Walking in to the shopping centre was completely new to me.
Not in the way that I hadn't been there before, but in the way that I had never walked in like this before.
When the sliding doors closed behind us, I entered a new world. A world of comfort… And anxiety.
People stared, gawked… Wondered.
Me, with my plain clothes, plain hair… Even as a vampire I felt plain… Average.
Alice, with her 'fits in all the right places' jeans, a probably casual top –that she somehow made it seem 'not so casual' – that made her eyes jump out at you… Every inch of her skin screamed perfection; you could feel the smooth, loving touch from a mile away… Alice was art, there was no other way to describe it, just looking at her made you want to cry, or smile… Or both. She walked like no one was watching, but it was so painfully obvious that there wasn't one person who wasn't watching every movement she made. Anyone who got to know her, knew that everything on the inside was a thousand times better than the outside… Alice was… Irresistible.

Now, this overwhelmingly stunning vampire was taking me by the heart as she held my hand.
I looked like nobody next to her, but the way she made me feel was the opposite. I just wish that I could handle myself better around her, with the embarrassment and the foolishness… She deserved better.

"Bella?" Alice tightened her grip on my hand, startling me with an electric shock through my veins "Tense again? You know, if you don't loosen up soon I'm going to have to make you"
I didn't know if she meant it the way I took it, but I certainly took it the way I wanted too, and it certainly showed up on my face. I could feel my smile become corrupt with polluted thoughts, and it didn't take Alice very long to get a hold on what I was thinking.

"Bella, we're In public" She laughed "If you must think that way, could you at least wait until there aren't quite so many people around?" Her eyes drifted off, and suddenly her very own corrupt smile grew.
"Alice…" A smile fought at my lips "If you must think such thoughts, could you at least wait until there aren't quite so many people around?"
Alice wrapped both her hands around my waist, and pressed her silky lips against my cheek. "I'll try, but I can't promise you anything with your irresistible self walking next to me"
I smiled as we walked on, ignoring the stunned faces and focusing on the beauty next to me. I patiently waited as Alice fluttered around stores and threw various garments at me, nodded my head to every "You have to try this on" and "This would look great with…"
I never denied the fact that it would be hell going through hours of shopping, but I was more than happy to spend hours of watching Alice dance around clothing racks.

Four hours and twenty-three bags later, we found ourselves at a nearby café. I was listening to Alice talk about her clothes, and thinking about how good she would look without them.
I'd never been this bad with… Those… Kind of thoughts. But suddenly I felt the need to be as close as possible to Alice, and I didn't know what was much closer than that.
I still had all night with Alice, but it didn't seem enough. I wondered if she meant what she said earlier, if she would actually take me away on a holiday, I almost fell off my chair in anticipation of what would happen, a holiday with Alice… Just us… No one to read thoughts, or to interpret moods… Us… Peace…

"Bella, are you listening?" Another electric shock… Damn it, it gets more embarrassing every time it happens.
"When are you going to stop being so Tense?" she giggled.
"When you stop being so faultless, Alice" I smiled, trying to mimic her 'I love you' smile, I knew that It wouldn't be anywhere near the same, but as long as the feeling was there I hoped it would get across the way I intended it to.
"You think so highly of me, but you think nothing of yourself"
"That's because not even the greatest thing on earth could be compared to you… And that is an understatement and a half"
"Bella, you're amazing, I can't even find words to describe you, or how I feel about you… But the way you think of yourself aggravates me"
"But it's not that Alice, I don't think that badly of myself… It's just in comparison to you that I look bad"
"… Should I repeat myself again?"
"Sorry… I'll try to think better of myself"
Alice's hand found it's way under my chin, she looked me deep into the eyes "You should, because you are the best Bella, I think so highly of you that I find it hard to comprehend living without you… But you cannot go on thinking the way you do… Because you are beautiful, stunningly in every way, inside and out… You have to believe that… Believe it if you trust me"