I'm Baaaaack! --enter scary music and creaking door-- Muhahaha!! Time to torture the characters!!

Heehee, just kidding. Well, kinda. Next chapter is where I get to torture Jasper. Bella gets her revenge :) Some of it, at least.

Breaking Dawn was sooo great!! Anyone who wants to talk about it, PM me, cuz nobody at home is done (nobody at camp had finished it either. SO I have nobody to talk to about --muffles self before gives away whole book--). And I have some news... you know how I have his backstory with flashbacks and I'm going to post the entire thing (flashbacks included as part of the past... they're real exerpts from it) soon because... I FINSIHED IT TODAY! I've been working so hard on it!! Yay! I am actually really proud of it.

Shortish chapter, sorry! But the next one is long, I think. Really eventful, actually. I think you find out exactly what happened to Jasper in 3 chapters at the soonest. 4, perhaps. I'm not sure. Enjoy the Cullens!

AN: I do not own... sadly... wahhh!!

"What is that?" I asked Bella as I carried "our" tray over to her friends' table. I was referring to a greasy red and white thing.

"Pizza," she whispered. "Haven't you ever had it?"

"No, I was born in the mid 1800s. I've never heard of it before. When was it invented?" A look of understanding crossed her face and she totally ignored my question.

"Did you see the Civil War?" Her voice barely held in her excitement and astonishment. Her emotions definitely relayed it.

"Yes," I whispered, my voice suddenly raw as I remembered Maria and the events that led to this. "I fought in it." Her eyes flickered in awe. She was going to question me later, I knew it. I inwardly groaned and held myself back from just snapping her neck there and then.

We neared the table and I slammed down the tray as lightly as possible. Bella's smile faded as she slipped into a hard, plastic chair. She pulled the one beside her out a little bit for me. Well, she tried – she wound up falling off her chair and I had to catch her before blood was spilled.

She blushed marvelously and I was doing all I could to hold my breath. The girl was amusing to watch, but she made my throat ache all the time! I would need to teach her to control her blushing or something. I was so busy trying to figure out if that was possible that I didn't even notice all of the children watching me.

"So," one girl, a blonde, drawled out. "Where are you from?"

"Texas." There was no point in lying, was there? "I ran away from home." And I did. I still was, because if what she had said so long ago, wherever the Cullens were was supposed to be my home. Well, I was still fleeing from them, wasn't I?

"Oh." Her face split into a huge smile. "You can stay at my house."

"Sorry," I brushed off her comment as if it were nothing and grabbed a bottle of brown liquid from Bella's tray. It read "Coca-Cola." "I'm staying at Bella's."

Her face went into full pout mode and disappointment was radiating off of her. And… was that resentment and jealousy? I hadn't felt real jealousy in years, but through humans I could sort of feel it. I fiddled with the cap of the soda with one hand and grabbed an apple with the other.

"Jasper, this is Lauren," Bella began slowly, as if trying to remember all their names. She pointed at the blonde first and made her way around. "That's Mike. There's Eric, next to him is Angela, and next to her is Jessica." I nodded silently, willing them all to leave me alone. They did.

The warm, inviting scent of blood swam around me threateningly. I stared at the fruit in my hand. It was a deep red, almost the color of the sweet liquid that lay under the skin of every other person in the room.

All except them. They were seated at a table on the side. They looked away from each other, not talking. It appeared that way, at least. They had to be communicating somehow, for suddenly Edward's arm was around Alice's shoulders. Rosalie sighed and Emmett grasped her hand tightly. They leaned forward to talk to the two and I heard a conversation only vampires could hear.

"Do I need to go beat him up for you?" Emmett asked roughly, his muscles tensing as he spoke.

"No, it's okay,' Alice reassured.

"Do I need to go beat him up?' Edward offered. "I can, you know. I have no problem hurting him." Alice laughed.

"Yeah, you'd beat him up! And then you'd go and play your piano to ease your thoughts, wouldn't you?"

"Unfair… you saw it." Rosalie burst into giggles, her hair falling in front of her face.

"You would wouldn't you? Edward!" He grinned sheepishly and gave her a smirk. "Don't even say it, or your piano is dead!"

"So, Eddie, are you going to beat him up because he's trying to get the human or because he hurt Alice?" Emmett teased, an aura of seriousness surrounding his harmless words.

"Alice." Edward set his jaw. She quirked her eyebrow, watching him. "Alright, the human, too. She's interesting! You should've heard his mind!"

Amazing… so this Edward was interested in Bella as well. This could prove to be a problem. Bloodlust seeped off of him and I visibly shuddered. It was getting harder. I couldn't stand it anymore. I was going burst.

I envisioned myself leaning forward and snapping that girl, Lauren's neck. I would move on to the rest of the children at the table. Then, Bella would be saved for last, and her warm blood would fill me for ages. I was thirsty and there was no stopping me now.

Alice gasped and Emmett pushed his chair back quickly. He raced towards the table as fast as he could while still going human speed.

"Whitlock!" he yelled, trying to snap me out of my trance. "Whitlock!" It wasn't working. The humans whipped their heads around, shocked to see the Cullen talking and interacting. Their heart rates sped up. This was good… they would taste better.

Alice winced and Edward's eyes turned to Bella, pleading and nervous. Rosalie rolled her eyes and just watched Emmett.

"Whitlock!" He was getting closer now. I would need to work faster. I pushed back my chair, getting ready to attack. Venom pooled to my mouth. I grabbed Bella's arm, pushing her out of the way, saving her for later.

Emmett's hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. His expression was livid, but only deep underneath. He was putting on an act.

"Whitlock. Come sit with us." He gestured towards the Cullen/Hale table. I nodded my head and released Bella from my grasp. Her eyes were wide and frightened again.

"Bella, come," I ordered and she picked up her stuff, apologetically smiling at the other teenagers. She padded along obediently, following as quickly as she could without falling. The emotions coming off all the Cullens were shocked and angry. I slid into a seat at the end, ready to run. I motioned to the one across from me, and Bella placed her food down quietly.

Edward's eyes were stormy. He was beside Bella and his hands gripped the seat tightly.

"Smells good, doesn't she?" I commented, watching his face carefully. He clenched his teeth and I watched as his eyes darkened. I grinned. I wasn't the only one that has trouble with the humans!

"I don't have trouble!" he hissed in response. "Just her." Bella didn't respond, she just looked down at her tray and – now that I noticed – bitten nails.

"How do you do that?" He grinned and turned to Alice.

"You didn't tell him? I thought you told him everything."

"I did," she insisted and cocked her head to the side, watching me with intent eyes. I shivered under her gaze. I thought as hard as I could, trying to remember what she has told me about the mysterious family.

--Flashback--

"Do they accept me?" I asked her, once we had privacy. Alice sat cross legged on the bed as I stood stiffly by the wall. It was silent for a moment as she thought.

"Carlisle and Esme accept you immediately. Emmett will like you, too." I grinned. I was going to be accepted! "Edward and Rosalie will come a little harder. I don't know why Rosalie won't, but Edward has a hard time trusting people. He reads minds, he knows what really goes on, and if he doesn't like it – well, it takes a while to gain his trust."

--Flashback--

Edward nodded, his expression playful but eyes stony.

"Well, she is right." He eyed Bella with distaste. She shuddered and peeked meekly out from behind her hair.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I – it's just – if you don't want to be next to me, it's okay, I'll go back to the other table." Edward didn't move and neither did she. He simply glared. With another peek, she began to push back her chair.

"No," I ordered, almost subconsciously. "Sit, Bella. Eat your lunch." She did so and Emmett's eyes turn fiery.

"Will you speak to her like she's a person instead of an animal? Or have you simply been feasting on humans too long? I've seen dogs that are spoken to with more respect!" he snarled. I gritted my teeth. Bella blushed deeply and Edward shifted.

"Please," she said. "It's fine. It's good, honest." Emmett's eyes flashed to her, then to Alice, Edward, and finally Rosalie.

"Am I the only one that cares?" he hissed at them. "I am, I think. Alice, you're not usually like this. Edward, don't you care a little? I think you have more than enough to atone for." Edward let off feelings of shame and discomfort. What had he done? I chuckled to myself. "And Rosalie! Please, I know you want to be human, I get that, I understand! But that doesn't mean you can simply ignore them! We live around them, we need to deal with it. And you." He turned to me. "What are you playing at? Frightening her before going and sucking her dry?"

I swallowed hard, trying to think up a good response. The others were also, as Bella just sat and endured the conversation. Alice was the first to speak.

"Bella… listen, we don't mean to be like this, it's just out of the norm for us. And that's saying something. We are mythical creatures!" She laughed bitterly, the sound odd coming from her mouth. "Anyhow… would you like to spend the night at our house? As a friend, of course. Your dad won't mind! And I bet you've been going crazy in this place. We can go out of town! To Port Angeles or something. Anyone else up for it?"

Bella looked at me uncertainly. I gazed at the Cullens and sharply nodded my head. A smile broke out on her nervous face and she was filled with relief.

"I'd love to," she responded. "But what about - "

"We feed on animals," Rosalie informed her coldly. "Jasper, however, does not. Listen… Carlisle can probably steal some blood samples from the hospital. We'll have them tonight. Pick them up, okay?" Pick them up… does that mean I wouldn't be there?

"Yes. Bella will be spending the night with Alice and Rosalie. Emmett and I will be hanging out. And you are not welcome." Edward's words sounded strained as if he were struggling. They were cold and pierced through me like knives. He suddenly pulled away from the table. "I'm ditching. Anybody coming?" Alice stood suddenly and grabbed his arm.

"Yeah. I need to talk to Esme. And you'll be having a nice conversation with Carlisle later, won't you?" Edward's face went blank for a moment as Alice grinned wickedly. "I've been waiting for this for a long time." Emmett was suddenly interested and it was as if Bella and I were not present. Even Rosalie seemed animated.

"He's getting the talk! I got that right after he changed Emmett!" she piped in.

"And I got it twice!" Emmett bragged. "You are in for it! This ought to be good!"

"Alice hasn't gotten it either!" Edward snarled.

What talk? What was going on? They didn't mean – oh no, they probably did.

"We don't mean that! Come on, Alice!" He tugged the little pixie away and Bella watched them with her wide brown eyes. An unfamiliar feeling rolled off her. I couldn't figure it out, no matter how much I tried. The bell rang and Emmett and Rosalie left the table with such speed that I was sure they were giving themselves away.

The rest of the school day was uneventful. Bella tripped a few times in Gym, but I was luckily just watching for the day. I was far, far away when Bella gave the girl beside her a nosebleed.

Hmm… I contemplated as I watched her blush bright red as she stuttered apologies. Humans are more interesting than I gave them credit. If I really, really, really put my mind to it, I could see Bella the way most boys in the school seemed to – with adoration and lust. She was even sort of pretty. For a weak, pathetic human at least.

I shook my head and shuddered. Being around so many humans was giving me weird thoughts.

Hope you liked it!! Going to the Cullens is next chapter!