For: Carla
Prompt: High school. Not everything is perfect.
Pairing: Jasper/Bella.
When Jasper pulled up, Bella was sitting on the step of her porch. It was freezing out, and Bella wasn't a huge fan of the cold. Something was wrong.
Something was always wrong.
She was holding a cigarette in one hand. It was lit, but she wasn't smoking it. She was just holding it aloft, the smoke curling into the chilly air. Her free arm was wrapped around her knees. She didn't look up when he arrived. She was looking down, not really seeing anything.
Jasper took a deep breath and got out of the car. The source of her troubles was obvious almost as soon as he approached. He could hear screaming inside the house. He flinched when he heard breaking glass. Her parents were fighting. Again. He sat beside her wordlessly and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Mom's leaving," she said, her voice sounding tired and worn. "Really this time. For good. She's got papers." Her voice shook. "She's going to Arizona."
Jasper tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her hair. He didn't know what to say, so he started to sing. She loved it when he sang. He pressed his lips against her ear, singing the words low and soft.
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words
We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand
I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow"
She'd started to cry at some point during his song. She turned her head and burried her face in his neck. He rocked her gently and kissed her hair again. She sniffled, getting control of herself. "Ah. Fuck, it's cold," she said with a small laugh.
"Well, yeah." He paused. "Wanna come to my place?"
She laughed, the sound bitter. His mom hated her.
"One more year, baby," he said, sighing.
One more year before they could run together. Away to a college in the California sunshine.