This chapter is shoooort. Sorry about that. I was going to do like an extra long one, but I figured I'd get this out ASAP rather than add another like – section thing to it. I gotta say, I really hated this, but I'd planned it in advance, so I was like fuck it, I'll write it. So uh, sorry if it's not good, I thought it sucked too, so I guess we have something in common ;)
Alice
Alice scrambled noisily to get ready for her "date" with Bella. Well, date was a loose term. It was business, it was just business at a table for two. She regretted taking her third shower, trying irrationally to make herself totally presentable for the cute brunette. She heard her phone ring and walked over to check it. Noticing an unknown number and not Bella's, she ignored it and continued getting ready. Whoever it was could leave a message.
Finally, after practically tearing apart her apartment, Alice was totally ready. She bolted quickly down the stairs, only spending a few seconds surveying herself in the mirror to be sure she looked alright. She tripped over a few things that were lying carelessly on the bottom steps, but quickly recovered. She was not going to be late for her meeting with Bella.
They were meeting again, at a Starbucks. Alice's first suggestion had apparently been spot on, because Bella, like most humans, was a big coffee drinker and quite enjoyed the Starbucks treats.
However, this time they were meeting in the evening. Alice couldn't really go outside without having something covering her body, her skin burned to easily. Most vampires had light-colored long-sleeved t-shirts with hoods, specially designed for vampires. In daylight, vampires stood out that way. Or they'd have a nasty looking sunburn, even on the cloudiest days, and they would stand out even more. In what was hopefully a flirtatious comment, Bella had said that she preferred Alice with her hoodie off rather than on, and suggested they go at a better hour for the little vampire.
Alice had agreed of course. Pulling up to the café, Alice exited her car and walked briskly towards the place that was sure to be where Bella was. On her way in, she tripped on nothing more than once, but finally made it to where the pretty brunette was sitting.
"Hey," Bella greeted Alice with a light grin. "Sorry, I came kind of early. Making sure there's no one who could… Well, yeah," she said lamely.
Alice smirked. "Are we in some crime thriller now?"
"Yes!" Bella insisted. "You need to be more serious. I really don't want to see you getting into trouble." She blushed a little. "You need to learn to look out for stuff. The VHA assumes that dealers will eventually take care of themselves and die off, but they're really hardcore about finding the addicts."
Alice nodded. "Okay, Bella," she said guiltily. "I'm sorry."
Bella squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about it. Just be more careful. I don't want to see anything happen to you." Alice blinked nervously and Bella continued. "Which won't happen if you stay cautious and listen to me."
"Jasper seems pretty freaked about the Volturi thing…" Alice commented anxiously. "I mean, he was really upset when I spoke with him yesterday."
"Yeah, well, Jasper's seen a lot," Bella responded with a shrug. "You're safe with me. Just do everything I say," she said mischievously.
"Okay Boss," Alice complied, rolling her eyes. She wondered briefly what fell under the categories of everything. Bella pushing a small, travel cup over to her interrupted Alice's increasingly dirty thoughts. "Oh, Bella, I don't drink-"
"It's not coffee," Bella hinted. "Take it, I'm being sneaky," she whispered before returning to her own cup. Alice was supposed to pay for that. She started to peal the lid off to peak inside, but Bella swatted her hand. "Don't take the lid off!" she hissed.
"Oh, right," Alice said sheepishly. She lifted the cup to her lips and let the droplets of blood fall to her hungry tongue. After a few not-so-discreet licks at the top of the cup, the smaller girl was finished. "Thanks," she panted quietly, feeling the energy that the human blood brought with it wash over her.
"Yep," Bella commented amusedly.
After a few moments, Alice regained her normal, smooth demeanor. "So, Bella," she started lazily. "Why do you only see female clients?"
"Is that your subtle way of asking what my sexual orientation is?" Bella asked amusedly.
Alice shrugged. "It depends on your answer," she replied cheekily. It honestly hadn't crossed her mind to really confirm what Jasper had said. She was just curious as to why Bella was a 'girls only' dealer.
"Well…" Bella looked away. "I only take on female clients now because a few months ago, a close friend of mine was raped and drained by one of her clients. I guess I just feel safer around female vampires." She shrugged. "I mean, I know it's dangerous either way, but at least I get rid of one hazard by doing that…"
Alice nodded. "Yeah, no, I get it. That's… Really terrible, I'm sorry." She was never good at the comforting side of things. Then again, she didn't really have much practice in comfort. Alice had few friends and none of them were very close to her. And then before that… Well, it was blank.
Bella sighed. "But um, to get us off the darker subjects… Yes, I do happen to um, swing your way? I don't know any other way of saying that." She blushed cutely and began examining her coffee cup.
Alice laughed. "You're quite the smooth talker, aren't you? And what makes you think I swing your way?"
"I happen to have excellent gaydar," the brunette explained. "But Jasper also more-or-less warned me that you might try something with me." She looked away embarrassedly. "Not that I think you would! Just that he said that, so I figured you were probably…"
"Jasper doesn't like me very much, does he?" Alice asked, feeling slightly hurt by the blonde police officer. She didn't know him very well, but he had seemed like a nice guy who she wouldn't mind being friends with.
Bella shook her head. "No, no," she denied. "I told him we were going out tonight and he said something like, well…" She hesitated. "Well, he said to watch out because you would try to eat me in more ways than one." At this point Bella was looking very, very similar to a tomato. "But I mean, he was just joking, you know? He didn't mean anything mean by it."
Alice nodded. "And if I did happen to play on your team?" she asked, running her fingers down the side of her cup.
"Well, I'd feel a lot less awkward about asking you out to dinner next weekend," Bella confessed, but this time apparently feeling more confident. A small smirk was playing on her lips.
"Oh yeah?" Alice teased. "What if I wanted to ask you to dinner first? I tend to be the asker in these kinds of situations."
"Well then. Go to dinner with me next weekend. There, I beat you to it." Bella stuck her tongue out and grabbed Alice's cup along with her own, getting up and walking to the trashcan without waiting for a response from the raven-haired girl.
Alice glared playfully at her. "Damn," she grumbled. "I guess I can't refuse. Dinner with one of the cutest girls I've ever seen, God, it's like a dream."
"One of the cutest girls you've ever seen?" Bella asked disbelievingly.
Alice shrugged. "Well you're definitely top ten," she assured her with a smirk.
"Only top ten?" the cute brunette asked with mock hurt evident in her voice.
"Well, top five maybe…" Alice answered, her smirk widening. Bella was, indeed, an incredibly cute, pretty and sweet girl. Possibly sexy, if Alice would ever get to see that side of the shy girl. And although she thoroughly enjoyed messing with Bella, she knew she would have to confess that Bella was, indeed, the cutest girl she had ever had the pleasure to meet. Possibly the most adorable girl on the planet.
"Top five?" Bella whined. She was pretty persistent when receiving compliments. Alice had to admit it was kind of adorable though.
Alice laughed. "Okay, top three! But I won't tell you what number you are!" she conceded, not quite showing off how truly and ridiculously cheesy she really was.
Bella grinned contentedly. "Well, I think you're really fucking sexy…" she nearly purred, sounding very different from before. "You've got this dark, mysterious thing going on… But then you're really sweet. And you're not like – intimidating. I think it's because you're so short." A grin spread over the brunette's face and she struggled as she tried not to laugh.
"Hey!" Alice whined, only slightly hurt by Bella's playful words. "I'll have you know, I'm tall where it counts!" As soon as it came out, Alice regretted saying it.
"Tall where it counts? What the fuck does that mean?" Bella asked in between giggles. "Or do I even want to know?"
Alice huffed embarrassedly. "Don't make jokes about my height, it makes me all flustered…"
"And adorable," Bella added. "I will keep that bit of information in my back pocket for future use…" And then her whole demeanor changed. "Shit," she hissed. "Here, kiss me."
"What?" Alice squeaked. She hadn't heard Bella right, that was the only explanation. That was the only thing that made sense. Or the possibility that she was dreaming, in which case it would make total sense, because in the next two seconds, she was being pulled across the table and her lips smashed against the brunette's.
"Play along," Bella hissed into Alice's lips. Alice kissed her back with equal force. She had no problems playing along with whatever Bella was doing.
"Ow!" Bella grumbled, breaking the kiss. A small droplet of blood was beginning to rise from a small wound on her lower lip. "Jeez, Alice, excited much?"
Alice could feel an accusatory gaze on her from the other side of the room and realized that whatever Bella was doing, it was in defense from whoever was staring at them. "I'm sorry!" the shorter girl cooed, grabbing a napkin and pressing it to the brunette's damaged lip.
"It's okay, be more careful," Bella chided, glancing behind her.
"Yes, be careful," a tall, dark haired and skinned man growled, stepping up to the table. "Giving a vampire human blood is like feeding a Mogwai after midnight."
"Uh…" Alice replied clueless as to what the fuck the guy was saying.
Bella shook her head. "She's got amnesia," she spoke for Alice, saving her from her confusion. "She probably won't get references to stupid movies like Gremlins."
"Oh…" the man said awkwardly. "Sorry, my mistake. I'm Jake – Oh shit, that rhymed." Bella and Alice ignored his corny joke. "Well, anyway, be careful. The HVA allows vampire-human dating, but blood addiction is easy to get and hard to get rid of." Alice nodded. "Well, be careful," Jake mumbled awkwardly, giving a weak wave and walking away without looking back.
"I hate Wolves…" Bella sighed, licking her injury in an attempt to sooth it. "They're so fucking nosy and awkward."
"Wolves?" Alice asked, feeling very out-of-the-loop.
Bella shook her head. "They're like vampires that still get older and don't need blood. They've been like genetically modified with some special strain of the virus. They've got enhanced strength and senses. I guess they're like the perfect super-soldier, but they use them as undercover guys to find addicts."
"He looks kind of normal…" Alice observed. "How did you know he was a, um, Wolf?"
"Well, he was sniffing all over the place, that was kind of a big clue. Their main sense for the job is smell, that's why they call them Wolves. Or Hounds. But I had to get a clear explanation for why human blood scent was in the air, so I kissed you and bit my lip."
"Oh, and here I thought you were just being really forward," the short-haired girl complained playfully.
Bella grinned. "Fowardness and saving-your-ass-ness."
"Thank you Bella, I owe you," Alice murmured, leaning in. "Can I show you my appreciation?"
Bella nodded, beginning to lean in as well. Alice reached into her pocket, fishing for the money she had brought in order to pay for the blood. She pressed the bills into Bella's hand. "Thanks, I appreciate it," Alice said with a wink.
Bella looked at her and in confusion. "But we were about to…"
Alice grinned. "I was just trying to pay you, Bella. I don't want to make out with you at a Starbucks table. That sounds kind of sleazy."
"Be less confusing then," Bella grumbled irritably. She crumpled up the bills and shoved them into her pocket. "Thanks, Alice. I'm going to get out of here, I've got studying and stuff…"
"Oh, shit, Bella I'm sorry," Alice quickly apologized, feeling panicked. She hadn't meant to really offend the other girl, just tease her a bit. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything…"
Bella smiled softly. "Don't worry about it. I'm just being a whiny bitch. Walk me to my car?"
"Fuck yeah," Alice replied, getting up from her chair quickly and rushing to the door so she could hold it for Bella.
"Wow, what fine etiquette you have," Bella commented. "God, you're such a little fucking charmer." She ran her hand through her hair, leaning against her car. "I don't know if I should be the one giving you blood."
"Why?" Alice asked nervously. "Did I do something wrong?"
Bella shook her head. "No, no. It's just… I don't know about you, but I kind of like you and I kind of think this is going somewhere. And I think that the two aspects of our relationship might get a little confusing if things progress." She sighed. "I don't want to feel like a hooker who's being paid to like, give my body to you or whatever."
"Bella," Alice started. "We're talking two trips to a café and a dinner offer sometime this weekend. We're not serious yet. We shouldn't be worrying about that stuff. And believe me, I don't think of you like a prostitute."
"Alice, if someone told you I was coming over, what do you think about first; Me or my blood?"
Alice looked away feeling ashamed. Although she was sincerely attracted to Bella, blood was the first thing that came to her mind when she thought of seeing the girl. "Exactly," Bella explained. "If we're going to like, go out for real, I don't want you to be excited about my blood. I want you to be excited to see me. Okay?"
Alice nodded. "Okay," she agreed weakly. "But I don't know anyone else who would…" She trailed off. How were you supposed to find someone to sell you blood anyway?
"I've got friends who sell," Bella assured her with a smile. "We tend to stick together a little bit. No, there's a whole family really. They take care of each other and their clients. I actually dated one of them." She blushed, realizing how awkward it would probably be for Alice now. "But we're um, we're over now. Like, it wasn't a bad break up, but we both knew we weren't good for each other. Oh shit, sorry I'm rambling!"
Alice grinned. "Don't worry about it, it sounds fine. I'm making a daily transaction with them, not becoming best friends." She was actually pretty antsy about meeting one of Bella's exes. One of Bella's exes who was actually human, and not some pale, blood-drinking freak. One who was most likely much hotter and who had an almost definite shot of having some memory of her past. Fucking normal people…
"Alright, well, I'm going to get out of here," Bella announced. "Thanks for meeting me here. It was nice." A wistful look crossed over her face. "Maybe show that appreciation some other way now? Since I am your hero and all…"
"Are you suggesting I kiss you here, in this dirty parking lot?" the shorter girl purred.
"I'm not suggesting it, I'm demanding it," Bella countered, pulling Alice, for the second time that day, into a kiss. Though this time she was being much less aggressive and Alice was pretty thankful for that. She was always the more dominant one in these kinds of things.
"Mm," Alice murmured after they'd broken the kiss. "So, I'll uh, see you sometime this weekend then, huh? I'll uh, call you to make plans or something." Goddamn Bella for making her so nervous and awkward.
Bella pecked her cheek. "Sounds good, Alice," she agreed, before getting into her car.
Alice grinned. "A mother fucking dinner with Bella fucking - ! Oh shit, I don't even know her last name!" she cheered once Bella was gone, punching the air and receiving dirty looks from a few people passing by. But she didn't care. Her life, after five years of nothing, was starting to look bright.
Author's note:
Oh hey guys, it's been a while. Well, a while for me. I've been kind of mad busy, I went to my summer house with like ten of my friends so well, not much writing time there. But I'm back for the most part, I'll be somewhat busy over the next two weeks or so, but that's about it.
Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Okay, so, someone asked how much blood Bella gave up or something like that... So I'm gonna like - Answer and stuff. Okay, so, on average, a girl loses about 3 tablespoons of blood on her period. And that's like, not going to kill her, right? I mean, it feels like you're going to die sometimes, but physically it's not going to hurt you. So, in Bella's case, she's looking pretty pale, but she's not giving like a full cup of blood. It's just like, enough to spread across the bottom of the cup, y'know? Or maybe not... Anyway... Yeah.
Review if you'd like, God knows I feed off of them and they mean so much to me.