Chapter Fifty Nine
Megan
I hadn't wanted Alex to pick me up but he insisted it was traditional and so there I was standing all dressed up in my finery nervous as hell when he knocked on the door. Mom and dad had come to see if I was ready since I hadn't told them about Alec picking me up and dad opened it looking fabulous himself in a suit but I only had eyes for Alec. He had changed out of all recognition in a suit and tie and was carrying a posy of flowers for me. I guess that should have seemed corny but I was delighted and took them wondering what exactly I should do with it. Mom saved me by taking it from my hand.
"I'll find a vase for these. You two go on, we'll see you there.
Alec held out his hand and I took it self consciously, aware of my parent's eyes on us. Only once we were out of sight of my room did I relax and then found myself chattering naturally enough.
At the bottom of the staircase, we joined the crowd filing into the audience chamber which had been transformed for the night with hundreds of thick cream candles and flower arrangements on all the tables which were scattered around the walls.
Everyone looked so different out of their drab everyday wear and the women in bright colors. It was like being in a dream world where those around you were familiar but strangely unfamiliar at the same time.
The band was already set up on a low stage and playing soft music so conversations were not drowned out.
I was slightly disappointed at this and turned to Alec.
"Is the music going to be like this all night?"
He grinned, "No, they play all kinds of music and there are plenty of opportunities to dance but first there'll be a speech."
"A speech?"
"Yes, usually Aro said a few words so I guess tonight it will be down to Marcus or Sulpicia. Then the dancing begins. You look very pretty by the way."
I blushed, hating that a simple human weakness could give me away and how amused Alex was by it. Being able to feel the emotions of others was great most of the time but as dad had explained it could be draining or even embarrassing at times. Things got so much more complicated the older you got and I was still wrestling with them.
We joined the others of our group, Jane and Cosmo, Chelsea and Afton and a few others I knew only slightly. They were all chatting about a new member of the guard who would be arriving in Volterra soon.
"I hear he's red hot. He was turned by Maria in Mexico but Felix heard about him and persuaded Marcus to request him for the guard."
"Well, what's his name? What does he look like? Come on Afton, give us something."
Afton rolled his eyes, "I'm hardly likely to ask how good looking he is now am I?"
Mariette spoke up then, her eyes shining excitedly. "I heard Heidi and Chelsea talking about him. Heidi said she's seen him and that he's drop-dead gorgeous. I think she said his name was Gorge."
The music stopped suddenly and all attention turned to the stage where Sulpicia stood waiting for silence.
"Thank you all for coming. As you are aware my husband would normally speak a few words at this event. Now it is left to me to do so. You all know that the Volturi was formed many centuries ago by my husband, myself, Marcus, and Didyme. This year only two of us remain, but two who have worked tirelessly for the good of all vampires. I hope the next century will see the Volturi become more secure, more open and accountable and more popular."
She looked around and smiled.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with a long speech so please, enjoy the music, dance, and celebrate."
There was polite applause then the music started once more and now it was more to my taste. Something you could dance too, and I wanted to dance, not just move around the floor hanging on to your partner. I surely wasn't ready to try that with Alec yet.
It was a magical evening. I laughed and talked and danced, mainly with Alec although I did allow myself to be persuaded by Afton and then Demetri.
Alice was there with Esme and Carlisle although I avoided the adults as much as possible, especially my own parents who seemed happy to sit and talk most of the time. That was a shame seeing how good a dancer my dad was when he allowed himself. Maybe they did dance more often, but I didn't notice. I was too busy enjoying myself.
Alec was really sweet and funny when he let his guard down and just relaxed and I found myself getting more interested in him as the evening wore on.
Towards the end of the ball, I even let myself go enough to take on a slow dance or two and found being in his arms wasn't the worst feeling in the world. Did I love him? Certainly not, not yet. Did I like him? Sure and if he asked me out again I wouldn't be saying no.
Alec walked me to my room after the ball avoiding my parents who were still talking to Grandpa and Alice and at my door, he took me in his arms and kissed me. I felt my lips tingle and blushed as he pulled free.
"I hope you didn't mind that. I really enjoyed myself tonight and I'd like to see you again, Megan."
"You see me every day, Alec."
"You know what I mean. I'd like to take you out on a date."
I smiled, "A date? Where?"
"Anywhere you like. How about a day out in Pisa? It's going to be overcast all day tomorrow. We could explore the city and maybe take in a movie."
It sounded really grown up and I wanted to say yes but I wasn't sure my parents were ready for me to go to the city with Alec just yet.
"How about we take in the sights of Volterra first? Then maybe we could go to Pisa another time."
He agreed readily enough and I watched him out of sight from my open doorway, excited at the thought of going on a real date, my very first!
Mom checked in on me when they got back but I pretended to be asleep. I just didn't want all the questions I knew would come. There would be time in the morning when I announced I had a date. I'd forgotten that I was due for some computer time with Marcus and I would have to give my apologies. He was pretty laid back so that didn't worry me too much. Not as much as getting my parents to agree.
When I appeared the following morning mom was very interested in hearing if I'd had a good time and I listened to her tell me about her first date which just happened to be with my real father at high school. She had been awkward and nervous and I got that. I'd felt the same way but I was sure that Alec was nothing like Edward Cullen.
As I had anticipated, neither of my parents were very happy about me skipping my computer lessons with Marcus to go on a date with Alec but I was determined to go.
"I can learn more computer skills anytime but we're only here for a little while and I came here to get to know new people. I can't meet humans my own age so I might never get another chance to be a teenager. It's not fair for you to pressure me into staying here when I have a date."
"A date? With Alec? What about Darius? I thought you were interested in him?"
I stared in astonishment at my dad as mom threw him a warning look and felt his anger at the thought of me going out with anyone.
"How many dates did you have dad? I bet you liked more than one person and anyway, Darius told me he's not coming back. You didn't want me getting too close to him and now you don't want me getting close to Alec. It's not fair."
Before my dad could reply mom stepped in.
"Meg, go and get ready. I'll talk to your father."
I threw my mom a look of gratitude and went back to my room to get ready for my date. One way or another I was going.
Bella
I could tell that Jasper didn't want Megan getting involved with Alec but the quickest way to push her into his arms was to refuse her permission or act hostile. I knew from personal experience.
I put a hand on his arm and smiled.
"Jasper, Meg is growing up. We knew it wasn't going to be easy for her with no one her own age at home. Now she's found someone and he's showing her some attention. Let her enjoy it for a few days then we're going home and she'll soon forget him."
Jasper frowned at me, he was genuinely concerned, mainly because his little girl was becoming a young woman, and partly because he didn't like Alec. I didn't particularly like the thought of my little girl tied up with the Volturi either but I wasn't going to make the idea more tempting to her.
"He's much older than her, just because he looks like a teenager. Who knows what he's planning to get up to."
"Jasper, it's the middle of the day. They're going to explore Volterra and see a movie. It's hardly the crime of the century. And bringing up Darius was a really bad move. We spent so long persuading her that he wasn't coming back and now you're throwing his name at her like a bone."
He grumbled and walked over to the window dropping his head and I went to join him, putting my arm around his shoulders.
"I know it's difficult, but she is growing up."
"I preferred her as a little girl. I could keep her safe then."
"She'll be fine. Alec knows what will happen if he lays a finger on her. Your reputation goes before you, Major Whitlock."
He still wasn't happy when Megan left and I couldn't help feeling amused, poor Jasper. Whatever would he do when Megan became serious about someone. God help the boy!
Megan
I was glad we had arranged to meet in the entrance hall, I did not want my dad glaring at Alec. It was only a date, we weren't running off together or anything. I wasn't even sure yet how I felt about Alec. I was just so pleased to be invited on a real date.
When I saw him I was relieved to see Jane and Cosmo were with him, so it was going to be a foursome. I wondered if that would have relived my dad's paranoia?
"I hope you don't mind. When I told Jane of our plans she kind of gatecrashed."
"No, not at all."
He took my hand as we walked out into the town square, the four of us like any normal party of friends out for the day to enjoy themselves.
It was fun, we explored the town, or I explored it while Alec seemed happy to be a tour guide and the other two were wrapped up in each other. I enjoyed looking around the museum in the town hall and Alec told me all about the Etruscan gateway which he had witnessed being rebuilt during medieval times as it had begun to crumble. Thinking of the young man holding my hand being old enough to see something like this when it was actually built was quite staggering. It brought home just what being a vampire and therefore eternal really meant.
After this, the other two split leaving Alec and me alone. He said he had a surprise for me and I found myself in a dusty alabaster workshop where I was able to see alabaster being carved by hand which was fascinating. Afterwards, Alec had a word with Mr Rossi the owner and I was able to try carving a delicate piece myself. I tried making a small dish something really simple, while Alec disappeared to try his hand too. I picked up a sweet little lamp for mom as a thank you for taking my side earlier and then we left.
After spending a wonderful hour in a bookstore just browsing Alec and I went to the movies. I can't remember what we saw, I was too busy reliving every moment of the day. He held my hand and spoke softly from time to time just like any normal couple. It was such a novelty for me and I was loving every minute only too aware that my pleasure would be short-lived. In only another week we were headed back to the States and I would be back to the mundane things of life.
This trip had shown me one thing. Once I was old enough to leave home I was going to explore, travel the world and immerse myself in as much culture as I could. Of course, I didn't intend to do this on my own, I would need a companion. I glanced at Alec, would he be the one to do the exploring with me?
Did he ever leave Volterra? Would he want to? I guess that depended on how he felt about me. Or maybe how I felt about him. I was confused right now. I liked Alec and I knew that he liked me, a lot. Was I so keen on him because there was such little choice if I was going to remain in the vampire world? Or did I really like him that much? It would certainly upset my dad and I didn't want to do that but this was my life and it was my decision.
Why was life so complicated? Or was I just rushing in because Darius had dumped me without a word after appearing to be interested in me?
A short quotation from Freud passed through my mind. One I had read after Darius left and thought how apt it was.
"We are never so defenceless against suffering as when we love, never so helplessly unhappy as when we have lost our loved object or its love. "
Maybe I was just being overly dramatic, thinking I had loved Darius and he had loved me when all I had done was to fixate on a handsome intelligent and funny guy who had shown some interest in me. Oh, Megan, you poor pathetic little creature.
Another quote threaded its way through my brain ruining my mood.
"I was in love with an unavailable man, an old, sad story. When I first started to fall for him, months before, my feelings gave me pleasure and hope. I would wait for him, as lovers had waited for each other since the beginning of time. But as the months passed and he didn't come around, something inside me shifted. My unrequited love became obsessive."
― Lisa M Philiips, Unrequited: The Thinking Woman's Guide to Romantic Obsession
Darius had hurt my feelings but I was young and strong and I was determined to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again. To hell with the past, I was going to live for the moment, immerse myself in the emotions of Alec's interest in me. I was Megan Whitlock, the Major's daughter and I would kick the ass of anyone who tried to mess with me.
On the way back to the citadel Alec stopped suddenly and reached into his pocket.
"This is for you Megan. I made it myself."
He handed me a tiny box and when I lifted the lid I gasped in delight. It was an alabaster ring with my name engraved on it.
"Oh, it's lovely Alec. Thank you so much."
Instinctively I leaned in and kissed him, his cheek cool and smooth against my lips and then he turned and our lips met and it was heavenly.
