It was Saturday afternoon and Jasper and I were preparing for our dates that evening. As I was deciding what to wear my phone rang.
'Hello?' I answered, but before I could even think anything else an excited Lucy shouted down the phone to me.
'Beeeeth!! You will never guess what?!' I didn't want to ruin her fun by guessing exactly what she was going to tell me, so I faked excitement for her.
'What?! Tell me!' Jasper was laughing at the end of my bed at my terrible acting I shushed him.
'You know you're going to the cinema? Jasper asked me to go with him!! To the same film! You know I've always had a crush on him and he asked me! And we'll be in the same theatre!' I couldn't get a word in edgeways as Lucy shouted down the phone to me. 'So I'll give you a lift, yeah?'
'That would be great thanks Luce,' I said in reply, but she continued talking.
'Oh no, I have to go! I don't know what I'm wearing! Okay, I'll see you in a few hours Beth, yeah? Okay, great.' She didn't wait for a reply before hanging up the phone. In my mind I could see her rushing around her cluttered room, throwing clothes as she went. The thought made me laugh to myself.
As I lay there, Jasper dived on me, kissing up my neck as I squirmed giggling. I felt like an eleven year old girl. Since he had agreed to the date he had been smothering me with attention; not that I objected, but I felt like he felt he may lose me if he didn't. That was crazy, so I just enjoyed the attention.
I tried to shove Jasper off me as I remembered what we were doing before. Of course, I tried to no avail. Eventually he rolled off me chuckling.
'So, back to the point.' I said, trying to reorganise my dishevelled hair. 'What am I going to wear?' I asked him. He cocked his head, and narrowed his eyes to look at me.
'Something ugly and unflattering.' He said, sitting up and making his way towards my wardrobe. I moved towards him so I could slap him on the arm. He flinched for effect but I doubt he felt anything.
'Seriously, Jasper.' I said, but he gave me a look and I knew he was completely serious.
'Sadly though we'll have a lot of trouble making you look anything less than gorgeous. Do you have any black sacks?' he asked, still rummaging through my chest of drawers as if expecting to find some in there. I hit him again.
'I'll wear a black sack if you wear a brown paper bag over your head.' I said sarcastically.
'Hmm, I would but then I'd have difficulty seeing you...' He said, turning to smile at me.
'How about this?' I held up a plain blue t-shirt against me and smiled my most innocent smile. He didn't look convinced though.
'It's the best we're going to get isn't it?' He asked. I nodded back and he sighed. 'Fine, but wear this too.' He held up my baggy zipped hoody. I laughed at him as he tried to completely cover me up. I looked at what he was wearing.
'What?' He asked holding his arms out.
'No way are you going in that.' I said crossing my arms. 'If I'm going in this, you are going in something much less flattering.'
'What? I'm wearing a plain t-shirt too!' He said, not seeing my reasoning. What he wasn't noticing was his top was quite tight, so his arm muscles could be seen straining through the material.
'You won't make it into the theatre before Lucy attacks you.' I said. The confused look on his face changed to a smug smile.
'What?' I asked him. He moved slowly closer to me.
'You think I look sexy,' he said, narrowing his eyes with a huge smile plastered to his face. He was still coming towards me. There was no denying it, of course I did, but I didn't want to boost his ego anymore.
'Yes, so what else can you wear? Let's see...' I slipped the yes in as quietly as I could, but I knew his super-vampire hearing would have picked up on it, plus the look on his face had not changed. I turned my back to him, pretending to busy myself with something in the wardrobe, but it wasn't long before his hands tightened around my hips and he picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. I squealed as he threw me up, then he proceeded to tickle me, making me laugh.
I was laughing so hard that I hadn't heard the doorbell or my brother opening the door. Jasper suddenly put me down, pulling me against him and putting a finger to my mouth. I strained my ear to hear footsteps coming up the stairs and my brother saying 'she's in her room Lucy.'
I unwrapped Jasper's arms from around me and quickly shoved him towards the window. He was chuckling at my sudden flap and still trying to kiss me in my sudden panic. Once he was out the window, I relaxed.
'I'll see you in the cinema.' I smiled to him as he disappeared. As I turned from the window Lucy came in. She had a huge smile on her face.
'So I came early, I couldn't chose what to wear.' She grinned at me. 'And what were you laughing at so much? I could hear you from downstairs!' I felt myself blush as I searched for an answer. I looked back at the windowsill Jasper had just vacated, thinking of him, when I noticed a joke book there. I had never seen it before and it didn't belong to anyone in my family. I silently thanked Jasper, he thought of everything. I picked it up and showed it to Lucy.
'Just some of these jokes.' I said, as off-hand as I could. She simply smiled before emptying the contents of her bag onto my bed.
After looking through most of Lucy's wardrobe, I persuaded her to wear one of her worse outfits. After all I didn't want Jasper to be shocked at my best friend's beauty. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself; I felt so sneaky!
We headed out to the cinema, Lucy telling me about Jasper the whole time. I felt a little bad, knowing that the date she was so excited about was going to lead nowhere.
We made it to the cinema in plenty of time, but I noticed in the furthest corner of the lot, Jasper was already here. I didn't draw this to Lucy's attention though, as we waited by the front entrance for our dates. As I saw Will pull into the car park, Jasper jumped out of his car and headed towards us.
'Hello ladies, didn't realise it was two for one.' Will said, winking at me as he reached us. I cringed at this, knowing it would not be taken well by Jasper. Before I knew it he was at my side.
'You don't.' He said snidely at Will. Will looked utterly confused. He stuttered a little before standing up straight to try and match Jasper's height.
'I asked Beth here out, so if you don't mind.' Will said with attitude, taking my hand and pulling me away from Jasper. Again, I thought I heard that growl. From behind me, I heard as Jasper led Lucy in towards the theatre.
Unluckily, we ended up in front of Jasper and Lucy in the queue for drinks. This made the silence awkward as Jasper stared Will down.
Luckily in the cinema Will didn't pick back row seats, he sat right in the middle, so Jasper obviously sat a few rows behind us. I felt nervous as I felt my every move was being watched.
The film was one of those action ones where everyone runs around with guns trying to kill the bad guy, who turns out to be a good guy, even though he killed someone else and overall was very confusing. I tried to pay as much attention to the film as possible, so I could ignore the fact that Will had put his arm around my shoulder only twenty minutes in. I so badly needed the toilet but I didn't want to have to walk past Jasper and see the look on his face, so I sat as still as possible, willing the film to be over so I could leave.
A painfully slow two hours later the film finally ended. The bad guy was dead, but then someone killed the good guy's girlfriend, so the good guy became a bad guy and shot a lot of people. It wasn't that great, although Will appeared to have loved it.
By the time I had stood up to leave, Jasper was already gone. I went out to the foyer to find Lucy talking to a non-responsive Jasper. He was staring at the door I had just come out of. As we came out Lucy disappeared into the toilets.
'This was fun; you wanna do something again sometime?' Will said, taking my attention off Jasper and Lucy. I thought to myself, it would be better for Will's safety if I said no... As I was contemplating what to say, some popcorn hit me in the back of the head with unnatural force. I didn't turn around as I knew exactly who it was. That would be a no then.
'Well, maybe, I'll, uh, ring you.' I said smiling at Will, both of us knowing that meant I wouldn't. He just smiled before awkwardly waving and saying bye. I turned around to see Jasper with a huge smile on his face.
Lucy wasn't long and quickly said her goodbyes to Jasper and he left, soon followed by Lucy and me.
Once we were in the car she started talking and didn't stop.
'Well that was terrible, I mean Jasper was a complete gentleman, but maybe too gentlemanly! He didn't put his arm round me, or kiss me, or anything! In fact I think he spent more time looking at you than watching the film.' I blushed at this point and was glad it was dark. 'Seriously, I think he fancies you, I mean he couldn't take his eyes off you! And when Will put his arm round you! Wow, I swear he like growled or something, I mean maybe it was the sound of the film but I'm sure it was coming from him. He is weird. But hey, this could be good for you – maybe he does like you – 'cause if he doesn't I'd be pretty scared, you've pretty much got a stalker there. Maybe you should ask him out? Oh, or do you like Will? You didn't seem to make much of an effort there did you?' I laughed at this point.
'Wow Lucy, you talk a lot.' It was all I could say in reply to her speech, and we were just turning the corner to my house. 'I see you tomorrow.' I said still smiling to myself as I climbed out of the car.
'Bye!' She called as she pulled out of the drive. I went straight upstairs, briefly calling out to say hello to my mum. I knew a certain someone would be in my room.
As I walked in he was lounged across my bed waiting for me. I climbed straight in without changing and snuggled up next to him.
'Good date? He asked, as I nestled my head into his cold chest taking in his smell.
'With you peering over my shoulder? Rubbish.' I answered. The worse I made it out to be, the happier he would be. 'Although, I think I'm going to get a bruise from that popcorn.' I pulled my head away to glare at him. He chuckled next to me.
'You'd be surprised at how much force you can put behind a tiny piece of popcorn.' He said before kissing me on the head and wrapping his arms tightly around me, bringing me close up next to him.