Emmett and Alice caught up with me after Carlisle left. "We're going to the library." She announced brightly.
"Yeah." Emmett grinned and rolled his eyes. "It's really exciting. You know, books…books…and more books." Emmett didn't take much interest in reading, at least not for pleasure.
"I read." He insisted. "I read in school. You know, textbooks, homework, so on. So I don't like to read any more than I have to. So sue me."
But he accompanied us to the library, more for everyone's peace of mind than anything else, I was sure. And he managed to at least look interested in being there.
I was fascinated. There were probably more books here than in Carlisle's study. I forgot myself and began wandering the shelves, awed by the variety and multitude of books.
Alice grinned, and found something to sit and read, and Emmett found somewhere to loiter. I lingered, scanning shelves and pulling out books to flip through. I shook my head in wonder; I had been impressed by Carlisle's collection of books, but this was amazing.
"May I help you, son?" I was startled by the somewhat elderly woman who approached me. She was trying to be friendly, trying to be helpful. I felt Emmett's approach.
"Hey." He greeted her with a grin. "Meet the newest additions to the Cullen clan."
"More?" She asked curiously. "Your father decided to take in two more teenagers?"
Emmett chuckled. "Yeah, Esme didn't know what he was thinking, but you know Carlisle."
"So you're showing them the library?" She asked. "There would have to be some reason for you to be here." She laughed, and turned to me. "We don't usually see much of Emmett around here, usually Edward is the one who visits most often."
Alice came to stand by me, sensing that I wasn't quite certain what to do about this human who talked with us so easily.
"Anyway," said Emmett, "Jasper here's more of a bookworm, so Alice and I thought we'd show him around here."
Alice smiled, trying to be friendly. I just watched the human, trying to remind myself that you weren't supposed to bite librarians. I swallowed nervously, and Alice slipped her hand into mine.
"Anyway, he's just looking around today, he probably won't be getting a card yet." Emmett said, trying to get rid of her. She nodded, and wandered off to help someone else I guessed, though there weren't many people here. That was probably one of the reasons they had chosen the library.
Alice whispered encouragement, praising me for not taking a bite out of the old librarian, and watched me for a bit before going back to her book. Emmett too wandered off, and I went back to perusing the shelves.
"You new around here?" I jerked upright, staring at the girl who had spoken. She stood close, closer than she should have even with another human, her face mere inches from mine.
My breath caught automatically, but I had already caught her scent, and my throat was scorching as I swallowed, and tried to back away.
Unaware of the danger she was in, she followed, smiling brightly at me. "I saw you with Emmett Cullen." She noted. "Are you related?"
I lunged forward.
"Hey, Sandra!" I heard Emmett say casually as he intercepted me, jerking me away from the girl. He appeared relaxed, calm, as if there were nothing out of the ordinary about either of our actions. I growled, and tried to pull free, but he just tightened his grip on me. I snarled this time, and sank my teeth into his arm.
To his credit, he merely jerked me around into a headlock, and chuckled at the girl, who was staring at me in shock. "I see you've met Jasper. He's a bit anti-social. Seems to think wrestling is appropriate for the library. He's going to get us thrown out. Hey, Alice!" He called, trying to sound like his normal self, but this time his voice was strained.
Alice was with us in a minute. "Perhaps we should go before you two get in trouble for rough-housing." She said lightly.
Emmett had to drag me out of the library and to the car. He shoved me in the backseat, and Alice followed, catching my hand to remind me she was there.
"Sorry." I said, when my reason returned. I hated this. I had nearly killed some girl for trying to be friendly, and then I had bitten Emmett.
"It happens." Emmett replied shortly. His arm was beginning to burn.
"Here, let me see your arm." I said, but was somewhat surprised when he didn't hesitate to extend his arm to me.
"Don't feel bad, Jasper." Alice said reassuringly. "You'll get it. Besides, Emmett needs bitten once in a while. It's good for him."
I examined the wound darkly, my mood plummeting. Emmett was going to hate me if this kept up. Or he would think I had some sort of problem with him.
Alice sighed. "It's alright, Jasper." She said soothingly.
"Yeah," Emmett added, "no worries." He said, but I could see the look in his eye. He was wary now. He didn't seem to hold it against me, but he probably would be hesitant to get within biting distance again anytime soon.
I sighed. As weird as it was, I liked wrestling with Emmett. For whatever reason, maybe because vampires usually don't wrestle, it didn't bother me the way sparring seemed to. Still, I had bitten him. He should have been angry. I had gotten off lucky.
Carlisle wouldn't be happy, though, and Rosalie would probably be furious.
Disclaimer: Twilight and all related to it do not belong to me.
