/ Hi! I just want to thank the people in the reviews who pointed out my error. I had a significant space between when I wrote the first few chapters and such, so I got confused and I also have terrible memory issues. I just want to point out to future readers (until I am bothered to fix it lol) that this is set AT THE SAME TIME as movie one, so Renesmee does not exist yet, of course. They will continue to progress that way unless I decide to end it. Anyway, do enjoy the rest of the book and let me know what you think as always. 3
The day of prom came, and Asher was buzzing with excitement. He had been waiting for this day to come. The day when he and Jasper could finally be together, and have the happiness they deserved. Jasper had invited him to the after party, something he couldn't wait to attend because it was a long time since he had attended prom.
When he arrived at the party, people stared at him, confused as to who he was. The venue was very nice, the theme suited the building. As he entered through the door, Alice spotted him immediately. She looked down, almost disappointed to see him. Jasper was clung to her, for obvious reasons, but his eyes were all over Asher in his suit.
Moving towards them, he smiled brightly at the pair of them.
"Hey!" he exclaimed happily over the happy music. Alice said nothing, just watched Jasper hug him.
"Hey, it's been a while," Jasper said.
Alice still said nothing, that is - until Edward and his girlfriend, who he knew was Bella, called Jasper over for a moment.
"Walk with me."
Hearing Alice speak for the first time that evening startled Asher.
"Huh?"
"I said walk with me," she said, strutting towards the staircase.
Asher gulped loudly, before following her up the stairs. Out on the balcony - there was a perfect view of the surrounding mountains with their evergreen trees - and a perfect view of the dancefloor. Edward and Jasper were talking, with Bella interjecting every now and then. Alice watched Jasper, a small smile on her lips.
"I love him," she said soflty, "from the moment I laid eyes on him. I loved him so, damn much."
Asher remained quiet, he knew what was coming. After all, she had the power of sight - he could sense it from the moment he laid eyes on her - because he too had the ability. However, he could never see anything about Jasper, himself or Lucy. Once he was too close to a person, he lost the ability to see for them. It was a weakness.
A gust of wind blew past their heads, causing a strand of Asher's dark locks, which had been neatly combed backwards, to fall into his eyes. Also, a strand of Alice's hair fell onto her pretty, pale face. She tucked it behind her ear again before continuing.
"When I met Jasper, I thought he was the one immediately. I thought hey, I can turn those red eyes golden. I can make him a good man. Someone I would want to be with, a good vampire."
Asher listened intently.
"I thought the only hand that could ever. . .run through those golden waves would be mine. That we would be together for an eternity, or at least - until the Vultori or another vampire killed us. Or one of us."
She shifted her gaze to Asher, "I thought he would never hurt me like this."
"When did you see?" Asher questioned. He understood she was hurt, but he wasn't going to say he was sorry when he wasn't.
She turned her body to face the other way, looking away from Jasper and up at the starry sky.
"Since a week before you arrived."
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I knew it was pointless," she said sadly, "I didn't know what had gone on between you two exactly, but I knew there was no stopping you two. You belong together. I was wrong."
Asher tensed up. This all felt very uncomfortable, but he thought she was far more uncomfortable than he was. Jasper was her boyfriend. He had been for hundreds of years. Then along came Asher once again and ruined it for them. A pang of guilt washed over him. Were they wrong? Was he just being hard-headed about the whole thing?
"If I rejected him, would you remain with him?"
"Of course" Alice nodded, turning to face Asher, "but it's only a matter of time before he leaves me for good. I want you two to be together. I want Jasper to be happy more than I want anything else."
Asher relaxed his muscles.
"What about you?"
Alice giggled.
"If you cared at all about me you wouldn't have done this in the first place."
"You're the one saying it was inevitable."
She stayed quiet for a moment.
"Your first kiss seemed very romantic. Was it?"
"It wasn't our first kiss" Asher told her, then he bit his bottom lip.
"Ah. So, there was history between you two."
"For the record, I don't think Jasper is gay, and I don't think he faked his feelings for you" Asher explained, "he's. . . there's a term for it."
"Bisexual."
"Uhuh. That."
Another strand of hair landed in Asher's eye. He combed it back with his fingers. The wind was ruining his hairstyle, but this was an important discussion that Jasper couldn't overhear - despite the awkwardness of the situation.
"Tell me, Asher. What do you have that I don't. . .? No offense, or anything. I just. . . need to know."
Asher wasn't sure what to say to that. They were two different genders. It was an awkward question to answer, but then it hit him.
"We have a deep history together. That's all."
"So that makes you better than me in his eyes?"
Asher tensed up again, "must do."
"Wow. I was such an idiot."
"Not true. Jasper and I are the idiots for being sneaky behind your back."
He didn't look at her. He couldn't face her.
"I need to ask a favour of you. You don't have to give me an answer right now. You can do that later. You have one week to give me your final decision. Okay?"
"Uh, sure. What is it?"
"I need you to leave Forks. Never come back. Never be where Jasper is again, and let me have him."
"Huh?! Aren't you the one saying it's inevitable?" Asher exclaimed.
"I was there for Jasper when you weren't."
"That's not my fault! That's because -"
Asher tried to calm down. After all this time. All that waiting. All that yearning, and pining. This was how it would all end?
"Because?"
"Because of him. His own insecurities about his sexuality."
"Then what makes you think it's any different now? He belongs with me, because I make him feel better about himself. Clearly."
"You're saying admitting he is a bisexual man would harm him? That he would resent himself?"
"We're all from a time where that was unacceptable. You were with Lucy for hundreds of years, so surely you see that yourself. That it's shameful. That it's embarrassing. Jasper is used to feeling that way, and I know you do too."
"Shut up."
It was true. He did feel dirty. Disgusting. Ashamed. She didn't have to bring it up, though. Not like that!
"It's true, then. This world has no place for "people" like you."
"Then it has no place for people like Jasper, either" he snarled.
"Jasper can be healed, Asher. He is half in, half out, you said so yourself."
She looked him up and down, "you, on the other hand. You're all in. You can't help your repulsive need. I know that. You know that."
Turning on his heel to leave, Asher paused in the doorway.
"I don't like being mean, but Jasper is mine. I will do whatever I can to make sure your life is a misery if you take him from me. He means the world to me. You. . ." she turned to look at him. Asher looked over his shoulder, meeting her gaze.
"He deserves more than you. A cheater. A liar. A man."
Asher swung open the balcony door, leaving the room and trotting down the stairs. He bumped into someone's chest as he went to leave the venue. It was Jasper, just his luck.
"Where are you going?" Jasper asked. He seemed to be in a good mood.
Looking up at the balcony, Asher spotted Alice peering over the side, smiling.
"Ask your girlfriend. She knows about us."
"What did you tell her?!" Jasper snarled.
"Nothing. Let me by."
"Asher!" he said, taking a hold of his arm, "I swear to God, why did you have to tell her?"
"I didn't! She saw it. You know, with her foresight!"
Jasper's face fell.
"Don't tell me you forgot your own girlfriend's powers."
"Shit. . ."
Asher scoffed, "anyway, she wants to stay with you despite everything. So, good luck."
"Asher I want to be with you."
Starting to walk away, Asher felt Jasper grab his arm again.
"I don't think it's a good idea."
"Why not?" Jasper asked sadly.
"Because. . . I don't want to cause any trouble, Jasper. I love you. Deeply. Always have, always will. I'm leaving Forks. I'll be out of your hair, and your relationship soon."
"Are you deaf? I said I want to be with you" Jasper frowned, "this is going completely over your head."
"Please don't, Jasper."
"Alice can't and won't harm us. She's not that kind of girl."
"I'm sure she's just lovely," Asher muttered, speaking up for the latter half of his sentence, "but I just need some space to think about what to do next. Okay?"
". . ."
"Jasper?"
"Yes. Okay. Understood, but please. . . don't go anywhere. Choose me. Like I choose you."
The pair looked up at the balcony to see Alice was no longer there.
"I'm going to go. Good luck."
"Thanks. I'll see you soon, I hope."
"Mm."
Asher made his way back to his car, just sitting inside for a long time with his head in his hands. The party continued on inside. People danced outside. Peered over the balcony at the mountains. It all seemed so romantic. That is, until he heard a thud on his car roof. Lifting his head, the raven-haired vampire quickly jumped out of the car and into a defensive position. Atop his car was a redheaded female, quite enchanting looking.
"Asher Cohen. Correct?"
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"I'm Victoria. I see you know the Cullens."
"Uh, yeah. What does that matter? We're not even that close."
"I also see you have a love dilemma. Is that correct?"
Asher frowned, "yeah, I guess you could say that. My girlfriend, she -"
"No, no" she giggled, "with one Jasper Hale. Or, Whitlock, as you know him by."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, spare me" she sighed, "I'll cut right to the chase, Ash. I have a proposition for you. I think - I think you might just like it."