Hi sweet readers, here is the next chapter of this tale. It's my birthday today so I thought I'd post this little one then! I can't wait to see what you may think and hope with my whole heart you enjoy it so! With this tale and Willa's character too, I really wanted to write someone who has a lot of character development - progressing from shy and broken to strong and confident over time. Anyways, I so wish to hear what you may think and I'm sending you all love to each corner of the world. With the end of year blooming, I know for some it can be the most beautiful, and others the most painful with ones lost or not there. Whether it be beautiful or a painful time, know I am sending you love and thinking of you so. All my love, Elodie.
With her paintbrush tucked behind her ear and paint droplets themselves painting her dainty hands, Willa slipped into her next class. She hadn't spoken to another in her previous class, hadn't in the hallways or her brief pause within the bathroom. She had fallen within herself, fallen within her heart and memory as those eyes and their colors imprinted upon her. Those hues, they had her mesmerised, had her sweet cheeks blushing strawberry and her heart hiccupping in fluster. She had never seen such colors before, never seen such depth nor lure tease her irises in a delicate and yet tumbling pull.
Talking light steps in-between the desks, she took one of the two seats at the desk furthest to the back window. It was English Literature and Composition, and as her mind thought and pondered the tales that lay beneath those honey eyes – she couldn't help but absentmindedly trace the embossed flowers of her notebook, and nestle her cheek into the curve of her free hand. She stared out the window as the lesson began, as she day-dreamed briefly before being pulled back by the sweet discussion of classic literature.
No one had taken the seat beside her, and yet she could feel their eyes upon her as the lesson went – feel their side-glances and judgement drape over her like a second cloak or maybe even second skin as they pre-determined what she may be like. It made her grow shy, made her grow nervous as her hands quivered and she pulled them under the desk to hide her trembles. Yet despite all of that, despite what being the new girl meant – she found a sweet solace in her teacher, in the book he held and taught. Jane Eyre. It had been a treasured favorite of hers since she was young. The way the writer crafted music through story, music through emotion and words and underpinnings. She nibbled her lip as she repressed to contribute to the conversation and yet –
"What a bore." The student in front of her said, crinkling his nose as his eyes rolled and whispers fused between him and his peer. "I don't see the point of studying this. Why not just live your life instead of wasting it by writing a fantasy?"
"And then waste ours by making us read it." The other snickered.
"I – I don't think that's true." Willa's words slipped from her before she could gather herself, before she knew they would be plucked from her thoughts and voiced into the public air so softly. She fluttered her eyes as she startled herself, as she raised her cheek from the curve of her hand and saw the boy and girl in front of her turn to look at her. Her eyes were soft under their hard and judgmental ones, sweet and fragile as she blinked and gathered herself in a dainty and yet nervous way.
"Oh? And why is that?" The girl asked, her eyes smirking at her shy fluster as Willa brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Because I," she swallowed nervously as she looked at them and felt herself shrink. "Because I don't think it is fantasy." Her words were so soft as she spoke, so gentle as she leaned forward and succumbed to her love for the written world. "Just because it is written does not mean it may no be real. It came from somewhere, came from a person's dreams, a person's heartbeat and wounds. It's beautiful, beautiful and tragic how a writer may sew together a few words and suddenly create this gorgeous escape, this escape and whisper of understanding and knowing from one soul to another – a place of belonging to both reader and writer." A gentle excitement blossomed within her as she spoke, as she felt her heart open and her innocence pulse from her like the first bloom and opening of a young flower.
"Well aren't you an odd little thing." The boy spoke, observed as he leaned on the back of his chair in a casual manner.
"A freak more like." The girl sneered.
"Willa, isn't it? You're one of the new girls." It wasn't a question, but rather a statement as more students in interest seemed to turn towards them despite the lesson taking place.
"Yes." She replied, a sweet and shy smile caressing her peony lips. She felt cautious around them, felt slightly afraid and yet she didn't let them see, didn't let them see her quivering hands underneath the desk, nor the worry in her eyes. "What may your names be?"
"My name is Lina," the girl said, her tone hardening each letter of what Willa thought was such a soft and pretty name. "And I suppose with your little speech, you think you're Jane Eyre? A Day-Dreamer even?"
"What's wrong with being a day dreamer?" Willa asked, her ponder furrowing her eyebrows in delicate confusion. She had picked up on the tone of insult in Lina's voice, at the tone of judgement passed and cementing her as strange.
"You mean besides from living in your head rather than reality? Please, everyone knows that people who read and write can't think or live for themselves. Which is why they must waste their lives away imagining something else." Willa's eyes fluttered at the sting of Lina's words, her cheeks flushing as she tried to gather herself. She was not used to such a confrontation, not used to it since her whole world had broken and crumbled. She didn't know how to react, how to respond and her silence only made Lina and her friend smile wider.
"Well I…I suppose it depends on what you may mean by reality, by living and thinking too." Willa voiced, her fingers grasping one another for courage underneath her desk.
The unnamed boy arched a brown eyebrow, "what do you mean by that?"
"It means that a thought, a dream or story – some may see that as a part of their reality. Yes, it may be a different way of looking at the world and the life we live within but, but if it's real to someone – if it's precious in dreams and stories and art, why should another say that it is not real? Why should another think it strange and invalidate it so? Some may even say that reading and dreaming, makes life and reality fuller – more beautiful and emotional and well, real." Each word Willa spoke was soft and polite, gentle and quiet as she whispered underneath the voice of her teacher. The two students opposing her took in her words, drank in her wide doe eyes and gentle mannerisms. She was ethereal, ethereal and dainty and different. It was that difference which seemed to sour the taste in their mouths, made Lina scrunch up her nose in judgement and chew on Willa's words. Yet as she opened her mouth to voice a retort, an abrupt cough from the teacher called their attention back to the lesson.
For the rest of class, Willa sat with her cheek resting against the backs of her fingers, and her eyes looking down to the open book. Yet she could not read along with the teacher, could not hear that sweet soothing song literature gave to her heart each time she read. She felt startled, felt troubled and unsettled by the exchange she just had. She knew she was coming into school at an awkward time, knew everyone had found their routine and place. But she didn't think her difference could come to be a problem so soon. Willa had always been gentle, always been soft and a sweet mistress of finding the beauty in the small and misunderstood. She was fragile and sensitive, a delicate dreamer and artist and suddenly, she didn't understand why that was so upsetting to be such a way. Why that was such a bad thing to be.
With the bell for class ringing, Willa stood to gather her books – untucking the paintbrush behind her ear and tucking it into her book as a bookmark.
"See you in PE next, Willa." Lina chimed as she stood and turned to face Willa. "I'm curious to see if you can swim just as well as you can read and dream. See you soon, Jane Eyre, or should I saw freak." Willa tightened her grip on her books as she watched Lina and her friend go, as the ringing of the word swimming brought a clenched hand around her heart and squeezed it. She loved physical activity, loved dance and gymnastics, ice-staking and running – but swimming. Swimming. Willa closed her eyes in dread, squeezed them in anticipated embarrassment. Willa could not only not swim, but she was afraid of water. Oh no. She thought, opening her eyes and walking towards the changing rooms. Please, she thought as she walked, if the world could open up and swallow her now, if birds could act sweet and pluck her up by her dress and carry her away – now would be the perfect moment.
Standing in the girls locker-room, dressed in a white swimsuit with her long hair braided and draped over her shoulder, stray curls framing the other side of her face, Willa tried to ignore the hushed and frenzied whispers of the other girls and Lina in the changing room. From what she had over-heard, this was their last swimming lesson with today's lesson focused on diving. They would then be moving on to self-defense, dance and a mixture of other gym-based sports for the rest of the year. She just had to get through this one class, she thought to herself, thought over and over as she waited for the other girls to leave before she followed them with small and hesitant steps.
Walking into the indoor swimming pool room, Willa couldn't help but hold the towel she carried closer to her chest as she walked to the bleachers and took a seat separate from everyone else. She was quiet as she waited for the lesson to begin, as dread settled upon her and her fingers twiddled with the hem of her towel.
Yet as she lifted her shy eyes from the towel in her lap, as she peered up and through her long eye-lashes – her peony lips parted and her breath fluttered. There, across the pool and walking towards the bleachers was him. She quickly looked away, quickly buried her hands under the towel as paint which mirrored the hues of his eyes still lay upon her hands. She hid her eyes from him not only in shyness, but in guilt – in guilt of her blushing cheeks and the painting she had done, of the day dreams and thoughts those two eyes and their owner had conjured in her within a mere flutter of a minute.
She tried to busy herself in refolding her towel, in looking anywhere but him as he walked towards her, up the bleachers and sat a few seats behind her. She could feel his eyes upon her as he walked past her, feel his presence touch her as if his soul had breathed upon her skin in knowing of her secret. She blushed at his presence, blushed at the small details she had managed to capture through that one little and spars glance. His hair was honey like his eyes, his skin pale and porcelain and his face – she closed her eyes in embarrassment. He was arresting in his beauty, dangerous and captivating as the mere sight of him seemed to nestle within her like a memory too vivid. She had never felt this way before, never looked at someone in this way nor had someone look at her in the way he did. She felt young and foolish, stupid and clumsy and inexperienced as she raised her hand and nibbled her nails.
"Alright everyone." Willa calmed slightly at the sound of Couch Clapp's voice, thankful for the distraction. He walked to stand in front of the bleachers, dressed in swim shorts, a white top and a red whistle hanging around his neck. "Welcome to our last lesson on swimming. Now, because it is your last I thought we'd have a bit of fun and focus on diving. So with that, if you'll all follow me and we'll make our way to the diving pool." Thankful a little too soon, Willa thought as she slowly rose and placed her towel down on the bleachers before following the other students to the diving pool.
They hovered around it, the water blanketing Willa's toes in the smallest of waves as she stood at its edge. She could feel the boy with the honey eyes behind her, feel his military-like presence drape over her as she willed herself not to turn and lift her eyes to his. He was much taller than her, much more built and masculine that he seemed more man than boy. He was silent like her, silent and still as they waited for further instructions.
"Alright everyone, gather around, gather around." Coach Clapp called, gesturing to the loitering students who had yet to approach the diving pool. Willa's breath caught in her throat as she felt the man with the honey eyes move forward just a step, feel the coolness of his form tease the air in-between her back and his chest. The students huddled around the smaller pool, each looking at the three diving boards which lay poised and waiting. "Right, so as you can probably see here we have the three diving boards. The first at 2 meters, second at five and third at 7.5. Because of time and the lessons, we have, I want each of you to practice diving of the 5-meter board. First starting with a simple pencil dive to get your form." The coach demonstrated, straightening his back and placing his hands against his sides in a tight manner. "Just like this. Now make sure to keep your arms at your side for balance and keep your toes pointed. Great. Now if you all just line up and get started."
Willa wrapped her arms around herself as she followed the other students, as she felt her soul quiver and withdraw further into her own shyness and fears. She felt Lina and her friends behind her as she climbed the ladders and waited her turn. She didn't know how to swim, and a part of her knew she should have told someone. She was afraid of it, afraid of water and the depths of it as it dragged you under like prey. Her papa had died drowning, and although Willa was but a baby when it happened – when she saw the element that claimed his life, that drowned his heart, breath and voiceless screams, it was as if they were all a ghost living within her. His death became her fear, his murderer became her hunter. She looked down at the water as he reached the platform, as she took in a fearful breath and her hands quivered upon the railings.
She wished she could break free of her own web of shyness's, of her own reserve and folly as her turn approached and approached. But she could not. Her mama's death had robbed her of her confidence, her move and loss of nearly everything she had loved. And she couldn't help but wonder how many others out there were like her. Who were once so sweet in their exuberance but now small and timid as their voice and heart remained trembling within that cocoon of self-protection.
Up and up – until suddenly it was her turn. She was not afraid of heights, so she could walk to the edge with ease. But once her eyes saw with loomed below, she felt her hands tremble. She grasped them together, grasped them tight in a silent wish for their trembles to stop. Her toes curled around the edge. She just had to jump, just jump and swim to the edge. Everything is alright, she whispered to herself. Everything is alright.
"Any time now, Jane Eyre." Lina called behind her, her voice a singalong mock.
Willa forced her hands to her sides like the Coach had demonstrated, forced her heart to soften and relax in its stuttering pulse. Everything is alright, everything will be alright. She bent her knees to jump, but she couldn't. The water seemed to deepen, and panic made her lips part and her soft eyes widen.
"Oh, for goodness sake." Lina said behind her. Hearing steps approach her, Willa turned in fluster to see Lina approach. "Just jump." And before Willa could think of a reply, Lina shoved Willa off the diving board and into the water.
She didn't have time to scream, didn't have time to breathe as she fell and crashed through the water and down into its depths. She felt the water shackle her as it dragged her under, dragged her deeper and deeper as the water went up her nose and into her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut, squeezed them tighter and tighter as she envisioned her papa. She could hear his screams in her blocked ears, hear his pain and panic as Willa's heart expanded and her hands helplessly grasped at nothing. She didn't know what to do, didn't know where to go as water filled her full and raw. She was drowning inside and out, drowning and –
Her eyes fluttered at the touch of another upon her, as strong arms wove under her legs and around her back. Someone held her, someone had her as she suddenly felt herself rise up and too quickly air hit her. Her head was buried in the crook of a man's neck, her eyes still closed as she felt him rise out of the water as she coughed and her nose and lungs burned. He carried her to the side of the pool, sitting her down as he still held her and raised a hand to cup her cheek and brush away the curls of her hair.
She was the most precious thing Jasper had ever seen, ever held in his arms as she trembled and he caressed her cheek covered in droplets. From the moment he saw her in the gardens, saw her with the flowers in her hair and the butterfly nestled in her hand, he felt a sense of enrapture. For throughout the centuries he lived, he had never seen before what he did in her. She was gentle and soft, beautiful and sensitive – and within his life both as human and immoral, he knew just how rare and precious that was. And when she met his eyes, those soft brown and innocent wide eyes – Jasper knew that if he could breathe then she would have stolen his breath, and if he could feel warm then he would be burning in fever.
His thumb slipped behind her ear as he continued to hold her, as she trembled and her hand curled round the fabric of his grey shirt. Her eyes were still closed, but as he leaned forward and whispered a, "it's alright," her eyes opened, and peered up into his.
Those two honey eyes. Willa's eyes fluttered as droplets clung to her eyelashes and focused on the man who held her. She felt her cheeks blush as she came to realize what had happened and who held her. She blushed as each nerve in her body narrowed in on where his fingers curled, where they curled around her back in support and the other on her cheek. She trembled in his arms from the shock, trembled as her mouth parted to speak and droplets clung to her lower lip. But he bet her to it.
"You're trembling." He whispered, "But I," Willa softened at the sound of his voice, at the Texan twang that seemed to string each word together. He looked at her with such worry, such puzzlement and tenderness that she felt if she were a flower then her petals would unfurl. "But I can't feel your emotions." Willa furrowed her eyebrows in soft confusion, but took his puzzling words as something curious rather than strange.
"I'm sorry." She said, "I can't feel yours either." She continued in an attempt to comfort him. It seemed to distress him so, she thought – at how he could not feel her emotions. But whilst she did not understand how come, she couldn't help but feel this urge to comfort him. At her words, it was his turn to furrow his eyebrows in confusion, to give her the tiniest bemused smile as if he saw what she was doing, with trying to comfort him yet remaining unknown to his meaning. Jasper tilted his eyes down to where she still held his shirt, seeing her trembles steady. Seeing his eyes move to her hand though, Willa in embrassement quickly uncurled her fingers and brought her hand to rest on his forearm. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said flustered as he helped her stand. "I…" Jasper still held her as they now stood, still had one hand on her waist but had dropped the other from her face as she gathered her balance.
Her fingers grazed his forearm as she steadied herself, but as she did – as her fingers lingered there and felt the raised scars that painted his forearm, Willa's gaze for the first time since her eyes opened where pulled away from his and fell upon his arm. Her eyes fluttered in surprise at what she saw, at the raised scars and bite marks which painted each inch of skin on his forearm.
"What," her breath was so hushed as she spoke, so lost within what she saw as she looked back up into his eyes. He pulled his arm away from her, placing it behind his back as Willa stumbled forward at the sudden absence of touch. "What happened to you?" She asked softly, so softly that Jasper thought he may break and just tell her then. After all his years of violence and bloodshed, no one had ever spoken to him like that before. And it frightened him, the man who wasn't afraid of anything except blood and himself – was suddenly afraid of the small and youthful girl who stood before him. And Willa, Willa after a day of being fearful, after a life of fear, was suddenly not afraid.
"Willa." At the sound of her name, Willa raised a fluttering hand to her heart and took a step back just as Jasper did. "Jasper." Coach Clapp called their names.
Jasper. Willa let the man now named, his name, rest in her mind as she turned to Coach Clapp and refused to look into Jasper's eyes just as he did hers. "Are you both alright?"
"Yes, Sir." Jasper said, speaking for both himself and Willa. "We're both alright, thank you. Although if I may, Coach, I think Willa should sit the rest of the lesson out. A fall like that can cause quite a shock." Willa couldn't help but take in his manners, his Southern charm and etiquette as he spoke and took command in a way that could be seen as old fashioned.
"Right yes." Coach Clapp said, giving Willa a smile and her him one in return. "Do you think you need to go to the nurse or?"
"Oh no, I think I may be alright." Willa replied gently. "Although if it may be alright, may I go to the changing rooms?" Coach Clapp nodded in response.
"Of course. Take your time. Now," He turned, "Lina." He called, his voice hardened as he marched towards her with annoyance and mild temper. "What do you think you were doing pushing Willa into the pool?"
Willa didn't wait to hear Lina's response, didn't look back up at Jasper as she quickly excused herself and walked into the changing rooms. She headed for the showers, taking her belongings with her before opening the curtain, hanging them up and closing it once more. She changed quickly, slipping her dress back on before making her way to the mirrors and untying her hair to brush. She felt embarrassed and guilty, felt foolish and stupid as she recalled each moment that had just transpired. She wished she could have broken free of her shyness to tell the Coach she couldn't swim, wish she wasn't so afraid of water that she appeared so vulnerable and trembling in the arms of the man with those honeycomb eyes.
She wondered if he knew, if he saw the droplets on her hand and how they matched his eyes. She felt guilty, felt that feeling of having a secret yet its contents were so visible in her eyes and hands. Hands…she couldn't help but think of his, of the scars and bite marks. She raised her own hand in front of her, her own forearm as she traced the marks she had seen on his. It made her heart ache, make it wilt and unfurl as worry and pain for what he must have gone through claimed her emotions. He was tragic and yet beautiful, dangerous and vulnerable in his difference and Willa – in her shy and foolish school girl way, was completely curious.
She replayed over his words as she continued to brush her hair, of what he may have meant when he said he couldn't read her emotions. Yet as much as she turned them over in her mind, she couldn't seem to riddle them out.
"Willa?" Willa jumped slightly at the sound of her name, turning to see a pretty girl behind her dressed in a standard navy-blue swimsuit and holding two towels. Her hair was blond, light and soft as it tumbled over her shoulders and framed a round face scattered with freckles and two blue and pale eyes. "I'm sorry," she began – approaching with small steps. "You left your towel so I thought I'd bring it to you." She held out one of the towels, and Willa nearly melted at her kindness.
"Thank you." She replied, plucking the towel from the girl and giving her a delicate smile. "That's so kind of you."
"Oh no, it's nothing. I…I'm sorry about what happened out there. With Lina. I think she's threatened by you." The unnamed girl said, pulling her towel to her chest as Willa did hers.
"Threatened by me?" Willa asked gently, confusion painting her delicate features.
"Your different, I suppose people find that threatening. Especially since Jasper Hale came to your rescue. I'm not sure that may help your case I'm afraid. People here, whilst some may find a newcomer exciting, others like Lina, can find it awful and an invasion of sorts." The girl looked apologetic as she spoke, as if she took pity on Willa.
"I'm sorry." Willa felt herself replying, "I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes or be an invasion of sorts. I know coming to Forks as a new senior at this time of year must be a bit of a dizzy." She knotted her hands in front of her and the towel she held as she spoke. "I can't help but feel so embarrassed and silly." She said, raising her hands to her blushing cheeks with the towel falling to the ground. "Being the new girl and with what happened. It's tricky to know how to act or how to be. Sometimes I…I never seem to know where I belong and fit, or even how to. I'm afraid I've never been very good at fitting in." Willa nibbled her lip at her confession, her eyes soft as the girl came forward and took Willa's hands in hers.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Willa. If anything, I'm grateful. I haven't seen Lina this riled up since forever." The girl smiled, smiled cheeky and amused as Willa smiled back and the girls laughed lightly. "And as for belonging, for what it's worth – I like to think that life is always more interesting when you don't anyways. It makes you stand out, and you-" she squeezed Willa's hands, "are doing just that. And the right people will adore you for it."
"I think you may be the sweetest girl I've ever met." Willa released in a dulcet breath. "I'm sorry but my silly ears didn't capture your name before?"
"It's Josephine, Josie for short." She replied, mirroring the soft smile Willa gave her.
"Josephine." Willa repeated her name, "I think it's a beautiful name. When I was a little girl, I had a teacher who named her daughter that. She said, Josephine is such a sweet name it should have been given to a species of flower. That is has such a melody to it, it's meaning should be universally tied to something beautiful. I've always found names so curious." Willa confused, letting go on Josephine's hands and pulling out a pink rose she had taken from home. "Here," she held out the flower to Josephine. "For being so uncommonly sweet."
Josephine took the flower, shaking her head as she looked down at Willa with such endearment in her eyes. "You know, I overheard what you said about art and being a dreamer in English Lit. I thought what you said was beautiful, and very true. Do you write? Or paint?" Josephine asked, tilting her eyes down to the paint which still lay on Willa's hands.
"Oh I do." Willa said, warmth radiating from her as she spoke. "I was telling my cousin today how I so wish to run away, to live in the country where I can write, paint dance…oh daisies anything creative. I think I was born within the wrong world with these longings in my heart. My cousin says I should have been born in a fairytale, and well I…I can't disagree. I just think things would be so much more beautiful that way, so much softer and gentle living through art and being so close to nature. Although maybe not the water for me." She finished, giving a soft embarrassed laugh at the end as her fingers braided her hair once more.
"I understand that." Josephine replied, moving to sit upon the counter which held several sinks. "It's hard to live in a world that's not like that no? Especially when it's society and making the rules rather than you. Sometimes I wonder what people would really do and pursue if things like money and unspoken expectations weren't a thing. I know for me I would pursue music in a heartbeat."
Willa's eyes lit up at Josephine's confession, her shy and demure form moving closer to Josephine as she raised herself to sit beside her. "Oh, that's beautiful. What do you play?" She pondered, her eyes wide and true.
"Piano." She replied, feeling her heart open a little at the genuine interest Willa showed in her. "But the nature of reality is that to be a pianist, it's nearly impossible. The competition and the pay…and besides, my parents have their hearts set on me pursing a science or even engineering."
"I understand that." Willa replied, and from the way she looked at Josephine and the sound of her voice, Josephine knew that she genuinely did. "I would adore to hear you play sometime though. I'd even be a paying customer. Although maybe not with money as I'm afraid I don't have much of that, but I can pay with baking, flowers or something else."
"I would love that." Josephine replied honestly. "And in return maybe I'll teach you how to swim." She nudged Willa in a playful manner, causing her to blush and hide her face in her hands playfully. "Or who knows, maybe Jasper will."
"Jasper?" Willa asked, removing her hands with a still sweet and playful smile at Josephine's tease.
"Ever since he's come to Forks High, he's never spoken to or even looked in another's direction. Until you." Josephine said, taking in Willa as if she were trying to see what had made Jasper act in such an uncharacteristic way.
"What is his story?" Willa asked softly, "if I may wonder so?"
"Well that's the thing, no one really knows."
By the time the lunch bell sang its sweet tune, Willa's heart nearly bloomed too fully when she caught sight of Bella waiting for her outside the cafeteria. Running to her lightly with one hand holding the strap on her shoulder, Willa embraced Bella in the warmest and most tender hug.
"Please can I age up or you age down so we can be in all the same classes." Bella said into Willa's hair, pulling back to look down at her older cousin. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from her run towards her, and her hair still a little damp in its braid. "I thought you couldn't swim?" She asked, noting Willa's hair.
"And still can't I'm afraid." Willa confessed sheepishly. "I nearly drowned trying." She said, tucking away the little part about her being pushed in.
"I spiked a volleyball into someone's head if it makes you feel better." Bella replied lightly, grimacing in embarrassment as she too relieved her PE moments. "Speaking of who."
"Hey, you must be the other new girl. Willa, right?" A sandy blond-hair guy said. His smile was bright as he stood next to Bella, as he draped a casual arm over her shoulder that made Bella's eyes widen in an awkward surprise.
"Oh, yes." Willa replied, reluctantly turning her gaze from Bella to the boy. "That's me. What may your name be?" She wondered, giving Bella a soft and supportive smile in-between glances.
"I'm Mike. Mike Newton." He stretched out his hand which Willa took, his grip tight and large around hers. "So, how's your first day going? I've been taking good care of Bella here so you have nothing to worry about there. You're one-year older right?" Willa couldn't help but smile at Mike, smile at his innocent warmth and outgoing persona. He seemed sweet and likeable, popular and yet not in the way that would intimate another.
"It's going okay." Willa said softly, "I'm just happy to see someone looking after Bella. Being new, it can be a bit of a dizzy."
"Well if I was luckily enough to have classes with you, I'd made sure you weren't dizzy at all." Mike replied with a smile that could make the sun shy. "So, do you two eat?"
"We love to eat." Willa replied gently, "especially if it's sweet."
"Well then what are you two girls waiting for? Let me introduce you to the best mediocre restaurant in town." He rested his other arm around Willa's shoulder, and steered them both into the cafeteria and towards the food. Slipping out from under his arm, Willa plucked up a tray and gave one to Bella who had done the same. "So, what will it be? Three-star macaroni and cheese? Or a salad that looks like it's seen better days but might deceptively be delicious?"
"Salad is fine." Bella replied, grimacing at the attention. Willa took one for both her and Bella, adding a small strawberry mousse to each of their trays before following Mike to their table.
"Just a few more classes, sweet girl." Willa whispered to Bella as they followed Mike. "You're doing beautifully." Bella gave Willa a smile of gratitude at her words and sat beside her at a table where already a few others were seated. Willa placed her bag down carefully, her fingers going to the locket that hung around her neck. She had never done well in group situations, even before her mother's passing. She never seemed to know when to speak or what to say. It made her nervous as she sat, as she played with her locket and took in the busyness around her.
"Oh Mike, you met my home girl Bella?" Another boy asks. Bella quickly mouths his name Eric to Willa and she mouths a little thank you in response. "Actually, my two home girls." He added, giving Willa a once over which made her smile shy.
"Oh, your home girls?" Mike asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, my home girls." Another says, giving Bella a kiss on the cheek before pulling Mike's chair out. Willa jumps slightly at the crash and commotion, turning her head to look as Mike ran after the other through the cafeteria. She couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed, and dropped her hand from her locket to twirl the end of her long thick braid around her finger in anxiousness.
"Oh gosh." A girl said, moving closer to Willa and Bella as her eyebrows furrowed in apology. "It's just like first year all over again and you're the shiny new toys." She extends her hand to Willa, "Hi, I'm Jessica. You're Willa, right?" She takes Jessica's hand and gives her a sweet little nod, her fingers still playing the ends of her braid. Willa parts her mouth to reply when suddenly a blinding flash makes her vision go black and little spots prickling her vision as it slowly cleared. Fluttering her eyes, Willa took in a girl holding a camera, her face in grimace as she saw the confusion and startled looks on both girls.
"Sorry." She said, gesturing to the camera. "I need a candid for the feature."
"Feature's dead Angela, don't bring it up again." Eric quickly replied, getting up and placing a hand on both Willa and Bella's backs. "Don't worry, I've got your backs." He gave them both a wink before leaving – and Willa couldn't help but look to Bella with all confusion dancing in her eyes.
"A feature?" She whispered softly to her cousin.
"I'll let you know later." Bella replied, pinching a slice of apple from Willa's plate and placing it in her mouth.
"It's okay, I guess we'll just run another editorial on teen drinking." The girl with the camera murmured, placing her camera down as she looked a little disappointed.
"I'm sorry." Bella replied, "There's always eating disorders, or speedo padding on the swim team?"
"Oh, that's a good one actually." Willa watched as the girl wrote down Bella's ideas, and slowly realised that the girl in front of her worked on the school's paper. "I'm Angela by the way." She said, giving another apologetic smile.
"Willa." She replied. "I think you'll write a beautiful editorial, on anything you write." Willa continued, noticing the lingering disappointment on her face and worry of picking a new topic. "To be interested in journalism is to be an observer, a thinker – so with having that already within you, you'll do wonderfully."
Angela was startled by Willa's kindness, by her gentle voice that she struggled for a reply, and in so Willa couldn't help but feel for her. Feel for Angela's own gentle and maybe shy and self-conscious heart. But luckily, Angela didn't have to reply as Bella broke the startle of Angela.
"Who are they?" Bella asked, gesturing to a group seated by the window. Willa followed her cousins gaze, but the moment she saw where Bella was looking, she quickly looked away and down timidly. For there, on the table by the window – sat Jasper. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she looked down and away from the other students at her table who seemed to notice her fluster. She quickly rested her chin on the curve of her hand, her knuckles brushing her nose as she hid her strawberry cream cheeks.
"They are the Cullens." Angela said.
"That's Edward, Alice and Emmet Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. They all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." Jessica added, leaning forward as she spoke under a hushed breath. "They're all adopted."
"Adopted?" Willa asked softly, not knowing she had spoken until she realised they were looking at her so. She slowly rose her chin from her hand, listening as Jessica continued with empathic ears. "The Hales, Jasper and Rosalie are twins and they're foster children. Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that."
"That's really kind of them," Bella began. "For them to take care of all those kids like that, when they are so young."
"I guess so," Jessica admitted reluctantly. "I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have any kids though." Willa noticed the roll of her voice, the tone which suggested they weren't truly kind. It held that judgement, that judgement of being different and an outsider. The petals of Willa's heart sagged at the tone of Jessica's voice, and she couldn't help but feel a silent closeness to them – a silent plea inside her soul to be near to those misunderstood siblings. But her shyness restrained her.
"Have they always lived here?" Willa asked in a gentle ponder.
"No." Jessica replied, her tone suggesting it was something Willa should have known. "They moved here two years ago from somewhere in Alaska." Willa willed herself to turn, to turn and peek at the family behind her. But she couldn't, couldn't as she remained timid and demure. She felt pity well up in her heart and eyes, at the gossip which seemed to paint and follow them through eyes and whispers. It was then that she realised she had not said thank you to Jasper, had not thanked him for saving her. She had been too lost in his eyes, too lost in him and his mystery that everyone else seemed to be too. She made a little note to find a way to remedy that and fluttered her eyes closed in embarrassed shame and guilt for not having done so earlier.
"Which one is the boy with the reddish-brown hair?" Bella asked, Willa opening her eyes and seeing her cousin peek at the boy she mentioned from the corner of her eye.
"That's Edward." Jessica said. "And the other who you, Willa, got all flustered over is Jasper." She smirked as she voiced her observation of Willa, and Willa couldn't help but wish she could leave in this moment. "They are both gorgeous of course, but don't waste your time. Neither of them date. Apparently, none of the girls here are good-looking enough for them but all of them have tried to -"
"I'm sorry." Willa breathed in a dulcet breath, standing in a clumsy and ruffled manner. "I…" She picked up her cream bag, placing it over her shoulder and brushing stray curls behind her ear. "I…I forgot I have to talk to a," she spoke as she straightened her dress and fixed the strap of her bag. "A teacher about something but I, it was lovely meeting you and I'll see you so soon my sweet Bells." She leaned down and gave a confused Bella a kiss on the forehead before quickly walking with small and little steps out of the cafeteria and into the hall.
She went outside and away from all the bustle and gossip, all the judgement and overwhelming things - to where the flowers line the cobbled path from this morning. She picked a daisy and whilst on her knees she took out a piece of paper and wrote a small note. She placed the daisy inside the folded note, tied it with the ribbon that held her braided hair before placing it in her pocket and heading to her next class.
It was World History, and despite her intimate love for it – she could not focus. Could not focus as she sat at the back and peeked shyly at Jasper who sat slightly in front of her. She took note of the announcement of the two-week field-trip to France coming up in the next month for their class, but other than that she couldn't think, couldn't concentrate as her thoughts flurried and flushed of Jasper Hale.
At the end of class, with the note in her hand – she gently approached him, raising her finger to tap on his muscular shoulder. He turned at her touch, looking down at her with eyes that made her muse flutter. He radiated strength, pulsed dark and dangerous beneath his eyes which seemed to soften as he held her with his gaze. Jasper looked down as he waited patiently for her to speak, looked down at her sweet wide eyes and parted peony lips. He saw her hands tremble, saw her demureness as she looked up at him. He had to restrain himself from taking her hands in his, from steadying her trembles and whispering another, it's alright. He didn't know why she had this effect on him, after all these centuries of torment and vicious tragedy did a girl so soft and different have to flutter into his life. She smelt not of blood or temptation, not of hunger or the lure which tapped at the cage holding the monster he believed himself to be. No, she smelt of newly bloomed violets and sugar, of lilies and roses. She was floral and comforting, floral and sweet and youthful. Different. She was different.
Jasper watched as Willa opened her mouth but no words came, as she leaned forward and cradled the back of his hand in her palm. He let her guide his hand up, let her place a note in it and fold his callused fingers to hold it. Her touch was so soft, so painfully so. He had never felt anything so gentle, and in that moment, it paralysed him. He watched her silently as she raised herself up on her tiptoes, and she balanced herself holding onto his arm and place a single dainty kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, her lips brushing his earlobe. "Thank you." She repeated and fell back down on her feet. She gave him one last smile, one smile that was too quick and too brief before she hurriedly left the room and left Jasper a speechless thing. His jaw tightened, his hand clenching the letter as it crinkled in his firm grip.
He ignored the whispers in the class, ignored their beating pulses and either lustful or judging glances as he walked through the halls and into the library. Finally, away from everyone, away from every glance and emotion – from everything that drowned him each day, he opened the note and saw the daisy. Holding it in his fingers gently, he placed it on one of the shelfs of books and began to read.
Dearest and sweetest Jasper,
Thank you, with every pitter patter of my heart for saving me today so. My silly shyness has stolen my voice from me like a sly thief, but please know in your rare heart how thankful I am. I am in your debt sweet stranger,
Willa Fawn.
Jasper read and reread the letter in the shadows of the library, held it like a cautious solider as he took in each curl of her handwriting. At the sound of a shuffle, Jasper pocketed the letter and folded the daisy in a fist which lay at his side. Around the corner appeared Alice. His gaze softened at her approach. Out of all his family members, he was closest with her. She had become like a true sister to him, or what he would imagine a sister to be like. But like all the others in his family, she was watchful over him, extremely so as they each viewed and treated him as the weak link – that unpredictable threat. He loved each of them as family, but he couldn't help but grow more and more frustrated at how they watched and treated him like a child. It made his annoyance fester.
"Are you alright Jaz?" Alice asked, her eyes falling to his clenched fist which held the daisy. "What's that there?" She asked with her singalong voice.
Jasper looked down to his fisted hand, looked before placing it in his pocket and giving her a very casual and unbothered shrug. "Nothing." He said. "It's nothing." And with that, he put his arm around Alice's shoulders and left the library to go class. He didn't want his family knowing about Willa, and so he decided she would remain just that – a secret. Whatever he was feeling, whatever exchange they had – it was his and secret. His, secret.
