21.

Time To Grow Up

That night, being that it was Saturday, Edward asked his parents if his friends could stay over and watch movies. Esme made BarBQ chicken on the grill and potato salad and invited the Hales, too. They all ate out on the patio, laughing and enjoying the mild spring weather. Lynnette and Esme started a conversation with Bella and decided that they really liked her. They were so glad that Alice finally had a girlfriend to hang out with. They loved Brent, but they knew she needed more girls in her life. Rose spent time with Alice, but she was so busy all the time with school, cheerleading, sports, and her car, that Alice usually only had the boys to hang out with.

"So, Ali, My Love," said Jackson, grinning his devilish grin. "You givin' up on my boy, Jas, over there, and takin' up with handsome Brent, here?" He laughed at Jasper's groan. He loved aggravating his son about Ali, which also aggravated Carlisle. "Seems my boy just can't step up to the plate and Brent looks like he's more than able to take over.

Alice giggled. "Mr. Jackson, I am gonna' make 'em fight over me, first, before I decide."

Carlisle let out a bark of laughter and Jackson joined in. "Told ya', Carlisle! Our girl's got spunk! Don't let her size fool ya' none!"

Bella sent a puzzled look Ali's way. "My and Jasper's dads have known each other since they were really young, and Jasper's dad loves to tease my dad about me and, you know, boys. He likes to get my dad all bent, but he's just playing. It's like we're all one big family. Even Brent is used to it by now."

"Oh. So you and Jasper aren't dating?" Bella asked.

Ali saw Jasper's head snap up at her question. "Why would you ask me that, Bella?" she questioned her.

"Well, there just seems to be some kind of connection between you two, I guess." Bella said.

"Oh. Yeah, apparently Jasper appointed himself my personal guardian from day one and we just took to each other. I used to boss him around pretty bad, from what I hear." She laughed. "Now he bosses me around. He's worse than my real brothers." Ali looked over at Jasper and saw him frowning down at his plate. He glanced up at her and she winked. She looked back at Bella and smiled, but she wondered why Bella had asked. "Is she trying to see if he's available?" she thought.

"Well, kids, go ahead and start your movie, if you want, before it gets too late. We'll clean up the mess." said Esme, as her and Lynnette started cleaning up.

"Thanks, Mom! We'll at least clean up our plates." Emmett offered as he grabbed his and Rose's and took them into the house. The other kids took their plates in, thanking the adults, and settled in the family room for the movie.

"What should we watch? A scary movie or a funny one?" asked Edward as he looked over the movies they had rented.

"A scary one!" piped up Emmett. "Then we can turn off the lights and snuggle with the scared girls." He wriggled his eyebrows and stroked a pretend mustache.

"You're such a pig, Em!" snorted Rosalie, rolling her eyes.

The others laughed and Edward popped in the movie. Alice took one of the folded blankets off the end of the couch and climbed into one of the over-sized armchairs. She hated the scary movies. They always gave her nightmares. She pulled her legs up to her chest and spread the blanket over them, ready to put it up over her eyes if she got too scared. She really just wanted to go to her room and read, but she didn't want to abandon Bella.

Jasper smiled and walked over by her. "Want some company?" he asked.

"Yes, please." she answered softly.

She scooted her feet over and he sat down and pulled her over next to him, keeping his arm around her shoulders. The top of her head came to just below his collarbone, and he bent and placed a kiss there as she snuggled into his warm chest. No one noticed, since this was how they usually sat while watching movies, no one except Bella, that is. She sat on the couch with Brent and Edward, and Rosalie sat sideways in the other armchair, with Emmett on the floor at her feet, his back against the chair.

Emmett had turned off the lights and the only illumination came from the fading twilight outside and the TV screen. The movie started and the room was filled with dark images and spooky music. The adults were in the kitchen and Jackson stuck his head through the doorway. "No smoochin' in here, now!" and all the kids jumped.

"Dad!" Rose yelled, and Emmett cracked up. Jackson cackled evilly and went back into the kitchen. Ali giggled and Jasper smiled down at her and held her hand under the blanket.

The movie wasn't gory, but it was filled with ghosts and eerie special effects. Ali jumped several times and covered her eyes with the blanket. Jasper squeezed her hand and hugged her against him, chuckling. She was just so damn cute, and he enjoyed every minute of having her in his arms.

The movie ended and Emmett got up off the floor and stretched. "Watch your eyes, everybody!" he said as he reached for the light switch.

"Hey, Em." whispered Jasper, looking down at his cuddly kitten. "Ali's asleep. Can you wait a minute?"

"Yeah, Jas. Want me to take her, or you got her?"

"I got her." He stood up and gathered her and the blanket in his arms. He got to the door leading to the hall and turned. "Good night, Brent. Bella. See you guys later."

"Night, Jas. Call us if you wanna' practice tomorrow." Brent called softly.

"K, I probably will." said Jasper as he started up the stairs.

Jasper laid Alice on her bed and gazed down at her sleeping face. He couldn't believe how much she meant to him. It was kind of scary, he was only fifteen years old and he already knew exactly where his life was going.

He tucked the blanket around her and wondered if she'd be warm enough or too uncomfortable in her jeans. He had done this a hundred times before, but now he felt weird putting Ali to bed. She tended to fall asleep during movies and, since she was usually laying on him, he was the one who took her up to bed. He laughed to himself. Things sure had changed in the last month.

Sighing resolutely, he lifted Alice off the bed again and pulled the comforter back. He laid her back down and took the blanket from downstairs off of her. He lifted up her shirt a little to unbutton her jeans. He slid the zipper down and pulled them gently off of her legs. He laid her jeans on her desk chair and turned back to her. She lay before him like a beautiful angel, all pale legs and long, dark hair. He felt a twitching in his pants and rolled his eyes. "Geeze, Hale, get a grip." he thought as he pulled the covers over Alice and tucked her in. He gazed at her for a minute, then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. "Mine." he whispered against them, and left her room.

Alice moaned and rolled her head on the pillow. "No!" she cried, thrashing around on her bed. The blankets became tangled around her and she fought desperately against her antagonizer. "No! Please!"

"Ali! Angel, wake up! It's okay, darlin'." Jasper gathered her against his chest and rubbed her back. He heard a noise at the door and looked up.

"She havin' a nightmare again?" Edward asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah. I heard her yellin'. Go back to bed, I got her."

"Thanks, Man. See ya' in the mornin'." Edward shuffled back down the hallway. Jasper was always better with her than he was, anyway.

Ali quieted down, but Jasper knew it wasn't over yet. He whispered "You're all right, Ali. I've got you. No one is gonna' hurt you, darlin'." She sighed and relaxed against his chest. He sat holding her for a few minutes and laid her back on the bed. Her hair was all tangled around her neck and she had tears streaking her face.

Jasper went to the bathroom to get a warm, damp cloth. He walked back into Alice's room just as she started moaning again. He hated when she had nightmares because it was so hard to wake her and she would be exhausted in the morning. He should've warned Edward not to play the ghost story. They all knew better, but she would never complain, so they tended to forget.

"Ali, Jasper's here, Honey. Wake up for me, okay? Ali?" He washed her face with the warm cloth and she stirred. "Ali?"

"Hmmm? Jas? Is that you?" she looked up at him with her big, pansy eyes and pushed her hair out of her face. Suddenly, she gasped, "What are you doing here? Some one will see you!"

"Shhhhh! Ali, I'm spending the night. You were having a bad dream." he smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. "You know where you are, now?"

"Oh. Sorry, Jasper." she whispered. "I shouldn't have watched the movie with you guys. You always get stuck with me."

"Don't be silly." he chuckled. "I got to hold you for two hours during the movie and then tuck you into bed."

"Jasper!" she gasped. "Did you take my jeans off?"

He could just make out her wide eyes in the dim light. He laughed, "Ali, it's not like I saw anything. Besides, I've done it a million times before."

"I know, but that was before, you know?" She suddenly ducked her head.

"Ha! Are you getting shy on me, now?" he chuckled. "Ali, you are so damn adorable." He leaned in to lightly kiss her and she threw her arms around his neck, taking him by surprise.

"Jasper! Please don't leave me for Bella!" she cried. "I don't think I could take seeing you together. I love you too much!" She hung onto his neck for dear life.

"What makes you think I would leave you for Bella?" Jasper was frowning as he untangled her arms and pulled her back to look at her face. "Is that what you were having a nightmare about?"

She nodded her head looking miserable. "I've been having them for a few nights now." She looked down at her hands. "Then, today you let her join the band and you wouldn't let me, and you hugged her and you can talk to her so easily, and she's so tall and beautiful and talented, and I'm... nothing. Short, skinny, plain... nothing." She looked up at him, helplessly.

He looked mad. He was scowling and his mouth was clenched in a hard line. "Alice! Do not ever tell me that you are nothing, ever again, do you hear me?" He shook her by her upper arms and growled into her face, "I don't even know Bella that well. Why would you even start this? What have I ever done to make you think that?" He dropped her arms and stood up. He ran his hand through his hair and looked around the room. He finally looked back down at her. She had brought her knees up to her chest and had wrapped her arms around them as if to hold herself together.

"Ali, I don't know what to say, but I think we are too young for this intense of a relationship. If you are having nightmares, then you are not happy. I think it's too much pressure."

Alice opened her mouth, then closed it and opened it again. She looked like a baby bird trying to get fed by it's mother. "God, she was so precious." He sat down and pulled he onto his lap, hugging her to him. "Damn it! Why did I even start this? I knew we were too young, but I just couldn't stop myself."

He looked down into her face again. Her eyes were swimming with tears, but he could tell she was trying to keep them from falling. "I am not interested in Bella, okay? I think she's cool and plays a mean guitar, but I have never once thought about her that way. All I think about is you. When I'm not with you, I can't wait to see you. When I am with you, all I think about is how wonderful you are. No one is ever going to change that. Understand?"

She nodded and tried to talk past the lump in her throat. "I love you, Jasper."

"I know you do, darlin'. I love you, too." He gazed into her eyes as he lowered his head to kiss her. He could taste her tears and that sweetness that was just Ali, and he wanted to stay there forever.

"Could you, please, try and get some sleep now?" he asked, surrendering her lips.

"Yes." she whispered. "I'm sorry."

He laid her back down on the bed and covered her up. Then he laid down next to her and snuggled her into his arms with the blankets between them. He pulled the blanket from the family room over himself and said softly, "Don't ever be sorry for how you feel, Ali. I may get mad, but you can always talk to me. I promise." He kissed the top of her head where it lay against his chest. "Now, go to sleep."

She sighed and snuggled closer. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his scent and slept the best she had in days.

Jasper opened his eyes and saw Carlisle standing next to the bed in the dim, early morning light. He blinked and cleared his mind of the fog of sleep. His eyes opened wide when he realized where he was and he met Carlisle's in dread.

"Mr. Carlisle! Nothing happened, I swear! Ali had a nightmare and I was just comforting her and I fell asleep." Jasper sat up, looking desperate.

"Jasper! You're all right! Calm down." He lay a soothing hand on his shoulder. "You are family. I know you would never hurt Ali or disrespect us. I just wanted to get you to your own bed so you could get some rest."

Jasper sighed in relief. He loved Carlisle like another father and, the last thing he wanted was for him to be angry or disappointed in him. He shivered as he made his way back to his bed in Edward's room. Even though he had on sleep pants and a T-shirt, the air felt icy after snuggling with Ali. Her warmth and scent permeated his whole being. He knew he was in for major trouble there, but he felt content as he let thoughts of Alice lead him back into sleep.

"Damn it!" Bella growled, stomping her foot.

"Bella, it's fine! You'll get it. You just learned the song two minutes ago. Geeze! Give yourself a break." Edward shook his head at her intensity. He thought he was a perfectionist? Huh! He had nothing on Miss Isabella Swan. The girl was her worst critic, especially when it came to her music.

Edward was teaching Bella one of the songs he and Jasper had written and, together, they were creating the bass part. "Just try and feel it. Maybe just listen to it in your head and see what your mind comes up with." he suggested.

Jasper walked out into the garage. "How's it going? You feeling it, yet, Bells?"

Bella shook her head, her long, layered hair flying around her. "I am so not feeling it, Jas! Ugh! Why don't you and Edward play it and let me just listen. Edward thinks I may be able to hear it in my head."

"Good call, Ed! Let me grab AnnaBelle." He got his guitar out of its case and warmed her up a little. He looked at Edward and nodded.

"One, two. One-two-three-four..." They played the music they had written like they were born to it.

"And maybe they were." Bella thought. They were naturals and she couldn't be more impressed. She watched Jasper as he began to sing. He was so handsome, like, the most beautiful boy she had ever seen. The best part was that he seemed totally oblivious to his looks. She looked over at Edward and her heart sped up a little. He was so passionate about the music. His fingers played over the keyboard like they were one. "I'd love for him to play me like that," she thought. Her eyes widened slightly at her thoughts. "Where had that thought come from?" She felt her face redden and glanced at the boys. They were deep in the melody and hadn't noticed. "Whew! I've gotta' watch that. Can't get jacked-up over a bandmate." She'd been that route before and mentally slapped herself.

"Mom!" Alice called excitedly, as she danced into Esme's bedroom. "My bathing suit is too small! I have grown this year!"

"Alice!" Esme gasped, dramatically, her eyes twinkling. "That suit is positively indecent! I can see almost all of your womanly curves bursting out of that top!" She laughed. She could've told Alice a couple months ago that she was going to finally need a new suit this year. "Why do you think I bought you those new bras last month? Just because they were pretty?" Esme asked, chuckling. "You can finally buy a new suit because you need one, not just because you want one!"

"When can we go shopping?" Alice danced around, making Esme dizzy.

"Alice! Please, stop spinning!" Esme put a hand on Ali's arm. "We can go one day next week after school. We're both busy today and I've got stuff to catch up on tomorrow."

"Okay, but what am I gonna' do about today? I can't help Rosalie like this!"

Esme could see a drama coming on. "Alice, please just wear a T-shirt over it for today. It'll be fine for now."

"Oh! Good idea! Okay!" she started to rush from the room, then turned back. "Thanks, Mom!" She gave Esme a quick hug and kiss, and tore back to her room. She grabbed one of Edward's old T-shirts out of her drawer and slipped it over her head. The shirt was way too small for Edward, but was still pretty big on her. It covered her chest from her collarbone, and went about 10 inches past her butt. She slipped her flip-flops on and tore back out the door.

Running toward the Hales' house, she giggled with excitement. Her and Rose were going to wash her 'baby' and then get all dolled-up and go to Emmett's baseball game. She couldn't wait!

Coming around the front of the house, she spotted Rose already backing out of the garage. Rose looked over and grinned at her and gave her a thumb's up. Ali danced from foot to foot as the gorgeous car rolled out of the garage for the first time since getting her new paint job. She sparkled in the sun and looked just like one of those red candy apples.

Rose parked and got out and Alice came across the driveway. She saw someone move out of the corner of her eye and saw Jasper and Brent in the garage. "Hey, guys!" Ali raised her hand in greeting. The boys grinned and waved.

Jasper jogged over to her. "Hey, Beautiful! Going to the game today, huh?" He looked down at her T-shirt and bare legs and asked, "What do you have on?" his forehead wrinkling in displeasure.

"My too-small-bathing suit and Edward's old T-shirt," she giggled. "And, before you ask, no, I am not wearing this to the game. I am only wearing it to help Rose wash her car. Then, we are gonna' get fixed up and go look at all of the tight baseball pants." She giggled again at his expression.

"You gonna' come to my first game in a couple weeks?" he asked.

"If you want me to, but I'm warning you, I'm not getting fixed up for your game." Her eyes twinkled with the imp that was Ali.

"Oh yeah?" he played along. "And why not?"

"No cute guys on your team." she deadpanned.

"Ha! If Rose and Brent weren't here, I'd show you how cute I can be. Wanna' go around back and have a refresher course?" He grinned wickedly.

"No! I have to save my lips in case I meet a good-looking ball player today." She fluttered her lashes at him and gave him a tiny, smug smile.

He growled, "Over my dead body." His eyes sparkling under his scowl.

She giggled and put her hand on his arm, "You know my lips are only for you."

He grinned. "They better be."

"Go back and play with your guitar." she laughed. "I've got work to do."

He smiled as Rose walked up. She gave him a warning look and handed Alice a bucket of sudsy water. "There's a sponge in there, Ali. Wanna' start on this side while I go on the other?"

"Okay." she nodded enthusiastically, and reached up on her tiptoes to start washing as far up the car as she could.

Jasper glanced back at Alice as he reached his guitar and picked it up. He gulped and his eyes widened as he saw her stretching to reach the roof of the red Camaro. The T-shirt had risen with her arm and her round, firm butt could be seen in her too-tight bathing suit bottoms. She turned to rinse out the sponge in the bucket of soapy water and Jasper could see that the front of her T-shirt was now soaked and completely transparent. Yeah, she was right. Her top was way too small and, with the flimsy, wet cotton stuck to her like plastic wrap, he could see that she had indeed grown over the last couple months. He could barely tear his eyes away. "God! I'm such a perv!" he thought raising his eyes to the sky. "Why couldn't I resist her for a couple more years, at least?" he asked himself for the thousandth time, trying to adjust his pants without being obvious.

Bella got out of her dad's car at the road and walked up the driveway with her guitar, just as Edward was coming across the lawn.

"Hey, Ali! A little chilly for a car wash, isn' it?" Bella laughed, as she reached Alice.

"I'm having too much fun to notice!" she smiled at Bella. "Practice again, huh?"

"Well, practice does make perfect, and I'm a perfectionist, so..." Ali smirked at her. "Well, I am! It's a flaw, but, since I have so few, I admit to that one so people realize that I'm just human." Bella grinned at Alice, who grinned back.

"Hey! How's the car comin', ladies?" inquired Edward who, by now, had reached the driveway and stood at Bella's side.

"It looks awesome! Don't you think, Edward?" Alice asked him, excitedly.

"It does! I love the color Rosalie picked! You guys cruisin' to the game with the top down?"

"Rose said we are, if it's not too cold." answered Ali, rinsing some soap off the car.

"Well, since your lips are blue and you're shivering, I hope you're gonna' dry off first." Edward snickered.

Alice giggled. "Edward, you're such a goof! You two should come with us. Emmett said it's gonna' be a great game."

"If it's okay with Rose, maybe I will. I haven't been to a game for pleasure in a long time. Been busy making music, and now our practices have started. It'll be a long time before I have the chance to go again." He smiled at Ali and chucked her under the chin before turning to Bella, "How about you, Bella?"

"Sounds fun! I'd love to." She grinned at them. "Let me know if it's OK with Rose." And she went to get out her guitar.

Ali grinned at Edward. "I'll ask Rose, I'm sure she won't mind, and I'll let you know when we're ready to go."

"Okay, thanks, Ali." He kissed her on the forehead and went into the garage.

Alice twirled around and danced back over by the car. She was so happy that her and Edward were becoming close, finally.

Ali skipped into the garage some time later, as the band played the end notes of a song. "Hey guys! Sounds awesome! I just wanted to let you guys know that Rose said you can all go with us to the game, if you want. I'm on my way home to get ready, so we'll leave in about a half hour."

"Okay, Ali, thanks!" said Edward. "We're pretty much done any way so, whenever you're ready."

"Bella, you're welcome to freshen up, if you need to." Ali invited.

"I'd like that, Ali. You guys mind?" she asked, turning toward the boys.

"Naw, go ahead." answered Jasper.

"Yeah, take your time. We're cool." said Brent.

Jasper looked over at Alice, his mouth grim. "Alice! You're shaking and your lips are blue!" He also noticed through her wet, transparent shirt, that other parts of her were cold as well. He took off the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing over his T-shirt and pulled it over her head. "Go get warmed up, Ali." He ordered with a scowl.

Alice frowned, "Jasper, stop being so bossy! I'm gonna' go take a warm shower right now. Geeze!" She walked out the big front garage door, then stopped and turned. "Thank you for your shirt, Jas." And grinning, said, "Come on, Bella."

Emmett had to be at the game early, so Jasper, Brent and Edward decided to ride with him. They were already gone when the three girls piled into Rose's Camaro. Bella squeezed into the back, and Alice rode in the front with Rose. The top was down and Rosalie cranked the music. They were singing and laughing when they pulled into the high school parking lot. The teams were warming up and several of the players turned to look as they got out of the car, one let out a low whistle. Rose walked over to the fence to see Emmett, and then made her way up to the top of the bleachers, with Alice and Bella following behind.

"Jas," Edward leaned closer to him, "look at all the guys checking out your sister."

He turned to see Rose climbing the bleachers. She had on tight jeans, 3 inch heels, a tank top and a gauzy, button-up blouse over that. Her hair was styled and her make-up was perfect. Not what you'd expect for a high school baseball game, but that was Rose. He noticed that Alice was making her way up the bleachers behind Rose and his eyes darted down to the field. Sure enough, most of the guys had their eyes glued to her backside. She had on tight black jeans, black heeled boots, a black camisole and a totally see-through charcoal-colored blouse. He glared up at her. That outfit was something skanky girls wore to bars to pick up guys, not to baseball games. As he made his way up the steep stairs after Alice, he noticed she also had on a lot of make-up.

"What the hell is that all over your face, Ali?" he growled, when he reached the girls.

"It's make-up, Jasper, obviously." she rolled her eyes.

"Well you have way too much on. And look at your shirt! Every guy here is going to think you're easy." he rasped, too angry to talk normally.

"Relax, Jas." interjected Rose. "We're just having fun. It's not like Ali is gonna' go home with some guy."

Alice and Bella just looked up at him from where they sat, not saying anything. "Fine!" he snapped. "Whatever!" He stomped back down the bleachers.

Alice looked at Rose, "What was that all about?" she asked.

"That," answered Rose, "was about Jasper being an ass! Boys think it's okay when they look at girls, but if someone looks at their sister, they go all ape shit. Don't worry about him, just enjoy yourself."

"Okay." she said, but some of the excitement was missing now.

The game started and the girls cheered and hollered for the William's Bay team. When Emmett hit a home run, Rose stood up and wolf whistled loudly, which made Emmett grin and look up at her.

Alice had begun to really enjoy herself when she spotted Jasper talking to a familiar form.

There stood Savannah with her arms draped over Jasper's shoulders and her breasts mashed against his chest. He laughed at something she said and she inserted her knee between his legs. He had his hands on her back and didn't look like he was planning to break up with her anytime soon.

Alice's heart clenched. Had he still been seeing Savannah the whole time they had been going together? She had thought she could trust Jasper more than anyone, now she didn't know what to think. Maybe he just hadn't had the chance to break it off with Savannah and he didn't want to do it in front of all these people. Then, Savannah stretched up and planted a kiss on Jasper's lips and Jasper grinned at her when she was done. Alice's chest felt as though it had been stabbed.

All the joy was stripped from Alice. She just wanted to go home, but she couldn't ask Rose to leave without telling her why, so she sat there pretending everything was fine, the gaping hole in her chest trying desperately to gather up the slivers of her broken heart.