Isabella
There's nothing like having a good cry to contribute to a good night sleep. When I wake up the next morning I don't even want to open my eyes. I can already feel how swollen they are and I just know that they're filled with eye crusties. I wince when Jasper pulls open the shades. The minute I open my eyes, I regret. They burn like a mother- insert swear word here- and start watering.
"Close the shades," I rasp out, my throat sore, another crappy side effect. Instead of closing the shades, he does something worse. He pulls the blankets right away from me. Before I have a chance to get irritated I see that he has a tray of breakfast in his hand, offering it to me. Who can stay mad at that. "You're too sweet sometimes, Jasper," I say, in what I hope is in a pleasant manner. Forget my sore throat, I think as I happily sit up and clap and accept what he has to offer. I don't comment when the tips of his ears get red. Goof.
He takes a seat next to me. "What are the plans for today?" He whispers.
I give him a shrug., taking a bite of the waffles on my plate. "Pack our stuff and look for some other place to stay?" I ask around the food. I roll my eyes at his questioning look, forcing myself to chew faster and cringing when I have to swallow the large lump of food. I hate talking while I'm eating. Scratch that. I hate when people talk to me while I'm eating. "I'm tired of staying here." I give a look around the room. "These boring brown walls, the ugly fleece olive green blankets. I think the reason why I'm depressed is this bedroom." He opens his mouth to interupt, but I already know what he's going to say. "Okay, it's not the room. But a change of scenery might do me some good." He doesn't argue.
.
.
.
The minute I'm done with my breakfast we get our things together and check out. The closest- and cheapest- motel is on the outskirts of Chaplin. I figure now is a good time to call Charlie. Finding a payphone is easy- right across the street- but getting this damn machine to accept my change is a challenge in itself. Another way the universe is telling me to quit while I'm ahead, I guess. Getting a hold of Charlie is tough. I call the house, but the line is busy- why they can't add two-way is beyone me. It's ten minutes of Jasper and I standing around like a bunch of morons before I finally get through.
"Finally," I say, the minute I hear the click that we're connected. I have to bite my tongue before I say something rude. "We've been trying to get a hold of you for the past hour." Lie.
"Well, good morning to you too, Isabella," Charlie says, with a chuckle. It's a sound I never thought I'd miss and it makes my heart grow warm.
"Its afternoon here," I say, rolling my eyes. "How's it going over there? You guys about wrapped up?" I ask, hopefully, playing with the telephone cord.
"About that," he starts, clearing his throat. Dissapointment seeps in and I brace myself for the bad news. "Renee and I are actually due to catch our flight in a couple of hours, so we should be seeing you guys later today if all goes well."
"Really," I practically screech, bouncing in place. "They're leaving today," I tell Jasper, who's pyaing more attention to his shoes than to me but whatever. This news makes me too happy for worry about him. Not to be bitch or anything. "What brought on this sudden change of plans? You guys finish early?"
The constant clearing of Charlies throat is a dead give away that he's hiding something and I begin to think the worst.
"What's happened, Charlie?" I begin to panic. "Is everything okay with Renee?"
"Renee's fine. She's standing right next to me, packing my bag and all." Another throat clearing.
"Then whats doing?" Its then that I notice that Jasper is paying way too much attention to his shoes and trying his hardest to think that I don't notice the way he's side-eyeing me. "Why the change of plans, Charlie?" I push. The sound that I hear makes me picture Charlie trying his hardest to get Renee's attenton. I can see it clear as day, his free arm waving frantically while the other one covers the reciever. "Charlie!"
"Yeah!" He sound flustered. I hear a scuffling sound in the background and I can only imagine that Charlie is begging for Renee to take the phone from him, like that would help. "Did Jasper call you?" I yell, his ear most likely not anywhere near the receiver. "Did you call them, Jasper? Jasper!" When I get no answer from Charlie or Jasper, I hang up and agrily walk away. Immature, I know. But when you're feeling this angry, this betrayed, how else would you behave? Forget telling Charlie where we're staying now, let them go out of their minds with worry. See if I care.
At least Jasper lets me get to the corner before cathing up with me. "What were you thinking," I yelling, turing angrily when he grabs for my elbow. I ignore the strangers walking by and focus on Jasper; the hurt look on his face should make me stop and feel sorry for him, but it only fuels my anger. My hurt. "Or were you just not thinking." He opens his mouth only to close it. Good call, cause I wasn't done talking. "Why, Jazz?" I give him a look that shows exactly how hurt I am, but it only makes him squeeze his eyes shut, as if he could erase the image from his mind. "I have never, ever, called our gaurdians no matter how much trouble you were in! And I thought you would do the same for me." My chest hurts and I feel like I cant breath. "Shame on me I guess." I turn to walk away only to turn back around. "What the fuck, man!" I know I'm mostly pissed because I can just imagine how weak he must have made me sound. Pathetic Isabella who can't stand the smallest amount of stress. "I would never have done this to you! I never did!" I throw myself against the nearby wall and slide down to sit.
My forehead resting on my knees, it's a while before he speaks. "I know," he whispers, so quetly- painfully, as he goes to sit down next to me.
"Why this time?!" I turn my head on my knees to look at him but he just looks at me, and shrugs. When he goes to reach for my hand I pull it away and glare at him, hurting him the only way I know how right now.
The sound of a car driving over gravel pulls our attention away from each other. We both watch as a car pulls into the motel down the street from us and two boys about our age get out the car and head into the office.
"I was worried about you," Jasper whispers, pulling my attention (partially) back to him. "I've never seen you that upset." He shifts his body, seeming uncomfortable. "I was worried and so I called Renee."
"Why-"
"But I told her not to tell Charlie. I swear." His eyes are pleading with me to believe him, and I do, but my anger isn't the type that just dissapears that quickly.
"Renee is the last person to trust to not tell anybody, you know that!" My voice cracking. Why do I have to cry when I'm mad!
"Because I was scared too, okay?"
The look I give him has to show how in disbelief I am. Jasper is never scared- except when it comes to our family- or at least he's very good at hiding it.
"We've never," he continues, his voice so low that I'm stressing my ears to hear him, "had this many trouble at any other place we've been to. Or not have a plan, you know? And I just really needed to talk to Renee, okay? You didn't even come up at first, it just kind of slipped out."
Commotion across the street interupts us, as we turn to find the boys from earlier banging on one of the room doors. A certain room door to be precise.
"Isn't that the room the prostitue is staying in?" Jasper asks, earning and elbow in the rib.
"Dont say that, okay? You dont know that she's a hooker." The look he gives me tells me that he knows I'm bullshitting, but I'm not in the mood to be on Japsers side right now. Turning our eyes back to the scene we watch as it takes a while for them to get through the door. DP for the hoe?
"Thats sick," Japser says, making me wonder if I said that out loud.
"Well, sitting here any longer wont exactly earn us a good reputaiton either," I say, noticing again the people walking by. I can only imagine what they must be thinking. Two teenagers, alone on the sidewalk floor, living out of a backpacks and duffel bags. Whatever, though. "Come on. Lets get out of here." I go to get up but Jasper pulls me down. I should pretend it hurt just to argue some more.
"We okay?" My gray eyes meet his blue one and again I can't think of a time when he wasn't always there within reach of me.
"No." I say, but grab his hand anyway. "But we will be."