Jasper looks down at the plastic guitar in his hand. "We're vampires. There is no point in this. We'd play the song perfectly with real instruments."
"Oh, shut up. It's fun. It's like being in a real band," I chirp.
"We could be in a real band if you wanted," Jasper replies.
"Jasper, give it up. She likes dressing up her character. That's what this game is all about for her," Bella huffs.
Emmett enters the room. "Sweet! Rock Band. I got dibs on the mic."
Rosalie groans.
"Emmett, don't you want to play the guitar or the bass or the drums or…" I don't finish. I give Bella a look and she just rolls her eyes.
"What, what was with that look?" Emmett asks.
"Bella gets the keytar. Apparently you'll have to pry it from her cold dead hands. I've tried to give her the talk about sharing, but she is being awfully stubborn. I'm beginning to think the only lesson she learned from Sesame Street was from Oscar the Grouch."
Bella sticks her tongue out at me.
Emmett hums a little. "Well, since she still has her newborn strength I'll have to wait some time before I take that challenge."
"Em, don't you want to try your hand at something different?" Rosalie asks, using the voice moms use to coax small children.
"What? I'm a rockstar. I'm the main attraction. I'm the front man, the singer, the 'miggity microphone master, funky rhyme maker'."
I think we all roll our eyes. "Just let him sing. He'll be a big baby about it if we don't let him have his way," Jasper says.
"And that is why he is so spoiled," Esme states, "That was not my doing."
"Way to pass the buck there, mommy dearest," I grumble. Emmett headlocks me and ruffles my hair. I squirm away and punch his shoulder.
"Aw, Alice, you're just still sore about being grounded," Emmett says.
Carlisle enters the room and kisses the top of Esme's head. "Where's Edward?" he asks.
"Hunting," Jasper answers.
"Without Bella?" Carlisle jokes, "I was beginning to think they were inseparable."
I should be honest. "He has to hunt without Bella. It turns him on too much to watch her feed."
Rosalie busts out laughing and even Esme chuckles a little. She covers her mouth and coughs, trying to play it off.
"You are still holding out on him?" Emmett asks her, surprised, "Not cool, Bella, not cool."
"Thanks for nothing, Alice!" Bella seethes. I just shrug.
I take my place behind the drums. I like to keep my hands and feet busy. Jasper throws the guitar strap over his shoulder while giving me the this-is-so -lame look. I smile at him and twirl the drumsticks with my fingers all badass like. Rosalie takes the bass without complaint. Esme stays seated on the couch to watch, while Carlisle goes back up to his study.
"Esme, did you want to play?" Jasper asks. He's still trying to weasel his way out of this.
She gives him a sweet smile. "I'd rather watch, dear."
"Suck up," Rosalie mutters.
By the third song I am over it. "All these songs suck," I whine.
"Alice, are you insane!" Bella shouts at me. She stares at me all wide eyed. "I can't… I don't… are you serious?" She's flabbergasted.
"I think you broke her," Rosalie quips.
Bella starts listing some of her favorite artists using her fingers to count them off. "David Bowie!" she shouts his name last. She then grabs the front of her vintage shirt (definitely not something I bought her), stretching out the faded image on the front, and huffs.
Okay, okay, I get it. It's a David Bowie shirt. I'm not blind. I give her the so what look. If you haven't noticed yet, Jasper and I are all about body language. Well, I am. I think he's just adapted, so that he could communicate with me. Because right now he's giving me the are you serious look too.
Edward walks in on our first band fight. It's hard working together when you have musical differences. I may have to go solo.
Wait… Edward. I just got a brilliant idea. I give him my best pouty face. "Dearest brother, would you please add songs that I actually like to this game?" Edward looks up at the title screen, then back at me. He then looks at Bella who just shakes her head. She is giving him the yeah, I know she's crazy look.
"Is that my shirt?" he asks Bella.
I whine and stretch out his name. "Edwaaard!"
He turns back to me. "Alice, let me get this straight. You don't like any of the songs on here?"
I shake my head no.
"And you want me to learn video game design to reprogram this game just so you can get bored with it in a week's time?"
"Yes."
He sighs. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."
Best brother ever.
"Yeah, that can help you keep your hands busy with something else for a change," Emmett snickers. Both he and Jasper chuckle like school children.
Edward reads their minds. Uh, oh. His hands become fists at his sides. He looks right at me.
I try to look innocent.
"I can read that you are trying to look innocent, Alice." Damn! I didn't mean to call him out. I just say things without thinking first.
"What's the matter, Edward? It's not like you aren't a pro at using your hands. You've only had like, a hundred years of practice," Jasper adds.
"Alright, I think I need to go water some plants or something," Esme says as she excuses herself from the room. No, not just the room. She leaves the house.
Rosalie grabs Emmett by the ear and leads him up the stairs. He tries apologizing, but she doesn't release him until they enter their room.
I look over at Bella and she is furious. You do not, I repeat, do not antagonize a newborn. This includes mocking her mate. I see a flash of the future that can't be unseen and I cringe. No one should see their brother in a state of undress. Ever.
Edward also sees it. He's not cringing. He's in shock, I think.
Bella grabs Edward by the arm and drags him out the front door. I guess she wants to show him what else his hands are good for.
"I think we are off the hook," I say to Jasper.
He looks at me and smiles. "Yeah, I think he'll be thanking me when he gets back."
"Thanking us," Emmett yells from upstairs.
Jessica is my beta and I abuse her.
Me - Where are my chapters? (raised eyebrows icon)
Jessica - I KNOW.
- OMG, I know.
Me - (plugging ears icon)
- (shaking head icon)
- (talk to the hand icon)
- (you are all talk icon)
Jessica - I sat there in front of my TV eating my pizza thinking, I should really be doing her chapters instead of watching this cute cowboy on American idol
Me - American Idol... LOL...
Jessica - JLo is SO PRETTY
Me - I'm going to use this – Apparently American Idol is more important than me