After the sound of dismissing students in the hall died down, I reluctantly moved Alice from my chest. She was warm, but not how a human should have been. I looked strongly at her pleasant face. Her eyes fluttered open, now a calmer color to no extreme of green or gold. Her winged liner was still in a perfect point having no indication of tears having ever been present.
"Shall we Darlin'?" I offered as I gently stroked her flushed cheek. The presence of which was having less of an effect on me as it once did.
She nodded and sprung up from her place in my lap. She extended her hands to me, a gesture of assistance.
I chuckled and took them without allowing her to take any weight of me.
We made our way across the courtyard towards my car. We would spend our time at the house tonight. Emmett had already informed me of his intentions with the apartment. I felt it unnecessary to subject Alice to anymore of Rosalie's sounds than absolutely necessary. Not to mention how extremely odd Rose has been around her.
We passed a bulletin with several posters of events happening in the area. A pleasant and sweet emotion radiated from Alice suddenly, her attention drawn to one of the posters. I stopped and examined all the posters.
"This one?" I inquired with both surprise and almost excitement. Being excited about an event on campus was yet another new experience for me.
"What? Oh…That emotion thing is a tricky one to avoid isn't it?" she murmured bashfully. "It's just that…I've always really resonated with that kind of stuff. Well, I guess it kind of makes a lot of sense now."
"Alice. Darlin'. I would be honored if you allowed me to escort you to the U.S.O. dance." I enunciated every word so that she knew there was no error in my asking. With her back in my presence and the added decades of abstinence, I had become better in tune with my instincts and urges when it comes to being in close proximity with humans. I was sure of my abilities. Sure enough that I could finally give Alice the public experiences that she so desired before her disappearance.
"Jasper…I would absolutely love that, but you really don't have to. I know that sort of thing isn't something you normally do. And besides, that's tonight! I wouldn't have anything to wear."
"Fortunately, a recent angel has entered my world and provided me with the courage and hope to return to the things I so love and thoroughly enjoy. And besides," I mocked. "There is a whole closet of things for you to wear tonight back at the house, and I would be hard pressed to find there wasn't a proper swing dress buried in the mountains of things in there."
Her head cocked sharply to the side in confusion. Then a light sparked behind her eyes. "The locked door." She muttered mostly to herself deep in thought.
I nodded. "I could not bring myself to leave them behind. I have brought your clothes with us for every move, carefully maintaining your organization of the closet." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously "I guess a part of me had hoped you would one day return, and I wanted to be ready." I admitted.
"Well now we really must go!" she bounced with excitement.
She quickened our pace to my car and was already buckled in before I could fully open her door for her. I laughed as I rounded the car and brought the engine loudly to life. I playfully revved the engine with a smirk in her direction.
Her curls fell perfectly around her shoulders as let her hair out of its confines and she nodded her head in excitement, rolling the windows down for a better listen at the engine's purr.
I floored the accelerator and sped out of the campus at impossible speeds. I hadn't had the appropriate time to share my graciousness to Rosalie for this gift. I would have to change that…at a later time and date.
I flew around the circle in the center of town and made our way to the house, the speedometer creeping past 120, 130, steadying out at 160. I had placed snow chains on the sport tires earlier today and was grateful I had. Snow was still falling around us, gathering in large piles on the sides of the road, bringing the tree branches nearly to the ground with its weight.
Alice played with the radio before hooking her phone to the Bluetooth. "What shall we listen to?" she laughed.
"I'm curious what kinds of music you are into this time around."
She pinched her face in contemplation, but it quickly softened when she made her choice. The opening note was telling enough. It was Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman, but a more modern remix I supposed.
I chuckled at her choice. "Seems rather appropriate. I like the take on a good classic."
She settled back into her seat seeming proud with herself. She started scrolling through Pinterest searching for makeup looks for tonight. "I really love everything about the late 30s and 40s, they seem like they were fun…ya know, aside from war and everything."
"I'd have to admit they were interesting times."
"…Oh yeah." She chortled. "I'm not quite used to the fact that you lived through it. But I'm assuming that means you'll know how to properly swing dance and I expect to be instructed! I will not make a fool of myself." She laughed.
I shook my head with a laugh. "Yes Ma'am. Though I must tell you, adding a southern twist to east coast is the best way to go." I winked at her.