Chapter 24

(Don't own squat)

Bellapov

"How was your visit?" He asks as he's got his legs kicked about the coffee table.

"You know Carlisle hates that." I remind as I playfully plop down beside him.

He shrugs.

"Why do you think I do it?"

"Jasper!" I say but can't help but to laugh.

"She's doing a little better physically but emotionally she's a mess. I don't think she should spend so much time alone so I've invited her over for the weekend."

He nods but he himself looks bothered by something.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine darlin'."
"Are you sure?"

He winks and nods once more. I bite my lower lip in thought I wasn't convinced.

"Did you and Angie get all the clothes and supplies you need for school?"

"Mostly."

"Mostly?" He questions.

"All but shoes."

"And that's the one thing Carlisle demanded you get."

I smile on this and wiggle my big toe as the converse I'm wearing reveals my white sock.

"What these still work and they're comfy."

"Bella…"

"I hate shopping."

"I know but I happen to agree with Carlisle those shoes are…"

"Are what?"

He clears his throat.

"They've got character." He says with a smirk.

I laugh at this.

"That's a nice way of saying my shoes suck."

"I said no such thing…" He pauses and glances back down at them.

"But yes they do suck."

"Ugh…"

"Feet off the table both of you." Carlisle says as he enters the room.

"Jasper started it." I cut Jasper a teasing look as I say this.

He chuckles shaking his head.

"Bella why aren't you wearing your new shoes?"

Jasper rises at this point and pats me on the shoulder.

"Good luck."

My jaw drops.

"Wait you're leaving me?!" I eye Carlisle as he looks to my shoes in disgust.

"Jazz!"

He laughs and goes up to his room. I fold my arms about as if to pout.

"Please tell me you got new shoes."

I bite my lower lip in thought and start to pick at my shirt avoiding eye contact. The door opens and Emmett comes in and tosses me a bag. I look to him confused.

"You forgot these babygirl."

I narrow my eyes and he winks so Carlisle can't see.

"Oh um thanks."

I dig into the bag and pull out a Converse shoebox. I open the box to see a pair of blue and black Converse. I put them on and model them for Carlisle.

"See…" I say simply so I'm not actually lying.

He shakes his head.

"I was hoping you'd get something a bit more…"

"Stylish…" Edward says as he comes in the door and tosses another box at my feet.

I rear my head back. I lean over and grab the box. My eyes widen as I see the black stiletto shoes. Edward smiles devilishly. I grit my teeth.

"Thanks Edward I can't believe I forgot those."

"No problem."

I'm so going to kill him. He knows I don't ever wear those and who the hell wears those to school? But Carlisle however seemed pleased with them.

"Those are actually quite nice. I do hope you got some dresses to match."

Jasper however comes down at this point hearing what Carlisle said and he tilts his head slightly at the shoes I'm holding in my hand. My entire face is glowing by now. I hurriedly shove the shoes back in the box.

"Maybe this year you'll dress more like a lady and less like a tomboy."

I close my eyes at this.

"What's wrong with how I dress." I say feeling like I was on display.

Every man that lived in this house now was looking directly at me. I wanted to find a rock and hide under it.

"Nothing Bella hun I just meant…"

"I get it."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with how Bella dresses." Jasper says severely looking to everyone else.

My face felt hot and I couldn't bare to look upon anyone. I was even more embarrassed by the fact that Jasper had walked in on this.

"Bella hun." Carlisle says softly.

I say nothing and grab the bags and head to my room. I looked to the dress shoes like they were under quarantine. I grab one shoe and take of my holey Converse. I try the one dress shoe on and look in the mirror. I shake my head feeling like a complete ditz. I couldn't imagine going a full 8 hours of school on these things. I growl out and toss the shoe back in the bag. It was clear to me now that Carlisle and Edward thought I dressed like some sort of savage beast. But there was only one person who's opinion I truly cared about. Was he into the high heel wearing type or plain Jane? Could I even attempt to look anywhere near what he desired?

Jasperpov

I was furious as I looked upon Carlisle.

"I can't believe you said that to her!" I say with gritted teeth.

"I wasn't trying to hurt her feelings. You know that Jasper."

"And you Edward you knew when you bought those that she'd hate them. What sort of game are you trying to pull?"

Edward narrows his eyes.

"What game? I just thought since she's almost 16…"
"Well your thoughts were stupid. She was humiliated! What the hell Edward don't you even think?"

"I don't believe Edward meant anything by it."

"The hell he didn't. He knows Bella. He knows that's not her thing! You should have felt what I felt just how. You've no idea what you just did."

"I will talk to her."

"I just can't believe that you Carlisle of everyone in this room would ever make her feel the way she just did. That comment about dressing like a lady. You might as well have punched her."

Carlisle nods I was expecting him to argue back, to scold me somehow.

"You're right son. I was wrong and I know that. I didn't think about how it would sound or how it might have hurt her feelings."

"It wouldn't kill her to take a bit more initiative."

Edward says flipping through a book.

"It's that kind of opinion right there Edward that got you the shaft."

"Jasper…" Carlisle warns.

"Just being honest."

"I think we all just need to take a moment and cool off."

Emmett cuts me this apologetic glance as if he's not sure what to say or do. I give him the nod that lets him know I've no beef with him. He seems to relax but looks towards the stairs as if concerned.

I head back upstairs and knock on Bella's door. She doesn't answer so I knock again. Still she doesn't answer so I figured she had her headphones in, which is usually the case. I open the door peeking in and break into a grin. There she was headphones on of course but her eyes were closed and she was jumping up and down on the bed rocking out to whatever she was listening to. All I keep thinking as I'm watching her is there's nothing wrong with this girl. She's perfect. However, she opens her eyes and is startled. Bella loses her footing and I dart over catching her.

"Let's get out of here." I whisper and she blushes.

Her arms go around my neck as I leap out the window.

Bellapov

"So what would you like for your birthday?"

Jasper asks as he sits across from me on a tree.

"You know I don't care about those things."

He shrugs.

"There's got to be something you want."

"I already got what I want." I hint shyly.

He grins.

"You make this awfully hard."
"What? My birthday?" I ask confused.

"No but remaining a gentleman yes."

I bite down on my lip and lower my head. I hear him chuckling. Jasper appears behind me wrapping his hands around my waist. He kisses along my neck.

"Jasper?"

"Yes darlin'?"

"What do you like?"

"What do you mean?" He says resting his head on my shoulder.

"In a girl I mean. I mean do you like pretty girls?"
"Bella I don't understand what you're asking me. You are a pretty girl. Hell beautiful is more like it."

I sigh trying to get my point across.

"I guess what I'm asking is… are you into Converse or Stiletto's."

I hear him sigh.

"That was wrong of them Bella you need to know that."

"Just please answer the question."

He twirls me around facing him.

"You think your shoes or clothes make a damn difference to me? I don't care if you wear a potato sack Bella. I am into you it doesn't matter how you dress. Hell it doesn't even matter how you cut your hair. What I'm into darlin' is you."

He presses me against him and plants a kiss that literally takes my breath away.

Jasperpov

I lean against the tree holding her as she sleeps. I know the nightmares are still at bay as I listen to her. The way her body tenses up and her senses are off the charts. Fear courses through her veins and every once in a while my name escapes her lips; I wish I knew what to do. Part of me selfishly wants to turn her now. I don't want to take any chances with her. But she's still young I want her to get as much of her human years as possible. Once she's turned that's it. I can't rob her of that but on the same note I can't let Caius get his grimy hands on her. All I knew for sure was I had to turn her before any of the Volturi could get their hands on her. All of this was completely maddening. This girl was now my responsibility. One I took pride in. Still the marks from that damn wolf reside along her neck they fade more and more each day. Still the reminder is there. What would I have done if he killed my girl? The mere idea made me feel ill and weakened. I'm not used to those kind of feelings not from my own being.

Bellapov

I stretch out in my bed, rays of sunshine beam through my room. I grin as I turn seeing the white rose on my spare pillow. I knew Jasper had tucked me in. I must've fallen asleep in his lap. I lean into the rose and sniff it. There's a knock at my door however.

"Come in."

Carlisle walks in and comes and sits on the edge of my bed.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good."

He nods and reaches over moving a stray hair from my face.

"Bella hun I need to apologize."

I scoot up in the bed shaking my head knowing where this was going.

"It's ok Carlisle."

"No it's not. What I said Bella that was wrong. The only true experience I have with teenage girls is you. I'm so used to dealing with boys. Sometimes I just don't know what to say or do or even how to act to be honest. I want you to realize something. I've come to think of you like a daughter. In fact when asked I even refer to you as my daughter. You're a beautiful young woman and you only grow to be more and more gorgeous as time goes. I'm proud of you always have been. I'm greatly ashamed of myself. Jasper's right there's nothing wrong with how you dress. You are who you are and we all love you. How you dress does not reflect who you are as a person. I of all people should know this. I meet all kinds of characters day by day with just my job alone."

"Jasper said that?"

He nods with a slight smile.

"Yes, even dad's make mistakes. I hurt you Bella something I'd never ever intentionally do. I'm sorry. You don't have to accept my apology. But I had to say my peace and tell you just how wrong I was."

I reach over and hug him. I could honestly see the pain on Carlisle's face. He meant every word he said.

"I love you Bella." He kisses the top of my head like Charlie used to.

"I love you too and I forgive you."

He smiles but still has that hint of sadness about him.

"I'm ok Carlisle. Really."

He nods and rises.

"Two more days." He hints.

"Are you ready?"
I wrinkle my nose a bit and fall back on my pillow. He laughs.

"I'll get you some breakfast started."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know but I want to."

Edwardpov

The three of us watch the two girls giggling away at some movie they're watching. We sit at the table "playing cards". It was nice to hear this friend of Bella's laughing. She's filled with so much sadness. Her head is clouded. She thinks the world of Bella and considers her to be like a sister. It felt wrong to be in her head discovering her most private thoughts. At times though these thoughts rather scream at me and I can't shut it off. Angie's were normally much tamer and quiet, however through the incident with Jake and losing Eric. Her poor mind just won't shut off. It's constant. Her thoughts have pretty much been about what kind of mother she'll be. What the baby will be like since it was Jake's. She wonders if the baby will have a dark side like the dad. She thinks about college and if she'll even be able to do that now. Angie's one of the smartest girls in school and honestly one of the prettiest.

All I keep thinking is she didn't deserve this. Bella lately is all that keeps her from falling. She admires her and wishes she was more like Bella. She wishes she had her life more together. Angie wishes she would have listened to Bella. But at this very moment she's content. There's not a worry passing through as she sits next to Bella. Every once in a while they toss popcorn at one another. Angie will pass a glance our way. I try to suppress my grin as she checks each of us out every once in a while. She knows Jasper's off limits but still thinks he's cute and that Bella's lucky. She thinks Emmett is hot. She turns to me however and it's a full on crush. She scolds herself feeling it's too soon for thinking such things after losing Eric. She also thinks she's not good enough for any of us Cullen's which doesn't make sense to me. She seems to remember how I helped her at the hospital. She respected how I didn't seem to judge her and how gentle I was. She also knows the truth about us; thus I find fascinating. She sees no threat in any of us. She's naturally feels more threatened by the wolves than us.

It's cute I find myself thinking how she looks over here every once in a while and wishes she could strike up the nerve to talk to me. But then once again she scolds herself and thinks of Eric. For this reason alone I stay back. But I can't lie she's got my curiosity stirred I suppose I'll be learning more about her in a couple days.

Both girls eventually fall asleep on the couch. We cover them up and cut off the TV. Jasper leans over and kisses Bella on the cheek. I love you he thinks as he does this. We take this time to hunt knowing they'll sleep throughout the night.