Authors Note: I don't own the Twilight series or any of the characters
When Strangers Meet
Chapter Four: Remembering Those Who Have Gone
Jasper's POV
Once we had eaten Rose and I headed down to the florist to pick up some flowers.
"I like these one's" Rose said piking up some hydrangeas
"No Mom hated them, they made her sneeze" I said remembering when she told me
"That's true" She said putting them back down
"Didn't Mom like lilies or tiger lilies or something" I said
"Yeah she loved white ones, they reminded her of when Dad and how he always brought her lilies and on the card it said a lily for a lily" Rose said smiling
"Oh and how she use to say all the time that how can something so simple be so elegant" I said
"Yeah" Rose said
"So lilies" I said
"Ok oh and I have to get some roses" I said
"Who are they for" Rose said
"Just a friend" I said. Well I was going to plan to visit Ms. Henderson, seeing most peoplein Forks who pass on grave at the cemetery and I never properly got to say goodbye.
"Just a friend, is this friend a girl" Rose said
" Technically yes" I said
"Technically" Rose said with a confused expression
"Well she's a women" I said
"Oh I see" Rose said "Am I ever going to meet her"
"Sorry you can't" I said
"Why not" She said pouting her lips
"Because I said so" I said
"Fine" She said and crossed her arms. We bought the flowers and walked out of the store. No longer than we left the store we ran into someone that I was hoping never to see again.
"Jasper" Mark said. One of the boys I hung out with while in elementary school. He was actually the one who through the brick through Ms. Henderson window. He had aged since I last saw him and looked like he worked at the local tip.
"Mark, how is going" I said hesitantly
"Good, good, never thought I would never see you coming out of one of these places but by the look of ya, you've gone on the straight and narrow" He said
"We're buying flowers for our parents" I said
"Oh I thought they were dead" He said
"They are, hence the flowers" I said annoyed
"I see so what have you been up too" He said
"Not much" I said
"Err... private school didn't teach you much hey, couldn't keep a real job up.." He blabbered
"No... not exactly" I managed to say before he continued
"Well I turned out great, better than you by the sounds of it, I own the car repair shop, just over there...........is that why your back in town trying to find a job" He continued to blab
"No" I said
"Well then why are you here" He said
"Just to visit family' Rose said
"Err.......Hey mate what happened to you, look like ya been in a fight and lost too, you were always the soft one in the group didn't like fights and if you got in them always came of second best" Mark said
"Well that's not exactly what happened to him" Rose said and is looks could kill Mark would be dead by know.
"Then what happened to ya" He said
"Well I do have a Job Mark and it's a little most involved than yours" I said but then he rudely cut me off
"What you think what ever job you have can match mine" He said trying to look menacing but it wasn't working. All it did was make his beer belly stick out further
"I'm in the United States Military and nearly got blow to pieces, I have been to the war zone, where men are dying and fighting an endless battle so don't tell me your job is more important" I said really annoyed
"What you came back with a couple of scratches is that it" He said as he laughed
"You call this a scratch" I said pulling up my shirt to reveal the massive bandage to the right side of the chest
"Oh" He said sort of stunned
"And there's this" I lowed my shirt back down and rolled my jeans to reveal the bandages my lower left leg
"So next time you say I do nothing remember this" I said as I turned around and started limping to the car. My leg was hurting quite a bit. Less than a week ago a road side bomb when off so near us, causing the man who was driving our vehicle to stop quickly and I when through the front window. My hip had glass through it and my arms were were bleeding, my face was cut and I was in endless amounts of pain. My leg got hurt when our camp was bombed. I was one of the fortunate ones to survive.
"What was that about" Rose said once in the car
"What was what all about" I said
"The whole war wounds, getting blown to pieces story, you said that didn't happen"
"People lie" I said bitterly. It was silent for the rest of the way and when we reached the cemetery we walked to there graves in silence. Rose placed the flowers down.. After about twenty minutes, I decided to look for the grave of Ms. Henderson.
"Where are you going" Rose said as I started to leave
"I'll be back" I said. I searched for the grave until I found it. I tried to crouch and place the flowers on her grave but it hurt to much. I found my way to the ground and stretched out my leg.
"You do know that's my grandmother's grave" A woman's voice came from behind me
"Yeah I do" I said not looking up. The person crouched down next to me, I tuned my head to look who it was. It was that girl from yesterday.
"Alice Cullen" She said holding out her hand
"Jasper Hale" I said shaking it
"Rose's brother" She said
"Yeah" I said
"So what are you doing at my Grandmothers grave" She smiled
"I knew her, a long time ago" I said looking back at the grave
"Really" She said
"Yeah I broke her window" I said
"Why" She said
"Well I didn't break it exactly but I was there, I got in with a bad group in elementary school and well they thought it would be funny" I said
"And you just went along with it" She said
"Yeah" I said
"Why would you do that" She said
"I wasn't a very nice person" I sighed
"Now how can that be true, you seem nice and your visiting an old woman's grave" Alice said kindly
"Well I'm not who I used to be" I said
"Who were you"
"Just not a very nice person but I felt bad about the window and went back, I wanted to pay for the window but I didn't have enough money. I tried to get the money but I think in the end I only got five dollars"
"What did you do then"
"I got on my bike and road up to her property and gave her the money. She was surprised to see me again and she declined the money. I eventually got her to take my five dollars and offered my services. I mowed the lawn for her and planted flowers, washed windows and shoveled her driveway when it snowed. The my parents Rose, my other sister and I go to California. So I left for six grade but I still didn't think I did enough for your grandmother so I got a job and sent her money" I said
"I didn't see you at the funeral" She said
"I didn't know until today"
"So is this what brought you to the cemetery"
"No not exactly" I said. I knew the question was coming, I knew the question was coming...................
"Then why are you here, it's not really a place you come to hang out"
"No, Rose and I came to visit our parent's" I knew that question was coming and there was going to be other one after that.
"Why would you meet your parent's at a cemetery" she said, I looked up and she got the point
"I'm sorry"
"Don't be, it happened when I was fourteen, which was a long time ago"
"Only fourteen"
"Yeah, first day of high school, 9th grade. Our parents were going home after dropping us off at school for the new year. A guy on the opposite side of the road had a heart attack at the wheel and crashed into our parents car......." I said but couldn't finish
"Was that the horrific crash of 1999" She said softly
"Yeah, nine killed, including my parents and seven others, yet the guy who caused the crash survived, it's weird how some things turn out, isn't it" I said looking up at her yet she did not meet my gaze
"Yeah, weird" She said even more softly
"11 years ago this September" I said
"That would make you" She said
"26, in four weeks" I smiled
"I'm 25 in six" She said returning a smile
"Sorry I don't normally spill my entire past to someone I barley know" I said looking back down at the ground
"No don't apologize, it's nice to know that you trust me enough to tell me" She said
"Well your easily trustful, your so nice"
"Why thank you kind sir"
"Anything for you mam" I said bowing my head to her
"You sound like a true southern gentleman" She said smiling. A smile that made a cemetery look like a happy place.
"The only problem is that I'm not, I was born and raised right here" I said
"You never said you were born in a cemetery" She laughed. Her laughed made me want to laugh.
"No, I mean here in Forks" I smiled
"I know what you mean" She smiled
"I should be getting back to Rose, she'll start looking for me and then yell at me for kneeling down" I said
"Technically your not kneeling, your sitting" She smiled and got up
"True" I said trying the get myself off the ground
"Do you need some help"She said holding out her hand
"Thanks" I said taking it and she helped me up
"No problem" She said
"Hey if your ever around and you have nothing to do, do you want to give me a call, after all we do live in the same building" I smiled
"I might just take you up on that offer" She said a the same time my cell went off in my pocket.
"Hold that thought" I said to her and answered it
"Hello" I said
"Jasper, your sister isn't picking up and I need to tell you both something" My Aunt said
"Ok, shoot" I said
"Well I need you to keep three weeks, today free" She said
"What three weeks from today" I said
"Yeah"
"Why" I asked
"We have been invited to a party at the Cullen residence and I want you and Rose to come, meet the Cullen's properly and meet up with some people who you haven't seen in a while" She said
"Ok we'll come" I said
"Good so if you see your sister please tell her"
"Will do" I said
"Ok bye" She said and hung up the phone
"Well I guess I'll be sticking around for a while" I said
"Really" She said
"Yes I just got invited to a party from someone in your family" I said
"The party in three weeks" She said
"Yep" I said
"Good I wont have to spend the entire night with my cousins" She laughed
"Anyway here's my number and call me if you want to catch up" I said
"Cool" She said
"See ya" I said and limped away
A.N Hope you liked it.....................Read and Review.....please:)