Chapter Ten
Alice Point of View
It had been two days since me and Jasper had our discussion. It had been two days since he told me the complete truth, two days since I had done the same. But out of all of the events from those past two days, the one thing that stuck out in my mind was apparent.
It had been two days since I had confessed my apparent love for Jasper, and two days since he told me that he reciprocated that same love.
It's almost ironic how such a serious, hardly-laughable and partially disturbing discussion can be completely side-stepped and changed into an almost fond moment. Before that, I understood that Jasper was the recipient of my overwhelming obsession. I knew that I found myself completely absorbed in what he did. But the extent was unknown to me.
That is why it surprised me as much as it did him when I leaned in for a kiss-a real kiss- and actually told a boy that I loved him. It was the content of movies, of books, but not real life. Real relationships move at a slow pace, have their ups and downs, but suddenly real life has no hold on me.
I had experienced love at first sight, or close to it. I can't think back to my life before Jasper. Everything I did reflected our conversations, brief as they may be. I was literally obsessed in every sense of the word.
But a surprising fact was that Jasper seemed to have no problem with this. He followed along with a free will. Apparently, he didn't mind hanging out with obsessed fan girls. That, or I am a surprisingly good actress.
Whatever the reason, I didn't ponder it to long. I was almost to lunch. Well, I was almost to Jasper's locker. My plans were not directly focused on the food, but more importantly on what was going to transpire while consuming the food.
I had an extra bounce in my step from the anticipation as I anxiously waited in front of his locker. It didn't surprise me that he had yet to arrive. I ran from class, an everyday ritual by now, and headed straight here. In fact, it was not for several minutes until Jasper finally did show.
He was meandering, a habit I found annoying, down the hall. I tapped my foot and leaned against his locker. "Finally," I sighed when he approached.
"Annoyed with me already?" He asked. I stepped aside from his locker when he motioned for me to. When I responded, his eyes where searching the contents of his nearly empty locker.
"I'm actually waiting for you to get annoyed with me." I replied honestly. This may or may not have caught him by surprise; his face was not directed to me. Nevertheless, he responded without missing a beat.
"But on the contrary, I find you quite amusing."
I chuckled and raised my eyebrows. "Amusing, huh? I might find that offensive."
"Sure you do," He said mockingly. The object in my hands caught his attention. "You packed a lunch today?" Jasper asked in surprise.
I nodded. "Its supposed to be warm today, I thought we could sit outside."
"It might be crowded." He said thoughtfully. I smirked.
"Not where I am going." I said with an impish tone, heading for the exit without waiting for a response. I could hear his footsteps as I walked through the almost empty hallways.
"Here I thought I was the experienced student and you were practically new here." He muttered just loud enough for me to hear.
"You have the roles switched." I laughed. Conversations between us have been noticeably lighter after we both cleared ourselves of our lies. Adding that to the fact that the weather was surprisingly nice today, our banter had taken a pleasant tone.
By the time I made it to my destination, the hallways where completely cleared. I dramatically looked both ways before opening up a door that lead us outside. Nobody was out there either. We were on the opposite side of the school as the outdoor lunchroom and the other children could not even be heard.
"How did you know this was out here?" Jasper asked. "I didn't know about this." He looked around at his surroundings, at the single picnic table and the lone tree, before looking at me, waiting for my response.
"I can see the future, how do you think?" I responded loftily. Jasper didn't seem to believe me because his posture remained the same, still waiting for a response. "Maybe Rosalie told me about it." I conceded. This explanation made more sense to him because he walked over to sit down at the picnic bench.
I followed him over and sat directly in front of him on the opposite side of the table. I sat my bag in between us and wordlessly began to empty the contents of the bag: two sandwiches, two apples, two bags of chips and two cookies.
"Hungry are we?" Jasper asked in confusion.
"It's for the both of us." I said simply, organizing the food into two groups, one for me and one for him.
"Alice," He began softly in a serious tone. "You know I can't accept any of this-" He continued, but I cut him off before he could get any farther.
"I know, we went over this yesterday. But today is an exception. Today, I have a favor of you, so you will eat it, right?" I asked in a condescending tone, as if he was a child. I was only joking, and Jasper knew that.
"Fine," He sighed, already giving up. I had to fight the grin that was threatening to emerge. If it was this easy to make him concede, things will be quite a bit simpler than I imagined.
I watched him eat as I did the same. We ate a slow pace, mine matching his. It was not until both of our lunches were completely gone did I speak up.
"So now that I filled my half of the bargain, its time that you paid yours." I smirked.
Jasper looked up at me confused. He tilted his head slightly to the side, silently asking what I meant by that.
"Well because I gave you food, it's your turn to help me out." I laughed exuberantly.
Jasper narrowed his eyes. "What do you want me to do?" He asked suspiciously. My grin increased inside.
"Jasper," I sighed dramatically. "I want you to meet my parents."
In a flurry around the room, I scrambled to find the missing earring to complete my outfit. It was the set I had been given for my thirteenth birthday, but it would match perfectly with the attire I had on. Currently, I only possessed one of two earrings. Why they would be separated was a mystery in its own, but I was determined to have this evening go perfectly.
Everything was so surreal. Sure, I had assumed that the events preceding this meeting would go without a hitch, but never in my wildest dreams would I assume them to have gone as far as they have.
Jasper, after only a few minutes of arguing, finally agreed that he was in my debt. Who knew a lunch could be equivalent to meeting my parents in his eyes? Part of me felt guilty. I knew the moment I pouted to him his resolve would crumble. If he had asked me for help, I probably would have done the same. I schemed him into it, and he followed along.
So it wasn't really my fault, was it? Even it was, he wouldn't be hurt, or hopefully not. My dad can be pretty intimidating. I know I'm not looking forward to informing my parents of our guest. I should have told them earlier, but I decided to wait until the last second. That way, they have no option but to set another plate and meet him.
I was giddy as I picked up some lip gloss and smeared it onto my lips. I was even more nervous as I ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to mess up the spiky clumps. As usual, my efforts were rewarded. When I next looked into the mirror, I looked as best as I could in such a short period of time and hopefully, I was ready to go downstairs.
I told Jasper to come at five-thirty. It was five-fifteen. I cautiously walked down the stairs and around the corner into the kitchen. My mom was fiddling with the last of dinner and my dad was sorting through the fridge for some type of food, I assume. When I walked in, my mom looked over and took in my appearance.
She raised her eyebrow. "Going somewhere?" She asked suspiciously. My dad looked up from the fridge intent on listening to my answer.
I tried to make an innocent expression, one that would have them agreeing with me. "Well," I began cautiously. "I was sitting at lunch and I might have-accidentally of coarse-invited a friend to dinner tonight." I continued, speaking faster at the end.
"And you didn't tell us until now?" My dad inquired.
I shrugged meekly. "I forgot."
My mom chuckled. She shook her head before pointing out the fault in my quick lie. "You just felt like getting all dressed up, huh?"
"Maybe," I laughed.
"Who did you invite? We still haven't met Bella or Rosalie or any of your other friends." My dad said in a good mood. I sighed in relief. At least now I wouldn't be in trouble for that, not until I inform him that "my friend" might be of the opposite gender. I could guarantee that he would not be a happy camper at that time.
Looking for a way to avoid the question, I walked over to inspect my mother's food. It was some kind of chicken that smelt fairly good. "Have I had this before?"
My mom shook her head no. "I was reading the newspaper and there were a few recipes in there. I thought we could try one tonight. It's supposed to be incredibly healthy for you."
"Did it mention how it tastes?" I asked in exasperation. Hopefully it was not one of those under-seasoned, nutrition packed dishes that have little to no taste. For some reason, my mom seemed attracted by those kinds of meals. They usually smelt amazing, even looked good, but typically they reminded me more of cardboard than edible food.
My dad gave me a firm stare at the slightly defiant tone in my voice. I rolled my eyes and he shook his head laughing to himself. "When I was young-" He began, but I interrupted before he could continue.
"Yes, we know that the radio was invented, as well as electricity. Not to mention the fact that you had to walk ten miles to school, up hill, in the rain or snow. We got it." I said in an exaggerated playful manner.
"I was going to tell you that we would never speak in such a way to our parents. We respected them." He laughed, declaring me a lost cause. I gave him an impish grin before opening the fridge to look for something to drink.
I wasn't really thirsty, but I was as anxious as I could be. Wound up, I immediately shut the fridge door and walked into the front room. There, I would have a view of outdoors. I would have a slight forewarning before my parents. Hopefully, within those thirty seconds, I could inform them of their wrong assumptions and they could be somewhat polite to Jasper. That, of course, was only a maybe.
I still had about ten minutes before Jasper was even supposed to be here, and Jasper was typically late, so why I was already on the lookout was unbeknownst to me. I just couldn't sit in the kitchen.
The scene outside the window was generic and gloomy; however, the saturnine weather was typical for Forks. It was slightly misting, but just enough. I had a feeling that if you stood out in this rain long enough, you could still get wet.
I anxiously surveyed through the glass trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach. I was so excited, so nervous, that it hurt. I stood up and smoothed out my clothes. I took a few steps, and then regretted it and went back to my previous position.
Minutes were droning on. Every time I would look at the clock, only seconds had gone by. I needed everything to go smoothly, but more importantly, I need everything to go. Time was now at a standstill. It was hours before the clock finally caught up with my uneasy mind.
I saw Jasper approach the house four minutes late on foot. He was wearing the clothes he had on at school and his hair was still messy. The only difference between now and when I had last seen him was the fact that he was thoroughly drenched. In that attire, Jasper would have to work hard for my parent's approval. I sighed and turned to confront them about our guest.
Jasper POV
I nervously walked up the small steps leading to Alice's house and rung the doorbell. I waited, stepping from one foot to the next. This was a huge mistake, but like always, I found myself lead down the path by my own stupidity. I should never had agreed to meet Alice's parents.
Alice asked, and although I initially resisted, I had to admit that spending more time with Alice was definitely a good thing. I reluctantly agreed, but now, hours later, I realize my folly.
Alice was just too hard to resist. Everything about our relationship was wrong, even the fact that we spend any time together whatsoever. Why then, do I feel like everything is so right?
Even as the door opened to reveal the girl I couldn't stop thinking about, I felt my heart rise up. I already could barely contain my smile when she open the door just a bit wider. Alice was slowly filling every one of my thoughts, slowly but surely.
I ran my hand through my wet hair before offering a nervous grin. Alice smiled wider and grabbed my hand to pull me in. I jumped slightly at the movement, but I doubt she noticed it.
"Hey," She whispered softly. I tilted my head slightly in confusion. It was not Alice to speak so quietly. "Okay, so maybe my dad is scared to meet you, but I swear it's not my fault!" She exclaimed, still whispering.
"What are you talking about?"
"I just told my dad, like, five seconds ago that you were a guy. He might not like that. I'm sorry." She winced. I shook my head, chuckling under my breath. Was she serious?
"Don't worry about me, Alice." I laughed. "I can handle a little bit of disapproval." Alice's face fell at this, but I tried to ignore it. I couldn't help the pang of regret that shot through me at this. I had hurt Alice. I tried to smile, to remain oblivious, and I think she believed me. When I looked back to Alice, she continued to smile.
"Time to meet the 'rents." She whispered into my ear. I felt a rush of nervousness at the prospect at meeting her parents, despite the fact I knew they would be nice enough. Alice must have seen my face because she immediately went out to comfort me. "I promise they don't bite."
I felt embarrassed she was so worried about me. "No, it's okay." I tried to smile. Alice seemed to believe my façade once again, but she still looked worried.
"You sure?"
"Alice, I'm fine." I reassured her. This time, she seemed more sure of me, even if she seemed a bit hesitant. "Just trust me." I said calmly before trying to change the subject. "Are your parents in the kitchen?"
"Yeah, follow me." She brightened at my words. "Trust me, they're not too bad." She whispered as we walked into the kitchen. I was greeted by two adults in their mid-forties as we rounded the corner. I immediately felt underdressed seeing their work clothes and Alice's nice outfit.
"You must be Jasper." A woman said. She had brown, straight hair that hung just above her shoulders. Although her hair was down, everything about Alice's mom seemed strict and professional. The women stuck out her hand to shake mine.
"That'd be me." I nodded, taking her hand. I smiled awkwardly before averting my gaze over to Mr. Brandon. He was wearing nice cloths. It seemed slightly out of place with the fact he was carrying plates over to the table. Seeing that he wasn't about to introduce himself, I looked back to Mrs. Brandon.
"Well, it's nice to have you over for dinner." She said looking over to her husband for a second.
"It's nice to be over."
"The food's over here." She said, pointing to the table. "If you want to grab a plate, we can sit down." She continued, trying to keep everything going. I wouldn't say the atmosphere was tense, but it could surely be a bit better. I tried to ease things by smiling. But as I grabbed a plate and walked behind Alice to the dinner table, I was not for sure it worked.
"Thank you." I said, trying to think of what to say. I gave a quick glance to Alice before sitting down. She was smiling, seemingly ignorant of the fact her dad had yet to say anything.
But as soon as I thought that, Mr. Brandon spoke up, skipping most of the pleasantries. "So I hear you're in the same grade as Alice." He said, more of a statement than a question. His voice was gruff, but I could tell by the way his hands were placed that this was all an act. Nevertheless, I was completely serious when I responded.
"Yes, sir." I nodded.
"Are you fifteen or sixteen?" He asked in that same voice. I kept eye contact when I replied promptly.
"Just turned sixteen." I said truthfully.
"Well I hope you don't drive Alice anywhere." He said in a disapproving tone. I almost grinned thinking of this.
"I don't have my license yet." I said, still being honest. I think this was the only time where I was actually grateful that neither my dad nor my mom thought it was okay for me to drive.
"And why not?" Mr. Brandon asked. His voice was already losing its gruff tone, matching both his looks and his assumed personality. "Fail the test?"
"I just haven't taken the time to do so, I don't have any need." I responded quickly. It was the partial truth, but that was only because the actuality was not something to go around telling people. I'm sure Alice's dad would not approve of me telling him that it was because I got in trouble.
"I'm sure you could have used it tonight." His mom laughed, looking out the window near her. The typical misting had escalated to a steady downpour. "Did you walk the entire way?"
"It only started to rain harder after I left." I tried to dismiss the statement. Alice's mom didn't say anything further.
"So you have no other reason not to get your license." Mr. Brandon said seriously. His voice held slight disappointment. "I see." I had no idea how to respond, so I remained quiet, my eyes slightly downward. "You're pretty tall for you're age." He said. I was surprised by the subject change, but leapt for it.
"Both my mom and my dad are tall." I said, thinking of my thick-muscled father and my willowy mother. Before I could continue, Mr. Brandon cut me off.
"Pretty thin, too." He said with disapproval. I was unsure of what to say. I fumbled around before Alice spoke up.
"Is this an interrogation?" She laughed with acquisition in her eyes. I had almost completely forgotten the girl sitting next to me throughout the meal. I looked over to her in gratitude. This seemed to brighten her mood further.
Alice's father seemed upset about being interrupted, but he did not ask any more questions. In fact, it was Alice's mom who asked another question.
"So are you into any sports?"
I thought about answering truthfully for a moment. That was before realizing what a stupid idea that was. I doubt telling Alice's parents about my strict no-fun policy at home would be completely normal. I opted to go for the half truth. "I enjoy them, but I'm pretty busy outside of school. I don't play any team sports."
"How'd you hurt your arm then?" Alice's dad asked with mild curiosity. He must have attributed it to a sports–related injury. I remembered Alice telling me her dad was a doctor, so I was hesitant to answer.
"I had an accident." I replied vaguely.
"What kind?" Her dad asked, more persistent.
"I fell down the stairs. I was trying to carry too many things down at once." The last story I had used was forgotten, so I used the first thing that had popped into my head. It was believable.
Alice's dad nodded to himself. I could almost see the visible difference in him as he slipped into his doctor mode. As he continued questioning me, it was spoken very differently from the previous inquisitions. "When did it happen?"
It took me a second to think things over. It was almost hard to think of my life before my thoughts constantly remained on Alice. Waiting patiently, Mr. Brandon said nothing as I thought. "About two weeks ago."
"Did you get in to see a doctor?" I was getting sick of his inquiries, but I also wanted to avoid lying if possible. I answered honestly, whether I truly wanted to or not.
"It wasn't that bad." I said, hopefully making my broken bone sound like a bruise.
"It still hurts him sometimes." Alice jumped in. I almost wanted to glare at the girl, but I refrained. Alice had a smirk on her face when I glanced over. I shook my head slightly to try and signal from her to stop, but she seemed to be conveniently ignorant.
"Still? And you haven't seen anybody for it?" Mrs. Brandon jumped in, looking shocked. I shrugged and tried to look nonchalant. Inside, I was panicking slightly. Please say they don't think anything is wrong.
"It's not that bad. It just hurts a bit." I admitted, still hoping I sounded relaxed. Mrs. Brandon looked doubtful, but Alice's dad was just staring at me thoughtfully.
"Maybe you should get in soon for it." He said as if he was going to drop the subject.
"I should." I sighed, relieved. He probably wouldn't mention it again. I picked up my fork and began to eat my forgotten chicken. It was absolutely amazing. I wanted to shore it down my throat, and possibly lick the plate. But somehow, I doubt the Brandons would appreciate me doing that.
It was not that food was scarce back home, but I was often denied meals of some sort. Whether it be because I didn't fold the towel correctly or I was thirty seconds late to dinner, it always seemed that I missed out on dinner, lunch, breakfast, or all of the above. I was interrupted from my retrospective thoughts less then a minute later when Alice spoke up.
"Can you pass the broccoli?" She asked delicately. I shifted my eyes to her, and then to the broccoli. It was to the right of me while Alice was on my left. Groaning, I reached my left hand across my body to grab the bowl and pass it onto Alice.
I knew this must have looked awkward. The typical response would have been to grab it with my right hand, pass it to my left, and then hand it over to Alice. However, I could not manage to do that seeing as my right hand was incapacitated.
"So you can't use it at all?" Mr. Brandon asked suddenly, still looking at my right hand. I wanted to growl in frustration. I was gritting my teeth as I slowly shook my head no. "Can I take a look at it?" He asked. I wanted to yell at him, to tell him absolutely not, but Mrs. Brandon unknowingly interrupted me from doing so.
"After dinner, hun." She said absently, probably having to deal with her husband's behavior often. I was glad the attention was off me momentarily and I used this time to take a look at Alice.
She had that same grin on her face and I could not help but feel that she must have planned all of this, or had at least seen it in the future. I knew I could not be mad at her, but I also knew from my serious thoughts that I did not look happy.
Alice's face fell a little bit. She looked at me apologetically and mouthed a quick "Sorry," before her mother asked her a question.
"So how did you and Jasper meet?"
Alice looked excited at the prospect of talking, obviously pleased that the attention was on her. She thought for the briefest of seconds before starting her small tale. "We're in the same History class. And, we have mutual friends." She started, sounding as if she was about to go much further into detail.
"And who would that be?" Mr. Brandon cut her off before she could get started. Alice needed no time to think as she rattled off the four names.
"Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward." She said, touching the tip of her finger with the other as she spoke. It was as if she was counting them off.
"So you know all of them too?" Mrs. Brandon asked, looking over to me. I nodded.
"Yes, I met them a few years ago." I said, thinking back to when I had first met Edward. I had been much closer to him then, before he began to get suspicious.
"And that's how you guys met?" She asked, gesturing between me and Alice just to make it clear who she was talking about.
"Yes, ma'am." I nodded. Alice jumped up as I spoke and placed her dishes near the sink on the other side of the kitchen. Following her lead, I stood up and place my nearly spotless plate next to hers, feeling quite full.
I walked slowly back to the table and slid into the chair next to Alice. Mrs. Brandon stacked her plate with Mr. Brandon's and then walked them over to the sink herself. Alice's dad looked almost eager the second I sat down. I didn't want to know what he was thinking.
"Can I look at your arm now?" He asked, pointing to my arm. I looked down to my injured arm with its swollen fingers and fraying bandage. I wanted to say no, but I knew that if Alice took after her dad, there was no way he would back down.
"Um," I mumbled, trying to think of an excuse. I couldn't. "Sure, but I don't know if you want to." I said, trying to discourage him. It was to no avail.
"Here, come sit over here on the couch." He said, standing up. I sent Alice a scared look, but she seemed to be doing nothing to avoid this confrontation. Anger surged up. I was helpless.
I didn't know what to do and I was not in control. I needed to do something, anything would do. Alice looked perfectly comfortable trailing behind us. I slowly sat down on the couch next to the armchair. This was not going to be good.
Alice Point of View
Dinner was a mess. Not only was the food terribly bland, but my dad would not stop firing off questions. I was surprised Jasper handled himself so well. My dad was not always the easiest person to be around.
Jasper did okay at dinner. I could tell my dad at least somewhat liked him. At least he didn't kick Jasper out; I wouldn't put that past him. Of course, he did jump for the idea of looking at Jasper's hand. He was forever the doctor. I might have slightly encouraged him, but it was all in Jasper's best interest.
Jasper caught on to what I was doing the second I asked for him to pass the broccoli. I didn't really want any more vegetables, but I could not pass up the perfect opportunity.
I don't think Jasper will be too mad. Aside from looking slightly panicky, Jasper looked fine now. He was clenching his working hand over and over again, his eyes downward.
I knew that what I was doing was risky, but the idea popped in my head so fast with no forewarning, I had no chose but to act upon it. I may not have thought through the consequences, but I don't think there is much worse than losing a limb.
I don't know much about medical science, but you don't have to be a genius to recognize that leaving your broken arm alone is not the best idea. I could tell that it was still hurting Jasper quite a bit. Sometimes, when he moved his arm just the slightest bit, his face would contort in pain. It was just a flash, but I could recognize the expression.
I maneuvered myself over to sit next to Jasper on the couch. He looked so lonely sitting by himself. I felt guilty that I was the cause of his current discomfort, but I knew that in the long run it would be beneficial to him. I still whispered my apologies in his ear when it was just the two of us. Jasper looked up.
"Its okay," He mumbled. His tone was only half-hearted and I couldn't help but inch a tad bit closer in hopes of making him feel better.
"Everything is going to be fine. Just relax." I continued to whisper, trying to quell his fears.
"They can't find out." He said, sounding as worried as he looked. "I'll be in trouble-"
Before he could continue, I cut him off. "Look Jasper, you can't leave your arm like this. I don't know what would happen if you did, but it would not be good. Trust me, its going to work out."
He didn't look like he was listening. It was all I could do not to grasp either side of his face and tell him that things were going to work out. Instead, I lightly rested my hand atop his injured arm, wishing that it would magically heal itself.
Jasper didn't respond. His gaze remained fixated on the floor, as usual. My dad would be back any second with his magical doctor bag, but I knew it wouldn't do much. We would end up going to the hospital if it was indeed broken.
Jasper was silent and I had no idea what to say. I didn't want to worry him more and comforting people was not my forte. We sat in silence for a moment until my dad walked into the room.
"Let's see what we have here." He said in his doctor-voice. I almost wanted to groan out loud. My dad was so embarrassing.
"You don't need to do this, Mr. Brandon." Jasper responded, most likely trying to get my dad to forget all about this. I knew that would not happen.
"It's really no problem." My dad said as he sat down on the chair near Jasper. He motioned for Jasper to hold out his arm. He did so very reluctantly. "This won't hurt." My dad laughed seeing Jasper's expression.
Jasper tried to laugh along.
My dad lightly touched the bandage, looking for the start. Once he did so, he slowly began to unravel the cloth. I was practically biting my nails from anxiety. This could go either way. Things could be fine and reactions could be normal or everything could get blown out of proportion.
Jasper straightened up when my dad began to jostle his arm around. It hurt him. This was the expression that caused me to start this entire scheme. I had to do it, for Jasper's sake.
When my dad got off the entire wrap, he closely inspected the arm. He didn't need to. I may not have a medical degree, I may not watch medical dramas on television, but I could tell that this was not a normal wrist. I wanted to gag at the sight.
It was bent in an odd angle, as if Jasper was trying to push only his wrist up while keeping the rest of his hand down. The skin was paler than the rest of him and had clearly not seen fresh air in a while. I winced alongside Jasper this time.
I had to bite back the tears. It was like looking at pictures of war victims, but worse. I knew Jasper, personally, and I could not help the sinking feeling in my stomach nor could I cease the cold spasm that ran down my spine from the horrific sight.
My dad's reaction was nonexistent. He merely examined his wrist with a detached mind. Jasper was shifting his weight nervously, waiting for my dad to react.
But when he did, it was not with the expected response. He calmly looked up to Jasper. "Well, there's not much I can do here. We need to get you up to the hospital." It was clear that my dad was still in doctor mode. His calm face surveyed Jasper's as he stood up. "Stay right here, I will be back in a second." My dad commanded, completely authoritative.
I watched Jasper carefully. He did not move. For once, he was not fidgeting or shaking, or shifting his weight. He was calm and still, looking down at his arm. I didn't know what to say, it was like he wasn't completely on the same plane as us now.
"Jasper?" I called out weakly, wanting to hear his reassuring voice. Jasper jerked slightly, caught off guard, and turned his head to face me. He was emotionless. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Alice." He said, sliding into his more familiar self. In the blink of an eye he was back to his usual self, and that almost worried me. As if he was reading my train of thought, Jasper reached out and grasped my hand with his good one. "I knew what it looked like. Just because you can see it doesn't make it worse."
I was going to respond, tell him that he shouldn't have to feel it at all, when my dad in walked with a superior step. "Okay, Jasper." He said, sitting down on the chair facing him. "Is your arm hurting more than before?" My dad asked, despite the fact that his tone of voice indicated that he already knew the answer.
Jasper shrugged. "I guess." He mumbled under his breath, barely audible. I doubt my dad even heard him.
Paying no attention to the reluctant answer, my dad leaned a bit closer to Jasper, reaching out for his arm. It was then that I noticed that my dad had something in his hands. "Without your wrap, the car ride might be pretty jostling. I'm going to wrap this towel around for some support. It's the best I could manage."
There was one thing that I really loved about in these types of situations about my dad. He didn't ask any more questions, simply dealt with the issue at hand. I was watching my dad carefully place Jasper's arm onto the towel when he shooed me away. That was one thing I definitely did not love about him in these types of events.
"Alice, can you go tell your mother we will be heading out to the hospital. And grab your cell phone, too." He commanded. I sighed, contemplated defying his wishes, and then decided it was best to leaving.
Giving one last farewell look at Jasper, who had his eyes still fixed on his arms, I turned to leave. I didn't want to leave him alone for too long, so when I went to look for my mom, I jogged about until I found her in the most obvious place for her after dinner, the kitchen.
She was doing the dishes absently when I walked in. She looked up when she must have heard my footsteps. "Something wrong?" She asked, taking in my expression.
I nodded in conformation. "Dad says we have to take Jasper up to the hospital, his arm's broken." I sighed forlornly. My mom looked slightly taken aback for a moment, but then followed my dad's same policy about not asking questions. "Are you coming?" I asked, wanting to know if my mom was to be accompanying us.
She shook her head no. "I'm going to stay back. But if you need anything, do not hesitate to call me." There was concern in her eyes as she spoke with sincerity.
After exchanging momentary goodbyes, I ran up the stairs to grab my cell phone. In a matter of minutes, I was back to Jasper and my dad. Only this time, they were both standing. My dad had his hands on both of Jasper's shoulders and was gently leading him outside.
But despite my dad's light touch, Jasper looked extremely shaken. His shoulders were hunched slightly and he was trembling. My dad must have assumed it was from the pain. When in actuality, it could have been a number of things.
"Do you have your cell phone?" My dad asked once Jasper was seated in the car.
"Yes I do," I said quickly, sliding in next to Jasper. As my dad walked around the car to get in, I look over to my friend. "Having fun?" I said in a more serious tone than the words implied. Jasper gave me a small smirk.
My dad noisily got into the car before I could continue, interrupting me with his question. "Do you want to call your dad now, Jasper?" He asked, turning around to look before he pulled out. Jasper nodded slowly.
I almost didn't want to hand Jasper my phone, but I did so reluctantly. He grabbed my cell and began to type in his number. He held it up to his left ear. Luckily-or maybe not so much- I was on his left side, clearly able to hear both sides of the conversation.
The phone rang, and on the second round, I heard a girl's voice pick up. It sounded the same as the girl from my last visit to Jasper's. "Hello?" She asked in that same tone she had used last time I had seen her.
"Amanda?" Jasper responded, sounding almost like a question. He did not give her time to respond, immediately cutting to the chase. "I need to talk to our father."
There was silence on the other side. Eventually, I heard a quiet response. I had to lean in to hear. "Jasper," She started, changing tone completely. "Why did you go out? He's really mad."
I gulped. Jasper's sister sounded scared. Jasper took a breath, but when he responded his voice was completely devoid of emotion. "Just give him the phone." He demanded. I took the silence on the other line as compliance to Jasper's order.
"Jasper." I heard a gruff voice say after a moment. I felt Jasper shudder immediately.
"Dad, I'm in the car with a friend and her parent. They saw my arm and thought it needed medical attention." Jasper stated, leaving my name out. I couldn't help but wonder if this was intentional.
The response was inaudible. Whatever he said, I felt Jasper shiver once again. "Yes, sir." There was another pause. "I will see you then."
Jasper took the phone and hung up. He handed it to me without a word. I didn't say anything either. My dad, having not heard the conversation, felt absolutely none of terror emanating from the back.
"So will your dad be there?"
Jasper's faced looked paler than usual. He nodded, even if my dad could not see. "Yeah, he'll be there."