Elastic Heart

-chapter twenty five-

Winter break had a way of sneaking up on you. Time flew by while preparations for Jolene were made. 

Carlisle called the Volturi and Aro agreed to help break the news of their world to Rosalie's new mate provided that they had plans to turn her. 

Jolene was taken to get her passport photo snapped and it was then sent to be made. 

In the meanwhile, Alice demanded to take Jolene shopping. 

"The weather's different in Italy." Alice informs Jolene, moving to drop into her lap. Jolene catches Alice, the same crooked grin on her face. 

"Is that so?" She laughs. 

"Yup. Therefore, we need to go shopping." Alice nods. 

"I haven't got any money, Little One." Jolene reminds her. 

"That's okay. Carlisle and Esme said that they would cover all expenses for you and that would include proper clothing to go." Alice wasn't going to back down. 

'She's not ready' her family kept telling her. 'wait'.

 Well, Alice had waited long enough. 

She was going to take Jolene shopping. 

Rosalie coming along to protect her mate was just an added bonus. 

"I dunno." Jolene frowns. 

"You might as well go, Jo." Emmett pipes up. "Her mind is made up." 

Jolene's eyes flicker to look down at the tiny teen in her lap who was not pouting with her best puppy dog eyes. 

They were just like Jack's. 

"Okay, okay." Jolene lets out a snort. "We'll go shopping." 

Alice goes to celebrate when Jolene holds her hand up. "No skirts, dresses or heels." 

Alice looks appalled. 

"In fact, let's stick to the men's section." Jolene mumbles. 

"Wha-" Alice gapes. 

"I'm used to getting my clothes from the clearance bin at Wal-Mart." Jolene laughs but it dies off when she sees that no one else is laughing. "I'm not shopping Gucci or anything." 

Alice folds her arms in thought. "Okay. But we're NOT shopping at Wal-Mart." 

Jolene bobs her head in a nod. "Okay."

"Don't look so shocked now," Rosalie falls onto the couch next to Jolene, who simple raises an arm for Rosalie to snuggle under. "You probably expected this anyway." 

So, Rosalie and Jolene were dragged shopping that very Sunday. 

And Jolene wouldn't even look at any of the girl's clothes. She was adamant at wearing men's clothes. 

Well, Alice made it her job to get Jolene into a dress.

They've visited practically every store in the mall and multiple trips back to the car  were required for all the bags. 

"Here." Alice stops in front of a store with both men and women's clothing. 

Jolene was tired, but pushed on anyway. 

She roams through the racks of men's clothes, rifling through the different jeans and dark shirts. 

"Here!" Alice perks up, shoving a woman's low cut top at Jolene. 

"Told ya, I'm not wearing girls clothing." Jolene shakes her head, pulling a plum colored shirt onto the growing pile of clothes that hung on her arm.