CHAPTER 10

As I had expected, none of them paid attention to me and I was glad. I didn't know much about Alice's relationship with Jasper except that whatever was happening was going very fast but I couldn't help feeling that Alice needed Jasper. I didn't know him but I felt he was right for her. Besides, who was I to comment on their relationship? I had never been in one to know one.

It took me nearly forty five minutes to clean up but I felt much better after that. I stood wrapped in Alice's dressing gown as I dried my hair. Then I realized that I had forgotten to ask Alice for extra clothes.

Shit. Now I would have to interrupt her make out session and I didn't want to see it. But I didn't have a choice. I knocked at the bathroom's door.

"Alice" I called loudly.

There was no response. Damn! I knocked and called her more loudly this time. Still no response. I couldn't hear any kissing sounds as well. What was happening? I opened the door and peeped out. It was empty. Where had Jasper and Alice gone? But it was better this way. I decided to take some clothes from Alice's wardrobe.

I stepped out of the washroom and walked to the door of the wardrobe quietly. I wanted to return before any of them returned and saw my scarred legs. I selected a pair of full sleeved white shirt and black trousers. They were the only ones that seemed capable of covering my full body otherwise Alice was into short clothes. I was lucky I found these.

I turned and gasped as I felt myself being pushed against the door of the wardrobe.

"Now this" Edward whispered "is what I was looking for"

ALICE

I sighed blissfully as Jasper sucked my earlobe. God, this guy was like a drug. The more I had, the more I wanted. I clutched his hair and roughly pulled his lips back to mine. When he was around, I had no control.

We ravished each other's mouth. It had been twelve hours since I had last kissed him and already it felt like forever.

"Alice, Alice" Jasper murmured as he slipped his hand inside my t-shirt and clasped the hooks of my bra. "You are mine, only mine"

I smiled against his lips and pushed his hand away from my bra's hooks. I wanted to tease him and I was going to do it. I pushed him back but he didn't let go of me.

"Not today Alice" he breathed harshly and I marveled at the desire in his eyes. The desire that was there only for me. "Today you're not going to push me away" he said and clasped my hands tightly in one hand. With the other hand he cupped my breast and squeezed it.

"Jasper" I gasped as I felt a sharp surge of pleasure. Jasper pulled me close and shifted our positions. He stepped back and we fell on the bed kissing like crazy. I shuddered as he removed my t-shirt hastily and placed wet open mouthed kisses all over my neck.

"Alice" Jasper said in a voice thick with passion and turned. Now I was beneath him and he was kissing the living daylights out of me. I was drowning in the pool of pleasure when I felt a sharp surge of panic.

"Oh no. What is he doing here?"

"Bella!" I gasped. Jasper looked at me in concern.

"Alice?" he asked as sweat beads appeared on my forehead. "Are you alright?"

I looked at him then pushed him aside. Quietly, I picked my t-shirt that he had thrown nearby and got up from the bed. I walked to the window so that there was a considerable distance between us. I needed this distance to think clearly otherwise Jasper's proximity was enough to ruin my concentration.

"Why is Edward here Jasper?" I asked quietly.

Jasper tensed and so did I. None of us wanted to argue but it seemed we were going to.

"He heard about what happened with you and Bella. He wanted to see her" he replied in the same quiet voice.

"Why?" I turned to look at him.

"Come on Alice you know why" he spread his hands.

"No I don't" I said immediately and felt the same old anger rising in me again. "I don't know because I don't understand. Edward treats Bella like shit. He wants to break her"

"No he doesn't" Jasper denied immediately. "He doesn't want to break Bella. He just wants her to leave"

"Why is he being so stubborn about it? So what if Bella is different? She doesn't deserve this!" I nearly cried at the unfairness of the situation.

"Edward doesn't deserve this either!" Jasper said angrily and I balled my fists. The fight was inevitable now.

"Bella is a lot more than he gives her credit for. I know it. I have seen it, I have felt it for god's sake. He can't get anybody better than her" I shouted.

"That's for him to decide" Jasper looked away.

"Really? Why? Just because Bella is human? That's so not an excuse for the way he's treating her!" Why couldn't Jasper get it?

"He can do whatever he likes. It's his right"

"Only on you guys" I took a step closer as my anger increased. "He doesn't have any right on Bella or me. I can't see her getting hurt because of him"

"Why do you have to interfere? Why don't you let her decide what she wants?" Jasper asked in an exasperated voice.

"I know what she wants. She just wants a home because she has been running all her life. And Edward is taking it away from her" I felt hot angry tears spring in my eyes as I recalled Bella's eyes when she had told me that she had run away from home. She had tried very hard to mask her vulnerability but I had seen it. And it had pained me.

"Don't you think you're thinking too much about her?" Jasper said in a sarcastic voice. "She hasn't even told you much about herself. Then why are you siding with her?"

I remained quiet. Jasper was right here. I knew Bella was keeping many secrets from me and I practically knew nothing about her but still, I trusted her. I didn't know who she was, but I knew who she was going to be. And I couldn't tell Jasper, not yet.

"It's a two way street" I said quietly. "Even I'm keeping many things from her. That keeps us on an equal square"

"Really?" Jasper asked with a dry laugh. "Do you seriously think you can balance the information you're hiding from her from what she's hiding from you? She is just hiding her past life. If she tells about it to you tomorrow, it won't be a big deal where as you're hiding the very existence of us. If Bella comes to know about it tomorrow and decides to misuse it, that would mean an end of all of us"

"She would never do that!" I yelled as my anger reached its peak. "I know Bella. I trust her!"

"On what basis?" Jasper yelled back.

After a tense silence of few minutes, I finally replied. "I can't tell you. You won't understand" I looked away.

Jasper came and turned me roughly. "You're damn right I won't" he growled. "How can I, when you don't say anything? It has been two days, two bloody days since you and I discovered that we are meant to be together yet you aren't letting me claim you! Why Alice?"

All the fight drained out of me and tears popped out of my eyes before I could stop them.

"Do you love me?" I whispered.

Jasper's hold on my arms went slack and he stepped back. He looked at me in shock. "What are you saying?" he croaked.

"It's a simple question Jasper" I whispered. "Do you love me?"

"Alice, I..." He couldn't understand what to say and turned away as he ran his hand through his hair uncomfortably. "I don't know" he finally admitted.

I felt my heart breaking and the pain was unbearable. When Bella had asked me whether I loved Jasper or not, I had been shocked because she had asked me my biggest fear, my biggest insecurity. I couldn't answer the question whether I loved Jasper until and unless I knew his answer.

"You want my body, my soul, my loyalty and my devotion" I whispered.

"You would have mine too" he said in an exasperated voice, still not looking at me.

"But you aren't giving me what I really want! Love, Jasper" I said in a broken voice. "I want love. Can you give it to me?"

His silence answered my question.

It hurt, it hurt like hell. Then why wasn't there any sound? My heart was shattering goddamn it! Then why wasn't there any sound, like the sound of a glass getting broken?

"Jasper, please leave" I said and looked away. I couldn't bear to look at him anymore. It was too painful.

I felt his arms going around my waist and his chin on my shoulder. I shuddered at his warm proximity but I didn't turn to hug him. I had to protect myself. I couldn't break.

"Alice" he said in an agonized voice. "Please don't do this. We'll figure something about"

"You need to figure out your heart Jasper" I said quietly. "if you have one" I finished.

After a moment, I felt his arms leaving me and bit my tongue to stop myself from screaming. I so badly wanted to be in those arms but I knew I was doing the right thing. It was better to break it off now before it got too intense and deep that I and Jasper found ourselves unable to handle it later. That would be the ultimate doom, of all of us.

I felt him going near the door.

"And Jasper?" I said and looked at him.

He turned and looked at him. I nearly flinched from the agony in his eyes but somehow I held my ground. "Tell Edward to either accept Bella or stay away from her" I said tonelessly. "I'm not going to put up with his treatment of her"

Jasper's eyes hardened as his face got wiped of all the emotions. He wasn't my Jasper anymore. He was Jasper Montero, Edward's ever loyal and faithful best friend.

"And if he doesn't?" he challenged.

I took a deep breath. "Then I'll have to stop him" I replied.

Anger brimmed in Jasper's eyes. How could he look so handsome even while so angry? "You won't be able to...I won't let you"

I hardened my heart. This wasn't about us anymore. This was about Bella, and I wasn't going to make any compromises regarding that.

"Then I'll fight with you first" I said.

BELLA

"What are you doing here?" I gasped as I tried to rationalize my thoughts. My heart was crashing against my chest.

Edwards ran his hand through my wet hair and brought them close to his nose. He inhaled their scent. I felt a warm sensation in the pit of my stomach and closed my eyes to enjoy it.

"Hmm. Beautiful" he muttered.

That opened my eyes. I wasn't beautiful. I wasn't. My entire body was a reminder of that. Oh shit! I was in Alice's dressing gown and though it covered my arms and upper body, it didn't cover my legs. Damn! Edward was still inhaling the smell of strawberry shampoo from my hair. He hadn't seen my legs yet. I had to do something before he saw them.

I tried to think but it was difficult with him so close and his proximity driving me nuts. What to do? What to do? Suddenly, I had an idea. Keeping my fingers crossed, I tried to soften my voice as much as possible.

"Edward" I whispered.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and I nearly curled at the dark desire flowing in them. God, how was I going to carry out when all I wanted was to cover that handsome face with kisses? I placed my arm under his chin. If he decided to look down then I could stop him.

"Why are you here?" I asked softly.

Edward let go of my hair and pulled me close. My heart came in contact with his and for a moment, I forgot what I was doing and why I was doing it.

"They hurt you because of me" he said in a slightly angry voice and ran a finger along my throat.

I smiled sadly and placed my other hand around his neck. I brought my face an inch closer to his. "I thought that's what you wanted" I said softly. "Me getting hurt, so that I would leave"

Edward closed his eyes and touched his forehead with mine. "I want you to leave" he said quietly. "But I don't want you to get hurt"

Why? And what was the logic behind all this discussion? Deciding to think about it later, I carried on my plan. I had to cover my legs first. I brought my lips close to his ear as my eyes focused at the back of his neck. "I told you to stay away from me" I whispered seductively. I really hoped it came out as seductive.

Edward's hold tightened on my waist and I closed my eyes in pleasure.

"I'm tired of trying to stay away from you Bella. I can't do that" he said quietly.

I was shocked. What did he just say? He was tired of trying to stay away from me? Did he really mean it?

My eyes found the nerve I was looking for and carefully so that I didn't raise his suspicions, I traced my fingers on it. I caressed the spot for a moment as Edward breathed in the crook of my neck. Ignoring the shivers that went down my spine, I closed my eyes and pressed the pressure point on his neck.

I held Edward tightly as his arms went slack and his entire body weight came on me as his legs gave away. He had fainted. I somehow balanced his weight on myself as I pushed him back so that he could lie on the bed. I pushed him on it but my hair got entangled with the buttons of his shirt and I fell over him. Breathless, I saw his absolutely perfect face. With his eyes closed, he looked all the more gorgeous. That rough hardness which was always present in his eyes had vanished. He looked like any normal guy except the difference was that he out beat all the normal guys.

I traced his nose and then his lips. They were soft and looked...yummy. I ran my hand all over his face and inhaled the sweet smell of pine. "Why?" I whispered. "Why did you come in my life?" I was about to get up when I felt tight arms around my waist pulling me back.

"Going somewhere?" Edward smirked. I was too shocked to respond as he slowly opened his eyes. "Trying to run away from me?" he taunted. In a swift movement, he shifted our positions and I was beneath him. "What happened to that fighter Bella? The one who was ready to show me my place?" he asked and slowly traced my lips with his fingers, the same way I had done his.

"You...you..." Darn! He was making me go crazy. I couldn't even formulate a proper sentence.

"I wanted to know what you were up to" he smirked. "So I just played along. I must say, I was both impressed and disappointed. Impressed because you know your moves Isabella Marie Swan" he said appreciatively. "Trying to make me faint by pressing the vulnerable spot, not bad" He leaned closer and our noses touched. "And disappointed because you couldn't see through my act. Did you really think I would let you overpower me? Haven't you learnt to deal with me...yet?"

So he hadn't been fooled by my seductive act. Not surprising at all. I must have acted terribly. Those boys were right. I didn't have it in me to lure any guy. But Edward had made me feel powerful. He had made me feel that my seductive charms could work on people. And now that I knew he had been acting all along, I was mad as hell.

"Get off me!" I said angrily and tried to push him away. Obviously, it was useless. He didn't budge an inch. "I said get off me!" I yelled and tried harder. Edward's smirk vanished at my repeated attempts to push him away. He held my wrists tightly in his hand and locked them above my head.

"Not so soon, Isabella" he said angrily and leaned closer.

"No!" I cried and turned my face away but Edward held my chin with his other hand and locked it in one place.

"I'm done waiting" he said.

"No!" I panicked and struggled harder but it was useless. My wrists were locked tightly and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't free my face. I tried to twist and managed to free my right leg. Screw the scars. I was going to hit him.

I hit his hamstring with my ankle as hard as I could at the point I knew would pain. That shifted my dressing gown slightly upward and revealed a hideous scar on my thigh but I didn't care. I wasn't going to let any guy overpower me, least of all Edward, who had the power to hurt me in a way nobody could. Edward winced. That gave me the moment I wanted and I managed to free my one hand from his tight grip. I fisted my hands in his hair and pulled his head back, away from me.

"GET OFF ME!" I shouted.

The door of the room burst open.

"Bella!" I had never been so glad to hear Alice's voice before. I and Edward looked at her at the same time. She looked horrified, shocked, pained. Because she wasn't looking at me.

She was looking at my scarred leg.

She had seen it, and she was going to be disgusted. I could handle it. I would handle it, somehow. But I couldn't let Edward see it. I wouldn't be able to handle that. I looked at Alice pleadingly as I tried to make her understand that I didn't want Edward to see me like this.

Alice looked at me for a moment then she glared at Edward.

"You!" she said to him hatefully. "Get off Bella right now otherwise I swear I won't be responsible for my actions"

I couldn't help being impressed. Alice was actually standing up to Edward. But where was Jasper?

"Go away Alice" Edward said lazily, not moving an inch from his place. "Jasper must be waiting for you"

"I've broken up with your best friend you jerk!" she shouted.

Shocked, I looked at her and that was when I noticed her red eyes. She had been crying. She must have heard my shouts and had come to help me. I felt grateful, happy, protected and...angry. Angry at Jasper. What had he done to hurt her? Why had they broken up?

"What!" Edward was shocked. That news was enough to make him get up from me. Fortunately, he was too busy in looking at Alice rather than noticing my leg. I quickly covered myself with the bed sheet. He went and shook Alice by her shoulders. "Are you crazy?" he shouted. "Why did you break up with him? Have you gone nuts?"

"Look who's talking!" Alice yelled back in an equally loud voice and pushed his hands away from her shoulders. "As if you're any better!"

Edward looked as if he had been punched, hard.

"What did you say?" he said slowly. That meant trouble, a big trouble. I could see his hands balling into fists.

"You heard me" Alice continued in her unafraid voice. Edward's anger wasn't affecting her at all. "I think you should go and look for your best friend Cullen" she said coolly. "He might need you to join him in whatever you guys are best at...being jerks"

I held my breath as I waited for Edward to pounce on Alice. He looked absolutely furious, completely mad. Then without uttering a word or sparing me another glance, he left the room, banging the door loudly behind him.

I felt the second wave of relief as I closed my eyes and released my breath. Edward had gone, for now at least. I still had a bit of pride left, thanks to Alice.

"Bella" Alice whispered.

I opened my eyes and looked at her.

She was watching me with an expressionless face. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion. It was the same look she'd had when she had told me about Emma's death.

Was I dead for her too?

"What the fuck happened to you?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi friends, I'm sorry for updating after so long. Actually my mid-term exams are going on due to which it becomes difficult for me to write and publish the story. Kindly bear with me for a week after that I will update the story regularly. Thanks for all your love and support. Please keep on posting your reviews and comments as they are valuable. Thanks...:-)