DISCLAIMER: Do we really need these anymore? Not mine.

Chapter One:

"Hey Bella?"

Alice is looking at me with a daring smirk on her face as we sit on the edge of the practice field.

I look at her as the whistles blow, the sun beams down and my skin warms. I roll my eyes but smile back at her. Alice excites me. I never know what to expect from her. Usually it's trouble... but it's always fun, so I ask her what she wants.

She leans over, her shoulder touching mine, as we both look straight onto the field. She palms the back of my head, moving it to focus on number thirty-seven.

I can hear the smile in her voice as her lips touch my ear when she says "I dare you to go get Jake's car keys out of the locker room and take us to Mase's house."

I look at her and smile. I know that Jake will be out here all day. I've heard the girls talk about this guy Mase ever since I got back from visiting my dad. My girls always get excited about new guys. I won't lie. I do to. So I take her up on her dare.

I hop up, on my feet, and grab her hand pulling her to stand, as she says "I'll meet you in the parking lot." I hear Alice interrupt Rosalie and Tanya's ogling over the players on the field as I walk away, looking over my shoulder at Jake. He's got sweat pouring from his neck as he stands in position for the next play. He's posed with one leg stretched out in front of the other, knees slightly bent, arms hanging at both sides... ready to sprint as soon as the ball goes into play. I watch his fingers wiggle as the gravity pulls them towards the ground and he anticipates the run. Just before I reach the hill, he catches my movement and looks my way, giving me a wink with a sexy smirk.

I love him.

I head up the hill, into the side entrance of the athletics building, toward my destination as I still hear the girls giggling about how hot the new coach is. I think his name is Coach Cullen. I eyeballed him from afar before I opened the door. I didn't notice anything special but I'd never ventured into the old man stage. That guy had to be at least twenty-six. Fuck that.

I reach Jake's locker with my hand over my mouth, wondering how long I can last in here without breathing... praying to God that I won't have to touch anything to get to his keys.

I can feel the anxiety building from the musty smell alone. Hand sanitizer doesn't cut it for me. I will need time for a full-on decontamination if anything bacteria-ish touches me.

I see his hat hanging on the inside hook and his bag lying below. After unzipping the bag I find a clean change of clothes, a CD, a torn, folded piece of paper with curly writing sticking out on one corner, and a pack of big red gum. Jake always had a piece of big red in his mouth.

Always.

I slide a piece of gum out of the pack and drop it back into the bag. The pack falls on top of the piece of paper. As much as I want to pretend that I'm better than this and have more integrity than to snoop through Jake's things, my curiosity gets the best of me. So, instead of zipping the bag and snatching the keys, I do what any other girl would do. I pick up the piece of paper, unfold it, and read it.

When I feel my blood get hot, I make sure to lay the piece of paper face up, on top of his zipped bag. Adrenaline rushes through me as I decide that I don't care what I have to touch to make it out of this locker room, I just need to grab the keys and I'm out of here.

Reaching for his hat, I can see the keys dangling from the gold hook as I lift it. My mission is complete. I snatch the keys from the hook, throw on Jake's hat, the hat that I motherfucking bought him. The hat that he wouldn't be wearing again, and I leave the building feeling that familiar knot in my throat- the tremble of nervous energy that feeds my determination as I grip the keys in my hand.

She doesn't know that I read the note. All that matters now is that I know exactly who she is. And as they say... keep your friends close and your enemies closer, I was about to make sure Alice didn't leave my sight.

I'll be more than obliged to take her to Mase's house today.

A/N: No beta, all mistakes are mine... sorry. Thanks so much to any and all of you that stop by for a read, alert, favorite and review. Your reviews mean so much :) I can't wait for you guys to meet Mase. He's a little intense with a side of confidence... just how I like him, I hope you like him too.