I woke up at eight. My internal body clock was pretty good; it always managed to wake me up with enough time to get ready for school. I carried on as normal, having a shower and getting dressed, when I remembered yesterday.
I would need a lift to school. I grumbled as I looked for my phone; I highly doubted Edward could have fixed my car, but I couldn't help glancing out my window to see. There it was, sitting in the drive. My old white car was there. I was shocked, normally after it refused to start I had to call a mechanic or have it towed. Maybe Edward was a mechanic... I thought it was odd, I hadn't heard it pull into the drive, which I normally did; it was so loud.
I headed out to my car, wondering if he really had fixed it. Even though it was sitting in my drive I doubted it would start. Of course it did. Edward was clever, handsome and kind. Of course he was a mechanic too. With jealousy coursing through me I headed out to school.
It took me twenty minutes as I didn't want to push my car. Sometimes I felt like if I was angry at it, or made it go too fast, it decided to give up on me; like it had feelings.
School went on as normal, and at lunch I searched out Edward to thank him. I had not seen him this morning, but he was sitting at his normal table in lunch. As I approached I felt like the odd one out. They were stunning. I was not. I got right up to the table and they all stared at me. My voice sounded surprisingly weak as I plucked up the courage to speak.
'Uh, Edward, I just wanted to, uh, thank you, for you know, dealing with my car, you know.' I stumbled over my words adding in plenty of 'um's and 'err's.
'It was no problem; you may have to thump the dashboard occasionally, because some wires have come loose under the steering wheel. I'll hook them back up for you some time of you like?' His voice glided over the words like he had practised them. It made me even more self-conscious. I couldn't help but notice a goofy smile spreading across Emmet's face.
'Uh, sure, yeah, well, uh, thanks.' I felt my face going red. How had this happened to me? I wasn't shy, in fact I was really confident; yet somehow they shocked it out of me. I smiled shyly before moving away again. As I did I heard one of them hit another. I assumed someone had hit Emmet for laughing at me. I blushed even more.
'Well that went well!' Lucy mocked me as I came up to our table. I sent her a glare before sitting back down and keeping to myself.
Izzy continued to talk about shopping plans and I was put into an even worse mood. I was just not up for shopping this weekend.
It was Saturday morning. I had promised I would go shopping with everyone. Ruby would pick me up at ten, so there was no way out. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. The Lloyd Centre was the biggest shopping centre in Oregon. It would take all day to make our way through it. I wasn't thoroughly excited, yet maybe Ruby would give me more of an insight into her life.
I looked at the clock and saw it was nine o'clock. I sighed and made my way out of bed and got dressed.
I had cooked myself breakfast, fed the dog and was almost ready to leave when my brother finally fell out of bed. He came down the stairs, looking ruffled, and the definition of bed-hair.
'Where're you off to?' He asked yawning, not stopping to hear my answer. I heard the doorbell ring. Lucy and Brandon said they would meet here, and then Ruby wouldn't have to drive so far. I opened the door to Ruby, Lucy and Brandon. My stuff was ready to go, so I grabbed my bag and shouted up the stairs.
'I'll be gone all day mum, see you later!' I doubted she had heard, but I left anyway. I was hardly ever around at weekends, and she knew not to worry.
We got in Ruby's car and the first half hour's talk was of cars. Brandon was in awe of Ruby's car, and could talk all day about it. Lucy and I knew nothing of cars, so sat in silence in the back seat. The rest of the journey was meaningless chatter and comfortable silences, and it didn't feel like long 'til we arrived. I unwillingly stepped out the car.
'You guys could look a little more enthusiastic...' Ruby looked at us, hands on her hips.
'Trust me, I couldn't, this is really all you're getting.' I said plastering a completely fake smile to my face. They chuckled and we headed into the centre, looking for the big fountain we would meet the others at.
It was hard to miss, being right in the centre by the entrance. It didn't take long to find Izzy and the cronies, and so it began.
We must have been in at least twenty five shops. I had bought a Crispy Kreme doughnut and my feet hurt. I headed towards the fountain we had seen about four hours ago. Ruby followed me, yet somehow she was still bright and bubbly. I glared at her enthusiasm.
I sat on the ledge of the fountain scanning the mall. One face caught my eye. He was tall and lean, with curly blonde hair in locks around his face. What struck me the most, was his white as snow skin and the purple rings under his eyes. He reminded me of Ruby and the Cullens. She noticed I was staring.
'Earth to Beth? What are you staring at?' She asked still waving a hand in front of my face.
'Oh, just some gorgeous guy.' I said a smile spreading across my face as I turned my eyes to Ruby. She laughed at me.
'Which one then?' She looked in the direction I had been looking. Her eyes locked onto him and recognition flashed across her face.
'Do you know him?' I asked. She seemed to know him. Her lips moved and I almost didn't hear the 'Jasper' slip from it. As she said it, his eyes snapped up, fixing with hers. They both froze. I looked between them; they were like statues, perfectly still amongst a buzzing crowd of shoppers. It reminded me of that first day in the canteen. There were so many people in between Ruby, Bella and Rosalie, yet they still seemed to hear each other.
The next thing I knew I was being dragged by one statue towards another. As we reached the handsome blonde, Ruby started talking in a low hushed voice and I couldn't understand her. He was still frozen in place. Her voice came into a pitch I could hear.
'Jasper, answer me. What are you doing here? Where have you been?' Her eyes were burning into his and I couldn't understand how he was staying so calm and still. I noticed his eyes. They were black, dark black.
'I'm thirsty.' He stated, as if it explained all. There was a sudden gleam in his eyes. Ruby seemed to register what he had said, but I still didn't understand.
'No Jasper. You can't, not here, not now. We'll go to a forest, right this minute. Please Jasper.' I could hear the urgency in her voice, but I couldn't understand it still.
'I don't want to be in a forest, I want to be here, this seems perfect.' He said, looking all around him at the shoppers, his smooth voice gliding over the words he said, yet it struck sudden fear through me. He suddenly looked down at me. His eyes widened and he smiled. I shrunk away, his smile scared me; it was all sharp, gleaming teeth.
'Don't you dare. Not my friends. Don't even think it!' I thought I heard a growl escape Ruby's lips. I was shocked.
'Come on.' She grabbed one of his arms and he didn't stop her from dragging him out of the mall and round the side of the huge building. I mindlessly followed, yet somehow I felt even less safe. Inside we were amongst people, and somehow this Jasper scared me.
Before I knew it I was up against a wall, feeling like I had another wall crushing down onto me. I could feel a fast breath close to my neck, and could see blonde curly hair. Teeth grazed against my neck, but did not break the skin. Was this guy insane? Was he trying to bite me?
Suddenly one wall moved away from me and the other slid up my back. I realised I was on the floor. I could hear Ruby shouting, but the force Jasper had pushed against me was too much to bear, and I felt unconsciousness grip me.