Chapter four

A/N- I just want to say that I truly hope that Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett rest in peace. Today has just been shocking.

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"Bella!" Alice's cheerful voice rang through the kitchen as I prepared myself some hot chocolate. It was raining outside and it was one of my favorite things to do when it was. It was nice, calm, and peaceful. Nothing complimented better than a nice cup of cocoa.

I glanced over my shoulder at the perky girl who was now standing behind me, a grin on her flawless face. "Oh, hey Alice."

"So, guess what?" She practically skipped over to me, looking quite pleased.

"What?"

"I met this guy." She grinned. "He's cute, and nice, and smart."

I nodded, smiling. "I'm happy for you." I said geuinly before making my way into the living room. Alice was a great girl, she deserved a nice guy. Though I was a bit envious that she had only been here a week or so and already met someone.

"Not for me, silly." She giggled. "For you. I want to set you up with him."

I shook my head. I hated blind dates with a deep passion. I had only ever been on one, but that was good enough for me. "No way. I don't do setups. And if he's so great, why don't you just go out with him?"

Her grin became even larger. "I met someone else. His name's Jasper. He's so...incredible." She sighed dreamily. "He's incredibly smart and really cool. Very sweet and kind. Ah, Bella, he's just...great." She shook her head after she had been starring into space, obviously waking from dreamy land. "Anyways, just give this guy a chance."

"Where'd you even meet him at?"

"The mall."

Of course, that's where she spent most of her time. "I don't think so Alice, but thanks anyways."

"Please?" She begged, dropping to her knees, her hands pressed together. She was actually begging me. "It would be a double date. It would give me a good excuse to spend some time with Jasper. Pretty please? Bella, I'm begging you here."

Alice sure was something else. "I don't know."

She began to cling to my leg, crying out in a dramtic manner. "Please Bella? Please? Please? Please? Pretty please? With a unicorn on top with a pinapple as a hat? Please?"

What the heck? "Um, Alice-"

"Alice, don't gravel." Edward's silky voice muttered as he made his way down the stairs, looking to the floor. "You're scarying the poor girl." He said, his emerald eyes flickering to mine for a second.

"Ed, help me out here!" Alice pleaded.

Edward glanced up with amusement sketched in his features. "What am I suppose to help you torture poor Bella about?"

"I'm trying to convince her to go out with this guy I met that I think would be perfect for her."

Edward's face feel a bit, but he quickly regained composure. "Who's the guy?"

"His name is Mike." She grinned up at me, still hanging tightly to my leg.

"Sounds like a scumbag." Edward muttered under his breathe.

Alice had ignord it, but I smirked to myself. "Alice, please. I'm going to pour my hot chocolate on your head if you don't let go of me."

Edward chuckled as he started for the kitchen. "Trust me, that won't stop her."

Alice sighed and let go of my legs, looking defeated. "Please Bella? I told him all about you and he really wants to meet you. He's a great guy, you'll like him. Just please, one shot? One date, that's all I ask. Me and Jasper will be there the entire time."

I sighed, hating the thought of dissipointing Alice. She had only good intention, I could see that. "Okay, fine."

Alice jumped and squealed in delight, hugging me tightly. I almost dropped my cocoa. For a small girl she sure had one heck of a grip.

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Well, not to be rude or anything, but Alice was a liar and Mike was boring.

Well, maybe that was a bit unfair. It wasn't so much the he was boring as, I didn't have anything to talk to him about. We had virtually nothing in common.

He worked at his father's bank (and bragged about it), had a nice sports car (continued to brag even more) and also, every once in a while I would see him eyeing me up and down.

I knew wearing a dress was a bad idea. I would have to blame Alice not only for the dress decision, but for the set up. I was beyond bored.

Alice, on the other hand, was having a great time. She and Jasper really hit it off. They were talking and laughing the entire time. Occasionally she would pop out of her bubble surrounding her and Jasper to try to get a conversation started with Mike and I, which each time would fail miserably.

"So, Belle," Mike began, trying hard to make a conversation. "What kind of car do you drive?"

Lame. "A truck." I answered simply, taking a gulp of my pop.

He nodded. "Cool." It was silent again...for a long time. "What do you like to do?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, really. I play the guitar. I write a bit."

He nodded. "Yeah, that's um, cool." He had absolutely no interest once so ever.

So maybe part of my problem was that I had Edward on my mind. It had only taken me seconds to compare everything between the two and Edward, without a doubt, had come out on top. Infact, Edward was on the top while Mike was still trying to learn to climb.

And I really needed to stop doing that. I was idolizing Edward when I shouldn't. I could never be with him. And he would never want to be with me. That was impossible. But I knew it would be a while before I could go out with anyone and not campare them with Edward, not matter how bad that sounded.

I sighed, lost in my thoughts. I hadn't noticed Alice tugging at my arm. "Bella!" She sang into my ear, her voice like bells.

"Hmm?" I questioned in a daze.

"We're going back to our house. Come on."

What? I didn't want to go anywhere else with that Mike guy-especially not my house! I definitly didn't want him to know where I lived. He could be some kind of creeper for all I knew.

But Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the resteraunt, the guys following right behind us.

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"Oh, and this is the balcony." Alice told the guys as we stepped out onto the balcony. Both of the guys looked impressed, more so Jasper. Mike seemed to be a little less then sincere.

"It's pretty cool." Jasper commented.

I hadn't heard him talk much through the night. It was kind of odd how different he and Alice were. She was bubbly, outgoing, and talkative while he was calm, quite, and sensible. But I truly believed that he was a good guy and throughout the night I had noticed that he did seem to care very much for Alice. And she deserved that.

"I want to show you something." Alice told Jasper excitedly, grabbing his hand and heading for back into the house. "Be right back, guys." She waved before her and Jasper left through the glass door.

I sighed, looking around awkwardly. It was just me and Mike now. This date was officially the most awkward thing ever.

I saw Mike scan my body once again from the corner of my eye and held back the urge to slap him. It was getting sick of that. "Did I tell you how sexy you look in that dress?" He whispered in my ear, his hands running up and down my arms like the true creeper he was.

I stepped away, turning to face him fully so that he wasn't standing behind me anymore. "Yeah, actually, you did."

"Well, you do look awfully sexy." He muttered, his eyes on my lips.

Before I could move away again, he grabbed my arms, keeping me in my place and placed his lips on mine in a hungry kiss.

I tried my best to pull away and fight back, but he pretty much had me pinned. He was a terrible kisser too, which just made it even more disgusting.

I stepped on his foot as hard as I could, causing him to yelp in pain. "Alice! Help!" I screamed as loud as I could as I began running towards Edward's room. I was hoping so much that he was in there.

"Hold on there babe." Mike grinned, grabbing me again and pushing me against the banister.

"Let go of me you perv!" I tried spitting in his face but before I had the chance is lips attached to mine. My arms started flying, trying anything to get him off of me.

It was only a slip second before I felt his body remove itself from mine. I let out a sigh of relief and wiped my mouth, turning to see what had caused him to finally give up.

Looks like it hadn't been his choice, afterall.

Edward had Mike pinned to the banister, a furious scowl on his face as he clung to Mike's shirt, like the always do when they're threaning someone.

"What the hell do you think you were doing asshole?" Edward seethed in Mike's obviously fearful face.

Mike chuckled nervously and Edward tightned his grip. "Just having a bit of fun, man."

"You're fucking shit. You think that's funny? How about I throw you the fuck off this balcony? That funny?"

Mike's breathing had seemed to stop, his face beginning to turn blue in pure horror.

"Edward, just forget about him." I tried to convince him, placing a hand on his forearm.

He glanced at me, his facial expression softening a bit before he turned to look back at Mike with a growl. Yes, he actually growled. "You touch her again and I really will throw you off this balcony, understand me?" Mike nodded, dazed. "Get the hell out." Edward snarled.

Mike clumsily stuttered fromt he balcony as he practially ran back down stairs and out of the house.

I took a deep breathe to calm myself down a bit, but I think it was Edward that needed to be calmed down. "Thank you." I stuttered softly, looking to the floor of the balcony.

Edward gently placed a hand on my shoulder, lifting my chin so that I was able to look at him. I tried not to shiver at the touch. "Are you alright, Bella?"

I nodded, getting caught up in his eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay."

He nodded, not saying anything else.

Alice and Jasper were suddenly at the balcony door, looking a bit in shock. "Bella, what happened? Mike just ran out of the house looking really shook up."

Edward tensed at Mike's name. "Don't ever let that guy back into this house." He ordered.

Alice slit her eyes in confusion. "What happened?"

Edward glanced at me. I probably looked like a mess. "Nevermind that. But I don't want either of you to have anything to do with him."

Alice was still confused, but I wasn't in the mood to relive it and Edward wasn't in the mood to tell the story, so I quickly suggested an idea of a movie.

Alice and Jasper nodded, still clueless to the situation. Edward agreed also, probably looking for a distraction also.

I don't know what it was about when Edward had been protecting me, but it had sent a surge through me that had yet to settle.

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Yes, well, there it is. Make of it what you will.

Reviews anyone?

-Peace!