Disclaimer: Unfortunately Edward Cullen and all his family belong to Stephenie Meyer and not me!
A/N: Big thanks to Demented Insane Spirit for betaing this story for me!
Breaking Point
As usual, at one o'clock on a Thursday afternoon, the Cullens were sitting in the cafeteria in Forks High School; they were bored out of their minds and, in some cases, suffering to make it through the next three hours. Jasper had his head in his hands, suffering more today than usual. It had been two and a half weeks since their last hunting trip and although they were all feeling very thirsty, it was obvious to them all that Jasper wasn't able to be pushed this far.
"Do you want to go?" Alice asked him softly.
It hurt her to see him this way as much as it annoyed him.
Jasper shook his head, not wanting to admit defeat. He was certain he could make it to the end of the day and it would make the weekend's hunting trip even more satisfying.
After another ten minutes, Edward, who was sitting opposite of Jasper, chuckled.
What's so funny? Emmett thought.
"That McCarthy girl over there is imagining her wedding to Jasper," Edward replied, slightly amused. He was accustomed to the many situations the girls of their high school imagined.
Emmett laughed. I hope she doesn't decide to ask him to marry her today or we could end up going to her funeral, not her wedding!
"You may have some competition, Alice; Jasper might take a liking for girls with…"
Edward didn't get to finish his sentence. What happened at that moment did so fast most people would wonder if it really did happen at all and if it did, how?
In the blink of an. eye Jasper and Edward were both out of their seats and Jasper had Edward pinned to the floor of the cafeteria. Jasper looked murderous and Edward was, frankly, shocked. The whole cafeteria went quiet and everyone stared at Jasper and Edward.
Emmett got up as fast as he could without any students getting even more suspicious, pulling Jasper off Edward and dragging him out of the cafeteria. Every student in the cafeteria followed them with their eyes and even the serving staff stopped what they were doing to look. Alice went to help Edward up, but he shrugged her off him and stormed out of the cafeteria, not looking back once.
He went outside and made his way to his Volvo. When he arrived there, Emmett was leaning against the bonnet, his arms folded over his chest, waiting patiently.
"He's really beating himself up about this," Emmett told him as soon as he halted, his tone serious.
"Is that right? Well maybe I can help him with that," Edward snarled irritably.
"Just leave him; you're only going to make things worse."
"Do you know what half the people in there are thinking?" He demanded, flinging an arm towards the school. "They may not be the smartest people on earth, but they know it's inhumanly possible for Jasper to be sitting across from me one second and on top of me the next."
"Better you than a student."
"That's not the point! There's going to be questions about this. We're meant to be fitting in, lying low - not making a scene in the middle of the cafeteria."
"You of all people know how hard this is for him, Edward."
"Yes, I do and I know that he shouldn't leave it for this long. He should know that, too. What's the point in trying to increase his endurance if it's going to be endangering people?"
Before Emmett could say any more Rosalie came over and stood between them.
"Where's Jasper?" she asked.
Emmett looked at Edward before answering. "He went home. Alice?"
"She went after him."
Edward walked off in the direction of the school.
"Where are you going?" Emmett asked.
"Biology," Edward said without looking back.