Yet another chapter! *everybody says HURRAY!*

Disclaimer: no twilight. Jeez I am so stupid for not coming up with it.

Bella POV:

Later on the 31st of December.

'Crap!' I screamed inside my head. I wasn't supposed to end up with Jasper! Alice promised I would get a good looking brother of hers. I secretly hoped it was Edward. Not her boyfriend. "Oh, hi Bella," Jasper said quietly. He seemed to be in pain or something. I racked my brains for a probable cause of this reaction. I came up with nothing.

A second later Alice laughed. It reminded me of a conversation we had had on the phone just after she had met Jasper. She said something about Jasper being a little; well really shy and he didn't like to be away from Alice. Almost like he could only breathe properly when she was by his side. Back then I had ohhhed and awwwed, thinking that it was cute and probably just part of her imagination. I had never realized yet alone even contemplated that this could be dead on accurate.

I smiled at him and took his hand in mine. "Why don't we go and say hello to Alice and her blind date," I said sweetly. I tried to ignore his visible flinch at the word 'date'. I turned and looked at her date. He was huge! He looked like a bear. He even acted like one. He was going after Alice and she was laughing and feigning fear.

I laughed with her and heard Jasper laughing beside me. Almost all of the couples were starring at them and I glanced at the huge clock on the wall counting down the last few hours until New Year. Damn, three hours and thirty minutes until I could possible get out of this awkward situation. I could only hope I didn't embarrass myself tonight.

Less than two seconds later I turned around to look for the refreshment table when a tech guy pulled a speaker cord taught. I tripped of course and braced myself for impact. But I never hit the ground. I was suspended in the air about thirty cm away from the ground. I cocked my head to one side in thought when I was suddenly pulled up to a standing position. I was greeted by brilliant green eyes. I couldn't help starring. They were my favorite eyes in the world and they belonged to Edward. I never moved for five minutes. My checks went scarlet at the thought that I was starring at the guy who saved me yesterday.

Rose broke my trance. "Bells I see you've met my blind date Edward. He is Alice's older brother by like four months. Isn't that great?" I gave her a strange look. It didn't sound like she thought it was great. A stab of annoyance that she would find Edward unappealing poisoned my mood for a few seconds.

I could tell that the intensity of Edward and my trance made her feel way, way awkward. I saw her fleeting glance to the bear harassing Alice. I knew it she wanted to talk to him. Not Edward. Well if Alice wants Jasper and Rose the bear than I would only be too happy to comply. I wasn't just motivated by my unreasonable need to be with Edward. But if I would be making everybody happy. Why not? I just needed to figure out a plan to make that happen. Shoot. Alice was the scheming one.

I followed Jasper to the refreshment table. But I was painfully aware of Edward's eyes on my back. And I was even more aware that I was happy that they were on me and not Rose. Jasper and I made small talk for awhile and he was funny but he wasn't Edward. I laughed as someone fell on the sumo mat. The ballroom looked completely different to yesterday. Now it was decked out with a jumping castle, oversized ball pit, sumo mat, a dance floor and so much more. Edward hadn't been joking earlier when he had asked if he would see me at a Carnival.

Alice popped up out of nowhere and tapped on my shoulder. I jumped and almost fell. For a second time. Urgh, if people hadn't seen my clumsiness before they would have now. But also for a second time, Edward was there to catch me. I smiled. No scratch that I beamed at him. But I couldn't stop the reaction. It seemed so natural. He smiled right on back at me. I felt so stupid. "Done starring deeply into each other's eyes yet?" Alice asked happily. Edward let go of me and looked at his sister. He pulled her into a headlock much to her protests and gave her a very light affectionate noogie. She growled and spun out of it. "I just wanted to let you know that the laser tag match will be starting soon. So you better get your date back." She pointed behind us at Rose and the bear, they were laughing and flirting.

I turned back to Alice and she winked at me. Edward grabbed my hand and leaned in towards me. "Dibbs," he whispered. I almost melted. "Alice! Hey Alice, c'mon, we gotta whip the other teams butts." I laughed but Alice looked toatally serious. "Like whipped cream my brother, like whipped cream," I laughed again but I was a little scarred by the tone of her voice.

But the exchange reminded me that I was supposed to be Jasper's partner. Not Edwards. "But..." I started to say to Edward but he cut me off. "Don't worry I'll be there to catch you." He smiled a crooked smile that did melt my heart, kissed my cheek and with a battle cry went to join the bear. Jasper was back at my side in an instant. He already had the laser phasers, walkie talkies and battle suits.

"Thanks Jazzy," I said as I took the equipment from him. "So Bella, I thought that we could hide in the ballroom's main ducts and get everyone from above." I blanched and looked up, gulping. "Ummm Jazzy I don't mean to be rude but I don't think that will be happening. Aren't ducts really small?" I asked genuinely concerned. Perhaps Jasper had a more competitive streak in him than I had realized if he wanted us to invade the ducts. He laughed. "Usually but not the ones above us. I checked the hotel blueprints to make sure."

I gulped and followed him out one of the side doors. We took the stairs up a few flights and emerged in a hallway. I followed Jasper until we came to a grille covering a heating duct. Now was the moment of truth. I watched dumbfounded that we were actually doing this. He opened the grille and gestured for me to go first. "You're not kidding are you?" I phrased the question as more of statement of fact. He nodded and gestured again. I gave up and went in.

I could crawl inside the duct, but it was a little snug. "Umm Jasper, are you coming or what?"
"No Bella, I'm going to go in from another direction. Just go straight forward and turn left at the t-intersection."I heard his footsteps behind me. Now I was alone.

I kept going until I saw the t-intersection. I crawled up to it faster hoping that I would find a grille overlooking the party instead of the last one which overlooked the male bathroom. I was stunned to overhear conversations which suggested that men were sometimes more superficial than girls. Things like: "my butt doesn't look good in these pants," or "my shirt doesn't match my date dress, we clash," Guys who were more like girls. Who would have thought it possible?

I was going so fast that I almost fell, down the giant hole which was before the t-intersection. I tried to go over it but after I almost fell down it. I decided retreat would be the only option. I began to shuffle backwards and discovered that I couldn't move. My battle suit was blocking the way. I tried to reach around and unbuckle it but I couldn't get my hand far don enough to reach the buckle.

But I could reach my walkie talkie. I grabbed it and pushed the talk button. "Jasper you are so dead! Right now I am very stuck! In a vent! SO help me when I find you…"
"WHO IS THAT?" a male voice asked incredulously.
"Bella Swan. Who is this?"
"Emmett Cullen and I think I'm behind you."
"What! Why do you think that you're behind me"
"Because I can see your ass."
"Ohh. Well I'm stuck. Sorry."
"I gathered from what you wanted to scream at Jasper." My checks went pink even though no one could see.
"So what do we do? Sit around and chat? Not exactly the romantic party I was hoping for."
"Yeah, this whole night has been about as romantic as de- hairing the bath plug hole." I grumbled.

We sat in silence for awhile. I screamed in fight when another and very familiar voice came over the walkie talkie, breaking the silence. "Hello? Can anyone hear me? I'm stuck in a vent. Hello?" it was Alice. I was so tired at this point I didn't even bother yelling at her. "Hey Alice, wish I could help but Emmett and I are currently in no position to assist."
"What Bella? Why are you with Emmett? You're supposed to be with Jasper?" she sounded wary like she suspected that I was doing something she wasn't sure if she should be proud of or scold me for.
"Well jasper and I split up. We went into the vents from two different spots and I got stuck and so did Emmett. "I had managed to shuffle into a slightly more comfortable position.
"Dang that means everyone is stuck in the vents."
"What?! Is everyone in the vents?! Where's Rose and Jasper and Edward?!" I smiled when I said Edwards's name. I couldn't help it.
"Yeah but Edward is here with me and he's kind of freaked out. He gets claustrophobic when he knows he is stuck. I'm trying to distract him but it isn't working." She sounded annoyed. I'm sure she was. I missed his smile. He was so gorgeous. I was kidding myself by believing that he would even want me. I was hideous and clumsy.

"Bella?" it was Edward's voice coming through the walkie talkie. He sounded stressed. I felt awful that I couldn't help ease the cause of his stress. But I was here, stuck in a vent with his brother, who had most definitely farted. Isn't life depressing?

After awhile, Rosalie and Jasper joined our walkie talkie fest. Having run out of things to talk about to pass the time, we decided that a game of truth might be fun. When I saw 'we' I mean Alice. Even stuck in a vent she was intimidating. "Okay so I'll ask a question first," she said excitedly. I rolled my eyes in the dark. "Which base are you guys up to?" she giggled evilly. "Fourth," both Emmett and Rosalie replied automatically. I have to say I wasn't surprised.

"Bella?" Emmett prompted.
"Second. But it was accidental." I admitted after a few seconds.
"Trust me Bella. I've seen you I day light. The guy did it intentionally. Any guy would want to graze your boob." Emmett stated happily.
"I don't know if I should be flattered or disgusted." I grumbled .
"Definitely flattered!" Rose laughed. Alice gasped.
"Disgusted! Emmett how could you say that?!"
"Hey stop deflecting Lice. Bases how many?" Emmett asked.
"Well if you must know I have gotten to second base. Jasper?" She sounded defensive.
"Second. Edward?" he spoke quickly and I had to concentrate to understand him.

My heart started to thump faster and faster inside my chest as I waited for his response. If he said first, was he a lying? If he said second or third was a little too cavalier in his personal life. And if he said fourth I would die right here in this vent. A victim of a broken heart.

Oh I was sad. I had a boyfriend back at school and yet I was worried that this guy I had met only a few hours ago wasn't a virgin. I was horrible. I shouldn't care about his answer. I tried to slow my heart beat to prove to myself I didn't care, but it only sped up.

"Second." He replied in a monotone.

All of a sudden I heard a cry of triumph from Jasper. "What is it?" Emmett, Edward, Alice and I asked anxiously. "He finally managed to unscrew three of the screws on the grill he was sitting on. We can't see where it leads but he figures that he can get us out if he gets out." Rosalie said angrily. I suddenly realized something. Jasper was easy to get along with, but he was intensely shy. Rose was the exact opposite and had probably interpreted his silence as contempt for her. I laughed at the realization that they probably wanted to get out more than claustrophobic Edward did.

I heard a crash and then female screaming coming over the walkie talkie. But louder than the screams, was the sound of Rosalie in hysterics. "He…he fell into. He fell into the the girls bathroom and, and they're hitting him with their purses and pones and, and their shoes. They are all wearing stilettos and he…oh dang he got out ."

I couldn't help laughing with her. The mental image was so vivid in my head and so funny. "So," I said after wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes, "what are we going to do once Jasper frees us."
"Shh Bella stop talking about that in about five minutes it will officially be a new year!" Alice stated happily.

So my year was going to end stuck in a duct. Fabulous. I focused again on the pointless joking going on between everybody else. I smiled. It suddenly didn't seem too bad to stat the year off with my friends. New and old, they were my friends and I knew that as long as I stuck with them this year was going to be anything but boring.

We counted down together, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" we laughed at the likelihood of this situation having occurred before tonight. It didn't seem likely. Who, but us would actually go into heating vents in order to win a game of laser tag with our blind dates won the night before at a charity ball. It sounded impossible to have happened to us. But it had and I wouldn't have swapped these last two days for anything.

Emmett and I cheered Jasper when he released us from our vent. I turned around to find everyone waiting for me. I laughed and ran forward. "Happy New Year guys!" I shouted as I approached them. I hugged Alice and Rose first, then moved onto Jasper and Emmett. Edward was last. He kissed me on the lips before I could say or do anything. "Happy New Year, Bella," he whispered in my ear.

Oh boy was it going to be a happy new year. I hugged Edward tight. I never wanted to let him go. But Alice had another brilliant idea. "Time to make use of the carnival games! I want to play with the sumo mat and suits. Who wants to go against this sumo girl?" Oh lord. Help me.

So I hope you like the third installment! I want to let you know that in this chapter and in the previous two, I used a few one liners for another of my favorite authors, Melanie La'Broovy. She wrote The Wish List and Serendipity. They are hilarious so if you ever have the chance, read them!!!

As always review plz!!!

You know you Love Me xoxo Twilight Lilly
(couldn't resist)