Alice

I couldn't stay in there with him. The effect he has on me is scary. We've literally only known each other for about a day and I have a schoolgirl crush already bursting out. I have to clear my head; maybe it's just all the excitement of moving here and seeing mom again. It just has my mind in a weird place.

I head out through the trails around the mansion. The entire Carlisle residence is huge. With the mansion at the center, its surrounded by a thicket with trails through it. This is where jack goes for his runs. The trees are soothing; they help to put my mind at rest. The smell of the grass and the fresh air is a welcomed pleasure. I sigh as I realize this is what life's going to be like for the next few months maybe even years until I make up my mind on what I want to do with my life. No one knows that at nineteen.

  The outdoors is soothing but I know I have to get back before lunch. Brice is coming and I'm excited, it's been a while. Our relationship got hard when I moved abroad, but he stuck it out with me, I'll forever love that about him, the fact that he doesn't give up...but I'm not the same, for a while I had given up and done some stupid things, but he took me back. I know I can always go back to him; he's safe, and comfortable. I can see a future with him. I think...

***

The house comes in to view, it's almost time for lunch and I have to go get cleaned up and dressed. I walk in and head to my room where I fly off my clothes and hit the shower. Even the shower in this house has me in awe. The expertly laid marble tiles on its back wall have me awestruck, how they're even cut so cleanly escapes me. The designs inlaid on it remind me of the kind of thing one would see on an ancient Greek vase or tome. It's not even just one shower but one above and several others going all the way down the walls all of their streams meeting at the center. I jump in, bracing for the water's assault.

***

I ruffle my hair with my towel in frustration as it refuses to dry. It flows down from my shoulders to my nipples, stuck to my pale skin like an ink waterfall. I sigh and walk over to my bed where my dark blue flower dress lay. My boy is coming, I should be elated, but somehow my insides match the color of my dress. I remember when I first started dating him. I was happy and it was magic; there was so much fire in us. Now it feels like I'm wiping ashes from my hands every time he's gone, but that's what love is supposed to be like right? We're supposed to fight for it. Sift through the coals for any cinder that can burn anew...but I wonder if we've reached the point where all our cinders have gone cold.

I slide the thin strap of my dress up my shoulder. My thoughts are too heavy for such a bright day, I dismiss them from my mind and draw a smile on my face, then head downstairs.

  When I get there, I see two men standing near the living room table. The clacking of my heels alerts them and one turn's to me, its Brice. I inhale sharply as I see his eyes light up, "Baby!"

He looks stunning in his plaid shirt with his sleeves rolled up the way I like it. His light brown hair is combed back neatly and his blue eyes sparkle as they meet mine, just the way I remember. He embraces me and it feels...familiar, comforting even. I look from over his shoulder as he holds me at the other man...it's Jack, with some unreadable expression on his face. He stares me dead in the eyes, then turns and walks away. Brice looks at me and says something but I don't hear it, my mind is fixed on jack, what was that? I've never seen him that way before "Baby!"

"uh...yea what?"

"I asked how are you?"

"Oh... fine, I'm fine," I smile, Brice puts his hand on the side of my face. He runs it through my hair and plants a soft kiss on my lips. He pulls away smiling "I've missed you." I put my hand on his forearm as he caresses my hair. "I can see the adoration in his eyes as he looks down into mine. "I've missed you to babe..."