Alice Cullen in Vampire Wonderland

Chapter 14

Weeks pass uneventfully. We keep going to school, staying in at weekends, and I keep my secret from Jasper. It's getting easier and easier to lie as we become more comfortable around each other. We still drive each other crazy, but I found myself actually growing to like him. As a friend, obviously.

Bella kept on pestering me about him, and with the school dance coming up in just a few days, she wouldn't shut up about how convinced she was that Jasper was going to ask me.

On this particular day, sat in the cafeteria over lunch, she really was like a dog with a bone, "Does he know what colour you're wearing? He's planning to surprise you but I know you'll be upset if his tie doesn't match your dress. Maybe you should subtly leave it lying around so he sees it."

"Okay, you need to stop." I told her, "You're starting to sound like me."

"I'm just excited for you!" She told me.

"Well you can stop being excited because nothing exciting is even going to happen." I told her.

She grinned at me, "Oh, how naive you are."

If she knew all that I knew about what went on in this world without humans even suspecting, she wouldn't be calling me the naive one.

"Okay, let's make a bet." She said.

"I'm not going to bet on it." I told her.

Her grin grew, "Because you know I'll win."

"No." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Come on, we'll make it like a quarter." She said, "I bet you that by the winter formal, you and Jasper will be together."

"That's only a couple months away." I point out, "It doesn't give much time for the earth to stop spinning."

Bella rolled her eyes, "You in?"

I sighed, "Fine. What an easy way to make a quarter."

Bella smiled to herself, "You're right, it is."

When I get home that night, I try on my dress. NOT because Bella told me to let Jasper see it, but because I ate a mountain of cake earlier and wanted to check it still fit.

The dress is strapless, silver at the top and covered in silver glitter so it sparkles in the light. There's a thin silver ribbon around my waist, tied into a neat bow at the back, before a white lacy skirt puffs out from below, coming down to my mid thigh. I'd picked out the dress a couple weeks again with Bella tagging along on my shopping spree, and we'd both agreed that the dress was perfect for me. I completed the look with a pair of strappy heels, white with silver details, and sparkling real diamond earrings which I'd received as a Christmas present a few years ago. I smile at my reflection in the mirror, knowing I was going to look amazing at the dance.

A low whistle sounds from my doorway and I turn to see Jasper lounging in it. I'd inadvertently done what Bella had told me to do and shown Jasper my dress.

"Alice, you look incredible." He told me.

I rolled my eyes. The dress WAS incredible, but with my hair a mess and no make up, I couldn't say the same for me right now.

"Is that your dress for the dance?" He asked. I nodded, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

I frowned, "Why?"

He moved closer to me, "No boy is going to be able to keep his hands off of you."

I smirked, "Who says that's a bad thing?"

I swear Jasper almost growled at the thought and his eyes turned dark, "Don't play with me, Darlin'."

"I'm not." I told him, giving him my best stern look, "I told you nothing was going to happen between us, so I'm available for any boy who wants me."

Jasper composed himself, "Fine. But I do think you need a bodyguard."

I raised an eyebrow, "I don't think that will be necessary."

"Just to fight off any of those boys who, despite wanting you, aren't wanted BY you." He said.

"So who's going to fight off you?" I asked.

"Ouch." Jasper said, clutching his heart, "So cold, Alice."

"You know that we're just fr-"

"Just friends. I know."

"So we're not going to the dance together."

"Actually, about that-"

"We're not."

"You don't have a date." Jasper said.

"I don't need one." I retorted.

"You can't go alone." He said.

"I have Bella." I said.

"Not exactly." Jasper said, smirking. I raised an eyebrow, "Bella has been asked by someone, and I'm pretty sure she said yes."

"I don't suppose you had anything to do with that?" I asked.

"Are you saying Bella can't get a date without my help?" Jasper asked.

"I'm saying it's a little suspicious that you knew before I did." I countered.

"Touché." Jasper said, "But either way she has a date and you don't."

"Jasper, I already told you-" I protested.

He held his hands up, "I know. And I told YOU I wasn't going to ask you out yet."

"So what's this?" I asked.

"You and Bella were planning to go to this thing as friends, why can't we?" He asked. I try to think of an excuse, but come up blank, "Look, Em and Rose are going together and Edward's convinced some girl to be his date, so they're going to be off all night. I'm going and you're going, it doesn't make sense for us to take separate cars."

I knew that this was a lot more than a car pool, but I found myself agreeing to it anyway - partly because he'd really left me with no room for excuses and partly...well partly because I really did want to go with him.

~o.O.o~

Bella's date was a boy from our year called Tyler, whom neither of us knew very well. As I'd suspected, Jasper had set them up but it turned out Bella hadn't needed a lot of convincing. She told me he was gorgeous, funny, and picking her up at 8.

My own date had told me to meet him downstairs in half an hour. My dress was on, my make up done and I'd just finished curling my hair. I'd had my nails done in sparkling silver to match my dress and found a couple of silver rings which worked with the outfit. I twisted the front of my hair back and searched my dresser for a clip. When I was unsuccessful, I crossed the room to search my drawers.

The book on the floor caught my eye. Alice in Wonderland, right where I'd left it. I sighed and picked it up. The jacket had come loose where I'd thrown it. I smoothed it down. Despite my anger, I really did love this book.

As I went to put the cover back in it's place, I notice some writing on the inside. I smooth the paper and stare at the writing.

442 Jefferson.

I frown at it, wondering what it meant and why it was there. I hadn't written it, and no body went near this book except me. Which meant...had this writing already been there when I was given the book? Before I was left with the Cullens.

I re-read the text over and over again, concluding that it had to be an address. Jefferson must be the street, and 442 the house number. Could this possibly be the address of my birth parents I was reading?

"Alice." Jasper called up the stairs, "You ready?"

I traced my fingers over the single line of clue my parents had with me. Did they want me to find them? Did they...want me?

"Alice!" Jasper opened the door without bothering to knock, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to keep a date waiting?"

"There's something I need to do first, just let me get my laptop." I said.

Jasper grabbed my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction from the computer, "Forget it. Tonight is about having fun. Whatever's got you so worked up, forget it."

"I'm not worked up." I told him.

He raised an eyebrow, "Empath."

"I'll be really quick." I told him.

"Alice," He said, holding both my wrists gently, making me turn to face him, "It will be there in the morning. Tonight, be happy."

I smiled, finding myself agreeing with him. I didn't want to spoil tonight, and he was right; the address would still be there tomorrow.

I grab my silver clutch, "Okay, let's go."

We arrive at the dance a little after 8 and after handing our tickets in to the teacher guarding the front entrance, we go through the the gym, which has been decorated with the theme of Romeo and Juliet, meaning everywhere was covered in flowers and hearts, with stone walls and balconies.

"How romantic." Jasper commented.

"Stop." I warned him. This wasn't a date, and it wasn't supposed to be romantic.

Still, I couldn't help comparing the starcrossed lovers to myself and Jasper.

Yeah, and we'd probably end up with the same fate, I scold myself.

Our school had this dance every year at the beginning of October because we weren't allowed to have a Halloween dance anymore due to a couple of strongly religious parents complaining about the corruption of their children. This dance was the replacement, and was the only big event between homecoming and the winter formal.

Jasper led me onto the dance floor, offering me a hand, "Care to dance, Darlin'."

I reluctantly took his hand and we danced together for a few songs before a slow song came on and the floor was flooded with couples.

"No way." I stated to Jasper, turning to leave.

He caught my wrist and pulled me back to him, his usual lazy smile on his face as he looked down at me, "Humour me, Darlin'."

And I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.

With my arms around his neck and his hands on my waist, we swayed to the music and his eyes found mine, saying everything and nothing in the same moment. I thought about how perfect this would be if he were a human, how we could be together and this moment would never end. But he wasn't, and we couldn't. The song drifted to an end and I stepped away from Jasper. He kept looking into my eyes and I didn't know what to say. He was making me melt into a pile of confusion and I needed to get away from him.

"I have to find Rosalie. I promised I'd check in with her when I got here." I say, and then I disappear before he can offer to come with me.

I find Rose with Emmett by the punch table, both holding drinks in their hands in an attempt to blend in. Rosalie looks beautiful, as always, and she genuinely looks like Juliet reincarnated. Her blonde hair is tied into a braid over her right shoulder, embellished with pink flowers. Her dress is pink too, long and flowy with different shades of pink overlapping each other.

"Alice!" Rosalie said, "You look beautiful."

"So do you." I told her, pouring myself a glance of punch. I glance around to check that Jasper isn't watching before bringing it up to my lips. Before I can drink, Rosalie snatches it away.

"Alice, don't drink that." She said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I can smell the alcohol from a mile away. Some idiot spiked it." She told me.

Judging by the night ahead of me with Jasper, I would need a little help and a glass of punch could be exactly what I needed, but I knew my protective brother and sister would never let that happen.

"Some idiot..." Emmett echoed, "Baby, I'm hurt."

He winks at me and waves a flask in front of Rosalie. She tuts at him, "Why, Em? You can't even drink it."

"No, but it's funny to watch the humans." He said, surveying his work as a couple of boys stagger past us.

"I don't suppose either of you has seen Bella?" I asked. They shook their heads, so I went off in search of her. I wanted to see how she was getting on with Tyler, and more importantly how she looked in her dress, which had taken hours of convincing on my part to get her into.

I found them getting their photo taken. Bella is a vision in deep purple, and she's smiling like crazy, so I can only assume the set up is going well. I manage to catch her as they step out of the photography area.

"Hey, Alice! You've met Tyler before, right?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, I think we had algebra together last year?" I said, looking at him from confirmation. He nodded, smiling at me.

"You didn't ditch Jasper already did you?" Bella asked. I rolled my eyes, then smiled at Tyler.

"I hate to steal your date from you, but can I borrow her for a few minutes?" I asked.

"Sure." He said, "I'll go get us some drinks."

"The punch has been spiked." I warned him.

He grinned, "Good."

"He seems nice." I said as he disappeared into the crowd.

Bella and I make our way outside where it's quieter and easier to talk, "Yeah, I think I like him."

I raised an eyebrow, "You think?"

"Well, I kinda do." She said, "But I'm just seeing where things go."

I nodded, "I'm happy for you."

Bella grinned, "Enough about me. What's it been like to be Jasper's date?"

I put my head in my hands and answered honestly, "Confusing."

"Alice-"

I put my hand up to stop her, "I know what you're going to say; I should just be with him if I like him. It's not that simple."

"What are you afraid of, Alice?" She asked.

Everything.

I'm afraid of him finding out.

I'm afraid of my world crashing down around me.

"I just don't want to get hurt." I told Bella, "Me and Jasper...it can only end one way."

Bella sighed, "I want you to be happy and I think you would be happy with him, but if you don't want to be with him then don't. Just forget him."

I laughed, "Yeah, I wish I could."

"I know you have feelings for the guy," Bella said, "But do you seriously like him or is it just a crush?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

"I think if you really did like him, you'd fight harder for him." Bella told me, "You wouldn't care about whatever it is that's holding you back."

"Maybe..." I said.

"Alice, the guy is a freaking God." Bella said, "And you live in the same house as him. Of course you're going to be attracted to him. You're only human."

I really laughed then, so hard that Bella began to give me on looks. She couldn't understand how much she'd summed up the situation with that single comment.

I'm only human.

"Thanks, Bella." I said, "Now go back to Tyler. You guys seem good together."

She goes back inside and I sit there for a while. I made my decision in my mind; Jasper and I could never, ever work, so I was going to stop indulging the fantasies in my head. I convinced myself that Bella had been right; yes, I had feelings for him, but it was just a crush. He was hot and he'd shown obvious interest in me, I was bound to feel something back. But I didn't like him, not really, so it didn't matter how hard he tried - I would never fall for him.

I went back inside and found Jasper talking to a couple of guys from our year. He smiled when he saw me and left the conversation, walking over to me, "I was wondering where you'd gone."

"Just catching up with Bella." I told him.

"You want to dance again?" He asked.

I sighed, "Jasper, I just want to remind you that I meant what I said before. I like being your friend, but nothing is going to happen between us."

Jasper held his hands up, "And I meant what I said; we're just here tonight as friends."

"Good." I said.

"So, do you wanna dance or what?" He asked. I smiled and took his hand, joining him on the dance floor.

~o.O.o~

We pulled into the driveway just before midnight. I could see the living room light on and knew that Esme would be waiting to check I got home okay.

Jasper killed the engine but we sat in the car for a moment. I looked over at him, and for the first time that night really looked at him. Every boy looked good in a suit, but Jasper looked exquisite. His bow tie was undone, which inexplicably always seems to make men look even hotter.

He looked at me and caught my gaze, his eyes warm and happy, "I had fun tonight, Alice."

"Me too." I admitted.

"We should do this again some time." He said, and I found myself nodding before I'd even had time to process what he'd said, "I thought just being friends with you was going to suck, but actually, it's pretty great."

A/N: Hi again :) Hope you liked this chapter! So the storyline of Alice's past is picking up and I'm also trying to have some moments between Ali and Jazz though no spoilers as to exactly how long it will be until they get together ;);) anyway, thanks for the reviews, keep them coming and I hope you keep enjoying the story :)