Purple Sky by A. Teller (unputdownable books .TXT) 📕

Jacob drove us through the woods, turning carefully at every curve in the rode. I refused to look over the edge of the rode, knowing how steep this part of the bend was. It would flatten out very soon, but I still preferred to talk to Jacob. He was talking about Paul and his sister Rachael’s upcoming wedding. Jake didn’t seem excited about the event, but there wasn’t anything he could do. I was excited, secretly, about the wedding. Rachael and I had developed a friendship. I was helping her shop for wedding dresses in August, and after about a thousand hours of shopping, we’d found the perfect one. It was strapless, and the top of it was lined with pearls. They’d be getting married in February, and were nice enough to invite the entire Cullen family. Sure, it might get awkward, but Rachael was making me a bridesmaid. I couldn’t pass that up. Jake was excited I was in the wedding. I was worried about the dancing part of it, but tried to keep in out of mind.

We reached my house at 4:30. Alice walked out to greet us, and took my hand. I flashed a smile, my white teeth gleaming in the sun. Alice motioned for Jake, who stepped out of the car to follow. The house was adorned the same way I’d left it. Shining and snow-glazed. We walked up the long stretch of stairs, Alice practically dragging me up every step.

“Wait up!” I heard Jake call from another story.

“You’re getting old Jake!” I called down the case.

He climbed up to the room, and I was reminded of how tall he was compared to me. His bulk and my slenderness made our figures look more opposite then the colors black and white. His grabbed my hand and gently squeezed. I heard Edward instinctively hiss. Fatherly instinct, which I can‘t blame him for. Bella touched his shoulder, and he was quiet. I squeezed Jake’s hand, and he grinned. The flash of his white teeth peaked through his lips as he looked down at me. I was shorter than him, almost by six inches. But I was getting taller, and I hoped that one day, maybe I could kiss him without straining my foot muscles.

Emmett came to Rosalie’s side, wrapping his heavy-looking arms around her waist. That’s when I noticed Rose’s glare at Jake. She hated him. More so, now that we were coming together. She looked back at me, with a disappointed, almost sad expression. A desperate expression. She wanted her family’s baby back. But that only brought on more of her anger. She continued her dark stare at Jake, until Emmett’s whispering begged her to come outside with him. She complied, walking gracefully to the door. I heard Carlisle sigh with worry, but he hid it well. His crooked smile allowed me to breathe a little more. Carlisle was always helping, whether he knew it or not. Esme and Alice smiled with almost glowing happiness.

“Merry Christmas!” chirped Alice, breaking our family’s awkward connection. Sometimes, we all just stood, communicating in ways that were almost invisible to others. Jake blinked for a bit, kind of awkwardly not knowing what to do with himself. I felt his jump when Alice spoke so loudly! Despite her little figure and angelic looks, Alice could be quite loud. Rose would sometimes snap back at her when she was too loud. I caught Edward staring at my hand that wrap around Jacob’s. He saw the jewel of the ring I’d slipped on my finger, and I heard the faint clack of his teeth lock together. I had super hearing, or at least that’s what Alice said. I had better hearing than most vampires. Which surprised me. Being half human, you expect to be an over-the-top human, and a below-average vampire. More than a human, but less than a vampire. Jake squeezed my hand again, this time, more tenderly. I couldn’t help but spark a smile.

“Renesmee, sit,” Esme said, insistence evident in her voice. I sat on the white couch, and before I could motion for Jake, Alice shot down next to me, and Bella plunged down on my other side. Jake sat across from me, sitting in one of the two black cushioned, circular chairs. Edward sat in the chair next to him. I paused my breathing for a moment, but Edward’s eyes were calm, and I eased another breath out of me. Esme and Carlisle stood, and I realized something. Where was Jasper? But I kept quiet.

“This is from Esme and Carlisle,” Alice squeaked.

I looked at the small, navy-blue box. The color reminded me of Alice’s gift, and my teeth instantly clenched. But I took a small, quiet breath, and took off the ribbon. I felt my nails brush against the box, and it felt like a velvety cube. I opened the box to find a small, white square with a pink cap on the top. The bottle read in fancy lettering: Palace.

Palace? Oh, a perfume. I turn to Carlisle and Esme, thanking them.

“Smell it,” Carlisle insisted. “Then I’ll know you really like it.”

And I did. It smelled like a mix of roses and mint. I mean, I knew the real smells of these ingredients, so the perfume wasn’t exactly right by comparison. But the mix of it was wonderful. I spritzed the perfume lightly on my neck, and Edward smiled. Having a super sense of smell reminded us of what it was like to be human. Familiar smells of home, eating food. Memories they’d all but remembered. Edward immediately focused in on Jacob, who was smiling plainly.

“I know right,” Edward said with superficial, taunting cheerfulness. He sprouted a small, almost unseen smile. Jake made him smile?

“Well, I think it’s pretty,” I said, my words slightly quieter. Jake caught my discouragement.

“It’s pretty Nessie. Really, it is,” he insisted, his words more genuine now. Alice smile triumphantly. Obviously, she’d done some mind research. A small smile grew on my face from Jake’s words, and suddenly, Edward scowled. Jacob’s mind wasn’t exactly a great thing to listen to when he’s in love with your daughter.. Then again, no one’s mind is ever truly clean.

“Open this one next,” Bella said. She pulled out a medium sized black box with a silver ribbon around it. I opened many more presents after that, almost feeling spoiled. But then Jake brought out the gifts that I’d brought everyone. I felt better knowing everyone hadn’t just given me gifts.

I gave Alice a shiny, knew pin for her collection. She’d started collecting all different kinds of shining, sparkling pins a few months ago, and she was very into it. I got Edward one of the few CD’s he didn’t already have. It was an assembly of music from my parent’s wedding. I was surprised he didn’t have it. I gave Bella a necklace that she’d secretly told me she loved. My mother was way too lucky, being the only person Edward couldn’t hear. It was a sterling silver chain and a chunk of smooth, diamond-shaped quartz dangling from the bottom. Emmett and Rosalie still hadn’t returned…but I think it’s for the best. Rose never like Jake. She didn’t hate him all the time, only when he really got on her frozen nerves. But, like he always did, Jake ignored her. Over time, I’ve learned to as well. I loved her, like a sister. But you have to ignore even your family sometimes. And Jake and Rose always bickered like brother and sister. Ignore family when you need to, love them always, and keep them close while you ignore them.

As my family thanked me for the gifts, Alice brought a pearly, white box out and set it neatly on Jake’s lap. He’d been reclining in his chair, and it took him by surprise. He sat up with a confused look on his face.

“Bella and…Bella thought you’d like this,” Alice chimed. Bella and Edward, she meant.

Jake unwrapped the gift. He was ripping and tearing at the paper. Bella and I giggled, but Alice cringed. Edward was slightly grinning. I’m sure she was thinking of her beautiful wrapping paper, torn to shreds. Jake opened the box and found a brand new pair of the same shoes he always wore. But these looked so different from his horrible, old shoes. These were perfectly clean, and brighter than ever.

“Wow! I thought they never sold these anymore!” he said, overcome with excitement.

“I thought you might need some new ones,” Alice said, obviously tormented at the thought of Jake’s dirty, beat up old shoes walking across the clean, cold floor. But she kept her happy, Christmas cheer. I always thought Santa could use a vampire for an elf. Alice was the best at wrapping, shopping, decorating, cooking. She’d probably overthrow the North Pole in a week.

I went over and hugged Alice, and me and Jake thanked her at the same time. As he marveled at his new shoes, I followed Alice into the kitchen. She was disposing of all the wrapping paper. I finally spoke after a long stare of inner thinking.

“Alice?” She turned to face me. The ends of her mouth were tilted up, like they always were. It gave her the illusion that she was smiling.

“What?”

“Where’s Jasper?”

“Oh, he’s…” She blinked a few times, about to speak. But her voice was unheard.

Her eyes bugged out, her mouth sank, and she dropped the bag of paper. Vampires don’t trip or drop things on accident. I felt my heart jump up and down in my chest, as Alice stared into space. She was seeing something, and it wasn’t good.

“Carlisle! Esme!” I began to get out. The other names stayed lodged in my throat, but I didn’t need them. Everyone ran to the kitchen, Jake pulled me from Alice’s side, and Edward gripped Bella’s hand.

“It’s Jasper,” Alice whispered, her voice both terrified and shaky. “He’s...He’s…” She couldn’t finish

I practically pulled Jake through the back door to follow Bella and Edward. They bounded over the river and kept running. I let go of Jake’s hand, and he phased. I was anxious, then I froze. I couldn’t move. I suddenly felt the urge to ask Alice. Jake’s huge wolf head perked up, and he nudged me toward the house.

“You’ll wait?” I asked. I noted the desperateness in my voice.

He nodded, growling lowly at my sadness. He wasn’t mad at me, he was mad at the situation. He said that when he growled, it meant he was mad that something was making me feel sad or angry. I tussled his head, and he shook away playfully. His tale whipped side to side, indicating anxiousness. I ran inside to find Alice still frozen in the same place. She wasn’t seeing her visions anymore, she was just staring into space. She looked almost sick, and she was holding the kitchen counter to keep herself steady. I moved to her, and touched her shoulder. She sigh deeply, but quietly.

“Alice. What did his surroundings look like?”

She was still frozen I had to rephrase the question, since we could easily just