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Destiny Awaits	By : Lollydolly Category: Twilight Series > Het > Bella/Jasper Views: 19535 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
An: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, I’m sorry this took so long! I really appreciated all your comments, and I hope the next few chapters will answer some of your questions. I love you all!
Chapter Fourteen
Time for damage control.
“Dad?” No answer, not good. “Dad, I can explain.” I tried.
He continued to glare up at the picture as if I wasn’t even there. Time to bring out the big guns. “Daddy?”
He whirled around, his face puce. “Don’t you Daddy me Isabella. Get your ass in the cruiser.”
I had a sudden irrational fear that he was arresting me, before I remembered that I wasn’t rumoured to have done anything illegal. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to see the Cullen’s” He spat the name. “I want to see what their parents make of this.”
“Charlie please let me explain before you make any rash decisions.” I begged. I had a horrible feeling that his gun would be coming with us if we went to the Cullen's, and that wouldn’t end well.
He slumped onto my bed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. “I just don’t know what’s going on with you Bells.” He shook his head and dropped it into his hands. “You’re hardly home any more, and now this. Your explanation better be good.”
“The whole thing is just a misunderstanding.” I told him while I tried to sort through which bits of the truth were safe and which parts weren’t.
“I don’t know exactly what you’ve heard, but I have a pretty good idea. Edward and I are taking a break because things haven’t been going very well between us recently. Jasper and I have gotten quite close since Alice left but only as friends, that is all, I swear.”
I wished I had Jasper here now to calm Charlie down, I could practically feel the rage rippling off him.
“That doesn’t explain why half the school heard Cullen telling the other one to stay out of your bed.” Charlie growled.
Frantically, I sifted through the times when Charlie knew I’d been at their house while both Jasper and Edward were there. Finally I remembered my birthday, hoping it was recent enough for my story to be believable.
“You remember when I stayed over the weekend for my birthday? After Alice left, Jasper was really upset, and I was trying to comfort him, we got curled up on the couch in Edwards’s room and fell asleep. When Edward found us he got the wrong idea and no amount of explaining will convince him otherwise.”
I finished my half true explanation and tensed waiting to see if he would believe me or not.
“Bella, I’m not an idiot, I’m the chief of police for god’s sake! It’s my job to know when people are lying and that doesn’t make sense.” My heart plummeted at his words. “If it happened then, why is Edward only just getting mad about it now? Especially if you’ve broken up with him. Why would he even think that anything had happened if the kid was as heartbroken as you say? I think that’s a pretty pathetic attempt to get me to back down if you ask me. You have one more chance and I want the truth. If I’m not satisfied I’m taking you over there. I’m sure Dr Cullen would have something to say about this.”
I felt light headed at the thought of a confrontation like that. “Ok.” I whispered. How could I tell him the truth in a way that wouldn’t make him ground me, or want to kill anyone? It seemed an impossible task.
I crossed the room and sunk weakly into the rocking chair. “Would you at least tell me what people are saying?” If I knew what he’d heard, at least I could avoid giving away anything unnecessary.
“Why? So that you can edit your lies around it? Fine, but I’ll know if you aren’t telling me the truth. I stopped for coffee earlier and overheard the Stanley girl telling someone from the reservation that you had been sleeping with all three Cullen boys for who knows how long. And that-”
“Wait. Three? She said three?” I shouted. Where the hell had that come from? Edward and Jasper I could understand, but Emmett hadn’t been involved in the argument at all, except to stop Jasper going after Edward. “Charlie, think about that, you can’t possibly think Emmett's involved in this in any way. You spoke to him this morning, and I know all he talked about was his girlfriend.”
Charlie screwed up his face, but I could tell he was accepting what I’d said. “So you’re admitting to seeing the other two?” He didn’t even sound angry anymore, just defeated and disappointed, which was somehow much worse.
“No Charlie I’m not admitting anything. Look, let’s go downstairs, and I’ll make a start on dinner and we can talk. But you need to let me speak without jumping to conclusions. You have no reason not to trust me.” I had a new plan now, downstairs with some space between us it would be easier to lie, and I also had hopes of convincing Charlie to have a beer. He was very strict about drinking and driving, so it would keep him from going over there at least for tonight.
I’d managed to get Charlie halfway down the stairs when he stopped and turned to me, complete horror all over his face. “Jesus Bella, you’re not pregnant are you? Tell me you’re not pregnant.”
I very nearly fell right into him. “Of course I’m not pregnant! How could you even think that?” I gave his shoulder a shove to send the point home.
“What do you expect me to think? I here you’re hooking up with all these boys, and you late home, and when you do get here, it’s the Doctor bringing you.” He snapped, going to the fridge and thankfully pulling out a beer. “Would you at least tell me you’re being careful?”
I blushed so hard I was surprised my head didn’t explode. Nothing about our conversation until now had embarrassed me, I suppose because I hadn’t really thought about what we were saying, but when he’d asked if I was being careful the full enormity of what he thought hit me.
Stumbling over my words I tried to explain. “Charlie, Dad, I haven’t... not ever... not with anyone.”
He glanced up at me sharply, suspiciously. “I was young once Bella. I remember what it’s like to be eighteen and in love.”
“But I haven’t... done anything, like that. Not even with Edward. I swear.” I couldn’t believe I was actually having this conversation with Charlie. Every bit of me desperately wanted to run upstairs and hide, but that wouldn’t solve anything.
I stared at the patterns in the wood of the table, not daring to raise my eyes to Charlie, but I could feel his gaze burning into me. “Ok.” He said after a whole forever had passed. “Ok. Make a start on dinner and you can tell me about this whole mess.”
I had about half a minute of relief as I started making dinner before the dread set in again. He hadn’t believed my first explanation, what could I tell him that he would believe?
I took my time preparing a meal that I knew he would like, and handed him another beer as soon as he had finished the first. He sat at the table watching me work, grumbling to himself occasionally.
I wished I could just tell him the whole truth, I hated him thinking badly of me, but there huge pieces of the story that I couldn’t possibly tell him. I’d end up back in Phoenix at best, and in a padded cell at worst. I made a mental note to kill Edward if I was ever strong enough.
I set the table, sat down and poked at my food waiting for the interrogation to start.
“Let’s start with something easy.” Charlie said. “Why have you split up with Edward?”
This was one question that I could answer with complete honesty, without making Charlie mad. “He won’t let me do anything. He’s so afraid of me getting hurt that he see’s everything as a potential threat to my safety, he was smothering me already, and when he started getting jealous on top of that it was just too much.” It felt good to finally be able to tell someone how I felt, so I kept going. “He treats me like a child all the time and he never trusts me to make my own decisions.”
Charlie, who had never really liked Edward, was suddenly firmly in his corner. “Sounds to me like he’s just doing what’s best for you. Have you talked to him about any of this, maybe if you did he’d ease up.”
“You’ve no idea how many times I’ve talked to him about it, but he just won’t listen. I wouldn’t mind if he was just telling me not to walk down dark alleys on my own, or to drive the speed limit, but it’s everything. He tries to control what I eat, who I spend time with. He told me I shouldn’t do anymore gardening with Esme just because I pricked my finger on a thorn!”
I knew the last part was a low blow, and there were extenuating circumstances that Charlie didn’t know about, but I wanted Charlie to see things from my side. “He’s supposed to be my boyfriend, and he acts like my father. I’ve already got you for that.”
“Always thought he was a weird kid.” Charlie said gruffly, and I knew I was winning him over. “I understand why all that would be getting to you. So tell me about what was said at school today. That didn’t come out of nowhere.”
I stuffed a bite of fish into my mouth so I could have a little longer to think. I could tell him the truth about this too, but how well would he take it?
“Do you promise to hear me out before you start yelling?” I asked.
He didn’t like the sound of that; I watched his fingers tighten around his knife and fork as he nodded.
“I’ll start at the beginning. Before Jasper was... adopted... by the Cullen's, he had a very difficult life. Alice helped him put himself back together. Without her, he would probably be in a very bad place now. When she left, she didn’t say goodbye to him, she only told me she was leaving and drove away. When I told Jasper, it broke him, I’ve never seen anyone so beyond upset. He was like a wounded animal.” I paused to sip my drink, and see how Charlie was taking this, he looked sad, like he knew what I was talking about.
“He wouldn’t let any of the others near him, but he was better when I was with him. He couldn’t even speak, and we didn’t know what to do. Carlisle said he would come around eventually, and that he was just shutting himself off because it hurt too much not to.”
“At first, Edward was worried that Jasper was bothering me, we’d never been close before, hardly even spoken to each other, but he soon got jealous. What I told you about the night of my birthday was true. I promised Jasper I’d help him through it, and Edward didn’t like that.”
Charlie seemed to be taking this really well so far. “Something has happened more recently though, what is it you still aren’t telling me?”
This would be the awkward bit. “Last night, after I’d broken up with Edward, I was very upset and I called Jasper. He came over and-”
“He was here? Last night?” Charlie growled. “How did he get in without me seeing? Never mind, I’m getting that tree cut down tomorrow. I can’t believe you’re sneaking boys into your room!”
“You promised you’d listen! If I’d called Alice would you be this mad? I didn’t think so. Jasper is my best friend and all he did was hug me while I cried my eyes out like an idiot. I needed him Charlie.”
“Don’t ask me about Alice, she a girl, it’s different. You shouldn’t have boys staying the night. Where did he sleep?” So he wasn’t shouting anymore, that was good, but he was clearly very angry, and might well try to kill Jasper if he bumped into him.
“With me.” I said hurriedly. “He was fully clothed and nothing at all happened apart from sleeping, so don’t you dare overreact. Emmett barged in with breakfast this morning, found us together and then mentioned it in front of Edward like the big lug that he is.”
I watched Charlie warily as he took deep breaths and tried to stay calm. “You don’t go over there anymore, and neither of them comes over here. Do you understand?” He said finally.
I was tempted to agree so that this whole horrible conversation would be over, but I had promised Jasper I would always be around if he needed me, so I couldn’t back down. “No, Charlie. I haven’t done anything wrong and I won’t be punished because other people jump to conclusions and gossip about things they don’t understand.”
“Bella, while you live under my roof you obey my rules. You should be thankful I’m not grounding you completely.”
“I’m eighteen years old, and I can make my own decisions about who I see. If you don’t want Jasper in this house I’ll respect that, but that won’t stop me going over to the Cullen's, they’re family now.” I knew my voice was shaking; I’d never stood up to Charlie before, because I’d never needed to, but I would not agree to his terms.
He sighed. “I forget you’re growing up sometimes. You’re not just my little girl anymore.” He smiled. “You didn’t mention Edward. Have you made up your mind not to go back to him?”
“I don’t know. After today I don’t think it’s possible, he won’t listen to me for long enough to let me explain what’s happened or how I’m feeling. I can’t see a way of making things work.” I hadn’t realised what a good listener Charlie could be.
“And this Jasper, do you see anything happening between you?” He asked. “I know you told me that nothing was happening and I believe you, but what about in the future? I was looking at that picture before, you said he drew it right?”
“Yes.” I answered cautiously.
“Did you notice the way he drew you, and the way he drew himself?” I shook my head, I hadn’t really noticed anything peculiar, but I hadn’t really been looking at the bit with me in it. “He’s put you right in the middle, and everything else is just the background. And he’s sitting down below you, looking up as if you’re an angel or something. Kid has talent, I’ll give him that.”
The angel comment struck a nerve leaving me tingling. I had noticed the way he was looking at me, but I hadn’t thought much of it. I certainly hadn’t thought that I was the most important part of the picture, I’d seen it as a whole.
“I don’t think there could ever be anything more between us. Edward is driving me mad, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love him, and Jasper is still very much in love with Alice.”
“Well that's almost everything. Last question, I promise. Why did Dr Cullen bring you home today?”
“He asked me to come and speak to him after school. He wanted to know how I thought Jasper was coping. It turns out that he hasn’t been doing as well as I’d thought. He’s cutting himself off from the rest of the family at home. Carlisle was worried that if Edward and I broke up I’d stop seeing all of them, and Jasper would get worse.”
“Is he unstable in some way Bella? You make it sound like he could snap, I don’t want you around anyone that could be dangerous.”
“He would never hurt me. He’s not unstable, but he’s, sensitive, I think would be the right word. I’m as safe with him as I am with you.” Unstable was probably one way to describe Jasper, and all of the Cullen's, but I couldn’t have Charlie thinking that.
“All the same, I think I’ll call Dr Cullen. I trust you Bella, don’t look at me like that, but I would like to get his father’s opinion. And then I think he should come for dinner one night next week.”
“Why do you want him to come for dinner?” I started trying to find excuses for why he couldn’t come, or why he didn’t eat anything.
“If he’s going to be staying here overnight, don’t you think I have a right to get to know him?” He said raising his eyebrows expectantly.
Shock and hoped warred within me. “You mean you’d let him stay?”
“He’d have to sleep on the floor of course, with the door open. And that's only if I think he can be trusted.” He clarified. I didn’t care what little rules he added, it was a miracle he was even thinking about allowing it.
“Why? What’s changed your mind about him?”
He looked troubled and stared at a spot on the wall behind me. “When your mother left, I was heartbroken, I know how much that hurts. I can’t begrudge the boy some comfort if you can bring it to him.”
I lump formed in my throat at the thought of Charlie hurting as much as Jasper had, and I ran around the table to wrap my arms around him. It was probably the first time I’d hugged him properly in the last five years. “Thank you Dad.” I’d try to remember to call him that all the time, he hated when I called him Charlie.
He accepted my hug for about ten seconds before he stood up and chuckled weekly. “I’m going to call the Doctor, you should go and make a start on your homework.” I knew he was upset and he just wanted me out of the way for a while so I dumped the dishes in the sink for later and made myself scarce.
I sat down on the edge of my bed and started laughing, part with relief that the most uncomfortable conversation I’d ever had was finally over, and partly with real happiness that it had gone so much better than I could possibly have hoped.
My joy was swiftly cut off when I remembered that rest of Forks still believed I was sleeping with half the Cullen family. I was going to kill Jessica tomorrow.
I struggled through my homework for the next two hours, unable to concentrate as my thoughts drifted between Edward and Jasper.
Exhausted, I fell into bed early and curled up around the now dry Emmett Jr. and found him a poor substitute for the man I wished I was holding. Sleep did not come easily that night.
_________________________________________
I awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the window, and knew instantly that today would be hell. Not only would I be alone at school, but I’d be left to deal with all the rumours circulating on my own.
My phone buzzed from the other side of the room and I pounced on it like a lifeline.
We won’t be in today, I’m sorry. Tomorrow will be sunny again, Carlisle says to act ill today and he will give you a note for tomorrow if you’re up for meeting Tanya’s clan. J x
One day. I could deal with one day if it meant I’d get to spend tomorrow with the Cullen's. Nerves and excitement coiled in my belly at the prospect of meeting the other vampires.
Thank you for telling me. I’ll be over in the morning. I’ll miss you today. X
As soon as I’d sent the message I regretted the last line. Did that sound pathetic? As the seconds ticked by with no reply I worried that I’d freaked him out. After a while it became obvious that he wasn’t going to text me back, and I had to get ready for school.
The drive to school flew by the one time I wanted it to take forever, and I sat in the truck to gather up my courage. Most of these people meant nothing to me, so it shouldn’t matter what they thought, but for some reason it did. I hated attention of any kind, but this was the worst.
Two juniors walked by and wolf whistled as they passed and I slouched forward letting my head rest against the wheel.
My phone buzzed again and I snatched it up to find a new message from Jasper.
I’ll miss you too. Every second x
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and facing the school didn’t seem quite as hard anymore. I saved the message and put the phone into my pocket where I could get to it quickly.
I walked slowly towards the main buildings and spotted Jess stretched out sunbathing on a table talking to Mike. I debated not confronting her, but I was too mad to let it pass and marched over to where she was sitting.
“Jess? Could I talk to you please?” I said sweetly. Mike’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he stared at me like he’d never seen me before. He was probably thinking about what a lucky escape he’d had and how glad he was I turned him down last year.
“Sure Bella.” Jess grinned collecting her jacket and bags. I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head as she thought of ways to get more juicy details out of me.
When we were far enough away from the other students not to be overheard I turned on her. “I need some advice. See, there’s this girl who was talking about my private life in a cafe, right in front of my dad yesterday. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she got the whole thing wrong, and caused a huge argument. I was wondering whether you think I should kill her, or have her arrested for slander. What do you think Jess? Let me know what would you do in my situation?”
“Um...I... oh god, p-p-please don’t have me arrested” I took a perverse pleasure in her stuttering. I actually had no idea if what she’d said constituted as slander, or if that was a crime, and I obviously wasn’t going to kill her but tormenting her was very cathartic. “I swear I didn’t know your dad was there until I’d said everything.”
“What exactly did you say Jess?” I snapped.
“I was just telling Leah about the argument at lunch. It’s not just me everyone’s talking about it.” She pouted, like that was going to work.
“Why were you telling someone I don’t even know about me?”
“But she knows you; they all know you down at La Push.” Well that was weird, I’d only met three or four kids from the reservation. I hated living in such a small town.
“What made you think Emmett was involved?” I was tempted to keep torturing her, but I decided it would be better to try and find out the extent of what people thought.
“Lauren and Tyler saw him riding to school with you on Monday.” She said it like that perfectly explained everything, which I didn’t get as all the kids at school got rides with each other from time to time. There was nothing incriminating about that.
“So? How did driving to school together suddenly become the same as having an affair?”
“Well, Emmett had obviously stayed at your house the night before, otherwise why would he be riding with you when he could have come in with his brothers.”
I sighed seeing the logic in what she said, but still wanting to strangle her for it. “Have you ever seen Rosalie Hale? Why would Emmett even look at me when he has her? Not to mention the fact that she’d probably rip me to shreds if I so much as looked at Emmett that way. For the record, Emmett didn’t stay at my house that night, he drove to school with me because I was helping him plan a date with Rosalie.”
“Oh.” She said. “Sorry.” Then slyly, “So what's going on with you and Jasper?”
“Not that it’s anyone else’s business, but there’s nothing going on. We were hanging out and fell asleep together and Edward got the wrong idea. That’s it, so you can go and tell everyone you’ve ever met that you got it wrong.” I said trying to make my voice do that dangerously low thing that Edward was good at.
“And if I hear that you’re still spreading vicious lies, I’ll be thinking a bit more about that slander charge.” She nodded and ran back to Mike, and started whispering to him.
I was thrilled, Jess was the biggest gossip in school. Even if people didn’t believe what she was telling them, at least they would have heard the truth. The real story was much less interesting, and with a bit of luck the town would stop talking about it fairly soon.
_____________________________________________
My first lessons that morning were horrible. No one spoke to me, but I knew they were all talking about me. Even a few of the teachers gave me disgusted looks. In between classes I pulled out my phone and reread Jaspers message for moral support.
At lunch I sat at our usual table alone pushing around a salad and watched the seconds tick by oh so slowly. I’d give anything for any one of the Cullen’s to be sitting here with me. I’d even be nice to Edward if it meant I didn’t have to be on my own.
The chair next to me scraped across the floor as someone sat down. It was Angela. “Do you mind if I sit here?”
“Help yourself.” I smiled. I might actually have someone to talk to, someone who was usually nice.
“How’re you doing?” She asked bumping her shoulder against mine.
“I’m fine. They’ll forget about me soon enough.” I told her.
“If you want to talk I’m always around.” She offered. I’d always liked Angela best. “Are you still coming to my party?”
“Definitely, I could use some fun.” The party sounded like even more fun now, it would be a nice break. I wondered if Edward would come, I couldn’t even remember if anyone had told him about it.
Halfway through lunch I became mysteriously ill, so Angela took me to see the nurse who sent me home with a note for Charlie. No one would be suspicious when I didn’t turn up tomorrow now. Hopefully.
Driving home I contemplated going over to see Jasper, but I didn’t want to risk making things worse with Edward so I ended up going home and changing into some ratty sweats so Charlie could see how ‘sick’ I was.
I made myself a sandwich, so that I could tell Charlie I was too ill for dinner later and curled up on the sofa with Emmett Jr and my Jane Austen collection.
It was difficult to read when my eyes strayed to the phone on the table every few seconds, willing it to buzz. Why was I sitting here waiting for my friend to call? I could just call him, there was nothing wrong with that. So why did I feel so nervous about dialling his number?
I picked it up and held it while I tried to convince myself I was being stupid, and that I could call him whenever I wanted to, when it started ringing.
A little thrill of excitement crept up my spine before I noticed it was playing a tinny version of Debussy. That was Edwards tone, and I wasn’t in the mood to be berated and talked down to so I cancelled the call.
A message came through a few seconds later and I ignored it for all of two minutes before my curiosity got the better of me.
Please answer. I only want to apologise. I miss you. Edward.
My heart clenched. Was I being selfish? I knew I was hurting him, but he was hurting me too. He did deserve to at least be heard.
When the phone rang again I answered it and waited for him to speak.
“Bella? Are you there?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I know what happened now, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions... Please talk to me.”
“What would you like me to say?” That's exactly what he’d said to me when I’d begged him to speak to me in biology.
I heard him sigh. “I deserved that. I’m trying Bella, I really am. Just tell me what to do to make it up to you.”
“Well, you could start by saying sorry to Jasper and Emmett too. Do you know that the whole town thinks I’m sleeping with all three of you? How do you think that feels? How do you think Charlie felt when he heard that?”
“Would you like me to come and explain myself to Charlie?”
“No! He says you’re banned from the house, so please don’t come over. I don’t want him trying to shoot you.” So maybe I was exaggerating a bit, but I really, really, didn’t want to see Edward right now. Partly because I was afraid that if he smiled my favourite smile, I’d give in and take him back without even talking things through. And partly because I was afraid of breaking my hand when I punched him in the face.
“Fine. I’ll stay away. How was your day?”
Was he trying to make an effort and be friends like I’d asked him to? “It wasn’t too bad. I talked Jessica into telling people what really happened, sort of.” Why was I lying? The whole day had been hell, but I didn’t want Edward to comfort me. I wanted someone else.
“That's good. Are you sure you’re ok to meet the Denali’s tomorrow? You don’t have to meet them if you’d rather not.”
“Yes Edward. I’m looking forward to it, what time do you want me to come over?” Why couldn’t he just trust me to know what I wanted to do, and do it?
“Nine? Would that suit you?” He asked eagerly.
“Perfect. I have to go and make Charlie’s dinner. Goodnight Edward.”
“Goodnight Bella. I love you.” He didn’t wait to see if I would say it back, he just hung up.
I’d lied enough to Charlie recently, I didn’t want to have to do it again so I wrote him a note, telling him that school had been fine, but that I was ill. I’d put it on the table with the note the nurse had given me and tin of soup that even Charlie couldn’t get wrong.
He checked on me three times, and each time I pretended to be asleep, when in reality, I was awake until 4:00am.
__________________________________________
I broke my alarm clock when it woke me up at seven. It was a pity I’d knocked it to the floor, I’d have preferred to attack it with a hammer, or at least a shoe. Scowling at the sunshine I dragged my weary body to the bathroom and tried not to fall asleep in the shower.
Why did I get so little sleep the day before I had to meet the Denali’s? I wanted them to like me, not think I was some sort of half dead animal, which is what I felt like at the moment. It was my mounting nerves that really woke me up in the end.
Although I hadn’t shared my thoughts with anyone else, I was quite convinced that I did have some sort of shield, which was fine. What worried me was that I might not be using it to protect Edward too. What would he think if they found out that I was subconsciously protecting Jasper, but not the man who was supposed to be my mate?
Hopefully, I was protecting Edward, but I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be. As far as I was concerned, Edward didn’t need protecting from anything.
I took a long time choosing my clothes, wanting to make a good impression. The people I would meet today might one day be part of my extended family, and I knew the Cullen's loved them, I really wanted them to like me.
In the end I chose my best jeans that had been a gift from Alice and my favourite blue shirt. I looked good, or good enough at least.
On the dining room table I found a note from Charlie, telling me he’d be home late and to call if I needed anything. Beneath it was long white shoe box, tied with string, bearing my name and address. The handwriting looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
I opened the box eagerly and found a beautiful pair black leather boots, much like Jasper’s but in my own size. I didn’t even need to read the note to know who’d sent them, but I did anyway.
Don’t even think about sending them back, you don’t know where I am so you can’t do it. Think of them as a thank you for looking after him, I can see you’re doing a good job. I know you’re still angry with me, but I want you to know that I miss you all very much and I wish I could see you in the flesh. Don’t worry about today, it will go well and they will like you.
Lots of love, Alice x x x
P.S. Wear a skirt on Saturday. I’ll know if you don’t.
If the boots hadn’t been quite so perfect, and exactly what I needed for Angela’s party, I probably would have thrown them away. Instead, I found myself starting to forgive Alice. She really did care about Jasper, and I could see why she’d left the way she had, but it was difficult to imagine why anyone would want to leave him at all. Even if there might have been something better out there.
I tried them on, unable to resist and they fit perfectly. I might even be able to walk around in them without falling as the heel was fairly small and sturdy. I walked about the kitchen in them for a few minutes and decided to keep them on. I needed the practice.
I really wanted to call Alice and thank her, but I was worried that I’d get angry, or upset, and I didn’t want to go to the Cullen's in a bad mood.
There wasn’t really anything good in for breakfast, but I knew I still had half a box of lucky charms left if Emmett hadn’t eaten them, so I decided I’d grab something to eat when I got there.
Praying Charlie wouldn’t decide to drop by at some point today, I grabbed my keys and headed out to find Edward parked at the curb in the Volvo.
There was no trace of the usual thrill his presence sent through me. Only a sort of resignation. Like this was nothing more than a boring part of the day that had to be got through. It made me sad. Was there really nothing left?
He climbed out to open the passenger door for me, and I felt my hackles rise. “I could have driven over myself.” I snapped.
He looked upset. “I thought it might look suspicious if your truck wasn’t in the driveway. I’m sorry for being so presumptuous.” He said quietly.
I felt guilty for hurting him again, and for misinterpreting what was actually a good idea. “No, I’m sorry. Thank you for thinking of it.”
He smiled at me then, making me feel worse. I tried to think of some safe topic of conversation and came up empty. What did you say to someone whose heart you were breaking?
“I was wondering.” Edward said into the hideous silence. “If you would allow me the pleasure of escorting you to the party on Saturday.”
His question hung so heavily in the air, it may as well have been solid. The week I’d asked for wouldn’t be up then, but he was clearly trying. Maybe it would be a good idea to give him a chance, to give us one last chance.
“Ok.” I said eventually. “I’d like that.”
I found I did like the idea of a night with Edward, especially if he kept trying to keep himself in check. Maybe it would re-spark whatever flame had gone out in me. I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it, but I didn’t want a relationship like the one we’d had recently.
The rest of ride passed in comfortable silence, Edward smiling over at me every so often. I saw him look at my hand a few times, but I was glad he didn’t take it. I didn’t want to jump right back into being a couple before we’d talked through everything.
Esme was arranging flowers in the kitchen when I got there. She smiled at me as I helped myself to cereal and milk. There was suspiciously less in the box than there should have been and I laughed to myself wondering if Emmett had liked them.
I ate my breakfast at the counter, worrying the whole time about why Jasper hadn’t come down to see me yet. I wanted to go and find him so much I felt sick. Esme must have noticed me looking at the stairs far too often.
“He’s hunting, but he’ll be back soon.” She told me. I didn’t like the knowing look on her face. I hated being so easy to read.
Edward was playing my lullaby in the living room, and the sound soothed my frayed nerves. “When will they be here?” I asked Esme as I washed up my bowl and spoon.
“About an hour I think. Don’t worry so much, they’re good people.” She smiled, putting an arm around me. “They’ve been vegetarians even longer than us, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” I muttered. “I just want to make a good impression, meeting new people always makes me nervous.”
Esme laughed and pushed a vase and some flowers over to me to distract me. It didn’t work very well. I started glancing at the door every few seconds instead of the stairs. I thought about Jasper’s message. He said he’d miss me every second, had he? I’d certainly missed him.
Two strong familiar arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I wasn’t surprised I’d missed him coming in at all. I relaxed against him for a second, before turning in his embrace to hug him back. Nothing made me feel as safe and warm as his arms. I could meet all the vampires in the world right now without even flinching.
“I’m coming for dinner on Monday then?” He asked the top of my head.
“You are?” I asked, bewildered. It took me a moment to link up what he’d just said with what Charlie had said last night. “How are we going to get around that?”
He shrugged. “Eating human food won’t hurt me. I’ll just have to grin and bear it.”
I pulled back, just enough to smile up at him. “You’d do that for me?”
“Anything.” He whispered hoarsely, his voice made me all hot on the inside and I knew I was blushing, so I laid my cheek against his cool chest.
One word from my best friend shouldn’t make me feel like this. It shouldn’t make me want to kiss him so much. Where the hell had that come from? My thoughts and feelings were all over the place today, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight. I desperately hoped he hadn’t caught my feelings before I’d snapped out of it. He was still holding me, surely that was a good sign. He’d probably have run a mile if he thought I was thinking about him that way.
“Where’s Emmett? He can tell us what tastes the least bad.” I need to take my mind off him for a while, before my feelings slipped and he noticed.
“He’s in the garage washing his car. I’ve just seen him though, and I should warn you that if we go out there you may well be scarred for life.” Jasper laughed releasing me much too soon for my liking.
“Is Rosalie ‘helping’ him?” I asked shuddering, that was something I could live without seeing, hearing it was bad enough.
“No, it’s not that bad, come on, but be quiet, we’ll spoil it if he hears us coming.” His voice lowered to a whisper as he took my hand. I focused on Emmett to stop myself thinking about the way Jasper’s hand felt in mine.
The garage door was open and as we neared it, I could hear Emmett singing over the top of the radio.
“... If there was a problem yo I solve it,

Check out the hook while DJ revolves it.

Ice, Ice Baby

Ice Ice Baby”
I peeked inside biting down on my lip. He was standing in nothing but a pair of ragged old jeans, pumping his hips in time with the music as he waxed the hood of the jeep. I lasted all of five seconds before I literally fell to the floor laughing.
Tears blurred my vision as Emmett turned round to glare at us. I wanted to tease him but I couldn’t even breathe for the first two minutes.
“I never had... you down... as a... Vanilla Ice fan.” I gasped, as Jasper helped me up. “That... was the best thing... I’ve ever... seen.”
Emmett grinned and ran his hands down his chest. “What can I say? This body is a masterpiece.”
I snorted and broke into another round of giggles, feeling Jasper shaking with his own laughter behind me. “You can laugh.” Emmett said. “But you know you want this body.”
“Your right.” I laughed. “You’re irresistible.”
He pouted at my obvious sarcasm. “At least I’m not clumsy.” He stuck his tongue out like a five year old.
I immediately came up with a witty retort. “I’m not clumsy.” I really needed to work on my come backs.
“I’m sorry. I meant to say vertically challenged.” He said seriously.
“What’s that Emmett? I think there’s a scratch there.” I said pointing over his shoulder at the Jeep. He whipped around horrified, just as I knew he would, giving me the perfect opportunity to get him back for his comment.
On the ground beside me was a bucked full of dirty, soapy water, with a huge sponge soaking in it. Grinning, I picked it up and threw it at the back of his head. By some miracle it hit its mark, landing with a delicious squelch and dripping straight down his back.
“You little-” he growled turning back to face me. Jasper scooped my onto his back and we ran out into the yard, Emmett in hot pursuit. Carrying a spurting hose pipe.
Emmett was fast, but the water wasn’t coming out quickly enough to reach me before Jasper ran us away from him. He chased us around the garden, all of us laughing. Eventually he got sick of missing us and tackled us to the ground and turned the hose on us.
I screamed as the icy water hit me for the first time, unable to move. Emmet was holding Jasper down with one hand, and I was stuck half underneath him. The boys wrestled for the hose, only making all of us wetter, when suddenly, the water stopped running.
Emmett stared down at the flaccid pipe, looking comically stupid.
Slowly, we all turned to look towards the tap on the outside of the garage. Esme was standing next to it with her hands on her hips, trying, and failing to look cross. Next to her were four unfamiliar, laughing vampires. I gulped. So much for making a good impression. How long had they been watching our impromptu water fight?
Emmett got off us looking guilty and dropping the hose. He pointed straight down at me, and said “She started it.”
My face was on fire as Jasper and I untangled ourselves and stood up. I was soaked from the top of my head to me knees, covered in grass stains, and the boys hadn’t fared much better.
Edward glided out of the house towards us and handed me a towel, sparing a quick glare for Emmett and Jasper. “Thanks.” I whispered, drying my hands and face. The rest of me wasn’t really salvageable.
Esme and the others walked towards us, all of them smiling, and my nerves kicked up a notch. Jasper’s wave of calm had never been more welcome. All four of them were of course, ridiculously beautiful, making me feel even worse, knowing how I looked right now.
I took a little comfort in the fact that they weren’t dressed as well as the Cullen's, their clothes were far more average, probably because they didn’t have Alice to pick them out. Esme gave me a warm smile before she introduced me.
“This is Bella, my newest daughter.” She said, I was touched that she’d called me her daughter. “This is Tanya.” A beautiful woman with flowing strawberry blonde hair stepped forward and held out her hand.
I wiped my hands furiously on the towel to make sure they were dry and took her icy hand in mine. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Her voice was as melodic as I’d come to expect, with a trace of an accent I couldn’t place.
Eleazer and Carmen were introduced next, equally beautiful but in a different way. Carmen kissed my cheek and smiled in greeting, while her mate only frowned at me. Already one of them definitely didn’t like me.
“Hi. I’m Kate.” The youngest looking of them said, pulling me into a hug and getting herself soaked. She didn’t seem to notice. “We’re going to be friends. I can tell.” She grinned. She reminded me of Emmett for some reason, though she looked nothing like him with her pale blonde hair and delicate features. I liked her already.
Eleazer was still looking at me oddly, his eyes flicking to Jasper every few seconds. I wished he’d say something. Esme must have noticed my discomfort and came to my rescue. “Why don’t you all go and get cleaned up.” She said pointing at the three of us.
We trudged into the house, Emmett poking me in the back all the way. “Have you learnt you lesson yet? Have you? No one messes with this and gets away with it.”
I elbowed him in the ribs, probably bruising myself but it was worth it. “Nope.” I grinned over my shoulder. “You don’t scare me.”
“I’ll get you lil sis, and you won’t be laughing then. Just you wait.” I dreaded to think what sort of pranks someone with Emmett's talents, and money could pull. I’d just have to be careful for a good while if the mischievous smirk on his face was anything to go by.
In Edwards’s room I rummaged around for something to wear and found that I had plenty of underwear and pyjamas but nothing I could change into to go downstairs. Frustrated I settled for wearing one of Edward’s pristine t-shirts and hoping my jeans would dry quickly.
I was rubbing them down with the towel hoping to speed the process when Rosalie came in. “Esme said you might not have anything to wear.” She said, not quite looking at me and holding out a pair of black jeans.
“Erm... thanks.” I mumbled. That might well have been the first time she’d ever spoken directly to me.
She shrugged, tossed the jeans onto the couch and left before I had time to say anything more articulate. I changed out of my wet clothes quickly and shuffled downstairs. The last thing I wanted was to fall over in front of them after they’d already seen me looking such a mess.
All the women were clustered around the sofa chatting, apart from Tanya, who was standing at the piano watching Edward play. He looked faintly irritated, and I wondered why.
Carlisle and Eleazer were talking too lowly for me to hear in the corner and Jasper and Emmett had yet to reappear.
I hovered at the bottom of the stairs, unsure what to do. I didn’t want to interrupt anyone. Kate called me over to them and patted the empty seat beside her. I took it gratefully, and tried to smile back at everyone without looking as uncomfortable as I felt.
I made an extra effort for Rosalie, and actually got a nod in return. She must have had a really good time with Emmett. Either that or Esme had gotten to her.
The girls were planning a trip to the cinema the following night. “It must be five years since that last time I ventured into a cinema.” Carmen grinned. “It will be such fun.”
“You’ll come right, Bella?” Kate asked nudging me with her elbow.
Would I be intruding? Kate was probably only asking to be polite anyway. If there was one person I could rely on not to sugar coat things, it was Rosalie. I chanced a glance at her, and to my complete surprise, she gave me a smile. It was so small I might have imagined it. I probably had, but I hoped it had been real, because I wanted to get to know them all better.
“I think so, I’ll have to check with Charlie first.” I told Kate.
“Charlie?” Carmen said frowning. “I thought Edward was your mate.”
Rosalie, Esme and I couldn’t help but giggle. “Charlie’s my dad.” I laughed.
“Your Dad?” Kate said the word as if she’d never heard it before, which I suppose wasn’t surprising. Vampires didn’t really have dads, not anymore anyway. “We have to meet your dad.”
Esme took charge of the situation. “We can pick Bella up tomorrow night and you can say a quick hello. He doesn’t know what we are.” She warned.
Emmett thundered down the stairs after Jasper, turning our attention away from the conversation. “C’mon Jazz, it’d be funny and you know it. You’re not scared of her are you?” He teased. I wondered who he was supposedly scared of.
“I’m not getting involved.” Jasper said shaking his head. “That's the stupidest idea you’ve ever come up with, and she’d never speak to either of us again.”
I had an awful suspicion that Emmett was trying to get Jasper to help him prank me. I thanked my lucky stars Jasper was staying out of it. Maybe I could bring him over to my side. I chuckled to myself deciding I could get Emmett before he got me if I had a little help.
“You know you want to.” Emmett said. “Can you imagine the look on her face?” He was laughing now, and my stomach twisted at the look on Jaspers face, he looked like he was in pain, it must be something pretty bad. But Emmett obviously couldn’t do it without Jasper’s help, so I was safe for now.
“Don’t you dare.” Edward growled shooting from the piano to stand behind me in one inhumanly graceful stride.
Emmett looked at Edward, then me, like a child who’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t.
“What?” I asked. “What was he going to do?” No one answered me. I expected as much from Edward and Emmett, but was a bit hurt that Jasper didn’t tell me.
I folded my arms across my chest, annoyed. I’d get it out of one of them later.
Eleazer and Carlisle joined us, the room seemed too crowded. Ten vampires, and all of them looking at me. I wriggled further back into the seat, hoping I could somehow escape their attention.
No one spoke for the longest time, then Eleazer finally broke the silence. “How are you doing it?”
It took me a moment to realise he was speaking to me. “How am I doing what?” I asked.
“You are blocking me. It’s not something that’s ever happened before. How are you doing it?”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.” I said. “I’m not doing anything.”
“Jasper too. I have felt his gifts before, but now they’re out of my reach. All I can feel is the link between you, which, I assume, is your shield. I’ve never encountered such a strong shield, and never found one in a human before.” He was still looking at me like I was an exhibit in a museum, and one he couldn’t understand. I didn’t like it. “Aro would love to add you to his collection. I have a feeling your powers of protection would be much stronger as a vampire.”
Powers of protection. I liked the sound of that. “Aro?” I said, thinking, the name tugged at my memory. Well whoever he was, he wasn’t going to be adding me to his collection.
Again, nobody answered my question, but several of them looked upset for some reason, I’d have to ask Jasper to explain it later.
“My turn.” Kate said, smiling again.
“Jasper first, if you wouldn’t mind Kate.” Carlisle said. Again I was left wondering what was going on. Jasper didn’t look particularly happy.
I watched Kate walk up to him and hold out her hand, I sat up straighter to get a better view of what was going to happen. Hesitantly, Jasper reached out and took her hand, then relaxed. “Nothing?” Kate frowned.
“Nothing.” Jasper confirmed.
“What was supposed to happen?” I asked, I hated being the only one who didn’t know what was going on.
“I can produce a sort of electric current, and use it to shock people. The jolt I’ve just given Jasper should have knocked him to the ground.” She seemed a bit disappointed that it hadn’t. “Your turn now.”
“What? You want to shock me?” I really didn’t like the sound of that.
“Just a little one, more of a tickle really.” She laughed. “If it hasn’t worked on Jasper, it’s not going to work on you anyway. Don’t worry about it.”
This time, she held her hand out to me. Jaspers confident smile made me take it. He wouldn’t want me to do anything that would hurt me, and there was no chance Edward would let me.
I felt nothing but her smooth cool skin. Had she done it yet? Everyone was looking at us expectantly, from Kate's expression I could tell she was trying.
“Maybe if you do a more powerful one it will work.” I offered. I had no idea why I was encouraging her to hurt me. All the attention had probably made me a little crazy.
She smiled guiltily up at me. “I already was. I can’t do it any stronger than this. You really can’t feel anything?”
“Sorry.” I smiled, not very sorry at all.
There was no more talk of gifts after that, and I assumed that Emmett's theory had been proved. I was a shield, or I had one at least. How good was that?
I spent the next few hours getting to know the Denali clan better. Eleazer seemed to have warmed up since he’d figured me out, but he still kept giving me funny looks every so often. It reminded me of when Edward and I had first started talking, and I knew it probably bothered him that he couldn’t read me in his own way.
By the time Edward drove me home at three I was really looking forward to going on a girl’s night out as Esme had called it. The only one of the Denali’s that I hadn’t spoken to much was Tanya, mainly because she’d spent the day hovering around Edward.
I had a sneaking suspicion she liked him as more than just a friend, and was surprised to find I felt no jealousy, or any need to show her he was mine.
When I got home I made sure to make it look like I’d been in bed for most of the day, and then finished off my homework. Tomorrow I’d be back at school with everyone else.
Before I went to bed that night I was careful to check around my room for any signs of Emmett's pranks. He might need Jasper for whatever he was planning earlier, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do anything else.
As I lay in my bed I tried to remember all my unanswered questions. Tomorrow I wanted answers.

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An: I know the end’s a bit rushed, but I was literally sick to death of this chapter, and I can’t wait to get on with the next one. I promise, promise, promise, the costume party humour, cheesy-lovey-dovey stuff, and drama coming up.

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Destiny Awaits