, making me want to plough him one...If anything he was a worse liar than me and in honesty that was saying something. He of course, had come back late last night a close shave five minutes before my parents did, drunk and tipsy from their however many hours long shindig in the bar. Too busy with his new dancer girl...Emmett had a way with women and if this was a year ago, my jealousy could have shone through faster than the lies coming out of my mouth to state otherwise...Men were like an unknown species to me...I did not despise them like some girls in my school who had suffered from countless broken hearts, I had never been so in love with someone to run the risk of having mine broken in the first place. I wanted to be in love one day – even though sometimes the loneliness that ate me up and surrounded my mind made me think that falling in love was never going to be a possibility for someone like me – I attempted to remain open minded and refrain from lowering my self confidence even more.
Giving my goofy brother a slap on the thigh underneath the table – he finally shut his mouth...I picked up the orange juice across from me and took a much needed sip to quench the dryness constricting and binding my throat...The last thing you need is to not have the ability to speak after an attempted lie, parents can see right through you and I know that better than anyone because...I agree with my father in the sense that I am never and haven't ever been discreet or secretive. Only in matters of the heart did I automatically cocoon myself from the rest of the world so that no one can see me emotional.
"What a night last night...Did you two miss us?" Mum asked us, raising an eyebrow...If she knew that Em and I were lying by the skin of our teeth then she was not letting on.
"Of course" Emmett answered making mum smile at his answer...One point to Emmett for giving our mum a compliment to forget the conversation about last night altogether.
"Hello Swans!" Max appeared at our table, Jacob close in tow "we are currently auditioning acts for our final talent show...Are any of you interested?"
"I think my show business career is long from over, Max" dad replied swallowing his bite of food.
"Don't look at me" mum teased afterwards...I watched Max's eyes fall on my brother and I.
"Oh come on, you two must have some hidden talent hidden from the world" Jake studied me as well, I felt more uncomfortable then than I had forcing a lie to my parents.
"Not me" I answered, trying to keep the eyes away from me...I picked up my knife and fork and carried on eating my already almost-eaten omelette.
"Me, either" Emmett answered, from the corner of my eye he had also tried to keep his attention on his food, the only talent Emmett had was winning football matches and dazzling girls.
"Then Bella you can help me out with the props!" Jake said, forcing my eyes back up to look at his, bewildered.
"She'd love to!" Dad answered giving me a glare his eyes widening in persuasion. I was never going to win this argument...Seeing as it was my dad, I swallowed in defeat the words I had wanted so much to say disappearing.
"Sure" I answered not so very enthusiastically, Emmett snickered next to me.
"Let's go!"
"Now?"
"Bella...Go and help" mum said, giving me a different look...One of forced intimidation...I took my napkin off of my lap and threw it down onto the table rising from my seat. Wrapping the cardigan from the back of my chair around my shoulders and glumly following Max's enthusiastic nephew....How could he work in a place like this – does he not have any dreams or aspirations?
"Happy?" I shot at him as he held the main door open for me to step out into the daylight. The grin plastered on his face from his achievement.
"Very" he replied walking beside me.
"Where are we going?"
"The showroom..As stick like you shouldn't be so worried about the exercise"
"Now may not be the best time to try and tease me"
"Clearly not a morning person"
I was not a morning person when someone like him was gradually pushing my buttons...Having to go with him at my parents force made me feel too much like a child – freedom was a big desire of mine but until getting to eighteen, I was screwed.
As we reached a new part of the hotel..A section of the building that I hadn't seen on previous trips here or something brand new this year...I walked in to the back of a large theatre room..Not many seats but enough for people to enjoy whatever performance was going on taking up the large stage space. Music boomed through my ears as Jake led the way through the side wings and past the large backdrop, covering the stage from up view..There was loud thuds coming from behind the drop and curiosity came over me as to who was on there and what they were doing. I had liked going to shows, my lack of experience didn't allow me to have much knowledge on different genres or acts but I liked the buzz from the audience watching and also the fact that the performers themselves got a good adrenalin rush when the audience approved of their performances...They all work hard in their own right and sometimes as members of an audience, we fail to notice that when we cast impressions or criticisms.
"Bella?"
I hadn't realised I had come to a halt by the backdrop...Jake was looking at me questioningly from the other side by the right wing.
"Sorry" I mumbled following him quickly as the music died down...I didn't recognise the songs and it annoyed me that I clearly did not have much knowledge in the field of music, either.
I stepped into a small changing room and was met by a cardboard box in front of my eyes, stretching my arms out, Jake handed it to me from the other side luckily it wasn't that heavy and carrying it wasn't going to be a problem..Stepping out of the way, Jake had another box in his hands and we stepped down off of the stage altogether and around...As soon as the image of the audience's seats came into my view...Butterflies swam around my stomach...I was finally going to be able to see what was going on, on the stage....There were about 5 people standing there chatting amongst themselves over the catchy music.
"TURN IT DOWN!" Jacob roared causing me to stumble at the suddenness...I was able to gain my balance back gracefully. The music stopped abruptly and the people on the stage turned to face Jake from where they were standing.
"Don't you all have jobs to be getting on with?" Jake shouted, a little too harshly and frankly, rudely at the people...All of them looked disgusted with him but had been bound to silence.
"Little boss man!" A deep voice with some kind of twang blared through the theatre, then...Someone appeared from one of the side wings.
Blonde hair....
Shiny blonde hair....
Oh good, god!
The same man I had been watching dance last night had appeared in view, glaring at Jacob and ignoring my presence entirely. "Your uncle said we had to practise for the final show...Technically we are doing our jobs"
"Don't get smart with me wise cracker...Remember who you are talking to!"
"Sorry, I forget...Seems like I clearly do not have much time for you" I fought back a smile at his answer, even though Jacob was clearly a higher status than handsome dancer man – the lower team stayed strong. It was kind of fascinating.
"Remember who can get you fired...Where's Rosalie?"
"Rosalie is taking a break...She needs a break!" he answered forcefully, clearly defending the person in question.
"As long as it's not an all-night break...Get moving back to your quarters..All of you, I have to work in here!"
As Jake's command, the five people filtered out and off of the stage, the handsome dancer's eyes met mine for a second and I thought then that I was going to die where I stood..He was beautiful, almost god-like...Flawless skin, brilliant body and deep green eyes smouldering me to silence and causing my body to quiver slightly under his glance.
He took his time getting off the stage, taking his eyes away from mine...I suddenly missed them...He disappeared and inside, there was a longing to see him again and have our eyes connected even if it had only been for a few seconds like moments ago.
What was happening to me?
"Sorry about that, Bella...Sometimes these people need to learn their place" Jake said putting his box down on a seat and taking mine from my hands.
"Who are they?"
"The entertainment staff, although I have seen much better people please an audience than those clowns!"
Jealous, much?
"The blonde man...He seems to have a lot of opinions"
"His opinions will be the cause of his sacking if he doesn't learn to zip it...Jasper Hale is a man who believes he is better than everyone else but he is nothing but an employee...To be honest, I don't even know why he is still here...I have been trying to get rid of him for years"
Opening my mouth to defend the dancer, his name rolled through my head like an old film reel....Jasper Hale....Jasper Hale...It had a great ring to it and it suited him.
I shut my mouth purely because if Jake knew I had already seen him dance, he would run to his uncle and snitch on me but the temptation to shout at Jake at how much of a great dancer Jasper Hale is was slowly eating away at me in the silence.
Releasing the curiosity to learn more about Jasper Hale from my mind...I settled down to work with Jacob.
This Jasper Hale was such a mystery – a mystery than enthralled me.
*(Two hours later)*
"Aw how was your time with the boss's nephew!" Emmett teased me as I stepped into our suite. The last two hours had gone by torturously slow and it had made me feel so incredibly drained that all I wanted to do was go back to sleep.
"Shut up" I shot grabbing some milk from our fridge and pouring some into a glass "I should be asking how your night went with the dancer!"
"Ahh, that....Not much to say, really" he was being coy and that was a definite first for Em, usually I had all the ins and outs (no pun intended) and gory details of his sex life but this time, he was clearly trying to avoid the conversation.
"Em...You always tell me everything about when you meet a girl!"
"It's different this time, Bella"
"That's what you said about Gina and Lola...Oh and...What was her name, Cynthia-"
"Okay...I get your point, but I just met her....Taking things slow is my plan"
"Slow...You have never been slow"
"I know but she is changing me, Bella and all for the right reasons"
"Seriously?"
Emmett nodded "Well, then bro...All I can say is I hope it works out...Did you find out her name?"
"Rosalie...Such a beautiful name isn't it?"
Rosalie...Rosalie....That was the name of the person Jasper was defending, why was he defending her...Were they going out or something? Oh god they can't be...Could they?
"Bell...What's up, you're not going cuckoo on me are you?"
Snapping out of my screaming thoughts...I took a deep breath in "Yeah, it's beautiful" I answered him lamely...There was no way I could explain anything because I did not have all the facts maybe this Jasper and Rosalie were related or just very good friends.
"I am going to the main dance hall for the disco, tonight"
"There's a disco?"
"Yeah...Wanna come?"
"No"
"Come on, Bell...I really want you to meet her, properly"
I had a sneaky feeling that if this Rosalie and Jasper Hale were good friends then I may be running into him..There was a split then, a part of me actually liked the idea of seeing him again if only from a distance but if I did see him, the truth about his and Rose's friendship may come out and watching him lust or even be intimate with another woman was enough to make me sick.
"No, bro...I really don't-"
"Please?" Emmett rarely asked me for anything, I guessed that being his younger sister didn't give me much experience into his world to have the ability to give him what he wanted...But, the look on his face and the pleading tone of his voice made me crumble.
"Okay...But if you drag me on that floor...I swear I am not going to be responsible!"
"Deal" he answered, smiling appreciatively....Putting the milk back into the fridge, I walked over and sat next to him on our lended sofa.
"I think that Jacob fancies you"
Emmett's statement made me choke on my drink, causing me to splutter some out onto my dress which I had tried so hard not to spoil...Tutting I put the glass down on the floor and got up from the sofa in haste rushing to get a tissue. "Emmett...Seriously!"
"Sorry sis....I have seen that look, before believe me he is into you"
"Yuck!"
"Bell...You can't keep throwing chances for a boyfriend out of the window every time it comes your way"
"You're giving me relationship, advice?"
"Bell...I want to see you happy – usually you get on my nerves but I still love and care about you enough to want to see you smile in the arms of a man...Or woman"
"So now I am a lesbian?" I said still dabbing and blotting my dress to dry it out.
"I didn't mean it like that"
"Emmett...You have always said and I quote 'no one will ever be good enough for Bella and if anyone tries to get into her knickers they will meet my knuckles' end quote"
"How the hell did you know about that?"
"Seeing as we are on the topic of advice...Always close the door when you and mum have private discussions"
"Like you and dad never have ones about me"
"Actually, we don't..Your life is yours to live, I'd sooner have no part of it....I am here, always here to help you when you need it but hearing you say stuff like that to mum makes me feel a little anxious about bringing anyone home"
"If you had heard the rest of the conversation maybe you would have heard...'I am ready to give the person the benefit of the doubt but if anyone hurts her then I will not be held responsible for my actions'"
"Geez...Sorry bro, I don't like Jacob..He's rude and quite frankly a little creepy – keeping him at arms length is the best way to not create any talk or rumours...Giving mum and dad ammunition to match-make will end up failing"
"Oh god...You're right"
*(Evening)*
"Ready, Bella?" Dad took my hand stepping out the door of our suite and we both followed mum and Emmett to the main dance hall...I had intentionally chosen the best dress I had in my wardrobe and done my hair style differently to usual in case I saw Jasper Hale and did not want to look like I had just woken up and had been too lazy to even run a brush through my long curly hair instead having it up.
"You're growing up fast, sweetheart" dad said pulling me into his side and kissing my temple, letting out a smile at his gesture I kissed him back and continued to walk with him, my hand secured around his.
"Ladies and Gentleman, grab a partner for the cha-cha!" A man with skinny build was speaking into the microphone up ahead of us in the hall...He was standing in front of a much smaller stage addressing the large gathering of people...He had a conducting stick in one of his hands to lead the orchestra set on the stage space...Suddenly being revealed as the curtain pulled up.
Dad came to a halt next to mum and Emmett on the floor, standing near the dancing couples but having enough space away from them to not cause any injuries as they glided along the floor.
A catchy song came on, a smooth male singing voice filling the room as the lighting blared through different colours making it feel more like a disco rather than dancing lessons. Dad released my hand and took mum's the two twirling onto the dance floor, I stood closer to my brother, then not wanting to be involved into conversations with strangers.
"Nice place, huh?"
I shook my head at my brother's attempt to make the hall sound better than what it looked like...Until the song finished the two if us stood there in silence, watching the dancing, smiling couples twirling under the lighting above their heads.
Mum and dad continued onto the next dance "alright..Slowing it down" the conductor announced, a slower song starting then and three females coming onto the stage, all with mikes attached to their heads and finishing on their cheeks.
Oh...Oh...Oh...Oh....Oh
More couples went onto the floor and held their partners close swaying from side to side the song starting up.
You smile a lot it makes me wonder what you're thinking of cause...Baby you're always on my mind.
Startled at my hand being touched, I swung my head around to find that all too familiar blonde hair and piercing green eyes...I swallowed hard shocked at his touching me...He put one of his index fingers to his lips with his free hand and led me onto the floor...I was powerless, then from the moment our skin had made contact...All I did was follow him and come to a stand-still on the floor, away from my parents..I turned behind me at where we had just come and saw Emmett dancing with Rosalie, the female dancer I had met only yesterday looking more beautiful in a party dress.
Turning around to Jasper, he said nothing as he pulled one of my hands up in front of us to the side and held my hips with the other one.
Right now I want you with me here by my side...With me till the end of time.
I just can't help myself from falling in love with you....Love...Love...With you.
He began to glide to one side, I inched my body a little closer putting my other free hand on his shoulder and allowing him to move us both from side to side gracefully and beautifully. Our spins were much bigger than that of the other couples but everything around me seemed to fade – Jasper and I being the only two people in the world...His eyes never left mine, his face was unreadable but it didn't matter too much to not know what he was thinking, in that moment there was no need for either of us to.
It doesn't matter what you say or what you do...No matter what you say, no matter what you do.
Just give me a chance, and I know I'll make you understand that I just can't help myself from falling in love with you.
My eyes were locked with his, trying to see deep into his soul, but even as he spun me out away from him and pulled me back in, I was unable to look away – he had me in a trance, a soothing melodic trance and I had no idea what is was, but it felt nice.
I don't know if I should tell the world just how I am feeling because....Baby you're always on my mind.
Right now I want you with me here by my side, with me till the end of time.
"Mind if I cut in?" I took my eyes away from Jasper's for the first time and saw Jake standing between us, his eyes on my partner and away from me. Jasper released my hand and waist – causing emptiness to appear again and walked away without one more look my way and began dancing with another woman who he had found standing on the sidelines. Jake took my hold and carried on moving, he was stumbly and a little awkward with his moves and I no longer felt like I was flying or gliding along the floor like I had with Jasper. In the awkwardness, I turned to see my parents each looking at Jake and I and Rosalie and Emmett in turn, conversing inaudibly with Max between them. God knows what they were saying! Had they seen me with Jasper?
"Watch out for him, Bella...There have been many girls mending broken hearts over him" Jake was clearly talking about Jasper and it made me angry inside.
"What do you have against him, Jacob?" I asked him...Not realising that the question I had been thinking had slipped out of my mouth.
"I don't have anything against him...Some people have it easy but I know for sure that he hasn't got a penny to his name...No dreams or purpose for the rest of his life. He is not worth any pretty young lady's time"
"Jake...I appreciate you wanting to stop me from going near him, but you didn't need to cut in...He was teaching me how to slow dance" I needed to lie to try and keep the memory of me in his arms, alive.
"That's not all he will teach you...Stick with me, Bella...I will make sure that he doesn't get his filthy hands over you!"
The music no longer appealed to me, the rest of the song was spent trying to keep my eyes away from Jake, I had a feeling that Emmett may have been right that the boss's son had developed some kind of protective hold over me and it wasn't right. Jacob didn't need to protect me, I knew exactly what I was doing when I stepped out onto the floor with Jasper – I'll admit I wanted to.
I stepped outside as soon as the dance finished and let the cool moonlight breeze wash over me..Needing to prevent anymore anger directed at Jacob for interrupting my dance with Jasper...I was no longer worried about what my parents thought, Max had probably given them the lowdown that Jasper was only doing his job and instructing me how to move but being in his hold and dancing with him around the floor...Dancing for the first time in my life and gaining the achievement of not falling over like the natural klutz I am, made me feel protective and safe, much like the way I felt when my dad held my hand or gave me a cuddle.
I started to walk towards the shelter where the mountain view was...I remembered it being beautiful in the day but everything looked so much nicer at night with the starlight and the moonlight showering around the landscape...It didn't take me long to get the right bearings and approach it. It looked empty without people trying to dance and Rosalie trying to get them to put the right foot in front of the other. Stepping onto the decking, I leant over the wooden bar and looked ahead onto the mountains and the silent river below. The silence soothed me, allowed me to try and get my head around what the hell was happening to me.
"Hello" I turned, the moment distracted to find Rosalie approaching me on the decking. "You're Emmett's sister, right?" she asked leaning next to me on the bar.
"Yes" I answered simply.
"I'm Rosalie...Well, I guess you probably know that"
"Hi"
"Are you alright?"
I never looked at her, keeping my eyes ahead in front of me. "Yes, it's just a little noisy in there, that's all"
"You get used to it...I saw you dancing with Jacob..Was it really that bad?"
The smile appearing on my mouth was uncontrollable at her question "its fine"
"Well...It seems like he interrupted quite a moment back there"
"Excuse me?"
"Jasper Hale...Please tell me you at least know his name?"
"Of course...There was no moment, he was teaching me how to slow dance"
"His lips weren't moving, being instructors we do have to use our voices to teach...That being said, it doesn't look like there will be any need for teaching"
"What do you mean?"
"Whether you realise it or not, Bella...You can move"
"Not as well as you"
"Well...My mum kicked me out when I was sixteen...I have been dancing ever since, it's the only thing I ever really wanted to do, anyway"
"I envy you"
"Please don't...There is nothing to envy...I better be getting back, Max will be wondering where I am...Have a nice night, Bella"
I kept my eyes ahead hearing Rosalie go from the slowly fading sound of her heels on the floor.