A/N: First of since I'm typing this on November 26th, Happy Thanksgiving! Secondly, sorry it's been a little longer delay than usual, it's just that I've been so caught up in this story that I've been neglecting my other one's. So I might be updating a little less frequently than I would like, but just be patient with me please! And remember I'm trying to pass College Prep. High School as well as write this. Lol. Thanks for reading!

Let me know which option sounds better and without further ado, here's the next chapter of False Pretense

Previously…

"Everyone needed to know." Alice said defensively. "Bella wasn't planning on telling everyone until the last minute."

Okay I was tired of everyone making my decisions for me, being so controlling and manipulative. Especially Alice. She had no right to do this. Just because she has a gift doesn't mean she can use it to get the best of people.

A line from Spiderman popped into my head. "With great power comes great responsibility."

I shook my head to clear my thoughts before I responded. "Oh give me a break Alice."

She turned towards me, caught off guard at my tone.

"Stop trying to play god and mind your own business. In case you didn't notice no one is falling for your innocent act." I continued. "So quit being a manipulative bitch and stop meddling in my life."

Everyone stared at me shocked.

My face flushed under all the attention. Heck I was shocked that I just said that! But surprisingly I don't regret it. I meant every word I said, and I wasn't going to apologize. She needed to get off her high horse and realize that she made a mistake when she thought that I would be okay with her sleeping with Edward, hiding it, and then trying to worm her way back into my life, and Jasper's. That wasn't happening.

"Bella are you feeling okay? Maybe you should come lay down back at the house." Edward suggested hesitantly, stepping forward and placing his cool hand on my forehead.

I smacked his hand away and stepped back away from him. "I feel fine, and don't touch me."

"I'm just trying to help Bella. You're not acting like yourself and I just wanted to make sure you weren't getting sick."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm the urge to scream.

"Why don't we go back to the house? We can all talk there." Rosalie suggested from where she stood by Emmett's side.

"I'm going to take a walk." Jasper said, speaking for the first time since he found out that I was going to ask him to change me.

"I'll go with you." I said quickly, trying to escape Edward and Alice for a little while.

"No."

I stopped and looked up at him surprised, and hurt.

I wanted to ask why he didn't want to be around me anymore. Why he was leaving me to deal with Alice and Edward alone. I wanted to cry because I was hurting and the one person who understood my pain didn't want me. I wanted to demand why he was breaking his promise that he would stand with me through this. But I didn't.

"Okay." I said, biting my lip and stumbling as I backed away quickly. Trying to hold back tears that I didn't want him to see.

"Bella-"

"No, no it's fine. I'm fine. Just go." I interrupted trying, and failing, to keep my voice from trembling.

Gold met brown as I locked gazes with him. And then he turned around and left.

"Come on Bellsy." Emmett said before picking me up.

"What are you doing?!" I said attempting to sound positive, and appreciating his effort to cheer me up. Even if it was futile.

"Man Bella you need to eat something. You're as light as a feather." He teased, swinging me up on his back.

"Says the monstrously strong vampire." I quipped, before rolling my eyes at Rose.

She laughed before taking off towards the house, Emmett and I right at her heels.

I closed my eyes and let my thought wander while Emmett ran. Speaking of which, he wasn't as fast or smooth a runner as Edward, but he made up with it with his strength. I could feel his power with every stride he took.

Within minutes we were back at the Cullen's house. I got off Emmett's back and sat down on the sofa in the living room. I ran a hand through my windswept hair in an effort to make it not look like a haystack.

"Bella dear, I cooked you a little dinner if you're hungry." Esme said coming from the kitchen.

"Thanks. I might get some later, I'm not hungry right now." I said before turning to go upstairs.

I felt everyone's eyes on me but couldn't bring myself to care at the moment. I just wanted to get upstairs as quickly as possible and be alone.

"Bella."

I paused my ascent up the stairs.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Rose continued, looking at me with sympathy written all over her face.

I nodded and continued up the stairs. I am forever grateful to her for everything she had done to help me get through this. She really has stepped up and became the sister I need to help me through this. I think I would probably be an emotional wreck without her.

After I got to the top of the stairs I realized that I had no idea which room to go in. Edward's room was a definite no. Alice's was also. And I would feel uncomfortable going into Rose and Emmett's or Carlisle and Esme's. I bit my lip undecided, before I remembered something.

I walked down the hallway that somehow seemed endless now, and turned the door knob to the room. Almost sighing in relief when it opened, I swiftly entered the room and shut the door behind me. I turned around and allowed my eyes to sweep over the room again even though it was only this morning when I was last in it.

I curled up on the brown leather sofa, hoping Jasper wouldn't mind me staying here in his room. His name sent a fresh wave of hurt through me and I squeezed my eyes shut tight. The memory of his rejection played over and over in my head, and I bit my lip to keep the tears at bay.

I shouldn't be surprised that he didn't want me to come though. I mean who wanted to spend time with someone whose very essence tempted you to ruin all that you had worked for and taste human blood again? Edward said it himself that time in the forest when he was leaving, and Alice made it even clearer earlier today. I was just too naïve and blind to see it.

"Did you ever think that maybe Jasper is just using you to pass time? I mean, he followed me without a second thought when we first met do you honestly think that you can break a bond like that?"

Her words were clear to me now. She was right, I should have known not to bet against Alice. I scrubbed the tears off my face and stood up off the sofa. Jasper wouldn't want me in here. He ran off to get away from me and here I was basically waiting in his room for him to come back. God, no wonder he didn't want me to come; I was being horribly clingy and probably suffocating him. My breath caught when I realized what he probably thought of me, and I all but dashed out of the room and back down the hall.

As I neared the stairs I heard a heated conversation going on downstairs and decided that I didn't want to be a part of it. I walked to Alice's room and opened the door to the guest room across from it. No even bothering to survey the room, knowing it would be set up with impeccable taste, I went to go take a hot shower. Then I could clear my head and let the tears fall, and maybe even fool myself into believing that it was just the shower water running down my face.

After I showered I wrapped a fluffy towel around myself and stepped back into the guest bedroom. I almost smiled when I saw the extra set of clothes sitting on the bed. Esme or Rose must have lent me some clothes. I unfolded them and slipped the shorts and t-shirt on. Everything fit fine, but was a little baggy so I knew I was borrowing Esme's clothes.

Rolling up the sleeves, I slid under the covers and closed my eyes. Unsure if I even wanted to sleep because I didn't want to have nightmares, I laid there lost in thought until I succumbed to sleep.

I opened the door to the room, stretching after my nap. I smelt Esme cooking downstairs and shut the bedroom door behind me.

In front of me Alice's bedroom door was cracked open, and I saw her inside the room. Curious, I peeked inside and saw she wasn't alone. I saw a flash of blonde hair and knew that Jasper was in there with her. There was no question as to what they were doing. I backed away from the room and slumped against the opposite wall.

Bringing my legs against my chest I buried my head in my hands and shed silent tears, my body trembling.

The door opened and Alice came out smirking. She told me that I never should have bet against her and that she was shocked I hadn't seen this coming. She sneered that no insignificant human could hold a vampire's attention for long and that Jasper had sought her out and chose her over our friendship. She claimed that even Edward would soon tire and be rid of me.

I thought things couldn't get any more horrible, until Jasper walked out and wrapped an arm around Alice's waist.

I called his name but he didn't even look at me.

I shouted his name but he didn't even flinch.

Finally I broke down and cried. The next time I looked up I was alone. I walked to Rose's room and knocked on the door. When there was no answer I opened the door and saw her sitting in front of the mirror. I stood in her doorway waiting for her to acknowledge my presence, and when she did it was not a cordial reception. She demanded what I was doing in the room and told me that since Edward was through with me that I had no further use. She pushed me out of the room and slammed the room shut behind me. I sought comfort in the arms of Esme but was met with the same attitude that came with everyone else. Resentment, annoyance, aggravation, bitterness, irritation, and negativity. So I stood up and walked out of the house that I used to call home. I was alone.

I sat up on bed gasping and turned on the small lamp by the bed, before I broke down sobbing.

It was a dream. They didn't throw me out. It didn't really happen. Just a dream. Just a dream. I'm still welcome here. Okay. Okay. They didn't give up on me yet. I still have time to prove that I can do something for them besides tear the family apart. It was just a dream.

"Bella?"

I stiffened at the sound of his voice.

What was Jasper doing here? I left his room so he could go there in peace without having me there. If he didn't want me around earlier I don't understand why he is here.

He must have felt the confusion and rejection that I'm sure was pouring out of me because he approached. I felt him kneel down by the edge of the bed where I was sitting in the dimly lit room.

He rested his head on top of the bed by my legs and I felt the cold from him seep through the blanket that covered me. He stayed there in silence, out breathing the only sound in the room.

What did this mean? Why wasn't he as far away from the room, and me, as possible? It was apparent from his reaction that he did not want to be the one to change me. I actually don't blame him. If I had never cut myself on my birthday in the first place then none of this would have happened. Edward probably would have found some gorgeous vampire sweetheart and Jasper would still have his wife. All I brought to the Cullen's was grief and trouble ever since they first met me. They all should have listened to their first instinct about me and left me alone. Or better yet let me get hit by Tyler's van that day. Then at least they would have gotten something out of my presence without harming their family and would have been rid of me guilt free. They would have gotten the only thing I was capable of giving them, my blood.

"Stop Bella! Just stop! I can't take it anymore!" Jasper growled, startling me and making my heart speed up at his tone.

I stared at him confusedly but that seemed to only frustrate him more.

"Don't you remember what I told you that day in that hotel in Phoenix?" He asked, working to calm his emotions and soften his voice.

"W-what?"

He sat on the bed in front of me and leaned forward so that his face was just a foot from mine.

I averted my eyes, not wanting to make eye-contact with his glorious one's. He put his hand under my chin and lifted my face so that my eyes met his.

"You are worth it." He said quietly, his eyes staring into mine.

"But I'm not Jasper." I confessed my voice breaking. "All I do is bring problems to this family. There was James, Victoria, my birthday party, the Volturi. How can you stand here and tell me I've done anything except make trouble."

"Bella I know I don't just speak for myself when I say that you mean so much to us." He started, sounding exasperated. "You gave Emmett the little sister he always wanted, Rose is actually starting to be nice and more open around others, Esme and Carlisle always love having you here, And though it didn't end well you brought Edward out of his desolation."

I noticed he left out a certain person's name. With good reason of course. I didn't see Alice as a sister anymore, not even as a friend.

"And Bella, you've been there for me at a time when I most needed someone. And I'll owe you for the rest of eternity. I need you Bella." He finished sincerely, grasping my hand tight in his. Like he never wanted to let go.

"I get what you mean, but you owe me nothing Jasper. If anything I owe you." I interrupted, squeezing his hand lightly.

"Do you understand though?" He mused quietly, before we sat in a comfortable silence.

A considerable amount of time passed before he spoke again.

"I owe you an apology." He murmured, his smooth voice ringing through the otherwise quiet room.

I looked at him questioningly, cocking an eyebrow.

"When you asked to accompany me on my walk-"

Oh. That.

"-I didn't mean to react so harshly. Honestly it wasn't until I felt your emotions that I realized how my words sounded. I was just so taken aback by what you were requesting of me, and overwhelmed by all the possible outcomes if I did end up changing you. And everyone's emotions added to the mix didn't help at all. And so I just needed to be alone where I could sort out my emotions, and not accidently pick up on theirs." He continued, sounding quite contrite.

"So it wasn't because you didn't want to be around me?" I asked meekly, daring to hope.

"God, no Bella! I love your company! Did you really think that?"

At me nod he cursed and apologized again, raking a hand through his straight blonde hair.

"It's okay." I assured him. "You're here now and that's all that matters."

He sighed before moving over to sit next to me on the bed. Both of us were leaned back against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder.

"So I was thinking."

"About?"

"You asking me if I would be the one to change you." He answered, keeping his eyes on the window across from us.

"O-oh..." I said dumbly, Unable to form an appropriate response.

"But before I give my answer I was wondering if you would tell me why you wanted ME specifically to be the one to bring you into the wonderful world of vampires." He said sarcastically.

"Because…" I licked my lips nervously. "You're the one I can identify most with. I'm not the same girl I was when I wanted Edward to change me. And I think that if I have to have something as personal as someone's venom running in my veins…that I want it to be yours."

I nervously played with the edge of the blanket, flushing at the admission.

He didn't respond verbally. Instead he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him in a sort of side embrace. Burying his face into my hair, I felt his cool breath on my neck as he exhaled. I shivered.

"Okay." He whispered finally. "I'll do it."

"W-what?" I questioned in elated disbelief.

"So I guess I should be greatly honored or something. I'll be the first and last vampire to taste your blood."

"You must feel pretty special." I replied sarcastically. Not bothered in the least with his casual reference to biting me.

He winked, flashing a wide grin at me.

I laughed and rolled my eyes, trying to calm my heart rate that had suddenly increased.

Hmm… Must be because of the stressful day.

A/N: TA-DA! Thanks for taking time to read this! Reviews make me happy…and give you a sneak peak at the next chapter