Alice called the house the next day when dad was at work. "Bella?" With too much excitement I agreed, "Yeah, it's me. When are you coming home, Alice?" After a hesitation she informed me, "I don't know if I am, Bella. Did you see the look in his eyes? He wanted to kill me." Maybe that was an exaggeration, but not a big one. "I don't want to go home if he isn't going to be supportive. I knew what I was doing, this is what I wanted, Bella. I never had a plan for college anyway, what would I do?" I couldn't answer that, because it was true. Every time I ever had the college talk with her, she secretly admitted she didn't want to go at all. That she'd be perfectly happy raising her future kids as a full time job like Esme.
I whimpered, "I want you home. This is your home Alice, not wherever you are. You belong here!" She sighed sadly, "I want to come home, Bella. I'm at Jasper's house right now. HIS parents are just fine with this. He may not show it, but Jazz is very responsible. He's as ready for this as I am. He applied for a job, too, to save money until he graduates." I sat on the counter and pointed out, "You can live here for the first few years, while he's in college. It would save money. I can get a job and help you pay for it, if you need me to. You don't have to do this alone."
She whispered, "I didn't think I did, either." I firmly asserted, "You don't!" After a second she sighed, "I'm sorry Bella. I don't know what to do right now. I'll call later, okay?" Pathetically I whimpered, "Okay. I love you, Alice." She hung up the phone and I did the same, trying not to cry. Why was she being so stubborn? If I was pregnant, god forbid, I would want to cling to my family with all my life.
A month passed. Luckily, dad had convinced Alice to come home five days after she left. This was the first day she was done with school. She was 17 weeks along now, and because she was so small, she had started to show two weeks ago. People knew, people were talking. I was sitting with everyone at lunch when someone; loud on purpose; started talking to his friend. "Yeah, I heard she graduated early because she got herself knocked up. I wonder who the dad is?" I shivered a little, and Jasper's eyes darkened noticeably with anger. One of the two boys snorted, "Knowing how flighty she's always been, it could be any one of these three she always hung with."
Jasper sprang to his feet and shouted, "Did you just call Alice a whore?" Remember 8th grade, where we learned how big of a problem Jasper has with that word? Can you guess where this is headed, because we did. Emmett growled, "Sit down, Jazz." The first boy grinned, "I guess that answers that." Jasper took a threatening step forward and snarled, "So what if I am the dad? Do you have a problem with that?" Edward stood up and warned, "Jasper, sit down, come on man." The arrogant boy grinned, "Why did she leave the school? Going to Mexico to get rid of it or something?"
Now none of us tried to stop Jasper as he jumped forward and literally knocked the kid out of his chair, pinning him to the ground. I felt rage burning in my skin, how dare this little bitch imply Alice would abort her child? The very idea was horrible! Jasper hit the kid in his face so hard he spat out blood. The boys' friend tried to help him, but Emmett shot forward and grabbed him, throwing him onto the ground the other direction. He hissed, "Stay out of it!" I looked the other way coldly, and blocked my ears off to the pained yelps of Jasper's target. Two teachers hurried over and tried to rip them apart.
Everyone in the lunchroom was absolutely silent, staring at them. Jasper allowed the teachers to pull him away. He screeched, "Alice is not a whore! Anyone who says that is going to answer to me!" He flailed the entire way as they dragged him out into the hallway. I went to turn my head and see the boy who had fallen victim to his own stupidity. Edward grabbed me and pulled me against him. He was a little green, "Don't look, Bella, it's really bad." Rosalie had her head in her hands, and Emmett lowered his eyes as the nurse and another teacher helped the kid stumble to his feet. He was coughing; I imagine blood; very heavily and he moaned in agony.
When he was gone, and a janitor came to clean up the mess, Edward let go of me. I gazed at Rosalie, who had begun to cry. I whispered hoarsely, "Is he going to be arrested?" The sound of an ambulance came blaring down the road and Emmett whispered, "I think so, Bella." Even if it was in defense of his daughter, not even Charlie was going to over look this one. I hope to god that they went easy on him, though. I really do.
See, I told you this year started off badly, didn't I?