I do not own Twilight.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I think from now on I'm going to try and put JPOV into every chapter. What do you think?
JPOV
Tonight was amazing. Out of all the girls I've met and dated, I never felt as comfortable than when I was with Alice. She made me feel so at ease. We talked about anything and everything. I felt like she was truly being herself around me. Even when we weren't talking, the silence was comfortable. Instinctually I wrapped her arm around mine while we were walking to the beach. I just wanted to be close to her, to always be touching her. If she was any of the other girls from my past, I wouldn't have wanted that contact. With Alice, I couldn't get enough of it.
When I walked her to her door, the desire to kiss her was overwhelming. To feel her soft lips on mine, while her small body was as close to mine as it could be. Well, as close as it could be with our clothes still on. Those kind of thoughts were going to get me in trouble, though. My mother taught me to respect a lady, and ladies shouldn't kiss on the first date. It took every ounce of will power to not grab her tiny face and crush my lips to hers. Once again, if she were any other girl I would have, and then invited myself in. But with Alice, I wanted to treat her with respect. Get to know her, and then let her decide when to take things further.
After I left her at her door, I climbed the fire escape to my new apartment. I turned on some Kings of Leon, sat down on the couch, and zoned out for a while reminiscing on my evening with Alice. I was drawn out of my daze to the sound of the front door opening. Edward, Emmett, Bella and Rosalie came piling into the living room, each of them eager to hear about my night.
"I'll tell you what, why don't you two go ask Alice while I talk to Edward and Emmett?" I directed my suggestion to Bella and Rosalie. They squeeled and made for the back door.
Once the apartment became a man-only zone Emmett and Edward plopped down on the chairs we had in the living room, waiting for me to spill my guts to them. I got up from the couch, went to the kitchen and got a beer from the refrigerator.
"Beer?" I called out to my not-so-manly friends. Maybe I should offer them a cosmopolitan instead.
"Yes." They both responded. I handed them their beverages and resumed my position on the couch. Edward broke the silence first, "So, how was it?"
"Amazing." I replied in a very feminine manner. "I like her a lot. We're going out again soon." I was beginning to wonder if Emmett was going to give me the big brother talk, but when he opened his mouth he simply stated "My little sis is the shit, isn't she?" This was not a question.
"Definitely." I agreed.
We talked for a while longer about nothing in particular before we all decided to call it a night. As I was lying in my bed I thought about all the things and places I wanted to share with Alice, hoping she would want to do the same thing with me someday. Tonight was the first time in a long time I looked forward to seeing a girl.
The next morning I woke up feeling entirely alive. For the past few months I hasn't felt stoked on my life, there was a cloud around me most of the time. I felt awake, excited and energized again. I couldn't help but to think of Alice as the woman responsible for the change in my outlook. I couldn't wait to see her again.
I got out of bed to start my day, and with every morning chore I found myself wondering what Alice was doing. Was she awake yet? Eating breakfast? Was she thinking about me like I was thinking about her? The was just one floor below me, but she felt like a world away. Eventually, I made my way to the living room where Edward was sitting on the couch, hunched over his laptop looking at an itinerary.
"What's up?" I flopped down next to him.
"Schedule for the next contest I'm doing. South Africa. Leaving next Tuesday." He sighed heavily, probably thinking of how hard it will be to leave Bella.
"Like a few days from now, Tuesday?" I asked for clarification as I opened my laptop to check my email.
"Yep."
"Looks like we're going together, bro. Got my schedule right here." I sighed and leaned back on the chair I had moved to.
"This blows. I don't want to leave Bella. I know I have to, but that doesn't make it easy." He ran his hand through his hair, also leaning back on the couch.
"Tell me about it. Well, looks like I have a date to plan. I want to try and see Alice a few times before we leave."
"Good idea. How long are we gone for?"
"Ten days, not too bad." I frowned at the idea of being away from Alice for that long.
"I'm going to call Bella." Edward reached for his phone and stepped out on the landing. A few minutes later I heard Edward talking to Bella outside. She must have spent the night at Alice's. Ten minutes later Edward came back inside.
"She doesn't seem too upset about it, she knows this is part of my job. I'm lucky she understands."
"Totally. I'm sure she'll tell Alice, too, which takes some heat off of me."
"When do you think you'll tell her?"
"I don't know, when should I tell her?" Panic was starting to set in. What if I came back and she wasn't into me anymore? I couldn't let that happen.
"Sooner the better, I think."
"You're probably right." I walked to my room and shut the door, giving myself time to think about what had to be done. I put on some music and sat on my bed burying my face in my hands. I knew I was going to have to go back to work eventually, actually I was surprised it hadn't happened sooner, but I was just starting to get to know Alice. I didn't want this to be a make or break situation. On the other hand, I didn't see me leaving my dream job any time in the foreseeable future, so traveling was something she would have to be comfortable with if we were going to try and be in a relationship together.
I sat in my room for a good hour or so trying to figure out the best way to tell her, deciding that tonight was as good of a time as any. In the mean time, I was going to do everything in my power to make sure she knew how I felt about her before I left. Starting with a 'thinking of you' note on her apartment door. I ran my ideas by Edward to make sure they weren't overboard and borderline creepy, and he confirmed they weren't. I found some paper and colored markers, instantly feeling like a kid again, and wrote down a quick note for her to find sometime during the corse of her day. I decided to put the note on the wall across from her apartment door, so she was sure to see it. Next, I text messaged Bella to see if she would deliver another note to Alice before the bar opened for the afternoon. She agreed and I made plans to meet her before her shift started. Hopefully Alice would like the gestures I was trying to make before I left on my trip. I wasn't going to visit the bar tonight, I had a lot of things to take care of before tomorrow morning.
APOV
I woke up in the middle of a Bella, Alice and Rosalie sandwich on my bed. Memories of last night instantly flooding my mind. Jasper putting his arm around me, laughing and talking to easily with him, coming home and Rosalie explaining to me why he probably didn't kiss me. I wondered when I would see him again, where we would go and do. What was he up to right now? Was he thinking about me? I slowly got out of bed, not wanting to disturb the two sleeping beauties that were still sound asleep. I headed out to the living room and turned on the TV, then went to make some breakfast for everyone. A few minuted later Bella came out of my room, waved hello and walked out the back door saying she'd be right back. Rosalie had snuck out of my room as well, but to find Emmett's door to presumably wake him up, or cuddle, or...you know.
Ten minutes later Bella came back through the door. She picked up a piece of toast and started to butter it. "Edward just told me he and Jasper are going on a trip for work for like, ten days. They're leaving on Tuesday." She didn't seem upset at all, just sort of accepted it as something that was going to happen whether she liked it or not.
"Oh, cool. Where are they going?"
"South Africa." What the hell?!
"South Africa?!"
"Yep. Apparently there is some contest down there? I don't know." She shrugged it off, taking a bite of her toast. Was Jasper planning on telling me he was going? It sounded like they had just found out, so I shouldn't stress out about it yet. We weren't even a couple, so really, he had no obligation to tell me. Still, it would be nice to spend some time with him before he left. What if he forgot about me while he was gone?
The rest of the afternoon I bummed around the house until it was time to get ready for work. Bella and Rosalie had already left to go back to their place to get ready for the evening at the bar, saying they would see me soon as they walked out the door. I went through my usual ritual, getting myself together while listening to music and dancing around the apartment, trying to get stoked on the night ahead of me. I found it difficult, though, because the thought of Jasper leaving was looming overhead.
I opened the front door, locking it behind me, and looked up to see a brightly colored piece of paper with my name on it on the wall across from my apartment. Knowing it was for me, I picked it up and looked inside. It simply read 'Have a great night! Jasper.' My heart fluttered and i felt my face get hot. Jasper was thinking about me! He actually wrote and decorated a note for me wishing me to have a great night. No one had ever done something so simple and considerate for me. I immediately put a smile on my face which refused to leave.
I made it down to the bar in great spirits, turned on my ipod and blasted it from the surround sound, and started my prep work for the night. Shortly after, Bella arrived, followed by Emmett and Rosalie. Even though she wasn't technically part of the staff, we all treated her like she was. Same went for Edward, and hopefully someday Jasper would be considered honorary staff. We all joked around until it was time to turn on the 'OPEN' sign, settling into work mode. Bella slipped me another piece of paper as out first patrons of the night were walking through the door. I knew it was from Jasper, because Bella wouldn't have a reason to give me anything. 'See you in the morning. Jasper.' This note read. What did that mean? Was he planning something for us to do after I got off work? Or was 'morning' when the sun came up? I was excited and nervous for what was to come.
That night passed quickly partially because we were busy, and partially because I was looking forward to the possibility of seeing Jasper soon. After we closed I turned down the stereo and made quick work of closing up.
"So, Jasper's note said 'See you in the morning.' What do you think that means?" I was stacking glasses on the shelf behind the bar and asked my question to anyone within earshot.
"Well, I happen to know, but I'm not telling."
"Edward! You've got to tell me!" I was getting worked up knowing someone in the room knew what Jasper had in store for me.
"Nope, I'm sworn to secrecy. You'll find out soon enough."
"Soon enough like tonight?" I am really quite good at extracting information when I need to be.
"Maybe, maybe not. I'm an expert at keeping secrets, Alice. You'll never get it out of me." Edward crossed his arms and locked his mouth like a third grader would.
"No fun! Bella! Do you know?!" I pointed towards her and raised my eyebrows in excitement.
"Oh, Alice, I can't tell you! You'll love it, though! Oops, I've already said too much!" Rosalie was giving her the eye from across the bar, indicating she was dangerously close to spilling the secret. Someone was going to tell me, oh yes, they were.
"Please guys? Tell me! I need to know!" Everyone stared at me blankly. Clearly I was not going to get any answers tonight.
"Just go with it Ali." Emmett encouraged.
"Fine." I crossed my arms in front of myself, and stuck out my bottom lip in full on pout mode.
"Whatever, Alice. Just be happy to know you will see Jasper soon. That's good, right?" Rosalie was trying to console me. It worked, because as soon as she said that I broke out in an ear to ear grin.
"True story! Ok, lets go home!" I bounced over to the door and turned out all the lights. Oh, Jasper Hale, I will see you soon!
