Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Perfect For Me

By Mama4Dukes

Chapter 16:

The Ball…

The ball was a crush. Anybody who is anybody was here. His mother had opened up the ballroom doors, which allowed access into the expansive garden. There were guests mingling in both spaces. The couple snuck into the ballroom from the kitchen. They immediately spotted their buddies, who were all grouped together, chatting.

“Hey, you look beautiful, Bells!” Paul commented. “I didn’t even recognize you. I thought you were a supermodel!”

“You said the same thing when I went to the senior prom!”

He squeezed her nose. “It’s because you clean up nice. Besides, I like this guy way better than that Mike Newton kid you went to prom with.”

“Did you know he’s marrying Jessica Stanley?”

“No, way!” Jake exclaimed. “How did you find out?”

“Quil told me. He’s a groomsman in the wedding.”

“Wow! They’re kind of perfect for each other, aren’t they?”

“They’re made for each other.”

“Who is Mike Newton?” Jasper asked.

“The most privileged kid in Forks. His parents own Newton’s Olympic Outfitters. He was dating Bella for a while,” Sam informed him, “until Paul and I scared the shit out of him.”

“Why did you scare him?”

“We didn’t like him. Did we, Paul?”

“Nope, he wasn’t good enough for our Bella. He was a pussy!”

“It’s true. They really didn’t like him,” she admitted. “Neither did Jake, right?”

“Nope, he wasn’t good enough for you. Besides, he was flirting with other chicks when he was dating you, and he was making claims he shouldn’t have been in the locker room.”

“Ding! Ding! Ding! So that’s why you guys threatened him. I was wondering why he suddenly broke up with me. I hope you ripped him a new one.”

“Jake, you were supposed to keep it a secret.”

“Why? It’s been years since she was a senior in high school. I’d say the statute of limitations on secrecy is over.”

“You guys are so silly. I could have kicked his ass.” She chuckled and turned to Jasper. “I told you they’re overprotective. You’re lucky they like you, or you would be dead.”

They continued chatting until his mother appeared in front of him. “Jasper, you made it. And you brought Bella. How nice.” She smiled and peered at his friends. “Oh, and your college friends are here, too. Would you like to re-introduce me?”

Jasper, of course, did the honors before his mother led him away into the garden to mingle with other guests. He refused to leave Bella behind, so he took her with him, much to the dismay of his mother, who had yet to compliment her appearance.

Meanwhile, Jasper was becoming increasingly pissed off with her attitude. She was not going to get her way in this. She wanted Jasper to show up, so he did with Bella, who put in a tremendous amount of effort to prepare for the event. The least she could do was acknowledge her.

As they mingled around the party, they eventually ran into some of the assholes he went to prep school with, one of whom brought Alice for a date. They were standing by the ostentatious, yet beautiful, fountain his mother had erected in the yard.

Immediately, Alice began making catty remarks here and there about Bella. “Wow! Where did you buy that dress? Walmart?”

Some of Alice’s friends giggled at her remark.

“Actually, Jasper picked it out for me.”

“Jasper doesn’t shop.”

“I do with her. I actually enjoy spending time with her,” Jasper replied.

“I’d like to spend some time with her, too,” Alice’s date, a guy name Bradford replied.

“Ignore him,” Bella warned Jasper in a whisper. “He’s just trying to get a rise out of you.”

“It’s not nice to whisper, you know.” Alice snipped.

“Bella! Come here, Darlin’!” Colton Whitlock exclaimed as he drew her into a hug. “I have some people I want you to meet.”

“Hello, Mr. Whitlock,” Alice purred as did everyone else in her friend group. They were all smiling and trying to get themselves into the good graces of Jasper’s grandfather.

“Mr. Whitlock, it’s a pleasure to see you again, sir. I’m Bradford Benson the Fourth,” Alice’s date preened as he extended his hand to shake Colton’s. “You know my father and grandfather both. I wanted to discuss some ideas I have with you at some point; perhaps over lunch next week?”

“Sir, I’m Grayson Rogers. I went to prep school with your grandson before we sadly went off to separate colleges. I have a proposal which I’d love for you to review.”

Jasper scowled. He hated the guy. He was the worst sort of bully ever; he used to taunt him in the middle of class because he’d rather play chess than football. And now he wanted to try to make a business deal with his grandfather. Well, Jasper wasn’t having it.

“And might I say, Sir, Jasper and Bella make a stunning couple,” Grayson continued.

“You make brown-nosing an art, don’t you, boy?”

Grayson’s eyes widened. And he retreated a few steps backwards.

“Sir, about that lunch,” Bradford started, but wasn’t allowed to finish.

“Enough.” He put his hand out to stop the creep from saying anymore. “Bella, let’s go. I want to introduce you to Dr. Digby Andrews. He’s interested in hearing your thoughts on the robotic arm.”

“Dr. Digby Andrews? May I attend as well, Sir?”

“Buford, give it a rest!”

“The name is Bradford, Sir.”

“Buford, what is your degree in?”

Bradford pumped his chest out and smiled. “I have a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA, both from Harvard, Sir.”

“Good for you! And what about you, Jason?”

“It’s Grayson, sir. I have a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton and an MBA from Brown. And I’d like to add that I, too, noticed Jasper’s girlfriend’s stunning beauty. I’m just sad I didn’t see her first, I would have snatched her up; however, I’m very happy for my good friend.”

His date, a perfect little blonde thing, whose name he had forgotten scowled at him, and huffed loudly.

Bella looked absolutely nonplussed, and Jasper was sure he did as well. Who the hell were these guys to suddenly start flattering both Bella and him to his grandfather? These two were the worst sort of bootlickers imaginable. He didn’t want to be around these jerks at all.

And then it got even worse. Rich and Nan Brandon approached, followed by Jasper’s mother.

“Mr. Whitlock, sir, it is excellent to see you,” Rich Brandon greeted. “And you, too, Jasper. Hopefully, Alice and you were able to patch things up.” Nan and his mother nodded in agreement. He completely ignored the fact Bella was standing next to his grandfather.

“Well, I was just about to take Bella and Jasper to speak with Dr. Digby Andrews,” Colton stated. By now, reinforcements had arrived in the form of his Grandpa Cullen, who had Peter and Sam with him.

“And he was going to take us, too, Sir,” Bradford stated, motioning to Grayson and himself. “We were just impressing him with our educational qualifications.”

“Boy, you have more shit on your nose than your father and grandfather combined!” Colton scolded. “I am taking Jasper and Bella along with two of their friends to discuss robotics. Now unless, you have an engineering degree you can magically pull out of your pocket, you stay put and play with your little dicks. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Sir,” both of Jasper’s former classmates replied at once.

“Well, why don’t we go and see Dr. Andrews now,” Rich Brandon stated.

“You’re not invited either, Rich. This concerns the funding of a combined research project at Rice University by Cullen Oil and Whitlock Energy. Now, unless you can come up with, let’s say, thirty-million dollars at the drop of a hat. You aren’t invited.”

“Colton, you know damn well that Rich Brandon can’t come up with thirty-million dollars,” Carlisle added, “he’s missing that amount from his bank account.” He smirked and wagged his eyebrows.

Rich Brandon seemed to have lost some of his pluck and grimaced. Jasper’s grandfathers were two of the most powerful business magnates in Texas; and he wasn’t about to argue with them.

Jasper’s mother had a horrified expression on her face as she quietly distanced herself from Nan Brandon and stepped towards her own father. Having a friend whose husband was thirty-million dollars in debt would be unacceptable to her. She stood next to her father scrutinizing Bella, as if she were studying her to find some merit to her.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Whitlock. I don’t understand why Bella gets to go if this is a meeting for engineers. I heard she’s only a cocktail waitress.”

“I work part-time as a waitress, but I go to school full-time at Rice. I’m earning my master’s degree in mechanical engineering.”

“Hah! I knew it! I knew you were only a waitress,” she shouted, drawing the attention of the guests towards them. “I heard it just now from your own mouth!” Alice had a look of vindication on her face. Nan Brandon approached her daughter and smiled at her indulgently for ‘outing’ Bella’s disgraceful profession.

Jasper saw many of the women talking behind their hands glaring at his girlfriend with sneers on their faces.

Bella shook her head and smirked. “You really are an insecure, little social climber, aren’t you? Do you really think I’m embarrassed about having to work while I earn my master’s degree? Unlike you, when I’m done with my degree next year. I’ll be able to support myself comfortably with my own money, not my father’s.”

Her face twisted into an ugly scowl while she glared daggers at his girlfriend, her hands suddenly propelling out to push her. Bella simply stepped out of the way forcing Alice to land in the fountain.

“How dare you?” Nan Brandon shouted at Bella, rushing towards her daughter.

“This is unacceptable. I will not have some cocktail waitress usurping my daughter’s position as Jasper’s fiancée!” Rich Brandon snapped, and then angrily slapped Bella across the face.

Wrong move. Jasper angrily punched his nose, but then regretted it because his hand was hurting something fierce; he was pretty sure he broke something. Rich Brandon promptly punched him back.

“You’re such a pussy, you can’t even fight like a man,” he taunted.

“No, but I can,” Bella sighed as she elbowed him in the groin, punched him with a back fist to his jaw, and kicked him across the face. She then took the offending arm, twisted it behind his back, and broke it. She shoved him to the ground and growled, “No one ever hits my boyfriend or me and gets away with it.”

“Someone call an ambulance! My daughter and husband were both attacked by this husband stealer!” Nan Brandon screamed, but no one reacted.

And then a surprising figure stepped forward with a fierce expression on her face. “Nan, I would like to ask you and your family to leave and never return.”

“My husband is injured because of your son’s girlfriend.”

“The way I saw it, she was just defending herself. Your daughter and husband both insulted her, and physically attacked her. I dare you to defy me. You know I can crush you socially,” Edyth Whitlock calmly turned towards Bella. “Let’s get some ice on your cheek, Sweetheart.”

“Um, sure, but I think we need to get Jasper taken care of, too. He definitely has a boxer’s break in his hand.”

Edyth put her arms around both Bella and Jasper, her copper hair, perfectly coiffed as she regarded them with an expression of respect. “Come along children, we don’t need to have anything to do with those people.”

When Jasper glanced back, he noticed all the guests turning their backs on the Brandon Family, whom he had no doubt would be social pariahs by the next day.