Previously,

We both laughed until he disappeared into the sunset…okay over the hill with a nice prominent limp… and then silence dominated us. We stared at each other, the air feeling filled with tension. I wanted to touch her eyebrows and rub the tension away. Her green eyes – the most beautiful emerald – were shining with confusion and apprehension. I had promised myself that I would woo her this weekend and the time seemed to have finally arrived despite all the thrash that had happened before. Fate had a peculiar way of making things work.

Taking a step forward I whispered "Alice…"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I felt like a knight in one of those stupid, yet ridiculously entertaining (for me anyway) fairy books. You know the one where the knight in his kick ass shining armor defeats the evil dragon (whom I sympathize with because, come on, they can't help the way they're born and…..) okay I'm getting off topic. Anyway…yeah so I'm standing in front of Alice, fidgeting like a squirrel in the eyes of a snake, squirming.

She's squirming too so it's not so bad.

The thing is though I can't get a flippin' read on her. One minute she's looking at me all shy and cute and totally kissable and in the next second my gaydar flips off and she's just there...with those beautiful emerald eyes with that little quirk just under the corner….okay getting off topic again.

So I say the first thing my adolescent brain can come up with.

"Are you gay now?"

Unfortunately for me, my mind filter has completely vanished. I blame Emmett, him and his 'I dare you to lick the forest ground crap'. Bella Swan never backs down from a dare and being a fellow idiot I licked the ground and swear it tasted like rat shit. I probably ingested a virus and thus contracted a virus infested brain.

Anyway…. Back to Alice

Her eyes go all wide for a second before a glint of defiance set in.

"To hell I am" she huffed in that special way that could make your heart go all gooey. My sort of cracked.

I frowned at her "I heard what you said to Jazz – a – dick."

It was her turn to frown, that quirk in her lip turning down "So? I didn't say anything that implied I had turned gay."

Thinking back to the encounter, she really didn't, even though my hopeful mind had hoped that she did. I guess I was feeling way too hopeful. How she said it made it sound as if we were having some sort of illicit affair.

My ego kind of swiveled….

Okay back to my initial plan…

Time to turn all charming and shit.

In my softest voice I asked "Did he hurt you?"

Alice looked confused at the sudden change in topic and was about to respond when Rosalie busted through the bushes. No I mean literally busted through the bushes…leaves rattling and hair waving kind of shit.

Her blue eyes held hidden mirth in them and I wanted to wipe that fat smirk off her face…preferably with my fist but my foot would do as well. No picking favorites in love and war.

"Esme said it's time for dinner" she spoke after Alice and I just continued to stare at her. Well Alice stared so wide eyed you'd swear we were doing something other than talking, I glared…menacingly.

You would have sworn someone gave the pixie drugs, the way she sprinted out of the clearing with a skip and a hop.

Rosalie quirked an eyebrow at me, one which I ignored as I trudged back to the camp site. No sign of Jasperina, probably icing his dick in the river.

I smirked just thinking about it.

Alice sort of ignored me for the rest of the evening, which I was totally fine with. Let her think she could ignore my skills. She won't get far.

"Hi Bellsy" Emmett called from his end of the fire, his dimples were smeared in marshmallow goo. It would have been kind of cute…if on a kid and not a three hundred, six feet tall giant.

"Hummm" I gave him a passing stare. I was still feeling deflated about Alice's blatant rejection and the effect it would have on our already tender friendship.

"We're going to play truth and dare, you in?" he asked, twirling an empty soda bottle between his fore thumb and picky.

Seriously?

"Thought that game died with the eighties" I sighed, throwing my stick in the fire and standing up. I really needed a bath anyway. When you could smell yourself that was a really bad sign.

"Fine be that way, Alice you in?"

"Sure" she answered, meeting my eyes for a minute before looking away. There was a spark of relief in those misty orbs.

Huh?

My brain started to churn until a very evil plan popped into my mind.

Smiling I turned to Emmett "Offer still open?"

"Hell yeah!" His fist pumped in the air.

This is how it lead to all six of us, Jasper still lurking somewhere off in the darkness, sitting on the outside edges of the campfire, in a deformed circle.

"I'll go first" Emmett declared, setting the bottle in the front of him. I watched as it glinted in the shadow of the fire, forming a spiral of colors as it spun. Surprisingly enough it landed on Bree, who had hardly said a word most of the time, we'd been here…strange girl.

"Okay its Bree's turn, truth of dare?" Emmett grinned at her – said girl looking like a deer caught in a car's tail light.

"Umm….truth?" She actually looked perplexed over her answer…no reason why though- it was only a game after all.

"Had a feeling you'd go with truth" Emmett huffed, rubbing his chin in thought, then his eyes twinkled a little and I knew he had somehow managed to come up with something 'horrible'. Either that or completely embarrassing.

"Is it true little Eddie over there has a dick the size of a stick?"

I might have giggled at that one – sounded a lot like Jasper.

Edward rightfully took offense and usurped Emmett "Is it true that Emmett only thinks with one head?"

This easily turned into an argument of dicks and sizes and some of the things they were asking each other became just a little too queasy for me, so with an abrupt goodbye I was out of there.

There goes my first plan – have Alice dared to kiss me mission was a fail.

"Bye guys I'm outta here" I called, popping the last of the marshmallows in my mouth. Awww…chewy goodness.

The idiots were too busy arguing with each other to hear me, so I sulked down to the river.

The night crickets were singing happily as I stripped off my now dirt ruined pants and polo shirt. Underwear came next and finally I was gloriously naked. In retrospect I probably should have been worried about someone spotting me – but the darkness of the lake gave a sense of security. That and I was totally trying to separate my mind from the pungent body it was attached. The bath was no longer a want but a need.

I was just lathering my towel when a stick cracked. Typical.

Immediately back pedaling in the black water I watched surprisingly as Alice emerged.

What was she doing out here?

"What are doing out here?" I asked with as much annoyance I could muster. She knew I would be out here – want did she want? Ammo for school perhaps? I know it wasn't fair to be judging her but the very abrupt refusal had still left me feeling sore.

That and the haunted memories from Arizona still plagued my dreams once and a while.

I watched in the darkened night as Alice's eyes grew wider – immediately spinning in my direction. I knew she couldn't see me but I still ducked under the water.

"I-uh, um- what I mean is…." She stuttered, absolutely making no sense. It didn't help that the cold water of the lake was basically giving me blue balls.

"Can we at least talk after I finish bathing?" I asked with a softer tone. It probably wasn't a good idea to be churl with the person you were trying to seduce. Wonder if those brownie points from yesterday were still usable.

"Of course!" Alice responded almost immediately, practically running away from the water's edge.

I had the quickest bath of mankind. I think I might have scarred some local wildlife.

Yet I found myself nervous as I dressed. What did she want to talk about? Did I practically ruin our friendship by revealing myself this morning? Because come on, the whole gay question left no doubt on what gender I preferred. Not to say I was trying to hide my preference in the first place. Being an in the closet lesbian had never worked for me and it just made it all the worst when people did find out. In my opinion anyway.

I wasn't ashamed of who I was and if she couldn't accept me I guess it was never meant to be. So why did that thought fill me with trepidation.

It was with a head held high that I almost marched back to the camp sight, sporting a pair of Mickey Mouse boxers and a tank top. Don't laugh but Mickey Mouse is the bomb – its Mini that gives me the creeps.

Everyone had already retired for the evening by the time I reached the campsite. It was darker than usual – the fire having been extinguished.

Hesitantly I opened the tent flap – scared of the conversation that waited inside.

My imagination had already run while by the time I was unzipping the flap. Was she going to be frowning that cute frown that reminded you more of a disgruntled kitten that anything else or (and this is my worst fear) would she be crying?

It might sound stereotypical but a girl in tears scared everything out of me. Not to say I didn't cry and scare the shit out of Charlie but still.

Anyway, with false bravado I opened the tent and was pleasantly surprised.

Alice sat cross legged on her sleeping bag, wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top. Her confident pose was ruined however when she tensed at my arrival. The veins in her slender neck practically jumped through her skin.

"Hi" I whispered, cautiously stepping into the tent before zipping it back up.

She didn't say anything – just continued to stare at me with those now solemn green eyes.

The silence was almost deafening and I tugged on the loose string of my tank top. Anything to avoid those penetrating eyes. Talk about awkward.

"I'm sorry" she said finally, prompting my eyes to meet hers.

I was confused – what did she have to be sorry for. It wasn't her that jazzed all over my leg – definitely not her who practically humped their best friend in her sleep.

My confusion must have been apparent because before I could open my mouth, she continued.

"For avoiding you, I uh, really wasn't a good friend this morning"

Then her eyes strayed to the invisible object behind my head.

Her apology comforted me in a way- her avoidance had been expected but it still hurt.

"Thank you" I simply said – would it be more awkward to apologize for jazzing on her or was it already intentionally forgotten? What should a person do in this situation?

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I decided to embrace the pink elephant in the room.

"I'm sorry about this morning"

Her eyes snapped to mine so suddenly anyone could see she was trying hard to NOT think about that portion of the day. The questions that followed my statement burst forward with such speed I wonder how long she had been holding them in.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her eyes accusing as they pinned mine.

Immediately jumping in defense I replied "Its not something you tell someone two weeks after meeting them. Especially after said person practically screamed 'I am homophobic.'"

"What- you…you're gay?"

Was this girl being intentionally dense or was it some cover up?

"Uh yes" There wasn't really anything else I could say in a situation like this "I thought that was made clear after the whole Jasper fiasco."

The air in the tent grew humid as Alice just continued to sit there – open mouthed. Was me being gay the much of a surprise? There were hints everywhere. Did she really think that just a friend would be happily willing to carry her ten ton backpack up that steep hill? Or that a friend would be willing to go shopping with her even if it was my least favorite activity?

"But you're my best friend…you can't be gay." Alice murmured, betrayed eyes staring at me forlornly.

Okay and that was when my simmering temper exploded. I tried to keep the anger and hurt out of my voice but I knew some still showed in my tone.

"I don't know if you get this but being gay is not a disease nor a virus. I'm not going to suddenly attack you…that is unless you want me to" I said – wiggling my eyebrows at her.

It was amazing really – this girl had the power to make me angry as a kid with no candy yet still flirt with her. I wonder if this is how girls felt when they were pmsing. Luckily I never had the misfortune of experiencing it. Doctors said I had too much testosterone for that to occur. I wasn't really that particularly upset anyway – I had already known what I was at the point anyway.

There was a flash of something in her eyes before stone aloofness surrounded her.

"Not in this lifetime or any other"

And that statement marked the end of the conversation and many to come for a few days.

I felt my heart crack a little bit more after that.

A/N I really can't give a valid excuse for the long hiatus. All I can say is that I'm sorry and I will try to update more regularly. I just feel that this chapter could have been written better (my muse seems to have abandoned me after I went to college…..) Yeah so I'm still searching for it. Anyway tell me what you think and what not. Reviews are always welcome

Silverdust101