A/N: Looks like I've gone back to freaking long author's notes again.

Okay, guys. So, first off, I was thrilled to see that I still have reviewers after my period of absence. You guys rock!

Next off, I made an advertisement for this story on Polyvore .com, and it has a picture of somebody who I swear looks almost exactly like how I pictured Rory, with only a few minor differences. If you're interested, here is the URL.

http : / / www. Polyvore .com /like_ lost_ puppy_ but_ more /set ?id= 4537143

Except without all those spaces, of course.

I also feel the need to mention why I made Connor the median. Because I thought he needed a purpose. There's really no point to Connor, is there? He's just kinda there.

Next up, an explanation and an apology.

Okay, here's the thing about Rory. She's in Bella's grade, but she isn't Bella's age. She was one of those kids who are smart, like really really super-smart, when they're little but then as they grow up everything just kind of evens out later on. So she skipped a couple early grades. Thus, she is only fourteen in this story. However, she doesn't look fourteen, she's tall for her age, so right now, Jess and the gang don't know that.

I would have mentioned it before, but Rory conveniently forgot to mention it as I was writing. (Yes, I hear her in my head, and sometimes we have entire conversations. Just don't judge me, okay? To be said in the voice of Jon Heder, "Gosh!") Anyway, yeah, I know, she was driving earlier…she doesn't have her license, but she blackmailed Owen into teaching her…and Chief Swan doesn't need to know about it, mmkay? I think we have an understanding. Either way, I feel really bad about that, so I humbly apologize and beg your forgiveness. It's explained in the chapter as well, but I didn't wann give anything away.

Next, responding to some reviews.

First off, Raynebow-Ninjachick, the teacher asking her what milk she drank was actually taken from an experience I had where I missed a scripture class for a few days because I drank some bad milk, and when I got back my teacher thought I was ditching or faking or something and bombarded me with questions like that.

Second, Yoroichi, I took your suggestion.

Glad you liked, Crimsonrose!

Hailey-Stone: I know, I left for a week and came back and suddenly there's this crazazy new review button, and I'm like "How long has that been there?" Anyway, I'm glad you liked it so much! And about the Seth thing, you shall find out very soon…in the next chapter. And I think it would be awesome if you reviewed in story form. Weird, but awesome.

The-Vampire-Act: Thanks! Isn't the soundtrack amazing? And I shall definitely keep that in mind. *quakes in fear of Dr. Chase.*

Shouvley: Thank you, and here is the next chapter. And you're probably right-unknowns are best. But I still think that Raja Fenske would make a good Seth.

Angel of Apathy: I'm glad too. And yeah, even I'm sad it's ending. :-.C

Rebelwilla: :-.D

Disclaimer: It's a good thing I wrote this last night, because I can't seem to come up with a decent sarcastic, cute and/or funny disclaimer. Hm…well, in any case, I do not own Twilight.

(Jasper's POV)

She told me everything.

She told me about her life in Florida, the hurricane that had pushed her family to Forks, about her friend Ellis and her brother Danny. She told me about her father leaving, and her brothers always picking on her and how she always wound up doing the most chores and her mother let it happen because her brothers always evaded learning to do laundry or cook or anything they perceived as too feminine. She told me about how she didn't feel like a member of her own family, and how she hadn't since Danny had left. She told me that even though she knew he hadn't done anything wrong, she still couldn't help but resent him for leaving her here, how she couldn't help but resent here mother for convincing him to go to college after their father left, how she couldn't help but resent her father, how she couldn't help but miss him, even after what he'd done. She let out things that I knew she had to have been holding in for years, bringing up bad memories along with the good, and even though I wanted to calm her down when she sounded too hysterical or the pain became too much, I knew inside that I shouldn't, that she'd already numbed herself for too long, that she needed this.

And then, finally and abruptly, she was finished.

After a moment, I asked "Feel better?"

She looked at me. "Yeah," she said, as though the concept had taken her by surprise.

Then she looked at me. "How do you know so much about me?" she demanded.

I knew what she meant, but decided to ask anyway. "Care to be more specific?"

"You knew I wasn't happy. You knew my brothers bugged me. Heck," she said, "You knew I was back here. I want to know how."

I shook my head.

She sighed. "Not fair." She muttered. "I just gave you my life story, and you can't tell me nothing. Double-standard…er…person."

I smiled.

She grinned.

"YOU SMILED!" she practically screamed.

I clapped a hand over her mouth. "We're supposed to be in the Nurse's Office, remember?"

I slowly removed my hand. She smirked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I win." She said smugly.

I gave her a look.

She shook her head. "Never mind," she said.

And then there really wasn't a lot left to say. We stood there.

"I'll let you get back to…"

"Sleeping." she supplied.

I nodded, and started walking away, then turned around.

"You realize that this doesn't change anything, right?" I asked, just to be sure there were no miscommunications.

"I know," she said cheerfully. "Bye, Jasper!"

(Rory's POV)

He paused, then

"Goodbye, Rory."

Nice to know he remembered my name.

And then he was gone.

LINETHATREPRESENTSPASSAGEOFTIME

Lunch that day was just chock full of firsts.

One: Danny called me for the first time in forever.

I was in the lunch line with Jessica, which took forever for a school with only three hundred something kids in it. Suddenly, I felt my phone vibrating. I pulled it out and was about to terminate the call, when I noticed the number on caller ID. I grinned.

"Hey, Danny!" I said ecstatically.

"Geez, Rory!" he laughed. "If you don't wanna talk to me right now, then I'll just call back."

"Hardy-har." I said dryly.

"So how's Forks?" he asked.

"Um…wet."

I continued to tell him everything that had been happening. Mostly about how much I missed him.

"Rory, I miss you too, but you're starting to make me feel guilty."

"Good," I laughed. I was surprised to realize that it was entirely meant as a joke-there were no underlying feelings of resentment or anger. I was finally starting to let go.

And then Owen had to come and ruin everything, as per usual.

Here's the thing: I've never been good at making friends. For one thing, I've always been two years younger than the people in my grade. When I was younger, I was shorter than all my classmates. Then the Neilson tall-gene kicked in when I was about eight, and I was consistently taller than the majority of my peers by at least two inches.

Again, at least. At most was standing next to me, talking to Mike Newton. Jessica was a tiny little thing, almost as tiny as Alice Cullen. The median was usually someplace in between-

Well, duh. That's kind of the point of the median, isn't it?

But anyway, a boy named Connor was a good representation on the median. I was about three or four inches taller than he was.

Of course, at this school, what with the Cullens and Hales-and four out of five of them were tall-and my brothers roaming around, not to mention Angela, a quiet girl who was about as tall as me, it wasn't too unusual. I wasn't entirely sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

The last and most potent reason I had trouble with friends was named Owen. Owen didn't leave his antagonization at home, and anybody who dares fraternize with me was put into his line of fire as a target as well.

We were walking to the table. Mike had left and was already there with the rest of the little group that I'd found myself entered into. Jessica was still there, and I was still talking to Danny when Owen suddenly stepped in front of us and grabbed our trays.

Owen conformed so well to the cliché of the playground bully, it wasn't even funny. In fact, in elementary school, Owen had always been getting detention for pushing kids off various playground equipment. Danny had been average; Nathan had been a Playground Nazi, screaming at kids to stop whatever shenanigans they were getting into before the poked somebody's eye out. I wouldn't get involved with whatever stupid thing the other kids were doing, but usually got in trouble anyway because I would sit and watch it all unfold, thus becoming an "accomplice." I kid you not, that's what the yard duties said to a five-year-old.

But that's irrelevant.

"Hey!" I screamed. Jessica looked up, shocked. He laughed.

"I'm hungry," he said.

"What's going on?" Danny asked me.

"I'll call you back later," I promised, snapping my phone shut.

"Buy your own freaking lunch, Owen!" I snapped.

"I don't have enough money."

"You steal my money!"

"I didn't steal enough!"

Nathan, who was sitting at the nearby basketball-team-table, tried to make him stop.

"Owen," he said in a warning tone of voice but so quietly that only I heard him.

That was the thing with Nathan-I was pretty sure he'd be willing to stop playing for the bad side (aka the evil incarnate that lived in my house) but he never spoke up-he just wasn't that person, he wasn't outgoing. It was nice to know that he was aware of how much it sucked to be me whenever Owen was within a ten-mile radius, but it didn't really do much good.

I was about to tell Owen exactly where he could burn, for all I cared, when suddenly, Jasper, almost out of nowhere, steps in front of him. When did he get here?

He didn't say a word, he just kinda stood there, looking intimidating, and Owen looked up at him (Yes, Owen looked up at someone. Jasper was at least three inches taller. Coming from someone who's been looked down on, in more ways than one, by Owen her entire life, it was a beautiful sight) with this challenging look on his face, but you could see the fear in his eyes. He wasn't used to being challenged.

And then, Jasper just took the trays out of his hands and handed them back to Jessica and me. Owen glared at him for a few more seconds, then rolled his eyes and walked back to his table.

I smiled hesitantly at Jasper; he smiled back, and then he was turning around and walking back towards his family, who all had interesting expressions on their faces. Edward and Emmett were looking at him incredulously, questioningly; Emmett almost seemed to feel sorry for him, like he literally thought that Jasper had lost his mind. Rosalie looked absolutely livid, and I wondered what she'd have to say to him. Alice, though, seemed pleased. Almost…proud.

"Who was that guy?" Jessica asked.

I looked at her. "Jasper," I said slowly, confused. "Jasper Hale…"

"I know that!" she giggled. "I meant, the other boy, the one who tried to take our lunches."

I felt smart.

We started walking again. She continued:

"I mean, it seemed like you knew him. Are you-"

"He's my brother," I told her. "Unfortunately."

She nodded. We sat down. "I hear ya. I have a younger brother at home, he's sooo annoying." She paused to take a sip of water, like she wanted to get the taste of the word 'brother' out of her mouth.

Now that I thought of it, that word did kind of taste nasty, at least when it was being applied to Owen. I took a drink of water.

"So, it looks like Alice Cullen's got some competition, huh?" she asked.

I did a spit-take.

When I regained composure-and the laughter died down-I said

"Nah, he's more like a big brother."