Chapter 9
Jasper POV
I felt bad for leaving Rosalie like that but Carlisle and especially Edward were right. It wasn't save for the Cullens if I stayed. I had already managed to get Alice hurt.
Not on purpose of course. I had tried to defend her. But she still ended up with a bruise on her jaw. I really couldn't do anything right. Not even defending the ones I cared about.
When Newton had punched Alice I snapped. I didn't want it to escalate like that. But the moment I saw the tears in her eyes and her shocked face I couldn't hold back anymore.
I don't know how many times my fist had collided with his face. Or his with mine for that matter. I hardly felt it. Or when Emmett pulled me off of him.
The only kicked in when we were already in the car. Rosalie had pressed a tissue to my bleeding nose.
Once the adrenaline had left my body I started to realize what I had done. I had fucked up again. Like I always did.
I hadn't even noticed we were home until Rosalie gently pulled me out of the car. I told them to go inside. I had to calm down before I would be able to face Carlisle.
I opened the front door quietly but froze in my tracks the moment I heard Edward yelling upstairs.
"Carlisle, do you really want to adopt someone like that? Someone who is a danger to our family? Think about it. What if it's Esme the next time he gets angry or scared?" I held my breath and waited, hoping against odds that Carlisle would disagree. I was stand inside the doorframe holding the door open with on hand.
There was a pause upstairs. Then eventually Carlisle spoke.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe Jasper isn't yet ready to join us properly."
"No!", Rosalie yelled. "Jasper isn't dangerous! He would never hurt someone deliberately!"
"Ask Mike Newton if he agrees.", Edward said sarcastically. There was a pause again.
"He shouldn't stay here.", Edward stated calmly. "Surely you must agree. He's just going to loose control and hurt even more people."
He was right. I loved Rosalie for believing in me but I knew she was wrong. It hurt to hear it but the truth always hurts.
No one said a word. I let the door fall shit behind me and leaned against wall holding my side. My ribs started hurting more and more.
"Jasper!", Rosalie gasped. I looked at her and what I thought could be my family. Edward had a disgusted expression on his face. Alice stared at me with big tearful eyes.
She's scared of me...
I couldn't look at them anymore and practically ran upstairs. I locked the door to what could have been my room behind me and sank to the floor.
There was a knock on the door after a few minutes.
"Jasper please talk to me!", Rosalie pleaded. I didn't answer. The door behind me shook a bit as she tried to open it.
"Jasper please!"
I got up slowly. Edward was right. I shouldn't stay here. I shouldn't have come in the first place.
I pulled my backpack out from under the bed and started collecting my things.
I knew that Carlisle was too nice to send me away. I had to leave by myself. I really didn't want to but I didn't want to hurt them any more than I already did. If that meant that I wouldn't be happy I would gladly pay that price.
I just hoped that Rosalie would understand. Surely not at first but eventually she would see that it was for the best.
I wrote an apology and explanation for her and left it on the pillow of my bed. Since the room was on the first floor I had some difficulties climbing out of the window but eventually I managed to drop down onto the ground without hurting myself more.
I hitchhiked most of the way to Aberdeen. I didn't want to go back to Maria but Peter was the only person I could think of who would turn me away.
I really didn't want to run into Maria so I waited until it was dark before I snuck up towards the window of the girls room.
I knocked against it quietly. It took a few seconds before Charlottes face appeared in front of me. She stared at me dumbfounded for a moment before she quietly opened the window.
"Japer, what the hell?", she whispered.
"Hey Charlotte!", I greeted with a nervous smile.
"What are you doing here?", she asked me quietly.
"I need to speak to Peter. Can you get him for me please?"
"Jasper, Peter left.", she said and I looked at her confused. "I thought he told you."
"No he hasn't. I tried calling him a lot but he hardly ever answered. What happened?"
"You weren't there to protect him anymore. He left after the second time Jim punished him.", she explained. I paled.
"Shit...", I mumbled.
"He promised to visit today. So you're lucky.", she said gently. "Jasper, what happened to you face?"
I was about to explain when she interrupted.
"You know what, I don't even want to know. Wait here!" She left the room and came back a few minutes later with some medical supplies. She sat down in front of me on the floor and wordlessly started patching up my face.
"Where's Annetta?", I asked while trying not to wince as she put something burning on my face.
"She got her own room now.", Charlotte stated and I nodded.
We fell silent while she worked on my face. Eventually there was another knock on the window and Charlotte went to open it. Peter climbed through it and froze immediately after he saw me.
"What the fuck are you doing here?", he asked.
"Nice to see you too!", I laughed. Peter shook his head and came over to hug me.
"I told you they wouldn't keep me.", I mumbled.
"I'm sorry. What are you going to do now?", he asked me.
"I figured I would spend some time with my favorite brother." I smiled cheekily.
"Oh is that so?", he laughed. "Well you're lucky I have found somewhere nice to stay."
We spent about 2 hours in Charlotte's room talking. Peter told me about his new friends and I told him about Rose and Alice.
Once outside Peter put an arm around me and jumped up and down excitedly.
"I'm so glad you're back. I started to get bored without you.", he said. I shook my head laughing. Peter always managed to cheer me up.
"So where is this nice place of yours?", I asked him.
"You'll see.", was all he said.
Peter's new place was close to the more industrial part of the city. It was an old building which needed some work.
Inside it looked surprisingly clean. Peter led me into what I figured was the living room. There were a few people sitting around and chatting with each other.
What made me pause though was the fact that there was a mirror with white powder on the coffee table. I looked at Peter shocked.
"Everyone, that's my brother Jasper!", Peter introduced me to the room ignoring the look I just gave him. "Jasper these are James and Victoria. James owns this house." He motioned towards a blond man and a girl with bright red hair. I waved.
"Come on! You can stay in my room." Peter pulled me towards the back of the house and up the stairs.
His room was small but still bigger than my old room at Maria's. I left my backpack behind the door and sat down on the bed.
"Sooo..." I didn't know how to start.
"So.", Peter repeated.
"Was that what I think it was on the coffee table?", I asked and raised an eyebrow. Peter laughed nervously.
"Yeah well... James kinda sells those things.", he responded. I shook my head.
"Peter..."
"As if you wouldn't try it if you had the chance!", Peter defended himself.
"Trying it once or twice and living with a dealer are two completely different things!"
"And what was I supposed to do instead, hm? I don't have a secret twin to come and get me! I didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't stay there, Jasper! You of all people should understand!", Peter yelled angrily.
"And are you one of James' costumers?", I asked ignoring the change of subject.
"Sometimes.", he shrugged. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't be such a hypocrite!", he hissed. "You've done it yourself!"
"Yes weed! Not cocaine!", I hissed back. Peter sighed.
"I know you. Don't pretend like you don't want to shut it all out.", he said more gently now. I didn't answer. I didn't need to. We both knew Peter was right. "Come on! Let's go downstairs. You need to relax."
It's been a bit over a week now since I've left the Cullens. Peter and I spent most of those days wandering around the city. Now that I didn't go to school anymore I suddenly had a lot of free time. To be honest, I didn't really know what to do with it.
I had switched my phone on the day before and had been bombarded by missed calls from both Rosalie and Alice. I had winced thinking about how I made them feel but couldn't bring myself to call them back. The phone had rung one more time while it was still on but I hadn't been able to pick up as well.
We had visited Charlotte again a few days ago after Peter drunkenly thought he needed to see her right then and there. She had looked at me with a strange look in her eyes a few times then but never said anything.
"I promised Charlotte I'd visit her again tonight.", Peter said as we walked back towards the house. "You wanna come?"
"Sure.", I replied. There was a moment of silence before I asked. "Are you and Charlotte... you know... a thing?"
Peter turned very pink very fast and I laughed.
"No. Not yet anyway.", he said nervously.
"You are so in love with her!", I mocked and he turned even pinker and playfully pushed me a bit.
"She's pretty amazing, isn't she?", he smiled and I nodded. I hadn't expected him to admit it. It was obvious, yes, but for Peter to actually admit that he was in love meant a lot.
I had underestimated how much I would miss Alice. I missed her bubbly personality, how she could talk about clothes for hours. I missed the way she chewed on her lip when she was thinking.
"We have to wait until it's dark though.", Peter said and pulled me out of my thinking.
"What?", I blurted confused.
"Before we can visit Charlotte.", he explained. "Maria won't notice then."
I formed an 'oh' with my mouth and nodded.
We were back at the house then but it was still daylight outside and the sun wouldn't set for at least 2 hours.
"What are we gonna do until then?", I asked Peter.
"Well we could do this...", he pointed to the Playstation next to the TV. "... and this!" He pulled out a joint out of his pocket with a smirk.
We raided James' bar for a bottle of cheap whiskey and settled on the couch. Peter pulled out his lighter and I smiled.
"You've kept it!", I said.
"Of course I did!" He sounded strangely offended. "Would you loose a birthday present?"
"No I guess not.", I laughed.
Peter lit up the blunt and took a big drag.
"You know, James really has the best stuff."
"I've noticed that!", I laughed. The weed Peter had bought for his birthday might as well been oregano compared to what James sold him.
"Oh come on!", Peter yelled frustrated after I once again beat him in Mortal Combat. "When did you get so good at this?"
"Emmett, one of Rose' adopted siblings, forced me to play. I got pretty good, don't you think?", I laughed. I had never been able to actually beat Emmett but I got pretty close once or twice. And Peter was no match for him.
"How many people actually lived in that house?", Peter asked.
"Well Carlisle, Esme and 4 teenagers me excluded.", I answered with a frown. Why was he asking.
"Are they like Maria? Just in it for the money?", he growled.
"What? No! They adopted all of them. Edward was the first, he is the only one actually related to Esme. Emmett and Alice joined them a little later and then Rose a few months ago.", I explained. Peter just nodded slowly.
We had almost finished the bottle of whiskey by then. Peter turned around and looked out of the window and then to the watch on the wall.
"We should get going. We shouldn't run into Maria now.", he said and got up.
Peter and I quietly approached Charlotte's window. We were early and there was still light in the kitchen which meant that Maria and Jim where still in there.
Peter gently knocked against the glass and a few moments later Charlotte let us in.
"You're early!", she hissed after she closed the window again behind us. She wrinkled her nose and frowned at us. "Are you stoned again?"
"Maybe a bit.", Peter shrugged and she narrowed her eyes.
"What if Maria smells it when she gets in here tomorrow?", she asked worriedly.
"She won't, don't worry.", I calmed her. But the fact that she was so scared of her worried me. "She doesn't let Jim touch you, does she? Now that both of are gone." Charlotte shook her head and I sighed relieved.
"No but I still don't want any trouble."
"Don't worry, Char!", Peter smiled. "She won't notice we've ever been here." She didn't seem any calmer but didn't say anything.
"Ok you two. It's late and I have school tomorrow.", Charlotte said and opened the window for us. Peter went to climb out first but turned around again and whispered something into her ear. Charlotte blushed before she laughed and gently pushed him out of the window.
I rolled my eyes before I went to follow Peter.
"Jasper!", Charlotte called and I turned to look at her. "Please call your sister."
I looked into her big pleading eyes and nodded eventually.
I climbed out of the window after Peter who waited for me hidden behind a tree. He motioned something to me but because it was dark I couldn't tell what he wanted. I frowned and wanted to walk towards him and ask.
Suddenly someone pulled me back on my hood and turned me around.
"Well, look who we have here!", Jim mocked grinning. "I thought you left with the fancy doctor."
My stomach dropped. Jim's breath smelled like beer and cigarettes. The smell alone was enough to make me want to run for the hills.
I tried to get away but Jim grabbed my arm and stopped me. I started struggling until he punched me in the stomach hard. I doubled over and had trouble getting air into my lungs for a moment.
"You know this is breaking and entering, right?", he smirked and bend down so that his face was next to mine.
"Did you miss us? Because I missed this!", he whispered into my ear and kicked me into my still sore ribs.
I looked at Peter who was still hiding behind the tree. His eyes were huge and full of panic. I whimpered and rolled up into a protective ball.
"The other boy wasn't by far as fun as you, Jasper. He ran away almost immediately.", Jim mocked and kicked me again this time in my back.
"Stop!", Charlotte yelled from the window. My head snapped up and I looked at her desperately. What was she doing? She should stay out of this.
But had already climbed out of her window and tried to pull Jim away from me. He turned around and pushed her away as if she was made out of paper.
Peter suddenly came running towards us.
"Leave her alone!", he screamed and threw a punch at Jim. He hit him right on the nose.
Peter helped Charlotte up but before he could do anything else Jim already pulled him back. He punched my brother hard in the face.
I quickly got back to my feet and stopped Jim from punching Peter again. I used all the energy I had left holding him back.
"Go!", I yelled at both Peter and Charlotte. "What are you waiting for? Go!"
Peter looked at me one last time and then ran away pulling Charlotte with him.
I let go of Jim and took a step back.
"You little piece of shit!", he growled. I wanted to run but he was faster.
At first I struggled but eventually I gave up fighting. I knew that I had no chance against Jim anyway.
I curled up into a ball on the floor and waited for it to be over.
A/N: I hoped you like this new chapter. As always please leave a review :)
Until next time
