Alice

Days passed and blended into one. Bella and I sat in the back of Mr Varner's classroom, wishing the day away. She was doodling on the front of her notebook. I was distracted, staring into space, trying to listen, but my mind was preoccupied with the thought of mine and Jas's weekend away in Port Angeles. Bella had said it was not a black-tie event – to my disappointment- but my brain was still whirring, contemplating the things I could wear. I had my black sequin dress that went well with a silver strappy heel, my blue long sleeve dress that paired nicely with my white purse dusted with pearls… The options were endless! I'd have a good rummage through my wardrobes when I got home later today.

My car was still away getting repaired, meaning Edward was on pick up duty. Esme had kindly dropped us off this morning. She never minded when a favour was asked. The girls and I chatted away in the warm car this morning, Esme asking about boyfriends and school and how Bella's dad was and how her mom was getting on with Phil being preoccupied baseball. My mom was a good listener. I'd known Bella for a few months and she knew a lot about her already. Even though she had not met Charlie or Renee. Bella was more chatty than usual this morning. That intrigued me slightly. Not that she was ever completely mute. She was the listener type, not the talker type. That was mine and Rose's job. Charlie was away fishing this coming weekend so Bella mentioned having the house to herself. I pulled a sad face at her, knowing me and Jas would not be there to keep her company.

"Don't worry, I'll fill that void," Rosalie chirped, winking at me. "Emmett too. We'll keep her safe."

"Safe from what? The worst thing to happen in Forks is someone hitting a deer on the highway!" Bella laughed.
"You never know, Bells. Trouble follows you sometimes!"
Bella rolled her eyes and sighed. Trouble did follow her. I mean, not the type where she was stalked by murderous men, or taken out by traumatic tornadoes. But accidents. Take her birthday party for example. Jacob, punch, hand broken. Well, not broken, but close enough.
"Well, Bella," Esme looked up through the rear-view mirror at her, her hands firmly on the steering wheel. I was funny how close my mom sat to the steering wheel of the car. Do all moms do that? "Carlisle and I are around this weekend. So, if you ever need anything, pop by or call one of us."

Bella smiled gently at me. She knew my mother meant it too. Not that I thought Bella would take her up on the offer, but the thought was nice. I don't think Bella would visit our house without me being there, especially after the awkward car journey with Edward the other day. I'd asked Bella multiple times what the deal was after Rosalie and I finally found Mr Mason and returned to Edward's flashy Volvo, but to no avail. However, at least Edward's icy mood had melted away. I continued to wonder what had put him in that horrible mood, and what magical powers Bella had to snap him out of it.

"What are you going to do this weekend?" I whispered to Bella, not moving my eyes from Mr Varner and his long, boring speech about triangles and the importance of checking your answer twice. We had an upcoming Trig paper. I wasn't worried. Although I admit to being distracted, I did well at school. There wasn't a subject I really struggled with. Bella looked up from her doodles and thought for a moment, her brows creasing in the middle.
"I actually don't know," she murmured quietly, putting the lid back on her pen, then tapping it gently against the table. "Probably just read, clean, cook- everything Charlie lacks skills in Invite Rose and Emmett round… If I can put up the constant displays of affection."
I thought for a moment. Jasper wouldn't mind if I… Would he?
"Come with us," I suggested casually, still continuing to show some attention to the teacher's boring lecture. It would be fun. It's always fun with Bella. Jasper and her get on so well. Sometimes I feel like I am the third wheel. I was still trying to catch up with some of their inside jokes. I tucked wisps of hair behind my ear and finally looked towards Bella. Her mouth was slightly open, like she was confused by the offer. A temporary line had creased between her brows, her dark chocolate eyes staring deeply into mine.
"Alice, don't be insane." She said bluntly, in a louder tone than she'd been using. The girl who sat in front of us, Lauren, turned around and met my eyes. I raised an eyebrow, to say 'stop eavesdropping' and Lauren immediately dropped her gaze and shifted her body round to the front. Nosy bitch.
"I'm not insane!" I hissed back, meeting her stare again. "I just don't want you being alone all weekend."
"I don't mind being alone. Plus, it's your weekend. As a couple. You know what I mean…"

I sighed and crossed my arms on the table, leaning down to rest my chin on them. It was hard to get Bella to change her mind. Although I was looking forward to mine and Jasper's well needed alone time, I felt bad. It must be hard being the only one in a friendship group to not have a boyfriend. Yes, me and Jasper were still in the early stages. Hell, I hadn't even slept with the boy yet. We'd only spent Bella's birthday together, after the party. Esme and Carlisle had never been keen on boyfriends sleeping over. Or girlfriends, in Edward's case. Not that he'd never had a girl back- our parents did like to vacation and go off on camping trips and adventures. Edward could never cover all of his tracks. I'd seen the extra cup of coffee in the sink, the morning after. I'd heard the murmurs of small chat as he walked whoever she was down to the front door of the house. I'd smelled the scent of sweet perfume which was definitely not mine or my mother's. However, since moving to Forks, I hadn't seen Edward interested in anyone. In his defence, it had only been a few months. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. He wasn't in high school anymore- did that limit the chances of meeting new people? Yes, probably. Not that he'd been constantly around girls before Forks, but he'd definitely had his fair few. Ew. However, he probably thought the same about my love life. About Jas. I stifled a sigh as I thought about him. His hazel brown eyes, his honey blonde that was always pushed back, out of his perfect, chiselled face. His ability to keep me sane, which was very well needed. I'd never admit it, but I realised as I grow older, I can be highly strung. Jasper had a way of keeping me grounded, like he could put any negative emotion I felt at ease, like it would slowly drain out of my body. I thought about the weekend and the chance for us to finally be together, alone. No parents, no Forks. No interruptions. Maybe Bella shouldn't come…

"Earth to Alice." Her hand waved in front of my face. I snapped out of it and gazed up, seeing Bella with her jacket on and bag hauled over one shoulder. The classroom was near enough empty. The bell must have rung. It was normally as loud as a foghorn- how had I missed it? Mr Varner was stacking up textbooks by his desk, humming a song I didn't recognise. I blinked rapidly, taking a moment to realise where I was and what was happening. Bella. Alone on weekend. Me asking her to come. Jasper. Me. Together this weekend. First time for…
"You honestly go into these dazes sometimes," Bella raised her eyebrows at me and laughed, handing me my bag from the classroom floor. "It's like you leave the planet for a minute or two."
"Sorry," I smiled apologetically at her. "I got caught up on the thought of being with Jasper this weekend… I guess I'll need more than just an outfit for dinner."
"Too much information, Alice!" She pretended to put her fingers in her ears. "There are some things I just don't need to know, and that's one of them." I stifled my laugh, a snorting sound coming from my mouth. Mr Varner's eyes shot up from behind his desk.
"Girls, don't you have another class to be attending?" He moaned and looked down at the stacks of books and papers.
"Yes, Mr Varner. See you next week!" Bella rolled her eyes, grabbed me by my arm and dragged me out of the classroom.

Jasper's arms wrapped round my waist as I made my way over to the lunch table. Emmett and Rose were already sat down, talking about a new band Emmett had 'found and made famous'.
"Hi." He said with a smile, his white teeth gleaming. I smiled back- seeing his face this happy was enough to warm me from the outside in. I stood on my tiptoes and left a soft kiss on his cheek. His arms held me tighter, as if he wanted more.
"I asked Bella to come with us this weekend." The words left my mouth before I even thought about it. Not that Jasper would be angry or feel any sort of way. But I felt it was best to tell him, in case anything came up during lunch hour.
"Okay… And what did she say?"

"She said no," I snaked my hands round his neck, fixing his collar as I did. "I just feel bad she's alone."
"And we deserve some alone time too, Alice." He looked down at me, a smirk spreading across his face. His hands found my lower back and he pulled me in closer.
Okay, we were on the same page. I gave him a confirming smile. Alone time for Jasper and I. It was needed. I was craving it.
"Get a room, you pair!"
A grape suddenly bounced off of Jasper's lovely head. He laughed in disbelief and let go of my waist, moving towards the table. Emmett sat, whistling an unknown tune, pretending to look away into the distance at teens lined up for lunch, chatting about their classes and homework.
"You're dead, Em." Jasper swiftly grabbed a handful of grapes and launched them Emmett's way. Emmett was too quick though, darting his head and opening his mouth to catch the food mid-air.

I had Spanish as my last class of the day. The homework pile was mounting up. Although that was not the reason I was desperate to get home. The languages hallway was the furthest away from the parking lot, so I quickly gathered my books and bag and dashed out of the door as soon as the last bell had rung.
"Adios!" I called to Mrs Goff, not that she heard me. I rushed down the hallway, my heeled ballet pumps clicking across the linoleum. Edward was never late- he was probably chastising me for my own lateness. But he knew Thursdays were always the same. He'd moaned late last night about my car still being in the garage. Hell, Rosalie had even looked at the engine and couldn't fix it, and she knew everything about cars. Maybe not Porches though. I missed my baby.

I half jogged, half skipped through the school entrance doors and out into the cool, misty rain. I didn't bother with my jacket, I'd be in the warmth of Edward's car in moments. I could see the silver Volvo parked at the south side of the lot, one of the last vehicles remaining. The engine purred softly, barely loud enough for me to hear. Through the slightly steamed windows, I could see a figure was sat in the front passenger seat.
"Thought I called shotgun this morning?" I joked as I clambered into the back seats, placing my bag and jacket in the middle. It was Bella. Rose had been car sharing with Emmett today.
"Well, looks like you were too slow." Edward said looking up through the rear-view mirror, a grin sliding across his face. He was in a particularly good mood. I could tell as soon as I closed the car door- I could detect no iciness in his voice. Bella turned to me and smiled softly, almost apologetically. I winked her. She knew I was joking. As long as we weren't having to take the bus, I was not worried about where I sat in the car. Edward put the car in reverse and backed out, speeding toward the main road. Although his car was slower than mine, my brother liked to drive fast. He was careful, but he did go over the speed limit of Forks roads. He'd always been a confident driver, even though Esme has moaned about his need for speed over a hundred times. Hell, she refused to drive in the same vehicle with him. She scolded him over and over, reminding him how it would look if the doctor's son was pulled over by the cops. I have to admit, I agreed with Esme. Considering my best friend's dad was the Chief of Police, that would be rather embarrassing.

The drive was quiet- almost too quiet. Yes, I was the talker out of the three of us but Bella nor Edward had said much since I'd finally made it to the car. The two of them seemed comfortable in the quiet, the gentle buzz of the radio playing in the background. And then there was me, chomping at the bit to say something. Anything!
"So, what did I miss?" I said in the most nonchalant manner, pretending to inspect my freshly manicured nails. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Bella looked towards my brother, a shy smile spreading across her mouth. Her face turned towards his, turning a shade of pink. Not her normal almost translucent pale. His eyes didn't move from the road, but I couldn't miss his shoulders tensing and his grip becoming tighter round the steering wheel. He drew in a deep breath and exhaled it loudly.
"Well?" I demanded now. What was up with the two of them?
"Well," Bella stuttered, her shy smile now a wide grin. Her body had turned completely round in her seat, facing me. "Your mom thinks I'm going to die without Charlie- even though I'm very capable of looking after myself- so she's making a casserole to drop off."

I laughed out loud. This was a very Esme thing to do. Of course she would ensure that no one would go hungry. Even my best friend!
"I mean, at least our mother can cook," Edward chimed in, finally. "She makes a mean casserole. You'll have leftovers for when Charlie is back."
"Plus, now you can spend your weekend cleaning, not cooking!" I said sarcastically. Bella rolled her eyes at me and turned back to the front of the car.
"I'll find other things to do, I'm sure."

We pulled into the space where Charlie's cruiser normally resides and the doors made their unlocking click. Bella unclipped her seatbelt and grabbed her bag from the footwell.
"Thanks, Edward." She mumbled as she began to clumsily clamber out of the car.
"I'll drop it off tomorrow evening- is that OK?" Edward asked in a quiet manner. Bella turned to look at him, then me, then back at him.
"Umm, yeah. Of course."
"See you then."

"See you then."
She stood awkwardly for a moment like she was gathering her thoughts- thoughts that had been spilled all over the ground, like sheets of paper. I couldn't help but look between my best friend and brother- the awkwardness I'd felt when entering the car had increased by 100. The small gazes back and forth they'd thought I'd not seen. Whatever small talk there was, subsiding as soon as I'd gotten into the vehicle. I'd never seen my brother act like this around my friends. Sure, he was stubborn and moody sometimes, but he'd never really been impolite or overpolite. He'd never done favours for them, like he was now doing with a casserole! It was interesting to watch, the slight chemistry I could tell that was floating between them. It made me feel content. I didn't dare wish anything into existence, but I knew in that moment, if something was to happen between them, I wouldn't be one to stand in their way. They were more similar than I realised. Both stubborn in their own ways. Both quiet yet opinionated, and weren't afraid to share that opinion. Both thoughtful and deep. Both lonely.

"Oh! Alice- have a good weekend. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And look after Jas in a new place!" She gave me a small wave. I blew a kiss to her and she caught it in her free hand.
"We will have a good time, I'm sure of it." I said with a smirk, hoping Edward would not catch on to our innuendos.
"On that note, we'll be off then!" Edward coughed, totally seeing through our words. He shook his head, as if trying to shake the image of Jasper and I out. To be fair to him, I was content not knowing what he did in his love life.
"Miss you, love you!" I called as Bella nudged the passenger door shut. I didn't bother to move to the front passenger seat- I could act like Edward was my chauffeur on the way home. I continued to wave out of the back window as he pressed his foot to the floor and the car accelerated rapidly down the quiet streets. Bella became a mere blob in the distance, still standing in the street and waving back. I nestled back into my seat as the blob became a speck. Again, in the most nonchalant manner began examining my nails, freshly painted for the weekend ahead.
"So, when did you become the food delivery driver, Edward?"
His eyes flashed to mine in the rear-view mirror. He wasn't annoyed or upset. A slight smile of embarrassment spread over his face and he cleared his throat quietly.

"Alice, I will kindly ask you to shut your mouth," he spoke low and clear. "Or, I can shut it for you, if you'd like."
"Oh, Edward!" I exclaimed at the top of my lungs, stifling my giggles. "Just ask her out already! I can practically see the tension between the pair of you! She's a mumbling mess around you. And you're actually pleasant around her- for a change!"
He furrowed his eyebrows then, one arm moving from the steering wheel to rest on the window. The other held the steering wheel tightly, making small adjustments to match the winding road.
"Hey, I'm pleasant all the time," he muttered under his breath. "I don't know. She's your friend. I'm not wanting anything like that."
"Well, brother. If I could look into your future, I'd place all my money on it. I think you do want something like that."