A/N: MAN, where to begin? Thanks so much for the fantabulous reviews. And drrrrrrrrrrrrum roll please: the special chapter 2 dedication is for……………………OTHlover04
for being the first reviewer of both the story and chapter. You get an equally uber awesome prize! You get to keep Jasper for Chapter 2! LUCKY BIRRRCH. Honorable mentions go to Anima Bella, Queen O'Randomness, 95, Bell Agnew, and Foam Weber. Thanks for playing:D and don't be a sour sport, the next prize is ten times better!
DISCLAIMER: I'm an idiot and forgot to add the tiny excerpt of whose boss. SMEYER owns all…except for a few stoned OCs.
A Lesson in Peaches and Coconuts
Cheryl fidgeted in her seat, glaring at the clock. Perhaps if she stared at it hard enough, time would begin to slow down, thus delaying her tutoring session with Jasper Hale. No such luck. What was wrong with the damn clocks at school? They moved entirely too fast for her taste. Even History class seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye, which astonished her to no end. How come class went by so slowly the previous days? Was this some kind of sick joke God liked to play?
Ten minutes.
Maybe if she sprinted out of class to the car, she could pretend like she forgot about the session…but she knew that would have been exceptionally rude, especially when Jasper was generous enough to offer up his time and talents. She was being an idiot, she decided. Things would go smoothly.
"You can keep staring at the clock, but it's not going to change anything," Cora muttered absentmindedly, eyeing her worksheet.
"I'm about to endure two hours of the most boring subject known to man. Sympathy, please."
A snicker was heard from the back of the class. Cora and Cheryl turned around to find Emmett and Jasper laughing about something, but the girls couldn't quite put their finger on what was so damn funny. They ignored them.
"See: he clearly has a sense of humor. You'll live."
"Are you kidding me? The only thing that's going to be funny is that constipated expression he'll be wearing the entire session."
Parks: 1. Hale: 0.
Again, laughter was heard at the back of the class, but only from Emmett's part. Jasper was glaring, though Cheryl and Cora were oblivious to the situation altogether.
Cora attempted to suppress a giggle, but failed mercilessly. "You're so mean."
"I'm not mean. I'm just honest," Cheryl raised her hands up in defense.
"Well, at least his face can distract you from the boring factor. He's gorgeous."
"Yes, but this is history we're talking about here," Cheryl reminded her friend. "He's not that hot."
Parks: 2. Hale: 0.
The bell rang, drowning out Emmett's shrewd laughter. Cora dragged Cheryl out of the classroom as the girls chatted about fashion instead of Cheryl's impending boredom. The conversation was unsuccessful. In a solid three minutes, Cora ditched Cheryl without a second thought. The latter girl was reduced to a lonesome walk as she escaped the fiery clutch of the educational establishment, venturing into the school parking lot.
Cheryl wasn't good with cars, so the only word she could use to describe one of the Cullen cars was 'big'. Maybe even 'daunting'. She prayed to God that the car she spied wasn't Jasper's car, or she was going to have to fight a hyperventilating fit.
She was so distracted by the vehicle that she didn't even notice the tall figure that stood beside her.
"Are you ready?" Jasper inquired with a face of indifference.
"Uh…that's not your car, is it?"
He smirked slightly, walking towards the driver's seat, "Actually, it is…Why? Is that going to be a problem?"
So this was how it was going to end: death by freakishly big automobile. She hoped it would end quickly and painlessly.
"Of course not," she scoffed, heading to the passenger seat. "It's just a car…a big car. How do I even get on it?"
His lips pursed together tightly. Whether it was out of frustration or to suppress a laugh was a mystery to her. "You could start by opening the door."
Hale: 1. Parks: 2.
"And you could start by unlocking it," she replied absentmindedly, still holding onto the car's handle. She was deeply entranced by the size.
Hale: 1. Parks: 3.
That was one thing Jasper Hale would have to get used to: unlocking the doors for this particular car. Emmett usually accompanied him whenever the truck was used, and he was fully capable of entering the vehicle sans silly locks. Still, if Jasper was flustered by her comment, Cheryl noticed he didn't show it. In fact, he didn't seem to showcase a wide variety of emotions other than pain or indifference. At times, he seemed like a calm person…but it was always the unsuspecting ones that turned out to be the most surprising. And she wasn't afraid to make that judgment.
Cheryl opened the door, entering the car. She could feel the piercing gazes of the entire student body as she threw her bag to the backseat. She stared straight ahead of her, so as to not attract more attention to herself than necessary.
In a matter of seconds, Jasper pressed his foot on the gas pedal and they exited school territory. The drive was silent, and Cheryl didn't dare tell Jasper that he was going three times the speed limit. She valued her life.
By the look on Jasper's face, it was almost as if his inner speed demon was the last thing on his mind. If possible, his knuckles whitened two shades lighter as his grip on the steering wheel deepened. She wasn't frightened. No, she was disturbed. If Jasper had mental issues, she would most certainly not play horrified witness, nor would she play idiotic therapist. She averted her gaze towards the window, attempting to hold down her laughter at the image of Jasper Hale sitting on a sofa, ranting about his weight to some skinny therapist with severe eyebrows. However small her mirth may have been, it relaxed Jasper more than she would ever know.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you don't live in town."
"Just on the outskirts. We're almost there."
She didn't doubt that, especially when she glanced at the dial on the speedometer. 'I wonder what's worse: death by car crash or suicide from overbearing history lesson…Jasper's making this very hard,' she thought to herself sardonically.
Five minutes later, they reached Jasper's house. Her mouth would have opened wide in astonishment had she not known the Cullens were rich. She wasn't blind. Rosalie and Alice boasted the kind of designer labels you couldn't find in Port Angeles, much less Forks.
"So, you must be loaded." It wasn't so much an opinion as it was a factual observation. Cheryl wasn't foreign to wealth. Her parents were employees of some corporate conglomerate in Manhattan after all…which meant her summers were dedicated to visiting botox-infused Upper East Side housewives and their coked out daughters and sons. The fathers, of course, were off screwing the maid or secretary.
Jasper chuckled, "Carlisle's job has some benefits."
"That's putting it mildly," she muttered, exiting the car. She noticed the other Cullens arrived in perfect timing…and that they were not only watching her, but Jasper as well. It was almost as if they wanted to see how she reacted to him, or perhaps it was the other way around.
Cheryl played the perfect student and followed her 'teacher' and his siblings to the porch.
"Hi Cheryl," Alice offered perky smile.
Cheryl beamed as well, feeling somewhat relieved. "Hi Alice."
Jasper opened the door instantly and she entered, taking off her shoes by the front door. Immediately, she noticed the Cullen's mother, Esme, gracefully enter the room.
"Hello, you must be Cheryl," Esme smiled charmingly and held out her hand. "I'm Jasper's mother, Esme."
"Hi," Cheryl greeted the young woman, feeling a bit more at ease. "You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Cullen."
"Please, just call me Esme," she insisted, and then her eyes lit up as if remembering something. "Carlisle tried to get in contact with your mother about her medical files."
"Oh, she and my dad moved back to New York just before the school year," Cheryl informed her. "I can get her to call him, if you'd like." (NOTE: NO, SHE DOES NOT LIVE ALONE! Continue…)
"Yes, please. He'd really appreciate that," Esme thanked her. "Will you be staying for dinner?"
For some reason unknown to Cheryl, Emmett and a few others laughed as if it was some private joke.
"Uh, I don't think I can. I have a night shift at the local pharmacy."
"Night shift? On a school day?" Esme seemed surprised.
"It's not so bad…especially since I have study hall first period at school," Cheryl shrugged, shoving her hands into her pockets. She would never admit it, but she secretly loathed working at the pharmacy with her cranky, old, menopausal boss. Unfortunately, she had no choice in the matter. Because she decided to stay in Forks rather than accompany her parents back to New York, her allowance was extremely limited. Greedy bastards. Not that she could blame the Mr. and Mrs. They played a good fight; she'd give them that. They were the parents after all. "Maybe on Saturday."
"Saturday it is then. Well, I won't keep you two. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." With a final smile, Esme was gone, and everyone began to march up the stairs.
"Your mom's a doll, Jasper," Cheryl complimented, just as her cell phone rang. "Hello?"
"Are you dead yet?"
"Bye Jason," she rolled her eyes, sliding the phone to end the conversation. She failed to notice the smiles that appeared on everyone's faces.
"That was a short conversation," Jasper noted.
"As are all conversations with idiotic individuals," Cheryl acknowledged, coaxing a light chuckle out of him. Wow, so Cora was right. He was capable of an emotion other than pain. "Where to, Jasper?"
The taller boy—er, man—led her towards his room, and she wasn't blind to his apparent apprehension. It was literally radiating off of him. Why he felt so anxious—almost pressured—was a mystery to her. She was hardly intimidating, barely reaching five feet. And she wasn't nearly as much of a bitch as Cora was either. He left the door open, and by the way he hesitated, she was able to derive that the action held obvious significance.
"Are you alright?" she inquired shyly as she made herself comfortable on the large loveseat. She was slightly irked by the fact that there was no bed in his room…though the loveseat was indeed large and comfy. Perhaps he thought beds were overrated. "You seem tense."
Jasper glanced up at her with a regretful smile. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."
He was lying, of course. She wasn't that stupid. He looked almost like he was holding his breath in, and that's when she got an idea. A stupid idea.
'Oh my god, do I smell?!' she exclaimed to herself. There was a succession of laughter heard down the hall: first Edward, then Alice, and then Emmett. But, despite Emmett's monstrous roar, Cheryl was deaf to any sound from the outside world. She was entirely focused on her thoughts…her embarrassing thoughts.
"Maybe I should be asking you the same question," he chuckled, noting her stoned expression.
"Do I smell?"
Again, boisterous laughter was heard…much louder than the previous time. No one, not even Cheryl herself, expected the young girl to vocalize her thoughts in such a direct manner.
"What?"
"It's just—oh, god, I don't even know why I just asked that. Um," she stuttered, pausing in her movements, "I just thought..."
"Yes…" he urged her to continue.
"Okay, I'm just going to say it. You left the door open. You're holding your breath in. You turn away from me constantly. We drove in a roofless car. If I smell bad, I can just take a shower and come by later, if you want," she rambled. She desperately wanted to shut her mouth, but it was like word vomit. Once she opened her mouth, she couldn't stop talking; she had to say everything that was on her mind.
For once in long time, a human directly made Jasper Hale laugh. How completely ironic that the reason for his reaction was the complete opposite of what she had just said.
"Oh god," she leaned back, covering her flustered face with her hands. "This is so embarrassing!"
It took extreme self-restraint, but Jasper walked closer to her and peeled one hand away from her face, though he smoothly adjusted his arm back to his side a moment later. "You don't smell bad, Cheryl. Quite the opposite actually."
"You're lying," she moaned tragically, cutting him off.
Jasper stifled a laugh at her dramatic reaction. She was so childlike…so innocent. It made things so much easier; it gave him just a bit of hope. Hope for what? Well…that was something he would keep to himself. "I'm not lying. You smell lovely; like coconut and peaches."
Cheryl eyed him suspiciously, gently grabbing a piece of hair to capture the scent. She felt entirely foolish and—screw Cora for calling her dramatic—she just wanted someone to kill her. This was the most awkward situation she ever had to endure with someone she had just formally met…and she participated in her fair share of outrageously idiotic moments with her parent's friends. She inhaled the scent, slightly perturbed by the fact that he was, indeed, right. 'Either he has an insanely good nose, or I better lay off the scented shampoo,' she thought to herself incredulously.
He gauged her reaction, smiling when a look of realization dawned on her. "Now, do you believe me?"
"I guess I have to," she breathed out a sigh of relief. She couldn't complain. At least she didn't smell like manure. "But, if you're lying, it's too late now. I'm staying here whether your nose likes it or not."
"It'll survive," he notified her with a slight grin as he walked over to his desk.
She laughed, feeling the heat just beginning to melt off her face. "Well, now that that's settled…."awkward pause "History?"
"History," he agreed, gesturing to the desk in the room.
She ventured over to the table, ready to embark on one of the dullest quests she had ever been sent on: enduring an extra, longer History lesson. She had a feeling that if embarrassment wasn't going to kill her, the boredom probably would.
Of course, her assumptions were…almost…correct.
She didn't die, but she was close to it. She had to force herself to give Jasper her undivided attention, and fortunately, she was able to retain most of what he had taught her. However, whenever there was a moment of silence as she took down notes, her mind would travel back to her earlier spazztastic moment. Strangely enough, her anxiety and mortification never lasted too long. As if by magic, she was always able to rationalize everything, including her actions…and for reasons unknown to her, her intuition always credited Jasper for that. Whenever he stared at her pathetic, little face, she always felt as if he knew what she was feeling…or worse, he could see right through her. It was unsettling to say the least. With him, she felt as if she was on a turbulent ride of emotions: boredom…anxiety…embarrassment…calmness…and the same vicious cycle would repeat.
Two hours passed before she packed up her belongings, having already called Cora to pick her up. And then the awkwardness kicked in once again, but this time there was no emotional saving grace to kick her out of her funk. Everything about the day was intensely disturbing and virginal…for Cheryl, at least. It was only fit that a completely random apology was thrust somewhere in there. "So, I didn't get a chance to say sorry about what happened… I guess my imagination got the better of me."
He shook his head. "It's me who should be apologizing for ever making you think…about that." He paused. "I know I asked this already, but are you okay?"
"Jasper, I think this is the most homework I've done since school started. Does that answer your question?" she joked.
He chuckled, allowing her right of passage through the threshold in his gentlemanlike manner. "I'm sorry. Was I going too fast?"
"Well, you sure as hell weren't going slow. Let's leave it at that, shall we?" she teased, walking out the door. "Don't worry about it though. I think you just awakened brain cells I didn't even know I had."
"Glad to be of assistance," he smiled chivalrously, but it was forced. He seemed as if he couldn't wait till she left, and that was putting it lightly. Blatant irritation and unease were spread across his face. He was in pain. "What time on Saturday would you like to continue?"
"Um, definitely not in the morning…for your sake. I don't think you'd want to deal with a bitchy, brain-dead student. Maybe two in the afternoon? If that's alright with you, of course," she feigned smoothness. She wasn't uncomfortable; she was disappointed. For a moment, she thought they had gotten past the glaring and irrational behavior. She had just experienced an overload of intense emotions during their session and she didn't want to add disappointment to the list.
"Sounds fine to me."
But, he was still rigid, and Cheryl had a feeling that this wasn't just a phase.
A/N: Leave a quick shout out and you might just win the next prize. I'll give you a hint—whipped cream is involved.
CHEERS!
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