"Alice?!" I gasped, holding my hand over my rapidly beating heart. "What are you doing here, you scared me half to death!"
The small pixie like girl twirled away from the window before landing gracefully on the bed next to me, I envied her ease of movement for a moment before my eyes narrowed at her sly expression.
"Or was it Aro you were missing?" Her tone expressed perfect innocence but I knew better than to be taken in by those doe eyes.
"You had a vision didn't you? What did you see?" I asked, still trying to regain my breath.
"Just you… Making a decision." She examined her perfect nails with an air of nonchalance and flicked her hair away from her heart shaped face. "I must say Bella, it certainly took you long enough!"
I huffed and reached down to the side of my bed to recover the laptop. I gave it a once over to check it wasn't broken before I placed it on my nightstand. "Yes, well, I wasn't exactly expecting the leader of the Volturi to be sending me gifts!"
At this she looked genuinely confused. "You weren't? Bella everyone saw the way he looked at you in Italy."
"Like dinner, I was just a blood bag to him." I said, even unconvincing to myself. Alice shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Trust me, I've seen him feed… That isn't his technique." When I shot her a confused look she continued. "Think lion versus gazelle. There is no toying with his prey, it's not in his nature. He pounces and tears them apart."
I shuddered at that and my eyes distanced as I pictured the scene, realising just who exactly it was that I had been talking to. Alice pulled my face back to face her own. "Oh no you don't, you knew what he was when you figured it out yourself. Don't go back on your choice now! All i'm saying is that you definitely weren't dinner to him, the way he was with you Bella…"
"Why are you here now anyway, you've been ignoring me for weeks?" I rapidly changed the subject to try and quell the butterflies that swarmed my gut. It worked as a look of total dejection appeared on Alice's beautiful face and the butterflies disappeared to be replaced by a deep shame.
"I'm sorry Bella, I couldn't come near you until you figured it out yourself. I saw what Edward would do if I told you." A haunted look appeared in her eyes and I reached out my hand to cover hers, smiling reassuringly.
"It's okay, I understand. Thank you for coming."
She smiled at me brightly before her eyes glanced to the laptop and then back at me. "Can't get enough of him then?" She asked.
I felt heat suffuse my face and I picked at a loose thread on my duvet covers. "I like talking to him, he's…" I paused as I thought for a word to describe it. "Interesting?" The word fell short of describing just how intrigued I was by this man, but Alice understood.
"He certainly is that. I've never seen you like this, not even with Edward." She glanced at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, but you weren't. You were fascinated by him and like all the other humans swooned over his appearance but you weren't like this." She gestured between me and the laptop and I knew she was right.
"You mean behaving like a clingy lovesick girl?" I said only half joking as Alice shared my quiet laughter.
"Sort of. But mostly because you enjoy talking to him so much. I remember when I first found Jasper. We could have spoken for hours about anything. That's the stuff that matters you know, over time, otherwise you just get bored of each other… like you and Edwa-" She stopped talking suddenly and bowed her head in shame. I touched my hand to hers again and smiled at her gently.
"It's ok Alice, you're right. We did get bored of each other… Conversation between us was just so awkward." She perked up at that and smiled back before launching into a detailed conversation regarding her relationship advice for me, and I couldn't help but be lifted by her enthusiasm. It was nice to have someone to talk to about this sort of thing.
"Don't you think the age gap is a bit… big?" I asked her quietly when conversation had lulled. Her gaze was one of utmost seriousness as she held mine.
"No, I don't." She said simply and rolled one elegant shoulder in a shrug. "Age is just a number Bella, we're frozen at the age we turned. I presume you mean the human age gap and not the thousands of years he has on you?"
I rolled my eyes at her sarcastic tone before I nodded. "Yeah, I mean isn't he like forty?"
"His body was before he turned." She supplied. "Well, I'd say late thirties but that doesn't matter. The point is Bella that he isn't human, his body has no signs of age. I'd wager most humans wouldn't even be able to guess his age because we are suspended in such a supernatural state of stasis, even I struggle sometimes. Plenty of people used to think Carlisle and I…" She trailed off laughing and shaking her head, her short hair flicked in all directions. "Anyway, back in his time it was normal for men of that age to take young brides, even younger than you! By his era's standards you're practically middle aged." Alice winked at me and I couldn't help but laugh into my hand.
"I suppose that's true. How old were they, like fifteen?"
"Probably younger." Her tone was serious and I felt a moment of pity for all of those young girls who so long ago were forced out of childhood and thrust abruptly into the arms of men three times their age.
"I don't know it just seems weird." I twisted my fingers together and realised that I was glad Alice was here to help me air all the thoughts I'd had and sort through them properly.
"That's because you're thinking about it too much." She said and I knew she was right. I always over analysed everything until I decided it wasn't such a good idea and changed my mind about it.
"Ok, you're right. Was there anything else Alice? I hate to be rude but I do need sleep." I smirked at her wryly as she rolled her eyes and stood from my bed.
"Yes, actually there was. If you can bear to be around my family… The Volturi have been invited for dinner and I was wondering if you perhaps wanted to be my plus one… But If you don't want to I totally understa-"
"Yes!" I cut her off whispering loudly, breathlessly. "Yes of course I want to are you insane?"
"It wont be easy to hide my thoughts from Edward and Aro…" She said and I knew she was toying with me. She could hide her thoughts easily enough she just wanted to watch me squirm and beg, wanted to know how desperate I was to see Aro again.
"Just keep imaging Jasper naked, that will keep Edward out… As for Aro just don't touch him!"
"My, getting a little possessive already aren't we?" Alice chimed as she artfully dodged the cushion I had thrown at her head.
"Alice!" I growled in frustration and warning.
"Okay, okay. Its tomorrow night, i'll come pick you up at seven. By the way, Charlie's awake."
I glanced at the door and realised she was right as I heard my fathers bed creak as he got out of it. "Wait." I said as something occurred to me. "What do you mean dinner? You don't eat!" I whipped my head back around to see that she was gone and before I could call out her name to get her back my bedroom door opened slightly.
"Bells?" Charlie's sleep roughened voice called from the other side. "What's going on?"
"Sorry dad, nightmare. Go back to sleep I'm fine." I pulled the covers higher and made a show of turning away from him.
"I thought those had stopped?" He stepped into the room and I closed my eyes in frustration.
"It wasn't about that, just an old childhood one. Scary man chasing me down the street and I can't run because my feet feel like sludge. You know the ones." I dismissed it and glanced over my shoulder to smile at him sleepily.
"Oh yeah, I remember those." He smiled back at me fondly. "Want me to make you warm milk and sit with you till you fall asleep like I used to?"
"No dad." I laughed. "Its fine, i'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."
I sighed in relief as the door clicked shut behind him and I knew I would be very lucky if I got any sleep at all tonight. Tomorrow I would meet Aro Volturi for the second time and this time I would be the one in the position of power.
Perhaps I could finally wear the pearl earrings that were originally intended for my graduation.
A/N: Don't be too angry at me. *Hides* Come on now you didn't think it would be him in her room did you? Far too out of character and rude for him to show up in her room uninvited… He isn't Edward! I had a different kind of first meeting 'post' correspondence in mind anyway. Please review and let me know what you think.