Chapter Eight
She was right; you couldn't miss her car for anything. The shiny red car would stand out in a future-vehicles-of-the-world showroom much less the parking lot of a New Hampshire college club. Locking my car doors and sticking my keys, cell, and ID in my pocket, I joined Alice, Rosalie, and Bella in front of the club.
"This is Rosalie," Alice said, motioning to the tall, model-like blonde, who gave a small wave, "and this is Bella."
The brunette girl stuck her hand out in acknowledgement. "Nice to meet you, Emma."
I grasped her hand, not too firmly I hoped, and muttered my own greeting. "Nice to meet you, too."
"Let's head inside, shall we?" Alice asked.
Inside, it was loud and crowded, but what club wasn't on a Friday night? I recognized a few people as fellow classmates or other students at Dartmouth in general. Unfortunately I recognized one girl in particular I didn't want to. She walked up to me smiling.
"Hey, Emma. Hello to the rest of you as well."
"Hi, Connie," I muttered, along with the other annoyed hello's ringing out behind me.
"Interesting company you're in tonight, Emma. I tried to warn you, though. Guess you're more of a creature-freak than even I pegged you for." Her voice was heavy with anger, almost to the point that she sounded betrayed.
"Alice is my friend. These are her friends. We're a big group of friends. And I'm not fully understanding what you're saying. I'm going to go dance, and I'll see you at work on Monday. Goodbye, Connie."
I didn't wait for a response; I just walked away. I could hear Alice, Rosalie, and Bella following suit, each of their heals clicking on the wood floor beneath.
"What was all that about, Emma?" Alice asked. Rosalie and Bella's faces were just as contorted with confusion as hers was.
"She's crazy. I don't like her, and I don't listen to anything she says."
Alice's smile faded a bit. "You must listen to a bit of what she says. You want to ask us something, but you don't know if you should. But you will ask us. Not tonight, but you will ask us. And I think the answer will surprise you."
"How do you know I want to ask you guys something?"
"I'll explain that after you ask. Don't feel like you have to ask now; take the time to consider what it is exactly you want to ask, and then ask it." Alice grabbed Rosalie's arm, and added, "I'm going to dance! Come on!"
We danced for half an hour before I finally grew too thirsty to continue. "I need to get something to drink!" I yelled over the music.
"What?!" they all yelled in unison.
Motioning in a drinking motion, I repeated myself. "Drink! I'm going to get one!" They all nodded in understanding, and I headed to the bar for a Coke.
"I need a Coke please," I told the bartender. He pulled a can out of the cooler beneath the bar and handed it to me; I slipped the money to pay for it, and headed back for the group.
When I returned, I noticed the group had doubled. Rosalie was dancing scantily with Emmet, and Bella with Edward. Alice and Jasper were sitting at a table, clearly waiting for me to return.
"Hey! Look who has come to join us!" she said, motioning towards Jasper and the two guys on the dance floor.
"Hey, Jasper," I said, the volume of the music lower than it had been.
"Hey, Emma. Alice was just telling me about your…conversation with Connie when you guys got here."
"Yeah that was fun. I've told her plenty of times that I don't want to be her friend, that I cannot stand her, but she just can't seem to grasp the concept."
Jasper let out a hard laugh at this.
"I'm off," Alice said. She hopped off the bar stool.
"What? Where are you going?"
"I just got a call from my father. He needs me at home. I'll see you Tuesday in class, of not sooner." She pulled me into a quick goodbye hug, and waved as she left. "Tootles!"
I took her place on the stool, and opened my Coke, a loud click making its way to my ears.
"Did you know she was leaving?" I asked Jasper. I took a long drink of my Coke as Jasper answered my question.
"She was talking to Carlisle when Emmet, Edward, and I found her and the other two girls."
"Oh." My answer was simple. I took another long drink of my Coke as the silence between us grew, becoming more awkward with each passing second. With another swig, I stood up. "Well, I feel like dancing. Come on."
"Wh-" Jasper began to protest, but I grabbed his arm and yanked him on to the dance floor before he could form the words. Without getting too close, Jasper and I danced together for several songs, two friends hanging out on a Friday night.
I was never one for dancing before tonight, but there was something about the music, something about the rhythm that made it impossible to stop. Before long, I felt myself moving closer to Jasper. In my mind, I was screaming, 'What the hell are you doing?! This man is taken!' My body, on the other hand, was just moving to the sound of the music.
Jasper must have been getting the same vibe from the music as I was, because, instead of moving away, he put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to him, my back to his front. I couldn't even tell what song was playing, because the noise in the club was covered up by the feel of his hands on my hips.
Jasper and I moved in such a synchronized way, it was as though our minds were operating on the same wavelength. I couldn't stop myself, but I realized at that moment, that I didn't want to.
