To Love and To Be Loved (A Jasper Hale/ Whitlock Love Story)

The Ballet

"I'm helping you get ready!" Alice insisted as I started readying myself to go with Jasper to the ballet. Apparently, we'd have to go early. We were meeting someone before we went to the ballet.

"Alice, you know I'm a big girl now, right?"

"Well I don't care, because I'm going to do your hair and makeup."

"Alice."

"Elle, we both know this isn't a discussion."

I heaved an unnecessary sigh and flopped back onto the chair.

"Do as you will."

Twenty minutes later, she handed me a mirror, and I had to say I was impressed. As a vampire, there's not much makeup does to change your face, but she gave me some color to my cheeks and used some fairly neutral colors on my eyes, and my blonde hair was half-up in a rose-gold hairpiece. It was slightly messy, but it was still elegant, pieces of my hair framing my face, and she shoved the semi-formal gown into my hands.

"Go on, you've gotta get going!" she insisted.

She helped me zip up the long-sleeved, knee-length, Queen-Anne neckline, navy blue dress. She placed a simple yet elegant necklace around my neck and handed me a couple simple gold earrings and a matching bracelet. I grabbed my intricate rose-gold clutch and then, of course, she handed me a pair of strappy rose-gold heels before shoving me out the door and running down the stairs ahead of me.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she began dramatically. "My masterpiece."

"Alice, you're being a little dramatic, don't you think?" I chuckled, showing up next to her, but she gave me a knowing look.

Emmett whistled at me, earning him a smack on the back of his head from Rose.

"You like it?" I asked my father with a chuckle, twirling around, and he smiled gently. "I'm usually a bit reserved when it comes to anything above the knee, but I thought I'd give it a try."

"You look stunning," he insisted, and I smiled gently at him, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, father."

"You'd better tell us all about it when you get home!" Esme insisted, and I smiled widely at her.

"But of course."

"Go on, Jazz just brought your bags out, he's waiting for you!" Alice insisted.

"Gosh, you're so nit-picky!" I laughed at her, but then I was off to the garage and Jasper closed the trunk of Alice's yellow Porsche. "She's letting us borrow hers?" Jasper looked at me and didn't respond, taking in my appearance and when he stepped around to walk toward me, I was frozen.

He looked so perfect.

He had a pair of black shoes and a pair of slim black slacks with a white pin-striped chemise and a fitted navy blue sweater.

"I feel underdressed," he admitted quietly, and I realized then that he was only about a foot and a half from me.

"Don't," I insisted at the same volume. "You look..." I wanted to say ravishing. Because God what I would to rip those clothes off him and-thank the Lord Edward wasn't there. "Perfect."

He smiled slightly and looked down to take my hand and look at the rose-gold nail polish I had applied while Alice was doing my hair. He stroked the back of my hand gently before looking at me with a gentle smile.

"You look beautiful." I couldn't help the small smile as I looked away and bit my lip. He tugged my hand gently, leading me to the car and opening my door for me.