Author's Note: Hey Everyone! Amber here, not Stephanie Meyer so with that said I dont own Twilight or its characters!! Ana and Jade are all mine though:D Anyways, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has left reviews seriously you guys rock my socks :D So big apologies if this chapter isnt the greatest but I promise it will get better after this one!!! So READ, REVIEW, and ENJOY :)SIt back, Relax, and enjoy Chapter 16 :D
Chapter 16: You Just Have To Love Halloween
I have been awake for the last hour strumming my guitar. Last night had to have been one of the worst nights of my life. I was left with an empty feeling and in turn I tossed and turned all night unable to turn my head off. I finally gave up on sleep and instead turned to music. Music has always been able to make everything okay again. I strum as quietly as I can until Jade slamming the door open makes my hands freeze. She doesn't look happy. I set my guitar down and look at her.
" Jade what's wrong?" I ask, walking over to where she stands. She is shaking from head to toe anger pulsing off of her.
" Boys, boys are so, they are so, grr" she says, stomping over to the closet. That is always a bad sign. Jade can always come up with something to say, and when all she can say is grr I know that it isn't anything good. I watch as she storms around our room. I grab her by the shoulders to stop her.
" Talk to me, what happened?" I ask, and she sits down on the floor. A sudden guilty look crossing her face. " You slept with him didn't you?" It's silent for a moment and I know that she did before she can even answer me.
" Yes okay, I did. That wasn't my intention though, it just, kind of happened. We started talking and playing twenty questions, and then he got upset when I brought a rough subject, so I kissed him to make him feel better, and one thing led to another. I will save you the details," she says, running her hands nervously through her hair. Something had to have happened to have her this shook up.
" Okay so you slept with him, and this is a bad thing why?" I ask, looking at her. I was thoroughly bewildered.
" It's a bad thing because he left first thing this morning. He didn't say anything to me, just said he had to go. What's worse is I found a picture of him and his ex in his closet," she says and I look at her shocked.
" You snooped through his closet? That doesn't sound like you at all Jade, that sounds like something that someone in love would do," I say, and as soon as the words leave my mouth I realize that what I just said was true. She was in love. " You love him don't you?"
" I have no idea what you are talking about," she says trying to sound blasé. I look at her like she is crazy.
" Are you kidding me Jade, you are over the moon in love and you know it. Or else you wouldn't be so upset by the idea of Edward having a picture of his ex in his closet," I say as I scoot over to sit next to her. I wrap my arm around her shoulder. I can feel her pain.
" So what if I am in love with him. It's perfectly clear that he isn't over Bella. Ugh, even her name is pretty," she says rolling her head onto my shoulder. I pat her head and laugh a little.
" Welcome to the club my friend," I say, chuckling as she laughs a watery laugh. She twirls her finger in the air.
" This blows," she says finally after a short silence.
" Definitely blows," I agree with her. It's hard being in love, even worse when you are in love alone.
" For the one hundredth and fifty sixth time Jade I am not wearing that for the Halloween party," I say staring at Jade like she is insane. The costume she is holding in her hands is barely that. Its two scraps of cloth that would barely cover me. I am comfortable with my body, not comfortable enough to walk out of the front door wearing that though. She sighs dramatically at that.
" Come on Ana, we have been in this store for over an hour, I am tired and hungry, and if we don't hurry up everyone is going to go to lunch without us," she whines as she puts the costume back on the rack. We all decided to road trip up to Bellevue in search of our costumes for the Halloween party that Rosalie was set on throwing. I love Rosalie's parties don't get me wrong, I do, but seeing how the last one ended, I cant help but to be a bit worried.
" It isn't my fault that you found your outfit so easily, not everyone can go as Alice from Alice in Wonderland," I say, turning back to browse through the costumes again. " You know what I want to go as?" I ask looking at Jade.
" What?" Jade asks, her face lighting up.
" Juliet," I say and she beams at me. " You remember in the movie? When Juliet has to dress up for the party and she wears that beautiful whit dress and the wings? That's what I want to wear."
" Okay, so lets go meet everyone for lunch and you can talk to Rosalie. I am sure she will be able to tell you where you can find something like that," she says picking up her bags.
" All right," I say, and we link arms skipping from the store like we are back in junior high.
" Seriously Rosalie? Where did you find this dress?" I ask as I stand in my closet looking at my reflection in the mirror. It's perfect, exactly what I pictured. It looks like it was pulled straight from the movie.
" Haven't you learned anything yet Ana? I know how to find anything I want," she says laughing as I spin a slight circle. My costume was complete. I found the wings to go with the outfit a few days before, and now I had the dress.
" So what time does the party start tomorrow?" I ask, stepping out of the closet. Holding the dress delicately in my hands in search of the hanger. I finally find it under my discarded sweater.
" It starts at nine, but the real fun usually doesn't start until ten, ten thirty," she says smiling at me as I hang up my dress carefully.
" Okay, so how much do I owe you for the dress?" I ask, opening my purse in search for my wallet.
" A hundred dollars," she says holding her palm out to me. I pull the money from my wallet and gladly pay her, because Lord knows that if she hadn't found me the dress or else I would have had to wear something totally generic.
" Well, I better get going, or I am going to be late for work. I love you Rose, thank you so much for finding me the dress I owe you more than the hundred dollars I will find a way to pay you back for it later," I say, grabbing my bag before I stop to hug her and rush to the front door. I rush down the stairs and to the front door not paying attention when I run right into Jasper.
" Oh, sorry," I say on a laugh, grabbing onto his arm so that I don't fall backwards. " I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."
" Oh no its okay," he says a smile on his face. " Where you off to in such a hurry?"
" Work. I have to go in early if I want to have a long weekend," I say trying to walk past him.
" Oh hey look, I parked behind your car so why don't you let me drive you in," he says, walking out of the door behind me. 'Anything to spend more time with you,' I think to myself.
" Oh no its okay, really you don't have to do that," I say walking towards my car. He smiles broadly at me.
" I know that I don't have to Ana, I want to," he says, and I smile at him.
" Well if you insist," I say sliding into his car. The drive to work was quick and comfortably quiet.
" So, what time do you get off?" Jasper asks, walking me to the door.
" Around ten tonight, you don't have to come all the way back to get me, I can get a ride from Jade or something," I say, stopping in front of the door.
" No its okay I will be here, see you then," he says, and he leans down and gives me a hug. I watch him walk away and a million emotions rush through me but the strongest is confusion. I turn to see Brody staring at me through the window. Oh boy. I haven't talked to Brody since the night that he and Jasper got into their fight. I swallow hard as I walk into the building.
" Looks like you and Jasper made up quickly," he says, his tone almost accusatory. I smile at him.
" Yeah I guess you could say that," I reply, pressing the up button on the elevator. He follows me into the elevator and its an awkward silence that falls between us.
" Hey what are you doing tomorrow?" he asks suddenly as the doors open slowly.
" Rosalie is throwing a party at our place, huge thing. Costumes and all that fun stuff," I say smiling at him. He looks angry for a second before saying anything else.
" Oh okay, well hey maybe you can stop by my party," he offers nonchalantly.
" Yeah maybe, we'll see. Okay well off to work I go," I say, turning to walk to my office. I get he chills and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I look over my shoulder and he stands there staring at me darkly.
" Hey Jade, I was just calling to see how much longer you think it would be before you get home from the lab. Was hoping maybe you would want to have a good old girls night seeing as how Rosalie is going to be working us to the bone tomorrow setting up for the party. Anyways, call me, text me, or I will just see you at the house. Ciao" I say brightly to Jade's voicemail. I click off the light to my office and walk into the deserted hall way. I press the button and wrap my arms around myself listening to the hum of the elevator. The sound of footsteps makes my heart start beating fiercely in my chest. A heavy hand falls onto my shoulder making me scream and jump. I spin quickly around to see Brody bathed in shadows. I press my hand to my galloping heart.
" Damn it Brody, you scared the hell out of me," I say, catching my breathe. I look at him and there is a weird gleam in his eye. I take a step back from him.
" What are you still doing here? I thought I was the only one staying late tonight," I say, backing up against the elevator door.
" I wanted to wait for you, make sure you got home okay," he says, stepping past me into the awaiting elevator. I tap my foot nervously as the elevator descends and I pray that Jasper is outside waiting for me. I step out into the cool night air my eyes searching for any sign of Jasper. I don't see him.
" Looks like your ride is late. I can give you a lift if you want," Brody says, and I look over at him a feeling of unease coursing through my body. I open my phone and call Jasper.
'Hey you have reaches Jasper's phone, leave me a message and I will get back to you, beep.' I click my phone off and snap it shut. Unbelievable.
" No that's okay, it's a pretty decent night out, so I can walk," I say as I start walking past him. He grabs my arm and turns me to look at him.
" Ana, come on it's late please just let me give you a ride," he says and his grip tightens on my arm. I wince from the pain.
" Brody your hurting me," I say and instead of him loosening his grip on me he tightens it. He is holding me so tightly that I swear that he is going to end up breaking my arm.
" Why wont you just take the ride Ana?" he asks, his eyes have a strange gleam in them and they are blood shot. He looks like he is high off of something.
" Brody please let go of my arm," I say again, and I try pulling away from him.
" I thought you liked me Ana, I thought that you and me could have something special," he says pushing me against the brick wall of the building.
" Brody I'm sorry if I made you think that there was going to be anything between us, but I only look at you as a friend," I say, trying to keep my tone light and full of sympathy. He shoves me against the wall harder my head connecting harshly against the brick.
" Why Ana, why? Because you are obsessed with Jasper? Don't you see that he will never feel for you the way I do?" he asks and then he crashes his lips to mine. I keep my mouth firmly shit as I struggle against his hold. I starts screaming in my head for someone, anyone to save me. Then the weight of Brody is gone and I slide down the wall gasping for air. I look up to see Jasper punching Brody continuously. I get to my feet and grab his arm.
" Jasper, stop," I say pulling him off of Brody. " Your going to kill him, please just stop." Jasper looks at me his eyes dark with fury. They lighten instantly and he reaches out taking my face into his hands.
" Are you okay?" he asks, running his hands all over my face and my shoulders like he is checking to make sure that I'm all right and in one piece.
" Yeah, a little shaky, but I'm okay," I say, holding onto his arms. He takes me to his car and puts me in before he walks to where Brody lays on the ground. Their voices are muffled through the car door but I strain to hear what is being said. Brody gets to his feet and for a second I am scared that he is going to attack Jasper but instead he just walks away like nothing happened. Jasper climbs into the car and just stares out of the windshield.
" I'm sorry Ana, I'm sorry that I was late," he says, looking at me his eyes lit with remorse.
" Jasper, it isn't your fault. He has problems, he looks like he is high off of something and he thinks that I have feelings for him that just aren't there," I say, running a shaky hand through my hair. I sit in the silence of the car and swallow hard trying to get the taste of Brody off of my lips. Jasper reaches over and places a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see him staring at me.
" Are you ready to go home?" he asks, and I nod unable to speak. He starts the car and we head home in silence.
I wake up with a jolt when I realize that someone is jumping on my bed.
" Wake up, wake up, wake up," Emmett calls out in a sing song voice. I look at the clock and see that it reads just after six.
" Are you kidding me Em, its barely six and you are bouncing on my bed singing at the top of your lungs, why?" I ask, throwing one of my pillows at him.
" Well it was either I come and wake you up the nice way or Rosalie come wake you up the mean way. One thing you haven't experienced first hand is Rosalie when she is in party mode, so you should thank your lucky starts that I'm the one waking you up," Emmett says sitting on my bed. I lay my head back down and groan loudly into my pillow. He reaches over and ruffles my hair playfully and I swipe at his hands laughing slightly.
" Come on half-pint, lets get downstairs before Rosalie comes and tears both of our heads off," he says, holding his hand out to me. I take it grudgingly. I didn't fall asleep until after two. Once I got home I sat down and told Jade everything and she was mad. No mad doesn't describe what she was, livid is more like it. It took me an hour to talk her out of going to Brody's and kicking his ass herself. I walk down the stairs half asleep following the smell of fresh coffee. I walk into the kitchen where Jade, Rosalie, and Jasper are talking and drinking coffee.
" Good morning sunshine," Jade says, her happy voice makes me cringe. Jade is only a morning person on a few days out of the year, Halloween being one of them. I grunt at her as I pour a cup of coffee.
" Oh someone is a grumpy Gus this morning," she says and I lovingly flip her off as I take my first hit of caffeine.
" Okay so I have made lists for everyone and what I need them to do. Please stick to the list people. Remember the list is your friend," Rosalie says as she hands everyone their lists of tasks. I look at mine and groan. Of course I'm on candy run. Great. Not to mention I have to help set up the haunted house she wants, decorate the kitchen, make the punch and the list just goes on and on.
" Happy Halloween everyone," Rosalie calls out as she sails out of the kitchen. Oh yeah, happy Halloween all right.
I stand back and admire my decorating skills. The beautiful pristine kitchen has been successfully transformed into something out of a horror movie. I check the time and realize that its almost eight o'clock and I haven't seen anyone but Emmett for the last hour. I walk to the back room where he is putting the finishing touches on the 'haunted house.'
" Hey Em," I call out stepping over a mutilated corpse.
" Yeah," he calls out popping his head over a black sheet smiling.
" You know when everyone else is supposed to be back?" I ask, poking my head over the sheet to see what he is working on.
" Any minute now I'm guessing. I know Rose will be at least because she is going to take up every minute that she is home to get ready," he says, wiping his hands on his jeans.
" Okay well I finished all of my tasks, so I am going to run upstairs and get into the shower before anyone else gets home and takes all of the hot water. Tell Rose that if she has a problem with anything I did she kiss my ass," I say playfully as I walk from the room. Emmett's booming laugh follows me up the stairs and I smile as I walk into the bathroom.
The party has been in full swing for almost an hour when I find Jade laughing in the kitchen talking to Edward. No one knew what Edward was planning to come as until he came to the party dressed at the Mad Hatter. I have to hand it to the guy, he knows how to make up for being a complete ass. I stand and watch them as they talk and realize just how right for each other that they are. I just wish that they knew it, I think to myself. I have been thoroughly impressed by peoples costumes, my favorite by far though is Rosalie and Emmett's. Danny and Sandy from Grease. Priceless. I walk over to Jade smiling as I go.
" Hey guys having fun?" I ask, sipping from the cup in my hand.
" Oh yeah," Jade says, smiling up at Edward.
" So who exactly are you supposed to be?" Edward asks looking at me questioningly. I glare at him.
" Juliet," I say just a tad bit annoyed. This isn't the first time I was asked this question tonight. You would think people have never watched movies before.
" Oh from the movie, I get it now," he says laughing at me. I beam at him glad that he finally got it.
" So has anyone seen Jasper?" I ask, looking around the room. I see Jade and Edward exchange a look and I know that they are hidings something.
" Nope haven't seen him," they both say at once only adding to my suspicions.
" Uh huh sure," I say, and before I can press the further they walk out of the kitchen together Edward expertly timing his request to dance with Jade. Fine they don't want to tell me that's fine. It doesn't matter anyways, if I see Jasper or not tonight. Of course it matters. I fight with myself internally when there is a soft tapping on my shoulder. I turn around and stare at a life size version of Romeo. I stare shocked at Jasper as he removes his mask. His hair falling into his eyes.
" I hope you don't mind, it's just that Rose and Em, and Edward and Jade were all coming kind of together, so," he says, smiling almost boyishly. I shake my head in awe.
" No, no I don't mind at all," I say, trying my hardest not to stare at him.
" Good," he says smiling at me happily. We talk for a few minutes as we walk through the party.
" Jasper, Ana, come dance," Jade calls from the other room where she, Edward, Rose, and Emmett are all dancing together happily. I look up at Jasper as he holds a hand out to me.
" Care to dance, Juliet?" he asks, as he takes my hand pressing a light kiss to it.
" Why not, Romeo," I say laughing as he leads me to the dance floor. In this moment I look around at the smiling faces and realize that we have all bonded. Jade and I came into this house as strangers and some where along the way we have all become more than friends, we are like family.