For You ↠ Alice Cullen ✓

04 ; uppercut

"Hallo. Und wie geht es dir,"

The German spilled out of Tate Carver's mouth as he went through his flashcards. The hand that wasn't holding the flashcard upwards was writing down the words on a piece of notebook paper.

Around him, people spared him a brief glance as they heard the foreign tongue. Books were scattered around each of them, with the library's bar code on the spine of each one.

Blushing faintly, Tate mentally coached himself to be quieter. He whispered the next few words on his flashcard underneath his breath.

"Du siehst wunderschön aus," Tate mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"Thank you," A charming voice replied, followed by a purple colored notebook being placed down on the table in front of him.

Glancing upwards, Tate met the blinding smile of Alice Cullen. Her ink black hair was gently scattered across her forehead, accenting the lightness in her amber colored eyes.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked, voice like a bell.

"No," Tate replied, and watched silently as Alice scooted out of the seat across from him. He eyed her for a few moments before turning his eyesight back down onto his honors German homework.

"Why German?" Alice asked suddenly, making Tate look up once more.

"Why not?" He replied, and then paused. "I could ask you the same question."

Cocking her head, Alice asked, "What?"

"You knew what I said just a moments ago. Which means you have to at least know a bit of German. So, a truth for a truth. Tell me why you chose German and I'll tell you the same,"

"I learned French first," Alice said, folding her arms in front of herself and leaning slightly forwards. Her golden eyes capturing Tate's full attention. "And you know what the say about when you learn one language...."

"It's easy to learn another," Tate said, finishing her sentence. "My mother is German. Her side of the family speaks it fluently. I want to know what their saying when they speak it."

"Nosey," Alice teased.

Grinning only for a moment, Tate shrugged, "Smart,"

Tate left out the part where he wanted to learn German in order to see if his mother spoke about his condition to his extended family whenever he was in the room. He had noticed the lingering looks his Aunt had been giving him every couple of minutes as she'd spoken to Tate's mother in their native tongue.

Hearing both of the women speak, made Tate empathize more with his father and the confused looks he always shared with Tate whenever his mother went on a German rant about something that happened at work.

His mother hardly ever used the language, though she spoke it fluently, but around her family it seemed to be the only thing she could speak in. Hence, why Tate wanted to know exactly what his mother and Aunt were saying to each other whenever his family gathered together.

"Want me to help you practice?" Alice asked, friendliness in her tone.

Shaking his head, Tate shook his head. "No,"

A look of surprise mixed with hurt flashed in Alice's eyes before she was nodding. Tate instantly felt his stomach twist uncomfortably at the expression on Alice's face but he stood by his decision. He knew that with Alice helping him study, it would lead in a friendship; and then to a form of grief that he couldn't bare to place onto Alice's shoulders whenever he died.