A Few Minutes Too Late
AN: Short, to the point. Don't wait til it's too late is the moral of this story. No, I don't plan to expound on this.
Thanks to mynameisserendipity for prereading this for me. Anyone have a complaint thought, it's my fault, not hers.
Characters belong to SM
JPOV
"Jasper, hurry the fuck up," Edward yells at me up the stairs. Rolling my eyes, I take my god damn time. I don't want to go down to the beach again. "Come on," he shouts at me. Why the fuck would I want to go there? To watch him ogle Jacob, like he's been doing every damn day of the summer. The only reason he knew of Jacob's existence is through our friend Seth, whom Edward has basically ignored since the first time we'd hung out at the beach. We mean nothing to Edward anymore.
Bitter and angry, I stomp down the stairs, scowling. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Edward asks me in exasperation. As if he didn't know already. My mouth tightens as I glare at him and walk out the door.
In the car Edward talks incessantly about how gorgeous Jacob is and how much he wants him. My problem? Edward is my best friend that I wish was more than a friend. He's already dashed my hopes one too many times in that regard.
When we stop at the beach I hurry out of the car to get away from the conversation and head toward the beach. "Jas, wait up," Edward calls out to me. I keep walking. "Jas, don't be like that," he says when he nears.
"Fuck you, Edward," I hiss.
Feeling Edward's hand on my arm to stop my movement, I pause and look at him. "Don't be like that, please. You're still my best friend, that won't change. I just can't," Edward pleads.
Shaking his hand off my arm I find a place to sit and wait out another shitty day. Why do I even bother coming here? I should have told him to leave me at home, he can go by himself. The hold he had on my heart was far too powerful for someone that explained to me they can never love me back.
Edward sits down beside me and I wish he wouldn't. Being beside him when he sees Jacob breaks my heart every fucking time.
Hearing a gasp beside me, I know Edward must have spotted Jacob. He touches my hand to get my attention and I look up, an expression of pure infatuation on my friend's face. Turning my eyes in the direction he's staring, I see Jacob, tall, buff, tan, and wet. He apparently just came out of the water. Does Jacob look at either of us once? No. My friend wants someone that barely notices us. We aren't even a blip on his radar. At least Jacob is gay or I really would have had a lot more to say about this, but it still hurt.
"Edward, I don't know why you bother. He never even notices us," I remark.
He shrugs at me. "I always have hope."
Expressing a burst of air, I let him go ahead and have all that hope. I don't. I have no hope that Jacob will ever be with Edward. I have no hope that Edward will ever realize he should be with me.
Watching Edward, I come to one conclusion. We cannot be friends anymore. I want more from him and he doesn't. I love him, and walking away isn't something you do to someone you love is what I'd normally say. However, I love me too and cannot watch this without my heart being ripped to shreds every single time. It's time I became selfish and looked out for me.
My heart breaking, I mutter, "I can't do this anymore."
He barely registers any attention on me, still focused on Jacob. "You can't do what?"
"Be your friend," I state and stand, ready to leave him and move on with my life.
"What?" That got his attention.
"You know I love you and this... This is like murdering a piece of myself every single day. I won't do it anymore. I'll never move on with you in my life," I explain, tears forming in my eyes. This was the hardest thing I've ever done. He only gapes at me as I turn away.
Nearing the trees, a figure steps out. I barely notice or register his presence. "Are you okay, Jasper?" Seth whispers, as if any noise will send me running in the other direction. I wonder how much of that he saw or heard.
"I'm fine, or I will be fine," I conclude.
"Jasper, there are other people that want you. You don't have to wait around on him to get a clue," Seth reprimands.
"Yeah? Like who?" I question in confusion.
Stepping close to me, Seth lays a hand on my cheek. "What about me?" he asks.
"Really?" I ask, sounding dumb. I'm in shock that Seth wants me, I never even knew.
Nodding his head at me, he leans forward and captures my lips with his. It has been a long time since I've kissed anyone, and the sensations nearly overwhelm me.
Pulling away from him, I hold his head in my hands, just soaking him in. Before I doubt I would have given him the time of day. He's cute, but he's not beautiful like Edward or gorgeous like Jacob. I can work with cute though. Seth is someone you always feel like you should take care of. This boy wants me, just me, no more rejection.
Wrapping my arms around his lithe body, I breathe, "Okay." Whether or not this turns out to be the right thing, I am wanted here, in these arms.
EPOV
Jasper walks away from me, turning his back on me for good. I feel like shit, but I can't make myself love him like a lover should when I don't. I wish I could.
Jacob is so gorgeous that I don't see anyone else. All I want is him and his gorgeous body. You don't want him, you only want his body. You don't know one damn thing about him, you idiot. Shaking my head of those thoughts I turn my face towards Jacob.
What I see breaks my heart. He's there talking and laughing with another gorgeous specimen, right before he gives him a passionate kiss. Squeezing my eyes shut to erase the image, I open them back and the kiss still hasn't ended. Fuck. I've lost the one person I want and my best friend in the same day.
Standing up, I hope to catch up to Jasper and at least apologize for being an ass. I should never have forced him to come with me to watch me drool over another guy, knowing how he felt about me.
My eyes land on Jasper and Seth. Standing still, I feel like my heart is being crushed and it surprises me. This is worse than seeing Jacob kiss someone I don't know, much worse. There is Jasper, my Jasper, holding Seth close, as lovers. I knew Seth had a thing for Jasper, but Jasper was always so hung up on me, I never thought he would ever take a second look at Seth.
When Seth looks at Jasper with adoration and Jasper looks at Seth as though he wants to protect him, I realize I'm a few minutes too late. I'm the one that is left empty-handed.