"Jasper, this isn't working," I whine.
I've been trying to find polar bear formulas for three hours and all I've learned is that Pneuma can't eat meat for five more mouths and, by the way she's yapping at me, she's hungry.
"I can't help you. I'm just here to make sure you stay calm," Jasper says.
He's been reading some Western novel of his and sending waves of calm over me.
"I feel bad for keeping you away from the others."
"I know. Don't worry about."
"I'm hungry."
"I thought you had some in your bag."
"I had that on the way here."
"Stay put."
Jasper gets up off the bed and runs out the door.
When he gets out to the cars, I bite my wrist again.
When Jasper comes back in the room, he tosses me a bottle and says, "Please stop the whole biting thing."
"Why? You have scars," I say after I've drunken the bottle.
"There's a difference. Yours are self-inflicted. Mine are from other vampires trying to kill me. And it's harder for you to blend in as a human."
"How?"
"You can't do normal teenage girl things."
"How do you think I've done them the past five years?"
"I'm not sure I want to know."
"I've told the truth. Partially. I told them that I did it and didn't like to talk about it. What do you do?"
"If you haven't noticed, I only wear long sleeves, unless I'm at home."
I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle, so I shut up and go back to my research.
Jasper chuckles, lays down beside me, and continues reading.
After at least another hour of looking, I find a website that looks promising.
I call the number.
"I was wondering if you sold a milk formula for polar bears." I ask after they answer.
"Yes, ma'am, we do."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure."
And I hang up.
"Jasper! Jasper! Jasper! Drive me please!" I beg.
"If I must."
"You must! You must!"
I grab Pneuma, run to the other side of the bed, and start pulling on his arm. He gets up and I practically drag him outside. I grab a black Canteen bottle from the back of momma's Jeep.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jasper asks.
"Yeah. I do it all the time at school."
Jasper goes to get in Alice's Porsche.
"I wanna go on your motorcycle," I whine.
"With Pneuma?"
I get my hoodie from the Jeep and put Pneuma in the pocket, with my Canteen bottle.
"Now can we?"
Jasper sighs and walks his motorcycle over to me. He gets on and I smile. I get on and wrap my arms around his waist.
He starts it and we fly away from the house, leaving it in a cloud of dust.