A/N: Heyy, sorry for not updating so long you guys. I'm sorry. I mean I could say that I had a lot of homework over the last few weeks and there were like five tests and life was just busy etc. but those are all excuses. Anyways, I am really sorry...
Some of you may already have noticed, but I've changed my pen name. I didn't like my other one so I changed it. Anyways, I'm thinking you may want to read the actual chapter now, so I'm going to be quiet (or in this case, stop typing) and let you read chapter three. Hope you like! :)
CHAPTER 3
Bella's POV
"All passengers, please fasten your seatbelts, the aircraft is will be taking off momentarily."
I buckled my seatbelt, and sighed. I could try relaxing, but that would be impossible.
My thoughts were all mixed together, so I couldn't think straight. My legs had fallen asleep since before I even got on and were deeply in pain. My stomach had major cramps, and I was really hungry. Dying of hunger, in fact. It was almost three o' clock in the morning, so I was pretty much dead on my feet.
It really didn't help that I was sitting in a seat beside a mother and child. The mother wasn't really the problem, but oh god,the child definitely was. All she was doing was bursting into tears at random times really, really loudly. There was no way I could sleep through that.
Ugh. God help me. Maybe right now?
I wanted to sleep, just to forget the hunger and my life right now. For it to be just my dream world for a few hours. Also because I was extremely exhausted. And that annoying kid beside me wasn't exactly helping.
I didn't have the cash to buy any food, as I only had a hundred dollars or so left and I needed it. Domestic airplane food is way over priced. And you had to pay to watch movies, too.
At least I was sitting on the aisle seat. I could get up and sit down whenever I wanted without bothering anyone else.
A few minutes later the airplane was in the air. Airplanes have never bothered me, though I don't tend to go on them often.
I noticed that the air attendant starting to give out drinks to the passengers.
And that kid… oh. She was annoying me. Her mother tried to calm her down but she just wouldn't shut up. I usually didn't mind kids but in my state at the moment, it was beyond irritating.
The sound of the kid crying resounded in my ears.
I got up, and decided to take a washroom break.
I glanced at myself in the tiny mirror. I looked like a complete mess. It didn't look as bad on the outside as it felt on the inside. But I was a mess inside out, everywhere.
Anyways, my hair was knotted and there were strands sticking out everywhere. My face was empty and lifeless. There were even bags under my eyes. But I should've expected it. I had been awake for over twenty-one hours now.
I took my time; after all I was in no rush. I had nowhere to be, nowhere to go.
The airplane hostess that was serving drinks was just a few seats behind my own when I came back.
And the girl was still just as loud. Or maybe she was even louder now. I groaned as I took my seat. I leaned back and tried to relax unsuccessfully. I sighed. This was going to be a long ride.
Alice's POV
It was after dinner. Way after dinner. It was almost midnight. I was sitting in my room listening to music on my iPod, and I was still fully dressed. The song playing was True Friend by Hannah Montana. She wasn't my favourite singer or even close, but the lyrics of the song I liked because it reminded me a bit of Bella. Though in my opinion Bella was a better friend than what the song had described. Or anyone could imagine.
We sign our cards and letters BFF
You've got a million ways to make me laugh
You're lookin' out for me, you've got my back
So good to have you around
You know the secrets I could never tell
And when I'm quiet you break through my shell
Don't feel the need to do a rebel yell
'Cause you keep my feet on the ground
You're a true friend
You're here till the end
You pull me aside when something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
'Til it's alright again
You're a true friend
I sighed.
I missed Bella a lot. It was a hole burning in my chest.
Knock. Knock.
I jumped up.
"Come in," I called quietly.
As I expected, Jasper walked in.
"Hey," I greeted.
"Hey," he raised his hand and waved at me.
I took the earphones out of my ears and put away my iPod. Jasper came and sat by my bed silently.
There was a quiet pause.
"So what are we going to do?" I asked finally.
"Tell me the whole story first," Jasper told me.
And I did. It wasn't long, but it was necessary. I told him about our fight at six that morning, I gave him some details, but obviously not all of them.
"We had a fight," my voice barely came out. "I got mad at her. At that time it seemed to make sense…" I trailed off. "I mean she just left Edward there!"
Jasper sat a little closer to me. He put his arm around me.
I continued. "I was mean, Jasper…"
At that moment, tears came trickling down my cheek and I began weeping. This was unlike me; usually I was the type of person who could hold herself together. Right now, I was obviously not. The tears were falling freely now. I caught my voice and started talking again.
"I said mean things. I didn't expect myself to do it, it just happened." I took a deep breath. "Well we both got upset then, Bella started to leave, and I gave her six hundred dollars."
Jasper had a questioning look on his face now. I lay down. Jasper lay down beside me, his arms still around me.
"I'll explain later," I said softly. "She caught the money, she was crying. I saw it. She caught them in surprise, and then I told her to go. And she actually left. And all this happened and I don't know where Bella is. This is all my fault."
I started crying again. Jasper held me tighter, trying to calm me.
"It's not your fault," he whispered in my ear. "It's okay…"
For a while we just lay there. When I stopped crying half an hour later, I asked something that was bothering me.
"She didn't leave all because of you," Jasper told me, stroking my hair.
"I know," I said. And I think I did know, even though I knew part of the reason was me. "She left because of Edward. She left because for the first time in her life, she followed her heart and did something she actually wanted to do. And she did it just because she wanted to, not thinking of right or wrong and that scared her. And also because she thought it was wrong herself."
"She also left for another reason I think," Jasper raised an eyebrow.
I thought for a second. "You're right," I told him. "I think she likes Edward a lot…"
"She was – she is scared," Jasper said.
"The fear of what could've been," I whispered. I paused. "I wasn't actually mad at her for sleeping with my cousin. I was mad because she's leaving him like that. And she left me. That's why I got mad."
"I know," Jasper replied. He never said much, but it was still reassuring.
"So what are we going to go?" I asked.
"Find Bella?" Jasper suggested.
"We can," I said. "Charlie's probably already doing that though. We shouldn't yet. I don't think right now's the right time though Jasper…"
I had paused, trying to find the right words to describe what I was about to say. "I don't think she's ready yet. If we find her and bring her here the way she is right now, I think she'll run away again, but only this time it'll be worse."
"How long will it take?" he asked curiously.
I knew what he was talking about. "If I know Bella," I began. I gulped, "A really long time- maybe even a year or two. She's going to feel ashamed and scared. It'll take her a long time. It's just how she is." I held Jasper tighter, he responded hugging me tight against him.
"So later then?" Jasper asked. I nodded against his chest.
"What do you think we should tell Edward?" I wondered.
"Edward…" Jasper said thinking. "Edward also clearly likes Bella a lot in my opinion. You said Bella needs time. Give her time. Tell Edward later now."
"You're right," I sighed. "If Edward goes looking for her, that'll be worse too. We should wait some time."
"They'll find each other again," Jasper comforted.
"I know, they're meant to be," I answered. Jasper sounded almost sounded matter-of-fact. I know I hoped so, but he seemed more confident that I was.
"Kind of like us," Jasper whispered into my hair. And now it was crystal clear, it was true. As soon as Jasper spoke the words, we both knew.
"Yeah," I repeated, looking up at him, smiling a little for the first time today. "Kind of like us."
Bella's POV
It felt like years but finally the airplane hostess reached my seat. She gave the people on the other side of the aisle a drink first and then finally asked us.
"Drinks?" She asked. I was dying of thirst. I only had a drink of water once today. At the Chicago airport, at one of those water fountains that was near the women's washroom.
The mother two seats beside me said. "Pepsi. I'd like a Pepsi please."
The hostess nodded. The mother seemed tired. No kidding with that daughter of hers.
"Do you want anything, honey?" the mother asked her daughter.
And it was like a miracle. The child stopped crying and was smiling of a sudden. "Orange juice," she said in a soft, cute little girl voice that would've made me smile if I wasn't in the mess I was in right now. Now that I looked at her, I noticed that she must've been three at the most.
The hostess gave them their drinks.
Come on hurry up, I chanted in my mind.
"What about you, dear?" The hostess asked and looked up at me. She gasped when she saw me.
"What happened to you, dear?" She just had to ask.
I grimaced. I didn't want to explain the story to her or anyone. I noticed other passengers turn to look at me.
"I just had a long day," I said hoping she'd leave it now.
She stared at me. Thankfully she didn't push for more answers. "You must be hungry?" she asked.
Hell yes.
"Kind of," I managed to choke out.
"You must be starving," she was saying. She looked unnecessarily worried. Okay maybe not unnecessarily, but she shouldn't look worried at all over someone like me.
Then my stomach growled. And she heard it.
"Come here dear," She said gently. She pulled me up from my seat. "Let's go find you something to eat."
She pulled me to the back of the airplane.
I stood there awkwardly, while she stared to look for something.
A minute later she turned around with a few things in her hand.
"There's garden salad, a veggie burger, and a taco available," She said. Her voice seemed a bit distant though. I looked down at the food; it looked like it was glowing. I needed it.
"Here you go honey," the hostess held out the three glorious pieces of food for me.
"You don't have to-" I started.
She cut me off. "I want to. You need this, take it and eat. I have to finish giving the rest of the passengers their drinks. Then I'll come back to you so you can have something to drink as well."
I nodded. I walked back the aisle to my seat. It took every ounce of my will power to not sprint down the aisle and shove everything down my throat. I plopped down in my seat, and bit into my veggie burger.
Yum… it was heaven, even if it was probably something that used to be frozen. I finished that in under a minute. I stuffed the taco salad into my mouth. This food was so good. Yum. Thank God for that nice airplane hostess.
I was in the middle of eating my salad- the best I've eaten in my life, or so I feel now- when I noticed the mother that was sitting beside me for the first time.
She was staring at me with a weird expression. It was disgusted mixed with amusement and some other I couldn't name. I froze. I must look like a dog. Exactly how I hoped I didn't look.
"Uh…" I didn't know what to say.
She looked a little disgusted, but still amused. "That's okay," she waved her hand indicating that she didn't really mind. "If you're hungry you should eat."
Though she still looked a bit disgusted.
"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I was just…" I trailed off. I didn't exactly know how to end that sentence. Just hungry? It looked like I was an orphan who'd never eaten for week's maybe.
"That's okay," she smiled kindly. "I get really hungry too at times; Emma keeps me so busy sometimes I don't eat for the whole day sometime." She sighed and then I noticed the little girl who I thought was annoying before was now sounds asleep. She looked so peaceful and cute I had to admit.
"She's so cute," I complimented, smiling. I took another bite of the salad. I made sure I ate normal amounts and looked as normal as possible. But you couldn't blame me, this was the first time I had food for about thirty hours. The last time I had a proper meal was at dinner at the Cullen's… I felt like crying every time I thought of that. I made myself not think about that.
"Are you okay, honey?" The mother asked me. I didn't notice her watching me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Tired I guess," I yawned.
"The plane's going to land in about two hours; you can sleep for a while if you want."
I liked that idea.
I closed my eyes. And it was just a matter of seconds, and I was drifting off in my own dream world, so different than the world I was living in right now. It was like I wanted when the girl had been bawling across the plane.
Alice's POV
I felt an arm around me.
It felt good. I snuggled closer to the warm body, and the arm tightened around me.
I sighed happily.
And then jumped up.
"Omigosh!" I cried, sitting up abruptly.
I stared at my bed, where Jasper was lying, half-awake. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was eight o' clock in the morning.
"What's going on?" Jasper mumbled, acknowledging the fact that he was still half-asleep.
"Nothing," I said. "I just didn't expect to see you in my bed when I woke up."
Jasper was wide-awake now. "So you don't want me here? I can go you know." He looked a bit hurt.
"No, no," I shook my head. "That's not it. I was just surprised. Because…" I didn't continue but Jasper got it. And he didn't look offended, he understood.
He got up. He looked gorgeous right out of bed too. His wavy honey blond hair was a bit messy but it looked so adorably cute, and his blue eyes looked warm and caring, and that specific shade was now my favorite shade in the whole entire world.
"I wouldn't let us make a mistake like that," Jasper whispered to me and hugged me.
I hugged him back tightly.
"I know," I whispered back. And I did. I felt like an idiot to even think that now.
We stood there embracing each other for a long period of time.
I pulled back first, as much as it upset me, "We should get going, my family's going to be waiting for us."
Jasper just nodded. "Let's go."
"We have to get ready first," I pointed out.
"Oh yeah," Jasper chuckled. He leaned down and kissed me cheek. "See you at breakfast." He started to leave.
"Wait," I stopped him. He immediately stopped and flipped around. "Do you think Edward's going to mad about… us?"
Last night made it obvious. We were meant to be together. But the reaction Edward might have was blurred. Especially after what happened to him. I bit my lip.
"I don't know," he admitted, sighing. "It's hard to say at a time like this."
"Well whether he likes it or not, he has to approve sometime," I shrugged. Even if Edward didn't like our relationship, I was still going to be with Jasper. Fate wanted it. It'd be nice if he approved, but he wasn't about to separate me from people I liked to be with.
Jasper laughed. "You sound sure of yourself."
"I am," I boasted confidently. "I have my ways."
Jasper laughed again. "See you at breakfast Alice." Then he left. I watched him leave, closing the bedroom door behind him.
I skipped to the bathroom and took a shower. I grabbed and whipped on a pair of Miss Sixties skinny jeans and flowery tank top. I liked that one. It was a bit out of season, but still cute and stylish. Plus the shade of green looked good on me. I hoped Jasper would like it. I grabbed a Roxy sweater since there seemed to be a chill running through the house. I wasn't planning to go outside today, so this outfit was acceptable. It was simple and comfortable. With a touch of Alice.
Since I was staying at home, my make-up stayed light. I put on some eyeliner and mascara, and applied a layer of lip-gloss as I skipped down the stairs.
I walked into the kitchen. Everyone was already there - Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Jasper.
I sat down in the empty seat in between Esme and Jasper.
"Good morning!" I chirped.
"Good morning sweetie," Esme greeted me happily. She and Carlisle smiled.
Edward stared at me hard. "Well aren't you in a good mood?"
Gosh, what was his problem? I didn't get what he was saying at first. Then I got it a second later. He was talking about yesterday, where I was completely breaking down, and now here I was today acting like everything was almost okay.
And that reminded me of Bella again, and I missed her terribly. Ever since that day we met at the beginning of freshman year a few months before, I talked to Bella everyday. I was used to it that way and we both seemed to like it.
"And that's a bad thing?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
Edward didn't answer. "Just a whole lot different than yesterday," I heard him mutter under his breath.
I frowned. The kind of good mood I was feeling, popped almost like a bubble. Screw you my dear lovesick cousin.
Edward annoyed me so much sometimes, because he didn't understand me at times, or pretended not to anyways.
What he didn't know or pretended not to know was that I wasn't in a good mood, not at all. I still felt completely broken in the inside. Jasper last night made me feel better, in a little better mood. But the pain was still there, I still felt it too much and it hurt.
And now that I was trying to keep the atmosphere light, Edward had to ruin it.
I barely noticed my breakfast, and didn't even bother to include myself in the conversation that was at table like I usually did.
Breakfast ended, I kissed Carlisle on the cheek before he left for work like I usually did.
Then I went up to my room and lay down on my bed. I turned on the radio to my favourite music station. TiK ToK was playing by Ke$ha at the moment. I listened to it, trying to clear my mind listening and singing to the lyrics. I liked singing; it was one of my hobbies.
Near the end of the song, I saw someone open my room door and step in.
I stopped singing. "Haven't you heard of knocking?" I asked Edward rolling my eyes.
He ignored me. "I wanted to talk to you," He told me. His eyes looked pleading and somewhat desperate, maybe even a bit upset? Mad maybe?
"Do I have to?" I asked.
"Preferably."
I scoffed. "I do what I want," I said.
"So I'm aware," Edward muttered.
I shot him a glare. I changed the subject. "That day when you picked up that phone call," I flinched at my own words. Why did I bring up such depressing topics? I continued. "You called me your sister," I mused.
"Yeah," Edward said, remembering. "Your point?"
I shrugged.
"You are like a sister to me Alice," Edward told me. "I mean I consider you one anyways. You don't have to be related by blood to be called a brother or sister. It's like religious people. Or Chinese."
"Thanks genius, but I already knew that," I pointed out, smiling a little. "And technically we are related by blood because we're cousins."
"True," Edward shrugged.
I continued. I decided to add something truthful and nice. "I guess I do think of you as a brother Edward."
"So it's okay to call you my sister?" Edward asked.
Okay, I cannot believe I am having such a weird conversation with someone like Edward. Usually he'd laugh at me in my face, and mock me, and find a way to annoy me, later running away. Still I was feeling awkward now.
"Yeah sure," I said, and shrugged again.
"Well that's not why I came here," Edward said. "I want to talk to you."
I grimaced. I didn't want to talk to Edward anymore at all. "Not now Edward," I said.
"We need to talk," Edward repeated gritting his teeth.
"We will, just not now," I insisted. Don't make me do this Edward, I pleaded in my mind.
"Alice-" Edward started to say.
I cut him off. "Go!" I pointed to my door. "Now. Please. We'll talk later okay?"
Edward have me a slightly hurt, annoyed, angry, disappointed look but left, closing the door behind him.
I grimaced. That didn't go well. The beginning was all right, and then it all went downhill from there. I felt bad. But I still didn't feel like talking yet. I sighed and started the radio again. Then started to sing Run This Town from where it was now.
Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile
Almost there, don't give up now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight
Heeeey-hey-hey-hey-hey-heyyy
Hey-heyyy-hey-hey-heyy
Heeeey-hey-hey-hey-hey-heyyy
(Is who's gonna run this town tonight)
Hey-hey-hey-heyyy
It was the near the end of Run This Town when my room door opened again.
"I said not now Edward!" I groaned.
"It's not Edward," I heard my mother's voice say. I looked up to see Esme at the doorway.
"Mom? What happened?" I asked. I turned off the radio and sat up. Esme came and sat down beside me.
"Alice honey…" Esme started. She paused. "You have to tell what's going on."
I froze. I didn't want to talk about that. Not now.
"Mom," I whined in a slightly distorted way.
"Come on honey," Esme soothed, her voice soft and caring and encouraging. "It's going to be okay. Just tell me."
I looked at Esme's face. It showed every emotion her voice had; care and love were especially clear.
It was happening a lot these past days, and very uncharacteristically for me, I burst into tears.
A/N: So was this chapter okay? I know I was supposed to update like a while ago... This chapter was a bit longer than chapter two was. Anyways, I'm kind of excited, because today the Olympics are starting today here in Canada, and Valentine's Day (the movie) is officially out! Love you Taylor Lautner =)
I'm considering starting another story on fanfiction, because I have this story idea. Actually I have a few story ideas, but I'm not sure. Should I? Anyways, I would like to thank my awesome betas- Dani and Jenny, you guys are the best, love you guys! And now, I'd really like it if you'd, you know... reviewed? It'd make happy x1000 :) So please review!!
-Alexandra :)