Hey everyone!
I finally have chapter twenty-two out! It's longer than past chapters, which I'm happy with.
Please comment/vote. I've put together an idea from one of my readers, given to me on another chapter and one that a reader gave me last chapter. So, I've made a compromise and grouped them together to fit into my other new idea which may or may not be the end of my story. It depends if any of you lovely readers have anymore ideas in those amazing minds of yours.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. I own Jamie, Raphael, Anthony and Jamie's friends.
Chapter twenty-two: Evening Wonder.
Alice’s POV
I was strangely excited, with a bit of nervousness hiding underneath. Tonight, after school, Anthony was taking me to an art gallery in Seattle. I’ve never been to one – that I can remember – and I wanted to experience what it was like to go on a sort of date with a boy.
Yes, I was about four years older than Anthony, minus the hundred years as a vampire, but he didn’t need to know that. As far as he knew, I was an adopted fifteen year old Mississippi girl who lost both her parents and younger sister.
Throughout the school day, I could barely keep still. I was constantly bouncing lightly in my seat or chewing on my bottom lip or even twirling my short choppy locks of dark hair between my slender pale fingers.
Classes went by in blurs of colour and sound. That is until lunch came along.
Jasper seemed tense which was obviously making Edward tense who in turn was making the ever unobservant Bella confused. A tornado of emotions was slowly building around our table, threatening to explode into chaos at any possible moment.
That is until Anthony came over and the whole thing blew up into a mega blast of bone rattling feelings which Jasper was clearly magnifying. And that is how I ended up outside the chemistry hall, my phone in my hand, frantically texting Anthony, or as I liked to call him, Tony.
The bomb Jasper created was felt across the whole cafeteria. Students went rigid and uptight. Their moods went from happy and carefree to suspicious and angry in about two point one seconds. I was so sure a fight would have broken out if Edward hadn’t kicked Jasper in the shin. That snapped him out of his haze and everyone went back to normal.
But I didn’t stick around. I quickly dumped my tray and hurried in the direction Anthony headed in. Jasper must have been projecting fear towards him because the look in Tony’s eyes when Jasper’s gaze met his was blood chilling.
I then took out my phone and texted him quickly. He answered pretty quickly for someone affected by manipulated emotions. Soon, I had assured him that everything was okay and that my ‘brother’ was overprotective. One problem was eventually solved and I was back to being excited for my date.
“Alice, let me help you pick out an outfit!” Rosalie called from downstairs.
The end of the day came and went and with Edward’s crazy speeding, we were home before most of Forks students were even in their cars. I was currently lounging on the sofa in my room, reading a fashion magazine.
“Fine, come on up!” I called back; swinging my jean covered legs over the side of the couch and standing up.
“Okay, so you’re going to an art gallery, right?” Rosalie asked once in my room.
“Yeah, it’s in Seattle.”
“Hmm…” She disappeared into my closet and I heard her ruffle through some clothes.
“Find anything?” I sat back down on the couch.
She walked out with a smile on her face and a couple articles of clothing in her arms. “Yes I did.”
I nodded and ran my gaze over the two outfits she held up.
The first was a simple floral printed dress that would come to my lower thigh and had the same type of trim you would see at the end of a scarf. She chose a pair of silver ballet flats and a chunky wooden necklace that fell down to my belly button.
The second was an off-the-shoulders yellow dress that would end just before my knees and had half sleeves. She paired it with silver sandals and long silver chain with a heart pendent at the bottom.
I pointed to the yellow one and grinned, taking the outfit and dashing into my closet to change. Rosalie laughed and I heard the door close so I figured she left. After quickly changing into my evening attire, I walked downstairs and stopped at the base of the stairs, checking the clock.
It was a habit of mine. I repeatedly glanced up at the large golden clock hanging on the wall in the front room. I had visions that could easily tell me if I was late but I kept finding myself checking the time on that clock.
“That was my gift to you on our seventieth anniversary.” I looked up, slightly startled at the unexpected voice of Jasper, who was standing inside the doorway of the living room. “It’s from one of your favourite jewelers in Paris.” He was glancing down at my necklace.
I frowned. “I-I don’t remember that.”
“I know ya’ don’t, but it’s nice to reminisce,” he replied, sighing softly.
I nodded slightly and glanced away, his intense stare making me uncomfortable. Why was it that his golden eyes always made me melt inside? Why was it that his silky looking hair beckoned me to walk over and run my fingers through it? I do not love him; I don’t even really like him! Curse that stupid empath!
“Alice, are we ready to go?” Edward asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence between Jasper and I.
I nodded mutely and followed Edward into the garage. We were going in the Volvo and picking up Anthony on our way to Seattle. Since I was playing a fifteen year old, I wasn’t able to drive my own car, much to my annoyance.
I climbed in the passenger seat just as Edward shut his door. I wanted a couple hours of normalness; I wanted time with my new human friend.
I know for a fact that this little going out will result in a new found relationship between Tony and me, my visions are normally correct when it comes to things like this. Then again, since I woke up again, my visions have never been wrong; some were uncertain but never completely wrong.
Edward picked at Anthony’s brain a couple days ago and so he knew where exactly he lived. I didn’t mind Edward looking out for me, it made me think of him as the brother I never had.
To be honest, the Cullen family has started feeling more like my family. Since my real family sent me away, Carlisle was the father I never had and Edward, Raphael and Emmett were the brothers I never had. As well as Rosalie and Bella who were my older sisters/best friends I never had and Renesmee and Jacob were like the cousins I never had. Jamie was, well, just an acquaintance, we never really talked, but we just lived comfortably together. Esme was the woman who eased my yearning for my mother and younger sister, she helped sooth my sadness on losing them.
Jasper, was well, Jasper. My so called ‘husband’ who manipulates and controls me, who cannot let me be. I just don’t like him, end of story.
“Why?” Edward asked from beside me. I hadn’t noticed that we were now speeding down the streets of Forks.
“Stop picking at my thoughts, please Edward. It’s rude.”
“It’s very hard to ignore them when you tend to let the volume rise well over maximum.”
I huffed and glanced at him. “I just don’t like him. He’s been manipulating my emotions lately, making me feel something for him. It’s wrong.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever thought that it wasn’t him who has put this feeling in you, but it was actually you yourself?”
“It isn’t Edward. I love my angel and I’m interested in Anthony.”
“You’re choices are yours alone. I’m simply saying that you should cut Jasper some slack. He’s trying to deal. The beginning of his vampire life consisted of lies and blood. Once he met you, you became his primary focus, his reason to live. It’s hard for him to find reasons to carry on when you keep giving him the cold shoulder. He actually does believe you hate him, after you swore to never hurt him.”
“Tell me, when did I promise him that?!” My voice was rising as my anger boiled under the surface of my skin.
“On your wedding day, I’ve seen his memories of it. He’s replaying special memories in his head these days,” Edward explained.
I looked down, my anger burning out. “O-our wedding day?”
Edward simply nodded and pulled into what I guessed was Anthony’s driveway. I stared out the windshield, frowning.
“Alice!” I blinked, having heard my name. Anthony had climbed into the back seat of Edward’s car.
He was wearing a pair of dark washed jeans with a white t-shirt that had a complicated dragon design on the front with black converse on his feet. His blue eyes were shining as he smiled at me through the reflection on the window.
I forced a smile and greeted him in return. “Hey.”
“Excited?” he asked. I nodded and my smiled came more naturally.
“The gallery in Seattle, right?” Edward asked, glancing up at Tony through the mirror.
“Yeah,” Anthony replied.
“Oh, Tony this is Edward, my adopted brother. Edward this is Anthony.”
“Nice to meet you, Alice talks about you a lot.” Edward glanced at me and flashed me a grin. I’m sure if I could, I would be blushing scarlet.
The ride to Seattle consisted of light chatter about school and summer events. Edward said the most about our past summer, almost all of them being lies. I don’t think Edward was happy with the speed he had to drive, I’m sure Anthony would be scared out of his wits by the speed my lovely brother liked to drive at.
Luckily, we arrived in front of the gallery faster than it would have taken a normal human. The faster Edward was gone, the faster I would stop feeling guilty for how I’ve been avoiding Jasper.
“Okay, thanks for the ride Eddie. Bye!” I grinned and waved as he narrowed his eyes slightly – either at my nickname for him or at my last thought – as he drove off.
“Let’s go,” Anthony suggested and he rested his hand on the small of my back hesitantly as we walked into the gallery. Anthony kindly paid for our admittance and we set off to the grand white walls of framed art.
We walked around for a good hour, talking and laughing at funny looking art. We took turns trying to pronounce some of the artists’ names, myself getting them right most of the time. I was having a good time and my companion looked like he was too.
It was normal. It was relaxed and fun.
“So Alice, what do you think of this?”
I glanced up, examining the painting before me. It was a detailed painting of a man and a woman holding hands under the shadowy canopy of an oak tree behind them. The woman had long black hair which was blowing freely, as if the scene was windy. The man had a lovely smile on his face as he gazed into the eyes of the woman before him.
I sucked in a sharp breath and went still.
I remember.
My vision, the single image that could have been but never was.
It was the image of my angel and our life together.
We would be red-eyed vampires that traveled the world, avoiding the discovery of the Volturi and simply being together. Forever.
It was the life that was supposed to happen but was shattered by the determined plan of my hunter.
“Alice? What’s wrong?”
My memory was broken by the puncturing sound of a voice. Not just any voice, Anthony’s voice.
“Alice!”
I gasped and blinked. “Wh-What?”
“Are you okay? You blanked out for a minute there; it looked like you were far away.”
I nodded and exhaled, ignoring the biting scent of my human friend. “I’m okay, I think. Just a memory, that’s all.” I’m sure if I could, I would be crying. My eyes stung but wouldn’t drop a tear.
“Wanna talk about it, or no?” He looked genuinely concerned.
I shrugged. “The picture reminded me of an old relationship that never had a chance to get anywhere.”
Tony frowned. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, it happened years ago,” I assured him and forced another smile.
“Alright, do you want to go grab something to eat then?” he asked.
I nodded and we headed outside to search for a place to eat. While he was trying to find the most appetizing restaurant, I was trying to find one that would be easiest to gag back up.
Greasy foods were the worst while liquid foods were easier. I spotted a Jamba Juice and grinned. “Tony, can we go there? I’m not really hungry. You can choose somewhere else to go if you’d like.”
“Uh sure, we can go there.” He smiled.
And so, we walked over there and I ordered myself a fruit smoothie, grimacing at the smell. All human foods smelled bad, but humans themselves smelled amazing. How does that work since they consume such foul smelling things?
Anthony then led us over to a nearby McDonald’s and he ordered a simple burger with fries and a coke. Our night continued with him eating his dinner and me forcing down my drink.
I tried to keep a steady conversation with Tony but my mind kept straying over to my newly uncovered memory.
It hurt to remember the future I could have. It hurt to know that it was taken away so fast. That my joy was taken and my angel and I never had our happily ever after together.
But what happened to my angel? Where is he now?
Those questions kept haunting my mind, unanswerable.
“Alice?” I blinked to see Anthony waving his hand in front of my face.
“Sorry, I keep zoning out on you.”
He shrugged and smiled softly. “It’s okay; loss is hard to coupe with.”
I nodded and smiled slightly. “Do you mind if we head home? I’ll call Edward and he can pick us up again.”
Tony nodded and gathered his trash, throwing it out. “Yup, this was fun. Would you like to do something like this again sometime?”
I smiled and nodded, standing up next to him. “I’d love that.”
“Great,” he answered as I took out my phone. “Oh and Alice…” I looked up. “I like you, a lot.”
Before I could even respond to his confession, I felt his warm lips touch my cold ones.
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Please feel free to comment/vote/fan and please, if you have any ideas, tell me!!! Also, song recommendations are welcomed too. I'm running out of choices xP