(Bella's POV)

The day actually wasn't too bad. Sure, people stared and whispered. But as soon as they started, Alice shot a death glare at them and they quickly shut up.

Spanish was the hardest.

Before the bell rang, Jessica slid into her seat and glanced at me. I quickly looked away, but not before seeing her mouth the word, "slut".

I turned my attention to my notes.

"Hey, bitch!" I heard Alice whisper. I looked up to see Jessica look at her innocently.

"Yeah, you," she continued. "Say one word to Bella and I swear to God I will make your life a living hell!"

Jessica just rolled her eyes.

"Oh you think I'm joking? Or you're thinking there's no possible way that little ol' Alice could beat you up?" She reached across my desk to grab Jessica's arm.

"Ow!" She complained.

Alice just tightened her grip.

"Let go, Alice," I pleaded. I didn't want anyone getting hurt.

Alice shot one last glare at Jessica before dropping her arm.

The rest of Spanish went without incident, and then it was time for lunch. I was anxious to see Jasper again, though Alice had made the day much easier so far.

"Thanks," I told her, as we gathered up our stuff to head to the cafeteria.

She smiled. "No problem." She eyed my old beat up t-shirt and jeans. "We have to go shopping sometime."

I laughed, already knowing that Alice was into fashion based on the designer clothes she wore. "Sure, that sounds fun." I usually hated shopping but I had a feeling it wouldn't be so bad with Alice.

"How about today after school?"

"Sounds great."

We made out way to the cafeteria and sat at our usual table.

Jasper joined us a few minutes later. "Hey gorgeous," he said as he sat down next to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek, which made me blush.

"Hey Jazz."

"How's school been so far?"

"Jessica already almost got her ass kicked by Alice."

He laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Alice."

She just smiled innocently.


Biology passed with no problems, and before I knew it, the last bell was ringing and I was skipping with Alice out to the parking lot.

Truth be told, I was a little nervous. Jasper wouldn't be with us, and I get anxious in big crowds of people.

We stopped in front of yet another of the expensive cars that I had come to expect from the Cullens. This one was a bright yellow 911 Turbo Porsche.

Jasper's black Porsche was no where to be found and I panicked, hoping he hadn't already left yet. I tried to hide it... but apparently I failed.

Alice laughed. "Calm down Bella! You're heart's beating out of your chest right now. Jasper's still here. He just drove my car over for me. He's leaving with Edward."

Thank God.

As if on cue, Jasper and Edward appeared next to the Volvo. "Hey gorgeous," Jasper said, pulling me into his arms.

"Hey Jazz," I muttered, burying my face in his shirt. I already felt better.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay without me?"

Truthfully, I wasn't sure, but I nodded anyway.

He kissed my cheek. "Okay then, you should probably get going. I'll be in your room when you get home."

I stood on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips. "I love you."

He rested his forehead against mine. "I love you too, Bells."

And then I pulled away and let Alice drag me off to the mall.

"Stick to the speed limit!" Jasper screamed to her as she peeled out of the parking lot.

Alice just laughed.


(Jasper's POV)

I was still worried about Bella, but I knew Alice would take care of her.

I watched the yellow Porsche peel out of the parking lot until it was well out of sight before getting into the front seat of Edward's Volvo.

Rosalie was looking pretty impatient in the backseat and I just rolled my eyes as Edward sped towards home.

"I still don't see what you see in that stupid girl," Rosalie muttered angrily.

"She's not stupid," I said through clenched teeth.

"Yes she is. You could do way better than her."

I turned in my seat so I could see Rosalie. "Just shut the fuck up. You're just jealous."

"Of her?" She laughed obnoxiously.

"You wnana know something Rose? I shouldn't even be telling you this, but I love Bella, and she needs me. I need to show her that not all guys are total dickwads like that motherfucker of a step-dad who raped her!"

That quickly shut her up and the guilt poured out of her in truckloads.

I wasn't counting on her and Bella ever becoming BFFs, but I had a feeling that Rosalie would make it a point to be nicer to my girlfriend from now on.


(Bella's POV)

Alice slowed down once we were on the highway, thank God. I felt like my heart would explode from how fast it was beating.

Once I had calmed down, we just cruised along on the virtually deserted stretch of highway in comfortable silence. The radio played some cheesy pop song.

After another few minutes, Alice reached over and shut off the radio before glancing over at me. "Bella, can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure. What?" I asked.

"I uh, well, I had a vision of you telling Jazz about... well, what happened to you. So, I was wondering..." She trailed off. Poor girl, she was so afraid of setting me off.

"It's okay Alice. I think I already know what you're gonna ask. But what is it?"

"Well... how come you're so comfortable around him?" She glanced at me and quickly turned back to the road. "Not that I'm not happy for you," she quickly added.

"That's a good question." Normally, anyone else in my situation would be scared shitless of people in general, not to mention guys. But here I was, with a sweet, loving boyfriend and I was A-OK with it.

"I guess Jazz is just different. I still get nervous around people, guys especially, but I don't around Jasper. He just has this... calming presence that always makes me feel safe. Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it does. He's protective of me too, just in a big brother kinda way..."

"Yeah, I can tell." I'd already observed the dynamics of Alice and Jasper's relationship and it was clear to me that Alice was like a sister to him, though they weren't related by blood.

Due to the slower speed, we made it to the mall in Seattle in about an hour, instead of the fifteen minutes it probably would have taken with the higher speeds Alice usually drove at.

She parked the car in the parking lot and I managed to step out without tripping for once.

Alice grabbed my hand. "You ready?" She was grinning from ear to ear, and I knew I was in trouble.

I laughed. "I don't know. That smile of yours is kinda unsettling."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I won't torture you... too much."

"Oh great," I muttered sarcastically.

She just laughed that soprano, bell-like laugh of hers and pulled me towards one of the bigger department stores. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

It did end up being pretty fun. Alice dragged me from store to store, making me try on dozens of outfits in each- thankfully, most of them were my style...

"Oh my God! That looks sooo cute! We have to get it!" Alice squealed over the outfit I'd just come out of the dressing room wearing. She'd already bought me four bagfuls of stuff, and I felt bad, but she convinced me that it was no big deal.

I forced myself not to look at the price tag when she had thrust the skirt and shirt combo at me and now I looked down at myself and then looked back at her. "You really think so?"

It was a dress, and until this point I honestly would never be caught dead in a dress. But this one was actually pretty cute. It was red and black leopard print with a black corset belt cinching it in at the waist with spaghetti straps. It was pretty short, so I'd paired it with a pair of black leggings. The look was completed with a pair of red flats (I'd insisted on no heels, and Alice agreed).

Alice stood up and examined the outfit. "I love it. But there is definitely something missing."

She left and was back in a few seconds with something on a hanger. "Here. Try this on."

It was a cardigan sweater. A simple, black cardigan. And it went with the dress perfectly.

"I love it!" I was actually really excited. "It looks so..."

"Rockabilly?" Alice offered.

"Yeah. Kinda."

"So we're getting it?" She asked hopefully.

I sighed. "Yes. We'll get it. Just don't tell me how much it costs."

She laughed. "Deal."

We shopped for a few more hours, and ended up with ten bags each. They barely fit in her car!

I was wearing the leopard print dress.

Alice dropped me off at my house around nine o'clock, and by then I was just about ready to pass out.

"Think you can carry it all in yourself?" She asked.

"Um... why don't I take half and you can bring the rest over tomorrow."

She smiled. "Sounds great." She leaned over the seat and kissed me on the cheek (I would have to get used to that). "See you tomorrow, Bella!" She said cheerfully.

I hugged her. "Bye Alice!"

I grabbed five of my bags and kicked the car door closed with my foot.

Alice raced off and I headed up the front steps to the door.

I unlocked it with some difficulty due to the amount of bags I was holding and went inside.

The TV was blasting, and I knew Charlie had fallen asleep in front of it again.

I set my bags down and made my way to the living room to see what I knew I would find- Charlie, fast asleep with a pair of chopsticks dangling from one hand and leftover Chinese food takeout boxes strewn over the coffee table. One was balanced precariously on his chest and I reached over and grabbed it before it could spill.

"Dad. Wake up." I shook him gently and he opened his eyes.

"Bells? That you?" He asked sleepily.

"Yeah. You fell asleep in front of the couch. Go up to your room."

He got up unsteadily and made his way upstairs while I cleaned up his mess and turned the TV off. Then I grabbed the only unopened takeout box that I knew he'd gotten for me, grabbed a pair of chopsticks and went upstairs. I'd deal with the bags later.

I pushed my door open and was a little startled to see Jasper sitting on my bed. I'd forgotten that he said he'd be here when I got home.

"Hey Bells," he said with a shy smile and open arms.

I walked over to the bed and settled myself on his lap and rested my head on his shoulder as his arms circled around me and held me close. "Nice dress," he commented.

"Oh. Right." I looked down at the dress I forgot I was wearing and blushed. "Thanks."

"You look beautiful."

I reached up and kissed his jaw before resting my head back on his shoulder with a big, goofy grin on my face. "Thank you."

"So how was shopping?"

"Not as torturous as I thought it would be."

He laughed. "Well that's good."

My stomach chose this time to growl and Jasper laughed again. "I should probably let you eat, huh?" He didn't let go of me, but instead moved so he was leaning back against my headboard.

I repositioned myself in his lap and his arms went around my waist so my arms were free.

I opened up the takeout box and dug into the orange chicken and rice that Charlie had gotten me.

"So, shopping was fun?"

I nodded.

I finished up my food quickly and set the empty takeout box on my desk, suppressing a yawn in the process. "You should go to sleep. It's late," Jasper told me.

"That sounds like a good idea."

He let go of me so I could get up and go to the bathroom to change and brush my teeth.

I was back within five minutes, and he hadn't moved a muscle since then. But when I closed the door behind me, he turned to me and smiled before scooting over on the bed and pulling the covers back for me.

I hung the dress I'd been wearing up in my closet before making my way to the bed and crawling under the covers next to Jasper, who immediately wrapped his arms around me securely.

I was used to his icy cold skin by now, but I was still wearing a hoodie to bed so I wouldn't get too cold.

He reached over me to turn my lamp off before kissing my forehead and whispering, "Sweet dreams, Bells. I love you."

I mumbled, "I loves you too, Jazzy." And then I was fast asleep.


A/N: Here's the new chapter! =] Not much else to say except... Merry Christmas bitches! Even though Christmas is not until Thursday. BUT, it is Hanukkah today so Happy Hanukkah everyone! ^_^ Hugs for anyone who can guess which movie the "Merry Christmas Bitches" line comes from!!!! And as usual, thank you to BlessedBeACullen for giving me the opportunity to write this fic. =]

Oh, and Bella's dress will be on my profile!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!!!!!!!!!!