Usual disclaimer applies.

March, 2012

~44~

Jasper remains silent beside me after his confession, for which I'm glad. My thoughts are so jumbled, scattered, and all-consuming. Although I am sure that Jasper believes everything he just admitted to with all of his heart, it is so disbelieving, so unconceivable to me. I can't get past the fact that Edward was sad after the break-up, let alone the rest.

I mean, if he was so "dead inside" then what about Lauren fucking Mallory? What about all of the stories I have had to endure this past year about Edward Cullen being the life of the party each weekend?

I simply cannot reconcile the Edward I have come to know this past year with the Edward that Jasper just described to me.

And I want to ask Jasper for more clarity, more evidence to support his claims but I can't because suddenly there is a loud pounding on the passenger window.

"Bella!"

I open the door and Sam Uley is staring at me from the other side, eyes a deep black with anger, hands clenched into fists beside him.

He grabs my hand and pulls me from the car, as if he is scared for me to be there a second longer. Once he has successfully pulled me across the parking lot, he lets go, huffing and stomping.

"What the fuck were you thinking Bella? Why were you in a car with Jasper Hale? Are you stupid? Did you hit your fucking head?"

I am so angry by this point, I can't even see straight. But I manage to reach up, grab his shoulders, and shove him as hard as I can.

He doesn't move much.

"Sam, that is my business, not yours! You have no right to touch me, to yell at me like that. Where the fuck do you get off, huh?"

And it takes about a minute, but the tension in Sam's body slowly unravels. He lets out a whoosh of air and mutters a "sorry" under his breath.

I know it's the most I will get from him.

"I just wanted to let you know that Leah has decided to transfer back to La Push, for the last few months of school anyway. And I wanted to ask you if you made any progress yet, you know, with the fucker who drugged her, and you." He sounds like a sullen little boy who just had a temper tantrum and can't quite speak normally yet.

I sigh. "Sam, I will let you know when I have all the details. But the fucker will not be dealt with your type of justice; I will deliver him to my Dad."

Sam nods his head, acknowledging that my line of thinking is probably the correct one.

Suddenly, he locks eyes with something behind me, and the anger and tension is back on his face. "There is someone here to see you, Bella. I better leave." Sam's tone is acidic again, and I look around.

Jasper is standing about ten yards away, watching us carefully.

I nod my head to Sam. A confrontation between these two would not be ideal. Leaving Sam, I walk to stand next to Jasper.

"Jasper?" I question.

"I had to make sure you were okay Bella. I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable, or whatever."

"No…no. it's okay, really. But I think I'm going to go now."

Jasper nods. "Bye Bella."

"Bye Jasper."