Disclaimer: If you don't know by now, I do not own anything. Yeah, the wonderful character that is Alice did not come from my imagination. Dammit.

Chapter 8

_ Sunday afternoon _

"Touchdown baby! Whoop, whoop!" Charlie and Billy exclaimed excitedly banging their beer cans together, acting like a bunch of teenagers. They looked at me suddenly realising that I wasn't celebrating the fact that some guy caught a pigskin, dodged a couple of sweaty guys and ran over into the end zone.

"Yay, touchdown! Go team!" I said with fake enthusiasm. This seemed to satisfy them as they gave each other high-fives and started discussing just how perfect that touchdown was. Men, I would never understand them. I focused back on the TV, not really seeing anything of the game. The testosterone in the room was suffocating me. I ate a handful of popcorn. Maybe if I choked on one I could escape this torture. Fucking family time. Charlie needs to get himself a woman.

"Where is Alice?" Billy asked as the ref blew the whistle for halftime.

"Port Angeles. Some new range is being launched today." He cocked his head. "I don't get it either, don't worry."

He chuckled and took a swig of his beer. "I take it you two are getting along now?"

A smile crept onto my face without my permission. "She's actually a nice person, if you can ignore how spoiled she is." Billy saw my goofy smile and gave me a knowing look. "I mean," I started backtracking. "She is still a pain in my posterior. But yes, we are getting along now. Sort of. Well, mostly."

He winked at me, not buying what I was saying for one bit. "Well I'm glad that you are not trying to kill each other."

"Just don't ever eat her food." Charlie said.

I nodded my head in earnest. "Toxic doesn't even begin to describe that shit."

"Language young lady." I rolled my eyes at Charlie's attempt of parenting.

The front door opened. "I'm home people." Huh, since when did she refer to this place as home? "And I brought pizza."

"Ooh, pizza. I'm starving." Charlie said happily.

"I thought we weren't supposed to eat her food?" Billy whispered.

"Only her homemade concoctions. Take out is fine." I whispered back as Alice walked in, placing the pizza on the coffee table. Charlie and Billy instantly attacked the pizza. Alice sat down on the armrest of my chair. Seriously, did you have to sit here? There is a seat open right there.

She watched as the men devoured the pizza. "Their starving. Didn't you feed them?"

I gave her a, are you kidding look. "They are grown men. They tie their own shoes and everything. If they wanted something to eat, they could have made it themselves."

"Excuses, excuses. You're just lazy." Billy teased.

I held up my arms in surrender. "Oh, you caught me."

He nudged Charlie in his side. "You hear that Chief. She admits it, go arrest her."

"Sorry," He said with his mouth full. "I'm off duty."

Alice draped her arm over the back of the couch, accidently (or purposefully) brushing the back of my neck. An electric shock ran down my spine. I stood up abruptly. "I - uh, have some last minute homework to do. Please excuse me." I hurried from the room, almost falling over my own feet.

"Bella!" Charlie said and I froze turning around. "Aren't you hungry?"

I glanced over at Alice who was looking at me, a frown on her face. I wanted to go over and smooth away the worry lines. I shook my head, "No, not right now. I will eat later."

Charlie looked surprised but didn't press the matter. "Okay kiddo." I blew him a kiss and hightailed it to my room before anyone else tried to stop me.

_ Around 11 PM that night _

There was a soft knock on my door. I looked up only to find Alice in my doorway. She was wearing a pink robe (I'm not even surprised) and was playing with the knot nervously. "You look more nervous than a sinner in church." I said, surprised when she blushed.

"Sorry to bother you, are you very busy?" She asked her face cast down at the carpet.

"I can do with a study break, what's up?" She twisted the knot of her robe nervously. What is up with her? "Is it another spider?" I swivelled my chair towards her.

She shook her head, toeing the carpet. "Alice, do we have to play twenty questions or are you going to help me out here?" She straightened up, a determined look on her face. She turned around and closed the door. Fuck, I was all alone in my room with Alice. With a closed door. And that robe clung to her in all the right places.

"I - uh - kind of..." She bit her lower lip. Fucking hell woman. I crossed my legs as want rushed straight to my core. "I did something in Port Angeles today."

I sat up a little intrigued. "So what are we talking about here? Drugs?"

Her head shot up, fire crackling in her eyes. "Fuck no."

Not a fan of drugs, noted. "You had sex with a hooker?"

She smiled a little, shaking her head. "I'm not that desperate. Besides, I've got a vibrater."

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I just had to go there. "Did you steal something?"

She sighed and started undoing her robe. "No I didn't steal anything. Jeez Isabella, I'm rich. I don't need to steal."

I gulped as the robe dropped to the floor, my eyes travelling over her body hungrily. She was wearing a white wife beater (no bra, fuck me) and red boy shorts. Well you just stole my breath away. "Uh... Al-Alice what are you doing?" I stuttered. She smiled softly, walking towards me. The sway of her hips hypnotised me completely. I pinched the inside of my arm. Ouch, dammit. Definitely not dreaming.

She stopped in front of me. I had to lean back slightly to look her in the face. "I'm going to show you what I did?" Go for lap dance classes? "Isabella, I need your opinion on something?"

Will sex complicate our lives? Hell no. "Sure." I choked out. She lifted the hem of her wife beater, exposing her left hip. A small white bandage caught my attention. "Alice what happened?"

She removed the bandage slowly. "I got a tattoo." I stared at the small butterfly. "What do you think? Is it hideous?" I shook my head rolling the chair a little closer to her. I reached forward slowly, tracing the edge of the butterfly's wings with just my fingertips, careful not to hurt the bruised pink skin. She whimpered softly, a shudder running through her body.

I looked up, right into her blue eyes. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No." She whispered.

I looked back at the tattoo. "I like it. I think it's sexy."

"Isabella, are you flirting with me?"

"Princess, that is called a compliment."

"Like I said, you're flirting with me."

Says the one standing in front of me, wearing next to nothing. Why must she make it so difficult to keep a distance from her? I leaned away from her, my chair rolling a few paces back."Was there anything else?" I tapped my homework impatiently. "I still need to finish this." And you need to leave before I tie you to my bed.

She dropped her shirt back into place. "No nothing. Sorry for wasting your time." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, only pausing to pick up her robe.

I sighed in frustration, running my hand through my hair. You just have to ruin the moment didn't you? Go and apologize. But I just sat there. I was such a fucking coward.

_ Monday afternoon _

I cleared the fallen leaves and mud away from the tombstone. "There we go." I said wiping my hand clean on my faded jeans. I could hear Alice's reaction to that gesture in my head. No, Isabella. One does not clean your dirty hands on your jeans. Even if those jeans are so last decade. She would even pull up her nose a little. I would reply sarcastically, Gee, I wonder what washing machines are for. I sighed, heavily fogging the air around me. "Mom, you would have loved Alice." I placed the special ordered white roses at the base of her tombstone. "I wish that you were still here, just so that you could tell me what to do."

I sat down next to the roses, leaning my head back against the cold granite. It was raining softly, my clothes were already soaked but I didn't care. It fitted my sombre mood. "Normally I just want to kill her but when she is not around... I miss her. A lot." I picked up a small rock. "Sometimes something will happen, like someone would wear something hideous to the grocery store and I'll take a picture and send it to her because I know it would make her day." I threw the rock in a random direction, already reaching for a new one.

"When we touch there are these tingles that wreak havoc on my body. Mom, did you ever feel anything like this?" I threw the rock up in the air and caught it again. "The thing is I would never be good enough for her. She doesn't belong in Forks. She would never be a small town girl." The rock went soaring through the air. I picked up another. "That will not stop her from trying. And she will try. Mom, I can't do to her what dad did to you. You were stuck here in Forks and you killed yourself because of it."

I dropped the stone and removed my wet hair out of my eyes. "I could go to New York with her. But could I live the elite life? Could I become friends with her friends? They sound like a bunch of snobs. Besides, she would never want to me at her side in public."

My shoulders began to shake as sobs raked my body. "Why did you have to kill yourself mom? You could have just taken me with you and left for the big city. I need you so much." My tears mixed with the rain, as I sat there in a pathetic heap. "I hate this feeling. I hate that you're not here and I hate being in love with the one girl I could never have."

I sat there crying, waiting for a sign or some fairy godmother to appear. A soaked street dog walked up to me. It stopped, sniffed around my feet before walking a little ways away and took a dump. "Dog shit, mom? That is some sign. Once again you are as helpful as a fart in a jam jar." I got up slowly, my stiff muscles protesting heavily. I wiped my face on my wet sleeve. Feeling a bit more composed I walked back to my truck, only glancing back twice.

My wet clothes slid easily over the leather seats. I slammed the door shut, trying to keep the cold out. With shaking hands I started the truck, turning on the heaters full blast. The feeling to my hands had just started to return, when my phone vibrated on the seat next to me. I answered it without looking at the caller id. "What?"

"Isabella, do you always answer your phone like that or only when I'm calling?" My heart skipped a few beats at the sound of her voice. Treacherous useless organ.

I switched of the truck so that I could hear her better. "What is wrong Alice?"

There was a noise on her side, a fridge being opened maybe? "Can't I ever call you just because?"

"You never did before so why start now?" She mumbled something into the phone. It sounded suspiciously like can't win with you. "What was that?"

"Nothing." She grumbled. "How do you make a strawberry smoothie?"

"With your hands." The sarcastic comment slipped out before I could help it.

"No really? Are you sure or do you want to call a friend?"

I smiled. "Sorry, I'm not in the greatest mood."

"Yeah, your friendly and cheerful responses were a dead giveaway." There was silence over the phone for a while. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sure, I'm in love with you. That scares the crap out of me so I asked my dead mother for some guidance. Maybe I should have remembered a spirit board? What do you think? "No. Here is how to make my secret strawberry surprise smoothie."

She didn't press the matter and instead latched onto the change of subject. "Did it take you all day to come up with that name?"

Yes. "No." I pursed my lips and then remember that she couldn't see me. "Do you want to know how to make the fucking smoothie or not?"

"That is why I'm calling, Isabella."

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel while I gave her the instructions. Finally there was only one step left. "Okay, put all of that in the blender and blend."

"I just press the power button right?"

"Yes but make sure you remember..." I was cut off when Alice screamed in my ear. "Put the lid on." I finished.

"My hair, my beautiful hair." She cried and I could picture her standing in the kitchen covered in fruit and other forms of goo. I started laughing. "This is fucking cashmere. I hate this. I hate this place and I hate Forks. Stop fucking laughing." But I couldn't. The more she cursed and yelled, the more I laughed. "Isabella, this is all your fault."

I sobered up a little. "How exactly is your inexperience in the kitchen my fault?"

"Because, you're not here to make the smoothie for me."

I snorted, laughing again. "Well excuse me, Princess. I'm not your servant. I don't need to cater to your every whim. This is Forks, not your penthouse in New York."

"Did I mention that I hate Forks?"

Yeah, thanks for reminding me that we definitely don't have a future together. "A couple of times. Just calm down. Why don't you go take a shower and I'll come and help you clean up the mess."

She gasped. "What makes you think that I'll let you take a shower with me?"

Instantly images of us together in the shower flushed before my eyes. Soap covered velvet skin. Exploring and caressing hands. I cleared my throat. "I was referring to the mess in the kitchen, Princess. But if that was an invitation..." I let the sentence hang suggestively.

"I... we ... no, that is a bad idea." No, it's a good idea. Excellent even. "Shit, I didn't mean to say that out loud." She rambled on. It was kind of cute. "I'm hanging up now. Don't come into my shower."

"I wasn't planning..."

"Or my bathroom." She interrupted me.

"I thought you were hanging up?"

"I am."

I waited. She waited. "You need to press the red button, Princess."

"Shut up." She said before hanging up.

"Mom, you would definitively have loved her." I said before starting my truck.

_ Tuesday after school _

"B12"

"Nothing but water."

"Is there even any ships on your board?"

I chuckled. "Yes, you just suck at this game. F8"

"So do you, you missed."

There was a soft knock on his door before it was opened. "Here you go. Freshly baked cookies and cold milk. Of course yours is chocolate flavoured, Bella." Emmett's mother said, placing a try of goodness on his desk.

"Ma, you have to stop treating us like five year olds." Emmett complained, even though he grabbed as much cookies in one hand as he could.

She looked around at the mess that was his room. "Then act like a teenager and clean your room."

He settled back onto his couch. "A teenager's room is supposed to look like this, ma." His mother picked up some dirty socks on the floor, throwing it in his hamper.

"Ignore him Misses C, I heart your cookies. They are super delicious."

She smiled warmly at me. "And you've loved them ever since you and Emmett became sandbox friends."

I nodded my head seriously. "That was my master plan. Befriend the kid whose mother makes the best homemade cookies."

She laughed softly. "Well I'm going to my bridge club. Try not to break anything this time."

"Bella was the one that broke that lamp."

I shook my head. "Oh no, you're the one that threw the basketball at me."

"Don't blame me because you don't know how to catch."

"Emmett, there will be no games inside the house. The next thing that breaks will come right out of your allowance." His mother gave him a stern look. He closed his mouth, not daring to give her some smart answer. She blew us a kiss and left closing the door behind her.

Emmett immediately texted away on his blackberry. He smiled, happily eating his cookie. "Rose will be over later. We just love bridge club."

Ugh, mental bleach. I did not need that picture in my head. "For different reasons than your mother I'm sure."

"Duh, Wooz turn izit?" He asked his mouth full of cookie."

Gross. "Yours, Filthy."

"C14"

"Nope, not even close."

He cursed. "How long are you going to hide in my room for?"

"I'm not hiding. I'm avoiding. There is a difference. A12"

"Dammit that's a hit." I smiled at his pouting lip. "Tomato, tamato. You can always just tell Alice that you are in love with her. E16"

I gasped and he looked at me excitedly. "Tell her how I feel? I can't tell her how I feel. No that would be stupid. You missed again, by the way."

He dropped the red pin and picked up a white one. "Why can't you tell her? She can either say that she likes you too or she can shoot you down."

I switched positions and accidently lay down on something. I picked up the magazine and smiled when I recognized the cover. "Does Rose know about your one handed hobby?" I asked throwing the Hustler at him.

"This belongs to Rose." He deadpanned giving the girl on the cover a longing look.

"Oh, uh... never mind then." I said getting more comfortable on the bed. "Changing the subject now." I said as he slid the magazine under the couch. "I can't tell her because if she turns me down I'll lose her friendship. Plus things will be all awkward at home. A13."

He sighed. "Hit and sunk. On the other hand, you must consider the fact that she likes you as well. You both live under the same roof and with a father that works night shifts...well you do the math. H17"

"That's a hit." He fist pumped the air. He was kind of adorable at times. "So basically you're saying I should risk everything just because it would be easy to sneak around and have sex."

He frowned. "Do you need more reason than that?"

Typical guy. "Gee Emmett. Now that you put it that way, I don't know why I didn't make a move sooner."

He smiled oblivious to my sarcasm. "I will collect my payment of course. I expect a front row ticket to the before mentioned evenings." He dodged the pillow that I threw at his head. "Hey, hey, hey." He protested. "I'll just sit and watch. I promise."

"You're a sick and twisted person. What is it with men and watching two women together?"

He shrugged. "Two pairs of boobs, hello. That means four boobs. I know, I counted." Stupid fool. "Why do you think I'm friends with you?"

"Oh please. Don't let us forget who played with my Barbies on our play dates."

"Hey," he objected. "I only played with Ken."

"Like that makes it any less gay." He threw the pillow back at me and I just swatted it away easily.

"Look, I just can't risk losing her. Not even her friendship. L19."

"You hit nothing, loser." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Bells, when it comes to love I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar." I smiled at his silly comparison. "So here is the thing. Love is scary. But when it's a truly great love, you will have to decide if you want to take the risk. Because if you don't, someone else might come along and snatch her up right from under you."

I groaned resting my head in my hands. "I'm not good enough for her Emmett. She needs to be with someone from her social class."

He sighed as if he had all the answers to the universe and I was too stupid to see any of it. "Don't you think you should give her that option? Let her decide for herself who is good enough for her."

"I thought you said you weren't good with this love thing."

The door banged open making me jump. Rose stood in the doorway, cladded in a Moroccan belly dancing outfit. "Bella, go and hide at someone else's house. Emmett is going to be busy for the rest of the afternoon."

I stayed were I was. "I had him first."

"Bella, get lost." Emmett said bossily. His eyes fixed on Rose.

"Fine, be like that. Abandon a friend in need." They just ignored me. I got up and headed for the door. "I'll just go and kill myself."

"Cool, catch you later Bella." Pathetic, place a hot half naked girl in front of him and he can't pay attention to anything else.

"Hormonal teenagers." I mumbled under my breath closing the door behind me.

_ Wednesday during school _

"Mind if I join you?" I asked Eric, while I looked around the gym. Some freshmen were playing basketball but other than that, we were the only ones around. Eric scooted over on the bench making some space for me. "Why are we eating in the gym?" I asked taking a bite out of my apple.

"We could always try the bathrooms?" He suggested nonchalantly.

I tilted my head and then smiled. "Let's go. The girl's reaction to you in their bathroom will totally be worth it."

He chuckled. "God I missed your stupid jokes."

I chewed a piece of apple loudly, then swallowed. "No one is forcing you to eat lunch on your own."

He stared of into the distance. "Seeing her with him just hurts too much." My juicy apple suddenly tasted like rubber. It hurts just to avoid Alice, what would it feel like if she actually started to date someone? I threw what was left of my apple into the nearest trash can. "And Swan scores a three pointer. The crowed goes wild." Eric said mimicking the sounds of a cheering crowd.

I held my arms up in the air in a sign of victory. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week."

He gave me a look. "But you don't have to be. Just tell her how you feel."

"Practice what you preach why don't you."

He gripped the edge of the bench shaking his head hard. "No. She loves Ben. Ben loves her. I'm not going to be the douche that messes that up for her."

I placed my hand over his, forcing him to let go of the bench. "What if you could be the source of her happiness?"

He shrugged of my hand. "She is happy right now. Really, really happy Bella. I can't be so selfish to mess with that. I won't."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "You're a really good person Eric."

We sat in silence for a while, both of us wanting something we can't have. "Does it ever go away?" He asked suddenly. "This feeling deep in your core that causes so much pain?" I didn't know how to respond. The pain doesn't even seem to dull, in fact I think each day it was becoming worse. "Yeah, that is what I thought." He responded miserably when I didn't say anything. "Why do you put yourself through this? There is nothing stopping you from having your happily ever after."

I snorted. "Just pedigrees and different upbringings and class and over all just lots and lots of money."

He bumped my shoulder playfully. "Well, I have five dollars. How much pedigree's can you buy with that?"

I smiled. "Is this where we have a special bonding moment? You know where we make a stupid pack like if you tell her then I'll tell her or some stupid bullshit like that?"

He looked at me slightly amused. "No, this is definitely not that."

"Good," I said. "Because, I don't really do hugs and shit."

We sat in silence. The he nudged my leg with his. "Do you want to fist bump?" I immediately held up my fist. We both chuckled as we fist bumped like the dorks we were.

_ Later, in history class _

I was doodling mindlessly on a page when a chocolate flavoured milk box was placed on the corner of my desk. I looked up to find Alice smiling at me. "You missed lunch."

A pang of guilt shot through me. Why did she have to be so nice? "I wasn't really hungry." I kind of lied, losing your appetite and not being hungry is kind of the same thing.

"Are you sick?" She asked genuinely concerned. She reached forward to feel my temperature. I leaned away from her. Those damn tingles were only going to mess with my head. She dropped her hand, hurt flooding her eyes.

Shit, now I've done it. "I'm fine really, I just wasn't hungry."

She just nodded her head, her eyes downcast as she sat down at her desk. We sat in an uncomfortable silence. She did something nice for you and look what you did. The milk carton stood between us like a fucking beacon of misery. I grabbed it and stuffed it into my bag. "Are you mad at me?" My head snapped up and I stared into her piercing blue eyes.

I swallowed nervously, my mouth suddenly dry. "No. I'm not mad at you."

"Then why are you being such a jerk."

I stuffed my hands into my jean pockets, scared I might do something bad. Reaching out to comfort her would be really, really bad. "Princess, everything isn't always about you."

Instantly her back stiffened and she lifted her nose a few inches. A tell-tale sign that she felt insulted. "I know that Isabella. I don't know why I even bothered worrying about you."

Great, now I felt even worse. All the progress I made with her is slowly going down the drain. "Sorry. I am a jerk." She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. That is kind of sexy. Stop it! "And thank you for the milk." I continued. "It was very thoughtful of you."

"Whatever." She replied indifferently. "It's what friends do for each other, isn't it?"

There it is again. Friends. I fucking hate the friends zone. "Sure, sure. Though I think Emmett would have drunk half of it before actually giving it to me."

She started to smile before remembering that she was supposed to be mad at me. "I don't really drink children drinks." I gave her an offended look. "Besides," She added. "I'm way too beautiful to be a child."

I gave her a once over, my eyes lingering a bit too long on her exposed cleavage. I licked my dry lips. "No, you're most definitely not a child." She leaned forward on her arms, unknowingly giving me an even better view. Fuck! Stop staring Bella. Right now.

"So you agree, I'm beautiful." Okay, now she was clearing teasing.

I played along, forcing my eyes to focus on her face. "You're just fishing for a compliment little girl."

She winked at me. "A girl can try, can't she?"

I shook my head. "Princess, girls like you don't have to try. Girls like you only come along every few hundred years."

We shared a look. Her eyes were searching mine while I tried to convey all my feelings I had for her through mine. "Isabella, I ..."

"Right, it is pop quiz time." Our teacher announced as if we won the lottery. A groan went up through the entire class.

I tore my eyes away from her. I could feel her gaze on me but didn't dare to look at her, afraid of what I might find there.

_ Thursday late at night: Alice in Wonderland _

I have not experienced anything remotely close to love. Lust yes. I felt attracted to someone on more than one occasion. Okay, maybe even obsessed about someone once. But never have I ever actually been in love. So I kind of found it funny that it sneaks up on you. Before you know it, it bites you in the arse and pulls out the rug from under you for good measure. It was Shakespeare who said love is blind. Boy was he right. Love, has a sick sense of humour. It almost kills its victims. And when that love is lost, that person is scarred, crippled for life. Even if you find love again, it's not the same. You've experienced it before. You know what I'm talking about. Just the sight of her! Heart pounding! Throat thickening! Can't breathe! All the usual symptoms. Leave it to me to fall in love with the one person that has absolutely nothing in common with me. And deep down you know that it couldn't possibly work. And you foolishly cling to any bit of hope. Because you're hoping you're wrong. And every time she does something that tells you she's no good, you ignore it. And every time she comes through and surprises you, you lose that argument with yourself, that she's not for you.

Blondie: Looks like someone has it bad. I say go for it!

Bear: Yes, I agree. Go for it! You need something good in your life after your dad sent you away.

Glasses: Ooh, girl looks like you're going to get some.

Flirty: No! No, no, no. You're supposed to be with me. Forget about her. What does she have that I don't have?

Muscles: Imagine a very hard smack upside the head Flirty. Now make it ten times harder. Go stalk someone else. Girl, who cares if you have something in common? I say enjoy it while you can. You're leaving in the end of the year, that's like the ultimate excuse for leaving her and moving on.

Dork: Love, ugh gives me the creeps. All these feelings get it of off me.

_ Friday afternoon _

I walked down the deserted school hall, my nose deep in a 'James Patterson' novel. The lead role was busy dumping an assassin's body, when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into a small cramped space. The door clicked shut, covering us in darkness. I dropped my schoolbag on the floor and I held the book high above my head, ready to bludgeon whoever attacked me over the head. "Listen moron, if you know what is good for you..."

The light blinked on and I squinted at whoever was being a dick. "You'll what? Kill me with that small book? Death by literacy. At least it would make headlines"

Slowly my eyes adjusted to the light. Alice stood in front of the door, her arms folded over her chest. "This is Forks, anything makes the headlines here." I deadpanned. She just glared at me. "What the fuck, Alice?" I asked, stuffing my book into my discarded schoolbag.

"That's my line." She said furiously. Dear Lord, what did I do know? "I would like to know why you are avoiding me." She asked icily.

I froze, before slowly zipping my bag closed, trying to buy some time. "So you thought it would be a good idea to kidnap me and hold me captive in a dusty old closet?"

"That's about the gist of it."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. She just glared back at me. Sighing, I nervously ran a hand through my hair. "I'm not avoiding you. Believe it or not Princess, not everyone wants to spend every waking minute with you."

She moved so fast, I blinked and she was in front of me. "Stop lying, Isabella." She said poking me in the chest. I rubbed the spot she poked. Damn but that shit hurt. "If I did something or said something I apologize okay?" Her lip quivered. "Please, just stop avoiding me. You're my only friend. I can't lose you."

Great, now you made her second guess herself. I reached for her and pulled her against me. Hugging her tightly. "You didn't' do anything. I'm just an asshole." I said rubbing her back in slow circular movements, trying desperately to comfort her.

She slipped her arms around me, holding onto me for dear life. "Then why are you avoiding me."

Jeez, she was worse than a bull terrier. Her lemon sent was toying with my head and the fact that she was standing so securely against me was not make my mind any clearer. I dropped my arms and placed as much space between us as was possible in the small confined closet. "Don't. Please don't. Just let this go, Alice."

She shook her head, taking a step forward. Please just stay on your fucking side. "No Isabella. Tell me what it is about me that make you go running for the hills."

"Running for the hills? Princess, don't be stupid. You're not the problem? I just don't want to be around you..."

"You don't want to be around me?" She said softly. "How is that not supposed to be about me? You were supposed to be different." She turned around heading for the door. "Go fuck yourself."

Something in me snapped. I grabbed her arm and spun her around. My arm circled around her waist and pulled her up against me. My other hand gripped her chin and tilted her face upwards, with a fury my lips crashed into hers. She stood rigid against me. What the fuck was I doing? I sucked her bottom lip softly. Stop kissing her! Suddenly her hands landed on my hips and with a small moan she started kissing me back with as much force as I was kissing her. My hand travelled to the back of her neck, playing with the soft hairs there.

Her tongue swiped over my lower lip and I granted her access, needing to taste her. Our tongues messaged each other and as I explored her soft hot mouth, wave after wave of tingles rushed right to my core. With a groan I pushed her up against the door, her front pressing deliciously against mine. She whimpered as I kissed down her jaw, making my way towards her neck. Her hands slipped under the hem of my shirt and I relished in the feeling of her hands on my bare skin. I sucked on the pulse point on her neck and she moaned, her neck arching to grant me better access. I've never wanted anyone as much as I wanted Alice in that moment. Her hands gripped my sides and my hips instinctively ground into her. I moaned as the friction wreaked havoc on my body. Gasping I broke away from her.

We both breathed heavily. I closed my eyes when I saw the lust in her gaze. An emotion I knew would reflect in my own. "Look at me Isabella." She requested softly.

"I can't." I whispered.

"Why?" I could hear the frustration in her voice. I opened them and looked at her. Her eyes were smouldering, she licked her bottom lip and a pang of want coursed through me. Fuck. Slowly I leaned forward, only stopping when my lips was inches away from hers.

"For the same reason why I can't be around you." I whispered against her mouth. "Because Princess, you make me feel something I've never felt before." I kissed her, this time the kiss was slow, almost sensual. I broke away desperately, trying to stay in control. "And Princess, those feeling scare the shit out of me. Because we both know that we can never be together." I pulled her slightly forward and reached around her opening the door.

"Isabella..."

I placed a finger on her lips silencing her. I traced her bottom lip with my finger, smiling softly. "I'm not sorry this happened. In fact, I'll treasure the memory for as long as I can remember it."

"Isabella, please listen..."

I walked backwards shaking my head. "This cannot happen again."

"Isabella please don't..."

I closed the door. Feeling like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. My head screamed at me to open the door. I turned away from the door and broke into a run only stopping once I reached my truck.

This is what needs to be done. This is the right choice. Then why does it feel like I've made the biggest mistake of my life?

_ Friday night _

I glanced at my watch. Only a minute has passed since I looked at it a moment ago. "Do you have somewhere better to be?" Esme asked. "You've glanced at your watch at least a hundred times by now."

I washed the last grime from a plate, before rinsing it and placing it on the rack. "Not really." I washed another plate and then lifted my arm to look at my watch again. Then I realised what I was doing and gave Esme a sheepish grin. "Charlie is taking Alice to the airport and we sort of had this..." Make out session? Fight? First kiss? All of the above? "Thing. I don't know if the distance is a good thing or if it would be better to talk about it before she leaves."

She smiled and made her way to me, engulfing me in a hug. "You're in love with her." She phrased it like a statement, not a question.

"Is it stamped on my forehead? This loser fell in love with Alice Brandon?" I asked, feeling a bit calmer. She smelled like vanilla and I briefly wondered if this was what mothers would do to comfort their daughters?

"Falling in love with someone does not make you a loser."

I snorted stepping away from her. "No, falling for the one person in the world that I cannot be with makes me a big fucking moron."

She snapped a washcloth at me, hitting my thigh. "Language." She scolded me. I rubbed my thigh, jutting my lip out. "Be careful. You might trip on that lip if you make that pout any faker." I laughed at her little joke and then stopped abruptly when I remembered that I wasn't supposed to be happy. Esme noticed the shift in my demeanour and gave me a knowing look. "What time does she leave?"

I glanced at my watch. "In ten minutes."

She smiled. "And to think, not long ago you would have answered not soon enough."

I sighed. "Yeah, tell me about it. She kind of grew on me."

"So why are you still standing here?"

I looked up at her hopefully just as Carlisle walked into the kitchen. "Hello ladies, what's going on?"

"Bella was just leaving and you are going to cover her shift for her." Esme said winking at me.

He did a double take. "Sorry, what?"

I shoved my latex gloves at him. "Thank you Doc!" I was through the kitchen door before he could protest. Heads turned towards me as I rushed through the coffee house.

"Bella, what is going..."

"Not now Jane. I got to go." I hastily interrupted her. I slipped out of the door, narrowly missing a couple making their way inside. "Sorry!" I shouted as I slipped and slide my way towards my truck. It just had to snow, didn't it? I cursed as I dropped the keys, trying to unlock the door at top speed. I scooped them up and opened the door on my fourth attempt. I slammed the door shut, already turning the key in the ignition. The truck roared to life. I punched the petrol, only to slam on the breaks. A car drove passed me, the driver giving me the finger while abusing his car horn. "Fuck. Drive much?" I talked to myself checking to see if the road was clear. I pulled away, the engine protesting heavily at the speed I tried to coax from it. "Come on. Relive your glory days or something. Just get me to Alice on time." I urged on the old engine, as I ran a red light.

Gravel sprayed in all directions when I finally stopped in the driveway. Emmett walked out of my house, giving me a friendly wave. "You're about half an hour late."

My heart dropped to my stomach. "What?"

"Your father wanted an early start. He was afraid they might hit traffic or something." Traffic? In Forks? Seriously? The cockblocker! I kicked at the gravel in frustration. "Alice tried to stall him." Emmett continued, "But she ran out of things that she could forget inside."

My head snapped up. "Alice tried to stall?" That was good news right?

He nodded his head giving me a goofy smile. "Yup, sure did. She also kept staring down the road like a lost puppy." My heart travelled back to the region of my chest. He poked me suddenly. "You two had sex didn't you?"

"What? No!" I wish.

"So I can keep this letter then?" He pulled a pink piece of paper out of his back pocket.

"You waited all this time before telling me she left me a letter?" I accused trying to grab the piece of paper from him.

He held the letter high above his head. "You thought I was hanging out at your house all alone for no apparent reason?"

I grabbed his arm, trying to pull it down with all my weight. It barely moved. "I just figured," I said out of breath. "That you would like to cross-dress, in a non-judgemental environment."

He chuckled, moving the paper to his other hand. "Well done Sherlock. You caught me. My first stop was your underwear drawer."

I stopped jumping around like a jack-in-a-box, my hands in my sides as I tried to catch my breath. "Fine, Nosy. We kissed, okay? Now can I have the letter please?"

He smiled triumphantly. "Must have been one heck of a kiss." He commented holding the piece of paper towards me.

I grabbed it. "Sure was. Now go explore my underwear drawer or something. I would like to read the letter in private."

He tilted his head as if thinking about it. "Tempting but I'll rather go have some sex with my girlfriend." He gave me a bear hug. "Besides, I already read it." I smacked his side, hurting my hand in the process. He just laughed, whistling all the way to his Jeep. "Catch you later."

When he left I opened the letter and stared at the single line.

Do not give up on us so easily.

A/n Note to self, writing a scene where the character rushes to get somewhere is more difficult than one would think. End of note. More time went into making sure the flow and feel of this chapter was just right, than actually writing it.

To all the readers that patiently wait for the updates, thank you for sticking with this story. Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I didn't have time to thank you personally but it is much appreciated. Anonymous reviewers, thank you for your feedback as well, it's just as much appreciated.

Till next time.