C H A P T E R T H R E E || S T A L K I N G

Walking down the filthy road, Jasper felt his legs go numb. He had been walking since four in the goddamn morning. It was only now noon, but the thought of Alice pushed him on. At first he had plenty of energy to work off. Being caged for a year like a rabid animal can do that to you. The past year had taught him endurance, but after eight hours his endurance was tattered. Midway through he felt pain pulsing in his legs, throbbing and begging him to be stoic, but he refused. He pushed through the pain as it continued to become more intense until finally his legs were simply numb. Every time he considered stopping for a break the image of Alice in his dream forced him to walk forward and pick up his pace.

Soon he found himself standing at the metal fence that divided him from his love. Gripping on to the fence his knuckles turned snow white as he stared at the school. His eyes observed and analyzed each student, begging to see her. It was amazing how it took him a mere second to see someone and shove them aside in his mind knowing they were not her. He saw a dirt blonde girl, but could tell from her walk she wasn't Alice. Alice was full of energy, this girl was too calm. He noticed a brown haired girl, but her hair was much too long. After searching the crowds and noticing over a hundred students that failed to be her, Jasper felt defeated. He stood there as his eyes glazed over with the distant memory of her.

He remembered Alice's laugh as he lightly pushed her into a friend's ice cold pool. That laugh was pure music. He remembered her face light up when they entered the mall. God, she loved shopping. He remembered how she made him drive for over two hours just because her friend had said four simple words, "I need your help." Her ability for compassion always amazed him.

Suddenly he could hear her and not just in his mind. He heard her sweet voice as she talked to someone. His eyes quickly scanned the crowds until he saw her. She looked the same as before all hell broke loose. Her hair was still stuck in little spiked around her neck, and her eyes carried a lightness to them. She hadn't grown an inch, still standing almost a foot lower than everyone else.

Jasper stared at her, at his love. His.

He watched as she conversed with a girl he faintly remembered as her friend, Amy. She was bouncing about like her normal self. Jake watched Alice and Amy stroll off of the school campus and onto the sidewalk. He kept his distance and stayed far behind them, but he couldn't bear to let Amber out of his sight. Every time she turned around Jasper bolted to the corner and peaked his eyes around the corner only to see his angel shinning as ever and perfectly safe. Jasper let out a deep sigh and continued to follow his heart as it drew him closer to his love like magnets that refused to be separated. He noticed how Alice continued to balk and look around at her surroundings. At that point Japer would jump into the bushes or duck behind a tree until he could hear their footsteps continue on their path. Well he could hear Amy's footsteps, but not Alice's. She was much too light and walked in a very soft manner. He wondered what was causing Alice to stop. It couldn't be him because Jasper kept himself well under the radar.

When he realized they were on Alice's block, Jasper halted. To be caught on her street, after everything that had happened, would not be good. It would be really fucking bad. He knew where she lived, he knew she was going home. There was no reason to follow her, but after being away for so long from her it broke him to think of losing her again. With a heavy sigh moved forward and crept up to the bushes that surrounded the kitchen window. He saw her walk around the kitchen and look as if she was pondering something. Reluctantly she opened the fridge and grabbed some orange juice. As she drank Jasper wished more than anything that he was there standing by her, holding her.

Jasper followed her as he saw her walk out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

He chuckled, thinking "like hell are some fucking stairs gonna stop me."

Lucky him, Alice's house had no alarm system and it was a rare day when her parents thought to lock the door. Fact of the matter was they were to self-absorbed and lazy to give a shit.

Slowly and quietly, Jasper stepped inside the house and followed the sweet smell of Alice.

Alice wondered into her room and lightly jumped on to her bed. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes.

Ah, finally some peace.

All day and everyday for the last year Alice pretended that everything was alright. She tricked everyone, including her best friend Amy, into thinking she was perfectly fine, happy even. Really fucking happy.

Yeah, right.

Truth was she was the farthest fucking thing from "happy". She was broken, destroyed, and lifeless.

A dead living girl.

She felt like nothing without him. Every night she cried because he was lost in there because of her. Everything went to hell cause of her.

So I guess Jasper isn't as perceptive as we thought he was, huh? Got anything to say about this chapter? Then you know what to do.