Msemoglasses – Sorry for causing you an addiction, and Team Tara, it does have a certain ring to it =P

Mooch11- Your comments are really encouraging, thanks for your dedication =D

Chapter 17

I sat on the sofa cradling my head in my hands, what had just happened?

I span around as I heard a small creak, I stirred to observe Rosalie standing awkwardly in the corner of the room.

"Tara?" she asked

"Hey," I groaned, this had to be bad.

"Jasper wanted to come himself, I'm sure he did," she began. "But he was too-"

"Ashamed. He's such an idiot." I smiled hoping to pass this all off as a joke.

"Edward's visiting Bella as we speak, because-"she took a deep breath, this would have been awkward from a human but from a vampire, they didn't need to breathe, she was preparing me for something...

"...you're leaving!" I finished.

"You knew?"

"I guessed," I responded, I stood facing her, I fumbled with my ring, I reached out towards her, her hand reached out to take the ring, in a blink of light, I noticed an engraving on the inside, 'My stone of destiny'. One solitary tear fell, he had the meaning of my name engraved in the ring, but it was gone in a flash, Rosalie placing it gently in her pocket.

"Tara-" she began.

"Rosalie, can you promise me something?" I asked.

"Anything?" she was clearly desperate to make this as easy for me as possible.

"Don't let him be alone, find him someone else," I started; her eyes showed she was confused "I'd hate the thought of that. Alice's vision, she said one of us would join the family, and if my some twist of fate that is Bella, can you promise me to be a little more welcoming to her than you are now?" I asked.

"I promise." she smiled.

"And my first request?"

"I promise to do both of the things, however reluctant Jasper is to the first" she stepped forward and embraced me into a tight hug, her scent and the flowing of her blonde hair around my face, relaxed me a little.

"Good bye Rosalie." I murmured. "It was nice knowing you all, however short it turned out to be. I doubt I'll ever forget it."

"Good bye Tara." I span round as I heard the fumble of my sister's keys at the front door.

"The back door's-" I began but Rosalie had already left.

"Oh you're back already," my sister smiled entering the room. "I thought I heard talking, Jasper not here?"

"Um no," I responded.

"Well don't just stand there, help me with the food," she smiled and nodded towards the kitchen, I ignored her completely, instead racing upstairs, throwing on a pair of jeans and my boots, I grabbed my helmet and grabbed the keys for my scooter. I thundered back downstairs ignoring the confused shouts from my sister, I needed to get out, I raced out on the road, I instinctively headed in the direction of the Cullen's eventually I drove out onto a larger road, I just rode, desperately trying to clear my head, eventually I pulled over at the side of the road. I took of my helmet and breathed in the cold air, riding like that had released a little of the stress, however dangerous it might have been, and the cold air was relaxing me, I had a rough idea of where I was. As I sat there I heard the gentle rumble of an engine in the distance, slowly I realised it was multiple cars, all travelling together, several of them were all too familiar, I guess this was my final good bye to the Cullen's as I watched them all drive past.

I did not know for how long I sat there staring at the direction at which the cars had gone, I was grateful that I hadn't decided to follow them as that would have been a little pathetic and desperate, I knew better than that. Eventually my anger, disappointment and distress subsided enough for me to be in a decent state to ride back home. I ignored my sister's distressed state when I returned, instead I headed straight to my room, and as my head hit the pillow I was consumed with a dreamless sleep.

It was been just under a week since that fateful day when they left, I'm sat here in the cafeteria surrounded by friends who also share my loss, there is an empty seat at our table, and Jasper is never spoke of, not that it matters I would gratefully discuss him, to prevent my thoughts convincing me that perhaps I imagined the God like creature. Oh, how I remember the first history lesson when I first thought that and my realisation that I had a crush on him, but that it was more than a crush and the absurdity that the strength of my feelings were returned by him

"So what do you think then?" Dan asked me

"Hmm, sorry, I was day dreaming."

"Bowling, Saturday?"

"Sure," I grinned with enthusiasm, anything to get away from my sister who seemed insistent on me discussing and expressing my emotions to get over Jasper, I was dealing with it in my own way, and I didn't need her intervention.

"Well there will be us 7," he continued. "Maybe we could ask Oliver," he continued.

"Erm..." I had no idea how this thought entered my head, but maybe she would need it as much as I would "Could I ask Bella?"

"Bella," he mulled her name over "Wasn't she the chick that was dating Ja-AHH! Yeah sure" it was clearly evident that he had received some kind of injury under the table for nearly mentioning Jasper, even if he was only trying to check whether Bella had dated Jasper's brother, Edward.

"Guys there is no need to wound Dan to the point where he can't walk, simply because he was going to mention Jasper. I've dealt with it, my emotions are sorted," Jasper would be proud, I added in my head. "And yes, bowling, almost certainly, Saturday, and I'll ask Bella," I smiling at each one of them individually.

"And I'll add Oliver to the list," Dan continued insistently.

"Yes, the larger the group the better," I finished, I reached down for my bag. "I'll catch you lot later, if the plan alters, ring me and don't forget to text me the times and everything," I left the table sensing that they were perhaps watching me, but I had to put things right, I was dealing with this, or at least I was convincing myself that I was.