Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, I own the plot
This is/was actually an OUTTAKE to my other Fan Fiction story Starting Over that revolves around Edward and Bella, but it took on a life of its own and is now an individual story. I am posting it as a separate, but parallel story to Starting Over. You can read one without having read the other.
First of all I want to give a MAJOR shout out to my beta and her highly appreciated and detailed comments on this story. DAZZLED EYES22 - This story wouldn't be the same without you.
A/N:
This was intentionally the Epilogue, but I got greedy and I have written a few more chapters. I am also posting a little early this week because I don't know if I can post Friday as usual.
Enjoy and let me hear what you think
oooooOOOOooooo
Five Months
Alice's side of the bed was cold as usual. I locked my fingers onto her pillow and pulled it to my face. I buried my head in it and inhaled the scent of her shampoo. God, how I missed her.
During the past two weeks, the only times that I had been with her I was asleep, so I didn't really see her. I felt her when she snuck into bed after midnight and she was always gone by the time I woke up. I only had a few incoherent hours of holding her naked body to mine while we slept.
We hadn't made love in what seemed like months. Though, it was probably far less than that. I was just being needy. We had never really come down to a routine from that first experience we had together until now. We had explored and experimented at night until pleasure rocked through our bodies repeatedly. Alice had been curious as ever and I thoroughly enjoyed her appetite for learning.
FLASHBACK
"Night, Bella." I murmured and turned back to the TV. Bella had been dozing off on the couch again, before calling it a night. I flipped through the channels waiting for Alice to finish in the bathroom. She never used to take this long. I muted the TV when I heard her cussing from the bathroom.
I knocked the door to the bathroom gently. "You okay?"
"Um that depends…" she grumbled irritated.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure, why not." Alice sighed. I opened the door and listened to the sound of the shower running slowly. I chewed my cheek to hide my grin when I spotted her in the cubicle. "This isn't as easy as it looks." She groaned. I stared at the razor in her hand.
"I never said it was." I snickered. Sure, I shaved almost every day, but I also had to learn the ropes. It wasn't a skill I mastered from the get go. It took time. "Why are you doing that anyway?" I frowned.
"I was curious." She murmured and shrugged.
"As ever, beautiful Alice." I slipped out of my clothes quickly and held out my hand. "Give it here." I ordered and she obediently handed over the razor. Her eyes twinkled excitedly.
"What are you going to do?" She basically purred.
"Showing you how it is done." I brushed my finger over a tiny trickle of blood on her skin. "I can't have you hurting yourself." I hunched down and drew the razor over her silky skin. Alice only shaved once, but I loved that she was curious and wanted to try. She simply made a decision that shaving wasn't for her. That night, she learned how sensitive freshly shaved skin was.
Lying here, I remembered how her passionate kisses, the swell of her breasts, her guttural exotic moans and even how the softness of her pussy against my tongue had felt. My belly clenched. It made me sad because I missed my girl.
Things had changed a lot over the past four months. Never in my life had I been happier. There was so much to reach for in our future. It was all within our grasp.
The first meeting with Emmett had been very stressful for Alice. Emmett had promised to behave, but I knew that was a long shot.
FLASHBACK
"I can't believe how tiny 'ass fondling girl' is." He boomed.
"Emmett." I groaned. "You promised."
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Pixie." He amended. "So, how is my sister's ass to fondle?" His laughter thundered throughout the apartment. I glanced sideways at Alice and Bella. Their faces were pale as ghosts and they gaped at Emmett. Oh, this was going to be a challenge. Ten seconds in the door and this was already awkward.
For the first time ever, I had taken my girlfriend home to meet my parents. My mom was elated to finally get to meet her because Emmett had blabbered all the details about Alice to her. I sat back at dinner and watched Alice skillfully wrap my dad around her elegant little finger.
Other things also happened that I never expected.
FLASHBACK
"Just pick a flavor, Alice." I almost groaned. Jeez, how long could it take to pick out ice cream?
"But, you like this and Bella likes the double chocolate one." She sighed and swapped the packages once more.
"Just pick the one you want. I'll eat anything." I shrugged. Alice turned and her eyes gleamed mischievously at me. I rolled my eyes. I could barely open my mouth these days without her reading something naughty into it.
"How about this?" She asked and held up the strawberry flavored ice cream. "You don't think this is too sweet?"
I smirked at her and kissed her cheek quickly. "I like things that are sweet." I said softly. I let my thumb trace just above the waistband of her denim skirt, feeling the smooth skin of her stomach. I kept my hand resting at her hip as Alice gazed wantonly at me with her beautiful eyes.
"Alice? Hi." A girl said surprised. Alice had the strangest puzzled look in her eyes when the stranger just stared at us. Alice had come out almost immediately to everyone, except her parents. That was a hurdle we had yet to cross.
Alice's mouth popped open. She was clearly caught off guard. I suspected the girl could be linked to her parents, so I stepped back to give a bit more space between us because I still had my hand casually on her hip. It wasn't up to me when her parents would learn about our relationship, or if ever. Alice never really saw them to my knowledge. By the way Alice looked at the girl and she stared back, it was obvious there was something was going on between them.
Alice had relaxed after a moment and gave the girl a small hug. It wasn't until she said her name that I understood the tension. Alice had taken my hand, linking our fingers together and introduced me as her girlfriend to Lauren. Lauren, her first crush!
Lauren was pretty. That was for sure. She had blond luscious hair to the middle of her back, but she wore too much make-up for my taste. Her eyes traced back and forth between us sadly. Glancing over my shoulder, I understood her melancholy as a man spoke to her and I saw the wedding ring on her finger that matched his. I met her gaze and unhappiness emitted from her eyes looking at us. They were almost jealous. I suspected there was a side to Lauren that her husband didn't know. She probably never moved past her exclusive friendships or came out in the open.
Another thing that had changed was my address. Sure it might be irrational to move in with each other so quickly, but there had been nothing stopping us. Being with Alice was so uncomplicated. At times, we had talked about how we never fought. Normal couples fought, but we didn't. For four months, there had been nothing to fight over, not even the small irritating, nerve grating things did we argue over. With Alice, those things just didn't bother me. It might sound like a cop-out, but it seemed like a waste of time for me to pick a fight over who left the cap off the toothpaste. So far with her it didn't matter, I just replaced the cap.
It was actually Bella that had stated the obvious and asked why I didn't just move in. I was here all the time anyway. That was true. Since the night we had first made love, I hadn't spent one night at my place. Neither of us had wanted to be apart. That was to Emmett's great pleasure. No matter how happy he was about using my space, it still seemed absurd to hang on to the place. So about a month ago, I had moved in with Alice… and Bella. The stuff that didn't fit in the apartment or what was now our room had gone into storage with all of Bella's stuff. With the money we saved on rent, we chose to be responsible and started a savings account for what the future might hold for us. We had laughed for days over it, but it felt good to have something that we both shared.
Having Bella as a friend was another thing I hadn't accounted for. She was a gentle soul, but wasn't afraid to speak her mind when she felt the need to. She supported Alice in everything she did. So when I came into Alice's life, she accepted me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Alice and Bella did fight on occasion, but it was always about the same thing - the father of her baby. I tried to be the middleman, but it wasn't always easy. Alice was adamant that Bella should confront him, but Bella saw it differently. I was partial to the matter, but what I wasn't partial to was the fact Bella was in a lot of pain. Though when I learned the identity of the father, I understood Bella's choice not to tell him or at least, why she was so careful about it.
I hadn't been at Alice's many nights when I got the first taste of Bella's nightmares. I hadn't been able to sleep when an agonizing scream had ripped through the apartment. I tumbled out of bed expecting to find a burglar doing a B and E, but only to find the screaming was coming from Bella's room.
Alice sat beside her for a few minutes, until she quieted down. She never woke up when it happened, but Alice sitting by her side for a bit could always comfort her.
Coming out of Bella's room that first time that I witnessed her nightmare, I had been standing in the middle of the living room dumbfounded. This was why Alice was reluctant to leave Bella alone at night. I never learned what her nightmares were about because Bella never talked about her bad dreams and Alice never said she was the one who calmed her down.
I rolled to my side, picked up my phone and typed in a text.
I'm thinking about you. Good luck, baby.
I waited for a few minutes, but I knew there wouldn't be an answer. Not today.
Though I missed Alice like crazy, I would never tell her right now. I would never make her feel guilty for not being here. These past two weeks including tonight were her moment to shine. Alice's collection was done and she had her very first fashion show tonight. That was why she was gone all the time. Her entire career was riding on this one chance. I couldn't be prouder.
I finally tumbled out of bed, finding a pair of panties and a shirt. Alice and I had an unspoken rule that I didn't mind following - no clothes in bed. It was incredibly intimate to sleep next to each other without a stitch of clothes on. It wasn't about sex, but some strange primal need to feel her body and feel that she truly was mine. It was the same for Alice. When I finally wrapped my head around the fact she wasn't going to change her mind, I had opened up to her completely and hadn't felt an ounce of regret for giving her all of me. I never felt so loved in my entire life.
So tonight might belong to Alice, but in some way it also belonged to me – I hoped.
I showered quickly, finishing in the bathroom. I needed to spend a few hours at the office to catch up on a few things, before going to the venue with Bella and Emmett.
Bella was lounging on the couch when I exited the bathroom, wearing shorts and a top. I had learned to be comfortable around Bella being this exposed. She had confronted me about making her uncomfortable. Bella said the fact I never wore a pair of sweats, pajamas pants or anything else relaxing made her feel like a slob. It was slightly backwards, but I could see her point. While I was so hung up on not creeping her out, I was actually doing just that so I learned to relax and be as comfortable as I possibly could.
I had wanted to help Alice with the fashion show, but she said no because I distracted her too much and she couldn't concentrate when I was with her. So I was left tending to Bella. She was very pregnant by now and ready to go into labor any day. It gave Alice a peace of mind to know that either Emmett or I was with her. The two of them had bonded somehow, but over what I was clueless. They were as different as they could be.
Throughout the day, I was nervous, but excited to see my girlfriend's hard work come together.
At exactly six o'clock, the door speakerphone chimed with Emmett thundering through that the car was here. I had wiggled into a pair of jeans that Alice had laid out for me. I glanced at Bella as she stood up from the kitchen table chair. At nine months pregnant, she was quite pretty, but there was no way I was accepting what I was seeing. "You are not wearing those." I said and pointed to her shoes.
"And why not?" She countered and tried to look down at her feet, but I figured she hadn't seen them in months.
"Because either you will break a leg and go into labor or your feet will kill you wearing those heels and you will go into labor. That was the one thing that you promised Alice you wouldn't do today."
"I can't go to her show wearing sneakers." She whined.
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Give me a sec." I muttered and hurried to our room. I rooted through the chaotic mess of our shoes trying to find the one decent pair of flats I owned. I knew they would fit Bella. I shoved them into my bag. "Let's go." I said as soon as I was back in the kitchen.
oooooOOOOooooo
I glanced at the mirror, sighing. The top that Alice had made especially for me was stunning. The neckline was reaching down between my breasts showing my cleavage, but unfortunately also the middle of my bra. I turned and glanced at the closing on the back that was also visible. I wasn't sure what Alice had been thinking by making this for me. The fabric was weightless and the print elaborate both in color and design. The waterfall neckline left a little exposed skin, but not too much I guessed. It was a beautiful piece of clothing.
"Jasper…" Alice frowned when I finally saw her. I gaped because I had never seen her look that stunning before. She was in a cream colored dress, made from some sort of frilly fabric that hugged closely at her waist and was deliciously short. Standing behind me, she, for the first time ever, stood taller than me. I glanced down her gorgeous legs to find that she was wearing what looked like at least four-inch heels. Finding her face, her cheeks were flushed with heat, but her make-up was radiant. Her blue eyes were exquisitely framed by the dark smoky shades. Her hair was pulled back in a feminine, large, but rigidly controlled bun. She looked utterly perfect. It was her night after all. I blinked a few times feeling undeniably proud that she was mine.
"Absolutely beautiful." I whispered softly while keeping my eyes locked on hers.
"Thank you." She beamed elated. She glanced down my body again and rolled her eyes. "You are not supposed to be wearing that."
I turned to my reflection in the mirror again and nodded. "I figured." I shrugged and was about to take the top off again. Alice groaned dramatically.
"Not the top." She sighed animatedly and unhooked my bra. "This." She said more playfully. She slipped the straps from my shoulders and I pulled my arms through. She dropped the item to the floor when she had pulled it out by the plunging neckline. "You are perfectly able to go without it." She dipped her head and kissed my bare shoulder while adjusting the neckline. "Looking at you gives me an appetite." She lifted her dark painted eyes to mine in the mirror and smirked at me.
"Alice." I admonished. I glanced at myself. The top did make sense now, but I felt naked and exposed wearing nothing underneath. I never did that.
"What? Ask anyone." She shrugged. "Nice cleavage. I gotta go work." She rushed and the quiet moment between us was gone. The world around us exploded into buzzing sounds of people running back and forth like mad men, stuffing half naked girls into Alice's creations. "Make-up is waiting for you." She yelled over her shoulder when she was ripped from me and engrossed in the pending fashion show.
I found the corner with the bright light bulbs adorning the mirrors. A lanky guy with dramatic eye make-up and Goth inspired pants kept tapping a brush against his temple. His gestures were theatrical and even more feminine than Alice's.
"I was supposed to be here." I said carefully.
"About time. I have exactly six and a half minute to do you." He smiled animatedly and glanced down my body. If people were going to do that all night, I was so changing my clothes, no matter what Alice said. The drama queen whistled under his breath taking me in. "Someone is going to make the men drool with those titties. Nice rack, hun." He winked playfully at me and pointed for me to sit in a chair. I grimaced at him, hating he was making a meal out of embarrassing me. I sat down, unwilling to let him near me. "Who's the lucky guy?" He asked starting to apply the make-up.
It grated my nerves that he assumed to know me. "I speak gay just as fluently as you do, I would assume." I snorted sourly.
"Uh, sassy. I do love a girl with a feisty mouth." He smiled broadly, but stopped working for a moment. "Seriously?" He cocked a brow at me.
"Yes." I answered simply. The man sashayed to the counter and ransacked through the mess of eye shadows. He started brushing a coppery shade over my eyelids.
"Girlfriend?" He asked a moment later a little less vivacious.
"Alice." I answered curtly again. His eyes widened for a moment, then he smiled and glanced in her direction. She was standing beside a technician with an earpiece trying to force an extremely tall girl into a tube top.
"Lucky you." He approved.
"I know." I said and smirked. The make-up artist wrestled with my hair for a few minutes and I gaped when I saw the result. I was sure he had taken a flat iron to my hair, but soft curls framed my face. "Thanks." I said quietly and he winked in response.
The show was ready to start. I was seated with Bella and Emmett in the front row. My stupid brother threw one glance at my top and grinned, totally entertained. I stopped him before he could say anything. "One word Emmett and I will kick you in the balls." I searched around the crowd seeing a few people that I recognized, but mainly it was all Aro's guests. Maria and Nettie were here and so were my parents. I was glad to see Maria single again, and what was even better was Leah wasn't here with Mr. Marcus either. She had left the company a few weeks ago in favor of a prestigious title with a different company. Though, Maria and Leah had broken up before that. Once Maria figured out Leah knack for control, Maria had pulled the plug on that relationship. It wasn't her thing at all, no matter how great the sex was. Though, I would never say it, I was glad the fling between them was short lived. Maria was my friend and I didn't need to see Leah exert her ways over her. But I still received a text from Leah now and again. I ignored them all.
The show hadn't started when I was poked on my shoulder. "You're needed out back." The make-up artist said. I glanced at him for a short moment.
"She's panicking, isn't she?" I whispered over my shoulder, knowing this was exactly a moment where Alice would freak out.
"Big time." He said and rolled his eyes.
Out back, Alice stood in the middle of the huddle of models while Aro was trying to talk some sense into her. She just stared straight ahead with her hands hanging limply at her side. That face I had seen before. "I got this." I said to Aro to get him away from Alice. He still made my skin crawl, though he had never done anything to harm anyone I knew. "You should mingle with your guests." Aro had been so impressed with the collection that he whipped out a decent amount of cash to set off her collection with style and make Alice the belle of the ball. He had given her this chance pro bono.
I brushed my fingers across her glossed lips. "Look at me, baby." I murmured. She slowly lifted her eyes to me. "Don't let your panic steal your show. You want me to stay with you?" I whispered. She nodded briefly, but her eyes were still brimming with fear. "They are going to love it."
"You think so?"
I tapped her temple with my pointer finger. "Doesn't my girl know so?"
She smiled gently while her confidence made a comeback. "A girl can only hope."
The music boomed from the stage and the light dimmed. I glanced at the models lined up at the stage entrance, all wearing her designs and looking out of this world. "Be proud of your work. Look at them. Tell me that is what failure looks like and not an overwhelming success." I kissed the soft spot on her neck just below her ear and I felt her shudder. "I dare you, baby." I challenged smugly.
"They do look beautiful, don't they?"
"There's my confident girl." I praised.
"I love you, Jasper." She whispered and laced her fingers into mine.
"I know. And I love you." I kissed her neck again and we found a spot from where we could watch the show from backstage. I held my breath as the first model stomped down the runway looking incredibly fierce. Alice's heart was like a jackhammer in her chest. The ferocious palpitations continued throughout the show, but that was understandable, it was a chance of a lifetime for her.
A standing ovation erupted from the crowd when Alice made a short appearance on the stage. Aro had arranged for potential buyers to attend the show. Alice mingled from one prospective client to the next. I watched her from afar, sipping on drinks and smiling brilliantly. Once in a while, I managed to sneak in a kiss or a hug. She really was the belle of the ball. By the looks of it, the guests were impressed.
After the show, we had arranged for our friends and family to gather and celebrate Alice.
My jaw dropped when Bella introduced me to Alice's parents out of nowhere. They hadn't bothered to let us know they would be attending. Suddenly standing face to face with them was a little frightening. They didn't know about Alice and me. Would they have seen us tonight? Even if she wanted to tell them, tonight was the worst choice for that.
Alice looked nothing like her parents. Her mother was a stout woman and her father, a thin man whom I suspected hardly spoke a word. They had been so gracious to book a room at the hotel and to make a weekend of coming to see their daughter's first fashion show. I hoped Alice would be glad to see them, but we also needed to be careful. Something we never practiced before. We didn't flaunt our relationship, but we didn't hide it either.
Alice was elated to see her parents, but I could judge by her eyes that she was also worried what they would say. This was our life and I hated that we had to put a downer on our happiness tonight, but so far the night went off seamlessly.
"Come on, Bella. I know you want to." I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard Emmett's droning voice.
"Emmett, I don't think that's a good idea." Bella answered gently.
"Come on. You know you want it." He mused. I was basically alight with fury when I realized Emmett was making a pass at her. She was off limits for starters and seriously pregnant. He couldn't be so demented that he thought hitting on Bella would be okay? I whipped around the curtain in the private dining room of the hotel ready to take his head off. I laughed hysterically when I spotted Bella slumped back on the couch with her swollen feet in Emmett's lap, fighting off his attempt to give her a foot rub.
"Will you admit I was right now?" I countered and glanced at her feet. Bella flushed slightly and smiled sheepishly. "Good thing I brought you flats then."
"You did?" Her face lit up. I nodded in response. It was so comfortable being with the people I cared about. It was like we had created our own little family where we all had our own place and meaning.
I moved to the dimly lit conference room where we had left our belongings, so we wouldn't have to drag them around all night. The door slammed behind me and Alice smiled hugely at me. I hunched down and searched my bag for the flat shoes I had brought for Bella. Alice was right in front of me when I stood up again. It was so odd having her be taller than me, but her killer heels had to be the sexiest thing that I had ever seen.
Her hands roamed down my ass and her mouth enveloped mine instantly. I could taste the alcohol on her tongue as she kissed me forcefully. My body was starving for her touch. I missed being intimate with her. It had been weeks since I tasted her and felt her skin. She walked me backwards until the back of my legs hit the conference table. I fell to my butt.
"Oops" She giggled.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled me to her. "Congratulations, baby. You are officially a success. You proved your parents wrong."
"Thanks, Jasper." She slurred and started kissing me again.
"You're drunk." I laughed enjoying her having the night of her life.
She leaned back and held up her fingers an inch apart. "Just a smidgen." I laughed again. Alice dived for my neck, kissing and nibbling flirtatiously. I tilted my head out of the way to give her space and leaned back on the table. Alice followed not allowing me to have a breath of air before her tongue passionately attacked my mouth. I groaned and raking my hands down her sides and to her ass.
Her fingers trailed down over my collarbone and drew my top aside and exposed one side of my chest. She pulled back from my mouth, staring intensely down at me. Her hand cradled my breast as she kneaded firmly. I squirmed my crotch against her spreading my legs wider.
"I missed you, Jasper." She whispered. "I'm so sorry that I neglected you." She said, her voice was passionate and then she pinched my nipple. I moaned loudly.
"I'm sure that you'll make it up to me." I panted. Alice's eyes were intense and hooded staring down at me. What started as an innocent drunken kiss grew intense in a heartbeat I was feeling the arousing heat spread down my thighs. Alice put her mouth to my breast, kissed and bit down on my nipple, sucking lustfully. I groaned, utterly turned on and feeling moisture pool between my legs.
"God, I want you." She breathed against my skin and massaged my breast again. Her mouth locked over mine again, while moving passionately with me like she could never get enough of me.
"Yeah?" I groaned. I pulled her already short dress up slightly and slipped my hands underneath the fabric. The flesh of her ass was soft and naked, hardly covered by what felt like the skimpiest pair of panties so far. I drew her closer pressing her hips against my thighs as our mouths worked furiously against each other, wet and consuming. Our breathing was labored and wanting as I was sprawled on a conference table with Alice bent over me. It was erotic and a major fucking turn on to have her be so forward. I snaked my one hand across her hip, over her thigh and in between her legs. She panted when I touched the wetness covering her pussy. I pulled my hand back and she whimpered longingly. Our mouths parted. I couldn't help but taste my fingers as she watched, hovering above me. She smiled salaciously.
"Miss the taste of me?" She cocked a brow at me and I nodded. Her hand quickly slipped to my jeans, ripping the button open, forcing the zipper down. Her skilled fingers slipped over my sex, grazing my clit and I groaned with raw desire. She teased me, while barely touching me and just making me want her even more.
"Please, Alice. Please touch me." I purred and bucked my hips towards my hand. The girl, who had once been apprehensive about touching me because she was afraid that she would be bad at it, was nowhere to be found. My Alice was a powerhouse of sensual torture when she wanted to be. As for me, the girl who never begged, I often found myself pleading.
She didn't continue, but withdrew her hand instead. I was about an inch away from pouting. She slipped her index finger into her mouth, reciprocated my gesture. "I miss the taste of you too." She murmured. My body was frantic for her touch and I was too far-gone to stop now. I pulled her face down to me and kissed her deeply. I sighed contently when I felt her hand slip into my pants again. "Make me cum." I breathed into her mouth, hoping she wouldn't leave me hanging like this. Not now, not when she had driven me this far. She pinched my clit within an inch of pain. I hissed from the pleasure and arched my back. I could count the seconds until I would cum. Alice's demanding mouth found my chest and she swirled her tongue, grazing my nipple with her teeth.
"Oh god, that feels good." I moaned, my voice feeling hoarse. I was utterly aroused being trapped underneath her. The primal edge to her attack was erotic and overpowering. I kneaded her breast shortly only to slip my hands down her thighs and up under her dress again. I loved the soft swell of her ass and right now it was the easiest part of her to reach. Her dress was so short and the access was easy. I contemplated going down on her once I had hit my climax. I wanted to smell and taste her arousal.
Her skilled hand dipped further into my jeans and she slowly pushed two fingers inside of me. I moaned loudly and bucked my hips again to greet her hand. "Yes. More." I breathed desperate for the last hint of depth that would send me toppling over the edge. I was almost there.
"Mary Alice Brandon." A woman gasped. Panic jolted through both of us like an electric current and my heart literally lurched to a halt. I glanced to the side only to see Alice's parents staring at us horrified. I quickly pulled down on Alice's dress to cover up her exposed backside, because it was literally sticking half naked right up in the air.
"Holy shit!" Alice gasped. She ripped her hand from my pants and pulled back finding the balance on her heels. I rearranged my top covering my chest and quickly closed my pants while scrambling to my feet.
"What on earth are you doing?" She wheezed as color drained from her face. "Of all despicable things…" She didn't finish. I met Alice's eyes and they were wide with panic and fear. This was a breaking point for her. There was no going back now. "Can we have a moment alone with Alice?" Her mother said coldly and stared at me like I was violating her daughter. It made my stomach churn to see the disapproval on her mother's face. She peered at us like we were murdering someone and not just having a passionate moment. Sure, no one was supposed to see us being this intimate, but looking at her mother it was like we were urinating on graves like vile creatures. There was nothing wrong with us kissing because we loved each other.
"I'll stay right here." I said quietly looking into Alice's eyes. They were swimming with emotions and dejection. "I love you and I'm not going anywhere." I stroked her cheek, as Alice was still facing me.
"It's okay." She answered bravely and pulled in a deep breath. She forced a smile on her face. "It's just my parents. I can handle them."
"You sure?" I asked. She nodded and licked the edge of her teeth.
"Yes. Just give us a few minutes." Picking up Bella's shoes, I glanced at the stout woman as I passed, feeling horrible about leaving Alice alone. I plopped down on the couch outside the room staring into nothing. I started chewing the inside of my cheek furiously as I could only imagine what was being said in that room.
"What's wrong?" Bella asked fretful when I handed her the shoes. Emmett shifted and stared at me.
"Spill!" He ordered simply.
I leaned forward and dumped my head into my hands. "Alice's parents just caught us kissing." I divulged.
"Oh no." Bella gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth. Emmett just gawked at us.
"Is that a bad thing?" He asked confused. "I would love to see you guys making out."
"Shut up! Emmett." I basically yelled.
"So it is a bad thing." He murmured apologetically. "You weren't just kissing, were you?" He asked quietly and not mocking me at all. That was a first.
I shook my head. "I am not entirely sure Alice's parents would condone of what they just saw." I glanced over at Bella and the look on her face told me that I was right. She didn't say anything, just looked down incredibly somber at her swollen belly.
Sadness washed over me when I spotted my dad watching the three of us. He smiled and came over. He sat down at the armrest and put a finger under my jaw. "Chin up, baby girl. No one makes my girl look that sad." I felt like crying because I was at a loss. I didn't want Alice to go through any pain and certainly didn't like that I wasn't in that room defending her and our relationship. "It would happen eventually." He said kindly. "You just need to support her as best as you can."
"How do you know? Do you even know what happened?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Your lipstick is a little smudged." He said and stroked my cheek with his thumb.
"Oh." I murmured and traced a finger along the edge of my lip. I flinched when the door was slammed again. I bolted off the couch ready to run to her rescue, as two people exited the room. Their faces were dark with disapproval and lined with anguish.
A rough hand locked on my shoulder and I was pulled back. Dad looked at me earnestly and smiled knowingly. "Let me." He said and moved to the door before I had a chance to argue.
The stark woman stopped dead in her tracks, turned and went straight for me. "You are completely heartless. Why do you people have to ruin lives with your provocative lifestyle? It is despicable of you to make her do something like that. How could you do this to Alice? How could you ruin her life like this?"
My mouth popped open, but I was speechless. Alice's mother turned on her heels, not waiting for my retaliation. She was gone before my anger boiled over. I had no one to hiss at, but Emmett and Bella. "Stupid fucking cow." I muttered under my breath.
I noticed Emmett, who was surprisingly quiet. I glanced at him. He was usually not withdrawn when delivering verbal attacks. "What the hell does she think?" He muttered. "That you gave her herpes? What the hell does she mean, 'you people'? Does she think you are from another breed of human?" He blurted incredulously.
"She probably does." Bella chimed in cheerlessly.
I could only wait for another moment, before I had to see her. I had to know that she was okay. I closed the door silently behind me, watching my dad and Alice from afar.
"They disowned me. They said that I wasn't their daughter anymore if I wanted to be with Jasper. I am not welcome in their house anymore." Alice snorted.
"You know what I think." He paused and Alice looked up at him with her wet eyes. "It is their loss. You don't just go about throwing something precious like you out on the street." Alice snorted thickly and nodded. Dad put his arm around her and hugged her, while he shushed her just like he used to do with me when I was a child. "Don't cry anymore, sweetheart. You'll ruin your pretty make-up. We can't have the star of today looking all splotchy." Alice giggled suddenly and nodded. She smiled that warm loving smile that always stole my heart.
"Your minute is up, dad." I said interrupting them. Alice was hurt and crying, but I was moved to tears watching my dad be so fatherly to her. He treated her like he always treated me.
I hugged Alice and she basically choked me with her slim arms hugging me back. "I love you so much, Jasper." She said and snorted. Internally, I selfishly rejoiced in the fact that I would win if it came down to a choice between her family and me.
"I love you too."
"I want to go home." Alice murmured while clinging to me for dear life. "I just want to be with you."
"This is your night. Let's go have one drink and if you still want to go home, we'll leave. Okay?" I paused. "I don't think you should give up just yet. The night is still young."
"Okay." She said.
We sat down at the bar and Alice gazed at me for a long moment. "They want nothing to do with me." She whispered.
"I know, sweetheart." I said and took her hand. I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed her palm. "How are you feeling?"
"Like sobering up." She smiled her dazzling smile and I laughed. Only my Alice could smile at a moment like this.
We both ordered a club soda and some coffee. Alcohol seemed as unfitting as ever at this moment. I sat still pondering if I should go through with what I had planned all along or just forget about it. The time didn't seem right, but strangely perfect to cement how much I truly loved her.
I found my dad's watchful gaze from across the room and he raised a brow at me. He was the only person I had spoken to about my wish for the future, so he knew what I planned to do. I nodded once and felt resolve flood my body. I laced my fingers into Alice's. "Come with me." I said quietly. She stared at me with her big inquisitive eyes. "You don't get to ask questions." I smiled and nervousness set in. I pulled her through the banquet and towards the show room. I passed my dad and closed the door behind me. Dad would guard the door. No one was allowed inside, as I wanted this moment to be absolutely private.
We entered the room where one lonely spotlight was illuminating the runway. "What are you doing, Jasper?" Alice pondered, while I pulled her towards the stage.
"Get up." I ordered and we both climbed up on the runway Alice's models had been stomping down just a few hours ago.
"Jasper?" She questioned again, but her eyes were alight with excitement.
"You'll see in a moment." I smiled, feeling nothing but resolve. I took her hand again and lead her under the spotlight. I gazed up in the blinding light for a moment. I wanted this to be simple, not buried in countless messes of romantic details. I wanted it to be my words that mattered. I wiped my hands on my jeans, as they were starting to sweat. Alice was still staring at me wide-eyed wondering what the hell was going on. I felt a little snide that for once she hadn't seen this coming. I took both her hands and kissed her fingers briefly. I blew out a sharp breath hoping to feel a little calmer. I had to look up the slightest to see her face and it bothered me. It was weird having her be taller than me. "Can you take your heels off, please?"
"Don't tell me that you're not liking them?" She cocked a brow at me. I laughed. Alice knew that I loved heels, because I never wore anything else.
"Trust me I do, but that is not what this is about." I kicked my own shoes off and the smooth floor of the stage was cool. Her eyes were level to mine now and it was much better.
I released another tensed exhale and my breath was shaky. Alice opened her mouth and was about to speak when I placed my finger across it, silencing her. "You need to let me say this. I am a little nervous, but I hope you will let me finish."
"But…" I simply inclined a brow at her. She closed her mouth again, fighting her lovely smile.
"Okay." I hesitated for a moment. I had been over this a million times in my head, but now everything seemed to be a bit jumbled. I chewed the inside of my cheek, while staring into her eyes, seeing her devotion and love. It gave me the strength that I needed. "Alice, you know I love you. There is no comparison to you whatsoever. Today, this stage was yours and you owned it. You were phenomenal, though that is not even a big enough word." I felt my throat close and my nose going a little stuffy. "I am so proud of you. You are so talented. I am so honored every time you call me your girlfriend and I can't believe that I get to have you. Sometimes I fear I will wake up from this wonderful dream, but every day I do wake up and you are right next to me with your unfaltering determination. I am truly sorry for what your parents saw today, but that doesn't mean that I regret that they know about us now. I stand by everything that we are. I am sorry that they can't accept that. Family is about love. If they can't accept you for whom you love, then are they truly your family? I am and I want to be. I was so scared to let you into my life and let you love me, but when I finally did, it turned out to be the best thing I ever did. Never in my life have I felt so cherished and loved as I do in your hands - your talented and capable hands. I can only hope to make you feel a fraction as safe and loved as I do with you. You set the bar incredibly high and you are one astoundingly brave woman. You know exactly what you want. I finally learned not to question your resolve because there is no point. I only need to stand beside you. Alice, you are my best friend. You are my confidant in everything, you are my incredible lover and you are my deeply loved soul mate." I snorted, as the tears were suddenly streaming down my face. "I know this has no merit legally, but I don't care. All that I care about is that you know this is how I feel. So here goes nothing." I hesitated, watching Alice's wet and deeply emotional eyes. I leaned my forehead against hers, inhaling her gentle and feminine scent. "Will you marry me, Alice?" I whispered and held my breath. It was quiet, so still you could hear a feather drop to the floor. Alice was so still in front of me like she was sleeping. My heart was dancing frantically in my chest, pumping so hard that it hurt. "Say something, Alice." I murmured when an irrevocable panic arose in my body.
"I can speak now?" She whispered almost inaudible. I laughed and snorted.
"Yes."
"Then yes." She said without hesitation or falter. I heard her answer loud and clear.
"Yes?" I retorted elated feeling like I was about to explode from happiness.
"Yes, Jasper. I will marry you." She whispered and wiped my tears.
oooooOOOOoooooo
So someone's life is about to change… I am just not telling you how. You will have to see for yourself next time I post.
I hoped you liked and I look forward to reading your thoughts on the chapter
Come find me on Twitter - thumannlegend