It's time, it's time! Halloween for Bella and Jasper! So, as usual, everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to play with the characters. Beta-ing done by the wonderful EdwardsMate4Ever.

(Sweet Jasper)

Band Practice

Chapter 1 – High School Hell

Bella picked up the guitar and then sighed.

Who was she kidding? She was too clumsy to play it. Before she had a chance to put it back, Jessica marched in to the music room. Bella closed her eyes. Wait for it.

Jessica didn't disappoint. "That's not yours, you know. Not supposed to touch it." She grabbed the instrument from Bella.

Bella's interest in the guitar made her a double loser. First, she couldn't play guitar, and second, tonight was the school dance, and she didn't have a date. The student council had decided to move up the winter dance to Halloween after the Spartans had lost, badly, at Homecoming. Now they were putting on a band night to promote the dance. Groups were coming in from all over the area.

Bella left the small music room, letting the door close behind her, leaving Jessica to fuss over the instruments. Jessica, of course, was dating a guitarist for the event. He was in one of the bands performing tonight and was rumored to have a recording contract in the works. Jessica had made sure everyone knew, except for her mother.

Bella looked out the front door of Forks High School, across a vacant lot, up the street to—another vacant lot and then some houses. Behind that was the hospital. Everything in Forks was close because the town was so small. You could walk from one end to the other, and that's what lots of kids did on a daily basis. Even in the rain, because there wasn't much else to do.

She had to get out of here. Not only was the high school a trap, so was this tiny town. She felt she was suffocating in this place.

While she was staring out the door, a van pulled up. A black van with some custom work that looked classy. It kind of looked like her father's friend Pete's van, but she was sure he was down by the river in his fishing shack, passed out on another bender. This must belong to one of the guest bands. She turned away from the door and made the lonely walk down the hall to stop by her locker before heading home.

Just as she was closing her locker, she heard a courteous, "Excuse me, Miss?"

She turned to see a super-hot guy: tall, lanky, blond hair, carrying a guitar case. The shy smile he cast in her direction melted her heart. She started to go to him when she heard the sound of high heels tapping out a rhythm that heralded Jessica's arrival.

"Can I help you?" Jessica asked, twisting so the newcomer got the best view down her sequined halter top.

"She's with the band," muttered Bella.

Jessica shot her a look.

"I'm OK, Miss," said the stranger, giving her a nod and heading in Bella's direction.

Bella's heart beat faster as she watched him approach. She couldn't help but notice Jessica staring her way, her jaw nearly hitting the floor.

"How about you?" asked the blond stranger. He had paused when he was a few feet away from her and was leaning casually against one of the lockers. "Are you with the band?"

"No," Bella replied.

"My lucky night then," he said.

"Are you looking for the practice rooms?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied.

As she led him down the hall, she said, "I didn't think you would be able to hear me, all the way over there."

"I was listening," he said simply, smiling down at her.

She blushed and said, "Here we are," as they had reached the practice rooms.

When he opened the door, she turned to leave. He surprised her by reaching for her wrist.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I thought you wanted to warm up."

"I'm OK. I was just going to drop this off. We've got time before the show starts, right? Show me around?" He flashed a smile.

"Sure," she said. "Not that there's much to see."

"I've already found something fascinating," he said in a low voice.

Her heart raced. He couldn't mean it, but he was good-looking. Even if he was just passing through. Why not?

"OK, then," she said. "The school is new, but it's a site of major boredom. So let's go outside."

"After you," he said with a bow.

As they reached the front door, he opened it then held out his arm for her. She hesitated, not knowing what to do. So he slipped his arm around her waist and they walked out together.

They almost ran into Eric, who was leading his group in their band outfits: T-shirts and jeans, hair that had clearly been worked on to look casually cool. Eric was wearing eyeliner and glitter shadow, Bella noticed. He stared first at the stranger then his eyes flicked to Bella. She realized that all the guys were staring at her.

She just smiled. You didn't want me before, so too bad.

They reached Forks Avenue and she turned toward the Forks Coffee Shop. Passing that, they went by the library and the rest of the shopping district and headed toward Tillicum Park. They stopped to look at the enormous locomotive that was at the front of the park.

Feeling awkward, Bella asked, "So, my name's Bella. What's yours?"

"Oh, sorry," the stranger said. "I'm Jasper."

"Where are you from?"

"Most recently, Alaska."

"Alaska?" Bella repeated. "Sounds exciting." He's from somewhere else. Exciting, romantic places like Alaska. Wonder what kind of music they listen to in Alaska?

"Lots of wildlife up there," he said. "Not a lot of people." Jasper paused, thinking. "I like it here."

Bella stayed silent.

"I'm guessing you don't," he said.

"It's small. You can walk from one end of town to the other. No jobs, nothing much to do."

They went into the park and sat on a bench, watching the light recede behind the tree line. Twilight. Jasper reached out and stroked her hair.

"It probably seems that way to you," he said. "But right now, it seems the most wonderful place in the world."

Looking into his eyes, she believed him. She wanted to believe him; she was ready to believe anything tonight. Next to him, she felt something magical could happen.

He leaned forward and touched his lips lightly to her cheek, then pulled her closer until their lips touched. She started, as his face felt cold and hard, like marble, then decided she would warm that up.

Xx

Last story! Almost Halloween! I'm going to put up a Jasper POV of this story after this. Hope you'll stick around for that.

Please leave a review. I'll send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.