Chapter thirty seven: Prom

NPOV

April 27, Saturday

Back at home, I missed Jake.

Last week had been spent in comfortable companionship. But I believe I had kept him from his work, because he didn't come over the remaining part of the week. I was not hurt or offended, I knew how busy an alpha must be sometimes, and I had plenty of distractions myself. Alice was going out of her way, making me the most gorgeous dress, and Carlisle was enthusiastically turning me inside out, as by now all parameters of my vampire-ness had started to change. Hehe, Vampire Ness.

At last the prom night was there, and the females had groomed me all day, I was so relieved when Esme had finally dropped me off at Josh's place.

Could somebody die of over-grooming? I now believed so.

Josh lived relatively close to the prom location, so we would walk the distance.

When he opened the door, his eyes twinkled in admiration, and I had to admit I was grateful that all polishing efforts had paid off.

He put his arm protectively around me as we started the short walk.

"Like my dress? Jasper's girlfriend Alice has made it for me."

"I love your dress, you are stunning." He pulled me close for a kiss on my lips.

"Hey! Watch the makeup!"

"I'm going to be kissing you a lot this evening, so best get rid of the makeup right away." He smiled at me sweetly.

"Can you believe she managed to finish this dress in only two days?"

"Wow! Why the rush though? I asked you to prom like ten days ago."

"I know. I thought I had enough suitable dresses but Alice wanted me to have a new one, and the first part of this week I spent in LaPush."

"You were staying over with Jake? Why?"

Oh, right, he didn't know that. Woops. His sweet smile was instantly vanished and he pulled his arm back again.

"Um… things got complicated at home again. There were fights and all…"

"You could have stayed with me. We have a guest room."

"I know but dad would never let me do that."

"But he lets you stay with him?" he spat out with contempt and disbelief.

"They've known Jake my entire life. They trust him." I tried to soothe him.

"I don't trust him. And they don't get a chance at getting to know me, do they?"

"Please don't be mad Josh." I didn't want to ruin this evening with another fight about Jake. I couldn't see why he was making so much trouble over him.

"Some things just don't make sense here. And on Monday, when you were sick, you were with him too?"

"Yes." I said softly, as I saw that things were dawning on him. Bad things.

"Oh, and Sunday, you cancelled our date. To be with him?!" This was going the wrong way. I felt myself getting irritated, although he didn't deserve that. He had to become suspicious one day, for me not ever brining him home. I tried to be patient as I answered.

"I didn't cancel to be with him. I cancelled because I was devastated by what happened at home that weekend."

"But why haven't you said anything to me about it? You don't trust me?"

"I do, but it was complicated..."

I wish I could have asked him to trust me too. But that would be hypocrite, I wasn't to be trusted, I had proven that kissing Jasper.

He wasn't reassured, not in the least bit.

"So you think I wouldn't have been able to keep up? But not too complicated for a stupid car mechanic?" Now he started to insult Jake, and I had no more control over my anger. Angry Ness is not a nice thing.

"For your information, unlike you, Jake did not ask an explanation, he was just there for me. And don't ever call him stupid again!"

I knew it was low, Josh would have been there for me too, if I had given him a chance, and the reason I had stayed with Jake was because I had betrayed Josh, so I had absolutely no right to take anything out on him. And I also understood that he had his insecurities, but I would not let him be rude about Jake, who had been nothing but good to me.

"If he's always there for you - unlike me - why don't you ask him to prom with you then?"

"Fine. Maybe I will." I turned around to go back, only I had no place to go. Josh didn't follow me. I wouldn't call Jake to tell him what had happened. I didn't want him to know my boyfriend had insulted him and he would only feel guilty that he was the indirect cause of a fight between me and Josh. I wasn't calling any vampires either, to let them know I hadn't even reached prom with my beautiful dress. I walked around a block and sat down on the curb, crying.

After a few minutes a car stopped in front of me, and I heard the window sliding down. I looked up and was surprised to see Jasper.

I forgot about the monitoring. Great. A witness to my beautiful prom night.

"I want to call somebody to pick you up, but I don't know who." He asked worriedly.

"I don't want anybody to know."

"Well you can't stay here, you'll get cold."

"I'll be fine." I sobbed.

He stepped out of the car, handed me the keys and said "here, take the car, it's warm, I'll follow behind."

"Isn't that a little bit ridiculous?"

"No more than waiting for hours on the curb."

I sighed. "I'm in no state for driving."

"Hmmm. Perhaps you're right. But I really can't leave you here. I'm sorry. So either I call someone to pick you up, or you let me drive you away from here."

I thought about that. Although my bitchy side was so angry at Josh I didn't care if I fell for Jasper again, there were other people to think about as well, for instance Alice who had gone out of her way making me this dress, without blaming me once for chasing her out of the house into that cabin.

I think I would be alright though, I was way to devastated to notice any attraction.

"I won't touch you, you can trust me." He said, misunderstanding my hesitation.

"I know, I'm thinking about me."

"I won't let you touch me either. I'm way too fast, you'll never catch me" I chuckled through my tears and decided to get up. I thankfully grabbed his helping hand, this dress was not made for curb sitting.

He drove me to a secluded place, didn't ask what the fight was about.

After parking the car he opened the glove department and took out a stack of books. We both chose one, and sat there reading for hours, the way we always used to do.

Sometimes he looked up at me, concerned, and I would give him a smile and we would continue reading. Josh didn't call me or text me, and I sure wasn't going to do that either. The only thing I had done wrong, was something I couldn't apologize for.

Before Jasper drove me back to the prom location where Esme would pick me up, he helped me clean up my face and remove all tear tracks. He lifted my chin and looked me in the eyes, with nothing but kindness.

"You look beautiful tonight. I'm sorry this had to happen on your prom night. For what It's worth, he was really sorry as soon as you had left. Really genuinely sorry. So I hope you'll forgive him, he's just a boy."

It sounded to me as if he was asking forgiveness for himself as well. So I nodded. I knew I would forgive both of them. And he smiled gratefully.

*****

NA: Plead read and review.

If you like Ness and Jake, you might also like a one-shot I added "I miss how we used to". It is dedicated to SIREN.

I am sorry that this story is putting a lot of strain on everybody's patience, I never promised a happy ending, as in real life, things sometimes just get in the way.
I promise you I love both Ness and Jake, and I'll keep writing till they are both happy. How long that will take, again as in real life, nobody knows :-)