CHAPTER 24
JASPER
I could have held her in my arms forever, and it still wouldn't be long enough. But when you are young, bad things happen. You think it's the end, but then again, it's only the beginning of something better, or worse. For me, it was the latter.
I spent the morning in the hospital, injected here and there with anti-venom medicines. Apparently, I passed out in the forest.
I sat up on the hospital bed, a tangle of white sheets and torn clothes. Emmett was sitting by the bed, holding Rosalie in his arms. She was sobbing.
"Hey." I smiled, patting her head with my hand. "Don't worry about me."
"Don't do that again." She pleaded, her cheeks were flushed pink, flooded with tears. I reached out to wipe them away. "Someone wants to talk to you…"
I felt a lump form in my throat. I knew it was Edward. Who else could it be?
"Let him in." I whispered weakly.
Rosalie stood up and summoned someone inside. Much to my surprise, Edward was not alone. He had my father with him.
"Dad." I let confusion give flavor to my voice. Edward had never met my father, or had he?
My father nooded once to Rosalie, then, she and Emmett were out of sight in a flash. Edward sat by my side, offering me a decent pat on the hand.
"How are you, son?"
I turned to Edward, never acknowledging my father's question. "How is she?"
"She's good." He answered with a smirk. I felt my jaw tighten, but I clenched a fistful of fabric into my hand to calm myself down.
"Jasper." Dad said, clearing his throat. I felt tears stinging at the back of my eyes, but I ignored them. I would never cry in front of this man who left my mother and I.
When I was young, I always saw my Mom cry secretly in their bedroom. I would run to put my arms on her neck, to somehow offer a little comfort. I knew something was wrong between my parents, but I was too young to actually do something about it.
"What do you want?" I hissed. They both lowered their gaze, trying to avoid my eyes. "Spill it. Just spill it."
"Jasper it's not easy." Dad replied. "I don't want you to get hurt."
"What more have I got to lose, Dad? Ten years. Ten years, you were never there. What more could hurt me? You already did. I already had the greatest pain of my life because of you. Just say what the fuck it is."
I was eight when he left us for his other woman. It hurts to admit that I lost my father long before he was gone. He was never there, in the first place. I don't even know what my real last name was. My mother instilled it on my mind that my name was Clark Jasper Hale. Hale was my mother's last name. She and Rosalie's father were siblings.
Even before he left, Dad always went out to see his other woman, this I know because I once stalked him with my Mom. That was the final straw. He left us, and days after that, she went away to work, and left me to Rosalie's parents' care. We grew up together like brother and sister.
From my peripheral vision I saw EdwArd curl his fingers against my blanket. Like a child void of reason, I pulled it away. He clenched his fists, and he misght as well grown if he could, but Dad tapped him on the shoulder, and immediately, he calmed down.
"Listen, son." He commanded. Our eyes met for a second, then I looked away. "I did not leave you. Your mother kicked me out of the house."
"Because you spend all your time flirting with your other woman." I stated coldly.
Edward rose up from his chair, grabbing my collar. "You don't know how lucky you are, bastard."
"Lucky?" I spat back. "Was I lucky? Should I be thankful that my father left my mother and I for my Mom's best friend? You know what," I growled under my breath. "Best friends are supposed to be there for each other, not steal away the things and people they love, Edward."
"Are you talking about your mother and mine, or is it about the two of us, Jasper?"
Dad was stopping us, but neither of us would budge. I stared at Edward for a moment, debating whether I heard it right or not. "Your mother? What does your mother have to do with this?"
"In case you haven't figured out yet." He exhaled sharply. "You…"
"You're brothers." Dad continued, rubbing his face with his palms. "Edward is my son, Jasper, and you are his brother."
"No freaking way."
Edward gave me a demonic smile before he spoke. "Small world, Jazz."
I cringed at the mention of my own name, remembering those times when everything was so simple. Would everything have changed if I made a different decision?
I closed my eyes to think for a while. I then faced Edward with pride gleaming in my eyes. "Then your Mom is a man stealer. Just like you."
He chuckled like mad then turned to me. "Actually, I didn't call you bastard for nothing. You see," he breathed. "I'm months older than you. Our father here," he put an arm around Dad, who cringed. Maybe Edward was drunk. Again. "Left us, his first family, for you. And now you're complaining that he spent a little time with me? That's my right, Jasper. My right that you stole away."
"So now you're getting back at me by pursuing Alice, is that right?"
"No." He shook his head, gritting his teeth. "Do you want to know why I strived so hard to win that school election? It's because I wanted to prove that I was the best and that for once, people like me more than they like you. I always wanted to prove to myself that I am better than you because of the pain that rejection brought me when Dad left us for you. With Alice," he breathed, "I don't know. I just like her."
"She's the only one I've got…" My voice was pleading, shaking. "You could take everything from me. Just… Not her. Please."
"I'm sorry, Jasper." He smiled coldly at me. "But do you really think she would want an illegitimate child like you for a boyfriend? She deserves better." With that, he pushed his chair loudly away, and walked out of the room, leaving me in silent tears.
Dad leaned over to dishevel my hair, an act I've been longing for my whole life. "I'm sorry son." He cried.
I looked away to the window. "Look at what you did to your family."
A single tear escaped my eye for the last time, and I had made a crucial decision that would break me in the littlest pieces possible. I'm giving Alice a peaceful and happy life. Something she would never get with me.
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Because you guys won't review, here you go I'm making it hell for them. *Insert evil laugh here* Oh BTW have you seen the new Alice/Jasper Eclipse still? It's so effiniffiniffinny good and cute and sweet and lovely and jhfjsdfghsjcwehruhriwju *dead*
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