Warning: There will be slight Macbeth spoilers in this chapter
I was ecstatic. It was lunch time and I was already planning everything I would want to mention to Charlie. How was I going to make him like me? He was upset with Edward because he left Bella, how could I show him that I was different? Part of me said to simply touch him and share with him how much I cared about Bella but my better judgement screamed no. I could not afford to show any human aside from Bella my ability, especially Charlie. He would probably appreciate me bringing the food over. Would I have to eat the food though? What would fish taste like to us? Maybe Bella could do a sushi type of way of cooking it... Or wait, sushi was raw. Glancing down at my tray with food I softly bit my lip. Should I try some food now to prepare myself? I had an apple, some fries and a carton of milk. Maybe I could try the milk. It was liquid after all. From the corner of my eye I noticed Alice react in the slightest, slight shock reading off her.
'Good or bad outcome.' I thought to Edward. He didn't even bother looking at me. He was really started to frustrate me. I was trying to be as nice about this as possible. I could be rude and immature and think of things that would hurt him but I wasn't doing that. I was trying to be a nice sibling, or as nice as I could be in a situation like this. Glancing at Alice, I gave her a questioning look. Her eyes quickly darted back and forth. Thinking of eating the fries, she softly shrugged.
"Hey guys!" Mike exclaimed, sitting down loudly. "Bella Jazzy, you guys excited about our uh... hang out tonight?"
"Yeah." Bella quietly replied. "Just me and Jasper are going to hang a little bit before we head out. Does 8 sound good?"
"Sure thing." Jessica chimed in, sitting next to Mike. Trying to make it look as natural as I could, I picked up a french fry and slipped it into my mouth. Thankfully it was incredibly soft and seemed to dissolve into mush instantly. The taste however was what could only be described as drying and like tasteless dirt. It wasn't horrible but it definitely wasn't appetizing. Hiding the disgust on my face, I swallowed the mush as I noticed shock coming off of all of the human companions at our table, especially Bella. Anger suddenly filled her as her eyes darted to Edward. Holding her hand I sent out relaxing vibes as she looked at me and I softly shook my head. I wish she could read my mind. See what I was thinking. Understand that I was simply trying to practice being human for when I came over.
Remembering that I needed to act human, my focus went to Mike and Jessica. They were both breathing, their shoulders rising and falling. I had grown to learn to do that. As Mike picked up his pizza, he took a bite out of it as his mouth moved just in the slightest, chewing the food. Seeing as the fries weren't horrible tasting, I took another one and being a tad bit quieter than Mike pretending to chew the fry. I let the strange tasteless mush slide down my throat as my body began rejecting eating anymore.
Worry spread over Bella as she held my hand. I guess I wasn't doing as well as I thought hiding my disgust. A weird feeling spread up my throat as I swallowed venom. Maybe I could tell Charlie I had eaten before I came over.
When lunch was over, we all filed out of the lunchroom as I headed to Building 3 for my Literature class. Walking in, I noticed Jenny as I politely smiled at her, moving a few chairs next to her.
"Alright class," Mr. Berty announced. "Open your play books to Act 1 Scene 4. Who would like to do the lines of Duncan?" A boy near the front of the class raised his hand "Alright Timothy." he smiled. "Malcolm?" A guy I recognized as Tyler shruggingly raised his hand. "Banquo?" Jenny instantly raised her hand as I couldn't help but smile. She would likely understand every one of her lines. "Macbeth?" he paused for a moment. "Macbeth... Bueller?" A handful of students, myself included, chuckled at his joke. Another person upfront, someone I remembered was named Ben, raised his hand. After all the characters were assigned to one student or another, we all began reading along with the play.
"Is execution done is Cawdor? Are not those in commission yet return'd?" Tim began, reading his lines. I looked down to my booklet to follow along:
"My liege, They are not yet come back. But I have spoke with one that saw him die, who did report that very frankly he confessed his treasons, implored your highness' pardon, and set forth a deep repentance." Tyler began sighing, realizing just how much he'd likely have to talk. "Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it. He died as one that had been studied in his death to throw away the dearest thing he owed as 'twere a careless trifle."
"There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face." Tim continued, "He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust." Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS and ANGUS. "O worthiest cousin, the sin of my ingratitude even now was heavy on me. Thou art so far before that swiftest wing of recompense is slow to overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, that the proportion both of thanks and payment might have been mine! Only I have left to say, more is thy due than more than all can pay."
Starting his first lines, the "Scottish King" read "The service and the loyalty I owe in doing it pays itself." Pausing for a moment, he mock bowed. "Your highness' part is to receive our duties, and our duties are to your throne and state children and servants, which do but what they should, by doing everything fafe toward your love and honor."
As the people continued to read their lines I imagined what people from my time would have thought of this play. How "outdated" would it sound to them? How foreign would it seem to a bunch of boys from 19th century Texas? I knew this play pretty well because I had years of time to read and learn all that I know now. How would my human self have reacted to these texts? What had I been like when I was human? I knew I likely had a similar personality as I do now but how did being human make me different? Would I have understood or even been able to fathom what I knew now?
Continuing to read the play I followed along as Duncan wished Macbeth and Banquo well and gave the news that he would be giving his kingdom to his eldest son, Malcolm. He explained to all of the people, including us the audience, that his son, as of that day, was Prince of Cumberland. He then addresses Macbeth, thanking him for allowing him to stay at his place in Inverness. Macbeth of course acted like he was happy and excited for Duncan and Malcolm but realizes, to himself, that if he is going to take the Cumberland kingdom that he will either have to give up or kill Malcolm. He then goes on to prepare his place for not only all of his visitors to stay at his home, but also prepare for what it is he will have to do.
As the next scene began, different people were yet again cast for the new characters in that scene, as Lady M read the letter from her husband telling how the witches predicted he would be thane of Cawdor and then king. Whoever the girl was who was playing her sure seemed to understand what was going on. She spoke with a mocking annoyed tone as she realized her husband wouldn't have the balls to kill Duncan or Malcolm. She complained to herself about how he wanted to "play fairly" to get something that he knew didn't belong to him. He knew what he wanted but didn't have the "strength" to do what he needed to get it.
As she got news that the king and her husband were approaching, she began to panic, wanting her husband to be home before the king, so as she could persuade him to kill Duncan. Realizing she will likely have to kill Duncan, she begs herself to be strong enough to kill him. She begged "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty." She continued her second most famous monologue, as I read along
"Make thick my blood.
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature's mischief. Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry 'Hold, hold!'"
Almost as if on cue, the bell rang as people collected their books and binders and filled out of class, As I did the same and glided out of class. Only class now was gym, as I walked to the building where gym was held and went into the locker room. The smell of dried sweat and used towels filled my nose but I pushed the smell aside, having grown used to the pungent smell by now. Putting my backpack into my locker, I took my gym clothes out, quickly changing out of my jeans and button down shirt and into my loose "athletic" clothes that I left in my locker. Unlike everyone elses clothes however, mine never got dirty. I slightly wondered what sweat felt like. Closing my locker, I left the locker room and sat down in the gym, wondering what we would be doing today. Generally on Fridays Coach Clapp had us do something easy, or easy for human standards. Perhaps today we would jog around the track outside or play kickball. Of course I couldn't go all out like I did when me and my family played sports but it was nice and relaxing. It was difficult when we played "high intensity" games, as it caused everyone's heartbeats to be very loud. Friday's were the one day that it was essentially "calm" for the class.
As others came in to the gym, they sat down near me, as they began discussing plans for the weekend and how the week had been for them.
"Alright class." Coach Clapp addressed. "I'm thinking for today we'll be doing some outdoor jogging time. And because it's Friday you guys can all go at your own pace. I'll be on the bleachers if you need me." As everyone got up to go outside, a thought occurred to me. Perhaps I could try tagging along with someone and pick up on their "body habits" as well as practice being close to humans. It was a tad bit on the risky side but I was beginning to trust myself more around humans. I could also learn to gauge the typical human speeds by watching and walking with them. As I walked alongside the classmates, I tried to casually scan from person to person. One thing I always found interesting about gym was the diversity of grades. I was a senior and I could a handful of each grade level in this one class. There was a small girl, nearly as short as Alice, with red hair coming down to her shoulders. What was she thinking about? Reading her emotions she seemed excited, probably because it was the last period of the day and Friday. Looking around some more I noticed some guys grouping together. They quietly talked about a concert they were going to on Saturday, most likely not wanting others to get jealous. Feeling tension in the air, I looked and saw a girl, most likely a senior, biting her lip. Drifting over towards her, I looked at her and softly smiled, as confusion came off her.
"Hi." I replied, trying not to sound awkward. "Mind if I jog with you?"
"Sure." she replied, though hesitant, obviously not expecting my behavior.
"So how has your week been?" I casually asked, as we began lightly jogging around the track.
"Alright I guess." her emotions screamed that she was lying.
"You sure?" I softly asked, though trying to keep my voice somewhat light. I softly let out relaxing feelings, as she seemed to calm a bit.
"I'm a bit stressed about finals." she confessed.
"What are you worried about?" I inquired, "Any class in particular?"
"Chemistry." she sighed. "The organic part. How the heck am I suppose to know all those complicate molecules."
"Figure out a left brain way of remembering it." I smiled, trying not to sound cocky. "Chemistry is all right brain. Find a creative way to remember using your left brain. Make marshmallow molecules then eat them. Color code different elements or make them different sizes."
"Thanks." she smiled, breathing a sigh or relief. "I'm Elisabeth."
"Jasper." I politely answered back.
"You're a Cullen, right?" she replied, a soft blush creeping across her face. I breathed in and out quietly, trying to calm myself. I could restrain myself.
"Technically I'm a Hale." I explained. "But I am a member of the Cullen family." Honestly sometimes I still felt like I was Jasper Whitlock and not Jasper Hale or Jasper Cullen but for most people they knew me as the former two. Maybe I should go to Texas sometime soon. Possibly bring Bella with me so that we could be by ourselves. Thinking of Bella, I was suddenly reminded that I was going over to her house in less than an hour. Breathing and calming down, I turned my attention back to Elisabeth.
"So where are you planning on going to college..." I asked curiously. "Or are you not a senior."
"I am a senior." she smiled. "I plan on going to University of Idaho. I want to get into agricultural research. How about you?" Where was I going? Recalling the last batch of colleges I got acceptance letters from, I remembered that Alaska Pacific University was one of them.
"I'm going to Alaska Pacific University." I nodded. "I plan on majoring in some sort of liberal art. Probably psychology or linguistics."
"Pretty cool stuff." she replied. "You can get some pretty good paying jobs with degrees like that. Not to mention it'll be applicable in daily life."
"That's the plan." I answered. For the remainder of gym, me and Elisabeth talked about school and classes, as I was glad I decided to talk with her. Having each classmate be unique made me see them as more than just another human. Perhaps I could try and get involved in some school activities before graduation. It would help me become better being around humans. For anyone who was suspicious of me or confused to my reaction they would probably shrug it off, thinking it was just them. As gym came to an end, everyone walked back to the gym lockers and changed back into their regular clothing, as I tried my best to remain calm. Walking out of the gym and out towards the parking lot, I made my way over to the BMW. The moment I'd been waiting for all week was only moments away.
A/N: I apologize for the long wait and for the cliffhanger for this chapter but what did you guys think? My question for you this week is a contest of sorts. What non-canon character would you like me to have in the coming chapters? That is, make your own character for the story and I will choose some to be in the story if it fits. It can be a patient at the hospital, a classmate, whoever you want. Just for now I think it would be best to keep them human and not be a shapeshifter or vampire. That could get complicated.