I opened the bathroom door and a cloud of fog escaped. I groped my way to my room, you'd think that showering would wake me up more but it didn't. I blame school for making me get up so early. Damn education.

Jasper was sitting at the desk looking at a book or my sketchbook or something. It entertained me that he was trying to be so unassuming. I could tell he was on his best behavior, trying not to annoy me since he understood that I'm not a morning person.

I grabbed some clothes that I thought were probably clean and dashed to the bathroom to change, brush my hair and maybe do some makeup. I had forgotten to wash Alice's handiwork off the night before and now I had raccoon eyes. In a few hours I figured I could probably laugh about it…maybe.

After completing my morning ritual I trudged back to my room, feeling a bit more awake. Jasper was still at the desk trying his very best not to be obnoxious. I dashed up behind him, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck lightly.

"What was that for?" he asked, cocking his head back to look at me.

"I dunno. I'm growing exceptionally fond of you, Jasper Hale. That and you put up with me so nicely in the mornings."

He laughed quietly. "I do what I can."

"What's all that?" I asked, gesturing to a pile of things by the bed that hadn't been there earlier.

"Alice dropped by while you were in the shower. I now have the car keys, a change of clothes, and my school things."

I nodded as I yawned, earning another laugh from him. I playfully glared at him. I then began the never-ending quest to locate all my school books that are always scattered around. At the end of the school year I always lost all sense of organization.

I thought I could hear Jasper rummaging around, I assumed he was changing clothes or something so I prolonged my search to give him some privacy. I knew he didn't care, but I always tried to give him the same respect he gave me.

I turned around a moment later, figuring he had had enough time since he could move a thousand times faster than me. I flung the books I had managed to find on the bed and began putting them in my messenger bag just in time to see him pull his shirt down over his muscular and ravaged torso.

The scars on his upper body looked so much worse than the ones and his and face. They looked incredibly painful and jagged even to my puny human vision. I had always been curious about why, I'd seen them before, but never saw the need to ask. Or rather, the opportunity had never presented itself.

He didn't like to really talk about his past and I wasn't going to make him. He had opened up to me a lot, but I didn't want to push him.

"Rough looking, isn't it?" he asked grimly, sensing my curiosity.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"You're still curious," he pointed out.

I didn't know what to say. And I had already shrugged, so that was out.

He laughed, his deep voice calm. "You can see these scars," he gestured toward his torso, "because the wounds were more severe. There's more flesh for a newborn to get a better grip on, making them able to bite deeper. Then, you have to yank them off with more force and the flesh rips even more."

My eyes widened imagining the pain he must have been put through. He shuddered slightly, as if trying to shake the memory.

"You didn't have to tell me if you didn't want to," I said lamely. It didn't make a difference now, but I felt compelled to say it.

"I know, but you have a right to know."

"I do?"

The smirk returned to his face. "If the worst question you ever ask me is about my scars then I think I'm a lucky man." In less than a second he had crossed the room and kissed me.

"I'll be back in 2 minutes," he murmured into my hair. "Try to seem surprised when I come to the door to pick you up."

"I'll see what I can do," I laughed. I squeezed his hand lightly before I let go and he leapt out the window. He was so graceful, even with an armful of things to carry. It wasn't fair. But I didn't live with the constant fear of killing everyone in town, so I supposed the score was pretty even.

I managed to drag myself and my bag downstairs to retrieve some breakfast. I grabbed a bagel and sat at the table with Grandma, who was reading the morning newspaper. She greeted me entirely too cheerfully. I responded with a grumble and a mouthful of bagel.

What was probably exactly two minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door. Grandma got up to answer it.

"Hello, Jasper!" she greeted, oozing with morning glee that I didn't understand. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"No ma'am, I already ate," he said politely.

"Aw, you said ma'am! That's so sweet; Amanda told me you were from Texas!" Grandma gushed. I wondered if she was really that taken with Jasper or if some of it was his doing.

If he didn't tone it down I might have to fight my own grandmother for my man. I could totally take her. But she did have those dentures…those could probably do serious damage.

I stood up to indicate I was ready to go. This slight hint was supposed to signal to Grandma to quit badgering Jasper, but it didn't work. Jasper got it though, and stepped lightly over to the sofa and picked up my bag I had unceremoniously flung there.

I put my arm in Jasper's and led us out the door, calling a goodbye to Grandma over my shoulder.

"You should really lay off, ya know," I pointed out as he held the car door open for me. "One day when she hurls herself at you I won't be able to help."

He laughed and was in the car with me in a second. He gently placed my bag in the backseat, like it was full of breakables or something.

"You could've left your clothes in my room," I rambled. "Grandma doesn't go through my things."

"I'm not worried about her finding them; I'm more concerned about my scent attracting other vampires to you. Especially with this upcoming…ordeal." He paused and smiled in spite of the seriousness of the topic. "Although…I'm sure Lillian is equally as terrifying when she's angry."

He reached over and took my hand. The coldness of his skin didn't take me by surprise anymore. Actually, now it felt strange to touch someone with a normal body temperature. People were too hot, I didn't like it.

I leaned over and rested my head on his shoulder as we drove the short distance to school, desperate for a last minute nap.

"You can make it, today's the last full day of class. Tomorrow's a half day because of prom," he tried to reassure me.

"Ha…prom. Bella…ha," I smirked, doubtful that he understood my incoherent sentence.

He smiled broadly. "I'm sure Emmett will fill us in."

"I'm just glad Alice didn't guilt me into going to prom too, like Bella."

Jasper laughed. "She wanted too, but you're more stubborn than Bella. And you know what you want and don't want. She foresaw you'd make up an elaborate lie to back out, anyway."

I sat up and tried to compose myself enough to go inside the school. It was technically my last day of high school, which should be exciting, but I was entirely too bored and tired of it to care. I'd only been through it once, I couldn't imagine how bored Jasper and the others must be since they've suffered through high school a dozen or so times.

"Ugh, can you make me wake up?" I asked, trying to hold my eyes open.

I was suddenly hit with a bolt of energy.

"That'll work, thanks," I laughed as I took Jasper's offered hand and climbed out of the car.

He grabbed our bags from the backseat and we began to meander to the building. His arm was around my shoulders, mine was around his waist. I tried to hide a smirk as we got odd looks from a few people. Even after several months, people still weren't used to seeing us together.

Jasper shook his head and failed to hide a smile. "The way they stare you'd think one of the wolves phased in front of them," he laughed quietly.

"They're just jealous."

"Yes…they are." Jasper's eyes narrowed as we walked past a group of students congregated by the lockers. Whatever they were feeling he wasn't happy about. Overprotective fool.

We parted ways to go to our separate morning classes. Jasper went to his Honors Calculus class and I went to my normal person math class. We didn't do anything in any of the classes though, there wasn't a point to start new material. Students were hopping around and talking animatedly amongst themselves. I sat in the back of the room and doodled. I'm such a social butterfly.

"So, how're things going with you and Hale?" a random girl approached me and asked. I thought her name was Katie, but really had no idea.

"Fine…?" I answered, not sure where it was going.

"You two seem pretty close…is it getting serious?" she demanded further.

I shrugged, trying to be vague. She was probably in on some bet or prepared to start rumors or something, I didn't trust her with the truth.

"More power to you, then," mystery girl continued. "He's so intimidating I can't imagine being in close to him. I'd feel like he could kill me any minute or something."

I sneered down at my doodle. Nothing could've been further from the truth. It was just another reminder that the Jasper I knew was drastically different from who everyone else knew…even his family.

The mystery girl got bored with my lack of response and frolicked off to join her gaggle of friends, obviously sharing our conversation. That's why I couldn't be a vampire; all those annoying people wouldn't survive my first year. And I'm not sure I would've been too apologetic.

The next few classes passed relatively quickly, lunch rolled around in what seemed like no time at all. I rushed to the cafeteria, eager to see Jasper again, who I could have an intelligent conversation with.

He had beaten me to the table, his head was resting facedown on the tabletop.

"You okay?" I asked as I sat down by him.

He nodded, but I thought I saw his arm shaking slightly.

"You seem…nervous," I kept on.

He nodded again but didn't look up. I glanced down at the other end of the table to see Bella and Edward having what appeared to be a very serious conversation. That must've been what was bothering Jasper, I reasoned.

He took a deep breath and straightened himself up. Alice was watching us with a knowing smile from her seat across from us. I stuck my tongue out at her and snatched the apple from the tray of food that she wouldn't eat.

I glanced at Jasper as I munched on the apple. If it were possible, he looked paler than usual.

"Seriously, are you okay?" I asked again, getting a little concerned.

"Psh, he's just recovering from being without you for a few hours," Emmett laughed. "He's all needy and stuff. It's quite a sight."

"I'm fine, I don't mean to worry you," Jasper apologized, ignoring his brother. "There's just a lot of nervous energy. It's wearing on me." He gestured toward Bella's end of the table.

"Calm down," I instructed as I reached out to lightly touch his shaking hand. "Don't give yourself an aneurism. Then who would protect me from Alice's evil whims??"

Jasper smiled softly and Alice pretended to be hurt.

'We're about to become a lot closer," Alice smiled. She could look really creepy when she wanted to. They all could.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked. I felt sure she was just trying to mess with my head or something.

"You'll find out soon enough…"

I hated when she trailed off suggestively like that. We're not all mind readers, dammit! That last remark must have gotten Edward's attention because he turned in his seat to give me a strange look.

"Jazz knows what I'm talking about," Alice continued taunting.

I wrinkled my nose at her and glanced at Jasper, who stared straight ahead with an unreadable expression.

He snapped out of his daze and smiled at me. "Just ignore her, she's being stupid."

A/N: Sorry guys, another cliffhanger-ish ending! Everything should start coming together in the next few chapters, the story should be finished pretty soon!! I like reviews!