Thank you to any that are taking an interest in this story. Chapters won't be overly long, but I aim to update regularly. This story is rated M for mature themes and language.
Even though, I'm sure you all know, I just need to add that I in no way own Twilight.
Now for Chapter 1. Enjoy...
Chapter 1
Bella
I hate being the new girl.
Granted, everyone else here is new as well, but I really can't stand the whole 'getting to know you' ordeal.
It's not that I'm socially inept or a raging bitch or anything. It just takes me a while to come out of my shell and open up to people. Some might say I'm unapproachable, but I've been burned before in both friendship and love, and prefer now to err on the side of caution.
My room-mate Alice seems like a nice person, if a little unaware of things such as personal space. Within two hours of our meeting I was declared her BFF, I knew her family history, she had arranged my closet and informed me of the man she was going to marry. All without taking a breath.
Thirty minutes into how dreamy Jasper's eyes were, I was more than a little relieved to hear a knock at our door. As I said before, great girl - just a little overwhelming.
When I didn't hear a peep out of her for a couple of minutes, I was more than a little concerned. Whoever was at the door had obviously rendered her speechless.
"Um, Alice? Who's at the door?" I called out from my corner of the room.
"Come in, Jasper. I didn't expect to see you so soon," I heard Alice say quietly.
Ah, so this is the future groom. Can't say I blame the girl really - this guy was totally hot.
"Hi, Alice. You're all settled in I see," he drawled. Yes, literally. He drawled.
Alice glanced in my direction then, looking exactly like the proverbial deer in the headlights. Seeing no other course of action, I stepped in to help her out.
"Hi, I'm Bella. Nice to meet you," I added, trying my hardest to pretend that I didn't know what this guy ate for breakfast and that I also wasn't aware of what colour his cravat would be on his wedding day. This thought caused me to smirk a little - if only he knew.
"You too, Bella. I'm Jasper," he said back with a little smirk of his own. Oh, the dimples. And let's not forget the drawl.
"So how do you two know each other," I asked Jasper, as it didn't seem like Alice would snap out of it anytime soon. Of course I knew the whole story, but I didn't want to land her in it.
"Alice and I go way back. We went to Port Angeles High before both coming here to U-Dub. Believe it or not, we are in all of the same classes this year. It's great luck actually, as we don't really know many people here," he remarked before he turned to Alice.
"I just can't believe that after all these years that I have known you, Al, that I had no idea you were interested in Psychology and History." Aha, I think I knew the reason that she was so interested in those subjects. Either the guy is totally clueless (and adorably so I might add), or he knew and wasn't willing to take things any further. I hoped for her sake that it was the former.
"Well, we may have virtually been raised together, Jasper," Alice spoke up finally, "but that doesn't mean that you know everything about me." Alice pouted and looked up through her lashes. Yes, she was a good foot shorter than Jasper so she did have to look up at him, but this was a clear flirting move on her part. She did look adorable, and I chuckled quietly to myself as I waited for his reaction.
"Mary Alice, I know all there is to know short stuff," he laughed, and then ruffled her hair for good measure. "By the way, I think you've got something in your eye," he added as he once again glanced over in my direction. Yep, the former. Definetly clueless.
"Alice, my brother and I grew up as neighbours back in Port A. Our parents are best friends, so we have been in each others pockets since I can remember," he said for my benefit. He didn't really need to fill me in, like I said, I knew what the guy ate for breakfast. Even more disturbingly, that he was a boxer-brief kind of guy. I tried to shake the mental image, but surprisingly it stuck.
"Well, it's nice that you've got a friend here." I looked over at Alice. "Especially one who is so outgoing and fun. It sure beats having to start from scratch," I mused, once again in a funk about having to put myself out there.
"Don't worry, Bella. We'll look after you, right Alice?" Jasper slung his arm over my shoulder and winked at me as he said this. I tried to not notice how good his arm felt across my shoulders, or how his smile made me feel like I was home.
Alice was my first and only friend in this place, and I needed to get a grip before I said or did something really stupid.
"Right, Jazz. This is going to be a great year. I can just feel it," Alice sighed.
"Anyway, Bella, it was a pleasure to meet you, " Jasper said as he removed his arm from around me and headed toward the door. "I hope to catch up with you some more soon," and with that parting comment, he was gone.
The door had only just closed, and Alice jumped up onto her bed.
"Oh, isn't he just to die for," Alice swooned, her bed catching her dramatic fall. She looked for all purposes like a southern belle fainting, complete with one arm raised to her forehead. I was just waiting to hear 'well, I do declare' from her lips. The very thought made me smile.
"I knew you would like him, Bella. He is just such a nice guy, so generally good. Not to mention out of this world, super, super hot!" She giggled as she sat up and stared at me. "Would be nice though if his brother was the same. I swear that boy, Edward, is the total opposite. He's so completely..ugh.. just so..." and with that started the hour long conversation about Edward, Jasper's brother. I found out that like Jasper, he was totally hot, but in his case, he knew it. And like Jasper, I found out more about Edward than he probably knows himself.
One thing I knew for sure though, was that I was going to keep my distance from the Cullen brothers. They sounded like trouble, for totally different reasons. I had a feeling that it would be far too easy to get close to Jasper. And while - according to Alice - Edward would no doubt try to get close to me, I in no way wanted to be another notch on his bedpost. With a nod of my head, I finally headed off to the bathroom for a long overdue shower, resolute in the fact that I would be able to stay away from the both of them.
Sounds like she is headed for trouble...what do you think?
