I wanted to thank you all again for the awesome reviews and constant alerts. If you all didn't like this as much, I'd definitely discontinue it. I have to say that one person that inspired me to write this was my girl (bleed4her) who is writing Path to Self Discovery. Please, if you haven't checked out that epic Bella/Alice fic, do so NOW! Before you read this update even!

Enjoy!

Chapter 4 – Your Personal Brand

Bella's first week of school went by rather fast. Alice had sat at the lunch table with Eric, Angela and herself for the remainder of the week and laughed at every joke that was said, frequently telling her own.

Of course Bella couldn't help but feel some sort of feeling towards the other petite girl. She felt lighter around Alice and didn't feel like it was a chore to be in Forks. She wanted to go to school knowing that her lab partner was walking her to biology every day.

Except for that Friday.

"Bella." A deep yet angelic voice came from behind Bella while she was facing her locker.

Bella turned around and blinked as Edward Cullen stood there almost sheepishly with his hands in his pockets. "Edward, right?" She played dumb, knowing full well who he was.

"Right," he offered a smile and was thankful that the girl returned it. "Can I walk you to class?"

Bella looked around the hallway, trying to find Alice. "Um..."

"She had to go to the office," Edward muttered, not needing to read her mind to know who she was looking for. He offered another dazzling smile when she closed her locker and started walking towards the classroom with him. "I just wanted to apologize for Monday."

Bella only managed to nod, hugging her books closer to her chest.

"I know I came off as an ass." He tried again, leaning his head closer for a reaction. It was more than frustrating that he couldn't get any read on her thoughts.

"Whatever," Bella shrugged and looked up at him. She noticed how flawless his skin was as well, how pale he was and the gold flecks in his eyes. She briefly wondered where Dr. Cullen adopted these beautiful creatures from. "Water under the bridge, okay?"

Edward frowned a little confused. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?" She asked confidently. "I'm surprised it took you this long to apologize if you honestly felt bad." Bella smiled slightly before making her way into the classroom and sitting down at her lab table.

Alice pranced through the doorway. Why is Bella scowling Edward? She shot a glance in her brother's direction.

Edward just curled his lip up and took his own seat, not bothering to acknowledge his sister and her new 'friend'.

"How'd the office trip go?" Bella grinned as the petite girl sat down beside her.

"Oh I just had to inform them that I'll be absent for a couple of days next week." Alice grabbed her notebook and placed it on front of her. She noticed the pout cross the brunette's face and bit her lip. "You won't even notice I'm gone."

"Who am I going to sit with at lunch?"

Alice chuckled softly and touched Bella's hand for the very first time since meeting her.

Bella gasped at the coldness of the girl's skin and swallowed, her eyes staring in astonishment at their touched hands.

Alice inhaled sharply when she got a sudden vision in her mind. Bella was holding her close, her lips warm against the coolness of her cheek before she nuzzled her neck. Ripping her hand away from Bella, she stared at her wondrously. "Whoa." She breathed, shaking her head just a bit.

"Is everything okay?" Bella sounded hurt, placing her hands inside her hoodie pockets.

Alice noticed the gesture and touched Bella's arm to comfort her, only to have another vision come to her. They were cuddled up in Bella's bed doing homework together.

In deep confusion, Alice closed her eyes not understanding why she was seeing those things when they didn't feel like they were coming from herself. "Bella, I'm sorry." She finally managed to whisper.

Something strange is going on. Her mind read and Edward glanced back at them briefly with curiosity.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked again and watched as Alice shakily reached her hand out to grasp her small wrist. She shuddered at the coolness of the touch again but never lost focus on the distracting feel of it. She was more concerned at the slight frown crossing Alice's forehead. "Alice?"

Alice's golden honey eyes drifted up into deep brown and she had the sudden urge to pull the human close to her. "Did you want to hang out this weekend sometime?" She asked, her small hand still wrapped around the delicate wrist.

Bella's concerned frown finally broke out into a smile and she chewed on her bottom lip. "I'd love to but I already promised Jake I'd hang out with him." The disapproving look on Alice didn't go unnoticed by Bella. "You really have something against him, don't you?"

"What? No." Alice waved her hand and smiled. "It just sucks that he made plans with you first."

Bella was about to respond but the teacher had already started class, needing every ounce of his students' attention.

The class went by quickly as usual and Bella walked out with Alice and an awkward Edward following close behind. "I can give you a ride home again." The brunette whispered in her friend's ear.

No need to wait for me Edward, you can go ahead. Alice glanced back at her brother.

"That won't be necessary Bella," Edward cut in, his jaw tightening. "Carlisle and Esme want us home together tonight."

"What?" Alice laughed and smacked him. "Bella offered me a ride home; it'd be rude of me not to accept."

"Bella lives in town Alice; you're just making her go out of her way when we're all heading home anyway." He scowled.

Bella stopped and raised an eyebrow between the both of them. "I offered Alice a ride home so she's not making me do anything I don't want too."

Alice stuck her tongue out and grinned, looping her arm through Bella's. Another quick flash of a vision popped into her head; kissing. They were definitely kissing against Bella's truck.

Only Alice didn't feel like the vision belonged to her yet again. She quickly kept herself composed though, not allowing Bella to feel awkward or hurt like she had earlier in class.

Edward pulled Alice aside swiftly, holding up his hand towards Bella to give him a few moments alone with his sister. "You cannot seriously be thinking about going forth in your interest with her."

"What are you talking about?" She hissed in a low voice so that Bella couldn't hear.

"I'm not stupid Alice, I know what I read inside your head." Edward stood up straight, her arms crossing over his chest. "You want to kiss her."

"Well duh," Alice sighed and looked over towards the brunette, "you've seen her. She's... special and beautiful."

"You already had Jasper." He said in frustration. "I've been wandering this earth for years with no one by my side."

"What exactly are you trying to say Edward?" Alice stepped back and glared at him. "Just because you wanted to be alone and wallow in your self-misery, doesn't mean I have too."

"Alice," Edward said her name in a low voice, "I have a really strong feeling that Bella... that she belongs in our family – with me."

"What?" Alice breathed, her eyebrows furrowing.

"You don't see her with you in the future do you?" Edward pushed again.

"She's with us." The pixie responded. "Edward, I don't think it's very fair that you're staking your claim on her. She's human, she's not a prize to be fought over."

"You had a vision of kissing her. Your mind is still reeling over it. I think if anyone's staking claim here, it's you." Edward muttered and scratched the back of his neck.

Alice decided it was best not to tell Edward that the vision she had didn't seem like hers. It seemed like it had be shown to her only it wouldn't matter that much at the moment anyway. Edward was too far gone to care what she had to say.

"See you at home Edward." Alice walked away from her brother and caught up with Bella, her mood a little more sombre than before. "Do you mind if we hang at your place for a bit?"

"Of course I don't." Bella smiled softly and pulled her new favourite person towards the parking lot. "My dad is quite fond of you and your knowledge of sports."

"Emmett is a sport freak. He always has a game on so I naturally just picked it up." Alice shrugged and hopped into the passenger seat. She looked back to see the rest of her family standing around their vehicles and looking in her direction.

"Is Edward always that intense?" Bella asked as she pulled out of the parking lot. "I've only seen the guy smile once and it was because I walked with him to class earlier."

"Isn't it obvious?" The pixie haired girl smiled softly. "You're very easy on the eyes and I think my brother has a thing for you."

Bella nearly lost her grip on the wheel before briefly glancing in her passenger's direction. "Wha- I- what? He never talks to me, ever."

"He's intimidated. I told you Bell, you're special." Alice spoke quietly and in a more serious tone. "Would you like me to maybe set you two up?"

"No!" Bella shrieked. "If you do, I'll ignore you for the remainder of my stay. I'm sorry that your brother has a hard time being himself around me. I'm not that special but also know that I'm not interested in him."

Alice couldn't help but smile at her last statement but decided to test the waters a little bit more. "You don't even know him Bella, how can you say that you're not?"

"He doesn't know me, how can he say he is?" She countered the vampire. "Besides, I already like someone else."

"Oh?" Alice watched a slight smile appear on her human's face. "Who is he?"

"You should come to La Push with me tomorrow." Bella nodded, ignoring her friend's question. "We're going to the beach, the guys will be surfing and I'm stuck alone with Leah, not that I mind. It'd be nice to have you with me."

Alice glanced away quickly and her eyes darted around the fast paced scenery. "I can't, I'm sorry Bella."

"So you asked me to do something yet you're busy?" The brunette's voice was somewhat teasing yet serious.

"I'm not one for beaches." She shrugged, knowing she probably just saved her ass from spilling the truth about her family's treaty with the wolves and their land.

"Well that sucks." Bella snickered a little bit. "We're also having a bonfire on Jake's property tomorrow night. There's no beach in sight."

"Thanks Bella, but I'm going to have to pass." Alice said regrettably.

Bella pulled up into her driveway and killed the engine. She swung her body so she was facing the petite girl and grabbed her hand gently. "If this has anything to do with Jake, I promise you that I won't be hanging off of him like one love sick puppy. I'll probably hang off of you to keep you warm," she squeezed Alice's hand, "are you always this cold?"

"Yeah but I don't ever feel it," Alice honestly whispered, her mind wrapping around visions of them holding each other close. "God Bella, you're addicting you know that?"

Bella's hand pulled back slowly but a smile appeared on her face. "So what? I'm like your own personal brand of heroin?"

Alice's laugh tinkled through the truck warmly. "Something like that, yea."

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