What's this? I'm being punctual with a story update? Must be magic. c:
"Since I was young, I have always known this: Life damages us, every one. We can't escape that damage." -Veronica Roth
James. Looking at him then reminded me of how much I hated him.
Everyone quickly turned away, seeing him around here wasn't too surprising, but he wasn't very even tempered either.
He walked by table after table, getting no greetings from anyone in the entire place. The bartender, Mike, already had his drink poured and ready in the spot he took in the corner every afternoon.
Rose came back to our table with our drinks and ignored the chair that was meant for her, sitting in Emmett's lap instead. Her body language was different than before. A mixture of fear and anger seemed to seep all the way in her bones as she looked James up and down. Emmett could sense it, and his hand touched her's on the table as he took a large swallow of his beer. Rose smiled to herself at the gesture she would have had to pretend to like at if it was any other man.
After a few moments of silence, Emmett couldn't bare to see her upset anymore. "What is it?" He asked with a hushed tone in her ear.
She glared in James's direction again, making us all look. Mike poured him another drink and James showed no signs of stopping.
"Poor Alice." She said, shaking her head and downing a shot herself.
That got my attention. "What about Alice?"
"She's the one who has to take care of that bastard."
"What do you mean?"
It was my turn to receive a look from her. "They're married."
My breath caught in my throat. Married...
"You mean he's the one who does that to her?"
She nodded, leaning against Emmett a little more.
I was at a loss. "I-I thought that-"
"You thought what?" She snapped, not really mad at me, but the situation. "Those bruises showed up by themselves? She doesn't deserve them..." She paused, shivering a little. "And he doesn't deserve her."
Everyone saw the bruises on her wrist and neck, peeking out of the dresses she wore. What made you second guess yourself was her smile. She was always gentle and had time to visit. Rose was right, James could live a thousand lives and never deserve her. I decided it was the one thing we had in common.
As if on cue, Alice came in, opening the doors calmly. It wasn't very often a women like Alice came in, so it was almost as attention getting as James's. I looked at her and all of a sudden felt sick to my stomach. She was so beautiful, but looked so tired. She was small and almost sickly looking. She glanced over at Rose, and looked they shared was telling. All at once I remembered what was so easy to forget. They were sisters.
They looked impossibly different, almost like Emmett, Edward, and I did. But we were all blood, and would do anything for each other. And as Rose watched Alice carefully cross the bar, every muscle in her body tensed.
Seeing Alice next to James made every hair on my neck stand up. It was like she was standing next to a ticking time bomb. He had his head down on the table in front of him, like if she touched him he would break all boundaries between them.
She looked petrified of him, her voice came out timid and barely audible. "James, it's time to come home now."
He did not stir.
"James, we have to go."
After a few seconds, he lifted his head up from the table and couldn't find his balance even sitting on the chair. I stood up immediately, sensing something was off, and it wasn't the fact that he was having trouble standing. My hand touched my gun at my side, but I stopped myself. If Alice was in the middle of this, I wouldn't risk her like that. It would be more satisfying giving James's a taste of his own medicine anyway.
Emmett lifted Rose off of him gently, standing up with me too. I could feel his eyes on me, trying to gauge my reaction. For the most part, he knew me better than I knew myself, but this fact was certain to me: If Alice was touched, there would be nothing stopping me.
James wouldn't. No matter how drunk he was, he would never hit her in public. Everyone could ignore all the marks on her skin as long as he didn't give himself completely away. He was always smart about it, he had to be if he had gotten away with it for this long.
Alice seemed to be at a loss, and let her guard down because of the state he was in. She sensed how many eyes were watching her, and she smiled a little, trying to play it off almost like a game between the two. She touched James's arm softly, making him flinch and look up at her irritably.
Rose almost walked forward, only stopped by Emmett who grabbed her arm and shook his head. He knew what would happen if she tried to help. And for all of his good nature, he would kill rather than see anything happen to her.
The bar had grown eerily quiet, the only sound was the band and a few muffled whispers.
Alice tried to help her husband one last time. "Here, let me help you-"
Suddenly, he grabbed her. It made her jump, so scared she couldn't even scream.
"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP." He bellowed. His hands seem to dig into her skin and she tried to pull away. He shoved her on the ground. Who knows how many bruises Alice had already. She winced, gripping her shoulder.
There was a split second in time when no one moved. No one could do anything but look at Alice on the floor, and the man who had put her there. For one second, the bar at the end of this God-forsaken town was silent.
But it was Alice that made me sprang into action. I walked over, anger pulsing through my veins. James was moving slow and drunk, and was no match for my anger and skill. A nasty combination.
I hardly heard Mike as he attempted to defuse the situation. "Cool it Whitlock. I won't be having any trouble."
"Looks like you're a little late." I spat. I shoved him, and with my heart beating furiously fast, I punched James with all my strength behind it. James was tough, but only when he was sober. He was out cold on the floor and could stay that way for all I cared. I turned around, ready to help Alice, but someone was standing in my way. Laurent. He was James's only friend and he didn't help his drinking problem. His eyes were hard, but that wasn't unusual. He seemed to be passive enough, almost tired of having to take care of Jame's messes.
"You wanna join him?" I said, my voice thick with rage. Anything between Alice and I was worth any fight. I was good, no matter how big he was, I was the best fighter around and Laurent seemed to know it. He walked passed me and James, leaving the bar as calm as when he came in. I was still fuming, seeing James on the ground.
"Jasper..." I heard a small voice say. I looked down to see Alice, who somehow looked relieved and scared at the same time.
I walked over, and helped her up, trying to ignore how she was looking at me. Her green eyes were wide and startling in more ways than one. I calmed down instantly with her in my arms. My hands ran over her forearms gently, where James had gripped them so tightly. Alice was so small, and she shook as if she were cold.
"Are you okay?" I asked, knowing full well that she wasn't.
Alice didn't have time to respond, I felt Rose's hand on my shoulder.
"I got her." Rose said. She took Alice and led her out the door, saying things quietly to draw her out of her state of shock.
"Jasper." I heard Emmett's voice say behind him. He knew my temper and chose his words carefully. "Alice is going to be okay. Rose is gonna take Alice back to our place."
Alice was in safe hands, which was enough to calm me down. For now.
"Go with Rose and Alice, make sure Edward knows. I'll go see if I can get Carlisle." I said. "We're going to need more help."
Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. It feels great that people are interested into the story so near the beginning. c:
Chapter 3 will be here soon, perhaps before New Years?
