* A *
When lunch rolled on I went outside like I did everyday. Today would be different. And it already was, Jasper had gotten to the oak tree before me. I marched up to him and asked:
" So which appeals more to you: Wolf blood or mountain lion blood?" He looked up at me, smiling.
" Neither, I like cougars the most." I gasped.
" So it's true?" He nodded. " Your whole family- you guys are vampires?"
" Yes. You aren't afraid?"
" There are a good number of things I am afraid of. You, well, not so much."
" Why, because we feast on animals?"
" Well, yeah. And you don't even look like you're in pain when you're by me."
" That's only because I'm used to you. But just remember, I can slip." I took in this information delicately. " By the way, how did you know?"
" One of my friends who live on the reservation." He nodded.
" Not to fond of us, they are." He laughed.
" Will you tell me one of your secrets?" He asked I knew what he was talking about.
" I had a vision when I was a freshman in New York."
" Wait- you can see the future?"
" Yes, now pipe down if you want to hear the story. Now I just heard a loud bang kind of. Nobody else heard it, though. Two day's later my mom went to a grocery store and there was a robbery. She was shot by one of the robbers. I told my dad but he didn't believe me. It's like he killed her."
" I'm so sorry." I let a few tears escape my eyes. " So you saw me before, right?"
" Yes when I was sitting by Edward. How did you know?"
" Edward can read minds, I can feel people's emotions and I can change them, and Bella has some sort of shield that can protect her self from others powers."
" That Edward thing explains a lot. So you can basically manipulate people's feelings?"
" Yup." I bit the inside of my cheek.
" Have you used your powers on me?"
" No. Not yet, anyway."
The bell rang and disturbed a very good moment.
" Oh. Gotta go, see you later, Jasper."
" See ya."
* J *
She knew now. No more secrets, maybe now I could tell her how I feel. Or maybe I should take it slowly. I went back home to tell everyone. Yes, my siblings decided to ditch school.
" Edward, Carlisle she knows." Even though I was only talking to Carlisle everybody's eyes came up to stare at me.
" She knows about us?" Carlisle clarified.
" Okay let me get this straight, first you stalk her then you save her from a brutal car accident then you tell her our secret?" Emmett asked.
" No. She already knew she had a friend from La Push."
" What exactly did she say to make you think she knows?" Edward asked.
" She said: ' so which appeals to you more: wolf blood or mountain lion blood?'" I said.
" And you said?" Carlisle asked.
" I said I preferred cougars over both." I smiled while Emmett laughed.
" And is she afraid?" Esme asked her voice worried.
" No." Everyone nodded their head's.
" Well. I'd like to meet her." Esme said cheerfully.
" Esme if I bring her here than Rosalie might kill her and me at the same time. I mean look at her right now." I glanced over at Rosalie who had a frown on her face. She looked she was about to kill me now.
" Don't worry, Jazz. Bring her, I'll keep Rose in order."
" Any one else have to decline?" I looked around everyone seemed up for it.
" I'd love to meet her, she sounds nice." Bella said. Edward shrugged, while Carlisle nodded his head.
" Okay I'll ask her." I smiled. It was nice to have my family except her. I couldn't wait to ask her.
Finally I think I found my forever.
* A *
" So you Jasper Hale, huh?" Jessica asked me while driving us home.
" He's really nice once you get to know him." I said defending Jasper.
" Yeah, sure. I just don't think he's a good guy for you." She rolled her eyes. I knew she was just jealous. I didn't know why I mean she's dating her dream boy, Mike Newton.
My phone started to ring. I looked down for the caller ID. It was someone I didn't know. I answered, anyway.
" Hello?"
" Hi, Alice."
" Oh, hey." It was Jasper I just wasn't going to say the name out loud with Jessica here.
" I was wondering if you'd like to go out tonight?"
" Sure. But I should ask my Aunt first, I'll call you later, okay?" I said.
" Sure. Bye, Alice." The line disconnected. I could have sworn Jasper Hale just asked me out on a date.
" Who was that?" Jessica asked. I jumped; I totally forgot she was here.
" Um, Angela." I said, making a little white lie. We got home two minutes later I rushed into the house.
" Aunt Marge?" Jessica had already gone upstairs so she couldn't hear me.
" Yes?"
" Can I go out on a date with Jasper Hale tonight?"
" Of course. Just be back before ten." I nodded as I stepped back outside and called him.
" Hello?"
" I've got permission but only 'till ten."
" Then I better come now."
" Sure, you remember the address, right?"
" Yes, I'll be there soon."
Ten minutes later he showed up.
" Hey Alice." I waved and got into his car.
" So what's the verdict on our date?" I asked.
" Well you don't have to but my family wants to meet you... or we can do something else."
I bit my lip. Meeting his family?
" Scared now?"
" Yeah, of Emmett." I said.
" He actually wants to meet you. Especially Bella."
" Okay, sure." He drove into the woods.
" Is there another civilization nobody but the people who live there know about it?" I asked
He laughed. " No. Just our house, we kind of need our privacy." I looked down.
" Oh."
" Here we are, home sweet home." He said.
It was big. It looked like a log cabin only the whole back of the house was glass. It was beautiful.
" It's breath taking."
" Yeah, Esme, our mother for all extended purposes, loves to decorate and stuff." I laughed. He took my hand in his and led me up to the front door. His hand was icy cold on my clammy hand. He opened the door and was greeted by a caramel hair colored women who looked like a super model.
" Alice this is Esme, Esme Alice." She came and hugged me. She had firm shoulders and soft hair.
" Hello, Alice. I'm Esme, or the mother of the house." She smiled. Then Dr. Cullen came and wrapped his arm around her.
" Hello, Alice. I believe we met before."
" Yes, but what a way to meet in a hospital, and anyway I was really... dizzy."
" Well then, hello Alice I'm Carlisle Cullen, or the father of the house." He said. He was blonde and looked like a super model as well. Truth be told they all looked like super models. A shorter girl with mahogany hair came up to me.
" Alice I'm Bella." I shook her hand. " I've heard much about you. I'm hoping you and I will be good friends." I smiled at her. She was nice I liked her.
" Alice," Edward began. " I believe we met."
" No, Edward. You met the mental images in my brain."
" And a not so pleasant one it was." I laughed.
" Alice." I stuck out my hand.
" Edward." He took my hand and shook it.
Emmett was on the couch he flicked on the TV. The news channel was on, talking about a robbery at a bank where one of the bankers was shot.
I gasped so loud everyone looked at me.
" Emmett please turn it off." Jasper said to Emmett.
" Why?" He turned it off anyway.
I spoke before Jasper. " My Mom died, she was shot. In a grocery store there was this robbery and she was shot..." I looked at my feet. Esme came and tried to comfort me.
" Oh, I'm sorry, Alice. Well I'm Emmett." I shook his hand. And stared at his face.
Emmett and Jasper are playing chess and Emmett tells Jasper that his cell phone is going off. Jasper goes to find it and Emmett cheats.
" Emmett I'm very disappointed."
" Huh?"
" The old cell phone trick I mean really?"
" What are you talking about?"
" You and Jasper are going to play chess then you are going to say to Jasper his phone is going off. He will go get it and while he's gone you cheat."
" This is the perk of having her here." Jasper said.
" Thanks a bunch, fortune teller."
" Any time." I smiled.
" Uh- oh." Emmett smiled.
" That's Rose." Jasper said. A beautiful blonde girl came in the house.
" Whose this?" She said circling me.
" Um, I'm Alice, the girl who is very freaked out right now." I said.
" Hey Rose, come on." Emmett said.
" Whatever." She said with a roll of the eyes.
" Well, I'm going to give Alice the grand tour." He took my hand and led me to the upstairs. He pointed out rooms as we went along.
" Carlisle's office, Rose and Emmett's room, Carlisle and Esme's room, and my room." We went into his room. One wall was glass and the others stone. A white sofa was pushed up against one wall and a big entertainment center against the other. The last stonewall was a big shelf that held records and CD's. I looked through his collection.
" Oh. My. God." " What?" He asked.
" You like Peter Bjorn and John?"
" Well only one song..."
" Which one?" I smiled.
* J *
" Young Folks." She smiled.
" Now I know you have to be my soul mate."
" I'm glad to hear that." Actually I was thrilled. And so was she. She did like me a lot. But then her emotions changed to nervous.
" Alice, what are you nervous about?"
" Well, I wanted to ask you something."
" What, you can ask me anything."
" Well, my Dad is getting married again. And they asked me to come and be a bridesmaid. But I don't think I can make it through it with out you. I was going to ask you if you'd come to New York with me and support me, I guess."
" The sun?"
" It's raining the day of the wedding, so it will be in my old house." I thought about this. I'd love to meet Cynthia, her younger sister. But I couldn't deny her, either.
" Yes, I'll come." She hugged me very tightly.
" Thank you." I hugged her back.
" Anytime, when is it?"
" This weekend. I'm only staying two days so it won't be long."
" I don't care as long as I'm with you." She looked across the room at my alarm clock.
" Holy!"
" Alice, What?"
" It's nine fifty five! My curfew is ten! We gotta go, now!" we walked downstairs into the huge living room. Nobody was there anymore. We rushed to the car and I started driving fast.
" Okay maybe you can slow it down a bit."
" Don't worry, my reflexes are much better than yours, we wont crash." I was right; I dropped her off at her house and walked her to the porch.
" Um, see you all this weekend." She said. I smiled then leaned down a little. I kissed her. Her lips were warm and soft. I stood back up and went to the car. She turned around then looked back again but I was gone by then.
* A *
He walked me to the front porch. " Um, see you all of this weekend." I said. He smiled beautifully, then leaned down and kissed me. His lips were cold, and hard. But it was exhilarating. He quickly went to his car then was gone by the time I turned around again.
I went into the house and shut the door behind me.
" So how was it?"
" It was okay. I better pack for the flight to New York." My Aunt nodded as I ran upstairs.
" So," Jessica said as she opened my door. " How was your date with Jasper?"
" What, what date?" I said a little nervous that she knew.
" You know that date you just got back from." I gave up.
" How'd you find out?"
" Mom told me." Curses.
" Fine I'm going out with Jasper Hale. So what?"
" Nothing, nothing. It's just are you sure you like him, I mean he's kind of... weird." She was obviously jealous.
" Yes, I really like him, now Jess, I hate to be rude but I got packing to do." She left me in peace and quiet. I packed quickly then fell asleep.
* J *
I drove back home but didn't stay long. I ran back to her house and made sure all the lights were out. I made out which window was hers and climbed up to her room. She was asleep. Her room was small and very organized. Her bed was across from her window and there was a chair right next to the window I sat down.
I stayed there for over an hour just watching her sleep. I left her a rose on the foot of her bed. Then I slipped back out of the window and ran back home. Once I got home I was bombarded with questions from my family.
" So, I liked her, she was very nice and funny." Bella said of Alice.
" So, all of you like her?" They all answered yes, that is with the exception of Rosalie.
" Just try to like her." Esme urged her.
" No, she might tell someone!" Rose declared. I lost my temper.
" ROSE! SHE WOULD NEVER DO THAT!" I yelled at her.
" How would you know?" She asked.
" Because her mind isn't a shallow pool like yours, Rose." Edward said. " She cares about Jasper more than he even knows." This interested me.
" Really?" I said raising one eyebrow.
" Yes." Edward replied. Sweet.
" Oh by the way, Alice invited me to go to her Dad's wedding." I said conversationally.
" In New York?" Esme asked.
" Yes. And she's only staying for two days so it wont be long."
" Okay you can go, but Jasper, take caution with the humans." I nodded. Tomorrow we would fly out to New York.
" Oh, when is the flight?"
" Tomorrow." I said. " Ready to beaten in chess, Emmett?"
" Well, thanks to your girlfriend I don't have a chance of winning so lets go!" Emmett and I played the whole night we won an equal amount of games. I got a ride from Edward to Alice's house. I knocked on the door Jessica answered it.
" Oh, Jessica hello." " If your looking for Alice she's in her room second door on the left upstairs."
I walked past her and thanked her. When I found the door I knocked on it.
" Jessica, I told you go borrow your Mom's bra." I stood there trying not to laugh. She pulled open the door. " Jess," She turned red when she saw me. " Um, your definitely not Jess."
" I hope not. Are you ready? We have to get to the airport." I asked.
" Yes. I'm ready. Aunt Marge is going to give us a ride. Oh by the way, thanks for the rose, I loved it, but how did you get it there?"
" I climbed through your window." I said with a smile.
" Cool. Let's go." She said. " Aunt Marge we're ready!" She walked ahead of me. I grabbed her wrist and kissed her again before we started walking again. She smiled.
I couldn't wait to be with just her.
* A *
Aunt Marge drove Jasper and I to the airport and we left quickly. The plane ride was making me dizzy. I held Jasper's hand the whole ride because I was in fact scared. I was going to see my father for the first time in two years. On the bright side I would see my sister that I loved for so long again.
The plane finally landed in New York City. We got our bags and caught a taxi. I told him the address I hadn't used in a very long two years. When we got to the house it was all decorated, but it was still the same. I knocked on the door and braced myself.
Cynthia was taller and much prettier than I.
" ALICE!" She screamed as she hugged me. She cried and I cried. " Dad, Dad, its Alice." Dad appeared from the hallway.
" Dad." I said.
He came up and hugged me.
" I love you Mary Alice Brandon." He cried. I loved hearing his voice again.
" Oh, gosh I totally forgot, Cynthia, Dad this is my... boyfriend, Jasper"
" Hi. I'm Alice's sister, Cynthia. It's nice to meet you Jasper." She shook his hand and looked over at me. " Oh. My. God." She mouthed.
" Hi, I'm Alice's father, Dennis." Cynthia looked at the clock in the kitchen.
" Alice you have to get dressed!" She took me to the bathroom and gave me a lavender dress. It was sleeveless, and pretty.
I got dressed then made a little fashion show out of the hallway. When I got to the kitchen again I made a big pose then laughed.
" What do you think?" I asked Dad and Jasper.
" You look great, Honey." Dad said. " Excuse me I got to talk to Cynthia."
" You look better than great, Alice. You look beautiful." He said, taking me into his arms.
" You don't look bad yourself." I said.
" Well, we should go find the bride." He said, but he didn't release me from his hold.
* J *
I had to tell her now; I had to tell her I loved her. " Alice-" I started but was cut off by a scream.
" What was that? It sounded like it was coming from Cynthia's room." She whispered to me.
We started down the hall and she stopped in front of a closed door. She opened the door just a bit, but enough for us to see in. Dennis' hand go up in the air and come down hard across the face of Cynthia. Alice almost gasped but I clapped my hand over her mouth.
" You better make sure you're good! Or else you can consider college a figment of your imagination." He threatened. I could feel tears of the hand that was over Alice's mouth.
She turned to face me and whispered to my ear, " We have to get help." She said urgently. I got my phone of my pocket then called 911. I told them the address and situation. They arrived in less than two minutes.
" You got to trust me, Alice, I didn't mean it!" I heard him cry out to the daughter who he had never loved. She was crying, and so was Cynthia. Alice held Cynthia while I held Alice. It was a perfect moment, and yet it wasn't.
* A *
Cynthia was to be sent with me to Aunt Marge's. At least I had my sister back, but she had to live with the painful memories forever. I was always hoping and praying that Cynthia's life wouldn't be like mine. Turns out it had turned out worse.
On the plane back home I asked her for the full story. Knowing she couldn't deny me, I asked willingly.
" Dad started beating me after you left. He started out just insulting me, and then he started hitting me lightly. Next came full beating like you saw. And the police told me that Barbara was a criminal on the run. She was marrying Dad for his money. My life has been crap without you." She sighed.
" Why didn't you call me?" I asked.
" He didn't let me." I noticed Jasper was sleeping he looked very peaceful. I moved a piece of honey blond hair out of his eyes. He smiled in his sleep.
" You're very lucky to have him. He looks so protective of you." I smiled and nodded. " I hope I find someone like him for me." She smiled as she leaned her head back.
" Get some rest, Cynthia, darling." What our mother used to say to Cynthia when she was younger. Jasper opened his eyes as Cynthia closed hers.
* J *
The plane had landed two hours later. Alice had already called her Aunt and made arrangements for Cynthia. Now, it was my time. I took Alice to the river by our house; we sat along the bank and talked. I wrapped my arm around her waist. I decided this was the moment. But why hadn't Alice seen it?
" Alice?"
" Mmm?"
" Can I tell you something important?" I asked.
" Jasper, before you say anything can I ask a couple questions about vampires?"
" Of course." She deserved to know more about me before I told her that I loved her.
" Question one: Sleeping in coffins?"
" Myth. I can't sleep."
" Question two: sunshine?"
" I don't burn to ash I... sparkle." She raised one eyebrow. " I have to show you for you to understand."
" Last one. Question three: crosses?"
" Ah, one big myth. Actually what proves that one if a myth is that Rosalie was Christian." She laughed.
" One more. What's your history?" I knew this would come but I was hoping she would hold off.
So I told her, everything. About Maria, Peter, Charlotte, and the war.
" Alice-" I was cut off by a yawn.
" Oh I forgot that you are a human." I picked her up and carried her home. I swung her onto my back and I climbed up to her window. I tucked her into her bed. She was asleep in minutes.
" I love you." I whispered in her ear before I slipped out of the window again.
