I do not own Twiligh or any of the characters they belong to Stephenie Meyers. I just play with them for my own enjoyment.
I would also like to thank Project Team Beta for making this chapter look like it was done by someone who knows how to write.
Fool Me Twice Chapter 6 – May
I loved this time of year-when the spring flowers started to bloom and the trees that had been bare all winter started to grow new leaves. We could finally start thinking about putting our winter clothes away. Everyone always seemed happier once the days started to get longer and lighter, but this year I hated it. I know it was irrational but I just wanted to curl up in bed and let life pass me by. Jesus-all this sad emo behavior over some stupid man who couldn't get his head out of his ass. But, what a man!
Luckily, my life and work had become even more hectic. Besides my editing, I also had those articles to write on "How to Meet Mr. Right in New York". My personal life was chaotic with all the research I did for articles because my wonderful boss wanted me to have personal experience of all the different ways myself. That meant I had two tasks to perform at once: the first was to join an Internet dating site, the second-which I really wasn't looking forward to-was speed dating. How the hell did this happen? Surely, my boss realized what a nightmare the assignment was going to be for me because of how shy and reserved I was.
I had also decided to up my running antics and I had even joined a running club. We met twice a week and mainly jogged around the different areas of Central Park. God, it was absolutely exhausting; the rest of the members were so much fitter than me. I had also turned into a bit of a gym-babe; next I would be dying my hair blond and getting fake boobs with a spray-on tan. I was up for anything that would keep me occupied and not think of him.
My relationship with Alice was back on an even keel, but that might have been for the fact that I hardly saw her now. If I was being completely honest, it was deliberate. She had hurt me as much as he did-I needed time to recover, but I would never admit that to her. Jasper just kept giving me knowing looks and nodding when he saw me. I ended up blobbing my tongue out at him … the patronizing ass!
The first Friday in May, Alice collared me and demanded to know what my problem was with her and why I was avoiding being alone with her. So I told her the truth: that she had hurt me, and I needed time to forgive and forget. Of course, that wasn't enough for Alice, and she insisted we had a girls' night in. I felt apprehensive at first, but the wine soon worked its magic and I finally relaxed. We drank two bottles of wine, watched chick flicks, and tore men apart. Okay, we ripped Edward to pieces. I think she actually texted him, but don't quote me on that; we laughed our socks off at whatever she did. How come everything is much funnier when you're drunk?
We tried to get off the couch a few times, but we just kept falling back on our asses. The way we were laughing at our predicament must have made us sound like a pair of hyenas. Eventually we gave up, and Alice slept on the couch while I lay on the floor. Thanks to all the wine, I slept soundly as if I was lying in my bed.
When I woke the next morning, my mouth felt like a wet rat had crawled into it and died there. I felt very confused and disorientated. How did I get in my bed? I could have sworn I'd fallen asleep on the floor and not in my comfortable bed. What made matters worse was the fact that I was just in my underwear. How the hell did that happen?
I rubbed where my head throbbed and had a vague memory of banging my head on the coffee table. That proved that I was lying on living room floor, so how the fuck did I end up here? I bolted upright as the realization hit me that someone must have physically carried me into my bedroom. I quickly lay back down as the room started to spin, and my stomach protested against the sudden movement. I closed my eyes to stop the nausea and flashing lights. Why the hell did I drink so much?
As I tried to go back to sleep, raised voices drifted through from the lounge. I could have sworn one of them sounded like Edward, but in my weakened state, my judgement wasn't up to much. I couldn't be too sure. I shrugged it off and really wished I hadn't as I heaved. When the apartment door slammed loudly, it shook my door with the force. I realized then that someone else had been in the apartment. Unfortunately, I was too weak to investigate the raised voices and just drifted back off to sleep.
The tantalising smell of food finally woke me sometime in the late afternoon. My stomach growled in appreciation of the aroma. I got up and walked zombie-style toward the kitchen. Alice was sitting on the couch, and the bitch laughed at my state. I scowled at her and wondered why she wasn't suffering. Life just isn't fair.
"Hey," I said and sat next to her on the couch. I really did try to sit up like she was, but fuck me, my head throbbed. I was soon nursing my head between my hands and massaging my temples.
The patronizing bitch just squeezed my knee gently. I wished I had it in me to turn to her and throw up in her lap. That would show her!
"Hey, you're finally awake," Jasper hollered loudly. I winced at the pain he caused. Bastard did it deliberately!
"Shush…" I hissed at him. Alice turned to me and smiled. I just wanted to punch her teeth out.
"You two must have had a good night," Jasper guffawed loudly. The bastard was in fine form.
I leaned down and rested my head on the arm of the couch-the coolness of the leather felt great against my clammy forehead. I wanted to be dead. Alice leaned over and slapped me hard on the leg a couple of times.
"What was that for?" I grumbled and made an unhappy face at her. She really was a sadistic bitch!
"I was patting you in sympathy," she said defensively, then winced. This was the first sign she had given that she may have been suffering too. Of course, I laughed at her discomfort, and then that bastard called karma had me clutching my head and my stomach. Payback was a bitch!
"I think you should go back to bed," Alice stated.
"Not before she has something to eat," Jasper reprimanded.
"Yes, Dad," I replied.
"God, you are bossy," Alice moaned.
"Yeah, but you both love me." He flashed us a toothy grin then went back into the kitchen.
"Who was here earlier?" I asked.
"When?" Alice replied, but there was something in her tone and the fact that she didn't look me in the eye that made my curiosity spike.
"Earlier. I heard raised voices and then the front door slam," I said.
"It was just the TV," she replied, but her tone seemed very unconvincing.
"But my door shook," I argued.
"Dinner's ready," Jasper interrupted. He placed a bowl of homemade tomato soup on the coffee table in front of Alice and me. "Now eat up."
The soup was delicious, and once I had eaten, I felt much better. Alice even said I looked a little rosier. Jasper sat on the floor and took care of our needs by making drinks when we needed them, fetching nibbles when we felt hungry, and even got a blanket to cover us when it turned a little chilly in the evening. Then, when it was time for the next meal, he went to fetch us all pizza and even sat through a chick flick while Alice and I swooned over the male lead.
I went to bed that night feeling so much better about life in general, at least until I switched the light off, and a certain asshole with messy bronze hair and vibrant green eyes invaded my dreams and told me I would never be good enough for someone like him. I woke in the middle of the night, my face wet from tears, my body wet from sweat, my sheets tangled between my legs, and my hands strangling the pillow. I sat up quickly, my breathing erratic, my thoughts even more so, and wondered when the torture would end.
I tried to go back to sleep, but it just was not happening. In the end, I got my laptop out and did some surfing. By the time the sun was peeking through the curtains, I had joined two internet dating sites. I had also managed to find myself a speed dating place at the local YMCA-there was actually a waiting list for this, but it also told me that if I tried on the day, there may be places, but there were no guarantees.
Sunday was a beautiful spring day, so I decided to run mid-afternoon. Unfortunately so did Edward. I had just stopped to catch my breath-you know the stance: knees slightly bent, ass in the air, your hands holding your legs to keep yourself upright as you breathe through said ass-when I felt someone run passed me. When I said felt, I meant if said person had been any closer, I would have been face down on the ground. I could have sworn that my ass was patted as they went by, but I shook my head, telling myself it was my imagination. Still, I looked in the direction they went and nearly fell down in shock.
Edward stared back at me, a cocky grin on his face and a raised eyebrow. The bastard winked at me and then turned back to his running as he and another guy vanished along the path through the trees. That was it - I saw red. How dare he treat me like shit and then decide he wants to play. Well, fuck him! Despite my anger, my eyes fell to where I thought he should have come into sight again, but he didn't; it was like he had vanished into thin air. Shit, had I finally lost my mind and was conjuring him up at will to make my life seem better? God, I really did need help. After that, I decided to go home. There, I ranted to Alice about her brother and what an insensitive jerk he was. She just smiled, nodded her head, as she agreed with me.
The following week at work was the most hectic I had ever had. First thing Monday morning, I had a meeting with my boss regarding my first article which had been printed in the previoius week's magazine. To my surprise, it had been very well received, or so my boss told me. This was the reason she had decided to send me to a writer's convention at the end of May in Las Vegas. She told me it would be a good learning curve for me, and I would pick up useful tips and ideas from other writers. I was so excited and couldn't wait to get home and tell Alice.
Alice wasn't quite as excited as I thought she would be. There was something off with her, but when I asked, she just shrugged off my concern and told me everything was fine. Then, she changed the subject completely and told me we had to go shopping for new clothes for my trip. I somehow managed to convince her that it was a bad idea, and when she didn't put up a fight, that was when I knew something was wrong.
Tuesday evening found me at the YMCA dressed like I was going on an actual date. My stomach had butterflies doing the can-can, and my knees felt so wobbly that I thought I might fall on my face. I really didn't remember much about the evening. I think most of the guys were average looking. I found it difficult to really take any notice of what any of them said. For the sake of my article, I gave the organizers a couple of names just to see what happened next and give my readers some insight onto the ins and outs of speed dating.
I checked my profile on the internet dating sites regularly. The response I got astounded me. Was everyone in New York that desperate? I hadn't replied to any, as I was biding my time before I did. In addition, Alice insisted that she needed to help me sift through them. I had her and Jasper both telling me the dangers of internet dating and how I could be arranging to go out with a psycho, for all I knew. Of course, I knew that they were right, so between us all we decided that I would arrange my dates so that Alice and Jasper would be able to secretly chaperon them.
Angela had been hounding me for my measurements so that she could sort out my bridesmaid dress, so I talked Alice into doing that for me. I explained about my oldest friend and how she had asked me to be her maid of honor-now this she got excited about. I knew she would, that was the main reason why I asked her. I also hoped that it would get me a few more pagers in her good books.
I managed to get to the gym twice during the week and had planned to go for a run Saturday morning, but someone at work rang in sick, and I had to go in and cover for them. I walked into work and pouted. The weather was perfect for running; the sun was bright but there was a nice cooling breeze.
I got in early to work on Saturday with the hope that if I managed to get all my tasks done quickly, I would be able to leave a little earlier. Luck wasn't on my side. A couple of things went wrong, and I was unable to leave work until after twelve noon. I finally managed to get home at one. The next half hour was spent talking myself into going for a jog. The beautiful day swayed me into it.
Once I had managed to get my trainers on and my mp3 player set up, I set off towards Central Park. The first thing I noticed was how many people were taking advantage of the wonderfully sunny day. I knew I would have to have my wits about me, especially if I didn't want to fall on my ass as I went round.
With the wonderful day in mind, I decided to take a longer route than normal; I mean, there was nothing to rush home for. I had only gone a few yards when I almost ended up on my ass twice by cyclists… bastards! This fuelled my agitation, and I quickened my pace as I got more and more frustrated by others. Dogs… please do not get me started on them. I don't like the little ones you know, the ankle biters or as I like to call them, 'devil dogs,' because they are so evil.
Bon Jovi's 'It's my Life' then filtered through my ear buds, and it was then I got lost in the music. Everything blended into the background as I ignored everything that was going on around me-Jon did that to me. I started to run to the beat.
I never noticed the lads coming towards me at full pelt on their skateboards, nor heard the people around me shouting for me to get out of the way. One minute I was singing away in my head with the sun beating down on me and the slight breeze cooling my skin, and the next I was staring up at the beautiful blue sky, the clouds passing by quickly as a pain shot through my head unlike any other, and then I was plunged into darkness.
XXX
I blinked my eyes a couple of times. The light was blinding, and my head screamed in protest at the sudden brightness. I closed my eyes tightly and tried opening them again, but that was a big mistake. All I could see were bright white squiggly lines and they were making me feel nauseous, so I closed them again, and this time I must have drifted again.
The next time I opened my eyes, I was able to focus a little better, and I realized I was lying on an uncomfortable bed in a very sterile room; everything was white, and the smell of some form of disinfectant stung my nose. I put my hand to my head and tried to soothe the splitting headache. What shocked me was that I felt cloth, not skin. What the hell happened to me?
I closed my eyes again, fighting off the dull throb in my head and my churning stomach. Why did I feel like I had been drinking all night? It took a few moments to register that I was in a hospital. Great … what did I do now?
"Shit!" I shouted and bolted up into a sitting position. The room spun and lights flashed before my eyes. I felt the panic as it gripped me, and adrenalin shot through my veins like heroin through blood. I tried to scramble out of bed as if it was on fire but had to lie back down because I almost blacked out.
Having heard my shout, someone rushed into my room, held me gently, and then soothed me with their melodic voice, and soon I drifted back to sleep.
While I slept, I dreamed of him again. He was walking towards me, a big smile on his face, dripping wet after his swim in the ocean, his hair flattened to his head, his naked chest glistening in the sunlight, his barely-there shorts unable to hide…
The dream suddenly had a real feel to it, especially when I looked down at my arm. Something had gotten hold of it and tugged gently, and I quickly looked back to where he stood, and he had vanished. Where did he go? Come back, Edward, please.
"Bella?" I heard familiar voice call my name gently. "Come on, it's time to wake up."
"No." I swat the arm away. "Go away."
"Come on, hun," Alice insisted. "We can take you home now."
"I'm all right here," I said sulkily. Moving meant pain and feeling sick. Well that wasn't happening - no way. Something pulled at the back of my mind, something important, but I ignored that too.
"Come on, Bells," Jasper said, laughter in his voice. "I thought you hated hospitals."
And there it was. I opened my eyes wide in pure terror; I shot up out of bed, the nausea, aches, and pains forgotten as I rushed very slowly to grab my clothes. The room spun, but I had to ignore it. I had to get out of there before he kicked me out. It didn't stop me from chanting, "Shit" quietly as I staggered and swayed around the room.
"Hey, calm down." Jasper came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders, "Where's the fire?"
"I'm breaking the rules," I stammered as the tears threatened. "I have to get out of here now."
"Rules?" Alice sounded confused. "What rules?"
I looked at her in irritation. With my hands on my hips, I opened my mouth to explain, but then closed, it again, shaking my head sadly before I muttered, "Never mind."
She walked up to me and put the palm of her hand against my forehead. The coolness of her hand felt so good against the heavy thump going on in my head. She looked at me in the eyes, concerned. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Like I was hit by a ten tonne truck," I replied, then laughed which turned into a wince. That's when I noticed that my left arm; it was almost black, and it hurt really bad. "Shit, what happened to me?" I had to sit back down on the bed.
"Oh, hun." She laughed. "You really are a disaster waiting to happen."
"That's me." I chuckled without humour.
"You were hit by two skateboarders," Jasper said angrily. "The fuckers just left you lying there, took off and ran."
"Oh." I gulped at the anger in Jasper's voice and the hard set of his jaw. He was really pissed off.
"Let's get you dressed," she said and handed me my clothes. She followed me into the bathroom to help me get dressed, which I was thankful for because the thought of bending my left arm or even my left leg made me feel queasy. Luckily, she had brought a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants, so they were comfortable to wear.
I laughed when she helped me put the t-shirt over my head and then helped get my left arm through the hole. Shit, that hurt like hell. My leg was just as bad, so I had to sit on the toilet with my legs straight while she put on my sweatpants. I felt like a two-year-old whose mom had to dress her. I tried to look in the mirror at my face, but Alice just shook her head at me.
"How did you know where I was?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Nurse Carter recognized you and called us," she replied, but I knew she was lying because she would not look me in the eyes. "Lucky us."
"Yeah, lucky us," I muttered in reply as I followed her out of the bathroom.
As we walked back into the room, Jasper stood near the door facing it and looked slightly perplexed, a white carrier bag in his hand. I noticed the door slowly close, as though someone else had been in the room with him.
"Is everything okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah." He sighed and handed me the bag. "This is for you."
"What is it?" I asked dubiously.
"Why don't you take the damned bag and take a look," he said in irritation.
I took the bag from him quickly and looked inside, then looked back at him in confusion, "What's this for?"
"You needed a new phone."
"Why?"
Jasper just shook his head and then chuckled. "Bella, your phone was strapped to the back of your shorts, and you fell hard on your back. You do the math."
I looked at him as if he had grown an extra head, and then reality sunk in. "Shit, my phone died when I fell."
"No, Bella, it was annihilated." Jasper laughed. "So was your MP3 player."
"Wonderful," I muttered, but curiosity got the better of me, and I looked in the bag again and recognized the phone inside was a Blackberry. "How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing," he stated.
"This is not a cheap phone," I almost choked out. Shit, could I even afford to pay him back?
"You don't owe me anything because it was a present." He sighed. "Please don't be difficult about this."
"But it must have cost a fortune," I shot back.
"Look, can you just accept it and be done with it?" he asked in a raised voice, his annoyance showing on his face.
"Okay, I'm sorry," I muttered and looked down at the floor. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiled, but it looked more like a grimace. "Now let's get you home."
"Great," I replied as we walked out of the room and into the corridor where there was a wheelchair waiting for me. I tried to decline, but was told it was hospital policy. As I was wheeled toward the elevator, I kept my eyes on my feet, but curiosity got the better of me, and I looked around to see if I could see bronze hair anywhere among the busy corridor. I could have sworn as we got into the elevator and faced the doors I caught him staring directly at me, but someone passed by as the door as it closed; I couldn't be sure if I really had seen him, or if it was wishful thinking that conjured him up.
When I got home from the hospital, Alice helped me to my room where I just lay on top of my bed as I still felt queasy. I tossed the carrier bag that contained my new cell phone on my old desk chair, too weak to take a good look at it.
When I heard my bedroom door creak open, I shot up and was shocked at how dark my room had gotten. "Bella, are you okay?" Alice's voice whispered in the darkness. I could just make out her silhouette by the door.
"Yeah." I said with a croak. "Kind of hungry, though."
"Okay, I'll go and make you a sandwich," she replied and then walked a little further into my room. "Cheese all right?"
"Wonderful, thanks," I replied, and my stomach grumbled its approval. Alice left the room and I could hear her laughter as she walked back towards the kitchen.
I leaned over to switch on my bedside lamp and lay back down; I put my arm over my eyes and listened to the voices as they drifted into my room from the living room. I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat, and I felt my heart pick up speed as I heard one voice in particular. He was making me crazy, or maybe I was still concussed, because why would he be here? No, I was imagining it.
Without even thinking about my weakened state, I got out of bed in my eagerness to prove myself right and see if my ears and my mind really were deceiving me. I just had to find out if he was here and why.
I stood up way too quickly. My legs were jelly, and I was so light-headed that the room started to spin so fast that I felt I was on a waltzer at the fairground.
In desperation, I tried reaching my arms out to take hold of something to steady myself, but I hit something with my elbow. There was a loud crash at the same time my head hit something solid and I cried out in pain as I hit the floor.
My door crashed loudly against the wall, then I felt someone kneel next to me and gently put their cold hands to my face firmly, moving it towards them.
"Bella?" An angel's voice questioned softly.
I tried opening my eyes, but they were not cooperating and refused to open. I wanted to see my angel.
"Can you hear me?" the angel asked again. I gave a small nod in response and groaned; the pain in my head was excruciating.
"Okay." The angel sounded relieved. "I am going to lift you onto the bed now"
I automatically nodded my head and winced as he scooped me up in his arms and gently placed me back on my bed. I shivered when his lips pressed gently against my forehead and he whispered, "I am just going to check you over."
I just lay there and tried again to open my eyes, but the pain was too much. I thought I felt his lips ghost over my forehead as he gently kissed me again. This was the point I realized I was dreaming, but the pain seemed real.
"How is she?" I heard Alice's concerned voice.
"I think she is going to be okay, but in my professional opinion, I think she may still be slightly concussed." I wanted to sigh at that beautiful voice.
"So should we keep waking her?" Jasper asked.
"Look, you two go to bed; I'll keep an eye on her."
"Edward, you've done more than enough," Alice said quietly. "You go home and get some rest."
"Do you think I would actually rest until I knew she would be okay?"
"You're going to confuse her." Alice pointed out.
"I confuse me," he replied on a sigh.
"Okay," Alice replied. "Holler if you need anything."
"Just go to bed." He laughed, as the door closed gently.
I wrapped my covers tight around me and snuggled down into my warm bed, letting the darkness take me further into my vivid dream. Oh boy, did it get better!
It seemed really dark. I wasn't sure whether it was real or a dream, but when I tried to turn onto my other side, I hit something hard and warm. Yes, I was definitely dreaming.
So, me being me, I made the most of my fantasy. I snuggled my head into his naked chest and inhaled his scent. He smelled so real and wonderful; I sighed in contentment, which in turned made him respond by snaking one of his arms around me and pulling me even closer. His chest hairs tickled my nose, but there was no way in hell I was moving from this position. I felt him gently kiss my hair and I knew I had died and gone to heaven.
"I love you," I whispered against his chest, and his hold tightened slightly, almost painfully as everything became still again, my fantasy forgotten as deep sleep took over.
The bright sunlight seeping through the curtains caused me to stir and slowly awoke me from the best dream ever. I snuggled further down into my bed and sniffed, then stiffened.
I sniffed my bed again. Yep, still there; the smell was a mixture of male musk and clean soap.
"Shit!" I shouted loudly as I sprang up into a sitting position.
I rubbed my hands over my face a couple of times, thinking, Yeah that's really going to erase last night, Bella's genie face! What the fuck do I do now?
I quickly got out of bed and made my way towards the lounge. The apartment was eerily silent, but as I walked into the lounge, my heart pounded heavily in my chest. I took a couple of deep breaths to try and calm myself, but it didn't work.
I slumped down on the couch, put my head in my hands, and tried to remember what else happened last night. He definitely kissed me on the head, and I remembered him wrapping his arm around me, but other than me telling him I loved him, I don't think anything else embarrassing happened. Who knows; maybe he didn't even hear me say it, or even better-he is a doctor-maybe he thought I was just delusional.
I sat in the same position for quite a while, not really taking any notice of my grumbling stomach or the fact that I was extremely thirsty. I tried my hardest to make any thoughts of last night go away, and then something dawned on me.
Edward had told me to stay as far away from him as possible and to never be in the same vicinity as him. So why the fuck was he lying in my bed with me last night? What the hell was he playing at? Did this mean we were friends again? Fuck. Why the hell was my life so confusing?
I sat on the couch, thinking about last night and the fact that Edward had laid next to me and acted like he had some sort of feelings for me. The hurt and confusion turn slowly to anger. Yes, I did miss him. Yes, I did love him for some stupid reason, but that didn't mean he could treat me the way he did. Next time I saw him, I would give him a piece of my mind.
I stood up and decided I had spent enough time wallowing. I had to pack my clothes ready for the following day. I had an early flight after all.
I went into my bedroom and looked longingly at my bed. How I wished it was still the previous night, and I was still in his arms, but then I wanted to kick myself for having those kind of thoughts about him. He was a player and not a very good one at that. He was good at talking the talk, but when it came to dishing the goods, well I had better. I groaned and slapped my forehead; I had to concentrate on packing, nothing else.
It took me twice as long to pack as it normally would have because I really struggled to bend my left arm-thank goodness I was right handed. When I went into the bathroom earlier, I had a quick look in the bathroom mirror. God I wish I hadn't. The left side of my face was bruised, and I had a thick lip and a slightly black eye. What would people think at the conference tomorrow?
By the time Alice walked into the apartment, I was packed. She looked surprised to see me. "I thought you were flying tonight?"
"No, tomorrow."
"He'll be pleased about that," she muttered quietly more to herself than me.
"Who will?"
"Err... Jasper," she stuttered and looked everywhere but at me.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing, why?" she asked, still not looking at me.
"Why did Edward spend the night?"
"He would not leave your side last night." She admitted to me. "He basically forced me and Jasper to bed and out of the way."
"Why?" I asked. What the hell was he playing at?
"Because, despite himself, he cares."
"What do you mean 'despite himself'?"
"Look, Bella," she said and sighed heavily. "That's between you and Edward."
"Yeah, but he contradicts himself," I said. "I'm starting to think he's got two personalities."
"I don't think you're far wrong at that," Alice replied with a smile. "Fancy some pasta?"
"That sounds great," I replied and watched her leave my bedroom. I quickly looked at my list to ensure I hadn't forgotten anything, and then I made my way into the living room. I was utterly exhausted, my head started to throb again, and the nausea told me that it was time to eat.
Alice poked her head out of the kitchen. "Are you all set for tomorrow?" she asked.
"Near enough," I replied. "Have you seen my new phone?"
"Oh yeah," Alice said and walked into the living room. She passed me the white carrier bag and said, "I charged it for you last night."
"Great! You're a life saver," I replied with a small grin which turned instantly into a grimace. I really shouldn't smile-it hurt!
"What's wrong?" Alice asked, concerned.
"How much do I owe Jasper for this?" I asked, ignoring her question.
"You don't owe him a penny," she replied. Something in her tone made me feel a little wary.
"So who do I owe for the state-of-the-art Blackberry?" I asked in exasperation.
"Bella it was a freebie," Alice said. "Jasper was sent it by mistake, so they told him to keep it."
"Really?" I asked, still unconvinced.
"Yeah, really." She smiled, but her face seemed off somehow, but I couldn't just call her an out and out liar.
"Okay," I replied reluctantly. "I'll drop it for now."
"Good, now let's eat."
We ate in silence and afterwards decided to watch a chick flick; Jasper was spending the night catching up on some reading and research.
When the film had finished, I looked at Alice and was surprised to see her staring back at me with a sad look on her face. I smiled at her and tried not to squirm under her scrutiny. "Are you okay?" I asked in concern.
"Do you realise after tonight we won't see each other for four weeks at least?" she asked sadly.
"To be honest, I hadn't really," I said and gave her a weak smile.
"I understand you have got that much going on," she replied. "Do you really have to be at your friend's for three weeks, though?"
"I know, but since she left New York, I haven't seen her and I really do miss her."
"I understand," she said and pouted sadly. "Keep in touch, though."
"I can. Now I've got this cell with all the bells and whistles," I said, waving it in the air. She laughed at my antics.
Without warning, she jumped forward and hugged me tightly. "Have fun at your wedding." She said, "Take plenty of pictures on your new phone."
"Yeah," I replied as my eyes started to well up with tears.
"Take care of yourself, Bella, for me and …Jasper"
"I'll try." I tried to laugh, but it came out as a hiccup instead. "You look after everyone here and yourself."
"I will," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes and laughed. "Look at us, it's like we will never see each other again."
"Yeah." Was all I managed before we hugged each other and said our goodnights.
Authors note: Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
