Chapter Twelve
On Tuesday I walked into class to find Jasper but not Alice. He said she had gone on some trip to think about the vision she had seen Saturday. He expected her back the following Saturday, he said.
We were walking across the courtyard, the sun hiding behind the cover of clouds.
"I wonder what she saw that made her take off," I commented, more to myself than to Jasper.
"She's never taken off by herself before. I was worried until I found Alice's note in our room." He pulled the note out of his pocket.
"You carry it around?"
"To remind me that she's coming back."
"Oh," was all I could utter.
"Rose wants to know if you want go with us to that club again. I promised her I'd ask since she doesn't see you at school."
"Friday night? I can't I have to work."
"What about Thursday night? We won't be staying out too late anyways."
"I can do Thursday night. Meet you guys there at six-thirty?"
"Bella and Rose were wondering if you wanted to just come over after class Thursday. They're addicted to makeovers, and they think you need one."
"Then I'll come over after class; I enjoy a good makeover every now and then."
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
After class on Thursday, I followed Jasper back to the Cullen's house, and, even with his warning, I was not prepared for what was to come.
Rosalie and Bella attacked with full force. Between the makeup and the hair and the clothes and the shoes, I could barely find room for a few words of my own.
When they were done, however, and I saw the finished product that was me, I was glad that I had let them do what they wanted.
My hair had a volume to it that I had never been able to manage one my own, probably stemming from them using enormous curlers in my hair. My eyes were dark, thick with mascara and black shimmering eye shadow. I was in a red top that did wonders for my figure, and dark wash jeans that were tight, but not skinny-jean tight. The heals they had put me in were to die for! The black stilettos added four inches of much-needed height to my short frame.
I felt excited about going out tonight, and headed straight for the dance floor with Rosalie and Bella after walking in the door.
Two hours later, I was in need of water, as was apparently the case with us mere humans. I sauntered over to the bar, my head spinning from the fast-paced movement I'd been doing.
Jasper, Edward, and Emmet had been huddled together at a bar table as Rosalie, Bella, and myself moved about the floor. As I headed back with my water, however, I noticed Rosalie and Bella had pulled their other halves onto the floor and were now preoccupied with them.
Jasper and I were alone at the table once again, and a sudden feeling of de ja vu coursed through my head. I was staring at the dance floor, my heart rate slowing with the steadying of my breathing, when I felt a hand touch my wrist lightly. I jumped as I turned to see it was Jasper's hand, and he was tracing his fingers over the silver bracelet I had borrowed from Rosalie.
"I haven't seen this before. She must have bought it knowing you were going to be wearing it," he said, his hand still on my wrist.
I felt a jolt of something run up my arm, and then down my spine and out my toes. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers brushed against my skin lightly again. His skin is so cold, no wonder I'm shivering from it, I thought.
"Why did you use your emotional control powers on me the last time we were here?" I asked, Jasper's finger closing around my wrist, encasing them gently.
"I didn't use them last time we were here," he answered.
"Yes you did. You made me feel so strange…" I let my voice trail off.
"I did not make you feel strange. You made yourself feel strange." Jasper tightened his grip just enough so my hand wouldn't slip through his, and he was on his feet and I on mine within seconds.
His speed was amazing, I had to admit, and I realized he was using it to his advantage as he pulled me onto the dance floor. I felt his hand on the small of my back pressing me against him, and I found myself doing nothing to stop him.
Our bodies moved in a rhythmic motion, flowing with the beat of the music, which by this point I no longer listened to. Thoughts flooded my mind, and I shuddered to think that Edward could hear all of them…my cheeks flushed bright red, but I didn't care by that point.
I was enjoying the time at hand, and I wasn't letting go for anything. A fire could break out in the bathroom of the club, and I wouldn't move.
I may not have budged for a fire, but I did stop when Jasper stopped; he took my hand in his and lead me outside of the club. I had no idea where we were going, and this was the first time I was afraid of being alone with him.
Once outside, he let go of my hand, and turned his back to me. I watched as he ran his hand through his hair.
"I did not make you feel anything last time, and I didn't do anything this time either. I can barely control myself around you, and I don't know why. I feel horrible and disgusted with myself for doing this to Alice!" He turned to face me. "Do you know what kind of guilt I've been feeling?"
"Yes, I do. Well, I did, until I thought you had been the one to make me feel this way. After I came to that conclusion, which I just found out was wrong, I felt relief. Now I'm back to feeling like the most God-awful person on the planet." I crossed my arms over my belly, holding my elbows in my hands. "I'm not going to do this to Alice. I'm not going to be the bad friend."
"Fine. Then we'll leave it at that," he said, the tone of his voice more serious than I had ever heard it before.
"Fine." I turned for my car, and had my keys out before I reached it. Jasper was between my car and myself when I looked up from the ground.
"Do me a favor, will you? Don't mention this to Alice. I love her too much to hurt her."
"Don't worry. I won't." I detoured around him, started my car, and drove home, not bothering to look out my rearview. I could feel his eyes on my car as I drove, and I could hear Alice's voice in my head.
I went to bed that night guiltier than I had ever felt in my entire life, even guiltier than I had when I realized my father had died protecting me. Tears welled in my eyes as my mind entered dreamland.
