We got to dance floor just as another song started, a lot slower the last one, and I glanced up at Jasper, checking he still wanted to dance. He smiled down at me for he was now at least a head taller and pulled me gently into the dancing position.
"I'm warning you, Jazz," I said using his nickname since I was now close enough to whisper to him. "I can't dance."
His warm chuckle sounded and I found myself smiling, he leant down so he could mutter in my ear.
"I missed you, Bele."
I blushed again and for a moment I felt a strange feeling in my stomach but I pushed it aside - this was Jasper. Jasper could not make me blush and he could not make me feel the way I had read about in books. I looked up at him - I was not attracted to him, I couldn't be.
Without realising it I had began to follow Jasper's lead in dancing for the last few minutes and I was yet to fall. I watched my feet for a few minutes more before I managed to look up at him to see his amused expression. I resisted the urge to swat at him for it.
"See," he chuckled the way he always used to, "you can dance."
"Only with you it seems," that seemed to make him smug.
Jasper and I had learned to dance together which could explain why I found it so easy. He had been one of those boys who refused to dance with his sister so we had learnt together under his Mama's, Esme, instructions and expertise. She and her husband were always beautiful dancers, graceful and in time with the music and so in love with each other that they let of a beam of happiness and content just watching them. I had been entranced when I was little sat balls just watching the two of them dance together. It was probably a good things Esme had taken it on herself to teach me to dance as well because my parents weren't the greatest dancers in the world, nowhere near as beautiful as Esme and Carlisle.
Jasper seemed to have inherited their ability to dance flawlessly since I managed to get through the whole dance with injuring myself or Jasper and for the first dance of the evening I was sorry when the music finished. Jasper didn't seem willing to let me go either but when another man came and asked for a dance I couldn't decline. I wasn't meant to dance more than one dance with any one man. I tried to convince myself that my hand did not feel empty when Jasper let go. I saw Jasper shoot him a friendly, stern but teasing look so they must have known each other.
"Sorry, I just really wanted to talk to you," the man in front of me laughed starting to dance and I looked up at him (he was so tall!) in surprise at how casual he was being. "I'm Emmett McCarty -"
"Oh, Alice's friends brother, right?" I clicked.
I knew I had recognised him - how many other men could have such a bear like frame. Now I knew who he was I could see the similarities between him and his sisters. He had the small curls as Amelia though his were the same shade of black as Abagail's and also the same eye shade as Amelia - a soft, baby blue colour.
"Yeah," he nodded, grinning widely at me. "I'm also Rosalie's husband."
"Rosalie?" I asked though I knew exactly who he meant. "As in Rosalie Whitlock, Jasper's twin?"
"Yep," he grinned proudly. "So is my little brother-in-law a good dancer?" - I felt my cheeks heat up at his teasing tone, he must have noticed that I wasn't feeling particularly platonic feeling for my childhood friend - "Don't worry, I won't tell him. Rose on the other hand…"
I managed to laugh meekly and said firmly, "I don't have feelings for Jasper Whitlock."
"Sure, sure, Bels," he laughed in a carefree way that showed he really didn't believe me and my eyebrows rose slightly as he used a nickname. "He might, however."
I shook my head with a smile and the dance ended so I curtsied to him gently and went to find Mama. She was sitting with a few of her friends that she had made here and they all beamed as I approached. I was diverted however by caramel hair blocked my vision and arms that seemed to be trying to squeeze the life out of me. I heard a man chuckle.
The person hugging me pulled back and I recognised Jasper's Mama. It was obviously his Daddy that laughed - he had often been amused by his wife's beautiful and over-dramatic displays of affections.
"Hello, Esme," I laughed.
"Oh, Bela, dear, you look so charming," Esme beamed at me stroking my hair. "So grown up and so beautiful, you've turned into the beautiful young swan, don't you think so, Carlisle? "
"You look delightful, Bela," he smiled over at me and Esme released me so I could hug him as well.
I spent at least an hour talking to them and Rosalie who had appeared at some point. It saddened me that Jasper didn't and that I didn't see him for the rest of the party. I really didn't want to lose him again and I probably would if I didn't see him again tonight since he would go back home with his parents and maybe, hopefully, he'd think about me for a few weeks before he fall back into his regular life, a life that didn't cross with mine.
