The next day I was actually excited for school to start. The world must have been ending. I passed the time in the classes before history by re-reading the book Amanda had loaned me. I had finished it the night before, not sleeping frees up a lot of my time. But going back through it again still intrigued me. Anything intrigued me more than school.
Amanda beat me to class, she was sitting at our table doodling. I wondered idly if it was the same drawing or a new one. You'd think I could pay better attention. I sat down, fervently ignoring Emmett, and looked at her in a perplexed manner. "Did you run into an oil painting?"
"Ha, no," she said, putting the doodle on hold, "I got a bit carried away in art class last period. I go to the art room instead of lunch." "You didn't tell me you were an artist," I accused. "Because I'm not, I just dabble," she elaborated. "I demand to see some of your work!" I declared, trying to be dramatic and probably failing. "No can do," she sneered, sticking her tongue out at me, a gesture that I returned.
Last week she and I were complete strangers and now we're joking around like old friends. My lunacy must be rubbing of on the universe. Which is actually a fairly alarming thing, if you think about it. I'm the least normal individual out of my vampire family. A freak among freaks.
"That was quick," she commented as I returned her book. "Fast reader," I shrugged, alluding to the truth. She leaned down to put the book in her bag and I caught a glimpse of her drawing. Spontaneous lines had never been so fascinating. "You should start coming to lunch," I offered, "we don't get a chance to talk except in this class. The rest of my day is depressingly dull." "Tempting," she began," but then I'd have to do without art class and that would be almost as equally depressing." "You can't paint at home?" I asked, trying to persuade her to start joining me without using my talent for persuasion. I just wanted to spend more time with her…to get to know her more. "I could, but I don't have any supplies. Have you ever looked for somewhere to buy art supplies from in this town?" she laughed, but a touch of frustration shone through. I supposed she had a very valid point. Unless they sold acrylics at the sporting store and since, apparently, she didn't have a car that was pretty much it. "I think that Seattle or Spokane or somewhere should annex Forks and make it worthwhile," she continued. I nodded in agreement as the teacher, once again, decided to start lecturing.
Once again, I also wasn't paying attention. He was rambling on about a paper or something being due in the next few weeks and everyone else was groaning in protest. It made no difference to me; I had all the time in the world to write some petty paper. Then he started talking about assigning us different battles of the Civil War to research and write about. This also amused me. I smiled ironically as I stared at the top of the table.
"Mr. Hale, is something humorous?" he asked, trying to be intimidating and glaring at me. "No sir." "Good, I'm assigning you the Battle of Shiloh," he rambled on, "Miss Williams?"
Amanda's head shot up, clearly she hadn't been paying rapt attention either. "You are to write about the Battle of Galveston." I could barely contain my amusement. She jotted it down sloppily and returned to her doodling. I wondered vaguely what Mr. Landry would think if Amanda cited a first hand source for that paper. The rest of the class received their topics with groans and whines, except Emmett. I could already tell he was planning to badger me for information. I always wondered if teachers ever realized the reason that their students hate history is because they make to so damn painful. History is painful, the story of mankind is an excruciating endeavor, but it isn't nearly as dull as textbooks made it.
I began taking notes on the lecture, as if it could possibly be anything new, when I was suddenly struck with an idea. There was a bookstore I was planning to go to this weekend in Seattle…Seattle had real stores…like art supply stores. I could see if Amanda would like to join me on my little excursion, and then she couldn't use art class as an excuse to skip lunch. But then I might have to accept the fact that painting interested her more than talking to me. And sitting with me and my siblings was an intimidating experience. Bella was just now getting really comfortable with it and she's been doing it for several months.
But it was a remarkably dangerous idea, what if something went wrong? What if I did something stupid? What if she got an insignificant papercut like Bella on her birthday and I snapped? Only this time there wouldn't be anyone to hold me back.
After class had ended, she and I strolled toward the door. I waited for her at her locker as we casually discussed yet another book. "There's my bus, I'll see you tomorrow," she said. I thought I felt a twinge of reluctance coming from her, but I couldn't be sure. It was very subtle. "Yeah, I'll see you," I said then we parted ways.
I strode up to the Volvo, where my siblings were already in the car and waiting for me. Emmett and Alice smiled broadly at me, in an amused fashion. Rosalie patted my shoulder as I climbed in the backseat beside her. Edward seemed too preoccupied with something to pay me any mind, which was fine with me. I wasn't entirely comfortable in the spotlight, even if it was just the people I saw everyday.
When we arrived home, Carlisle was on the couch watching a dull news program. They were talking about some murder in Seattle or somesuch. I greeted him and then snagged the newspaper he had finished and left on the coffee table. I skimmed through it as I headed to my room, searching for anything of interest.
I pulled my jacket off and tossed it on the bed as a headline caught my eye, about the murder in Seattle. So far six people had been killed. They were blaming a serial killer for it, the slayings all had the same calling cards. I pitied his victims; innocent people didn't deserve that abrupt and horrific fate. Monsters like me did. Even the vilest person couldn't compare to the travesties I had committed.
I grew bored with the paper, and hopped out my window to take a run in the woods. That always relaxed me and cleared my head. I needed all of that I could get. Maybe I could come up with a better idea for spending time with Amanda. I dashed through the woods, preparing to hop over the stream, when I noticed Edward sitting under a tree, as if he was waiting for me. I paused and quirked an eyebrow, I couldn't tell if he wanted to talk or was just there. His mood was very anxious, there are so many things that could have attributed to that, though, other than me. Hell, being with Bella and her klutziness would make me a nervous wreck too.
"Jasper…" Edward began, with some uncertainty. I turned to face him, waiting for the lecture from St. Edward to begin. "I know you hate it when I listen to your thoughts…but I also know you know I can't help it," he persisted, still hesitant, "You shouldn't be so wary, you're not nearly as dangerous as you think you are." "What?," I hissed, in complete disbelief he just uttered those words.
"You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for…When I was first drawn to Bella it was because her scent was so appealing that I thought I had to kill her. But with you and Amanda….it seems different. You never contemplated killing her. I never even saw it cross your mind. You're stronger than I am," Edward said, anxious of my coming reaction.
"So that whole bit where I nearly killed Bella doesn't matter?" I retorted. "What if Amanda and I were alone and I killed her? What if she got a papercut like Bella? I don't want to hurt her, she's been nothing but a friend to me, why should I put her life at risk just because I'm afraid I couldn't control myself if something stupid happened???"
"If you keep worrying about it you won't hurt her," Edward said softly, "I overheard what you were thinking about earlier…going to Seattle and all. I think you'd be fine. Besides, Bella is the most clumsy person alive, Amanda appears quite graceful in comparison. I doubt she would spontaneously trip over air and slice her hand open."
I stood there in shock, or as much shock as is possible for a vampire. I never realized he had so much confidence in me. It was reassuring. I nodded and said, "I'll think about it." "I won't be listening," he laughed, stood up and sprinted toward the house. I chuckled and leaped over the stream and resumed my run.
After I decided to go back the rest of the night passed uneventfully. Esme had been working on renovating an old house in town, so she was getting input from Alice and Rosalie about decoration the inside. Carlisle was in his study, Edward was at Bella's, and Emmett badgered me for Civil War information, just as I had predicted, as we watched television in the living room.
I left Emmett to watch his football game and decided to go read. I passed the kitchen where the girls had their things spread out. "Jasper?" Esme called softly. I soundlessly strode into the kitchen. "We can't decide between the burgundy or the violet wall color. Can you tell us what you think?" she asked. It never ceased to amaze me how she could be so loving in just asking a simple question.
I looked at the paint swatches they had beside the photograph of the newly restored room. "Red," I said after glancing at it for a second. "Told you so!" Alice chirped in agreement to the rest of the people at the table. Rosalie gave me a playful glare, I shrugged and headed back upstairs. It wasn't until I reached my room that I realized why I picked red. She had red in her room. Ugh, she's seeped into my subconscious and I'm becoming obsessed!! This has got to stop, I told myself. But, truth be told, there were much worse things that could happen. This didn't bother me nearly as much as it probably should. But it still made me nervous.
The night passed quickly, I immersed myself in another book. Eventually I'm going to run out of things to read. Morning arrived soon enough, I changed clothes and dashed downstairs to venture out into yet another school day. Alice bounced up to me and tossed me my car keys. "Today should be interesting," she said and then dashed off, leaving me to wonder what she could possibly be going on about. I hated when she did that,.
My morning classes passed painlessly enough, before long it was lunch period. As usual, I sat with my siblings and Bella. Alice, who was sitting in front of me, kept grinning strangely. I shrugged it off, figuring she was being her usual bouncy self.
"Your day's about to get more interesting," she said cryptically. I stared at her like she was a lunatic, before turning my head to follow Alice's gaze. Amanda was walking into the cafeteria, I could sense her nervousness a mile away. She glanced around tentatively, as if she thought I might not be here. Alice was still grinning like a madman. Amanda saw me at our table and walked up. She sat in the chair on the end, across from Alice and beside me.
"Surprised to see me?" she asked, turning to me. "A bit," I admitted, " I feel so important that you abandoned art for this." She shrugged, she was still nervous, "You talked me into it." "Hi, I'm Alice!" my sister introduced, waving enthusiastically, "That's Emmett, Rosalie, Edward, and Bella," she added on, pointing out each person as she named them. Amanda smiled and uttered a shy 'hello'.
"It's nice to meet you," Rosalie said with a smile from her seat beside Alice. Bella seemed stunned by Rose's greeting, but still greeted Amanda politely. Edward and Emmett nodded in acknowledgement before going back to their conversation.
"Jasper tells me you're quite the philosopher," Alice piped up. "Yeah, I guess…it sounds so nerdy," Amanda laughed. "On the contrary," Rose began, "At least Jasper has someone to discuss his books with now…besides us. Someone who might actually contribute to the conversation." The group of us chatted for what seemed like just a few moments, but was actually the remainder of the period. By the time the bell rang, Amanda seemed completely relaxed and was laughing at Alice's animated storytelling before the bell rang to make us leave.
I hopped up and pulled her chair out for her. "Why?" Amanda asked, crinkling her nose. "We've already been through this!" I reminded her, matching her playful, borderline annoyed tone. "I'll let it slide this time, but if it persists we're gonna have problems," she said, but I could tell she was actually amused. "Nice to meet you, Amanda," Alice said in parting. She looked at me and said so lowly that Amanda could never have heard, "You'll be fine." I nodded, I didn't know what she had foreseen, but apparently it wasn't a catastrophe. She then frolicked away, leaving me with a thousand questions.
"Do we have to go to class?," she groaned, significantly slowing her pace. "No," I answered with a devious smile, careful not to show my dental vampirism, "We could go to Seattle!" "Seattle? That's like four hours away!!" she looked at me like I was a lunatic. "I know a shortcut," I explained. Which was partly true, driving at three times the legal speed limit is technically a shortcut. "There's an incredible bookstore and I'm sure there are art supply places as well," I kept on trying to persuade her. She hesitated for a moment before chiming in, "Alright, I'm in! But I should probably call my grandparents and tell them I won't be back for awhile." I sensed her sadness coming up again, perhaps it was related to them. I'd have to figure that one out.
"Not a problem," I said, pulling out my cellphone as we headed out the double doors into the parking lot. I opened the car door for her, she rolled her eyes at me as she left a message on their machine. I got in and we peeled out of the parking lot.