Chapter 8

Jacob and Seth weren't gone long. I coundn't hear the exact words, only mumbling. I stood, remembering Aro's words, "without provoking suspicions". If we kept bursting into tears, everyone would be asking questions and I didn't think Renesmee could keep up her effort to not think about The Volturi for long if that were the case. I pulled her along behind me to the kitchen. She stummbled across the floor, sniffing. I stepped through the arch and nudged her toward one of the stools lined up at the counter. She slumped down on the end seat, leaning on the benchtop. I sighed at her melancholy and turned to the recently stocked pantry. For the past few months Nessie had been weaseling out of human food and the pack had cleaned out the bought food but as soon as Alice knew that I would be staying, she had gone grocery shopping. I smiled bitterly at the happy memory of her coming home with an exasperated Jasper and more bags full of clothing than food. If only we could go back to that happy state of mind while we waited for the end of our freedom.

I shrugged away my musings and pulled out eggs, flour and butter. I whirled around the kitchen, mixing up a storm. Managing to create plumes of flour and splatter dribbles of batter throughout the space as I worked, I totally focused on my task. I scooped a half cup of mixture into a fry pan and swirled it around, in effect creating a pancake.

Time spun out of reach and before I knew it, I was switching off the heat. Taking great care, I organised Renesmee's plate into a cheerful smiley face. I squeezed a bottle of maple syrup, using the sticky substance to illustrate pupils and freckles. Grabbing a knife and fork to eat with, I turned to hand it over to Nessie. My hair spun away from me and drapped over my face. Grunting with annoyance, I attepted to shove it behind my ears. As soon as I could see again, I froze with embarrassment. Seth was leaning against the wall, face in shadow, body lean and tensed. I forced my limbs to move again, forced them to ignore my audience. I slid the plate over to Renesmee. The sight and smell of sweet food seemed to draw her out of her mood. If I hadn't known the real reason behind her immediate change of heart, I would've said she was merely hungry.

Seth shrugged away from the wall, coming forward. I moved back, disguising my want of space as a want to clean the awful mess I'd made. I frowned, I didn't normally make this much chaos when cooking. I sighed and started piling the dishes into the sink.

By the time he slipped his arms comfortably around my waist, the excess food was back in storage and I had just started scrubbing the batter bowl.

"Jazz, come with me," he whispered in my ear.

I shook my head saying, "I made this mess and now I've got to clean it up. Esme won't like having to sort out my trail of devestation along with everyone else's."

"Esme won't mind. She's just weird like that," and before I could protest anymore, he had picked me up like a baby and walked me back through the lounge. I expected him to stop but he continued up the stairs, first one flight, then two. Padding down a carpeted corridor, he carried me to a plain white door. Pausing in front of it, he waited till I looked up at him. I was curious so he didn't have to wait long.

"I've haven't been up to this floor yet," I murmmered, looking back at the door.
Seth chuckled nervously and stepped forward, turning the handle.

The room was full of organised clutter. Paper was piled haphazardly in towering heaps across a wooden desk and clothes were folded in the corner. Covering every inch of the walls and ceiling were multicoloured wolf pawprints and aranged in no particular pattern that I could see, photos were pined over the headboard.

I twisted out of Seth's embrace and made my way further into the room. I moved to inspect the photos.

Suddenly, a breath slid down my neck made me jump a mile in the air. I squeaked in shock. Seth laughed in my ear and took hold of my waist again.

"Don't do that!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry," he snickered, "What do you think?"

"About you? You're a coniving little puppy who likes to tiptoe around scaring innocent people!"

"Hah! If I'm a little puppy, then you're a baby, albiet a gorgeous baby. I was actually asking about my bedroom."

"Did I detect a hidden compliment in there?" I joked.

He sighed, exasperated, "Just answer the question smartypants."

"Um...Well...It's very...um-"

"Jasmine!"

"Just kidding! I love the colours. No one can say it doesn't match because every colour has to be there anyway."

"Hmmm, interesting way of putting it," Seth mused quietly.

"So this is where you spend all your spare time?"

"Mostly, though I'm beginning to see there isn't any spare time with you around."

"Hey! I never told you you had to be by my side every sec-" He silenced me with a kiss.

"I never said I didn't mind."

"Mmmm, that's better," I backed up, pulling away from him to sit on the bed, "Come here boy," I beconed as if he were a puppy, patting the space beside me. He sat cautiously.

I refused to have that small bubble of separating us when we had only hours left together. Leaning forward, I pulled him behind me like I would a pillow. He moved willingly. Shuffling a bit to find the most comfortable position, I lay my head down on his stomach. He stroked my hair and soon my eyelids were drooping closed.

I woke in darkness. I tilted my head back to look at Seth. A sliver of moonlight lay across his face, illuminating his features. I caressed his cheek, dropped a light kiss on his lips and stood to leave.

"Jasmine," I froze, thinking he had woken, "Jasmine, I-I." I breathed again, realising he was merely sleeptalking. I continued moving toward the closed door.

"Jasmine," he said again, "I'm in love with you." I turned to watch him sleep for a moment more. I wondered if he would be angry or sad in the morning when he saw I was gone. He sighed once and smiled slightly. I fled after that.

Descending the stairs, I found Nessie standing by the couch with a jacket folded over her forearm.

Tears pricked in the corners of my eyes. She met my gaze with tears of her own.

"Jacob is still asleep, in the cottage," her voice broke on the last word but she pushed on, "Everyone else has gone hunting. I think they wanted to leave us some time alone. We should go now, while we have the chance." She turned her head sharply away at her grief, trying to hide her sobs from me.

I stepped toward her and placed a hand on her shaking shoulder, "Are you sure about this Renesmee. We could always try our chances against them."

"No," she sounded frantic, "No. If we stay, they'll kill them all. My family!" I noticed how she left me out, "I won't have them hurt Jacob or Mum or Dad or Aunty Alice or...I won't."

"Then we have to go," I urged her out the door to the garage where her car was parked. It was a nice blue colour and it could go fast, very fast. Just what we needed.

She drove but I stopped her when we reached the end of the drive.

"Nessie, we have to go to David's first."

"Why?" even her voice sounded shattered.

"Let me drive and I'll explain on the way." She hesitated but knew she wouldn't be able to drive for much longer. We switched seats and I took off in the direction of David's house.

I pulled up in front of the door within minutes and got out quickly. I turned back to look Nessie in the eye, "You know what to do." She nodded and slid into the seat I had evacuated. Taking the wheel, I watched her drive around the corner and out of sight if not hearing. I took a deep breath and strode up the path. Using my key to unlock the door, I prepared myself to lie and lie big.