Then There Was Jasper
By Interest Me
* All copyright belongs to Stephanie Meyer. Fanfiction based on Twilight
Tiffanys
For the next four years, I made dozens of false starts. Every time I tried to enter a theatre, Italian visions warned me away. Finally, in 1955, I made it through Rebel without a Cause. I was so thrilled, I rushed back to watch Lady and the Tramp. Films became a regular part of my life.
Today, I sat at the very front of the theatre. The warm air would carry the moist human smells upwards, and away from me. I chose a matinee, because it was less crowded.
On the screen, Audrey Hepburn emerged from a cab and ate a pastry as she scanned the window of Tiffany's. She was so beautiful, and her clothes were amazing. I should wear more black. I stole a sapphire bracelet from Tiffany's last night in honor of this movie.
I shook my popcorn container a bit, and spilled some of its wretched contents onto the floor. It was just a prop, of course, it didn't seem appetizing at all. OH. Holly Golightly, the character played by Audrey Hepburn, slept in earplugs with cornflower blue tassels. They looked like earrings. I wondered if that could solve my earring dilemma.
I followed the movie's plot, but I was here for the fashion. Not many humans could move with the grace and style of Miss Hepburn. Oh, that pink dress with the matching tiara was just darling. How did she get away with wearing such elegant clothes in broad daylight? Of course, it was just a movie, but the clothing seemed so conspicuous. I supposed humans didn't have to worry so much about drawing attention. After all, they weren't trying to hide the fact that they were human.
As expected, she ended up with her true love by the end of the movie. I supposed she overcame many obstacles to be with him, but he did all the work. Since it was all compacted into less than two hours, it didn't seem like much of a struggle.
I'd been searching for Jasper for nearly 30 years now. I still hadn't found the cream jacket with the navy buttons. Sometimes my visions changed, but my vision of meeting Jasper always showed me in that jacket. I visited Philadelphia regularly, and I thought I found the correct diner. Still, no cream jacket.
I exited the theatre and slid on my sunglasses. I now felt very much like Holly Golightly, who seemed to get away with wearing sunglasses everywhere. Perhaps I couldn't dance about in a semi-formal cocktail gown, but I did have my sunglasses.
I hummed Moon River, as I strolled through the streets of New York. I simply relegated the constant burn in my throat to a small pocket of my brain. As long as I kept well-fed, the human aroma didn't overwhelm me. I hadn't seen the Volturi visions in several years.
I thought about my future family, and lingered on the image of Rosalie. There was something about her I had never caught before. I ran her face through my head repeatedly, but couldn't pinpoint the difference. She was beautiful, in a very non-Hepburn way. Stylish, but different than me. She wore the latest fashions for the day, or so I assumed, as her clothes weren't in fashion yet, but soon would be. My gift had been pivotal in helping me predict future fashion trends.
I admired her aqua silk blouse and skirt. They flattered her unbelievable figure. Her large silver and turquoise necklace was a perfect accent and fell exactly where in needed to be. I felt encouraged that she wore her hair much like Holly Golightly, in a beehive, but always letting the back hang free. This meant I would meet her while that hairdo was still popular. Her bracelet and earrings matched the necklace. Earrings! How did she get them to stick?
I sat in a bus shelter and immediately decided to ask her that very question. My brain perked to attention and spun a vision:
"I use sticky putty on them. They still slip after a while, but it's easy enough to just squeeze them back in place."
Rosalie showed me a small pack of putty, and demonstrated how she pinched it between her clip-ons and her ears.
Well, it's always something simple isn't it? I marched back to Tiffany's. This bracelet had a pair of matching earrings, and now I could wear them. I browsed the store, and the many displays of fine jewelry. I planned to slip back in that night to steal the earrings, but then my vision of meeting Jasper reworked itself. I was wearing the earrings. I rushed to the counter and threw money at the clerk.
"Quickly please, I need those earrings," I said tapping the glass, trying hard not to shove my finger through the pane. The clerk withdrew them and started to wrap them.
"No, no. I'll take them as they are," I said and snatched them from her hand. I darted out the door, concentrating to keep myself close to human pace. I now hummed Moon River at a speed that didn't befit the song. Jasper was close though, and so was my family.
My long-still heart wanted to pound. My breath rasped faster, and the scent of human blood burned through my body unchecked. That was fine, because nothing could knock me off course now. I needed to find that jacket. Was it here in New York? Did I have to run to Philadelphia? Was it somewhere in between the two cities? Why didn't I have a vision to guide me?
As if my talent heard my question, a store clerk decided to display my jacket for sale. Right around the corner. Again, focusing on the molasses pace of humans, I tried to not rush to the shop around the corner. My hands wished they were able to sweat.
Inside the store, the clerk had just set a box down.
"I'll take that jacket," I said pointing at the sealed box.
"How do you know? I haven't opened the box yet," she said.
"Er, uhm, I work in the fashion industry, and I thought this particular garment would be available today. Cream jacket, navy buttons. Am I wrong?" I willed my speech to slow. Like everything else, humans also spoke slowly.
"No, that's exactly right. What size are you?"
I didn't have time for these niceties. I ripped the box open and pulled my jacket out. The clerk looked alarmed.
"I'm sorry," I smiled, "I've just waited a long time for this jacket."
The alarm didn't leave her face. I needed to calm down.
"Please, may I just pay for this now?"
"Yes ma'am," the clerk answered. We walked to the register. Again, I threw the money, and without waiting for change, shoved my arms into the jacket and left the store. I headed to Philadelphia.
Perhaps this was the wrong diner, I thought as I pretended to sip coffee and read the paper. A week passed without rain, and without Jasper. The diner staff prepared to close, and I left a large tip. I found that leaving a large tip made me welcome even though I sat there all day.
"Thank you ma'am," the waitress said as I gathered my paper and hopped off the stool.
"You're welcome," I chimed. Fake cheerfulness drew less attention than any other emotion. I didn't feel cheerful. Everything was in place. The jacket. The earrings. The diner. How could I wait another minute? My vision never wavered though, and so, I remained encouraged.
I needed to hunt and so I ran until I reached wooded country. I considered my visions to help pass the time until the diner opened again:
No one would play games with me or Edward. Edward had the unfair advantage of reading his opponents mind, and I, the advantage of seeing their next move. So Edward and I played each other. I suppose we really didn't play. We actually just thought about our moves. Today it was rummy. I looked at my cards, and of course, through my thoughts, Edward looked also. But I could see how he would respond to any card I wanted to throw. Then he would read that thought, and change his move.
"I win," I said. I had not drawn or discarded any cards, and neither had Edward. He didn't question me; he just threw his cards onto the pile.
"Three out of five?" he asked as he began shuffling.
"Sure," I answered. Jasper and Emmet were hunting, and I didn't expect them back until later that evening. Edward dealt, and we began our silent, unmoving game.
"You win," I said, and took my turn to shuffle.
"Edward, what do you think of the Denali females?" I asked. The Denali women lived in Alaska, and were also "vegetarians". Edward rolled his eyes. He saw the question coming, naturally, but politely allowed me to ask it.
"I love them. You know that. It's like having three more sisters."
"Yes, I suppose. Tanya seems to prefer you quite a bit," I said, but I didn't see Tanya in Edward's future.
"She does. I've seen her thoughts. Yet you're an irritating little psychic. You know the outcome."
"I win. Yes, I don't see her in your future as anything other than a sister. Don't you get lonely Edward?" He shuffled.
"I don't know any other way. You don't see anyone in my future. I'm used to it."
"Just because I don't see her yet, doesn't mean she's not out there Edward. I win again."
"Well, when you see her, I'll be the second to know," he said. He went to the grand piano and played a haunting tune of longing. It made me miss Jasper.
Well that vision did nothing to alleviate my anxiety. Then I heard a far-off rumble and caught a fresh scent in the wind. Rain.
I passed the next three rainy days in the diner. No Jasper. Each day, I left a tip that belied the dejection I felt. My visions now just filled me with postponed expectation and offered no comfort. Where was he? Was my vision maker broken?
On the fourth day, I spotted the man with a newspaper. The newspaper of my vision. Was this it? Finally? The man folded the newspaper and I saw PHILA on the folded section facing me. Oh. I checked my earrings and straightened my jacket.
The diner door jangled, and there he stood. Hair darkened by rain. Eyes darkened by thirst. He smelled of saddle soap and leather. Green apples and pine. He smelled like home. I jumped down from my stool and approached him. He tensed. I smiled.
"You've kept me waiting a long time," I said.
Jasper bowed his head and said, "I'm sorry, ma'am."
I held out my hand and he took it.
The End