"Jasper!" I flinched when I heard my father's voice bellow furiously through the house.

I sat perfectly still on my bed as he stomped up the stairs screeching, "You stupid, useless, waste of my time!"

I could feel me heart starting to race in my chest as the door to my room was shouldered open. Father's bloodshot eyes didn't have any trouble finding me, pinning me under his glower.

His words were sinister and slurred a little when he snarled, "What did you do with it?"

I didn't dare look him in the eye when I quietly lied, "I don't know what you mean, dad."

He stomped across the room, each heavy footfall jolting my body with fear. He curled his fingers into my shirt, yanked my viciously off of the bed, and slammed my back against the wall.

I flinched at the pungent smell of alcohol as he leaned in closer and roared, "God damn it, you stupid little prick, if you don't fucking tell me where you put it I'll beat you senseless!"

I panicked and grabbed his wrists, shouting, "No! I'm sorry, I have it. I'll give it to you!"

He threw me onto the ground and I gasped as I landed hard, rattling my bones. I scrambled over to my desk and yanked my backpack open, pulling out a large bag of expensive white powder.

He snatched it from me and his leg flashed forward, kicking me in my stomach. I gagged and cowered until he left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

When I was sure he was all the way down the stairs I growled, "Fucking bastard."

I coughed a few times as I pulled myself onto my feet. Lying back on my bed I tried to do some homework, an essay for English. I got two of five paragraphs done with the screaming started downstairs.

Mother shrieked, "You have to stop this, Richard! We don't have enough money for you to keep using this shit."

Dad snarled, "Shut up woman, I make the money, I can choose what I spend it on!"

She demanded, "Well I birthed our child, and you do what you like with him!"

I hated it when they dragged me into this. I hated it when they argued all the time. And they did, all the time. The screaming didn't stop until mom passed out at 4:30am, and dad started getting ready for work.


"Holy hells, Jasper, were you partying all night or something? You look tired." I was fighting to stay awake in English, and the class hasn't even started yet. This was my third day without any sleep at all. My friend Edward was sitting on my desktop talking to me.

I stifled a yawn and lied, "Yeah, I was."

He frowned at me, "How come you never invite me to come, too? Man, between you and Emmett; make me feel like the biggest looser in the school."

I shrugged, "Sorry man, you can come to the next one, I promise!"

He went to sit in his own desk when our teacher entered the room.

She ordered briskly, "Everyone pass up your essays!"

I frowned fractionally ad I collected the papers from me row, giving the to her when she passed, leaving my own out. I should have known that in a class of just 16 she was going to notice mine missing.

"Mr. Whitlock." Her voice had its usual sourness in it. "Did you loose your paper, again?"

What as I, six?

I informed her, "No, I have it."

She leaned forward on her desk and asked me, "And why don't I have it?"

I smiled at her and tried to sound sincere, "I didn't think it was fair to waste your valuable time with my 'incoherent scribble' while you could be reading as pleasing as one of Edward's essay's."

My direct quoting of some of her favorite things to say to me made the class laugh, and her eyes narrowed. She was nowhere even close to amused.

"Jasper, you can give me what you do have, or you can leave my class."

Shit! Every third referral is a suspension, and dad hates it when I get suspended! I already have two…

I rolled my eyes and commented, "Whatever you say."

I handed the paper to Edward, sitting beside me, and he set it on the desk. Bitterly, I ignored everyone for the rest of the class.

I tried really hard to be good in the rest of my day, and I succeeded in Gym and Biology. When it was time to go to lunch, I was drawn by raucous laughter down the hall.

A few boys, three freshman, cornered the new girl against the lockers. I recognized her; it was Deputy Swan's daughter. One boy kicked her book across the hall and another grabbed her backpack, shuffling through it. She stood stiff, with her eyes closed and her face was pale.

I stomped up behind the ringleader kid and grabbed the back of his neck hard.

My voice was deathly cold when I asked, "Do we have a problem here, freshies?"

The kid thought he was being cool as he pulled away from me and growled, "Yeah, you just touched me!"

He spun around on his heel, having to look up a foot and a half to see me face. I grinned at him and his eyes bulged, Bella's backpack falling out of his hand.

I lifted my eyebrow and scoffed, "Is that so? Well, I have a problem with you punks messing with a girl!"

I shot my hand forward, my hard palm shoving him back and he stumbled a foot. That infuriated him, and he swung his fist at me, a fist that I nimbly dodged. Pulling my arm back I curled my hand and sent it flying towards him, cracking him right in the nose. He landed on his ass, gasping as blood began to drip onto his shirt.

I glared at the smaller boys and barked, "Go and get her that book!"

One of them turned white as a ghost and ran down the hall to obey. The other stumbled over to his bleeding friend and helped him to his feet.

The second kid retuned and handed the Bella girl the text, "S-sorry."

She took it and silently looked away.

I growled, "Get out of here, rats."

All three darted down the hallway. I picked up her backpack, re-zipping it as I handed it to her.

"Here you go. Your Bella Swan, right?"

She took the bag and asked, "How do you know my name?"

I frowned and hesitantly told her, "My dad is well acquainted with the police force I suppose you can say. Besides, Rose told me you were starting school soon."

She visibly relaxed at the mention of someone we both knew.

She asked, "What's your name?"

I sniffed, "Jasper."

She chuckled, "Isn't that a cat name?"

I glared at her and shrugged, "So is Bella! I didn't pick it."

She took my mock offence seriously and apologized, "Oh I didn't mean to offend you!"

I grinned, "Don't sweat it, you couldn't possibly do that." She blushed and shoved her book into her backpack before slinging it over her shoulder.

I offered, "Walk you to lunch? I'll help you find your friends." She lowered her eyes- implying she hasn't made any yet.

I carefully amended, "Or you can come meet mine. Ed's a freshie like you, and Alice is too. She might be in school today, I don't know though."

She's been sick for a while, but who knows with that girl! Bella nodded and I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her along and chattering conversationally all the way to the table.

Em and Rose were with us today, which was highly unusual. They were both very popular seniors.

Rosalie is a foster child who's kind of been adopted by Deputy Swan, and she's the prettiest girl this side of Detroit.

Em is Edward's older brother, the schools star football jock. They almost always sit with their friends at lunch.

As I said, unusual.

That is, until I got closer and could see their faces. Emmett's face was contorted with rage and his fists were clenched. Edward had a black eye and dried blood on his cheek.

I glared at him and demanded, "What the fuck happened?"

Edward insisted, "It was my fault!"

Emmett snorted loudly, "Don't buy that, Jazz. Some asshole rammed into him in the hallway, and then had the nerve to start a fight with him over it!"

I sighed, "We can get him back later. I got this one kid earlier, they were fucking with her."

I jerked my head towards Bella, who was silently standing beside me.

Rosalie asked, "Are you okay, Bella?" Bella smiled and nodded.

Emmett narrowed his eyes, suddenly calmer, "So this is the sister, huh Rose?"

The elder girl shrugged, "I suppose so."

A small female fluidly slithered over to us, sitting on Edward's lap and pressed an ice pack against his eye. He whimpered, but didn't move it away.

I grinned, "That's Alice, Bella."

Alice waved and Bella smiled shyly.

I sat down with her, and then a teacher interrupted us. "Jasper Whitlock, how can I ever get any work done when I am always coming after you?" Not a teacher, the dean of students.

I smiled over my shoulder and asked innocently, "Is it my fault I am so irresistible, Clara?"

She shook her head and smiled, holding a pick sheet of paper out.

I muttered, "Son of a bitch." A suspension paper, fuck!

She scolded me, "I told you last month to leave the younger students alone! Bloodying their noses hardly falls into that category."

I grinned and took the paper from her. "Sorry, but you know I just have so much trouble stopping myself when they get annoying."

She sighed and walked away from the table.

I scowled and slammed the paper onto the table, "Damn it!" Everyone else jumped.

Rosalie asked, "What's the matter, Jazz? You get suspended all the time, no big deal, right?"

I frowned, "Well, mom's going to be working all week."

My mother was the only one who had a chance at saving me from him. He would never hit her, and if she got in between us I was safe from him coming after me for at least that night.

Bella asked curiously, "That's a bad thing?"

I shared a fleeting glance with Alice before I sighed, "Nah, me and my dad just don't get along the best is all. I'll go hang at the park, I guess."

I left the school after lunch and loitered in the park until it was three, and I decided it was safe enough to go home.

I stood outside the door, my hands trembling. It was locked, I forgot my key. I had no choice but to knock, and let him confront me.

My stomach felt so tight I was glad I hadn't eaten lunch; I know I would have thrown up.

I felt my heart leaping into my throat as I tried to control my breathing.

Lifting my quivering arm I gave three small raps on the door. I heard a few heavy footsteps and then the door was yanked open.

My father glared down and snarled, "I've been waiting for you, boy."