Hello again all! I'm happy to post this chapter- this chapter was my first thought when I started thinking of this story, so I've been imagining it for a while. It's not all lemony, but it's the turning point in U.A. I hope you enjoy!
D/C: I do not own Twilight, nor do I own any of the charachters portrayed in the book and/or movie.
Bella's POV
My eyes fluttered open, gray light filtering in through the curtain. I yawned, stretching out my legs as far as they would go. But when my right foot brushed against something solid and warm, I froze. My eyes popped open wide, looking as far to the side as I could without actually moving. I could see a lump in the sheets, but that was all. I shifted slightly, but when the comforter fell away from me and I saw that I was completely naked from the waist up.
"Oh my God," I whispered. Everything from the night before came flashing back, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. The lump in the sheets was a sleeping Jasper. The memories flooded me- him touching me, the way I ground myself into him, the way he kissed me as if there were no tomorrow.
That's because there technically wasn't. Just for tonight. The words haunted me as I slipped out of bed and grabbed my tank top off of the floor. Pulling it over my head, I glanced at Jasper and froze. He was curled up on his side, the most peaceful look on his face as he slept. The sheets were low enough to where I could see the shape of his chest- the same chest that I had touched just hours before.
My face became hot, and I know that all of my blood had pooled there. I was ashamed of my actions, completely and utterly mortified that I had given in to temptation. It was one thing to ignore the feelings that had been appearing, and it was one thing to allow myself spare moments to indulge in those thoughts. But it was another thing all together to allow myself to kiss, to touch, to practically fornicate with someone who was not my boyfriend.
Oh God. Edward.
I choked back a sob and left the room, closing the door tight behind me. The bathroom would be my place of solitude until I had to leave for work. Once I was behind the solid oak door, I tucked my body into the space between the toilet and the bathtub. I brought my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, shielding my face with my arms and hair. The sobs continued to come, continued to wrack through my body as I was plagued with memories of Jasper and I. We had both been so sure of what we had done. Neither of us had any hesitations, no worries that we were destroying ourselves.
Would Alice and Edward find out? I wouldn't tell them. I couldn't. My future flashed before my eyes- Edward and I graduating high school and running off to college. Him proposing with his grandmother's ring, at our favorite restaurant in Port Angeles. Us buying our first home and moving all of our stuff into it. Me getting pregnant and him holding my hand while I pushed our kid into the world.
"Oh God," I muttered. My world was officially different. It had changed, and for the better or worse I didn't know.
"Bella?" I jumped at the hushed voice on the other side of the door, the tears falling even faster now. Jasper knocked lightly and I opened my mouth to tell him to go away, but the words never came.
"Bella, I'm coming in." I said nothing as the doorknob turned and the door swung open. Through blurred vision I watched Jasper walk in, disheveled and no shirt. My traitorous heart jumped at the sight and I groaned as my head fell back into hiding. Through my arms I saw Jasper close the door and slide to the floor right in front of me. My eyes stared straight at his left calf as we remained silent. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know how to make the situation any easier. Was that even possible?
"It can't happen again." Jasper's rough voice infiltrated my thoughts and I dared to look up. His blue eyes looked sad, and radiated the importance of his statement.
"Just last night," I whispered. He nodded.
"For what it's worth," he began, but I held up a hand.
"You can't say it. Don't say what I think you're going to say, because that will make all the feelings all the more real. And they can't be real, because it didn't happen. Right? It didn't happen." I watched him, watched as his eyes softened. They showed… regret? I couldn't accept that emotion in him. But eventually he nodded.
"You're right. It never happened." The relief was overwhelming. We could get through this, we would be able to act like nothing happened, and no one would get hurt.
"Thank you," I said with a small smile. Jasper nodded again, not really returning the smile. I ignored it though and looked up at the small clock above the mirror.
"I have to be at work in forty five minutes," I said softly. He pushed himself to his feet without a word. Reaching down, he helped me up as well.
"Um, your cell phone is on my nightstand," I said awkwardly. Jasper pulled it out of his pocket and waved it at me before stuffing it back in.
"I grabbed it when I got to your room last night."
"Oh, okay." I shuffled my feet, looking anywhere but at Jasper.
"So… um…" Jasper interrupted me by quickly opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
"I'm gonna go," he pointed towards the stairs. "I'll call you later."
"Yeah, see ya." Jasper closed the door and I heard him in my room, shuffling around before making his way down the stairs. As soon as I heard the muffled sound of the front door closing, I slammed my forehead against the closed door.
"Wonderful."
I took a quick shower and changed for work, grabbing plenty of food and snacks to last me through the day. I knew I would be allowed to leave the shop for lunch, but there was no point when I could just curl up with a book. No need to step out into the world and get me into any more trouble than I already was. On my way to the shop my cell phone rang.
"Yeah," I answered without looking at the caller ID.
"Bella!" I grinned automatically, Jessica's voice sounding like fucking angels singing to my ears.
"Jessica! Hola, chica. To what do I owe this early morning convo to?" It was honestly nice to hear from her- there as no way I would be able to survive with just me and Jasper for the next three weeks.
"Sorry for calling so early," Jessica said cheerfully, "but I knew you'd be up. Our hard working girl and all. I'm having another movie night tonight, and I wanted to know if you wanted to join. Jason Statham is screaming our names, and my brand new bootleg copy of 'The Mechanic' apparently has scenes of him with his shirt off. Completely O-worthy." I laughed freely, loving the sound of a girls' night.
"I'm in. You have no idea how much I'm in," I said as I pulled into the parking lot, right next to Emmett's Jeep. "I get off at five, so I can be there by six?"
"That sounds perfect," Jessica sang. I could hear her starting her car on her end, so I took that as my cue to end the call.
"I'm gone, work calls. I'll see you at six." I hung up and climbed out of my car. Suddenly my day was looking up.
I fell down in my chair at lunch time, already exhausted. I had spent the past two hours checking in a shipment of oil and windshield wipers, as well as parts for a Corvette for some guy in Port Angeles. But overall I was happy because my mind was not jumping to thoughts of Jasper or of how fucked up my night was. I was concentrating on a thoughtless project.
I sat at my desk and pulled out my lunch, looking at the BLT with disdain. That and my yogurt looked unappetizing compared to the cheeseburger that was in my brain. It'll have to do. I devoured my sandwich and took out the paperback that I had stuffed into my bag on my way out that morning.
Just then Emmett stuck his head in the door separating the shop from the garage.
"You're not leaving for lunch?" I shook my head, lifting my book up to show him.
"Nope. I have soft porn disguised as actual literature and you to stare at to bring my fantasies to life." I winked as Emmett laughed. He closed the door behind him and sat on the edge of my desk, glancing at the shop.
"It looks good in here. Rose was right; we were smart to hire you." I beamed at the compliment.
"Thank you, I'm glad you hired me too. I love it here." Emmett nodded and sighed.
"How's the uh…" he pointed to my head, and my hand flew up to touch the stitches. They felt rough and just the feel of them made me feel a bit queasy; I'd have to remember to put a band-aid on it to hide it.
"It's okay. Still feel kind of stupid about the entire thing." Emmett laughed heartily and shook his head.
"Yeah, I'd feel stupid too."
"Hey!" I tried to act offended, but it didn't work, and I laughed right along with him.
"Sorry," he chuckled. "I just hope you're not a klutz like this all the time. Last thing I need you to do is slip and slam your head on one of the lifts."
"Don't worry," I sighed, "I'm usually okay. It's only when I have to put one foot in front of the other that I have actual problems." Emmett kept laughing, and I tried to feign innocence.
"Okay, so here's the deal," Emmett finally said. Deal? There's a deal? I sat up straighter and suddenly felt nervous. "Don't look so scared, Bella. You're fine. Rose and I have to run into Port Angeles in about half an hour. The Corvette guy wants to discuss a new project. I guess he has another car that he wants to rebuild, and he only wants us." I could hear a sense of pride in his tone, and I generally felt happy for them.
"That's great! Did you need to shut down for the rest of the day or something?" Part of me was a little let down at going home early. I didn't know what I would do for the rest of the day.
"No, no." Emmett stood and waved his hand at me, shaking his head. "I was actually going to see if you would be okay the rest of the day. We would just need you to answer phones. Pretty much laid back day."
"Yeah, absolutely!" Emmett patted me on the back and walked back towards the garage.
"We're heading out in a little bit. Enjoy the rest of your lunch." I was on cloud nine for the rest of my off time, not able to concentrate on my book. I had free reign of the shop for the rest of the day! As I tucked my unread book back into my bag, the door opened again. Rosalie and Emmett walked in, dressed in business attire. I let out a low whistle, taking in their appearance.
"You two look fantastic!" Emmett had traded in his greasy work pants and short sleeved striped shirt for black slacks and a white button down shirt and tie. Rosalie had traded in her similar work outfit for a blue blazer and chinos. Rosalie even did a little pirouette, laughing as Emmett planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you, Bella," Rosalie said. She stepped forward and set a key on the desk. "Here's the key to the shop. You'll have to close down and lock up. Just remember to lock each of the bay doors from the inside. The padlocks are all hanging to the right of the tool bench. I think that's it." I nodded, eyeing the key as if it were a piece of treasure. They were trusting me with their shop, and the feeling of responsibility was phenomenal.
"Okay," I said confidently. Rose watched me for a second before she nodded.
"I'm putting a lot of trust in you Bella. But I see something in you. Something that tells me you won't burn my shop down."
"That and the fact that I'm the police Chief's daughter. There's an underlying responsibility on my part to not break the law." They laughed, and all I could think of was 'Where's the joke?'
"We're off! Call us if there are any problems." I waved as they left the shop, watching as they climbed into Rosalie's Mustang. I waited as they backed out of their parking spot, and waited until they drove down the street. The second they were out of sight, I jumped up and cheered. I was in charge for the next four and a half hours.
"I'm Bella, I'm in charge here," I muttered. I looked around and wondered what to do with myself for the rest of the day. And then the teenager in me came alive, and I dove back into my desk chair. Picking up my cell phone, I called Edward. I hadn't spoken to him since the night before, and he and I had a lot to talk about. The phone rang, my foot tapping impatiently as I waited.
"Hello?" I jumped and smiled.
"Hey, it's me."
"Bella." Edward whispered my name, and I could tell that he was happy to hear from me. "I'm sorry about last night."
"Me too." And I was, on so many levels. I listened as Edward groaned, and looking at the clock, I wondered what time it was in Jamaica.
"Did I wake you? I can call you later." But Edward interrupted me.
"No, no. I was just taking a nap. I'm glad you called." There was an awkward silence as I waited for him to talk. I could hear his breathing, and I closed my eyes to imagine what he looked like at that very moment. I missed his eyes, I missed the way he smiled at me. I missed the way he held me and told me I was beautiful. I missed the way he didn't pressure me for anything, the way he loved me.
"I miss you," I said softly, and I could hear the sadness in my voice. Edward sighed.
"I miss you so much, Bella." The sadness in his voice almost matched mine. "I didn't mean to be an ass last night, to question you or the time that you're spending with Jasper." My heart literally stopped, my eyes opening wide. Images of Jasper above me flashed in my mind, images of pools of blue staring into my eyes, telling me how beautiful I was. Telling me how good I made him feel. Oh God.
"It's okay," I whispered. I had to be okay with it.
"Are you sure? Because I was a dick, and I know Alice and I were kinda pushy with the two of you. We just didn't want either of you to be lonely for the next three weeks."
"Yeah, I understand. Don't worry about it. Jasper and I are fine, just hanging out."
"Good. Good." He seemed relieved, but I was horrified. I had just lied to Edward. For the very first time since the day I had met him, I lied. Tears sprang to my eyes as he continued.
"So what have you been up to? How's the head trauma?" I swallowed and took a deep breath.
"Well, yesterday was a little painful, but it's better today. I can hardly feel the stitches anymore. But I think I need to carry around a picket sign telling people to take a picture, because the staring is getting a bit much."
"There's my girl," Edward laughed. "I miss your humor."
"I'll put it in a box for you and send it priority." I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up on the desk, pushing all thoughts of Jasper out of my head.
"You at work?" I noticed that Edward's voice was thick with sleep, but I was too greedy to let him go.
"Yeah, I kicked the owners out and I am sitting at my desk with my feet up. I've recruited one of the neighborhood boys to bring me fruity drinks with bright colored umbrellas." It felt good to be 'sarcastic and witty' again. That was the kind of person I was, and when I was torn up with guilt the person that I am disappears.
"I wish I was there with you," Edward whispered. I closed my eyes, imagining his face.
"You are, Edward. I can see your face in my mind, and you are right here with me." The bell above the door rang, and I jumped up, my eyes flying open.
"Shit, I gotta go." Looking at the door, I watched as one of my dad's deputies walked through the door. I couldn't remember his name for the life of me. "I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, I love you." I hung up with Edward and smoothed out my hair as the deputy walked towards me, a smile on his face.
"Ah, Bella! How are you?" I smiled and let my eyes dart to his name tag, and with a sense of relief I remembered who he was.
"Deputy Barron, I'm good. It's good to see you. What do I owe the pleasure?" He took off his cowboy stylish police hat and ran his hand through graying black hair.
"I actually need an oil change on the cruiser. I was supposed to get it done last week, but to be honest, I forgot. Don't want to get in trouble with your dad." I laughed and nodded.
"Yeah, I get it. But Rose and Emmett aren't here. They won't be back tomorrow." Barron looked defeated and looked out over the garage. "Sorry. I wish I could do it for you, but-"
"Can you?" I was caught off guard by the question and looked at him like he had two heads. Yes, I could, but I was seventeen. Did he really trust me to change the oil on a police car? I sure as hell wouldn't trust me to do it.
"Um, I know how and all. But I just do office work here. I don't think they would appreciate it if I started working on cars without their permission." He looked around again and shrugged.
"Can you call and get the okay?" I was baffled, to be honest. He sure as hell was pushy.
"I guess I can try and call," I muttered. I picked up the office phone and dialed Emmett's cell phone, eyeing Barron the whole time. It only rang twice before Emmett picked up.
"Please don't tell me that you tripped over a tool and slammed into the lift. Or set the place on fire. Or knocked over all the shelves." I smiled, shaking my head at Emmett's craziness.
"No, no. Nothing like that at all." I looked at Barron one more time before I took a deep breath. "Um, there's one of the deputies here, and he needs an oil change. He wanted me to call you to see if it would be okay if I did the oil change for him. He can't wait until tomorrow."
"Seriously?" Emmett seemed as baffled as me, and I was thankful that I wasn't the only one who saw the incredulity in this situation.
"Yeah."
"Hold on, Bella." I listened as he moved the phone away from his head and he spoke with who I assumed to be Rose. He spoke, and her voice raised in return. I winced, not wanting to cause any trouble. I glanced at Barron again, wanting badly to yell at him for the trouble he was causing. The last thing I wanted to do was push my luck with my new bosses. I tapped my foot quietly while I waited for Emmett and Rosalie to finish their conversation. Finally he returned and I could hear the annoyance in his voice.
"Bella, I can imagine you've already told the guy that there's no actual mechanic there. And because of that I wish I was there so I could smack the guy upside the head. But because he's a cop and all, go ahead and do it. But charge him more than we normally would."
"How much more?" I asked, glancing at Barron when he looked at me.
"That's the beauty of not having a charge board up behind your pretty little desk. You can charge him whatever the hell you want him to. And you can keep the difference. So charge him at least twenty more. The twenty can buy you and your friends pizza or something." I grinned and laughed.
"Absolutely! Okay, I'll let you know later how it went. Thanks, Em." We hung up and I turned back to Barron.
"They said okay. But it's going to be fifty for the oil change." I waited, wondering if doubling the price was a smart move on my part. Deputy Barron eyed me only for a second before nodding.
"Okay, that works." I sighed with relief. He reached out to hand me the keys to his car, and jerked his head towards the door. "I'm going to head out for about an hour. Does that work? I'm going to get lunch at the diner down the road. I'll be back then." I watched as he left the building, and only then did I jump and do a little jig in place.
"Boo ya motha fucka's!" I whispered with a Jamaican accent. I skipped out the door after him and went right for the police car. I maneuvered it into one of the bays and onto the lift. Once I knew I had it right, I jumped out and stared at the controls, trying to remember which button was 'up'. Shrugging, I chose a button and pressed. I smiled when the car moved upwards, releasing the button when it was high enough for me to walk under.
I worked quickly to gather what I needed, pleased that I looked like I knew what I was doing. I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it on one of the workbenches, glancing down at my black shirt and blue jeans. Hopefully I wouldn't get too much crap on me to where I would need to go home before going to Jessica's.
I went to work on the car, removing the filter quickly and bringing over the oil can and extending the neck so it was right under the drain plug. Releasing the oil, I watched as it spilled into the funnel, disappearing into the can.
"Easy as pie," I whispered to myself.
"Bella?" I jumped at the voice and my head hit the underside of the car.
"Fuck!" I screamed. My hand flew to my head, just an inch to the left of my sutured wound. I felt hands pull me out from under the car and brush along my hairline. My eyes opened in shock and I was thoroughly surprised to see Jasper standing before me, examining my head.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I exclaimed. Jasper froze and his face became a mask of hurt. He stepped back and looked down at the ground.
"Um, sorry. I'll go." I shook my head immediately.
"No, no. Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." I sighed and pressed my hand against my head again. "Just, please tell me that I'm not bleeding. If I have another cut and have to get more stitches I'm going to look like Frankenstein!" Jasper cracked a smile and shook his head.
"No, you didn't cut yourself again. You look great." I looked at my hand, relieved that there was, indeed, no blood.
"Oh thank God. Em and Rose would never have trusted me again if I got hurt." Jasper glanced around the shop, and I shamelessly let my eyes rake over him. He was wearing all black with a red jacket, with a white baseball hat covering his hair.
"Why are you doing an oil change?" he asked. I shrugged, looking at my hand once more before leaving my bruised forehead alone.
"Emmett and Rose are out for the rest of the day, and someone came in with mechanical needs. Enter, me." He smiled and eyed the oil that was now dripping into the pan. "What are you doing here? And I mean this in a friendly way of course, don't be offended." Jasper leaned against one of the lift bars and let his eyes rake over me just as mine had his. I shuffled nervously, wondering what exactly was going on in his mind.
"I came to see how you were." Those simple words hit me, and my mind began to spin.
"How I am?" I muttered. He nodded, his eyes never wavering. I was fine. Wasn't I? I was just peachy. Nothing wrong at all. No thoughts that ran in dangerous territory, nothing that would get me in trouble. Right?
"I'm fine." It was a lie. I wasn't fine. Because at that very moment, my brain and body were betraying me. I was imagining what he felt like, what his hair felt like at that very moment. What he would feel like if I pressed myself against him. What did it mean? Did that mean that I liked him liked him?
"Fine." He didn't believe me. His eyes were laughing at me.
"Yeah. Fine." Jasper pushed away from his spot against the beam and took a step towards me. My nerves were pulsating as he walked even closer still. Only when he was two feet away did I actually feel my body arch forward. I closed my eyes in defeat. Stupid fucking body.
"I'm fine," I whispered. Something brushed against my hairline, and I jumped back, knowing that it was Jasper's hand. My ankle hit a solid object, and like a nightmare, I was falling. Jasper leapt forward and wrapped his arms around my torso as we both toppled to the ground.
"Shit!" Jasper hissed as he tried to cushion me from the fall. But I winced as my back hit the ground, and my head hit the edge of the tool box. I groaned in pain and my hand flew up to press against my temple.
"Seriously?" I asked into the air. I opened my eyes and gasped through the pain. Jasper was literally lying on top of me, his arms pressing into my back to keep me as close as possible. His legs were flush against mine, hips to hips, and chest to chest. I could feel his breath against my face as his eyes scanned over me.
"Are you okay?" he muttered. I nodded, pushing slightly on him. I had to get him off of me before I did something I would regret. I pushed again, but Jasper didn't budge.
"Jasper why are you doing this?" I asked softly. "Why? I caved into my feelings last night, but I can't do it again. I can't. It was last night, and we agreed before we did anything that it would be just last night. But now it's today, and all I want to do is kiss you. But I can't. I can't do it Jasper. It's wrong." I bit my lips, not believing I just said what I said an inch away from his face. Jasper's eyes were wide.
"Bella?" I closed my eyes again, and I could feel the tears streak down the corners and into my hair.
"I like you, Jasper." I gasped at my admission. Our eyes met and a sob escaped from my chest. "I like you. But I can't do anything because I can't hurt Edward. And you can't hurt Alice. And when they come back, things have to be okay." He looked down at me and a smile flittered across his mouth.
"I like you, Bella. And everything will be fine." I watched as he closed the one inch gap and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was soft and warm, his tongue only darting out to touch me just once. He pulled back and pushed himself up, holding his hand out to help me to my feet. I stared at that hand in shock, not believing what just happened. Carefully, I accepted his hand and let him pull me to my feet. I stepped back almost immediately, looking around as if I was expecting someone to be watching.
"I'll see you later," Jasper said, backing out of the garage and into the parking lot. I stood there, like an absolute idiot, my lips still tingling.
Work was over, I had an extra twenty five dollars in my pocket, and I felt like a dirty whore.
I sat in my car, the engine running, while I worked up enough energy to head to Jessica's house. She had texted me an hour ago to make sure I was still coming, and I was actually hesitant on going. I wanted to go home instead, and curl up in a ball in my room, and think about the kiss between me and Jasper over and over again.
'I whip my hair back and forth, I whip my hair back and forth!'
I burst out laughing as my phone began ringing, the image of Jasper dancing infiltrating my head. I glanced down at my phone and sighed, pressing 'Ignore'. I couldn't talk to him now. I had to go to Jessica's. I threw my car in reverse and made my way down the road, barely paying attention as I made my way to my girls night. I needed a night away from Jasper. I needed to collect my thoughts and make a plan on how to handle the next three weeks. I needed to keep my mind together until Edward came back.
I pulled up to Jessica's house and glanced down at my clothes as I climbed out of the car. I had streaks of grease and oil on me, which would not be well received by a bunch of girls who had never seen the underside of a car in their lives. I reached in the backseat and grabbed my bag that held extra clothes, wondering exactly what outfit I had put in there last month when I packed it. I didn't even have to knock on the door, and Jessica was standing in the doorway with a large grin on her face.
"Bella!" I was pulled into a hug one second and then pushed away the next. "Ew. You smell like a garage."
"Aw, Jessica. Such compliments. And just as an FYI, I work in a garage." She ushered me inside and I headed right for the bathroom to change. Five minutes later I was dressed head to toe in black, laughing at how I looked like Jasper had earlier. All I needed was a red jacket. Opening the door, I turned to ask Jessica who else was coming, and I froze.
Jessica was sitting in her living room, right next to Tyler, and right across from Jasper.
"Fuck," I whispered. All eyes turned to look at me and Jessica jumped up.
"Yea! Bella's grease free and back to the world of normal smelling people. Welcome back, Bella." I glared at her and grasped her arm, pulling her through the hall and to the kitchen. When I knew we were out of ear shot, I turned to her and sent all my anxiety to her through my eyes.
"What the hell happened to girls night?" I spat. She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow and cocked a hip.
"I never said anything about a girls night. I said 'movie' night." All my hatred and anxiety drained away and my knees bent slightly in defeat.
"Jess!" I whined. She mimicked my stature and voice.
"Bell!" I pushed her shoulder and leaned against the countertop.
"I just didn't know there was going to be anyone else here. I thought it was going to be a girls night. I wasn't prepared." Jessica leaned next to me and nudged my arm.
"Prepared for what? It's just Tyler and Jasper. And I know you don't have a problem with Tyler, so what's with the beef with Jasper?" My eyes closed, silently cursing myself for the unintentional slip.
"I don't have beef with Jasper," I whispered. "It's just… it's just… I don't know. We're like glued at the hip, and Edward and Alice expect us to spend every waking moment together, and I just thought that tonight was a girls night and I wouldn't be glued to his hip." Jess nodded and reached over to pick up an apple. Spinning it in her hand, she looked at stem as if it were the most interesting thing in the entire world.
"Bella, can I be frank?" I sighed, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.
"You can be Jessica. I don't know Frank." We laughed and Jessica set the apple down in front of us on the island counter. She sighed and looked at me as if she were going to tell me how to get to the lost city of Atlantis.
"I know there's something going on between you and Jasper." Yep. My heart stopped, and I was pretty sure my mouth was hanging open. Drool was exposed, and if you looked far enough in my mouth you could see that little dangling thing that disappeared when you yawned.
"No!" I practically yelled. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. "No, I don't know what you're talking about. There's nothing going on between us. We're friends. What makes you think there's something going on? Did you say something to Jasper? To Tyler? There's nothing going on-" Jessica cut me off by moving in front of me and pressing her hand over my mouth.
"Bella, you need to breathe. Breathe and let me explain before you have a panic attack in my kitchen." I took a deep breath through my nose and nodded. She removed her hand and smiled.
"I didn't say anything to anyone, Bella. So don't have a coronary whatever. I'm just brilliantly observant." I groaned and tilted my head back, hitting it on the cabinet.
"Oh my God, I swear that if I hit my head one more time I'm going to end up brain dead." Jessica reached up to rub my head for just a second before picking the apple back up.
"When I called Jasper to invite him over tonight, he immediately asked me if you were coming. When I said that you were, he got really quiet. I asked him what was wrong, but he just continued to sound like he had a shit eating grin on his face. And with you looking like you saw a damned ghost when your eyes landed on him, well I put two and two together."
"Fuck." My new word of the day. Jessica pulled my head down to lay on her shoulder.
"I won't say anything. But… how long?"
"Since last night." Jessica pulled away from me and I almost fell to the ground.
"Last night?" She seemed thoroughly surprised. "Last night? You guys make it seem like you've been sleeping together for weeks." My mind went into overdrive.
"We haven't slept together," I assured her anxiously. "We just did some heavy duty action that did not involve sex. We told each other it was just last night, and then he shows up at my work and kisses me. Jess! I don't know what to do!" I leaned my head back down on her shoulder, part of me relieved that someone knew about it. That someone knew what Jasper and I had been doing.
"I cheated on Tyler six months ago," Jessica whispered. My head shot up and my eyes popped open yet again.
"You what? With who?" Jessica peered towards the living room, and when she was pleased that no one would be able to hear us, she looked back at me.
"Yeah. With Mike." I wanted to vomit.
"Newton?"
"Yeah, don't remind me." Jessica hopped up on the counter, letting her legs hang free. I followed suit and nudged her to continue.
"He and I had a relationship for about two months. He was dating Lauren, and I was dating Tyler. But we had a thing on the side. I'm not proud of it, but my hormones and my feelings got the best of me."
"Did you plan on the relationship lasting that long?" I asked. Jessica shook her head just once.
"Not at first. It kind of started off like you and Jasper. It happened and I told him that it would just be that one night. Then it happened again. And again. And then he said that it would be just until Thanksgiving. We'd have a clean break just in time for the holidays." Jessica stopped and licked her lips. She looked so sad.
"What happened?" I whispered.
"The day after Thanksgiving he showed up at my door and told me that he couldn't stop thinking about me. So then we agreed to let it happen until Christmas. Then it would end. And it did. Christmas Eve we were together one last time, and we broke it off." She wiped a single tear from her cheek and dropped her voice even lower.
"I liked him, I really did. But I liked Tyler even more. My point? It took my time with Mike to appreciate Tyler. I don't regret Mike. I never did."
"So you're telling me to have fun?" I laughed, not understanding exactly what her story was supposed to teach me. Jessica laughed though, and shook her head.
"No, not exactly. I'm telling you that to get where you need to get, sometimes you have to take a different path. And if you're having feelings for Jasper, don't ignore them. You're going to drive yourself crazy if you do. It'll make you want him even more, and that can effect your relationship with Edward. Maybe spending a couple nights making out with Jasper will help your relationship with Edward. Because your relationship with Edward is not perfect if you're kissing another guy." I stared straight, letting her words sink in. We stood there for a few minutes, the sound of the television in the background.
"You ready to get back out there?" Jessica finally asked. I nodded, pushing myself off of the counter. We walked back into the living room and my eyes immediately zoned in on Jasper. He was sitting on the couch, his jacket off and draped over the back. His shirt was short sleeved, and the sleeves rode up on his arms to expose the muscles. I could feel the tightening in my stomach as my 'feelings' came to the surface. What Jessica had said to me in the kitchen was making sense to me, and I let myself ogle him freely. I needed him, just for a while, if I was going to be able to get over what we had done.
I walked over to the couch, sitting down beside him. As the cushions moved, Jasper's head turned away from Tyler and looked at me. His eyes were wide, staring at me as if he were waiting for me to do or say something. Jessica walked made herself busy by making popcorn and dividing it into two bowls. When she was done, Jasper and I were still staring at one another. Jess put in the movie, turning out the lights. She said something about everyone being quiet while Jason Statham took his shirt off, and I saw her look over at me and Jasper with a knowing look in her eyes.
The movie started, and Jessica and Tyler exchanged comments on the openings. But I held Jasper's gaze, making my decision. Finally, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his ear. I set my hand on his thigh lightly, and took a deep breath to build up the courage to say what I wanted to say.
"Three weeks. Just three weeks." Leaning back, I watched Jasper's face. His eyes widened in surprise for a solid five seconds, and then softened to recognition. Then there was a spark of pleasure, followed by what I assumed to be want. He nodded once, leaning in to press his lips to my ear.
"Three weeks, Bella. For three weeks, you are mine."
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