As I cautiously made my way out to my beat down, yet lovable, pickup truck, I thought of places to go. If I went to see Jacob, Alice wouldn't be able to track me and there really would be no point in that, plus, I'd have a lot of explaining to do. That was out of the question. I saw no La Push in my future, any time soon.

I settled for downtown Tacoma. Not too close, not too far away, just the perfect amount of distance.

I stopped outside, what looked like a descent bar, descent enough anyway. "ID?" the bouncer at the door, didn't look too happy. "Seriously?" Nonchalantly, I dug through my pockets, acting like I really was looking for a valid ID. "No ID? No happy hour for you, kid. Step aside." I moved out of the way, as he was checking the rest of the crowd, I snuck past him.

Once inside, I noticed how empty the place was.

"Well, aren't you jail bait?" I turned around to face the voice. "Actually, I'm Bella." The bartender snorted. "You're not old enough to drink, how did you even get in?" His eyes met mine and I felt uncomfortable. "I know people." If only that were the case. "People in high places, right? Yeah, that's what they all say. So, what can I get you?" Considering I wasn't a big drinker, hell, I wasn't even a drinker at all, I went with the simplest answer.

"Vodka cranberry?" came out, like word vomit, after having remembered a crazy random night out with Jessica, which had ended with me passed out on the bathroom floor and Jessica having to make up the worst story of all time. Friends and the lengths they will go for you.
"Wow, living large are we?" Quickly I went through my wallet, scraping together whatever I could find. "No, on the contrary. What's the damage?" He raised his eyebrows and pressed his lips together for a split second. "12, but for you, free. A girl who drinks alone, should never have to pay." Flirting had never been my thing. I wasn't good at it, nor was I good at taking compliments. Like, what do you do with them? Let them bounce of you and throw them back, just to be nice?
"Thank, you?" He smirked, his white teeth glistening in the dim lit room. "My shift ends in one hour, if you're still here I mean." I took a sip from my drink. It was just harmless flirting, if even, it meant absolutely nothing. Maybe a text to Alice would make up for it?

You know you're drunk when you have to close one eye to text. "Ugh, there should be a law against drunk texting." I said in hopes of having pressed the right Cullen in my address book. "Here." He said and snatched the phone out of my hand. "Alice?" I could feel my face light up when I heard him say her name. "Yeah, Alice. She's my girlfriend. Just write. You know what? Don't bother. She's here." The oh so noticeable confusion spread quickly across his face. "How did she know where to find you? Selective hearing?" My drink had magically disappeared, along with the bartenders coolness factor. "Something like that." Before I knew it, the glass was full again.

"So, which one is yours then?"
Didn't even have to turn around for this one. "See the short haired, cute petite pixie-like one? Way in the back?" I watched as his eyes crowd surfed, before landing on Alice. "Wow, you've scored yourself one cute lil' hottie." I looked at him in disbelief. "She's walking over, should I leave?" Maybe changing teams hadn't been such a bad idea after all. At least not if all guys were the same. "I would leave if I were you, who knows, she might drain you on blood." 'What?!' he mouthed.

The bartender left and Alice sat down beside me. "So. You're drinking now?" She leaned in and smelled my breath. "Bella, you're, drunk." Was I really? A drink and a half and I was a classified alcoholic? Wait, what did she say? "I'm going to give you an ultimatum. Either you come with me now and I'll help you through, whatever this is. Or, you stay here and devour the next idiot who even looks your way. What's it gonna be?" I pointed to her and laid my hand on her chest, where her heart once upon a time used to beat so fiercely.

"Have you ever tried sleeping with a broken heart?" In one quick motion, Alice brought me up to my feet and forcefully pushed me towards the exit. "Alice! Come on, it was all very innocent, you can't really be mad at me, I didn't do anything." She stopped to look at me.
"I know you didn't do anything and do you know why?" Of course, she had stopped me. "Oh god. Now I feel worse that I did before coming here." Alice started to speed up, but automatically slowed her steps as she noticed I was dragging behind.

"Are you tired? Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" My body was numb and I was cold and could use a pick me up, which by this point, definitely, was caffeine. "I need a coffee." My eyes, locked on the ground, refused to meet hers. "Yeah? Well I need a penny." Afraid to make any sort of physical contact. "A penny? A penny for what?" Afraid to say the wrong things, again. "Your thoughts." She smiled, and it was the first smile I'd gotten from her all night. My insides warmed up and my heart was beating mad crazy.

We walked side by side, down the noisy streets of downtown Tacoma. The reason I had chosen Tacoma, was simply for the fact that the chances of me running into a familiar face, was practically slim to none.
My staggering attempts at walking must have looked just as awkward and retarded as I felt. Alice discretely and gently slid her hand into mine, a simple gesture of forgiveness, which in the end meant so much more. "This is the best feeling in the world. This moment right here. You. Me. This. I wish it could last forever. This moment. Me, and you. Forever."

Alice put her arm around my already shivering body. "Is your heart still broken because of my brother?" Edward was the least of my worries, she kept bringing him up. "What? No! Of course not. I don't know why it's broken, it just is." and I kept rejecting him, like the sick masochistic lion that he was. "Maybe together, we can mend it." She kissed me on the forehead, my eyes closed, but only for a second and in that second, I remembered what it was like to be loved.

Seeing her perfectly pallid lips, and still being able to feel the softness of them on my skin, was sensational. Her fingers danced through my hair, such sensual touches. She pulled me in for a long lasting hug and I felt so safe in her arms. I couldn't help but to lean in close enough to feel her breath on me. "I love you." She whispered into the night, the breeze stole her words away, but they were mine, always.

Our lips finally touched and we melted into each other.
The only thing keeping me on my feet, was her arms locked around me.