Thank you to The Psychic Dreamer, BurnLobelia, aurike, wonderful-sunset, purpleriverah29 and AliceCullensTwinENA for reviewing. You are wonderful, lovely, beautiful people and I love all of your reviews! :D


Chapter Nine

Alice walked out of the cupboard and straightened her clothing, she got a few odd stares from people walking past, but she remained indignant and walked away to the school canteen where Jessica and Rosalie were waiting. Jasper's little speech had got her thinking and the distraction showed as they asked her what was wrong. When she explained, they did their best not to look pitiful and just try to give her a little sympathy and encouragement that she did the right thing. They all knew what Jasper was like and they knew that Alice was too good for him.

"Don't worry, he's not worth it," Jessica said kindly.

"Yeah, you made the right choice." Rosalie chipped in, but Alice grimaced.

"Did I?"

They both nodded and Alice decided to drop the subject before she started to bore them both and ended up with them complaining about her talking about it so much. Her eyes kept wandering to the table directly across from her where Jasper sat. He didn't look back at her, just kept spinning the lid of his water bottle on the table. Any girls that came near him or tried to comfort him would be swatted away like some annoying fly had just started buzzing around his head.

Oh well, he'll be back to normal in a few days. Alice thought, in such a way that she convinced herself of this fact... sort of.

But he wasn't back to his old self in a matter of days. In fact, as the days went by he grew worse. Everyday was the same, and everyday he and everyone on his table grew more and more miserable. He was obviously the life and soul – the entertainer of the group, the one who knew how to make you smile and how to make you laugh. His feeling low had set everyone around him in a downcast mood. There was no end to the amount of attempts there were to cheer him up, but he would always look as solemn and serious as ever. Alice tried not to think about it too much – his being so down couldn't all be down to her rejection. She didn't want to think of herself getting too much of a big head.

But it was down to her, Jasper had never actually liked a girl so intensely before and it didn't take much to be more intense than the other girls. All those dates and girlfriends he had were simply matters of attraction to their looks – he had had no interest in their personality. But with Alice, sure she was beautiful, but there was something about her that he wanted to get to know. Someone more fun and bubbly than the sharp and serious girl that he had grown to be accustomed to.

Alice's mind was taken off of things by the school councils organisation of a school dance. It was formal and girl's choice to make things more uncomfortable for the girls. The date had been set for only 3 months away, so there was a lot of planning to do and everyone to tell – which wasn't too hard, just give each year an assembly and tell them that way. But she had to think about the way it would be designed, any themes, music, food, drinks, etc. She had no time to think of anything else. Her friends were glad of this as they didn't want to have the sad, soppy kind of Alice they had seen that one particular lunchtime. It wasn't the Alice they were used to.

2 and a half months later...

It was getting closer to the date now and more and more girls were panicking that there would be no-one left to invite. Jasper, of course had had many invitations of confident girls and even one of a very shy girl that he had never seen before. He had turned them all down, he didn't care if it was girl's choice. He wanted to go to this dance and he wanted to go with Alice.

"Alice?" He asked, stopping the little lioness in her tracks. Storming speedily through the halls to get to the next port of call – or her next poor victim.

Her stomach lurched when she saw him and then she felt a pang of guilt. He was clearly still not himself whilst she had barely given him a second though in 2 months.

"Are you going to dance?" He asked and then punched himself in the head mentally. Of course she would be going, she's was arranging everything. Alice raised an eyebrow and almost smiled as he furrowed his brow at his own mistake. "I mean, would you like to go with me?I know it's girls choice, but -" He asked, voice slightly shaky with nerves for one of the few times in his life.

"No, I'm sorry." Alice tried to look as apologetic as possible even though she was only staying away from him because it was the right thing to do. She didn't want to get involved in something where she would only get hurt.

The old Jasper sparked inside of the empty shell that was the current Jasper as he felt the feeling of rejection for the second time from the tiny girl.

"Why? You never go on dates with anyone? Are you a lesbian or something?" He remarked, but realised he had said something terrible as he saw her eyes flash like they would burn a hole through his head. Anger seething and slithering through her body like snakes.

"So what if I was? How dare you make that accusation! You think everyone loves you and they don't. You're a pathetic little man-whore. For your information, I turned you down because I've already asked someone!" Alice shouted, furious that he would accuse her of something like that just because he got rejected. But she regretted it the moment the words came out from her lips. Alice hadn't asked anyone, she was planning on going alone because she had to make sure things went smoothly. Now she had to find someone decent, and quick. She felt like an utter idiot at that moment.

"Yeah? Who?" He asked, getting worked up. The anger was leaving him now, and he was left with a small bubble of hurt.

She sighed and looked round the room for someone worthy. There he was, tall, gorgeous, funny and best of all? Jasper's brother.

"James Whitlock." She replied with a smug look on her face. His jaw dropped as she walked away towards James. She grabbed his hand whilst Jasper was still looking and took him round the corner trying to ignore the shocked face he was pulling. James was a year younger than Jasper and in Alice's year. Once they got round the corner, she grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt and pulled him along a bit further to make sure nobody could hear their conversation.

"You're not going with anyone to the dance are you?"

"Nahhh, I wasn't goin-"

"Perfect, you can go with me." Alice announced with a smile.

"I can?" James asked, slightly suspicious of her reasons. He knew all about Jasper and Alice's complicated version of a relationship. Not that she was with him in any shape or form. But James was sure that this was all to make his brother jealous. He didn't want to hurt his brother. But he wasn't going to tell Alice no, either. She could be scary as hell.

"Yep, also. If anyone asks – I asked you to go with me a week ago – okay?" She asked and James nodded politely. Then he shrugged and made his way over to the canteen leaving Alice to take a few deep breaths and calm herself now that the panic was over. Then she walked over to the quiet hall that contained the lockers. The room was empty of people, spacious and light. The row of lockers created a small shadow and Alice walked over to her own locker putting the code in the lock and opening the door, hearing the dull creak and the clash as the door hit the other lockers. She applied her make-up quietly, appreciative of the silence that allowed her to think.


So, I know I haven't uploaded a chapter in a looooooonnnnggg while. But this was the first time it felt good to write something. It's not very long, I would have hoped for a lot longer. But considering that this is an improvement on my old version and three of this version's chapters are all from chapter 7 of my old version, I think that's pretty good! So, enjoy and review! :D

Jas.. x