Jasper

There was no other way to say it: I was fucked.

Maybe that was too much. Either way, I was certainly in trouble.

I didn't go straight home. Instead, I rode in the darkness through the countryside and onto the main road which was wide and bright, and stretched ahead for miles.

The loud, cold air against me helped me think. This had started out as an innocent distraction. Emmett and I in the arcade, trying to pass the time and pass as a normal family like any other. Admittedly, I had been enchanted from the start. By her emotions, her elegant movements, her charm.

And then Alice and Emmett had encouraged me. They wanted to be her friend, too. We'd only met her a few weeks ago and already Alice was eager to hang out with her again. Of course, Alice had probably seen her long ago.

I had liked the idea. Since I met Leilani, I saw her as a good person. She was considerate, and likable. Shy, but she seemed like a great listener. Most of all, she was strong. I could feel the crippling pain inside of her, how worthless and wretched she felt. It was so much to carry. And she carried on.

I admired her.

With the intensity of being around her, I just couldn't help myself. So badly I wanted to take all her pain away, and turn her insecurities away. I wanted to give her confidence, to help her recognise her beauty. But I couldn't. Only on the surface and only temporarily. Like Carlisle had told us on the phone, she was very ill, and had a long way to go to recover from this.

She would get there. I'd help her get there.

I didn't know how. I didn't know what I would do, but I knew that I was going to do whatever I could to try.

At the door, when we said goodbye, I had felt the temptation there. She had noticed, too, as I held her for a bit too long. We had been in such close proximity for over an hour and while I had pretended to breathe during the movie, I had slipped up at the door. I'd taken a breath and my senses had been filled with a mixture of coconut and chlorine, and her. Thankfully, I'd been able to control myself, this time.

One slip up, and she would be gone. That's all it would take. I could never let that happen, and I couldn't stay away from her.

But even after all that, what if she suspected something? She already pointed out Alice being cold. The hot tub masked my own cold hands, but sitting on the sofa definitely didn't. She hadn't said anything, yet.

Would she find out the truth? Would I tell her the truth? Friendship couldn't be built on a lie.

I'd managed to find my way back home.

Rosalie was in the garage, cleaning her tools. "I think Alice and Emmett were looking for you," she said.

"Good evening, Rosalie," I replied, putting my helmet down, running a hand through my untidy hair. It was only for show, of course.

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I just want to protect this family – our lives. You know that."

"I know," I told her. "And I appreciate it. That's all we want too."

"So, stop."

It was such a simple request, and I knew she meant well. It was difficult, keeping hidden and going from place to place, year after year, especially when we had to move because of an incident. There had been half a dozen slips ups, an unwanted and unwelcome visit from Maria, and humans getting suspicious. What Rosalie was asking of me now though, was impossible. I knew, logically, the whole thing was crazy and dangerous. However, I wasn't going to abandon Leilani. I couldn't do that to her.

Rosalie grew impatient at my silence. "She's just one human."

I almost revealed my hand, thinking about asking her what if it was Emmett. Except then she would realise how much I cared about Leilani, and it was too early. She would be all the more furious.

Slowly, I nodded. "I know." One human made all the difference.

I left her in the garage, signalling the end of our conversation. Thankfully, she didn't pursue me.

Upstairs I opened the door to my room to see Alice and Emmett sitting on my bed. When I entered, both of them grinned at me.

"A fated friendship?" Alice echoed Leilani's words from yesterday, feeling mischievous.

Emmett snorted, nudging Alice.

I folded my arms. "You two don't have anything better to do?"

"Absolutely not." Alice giggled.

"It's about time, man, seriously," said Emmett.

I let out a sigh. This god damn family.

"Nothing's happened," I tried to explain to them.

Alice raised her eyebrows. "Oh, not yet. What a shame you don't have Edward's powers or I could show you."

I leant against my desk with my arms folded. "Show me what?" Those two were full of humour and mischief.

"You like her," said my sister. It wasn't a question.

I pretended to be calm about what she had just said, standing there casually. "So, do you and Emmett, and our parents."

"No, no, no." Emmett grinned.

Alice shook her head. "I've seen you two, as the Brits put it here… snogging."

My still heart wanted to explode. I had guessed Alice had seen something of our relationship progressing, but that was more than I expected. It only proved I would have enough self-control to be able to kiss Leilani.

With great effort, I kept my calm expression. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about, Alice."

"Bro, you really are the worst liar." Emmett laughed.

"You're just such a private person, aren't you? Are you even gunna tell us what happened at Leilani's house this afternoon?" Alice asked.

"Nothing happened," I answered. "We watched a movie. I went for a ride. Here we are."

Emmett groaned. "Nothing exciting ever happens in this family and now that something does, there's no details."

Alice nodded in agreement. "Yes."

"I don't know what to tell you," I put my hands up in surrender. "But you know, I wasn't the only witness."

The two of them suddenly exchanged looks, and in a flash, they had their phones out.

"Well thank you both for visiting," I said, starting to usher them out of the room. Neither of them minded as they were distracted with starting a group chat with Leilani. "See you later," I closed the door behind me, glad to be alone.

Alice had had a vision of Leilani and I kissing.

A huge smile spread across my face. I didn't know how it would happen, or when. All I knew was that sometime in the future there was the possibility of something more.

Yep. I was definitely fucked.