Chapter 6

Maybe I was just imagining it. I mean, maybe Jake didn't get that close to my face. Maybe Jake wasn't about to plant on me. Heaven forbid, maybe I wasn't gonna let him. Oh man, what does that even mean? "Bella! It's about time." Alice rolled her eyes as I walked into her house, not bothering to knock. A concept that's foreign to both Alice and I. "Hi, Bella, how are you dear?" Esme asked, hugging me. I seem to be getting a lot of those today. "Good, Esme. How about you?" I ask. "Same old, same old." She smiles fondly at me. "Don't mind me, mother dearest, I need to borrow Bella." Alice leaves Edward's side long enough to drag me to the living room. Forcing me to sit between her and Edward.

"What?" I asked, cautiously. "Nothing." Alice shrugs, although I don't like her tone. I look to Edward, he shrugs, and mouths an apology. I glare at him. "Bella-whoa, what's going on here?" Emmett appears. "Emmett, save me." I whine. "From?" He asked, sitting down, turning on the TV. "You know, I don't actually know. I just have a bad feeling." I explained, looking at Alice. "Beats me, Bells. I'm just as lost as you are." Emmett shrugs, flipping through the channels. "Surprise, surprise." I roll my eyes. Emmett hurls a pillow at me and chuckles. "We are having a party. Well, not really a party, per se. Just a small get together." Alice explained. "And this involves me being squished between you and Edward because…" I trail off as Alice chin cocks to Esme. "She and Carlisle have a romantic night planned in Seattle tonight. She'll be leaving in a few minutes." Alice whispered. "Sneaky." I raise my eyebrows. Sure, it was like Alice to throw parties, but all of them were supervised by Carlisle or Esme, sometimes both. This would be a first.

"I left pizza money on the table, we'll be home tomorrow morning. You kids have fun." Esme smiles at all of us, blowing is all kisses and then heads out the door. We are all silent for while. It's very weird. "Anyway, small party, not really a party. Just hanging out, watching movies." Alice finishes. "So, pretty much what we do every Friday night?" I question. Emmett and Edward both chuckle. Alice glares at me. "No, it's different." She tells me. There's that weird glint in her eyes. Just then the door bell rings. "Bella, could you get that. It's our guest." Alice said, I know it's not a question. "Sure. I'm the one that's lived her my whole life." I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at her as I walk by. She just scoots over and sits next to Edward. I'm still thinking about Jake so I don't really mind that much about getting up and walking around some. I finally reach the door and pull it opened. Wait, did she say guest? As in singular?

"Bella?" He looks equally surprised. "Jasper?" His cheeks flush with embarrassment. "This is the right house? 1508, right?" He asked, stepping back searching for a house number. "Yeah, this is it." I nod. He stares me a moment, before a smile forms on his lips. "Huh." He shrugs. Then it clicks. "That conniving little pixie." I mutter under my breath. "Excuse me?" Jasper asked, cocking his head, not hearing me. "Nothing, just, uh, come on in." I cover, stepping aside to make room for him to pass. He flashes me another smile that makes my knees go weak. Curse my body for betraying me. As he passes me I can smell him, and boy does he sure smell good.

"Jasper! You made it." Alice smiles at him. "Yeah, well you had me going in a loop when Bella here answered. But we figured it out." Jasper smiled, that lopsided one, then shoves me ever so slightly. Did he notice I stopped breathing for a moment? "Well, we got a plethora of movies, and we'll order pizza soon. So, sit down, make yourself at home." Alice tells him, then leans back into the crook of Edward's arm. As I look around at the set up, I notice that Emmett if no longer sitting on the love seat, instead he's in the lazy boy chair. Alice. I fume. "Thanks you." Jasper tilts his head towards Alice then sits down on the love seat. "I hate you." I mouth to Alice as I sit next to Jasper. "No you don't." She mouths back, smiling widely. Alice puts on the first movie, honestly, I wasn't paying attention. All I could think was that Jasper was literally three inches away from me. Close enough to touch, yet still far enough away to know better. I sigh and slouch back in the love seat.

Jasper looks at me curiously, maybe a little worried. I flash him an easy smile, then make believe that I'm watching the movie. I had to seat through the movie watching Edward and Alice being all lovey dovey, Emmett texting god knows who, and playing the three second rule with Jasper. You know, the one where you look at someone for three seconds then look away. Probably about as close as I'll get to him. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or an incredibly sad thing. I sigh again, deep into my own thoughts. This time when Jasper turns and looks at me, he doesn't look away until I actually say "I'm fine."

After what seems like a long time, the movie ends. "I'll go order the pizza, cheese okay?" Alice asked, getting up. We all nod. "Good. I figure we wont start another movie until we are all done eating, yeah?" Alice asked again, and just like before we all nod. Alice laughs slightly then goes into the kitchen. "I'll be on the swing." I tell everyone. Maybe fresh air will clear the jumbled mess, more commonly known as my mind. I head to the back porch, plop down on the swing, and just rock back and forth.

I'm not really sure what I should think, really. I mean, Jake has been my friend for a while, but I've never seen him as being more than that. I don't think I'll ever see him as more than that, no, I know I wont see him as more than that. He's like a brother to me. I shiver, that's gross. Then, then there's Jasper. I don't even know anything about that really. He flirts a lot with me, but maybe he flirts with every girl like that. "A penny for your thoughts?" I look up and Jasper is standing there, looking at me. Ugh! There's that smile again. "I think you'd have more pennies than you'd know what to do with." I tell him. He chuckles, then looks at the empty space next to me. I nod. "Seriously though, Bella, what's up?" He asked, his gaze smoldering. "I honestly don't know." I shrug, leaning back. Jasper stares at me some more, than pushes off with his feet. "Well, I'm a pretty good listener. Given the chance." He explained. I stare at him. All I could think was how incredibly gorgeous he was, and then I opened my mouth and it all came rushing out like a river.

The thing that surprised me most, aside from the fact that this was the longest conversation that we had and I, for the first time, was doing all the talking. But he actually listened to it all. Everything. "My turn, do you want to know a secret?" He asked, leaning closer. "Sure." I said, excited to not have to talk anymore. "The only reason I agreed to Lauren's offer, was because she said you and her were friends. I believe her exact words were best friends." Jasper explained. Um, come again? I don't say anything, I think Jasper takes that the wrong way. "I know that sounds bad, using a girl to get to her friend. But that wasn't it. It wasn't actually a date. Not to me it wasn't. No romance whatsoever. I guess she blew it out of proportion." He talks faster than before, nervous. "Wait, you wanted to get closer to me?" I asked, confused now more then ever. Jasper looks shocked. "You didn't know that? I thought that's why you were sighing in there because you saw me giving you the three second rule." Jasper said, incredibly flustered, as he fidgets with his hands. "You were giving me the three seconds? I was giving you the three seconds." I laugh, now I'm the nervous one. "Oh yeah?" Jasper asked, his eyes gazing into mine. Is it just me or are they bluer in the moonlight?

I nod, at a lose for words. Jasper touches my cheek, leaving the skin on fire, and leans in. this time though, I meet him half way. The kiss. The kiss was everything I thought it'd be and more. Much, much more. Then, for some odd reason my conscience gets the best of me, and a certain tanned boy flashes before my closed eyelids. "I cant." I breath as I pull away. At those two words, Jasper looks completely shattered. "Oh… alright." He mumbles, standing. "No," I nearly scream pulling him back down. "I cant yet." I explain further. His eye brows knit together. "I don't understand." He said. "Jacob." I say the one word, and I see the light bulb go on above Jasper's head. "Right, the almost kiss." He mocks, pulling me closer. "In that case, I'll be waiting for you." Jasper whispers into my ear, and kisses my cheek.

Since when am I actually lucky?