Hey everyone, sorry for the late update and sorry for not replying to the reviews but I read all of them!
This chapter's kind of short compared to my other ones but don't worry there's a reason for that and it will be so worth it when you find out why
xXx
Chapter Seven
Sunday was a quiet day. I didn't see Bella although we texted a couple of times throughout the day. After church, like me, Lil also opted to stay at home and we passed the time watching movies. At the moment, we were sat on the couch watching You, Me and Dupree.
"Lil?" I said turning to face her.
"Yeah?" Lil said still laughing at a particularly funny bit.
"I know what I'm going to do for the fete"
"Really?" Lil stopped laughing and turned to face me. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to do caricatures"
"That's a great idea" Lil beamed "There's never been one before"
"Yeah, I know"
Lil looked at me confused for a moment.
"Bella told me" I said by way of an explanation.
"Oh, well it's a really good idea of yours"
"Bella came up with it"
"She knows you draw?" she asked surprised.
"Yeah, it kind of came up a couple of days ago"
"Well, it's a good idea. Has she seen any of your stuff?"
"Not yet" I said without thinking.
"Not yet" Lil repeated slowly "So, she will one day?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean we're doing this History project together and as part of the promotion bits, I'm going to recreate some of it to make it more original"
"Was that Bella's idea too?" she asked sarcastically.
"No, this one was all mine" I said confused at Lil's sudden change of tone.
"Nice to see you can use your brain from time to time"
"I do try" I grinned.
We watched the movie in silence for a few moments, though I could see Lil, out of the corner of my eye, turning to look at me every now and again.
"Were you and Bella ever friends?" I asked suddenly. I could see Lil visibly tense at the question.
"Yeah, we were at one point" she said softly.
"And now you're not"
"Now we're not"
"Was it your choice?"
"Kind of" she paused "I mean at the time I thought that what I was doing was right, but then I wasn't so sure any more and by then it was too late, we couldn't be friends anymore"
"Says who?"
"Says everything. Like circumstance, people, there were just too many factors stopping us from being friends"
"And now?"
"Now it's too late, we're too different, we've drifted too far apart and far too much has happened for us to be like we used to be" Lil said defiantly.
"Who says it has to be the same, it can be different but that could be what makes it better" I suggested not wanting to make her angrier.
"I don't know Jasper; I don't really want to think about it right now, it's easier not to"
"Okay, if you say so" I paused "One more question"
"You're giving me a headache Jasper" Lil said massaging her forehead.
"Please" I begged.
She thought for a moment before relenting. "Fine, one more but then you'll shut up and watch the movie, one of my favourite parts are coming up"
"Okay, when did this separation happen?"
Lil squinted her eyes for a moment, thinking.
"Last year around June, but it was really more of a growing thing. June was just when it came to a head and then it just got worse"
"Oh" I said thinking.
Everything that happened, happened around June time, which was the catalyst but it didn't make any sense considering according to what Bella had said she hadn't lived here since she was fifteen, then what possible reason could everyone have for hating her when she wasn't even living here at the time.
The movie finished and I got up to put another one in but Lil stopped me as I did so.
"Jasper, I'm sorry for being kind of short with you, it's just kind of a sensitive subject and I….I've been harbouring a lot of guilt about it" Lil said.
"It's okay" I lifted my arm and she leaned into it.
"I don't know what to do" she whispered. I figured that this was in response to her guilt. What did she do?
A thought came into my head, Lil feeling guilty about whatever happened with Bella obviously proved Bella's innocence but that still didn't make any sense. I figured that Lil had been one of the main people against Bella, yet Lil now felt guilty about whatever she had done but the rest of our year group still seemed to hate Bella or at least enjoyed seeing her miserable and they didn't feel guilty about it.
Like Alice for example.
Did they know the truth? Or did they choose to label Bella as guilty simply because they could?
"Lil, just….do what you think is right, okay, and not what other people think is right" I said hoping that I helped her.
"Okay" Lil sighed against me.
Lil and I watched another movie and I couldn't help but feel that I was left with more questions than answers.
xXx
School.
So far it hadn't been as bad as I thought it would be.
I walked in and immediately spotted Bella going into the library, I looked at the bag in my hand and debated whether to go in straight after her or to my locker before deciding to go to my locker first. History was on the opposite end of the school to my locker and going to the library then rushing to my locker then to class would possibly make me late.
On the way to my locker, I recognised a few familiar faces along the way and smiled and said hello. Though I was still new, I was glad that I wasn't on show like I had been last week. Apparently the heat had been taken off of me due to something happening at someone's party last weekend, I think it was Eric's one.
I got to my locker and entered the combination before dumping everything in it apart from the books that I needed. I began making my way to my locker before I was side lined by Emmett and Edward.
"Jasper, wait up" Emmett called out.
"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked.
"You know the usual, but I just wanted to remind you that try outs are this week and everything, on the school field. Try not to be late, okay?" he said slapping me on the shoulder and calling goodbye over his shoulder as Edward followed behind him after saying goodbye as well.
I continued my journey to the library and as I sat down opposite Bella I realised that Emmett hadn't told me what day try outs were but I figure that, that didn't matter and I'd find out from him some other time.
"How was your Sunday?" Bella asked hesitantly.
"It was alright, went to church, hung out with Lil and watched movies. Not much really"
"You go to church?" Bella asked surprised.
"Yeah" I said rubbing the back of my neck. Bella didn't ask any more questions about it which gave me a chance to question her.
"Bella, you told me that you moved in with your mum when you were fifteen and then moved back here at the beginning of the year"
"Yeah"
"So you didn't live here for years?" I clarified.
"Yeah, why?" Bella asked confused.
"No reason"
"O-kay" she said looking at me weirdly.
"What did you do on Sunday?"
"Umm, I hung out with Charlie, did the laundry and I went down to La Push to see what Jake was doing about my car"
"It's fixed already?"
"No actually, Jake said that he might not be able to fix it this time"
"Seriously?"
"I know, I couldn't believe it but he's trying"
A thought popped in to my head "How did you get to school then?"
"My dad, umm gave me a ride this morning but after today I don't know how I'm going to get to school because my dad works really early some mornings and then late some others" she paused for a moment "I guess I'll have to walk or something"
"How about I give you lifts?" I suggested hesitantly, although we were bonding quite a bit, I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean it's on my way to school" kind of "and we can talk about….the project" as if. I just wanted to spend more time with her.
"But are you sure? I mean I don't want to put you out or anything"
I leaned over and squeezed her hand.
"Believe me, you won't" I smiled at her gently and was awarded as her sweet blush spread across her cheeks.
"Okay, if you're sure because really, I can walk"
I mock frowned at her "If you did walk, I'd just have to ambush you every morning and you know that could get tedious, for you"
She smiled shyly looking down at her hands and I knew that my offer was accepted.
"So, umm, you and Lil used to be friends?" I said awkwardly so that it came out almost like a question.
Bella stared at me blankly for a moment before she nodded her head slowly, the smile slipping from her face.
"Yeah, we used to"
"Do you mind me asking when you became friends?"
She shook her head slowly, her ponytail waving behind her head.
"We, we became friends after she moved here, I was 9 and then a year later the Cullens came and we were friends" her voice was lifeless, as though she were talking about someone else far, far away.
She looked almost as though she were in a trance, stuck in memories of the past, it was a look I had worn many, many times before.
"And now you're not" I said snapping Bella out of it.
"Now we're not" she forced a smile onto her face "But hey as Marilyn Monroe said, 'sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together'
"Yeah I guess" I said my voice trailing off.
We sat in silence until the bell rang before heading off to class.
xXx
The next morning I headed off to Bella's house, I wasn't sure what time I was supposed to get to Bella's considering that I hadn't seen her for the rest of the day, so I set off a bit earlier than usual instead.
After pulling up in her driveway, I calmed my nerves before getting out of the car and ringing the bell twice. I waited a moment but when there was no reply, I got ready to ring the bell again before it was suddenly pulled open and I came face to face with Chief Swan.
Although his gruff expression didn't change, I didn't think he was pleased by the downright horrified expression on my face which I quickly changed.
"H-hello sir" I stammered out nervously.
He assessed me for a moment before nodding slowly "You must be Jasper"
"Yes sir" I said clearing my throat.
He watched me for a few moments before sticking out his hand and I shook it steadily although I was sure that I could hear the bones breaking.
"I'm here to pick up Bella…..for school" I added.
"Yes, I heard about that but Bella's not feeling well so…." he trailed off.
"Oh, ok" I rubbed my neck awkwardly. "Could you tell her I came and to feel better?"
"Of course"
I turned to walk away before facing the Chief again "Have a good day sir"
"You too" and as he closed the door, I could see Bella sitting on the stairs watching me, our eyes met as the door slammed shut.
I didn't see or hear from Bella for the rest of the week.
xXx
So yeah. Next chapter will be longer.
Promise.
