A/N: Sorry for the wait. Let's just say, school sucks mucho ass. I HATE EXAMS.

IMPORTANT: SO, the romance question was asked, and my answer is still pending. I will tell you this though: due to strong attachment to the fic, I'm officially changing it from short story to a long work in progress, so the fic will take place from around late Sept., early Oct. to the end of the James fiasco. It would be extremely unrealistic if Jasper and Cheryl fell in love and had a happily ever after in that time, seeing as Jasper is in love with Alice. Don't get me wrong, complications will arise in J/A's relationship, but Cheryl will not be the cause. BUT, I am beginning to write a sequel, and in there, the romance factor will be breached…at a painfully slow pace.

AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THIS IS NOT A JASPERxEDWARD fic. LMAO! If that was the case, this story would be rated M. HAHA. Wow, I never thought I'd get asked that question!

WINNER: TwiTard

PRIZE: Handcuffs. Jasper. Bed. Need I say more?

LOVE Y'ALL! Your love keeps me going! PEACE:D

A Lesson in the Hallway

Two weeks had passed since Cheryl's small emotional breakdown that she classified as a minor case of senioritis. Her friends, in all their post-pubescent wisdom and glory, were right. Jasper had nothing to do with her crazy, psychotic mood-swings from heck. It was all in her pretty, little, messed-up head. After taking off two days of tutoring, she felt more relaxed and less edgy.

But, her sessions were still horrible, and that was putting it mildly.

Yes, she no longer felt that manipulative pull on her emotions when she was in the presence of Jasper Hale. However, if possible, the boy's unease seemed to increase tenfold, mimicking his earlier behavior from when they had first met, albeit in a less intensified manner. It was almost as if they were back at square one. Sure, she could tell he was warming up slightly, but only SLIGHTLY, in the very definition of the word. Whenever she lost her seat in class and was forced to sit next to him, he was always stiff as a pole. Whether he meant to or not, he deeply offended her. But, she decided against her better judgment to confront him. After all, things hadn't gone too smoothly the last time she opened her mouth and let the cat out of the bag.

"So?"

"So…what?" Cheryl responded slowly, staring up at Amy Fisher, a decidedly gorgeous girl who usually never gave Cheryl the time of day. She inwardly rolled her eyes. The hormone-driven population of Forks High School finally decided to interfere.

"Well, you're barely passing history, and Jasper Hale, who has the highest mark in that class, happens to drive you home every Wednesday and Monday… He's your tutor, isn't he?" The facts were jumbled, but Cheryl couldn't deny Amy had the gist of it. Well, internally she couldn't deny it, but…

"I don't know whether to be flattered or disturbed that you keep tabs on me," was Cheryl's cryptic reply, smirking as she organized her mess of a binder.

Amy wasn't amused. "That doesn't answer my question, Parks."

"He's not my tutor. He just drives me home because Cora and Jason have work on those days right after school," Cheryl countered, suddenly aware that most of the class's attention was set on her…even Emmett Cullen, who was seated at the back. Her excuse was a half-assed one, but people would believe it. The Marshall's, Cora and Grace, weren't shy people, especially Cora. She was an opinionated girl, who could ruin you if she wanted to. That was highly evident to the Forks teenage population. It was the main reason people backed off their little trio.

"So, they ask the Cullens of all people?" Amy inquired with skepticism, though she wouldn't put it past Cora to do something so bold and outlandish.

"I don't know if you know this yet, but Cora isn't exactly fond of anyone that's associated with you," Cheryl feigned her uneasiness, sarcasm dripping off her voice. "But, excluding that, Cora's mom is good friends with Dr. Cullen and asked if the arrangement was possible. So, did I fill your gossip quota for today?"

"Don't shoot the messenger. I just heard it from Macy," Amy responded defensively, though she was secretly pleased with the news. The Cullens were too beautiful for scum like Cheryl Parks.

"Well, you heard wrong," Cheryl offered a fake grin, standing up to get a few sheets from the back of the classroom. She failed to notice the confused expression of Emmett Cullen.

-.-.-.-.

"I just don't understand why you don't want people to know," Cora stressed, keeping her voice low so as to not attract attention to herself and Cheryl. They had already gotten a warning a few moments earlier.

"Things travel. If my parents knew I was getting a 58 in History, they wouldn't hesitate to pull my ass back to Manhattan," Cheryl sighed, feeling distressed. "I can't go back there… Ugh, I practically had to beg Ms. H not to tell my mom."

"Well, you better explain yourself to Jasper," Cora reminded her friend, her eyes glancing quickly at Amy Fisher and Macy Carter. Thankfully, the two delinquents seemed busy, probably gossiping silently about Brian Dawson's new—not to mention atrocious—haircut. "He must be pissed off, or at the very least confused, that you've been denying any type of relation towards him at school. He might think you hate him."

"He's probably oblivious to it all."

"Um, sweetie, it's all the school's been talking about today: how he drives you home…and how you've been denying that he's your tutor when CLEARLY he is. I don't know, but if I was in his position, I'd think the ungrateful bitch I was tutoring was ashamed of me."

Cheryl laughed at her friend's obnoxiously bitchy tone, forcing a smile out of Cora. "I'm sure he's cool with it, Core…and why should I even have to explain myself when he clearly has no intention of explaining his…odd behavior? I mean, it's not like we're friends anyway," Cheryl replied nonchalantly, "right?"

"I don't know. Do you like him?"

Cheryl paused, dropping her pencil to the desk. "Hard to say. He's alright sometimes, but then he just completely changes out of nowhere."

"Um, well, do you trust him?"

"Not particularly, no," Cheryl answered honestly, "and I think it's a two way street."

"Then you have your answer."

-.-.-.-.-

It was extremely childish. Childish? No, that was entirely too modest of a term. She wasn't giving herself enough credit. What she had done was a completely bitchy move, and despite it all, Cheryl had no intention of ever explaining herself to Jasper Hale. If he wouldn't share the reason behind his rude, offensive glares, then she wasn't obligated to explain why she had completely blown him off in the hall. Thankfully, no one had seen it or even noticed. He walked quickly over to her in attempt to clarify something about their tutoring session, but she turned and walked away in the other direction with wide eyes. As expected, he hadn't followed her. Thank the loving God.

Lunch had turned its ugly rear, and she was more than confident she'd be receiving more glares than usual from a certain table in the corner.

"AHA, wow, you completely scammed him," Jason laughed out loud in an obnoxious manner, coaxing glares out of the two girls.

"Ignore him," Cora demanded, and then proceeded to leer at her other best friend. "Now, you HAVE to tell him."

"Okay, no. No, I don't. I feel a little shitty for what I did, but it's not nearly as bad as what he does to me everyday," Cheryl defended herself, somewhat surprising Cora and Jason. Cheryl wasn't usually…the bitchy, defensive one. "Do you see the way he looks at me?"

"Yeah, like you're chicken mcnugget," Jason adlibbed.

Cora seemed to be the only one taking it seriously, as she glanced over at the Cullen table, where its inhabitants had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Jasper was talking with the others, and ever so often their eyes would travel towards her table. It happened so quickly that Cora wasn't even sure it happened to begin with. That is, until the entire table set their eyes on Cora, who was openly staring at them with great intrigue. Never one to allow the other team satisfaction, she smirked, tipped her head, and continued her conversation.

"Well, they're obviously talking about you right now. Probably about how you're a bitch," Cora stated icily, but there was still a tinge of a smile on her lips.

"So this is how it feels to be Cora Marshall," Cheryl pondered, sitting regally on her chair.

Jason stifled his laughter, afraid of what Cora would do, had she caught him laughing.

Cora smacked Cheryl in the arm playfully, forgetting about the Cullens for a moment.

"Well, I just hope he doesn't come here. God, that's the last thing I need…to draw attention to myself. Amy would be on me like white on rice," Cheryl muttered, her eyes darting to the Cullen table. Jasper was talking quietly with Emmett, but Edward Cullen was staring right at her with confusion and almost…frustration. She quickly looked away, though she could feel his piercing gaze burning holes on her back.

"You got that right," Jason agreed, but then took note of Edward's sudden interest in Cheryl. "Looks like Edward Cullen's got it in for you."

"Prepare for the gods of adopted sibling bonds to wreck havoc on your ass, Parks," Cora patted her friend on the shoulder with a lack of compassion. "I'm warning you. Just tell him."

"No," Cheryl shook her head stubbornly. "It's not fair. In history, I make a genuine attempt for silent companionship by sitting close to him—well, there were no more seats left, but that's besides the point—and what do I get in return? He shifts his desk farther than it possibly can go, leans against the side table, hunches his back like some decrepit geezer, and deludes me into believing I have some contagious disease like Hepatitis or herpes. I don't see him explaining anything about that."

"The girl's got a point," Jason nodded his head, taking a bite out of his apple.

Cora sighed. "Well, you didn't tell me that."

"Um, hello, he's been doing that since sophomore year," he laughed, earning a smack in the arm from Cora.

Cheryl sighed, looking up once again at the Cullens. Jasper was staring at her, and for once, she didn't feel guilty for feeling the way she did. Instead, she glared and turned back to her friends…when her breath caught in her throat.

Today was Monday.

'Ah, shit.'

I LURVE the next two chapters! They were exceedingly fun and easy to write! It felt like my fingers had a mind of their own. Just need to edit them one by one and they'll be posted up when I get the chance.

CHEERS!

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