Today is going to be dreadful. Thought Jasper as he drove in Edward's Volvo through the streets of Forks, why on earth did Rosalie and Emmett have to adopt a kid and then send him to pick her up after Pre-school? It just wasn't on, but Esme had supported them, so Jasper had been left with no choice but to obey. Silently, he glared through the window as the dismal town went past, too slowly for his liking. Rosalie apparently had to study with Emmett. Jasper wasn't so sure about that, he didn't believe them. What was even worse about the child, though, was that it was a human!
Jasper hadn't enjoyed it when he had to put up with Bella, other than the fact that everything was so much better and his brother was happier. Bella's blood was just so tempting, like all the blood of humans. Why on earth did the family have to keep bring humans into their lives? Punishment, that's what this is. I'm getting punished for all the lives I have taken. Thought the silent figure darkly as he continued driving.
Arriving at the Pre-school, Jasper got out of the car and locked it. Leaning against the silver bonnet, he pondered on what path was the best way to tread. Golden eyes watched as a mother walked into the building without conduct, not even bothering to knock and then a few minutes later walk out with a child. Presumable that was hers as it looked like her. They both seemed happy, the child more so than the adult, and it appeared this must be the usual conduct for picking up the little humans.
A small sigh escaped Jasper's lips and he walked forward to enter the building. Opening the door, he was greeted with the smell of blood, sweet and fresh in the young children and Jasper bit his lip, worried that he might attack. After getting acclimatized to the new scent, he walked forward, grateful that he had hunted earlier today as a precaution towards this job that he had been deployed to. Moving forwards, taking long strides, Jasper further penetrated the building so he could perform his task. Looking around, his golden eyes fell on a woman who appeared to be organizing the kids.
The way she did this was considerably different to how Jasper had organized newborns in his days in the vampire army. The kids listened and obeyed with more conduct and they giggled a lot. One or two would disobey the kind orders the woman was giving to them, but Jasper could tell that they were only doing this for fun. The woman looked up and walked over to him. Taking his hand, she shook it.
"Hello, I'm Mrs Huston, call me Jade, and you are?" said the woman.
"Jasper Hale." He replied curtly, standing in the military style he was used to.
"No need to look like that!" Mrs Huston said with a laugh. "This isn't the army."
Just then, the little girl Rosalie had adopted, Myra, came running forward. Her long white blonde hair was messed and Jasper figured out that this would give Rosalie some time to play mothers and daughters.
"Jade, he was in the army." She giggled, Jasper let no emotion pass over his face, but he was wondering how much Rosalie had told the girl. Of course, they had to keep it a secret that they were vampires, but other than that, Rosalie had free reign over what she informed the child. Myra's words brought a whole group of boys surging around Jasper, asking for stories.
"Why don't you sit down and tell us some stories." Mrs Huston smiled, getting a chair out for Jasper.
"Okay, Ma'am." Jasper said, sitting on the chair and thinking about what he was going to say. As soon as he sat down, one of the little boys slung onto his leg and scrambled up to sit on Jasper's knee. A shocked expression fell onto his face for a second. Then, taking in the emotions, Jasper realised this made the little boy happy, and the rest envious. The happy emotions were nice, but overwhelming, but Jasper knew he could cope with it. In fact, he was almost enjoying this emotional climate; it was like a warm country. But Jasper knew he would need the 'rain' soon.
"I'm sorry," Mrs Huston said, seeing Jasper's initial expression at the child sitting on his knee. "I'll get him off for you." But her actions were fruitless for as soon as that boy had been moved, another clambered on. Mrs Huston was about to remove this child when Jasper came up with an idea.
"Ma'am, how about the children each have a minute turn and when they have all had a go, or when I have finished with my story, I can leave." He said. This caused the children to jump up and down and make various happy noises.
"Please, call me Jade." Said Mrs Houston, but she smiled and pulled up a chair and sat watching as Jasper told a story. Of course, Jasper's story was mostly made up. He didn't say he was in the Confederate army, fighting the Unions. Instead, he based it off modern wars going on and used the equipment used now instead of riffles, muskets and swords. All the children were gripped and quietly took their turns, then came the questions. First, on little boy came forward and looked up at Jasper.
"Sir… can you teach me how to fire a gun?" he asked softly, Jasper shot a look at Mrs Huston who shook her head.
"It is not for your age." He told the boy, who grumbled a bit, but then another boy came forward.
"Did you ever use a sword? And can you teach us how to use them?" asked this boy.
"I can use swords-" Jasper started but be was interrupted by Mrs Huston who now seemed interested.
"Broad sword or fencing?" she asked.
"Both," Jasper smiled at her, trying not to worry about how long he would have to stay here. Already several parents had sat down and were listening to his tales.
Then a girl came forward, nudged by some of her friends, obviously this had come from a group discussion.
"Sir, did you ever rescue any princess or fall in love?" she asked shyly. Jasper thought about this question for a while before answering, all the girls were eagerly listening in.
"Well, there have been no princess stuck in wars since the realm of fairy tales, and I do not participate in such battles. Besides, I am no prince. I have fallen in love and got married. That is the reason I am no longer fighting in any wars and why I have found peace." Jasper informed her. The girls made some weird noise which Jasper guessed it meant that they found his story sweet.
By this point, Jasper had started to get really bogged down in the emotions and although he had felt happier, he was starting to get stressed, he was glad when two of the boys went off and started to enact the story that Jasper had given to them. This was followed by more of the boys and the girls eventually disappeared.
"That was very interesting, Mr Hale. I think that it would be nice if you came in at the local school and teach them fencing. If you keep at it, these children will be ever so keen about it." Smiled Mrs Huston.
"Please, Ma'am, I am not teacher, nor a professional." Informed Jasper.
"Well, I think that maybe you can work on it and then teach them. I'll ring up the school and see what they think. I'll send a message home with Myra when I get their answer." Smiled Mrs Huston.
"No ma'am!" Jasper protested but she had already gone off, he growled under his breath and turned to look at Myra.
"You coming?" he asked her and she nodded. Thinking on the spot, Jasper decided to go in character for a second.
"Attention, forward march!" he told her, she giggled then ran outside, but Jasper was already forming a plan to get Rosalie back for what she had done. Getting into the car, Jasper had to strap Myra into the booster seat, which was annoying as it meant he was closer to her skin. Ignoring this, Jasper strapped her in and drove towards home.
Arriving, he saw Rosalie smiling smugly at him, his golden eyes glared at her.
"Have fun?" she asked. "You're a little late back." Her voice chimed.
"At some point I would like the exact details of what you are informing the girl." Jasper growled under his breath before storming upstairs to go into his room. Arriving there, Jasper saw Alice, happily reading a book, perched delicately on the edge of the bed. She looked up innocently to stare at Jasper with wide, innocent and curious eyes.
"How was your day?" she asked him, a small smile on her fact.
"Exhausting." Jasper said and he lay down on the bed face first with his eyes closed trying to shake off all the emotions that had managed to wiggle their way into him. The children and their emotions were some of the most annoying, wiggling things Jasper had ever encountered. He wondered what an army of them would be like. If only they could obey orders and were tougher, mind you, if they were vampires they'd be impossible. Jasper heard Alice sigh and the bed lift up by one tiny minute degree of a millimetre. Then, he felt Alice's breath against his ragged neck and her lips giving him a soft kiss.
Jasper turned to kiss her but she had moved, her voice giggling and he wondered what the pixie-like vampire was planning. She smiled at him. "Take off your jacket!" she laughed and Jasper obeyed, confused. His expression sent Alice into more laughter. "Now, your stressed, do you want it to go away?" she asked, not giving Jasper a chance to reply, she continued. "Well, lie down." Jasper followed Alice's orders and then he felt her hands on his back giving him a massage and he was now laughing too. Trust Alice to think of this!