Disclaimer: I own nothing, this all belongs to Stephenie Meyer, the creative genius, who I owe all my playful hours to.

Chapter III
Drops

I was carrying on the most ridiculously simple conversation, and still having trouble concentrating. I struggled to remember that this was a girl I had saved only days ago, that it had been my idea to do so. She leaned over and turned the heater down, but it did nothing to dispel the scent of her wafting around me. I stuttered trying to explain my reasons for not having a car. My inner struggle caused me to let my guard down and I answered much more honestly than I would have otherwise.

"I, I've always been able to ride with Edward or Rosalie. I've just never worried about having my own vehicle. It seemed an unnecessary expenditure. Our family hasn't ever been split up for any measurable amount of time since I've become part of it, so I've always had a ride when I've needed it." I said feebly. I was taking small breaths, forcing myself to be accustomed to her scent. I could do this, I could be strong, I could have an ordinary conversation with an ordinary girl in the middle of an otherwise mundane car ride.

Bella smiled, never taking her eyes off the road and driving so slow I almost believed she was trying to torture me. "Well, maybe now is a good time to start thinking about one. You wouldn't need much, a used car would probably be fine." Even in my struggle the humor of that improbability struck me and I laughed. Somehow laughing seemed to make it easier being in the truck with her. "If I bought a used car, I'd be disowned. Edward alone would never speak to me again. Rosalie would probably leave marks. Also, Emmett isn't anyone you ever want disgusted with you. He makes it very clear to everyone how he feels." I looked to see her reaction to my words and was surprised to see she looked a little angry, and I could feel frustration, and that same hesitancy I kept feeling around her again.

"What's wrong Bella?" I asked, the curiosity getting the better of me.

Her eyes sprung open and she looked at me for just a moment. "What? Oh, no, nothing. I was only, it's just, I-I've been..." she took a deep breath and sighed. She rolled her eyes and I felt resignation coming from her. "You spoke of your brother Edward. He, I don't think he likes me very much."

I knew exactly what she was talking about, but felt I ought to pretend I didn't. "I'm sure that's not true. Edward's usually too caught up in himself to be upset with anyone. What led you to believe he disliked you?" I asked.

Bella slowed down and pulled to the side of the road, I felt my jaw clench. How did I get myself into this situation. She turned and looked me straight in the face. Her expression was so intense I almost felt as if she was reading my mind. "The first day we had biology together, I walked into class and past Edward on my way to get my schedule signed by Mr. Banner. He looked at me like he hated me. I'd never even done more than look at him, and he gave me a look that made me feel like a bothersome fly he wanted to crush. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I know what I saw." she finished defiantly, her tone and expression daring me to argue with her.

I chuckled, this seemed to surprise her. She looked at me with her eyebrows raised, I looked out the window, leaning out a little to take as deep a breath of air as I could, then turned back to her, "Bella, my brother is sometimes a bit tactless. He's moderately anti-social and occasionally disgraces us all with irrational reactions. For being someone who 'positively loathes - his own words-" I said while giving her a significant look "being judged, he is the most judgemental person I know. Please don't trouble yourself to be offended by him. I'm very sure he was beating himself up for something, probably misuse of an adverb, and you happen to be on the receiving end of his inner turmoil."

Bella let out a deep breath that I felt certain she hadn't realized she was holding. I felt relief coming off her. I had with a few words made her feel easier, and I was stunned to realize I liked knowing I'd done so. She looked out into the forest through the windshield. "I couldn't figure out what I had done to cause that response, and it felt so unfair. Then he disappeared and I wasn't able to even confront him about it." she blushed, causing me to stop breathing again. For a moment I actually think my head swam. She continued, "I was afraid he left because of me." she was looking down at the floor of the truck bed.

"Bella," I said, she lifted her face to me and her deep brown eyes were just a little glassy, as though tears were being fought back. "if that was true, he'd be a very foolish soul in my opinion." I smiled fully, and it didn't seem to frighten her. In fact, she beamed back at me. Our eyes held for a moment and I realized I was breathing normally again. Then she turned her body forward again and putting the truck into gear, headed back out onto the road.

I looked at the back of the truck as we passed under the light from a hotel on the side of the road, and saw the damaged corner of the bed. "What are you going to do about that?" I asked her, thumbing towards the drivers rear corner. She glanced into her rear view mirror, then looked at the road again. "My Dad and I are going to see a friend of his down in LaPush at the reservation this weekend. His son works on cars and stuff, we're going to see if he can fix it."

I jerked my head around to look at her when she said the name of the city in the Quileute reservation. Did she know something? She didn't look as if she did, she kept talking.

"Do you know any of the Quileute's?" she asked. I couldn't feel anything false in the emotions coming off her, she was genuinely just curious.

"No, our family stays away from La Push." I said. I wanted to avoid any conversation that kept her on the topic of the Quileute's so I said, "How is it being Chief Swan's daughter and new in town?" I asked. That should be safe enough.

"Embarrassing most of the time, but all right I guess. Char-my Dad let's me cook for him, I clean for my own peace, and he keeps food in the place and the bills paid." she laughed, "It's a decent arrangement I guess. Better than it was at my Mom's."

I'd heard from someone passing me the day she'd started that she was a transfer from Arizona, and the wonderful Forks weather caused me to wonder how she liked the change. "Do you like Forks better?"

"NO!" she nearly yelled. Then blushing dropped her voice again. Her blush wasn't as mind numbing this time. "No, I miss the sun, but it isn't very kind to my complexion. I had to move here, so my Mom could enjoy her life with her husband. Having me around made it too hard for her. She was always feeling conflicted if she had to leave to follow him. He plays baseball, minor leagues." she said.

"That was a considerate thing to do." I said, she smiled. I looked forward and saw our driveway. "You can just drop me here Bella. I'll get to the house without any problem."

I didn't want to have to explain Bella to Carlisle and Esme, so I decided running in would be much better. She pulled into the driveway and stopped, looking down it, and then at me, "Are you sure? It looks long."

I laughed at the idea of anything being harmful to me, but stopped myself knowing she wasn't privy to the knowledge I was. "I will be fine Bella. Thanks for the ride." I grabbed my bag, slung it on my back and waved to her through the windshield. She drove away and as I turned to run towards the house, it started to rain again.

I thought the next day would be rainy again, I was wrong. It was clear, and sunny. I read for several hours during the afternoon, to keep myself out of the sun and the exposure of others to my over brilliant skin. When twilight came, I slipped out, and ran. I spent the weekend on a hunt, ranging over the peninsula. When my mind wasn't lost in the hunt, I found myself dwelling over the conversation I'd had with Bella in her truck.

On Sunday when I returned, I sat down at the computer and ordered a car for myself. I knew what I wanted, it took me little time to arrange it, but it wouldn't arrive for another week at least. Then I ran to the school. I had a little information I wanted to find out, which I couldn't obtain during regular hours.

On Monday it was pouring, I left early again. I'd decided to change my classes around. I wanted to try to stay close to Bella, the more I saw her, the easier it was to be near her. Being in a different year, I had to arrange a different set of classes, but I was in general at least in the same building as she'd be. I went into the office first thing and spoke with Mrs. Cope and arranged the change in my schedule. As I opened the door I saw Bella passing on the sidewalk. She looked over at me, and smiled. I smiled back, I must have smiled too widely, because her face suddenly went blank and she started walking a little faster.

I walked away towards my own class.

Just after my third class I ran into her again. I couldn't figure her out, she had distinctly been frightened by my smile, but she still came up and talked to me. "Hi Jasper. What happened to you on Friday?" she asked, walking next to me for a moment.

"Friday?" I responded, "Oh, well, my parents decided to go camping." Always the stories. Bella looked at me strangely, then smiled. "So you're still walking, aren't you?"

"For now." I answered.

"What does that mean? Will your family be returning?" she asked.

"It means that I'm walking for now." I gave her a taunting look and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Really! Well, I was just going to offer you a ride home again, but if you're going to act that way about it, perhaps you've got better plans." she teased smiling.

I stopped and looked up, rubbing my chin - as if pondering something very serious. I looked back down at her, mid-rub with an assessing look, then broke into a smile, "No. No better plans. But I really can't keep imposing on your generosity Bella."

"I don't mind Jasper, really. I'll happily give you a ride for the rest of the week if you'd like. But I'm always running late in the morning, so I can't offer to pick you up."

"And why are you habitually tardy?" I asked in a teasing tone again. She raised an eyebrow at me and chuckled at my tone. "I just don't sleep well, bad dreams about young abandoned guys walking in the rain to school." she answered, and I smiled.

"So you are restless until it's time to wake, and then all you want to do is sleep?" I asked her. "Something like that." she said.

"So, ride?" she asked as she stopped, preparing to walk off to her own class. I stopped and faced her too, "Yes, thank you."

The rest of the week I rode home with Bella. I also surprised her the first morning by standing there leaning against her truck when she came out in the morning. She smiled brightly when she saw me there.

"Good morning. You walked...here?"

I nodded. "I've decided I'm going to meet you every morning and rush you to school so you're there in time."

She laughed, "Well, if only you could wake me up early enough to do that."

I walked over to the passenger door and opened it. I stepped inside and threw my bag down on the floor of the truck. "I can do that, if you'd like me to. I'm always awake hours before sunrise." I said in a sarcastic tone for her benefit.

"I think you'd give Charlie a heart attack." she said.

I chuckled, "You're probably right."

So the next morning I woke her by carefully throwing rocks at her window.

On Thursday as Bella drove me home, I felt that she was hesitating again. She had a frown on her face and seemed distracted. "Whatever it is Bella, just say it." I said, surprising her.

She looked at me for a moment with wide eyes. I leaned closer to her as if telling her a secret, her scent still made my head swim, but it seemed easier every day I was near her. "You had the same look on your face when you told me about how Edward reacted in Biology. I think it's your 'I have to say something I'm embarrassed about' look." I said in explanation.

"Well, I know I said I could give you a ride home every afternoon, but Jessica and Angela want me to go with them to Port Angeles tomorrow after school to go dress shopping for the dance." she said with worry on her face.

I had a feeling of unease that I couldn't explain to myself. "Are you going to the dance?" I asked.

Bella glanced at me for a moment with calculating eyes, the truck slowing down as she looked. I looked back at her with confusion. I allowed myself to test her emotions, and she was suspicious. After a moment longer, she sighed, "No."

I was mystified, "What was that all about?" she scowled out the window. "I thought you were about to ask me to the dance. Eric Yorkie and Mike Newton have both cornered me and asked me, but I'm not going."

"So you're going to Port Angeles to help them dress shop?" I asked.

"They wanted my opinion, and I wanted to get out of Forks." she said, smiling. We had just reached my driveway.

I grinned at her, "Want to drive in and see the house for once?" I asked. She looked at her watch, and then looked back at me. "Sure, but I can't stay, I have to get home to make Charlie dinner." she answered.

I felt regret coming off her. "It's all right Bella, another day when you have more time. Have a good night, sleep well."

"See you in the morning." she smiled, I shut the truck door, and turned around to walk down the driveway. I broke into a run as soon as her truck was far enough away.

When I got in I checked to see if my car had arrived. It was delayed. Damn customs. I still had another 4 days. I definitely wanted to be there in Port Angeles. There was only one other thing I could do to make sure I was nearby in case she needed me. I went to Carlisle's office to ask if I could borrow his car. I would have to tell him about Bella to explain, and I really didn't want to.