Edited by my best friend and wonderful beta, Hannah. (pen name Charlotte Miles, check out her Twilight fics)

Chapter 18

2 Weeks Later/ Bella's POV

For the past two weeks Demetri has been all I can think about. It doesn't help that I see him everyday. At the program he described what kind of girl he's interested in, and in my newfound confidence I believe that I'm pretty close to his ideal. I took a break from daydreaming and glanced at the time.

Oh crap! Our first cheer practice is in 5 minutes! Chala is going to kill me. I thought, gathering my things. Zoey and Tori had already left. In my haste to get out of the room, I ran out and collided into someone. My stuff exploded from my arms and I felt myself falling forward awkwardly, but the impact of the floor never came. I opened my eyes that had closed as a reflex, and stared back into a pair of beautiful golden eyes. Demetri Volturi had caught me before I could fall and his arms were still around me. I found myself staring into his eyes and immediately blushed but couldn't seem to move. "Hey." Demetri chuckled.

"Hey." I murmured shyly. I looked at my watch dramatically, happy for the excuse of escape from the object of my obsession. I was two minutes late for practice. I tried to wiggle out of his arms but he held me firmly.

I looked up into his eyes, startled and a little nervous. "Where do you think you're going, Signorina?" Demetri asked with a smirk.

"The name is Isabella, Bella to you. I'm late for my first cheer practice." I replied.

"Oh, you're a cheerleader." he said, making it more of a statement than a question and raising an eyebrow. I laughed. "What? I'm just trying to get to know you. What if I want you to skip practice and stick around with me?" Demetri teased, making my heart race and my face heat up even more. I couldn't believe Demetri Volturi was flirting with me!

"I can't because I'm late. And it's all your fault." I said with a giggle.

"Well, at least let me walk you to the gym." Demetri said with a breathtaking smile. I sighed, knowing my answer before I even thought about it, and agreed. He gathered my things and insisted on carrying them. I checked my watch. It was getting later and later. I took off running, not caring how I looked to Demetri. He caught up with me quickly and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm late! I gotta hurry!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, that. I can take care of that, no problem."

"How?" I asked, still running.

"Your captain is my little sister." I could hear the smirk in his voice. I immediately slowed to a walk.

"Oh yeah." I remembered.

'Yeah, I'll smooth things over easy. So, where are you from?" Demetri asked with interest.

I mentally shrieked. I still couldn't believe Demetri Volturi was talking to me!

"Forks, Washington, U.S.A." I replied. Demetri looked surprised.

"Wow, it's a small world. That's where our rival American school is from. Do you know Emmett Swan, Rosalie and Jasper Hale, or Edward and Alice Cullen?" he asked, listing all people I knew, all too well.

"Emmett is my big brother." I replied, startling Demetri even further. "I know the others but they are Emmett's friends, not mine." I explained, thinking about how I would never be friends with those assholes for a million dollars.

"Oh okay. Well, what's your full name?" Demetri asked. I looked at him, wondering why he was asking me questions like this was an interview or something.

"Isabella Marie Swan. You?"

"Demetri Caius Volturi. When's your birthday?"

I decided it'd be easier to answer his questions than ask why he was asking them. "September 13th. Yours?"

"June 21st. How old are you?"

"15. You?"

He hesitated on this one to my confusion. "I'm… 17. How many siblings do you have?"

"Just Emmett. You?"

"Just Chala and she's an adopted sibling. Felix, Alec, and Hannah are cousins because we're all adopted by different Volturi brothers." Demetri answered. I wanted to ask him more about the mysterious Volturi but we had finally arrived at the school gymnasium. I was now almost 20 minutes late. I hadn't realized how slow I'd been walking. I guess Demetri could see how nervous I was because he told me to relax. Tori and Zoey were looking my way, looking relieved to see me but obviously nervous for me as well. They were practicing liberty stunts. Chala finally saw me and rushed over with an angry look on her face. I groaned.

"Where the hell were you? You're twenty minutes late!" she snapped.

I opened my mouth to stutter out an explanation but Demetri answered before I could. "She was with me." he said.

"But she's still late, Demetri." Chala argued. "Very late."

"Let it go or I'll tell Dad about that tattoo on your thigh." Demetri threatened. "It's my fault she was late."

"Oh, blackmail. Tell him. I couldn't care less." Chala said plainly, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at both of us.

Demetri let out a sigh that hissed between his clenched teeth. "How about a shopping spree?"

"Bribes. Much more my style. How much?" Chala asked.

"More than your monthly allowance." Demetri answered meaningfully.

Chala's eyes lit up. "So more than a grand?" I tried to keep my shock concealed. One thousand dollars for a monthly allowance? I didn't know they had that much money. "Fine. Bye Dem." Chala said dismissively.

"Bye sis. Bye Bella." Demetri said, smiling at me.

"See ya." I grinned.

"Yes, you will." Demetri smirked, causing me to blush furiously. He was flirting with me in front of his sister! Chala laughed at my expression as Dem turned and left the gym.

"Dem has that effect on girls."

"I-I…" I stuttered to come up with some kind of explanation for my behavior.

"No need to explain. Seems like he likes you. Do you like him?" Chala questioned.

"Yes, I mean… no, Ugh yes. He's so cute and funny and caring…" I babbled, embarrassed.

Chala laughed. "It's okay, I understand. By the way, you, Zoey, and Tori are my co-captains. You all rocked it at the try-outs." Chala complimented.

I blushed as usual and said, "Thanks."

"No problem, you deserved it. Now let's get to work." she said, turning to face the rest of the squad. "Zoey and Tori, front and center!" she called. They hurried forward to stand next to me. "Ladies and gentlemen, meet your co-captains: Tori, Zoey, and Bella." Tori and Zoey squealed in surprise and we all jumped up and down hugging each other. Chala and the other girls applauded us. "Congratulations Ladies. Now, your first task is to get everyone's sizes for uniforms and spanks for the girls. Can you handle that?" Chala teased.

"Yes." we replied in harmony.

"Okay, good. Get to it. I have a few errands to run." Chala said, walking away. We all shared a look and went to get paper and pens so we could get to work.

I am so tired. Soon after we got down everyone's sizes, which took forever, Chala returned and we practiced more. I have danced, jumped, and been thrown into the air so many times that my legs feel like jelly. I'm a flyer and it's scary as hell to be thrown high in the air or trying to keep your balance on some dude's hands.

I walked into the dorm room by myself. Zoey and Tori went off campus with the rest of the cheerleaders to a teen club. I was too exhausted and had declined reluctantly.

I immediately collapsed onto my bed and dozed off. I woke a few hours later to the sound of my phone ringing. I picked it up with irritation and answered in a sleepy, raspy voice. "Hello?"

"Hey Bella." said a cheerful, energetic voice. Demetri? I thought in shock, sitting up quickly. I looked over at my clock and it read 8 p.m. I wondered how he got my number and why he was calling this late.

"Hey. How'd you get my number and why are you calling me? Me of all people?" I couldn't help but blurt.

"I got your number out of Chala's cheer files and I'm calling you because I want to." Demetri replied, a smile in his smooth and melodic voice. What is with all of the Volturi males being so perfect? Even their voices are angelic. I thought.

"Fair enough." I said simply, feeling nervous.

"How are you? What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm tired and I just woke up."

"Let me guess. Chala."

"Yes." I sighed. "She worked us to death."

Demetri chuckled. "Get used to it. She's a perfectionist."

I groaned in response.

Demetri laughed again. What a beautiful sound. "Do you want to hang out?" he asked. My heart stopped and picked back up at a racing pace.

"You want to hang out with me?" I asked stupidly.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Okay, uh, sure. Where do you want to meet?" I stammered.

""Do you know where the Royal Four, I mean, Royal 5 building is?" he asked, correcting himself. I said yes.

"Well come and tell the security guard your name. Come to the 3rd floor. I'm in the black door that has Chala and Hannah's names on it. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it." I said.

"See you there. Bye Beautiful."

I smiled. "Bye." I said softly.

I hung up the phone with a blush burning my cheeks. Beautiful. He thinks I'm beautiful. I thought with a silly grin, grabbing my jacket and phone and rushing out the door. I practically ran down the lane past the stretch of dorm buildings until I got to the last one on the end. The guard gave me a friendly smile inside the foyer and said, "You must be Bella. Mr. Demetri described you perfectly." the guard explained.

"And how did he describe me?" I asked curiously.

"He said you would have long wavy brown hair, beautiful brown doe-like eyes, and perfect pale skin. Hmm… there was one more thing but I can't remember it." The guard mused as I blushed hotly from what Demetri had told him.

"Oh that's it! A very red blush!" the guard exclaimed. I laughed shyly and walked towards the elevator and selected the third floor. This dorm room wasn't like the others, it was like a freaking hotel or something. As I approached the room I heard a din of squealing, laughing, and talking.

"Dem, stop! Put me down!" I heard Chala exclaiming breathlessly.

"Nope." I heard that beautiful voice reply. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door timidly. "Come in." Demetri called. I opened the door and immediately laughed at what I saw. Demetri was standing there with Chala thrown over his shoulder caveman style. She was kicking, giggling, and screaming. I heard other laughter further inside. "Hey Bella." Demetri grinned.

"Hey Demetri." I smiled back. "What are you doing to Chala?"

"Nothing." he replied with an innocent smile but a contradicting devilish tone.

"It doesn't look like nothing." I laughed.

"Bella make him put me down." Chala pleaded.

"Put her down, Demetri." I said sternly. He sighed and put her down, then took my hand and dragged me into the room to enjoy the night.

*Signorina means 'Miss' in Italian.

Thanks for reading!