CHAPTER TEN

SHE KNOWS NOW

Instead of shopping with Jess, Angela and Bella, I spent the afternoon with Alice, Bianca and Rosalie in Alice's room looking over hair dos for prom. She said she wanted to make me the most beautiful girl ever. I laughed and told her that wasn't possible.

"Where's Edward?" I asked as I noticed Jasper and Emmett playing video games when we walked through to the kitchen.

Rosalie scowled at the sandwiches she was making for Bianca and I, "He's following that girl around in Port Angeles."

I hoisted Bianca onto a seat at the counter and asked, "Why?"

Alice was the one who answered me, "He said he feels protective of her, that he only wants to keep an eye on her in case she needs him."

"Huh," I murmured, taking the sandwich Rosalie offered me, "That's sweet... and really creepy."

Alice and Rose laughed wind chimes and agreed with me. Bianca wanted to go see Jasper and Emmett so Alice took them while Rose and I cleaned up in the kitchen. So I took the chance to voice my thoughts to her, "You really... disapprove of Bella."

Rosalie scrubbed at the tiles and said, "It's far too dangerous for him to be with a human. She already suspects something."

I paused at the sink, "You don't seem to have any problem with Jasper being with me, a human. In fact, you encouraged it. Why am I different?"

Rosalie seemed to pause, deep in thought, "You don't pose a threat."

"And Bella who trips over her own feet, does?" I asked sarcastically.

Rose allowed a half-smile at the joke, "She suspects too much and she just keeps... digging... for information. Soon, she's going to find out the truth about us and it'll ruin everything."

"But I know the truth, Rosalie," I pointed out, "I noticed everything she's starting to notice. And it's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

"Exactly," Rose said, "We told you because we trusted you. You knew we were hiding something and you didn't push us to tell you like Bella is pushing Edward to tell her." She turned to look at me, "There is a big difference between you and Bella. You didn't treat us like weirdos or tried to worm yourself into our good graces just because we're vampire beautiful. You became family to us naturally and you like us for who we are. Bella is attracted to Edward. That's all. And we will all be endangered if she finds out."

I sighed, "I get what you're saying. But Bella... I just don't think that she'd put you in danger. I don't think she'd tell anyone, either."

Rosalie laughed bitterly, "That's not what I mean."

Bianca came running into the kitchen with Jasper behind her, "Heta, Heta! I won! Come see, I won!" She pulled on my hand and led me into the game room. The words WINNER flashed on the big screen. In the background I saw a ninja on the floor and the other pumping his fist in the air. I smiled down at Bianca, "Good job! Who'd you beat?"

Bianca smiled, "Jasper!"

I looked up at my boyfriend, "Awww you got beat by a little girl!"

Jasper grinned wryly at me, "I let her win."

I rolled my eyes, "All I know is that a four year old little girl beat you at a video game."

Emmett grinned at Bianca after laughing at Jasper, "You want to play me next?"

Bianca cheered, "Yes!" Emmett grabbed a controller and handed it to her. Rosalie took a seat besides her husband on the arm of the couch and Alice placed Bianca on her lap and started brushing her hair.

Jasper laced his fingers in mine and tugged me out of the room. I followed him happily, "You got beat by my kid sister."

Jasper rolled his eyes and groaned, "You are never going to let me live this down, are you?"

I shook my head, "Never."

Jasper chuckled, "You're lucky I love you."

I stopped walking then. My hand fell from his, to my sides. Jasper seemed to realize what he said and froze in front of his bedroom door. I took a breath, "You love me?"

Jasper slowly turned around, shoving his hands under his armpits, "I guess I was waiting to tell you..."

I jumped on him. Right then and there. I wrapped my arms around his neck and legs around his hips and smashed my lips to his furiously. I strung my fingers through his hair as I felt his lips moved with mine and his hands feel my lower back. I pulled away quickly, out of breath, and rested my forehead against his, "You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say those words. I love you, Jasper."

Jasper let out a breath he didn't need and pressed his lips to mine again.

The next day at school, Bella stood in the center of the deserted, green lawn. Her expression was riddled with disbelief and awe. Edward was following the rest of us when the bell rang until his eyes met hers. She looked determined, looking straight at him, as she walked towards him. But she continued past us into he dark forest bordering school.

When Edward took a step to follow him, Rosalie grabbed his arm, "Edward, don't go."

Alice gently removed Rose's hand from him, "He's already there."

"So she knows now?" I asked Edward when he told us what had happened earlier.

Rose angrily paced the floor, her heals clicking noisily. Emmett looked uncomfortable and he was trying to calm Rosalie down. Alice and Jasper looked tense and Carlise and Esme looked worried.

"Yes," Edward answered me, "She's figured it all out on her own. And she won't tell anyone. It'll be fine."

"Who are you trying to convince?" Jasper asked.

Edward looked away.

To prove to The Cullens that Bella wouldn't pose a problem, he decided to bring her over. I decided to invite myself over so Bella would take solace in another human with vampires. I knew she would look to me as some sort of guide because so far, I'm the first human to be with a vampire ever.

Jasper chuckled out of the blue as Esme watched the kitchen TV attentively. I looked up at him questionably, "What are you laughing about?"

Jasper looked down at me, "Edward asked if Bella was expecting turrets, dungeons and moats, because she seemed surprised at our house. She said, not the moats."

Esme rolled out pizza dough and fanned tomatoes around it in an instant. Rosalie stood with a bowl of salad, "How do we know she'll even eat Italian?"

"Her name is Bella," Emmett pointed out from his spot sitting on the kitchen table.

Jasper and I laughed at that just as Edward pulled Bella into the room awkwardly. Esme, seeping with maternal warmth, moved forward with a warm smile, "Bella. We're making Italian for you and Heather."

Edward gestured to her, "This is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes."

"Bon giorno?" Bella mumbled in greeting.

Esme smiled happily, "Molto bene!"

Carlisle smiled up from the peppers he was slicing, "You've given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time."

"I hope you're hungry," Esme smiled.

Bella nodded, "Oh, absolutely-"

"She already ate," Edward interrupted sternly.

Bella shot him a look before something shattered. I jumped to see that Rosalie had crushed the glass bowl in her hands. She crunched more pieces under her heals, "Perfect."

Bella looked embarrassed and guilty, "It's just – I know that you don't eat-"

"Of course," Esme interrupted her, "That was very considerate of you."

Edward leaned down to Bella, "Just ignore her. I do."

Rosalie glared at them, "Yes, let's keep pretending this isn't dangerous for all of us."

"I would never, ever tell anyone," Bella swore.

Carlise reassured her as he came to stand behind his wife, "She knows that."

"The problem is," Emmett ducked off the counter top, "you two have gone public now, so..."

"Emmett," Esme chastised, sparing me a look. I looked down at my hands, ignoring the wave of calm Jasper tried to send me.

"No, she should know," Rosalie said, looking at Bella, "The entire family will be implicated if this ends badly."

Bella murmured, "Badly?..." she then 'realized' something, "Badly, like... I become the meal..."

Emmett choked back laughter. Edward grinned and wrapped an arm around Bella. Even Esme and Carlise chuckled. Jasper was focused on me, and how quiet I was being.

Rosalie looked exasperate and headed behind the counter. Emmett followed her moves.

Alice leaped into the room from a tree outside the balcony, holding a bouquet of wildflowers. "Hi, Bella!" She bounced forward to hug Bella. She shot back, "Wow. You do smell good."

"Alice," Edward said in a warning tone.

I felt Jasper's hands tighten on mine. He was tense and rigid. His eyes were focused on Bella now that Alice mentioned how good she smelled. I wrapped an arm around his waist, "It's alright. You're my Jasper."

Bella noticed the estranged look she was getting from him so I looked at her, "Don't worry about Jasper. He's just the newest to the whole veggie thing and he still struggles with it sometimes." I looked away and back to Jasper, trying to make him feel my proud feelings and strength so he would calm down.

"You won't hurt her, Jasper," Alice said wisely. I think he should listen to the fortune teller.

"See?" I whispered in his ear, as if that made my point.

Edward grabbed Bella's hand, "I'll give you a tour of the house."

Alice smiled as they turned to leave, "I'll see you soon."

Edward shot her a look, which Bella caught, before leading her up the stairs.

Esme asked if I was hungry. I told her I was and excused myself to go to the bathroom. When I was in there, I just splashed cold water on my face. I peered in the mirror at myself and took deep calming breaths.

I heard a knock on the door and then Jasper's voice, "Heather? Are you alright?"

I sighed, grabbing a towel to dab my face dry. When I didn't answer immediately, Jasper knocked again, "Heather? Please come out."

I finished dabbing my face and put the towel back on the rack. I quietly unlocked the door and opened it slowly, "You easily could have gotten in, you know."

Jasper nodded, "But that'd be invading your privacy."

I wrapped my arms around myself, "Always the southern gentlemen."

Jasper tugged a hand into his, "What is wrong? You were too quiet when Rosalie was talking back in the kitchen."

I sighed, "I guess all this about their relationship being dangerous got me thinking about if our relationship was dangerous."

Jasper's face showed his realization and he sighed, "Oh."

"It's just that I..." I sighed in frustration, "I don't want to cause more problems for you."

Jasper pulled me into his arms, "Darling... any problems being with you may bring to me are problems I am willing to deal with. Because you're worth every one." He looked deeply into my eyes, "You have brought nothing but happiness to my life. And you've given me life. I will do anything to keep that. To keep you with me. Forever."

"Really?" I asked in the smallest voice.

Jasper nodded with conviction, "Anything, Heather."

There it is! Bella knows!

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