A/N: You still have time to vote for Wedding Day Jitters for top ten completed stories of December 2013. The link is on my profile page and you can vote once every 24 hours until 2/1. Please vote. Yes, I am not above begging. LOL. Ok, I hope everyone is ready for Jasper and Bella's reunion… Enjoy!

Chapter 2 – Ghosts of the Past

Starting at a new school is always a little nerve wrecking, however, starting at a new school in a small town where the biggest news was the high school getting a new roof or whatever the ladies down at the hair salon could concoct about the various people around town… well it was a lot worse. Bella was the talk of the school and was instantly popular for the sole reason of being a new student; and the moment she got out of her old truck and stepped foot on campus, she was hounded by various students from the year book committee and newspaper staff looking for an interview or quote from the instantly infamous Isabella Swan. She lost track of how many times she had to tell people that her name was Bella and not Isabella… if she had a nickel for each time, she might actually be rich.

It seemed that some students genuinely tried to make her feel welcomed and some were faking it, but growing up in Phoenix, Bella new genuine from fake and she knew how to play the game. Some of the boys were also vying for her attention and trying to win her over, but it wouldn't work. She had an idea of what she was looking for, and she really didn't believe she would ever find it in Forks, WA. For now she would go with the flow and try to settle into her new life, but she was already questioning her decision… and then it happened. It was something she never expected and forced her to question her reality.

Somehow Bella had finally made it to lunch. She had hoped to somehow escape with her food and go outside, but with the dreary weather, it wasn't really possible, and her new "friends" weren't allowing her to get away from them so easily. Resigning herself to her fate, she sat down at a table and was instantly surrounded by people, and the crowd that had gathered was starting to make her a little uncomfortable, but then something, or someone caught her eye, "Who are they?" It was just three people, two guys, one with copper hair and one with dark hair, and a blonde woman; and yet there was something about them that demanded attention.

"The Cullen's. The big guy is Emmett and the girl is Rosalie, their like a couple. The other guy is Edward. He's single, but apparently no girl here is good enough for him," Jessica explained flippantly, but the hint of jealousy could not be missed.

"They're the adopted kids of Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. There should be two more… oh here they come. The girl is Alice and the guy that looks like he's in pain is…" Angela continued where Jessica left off, but stopped when Bella said something.

"JW," the brunette breathed as soon as she laid eyes on the man from her childhood. It wasn't possible though. He looked the exact same as he had the day he had helped her get home, unless her memory was faulty, and that was always a possibility. It had been several years since she had seen him, and yet she felt like she wasn't wrong about anything… about this.

Angela gave the new girl a worried look and asked, "Does he look like someone you know? His name is actually Jasper Hale and he's Rosalie's twin, and he is dating Alice."

Her stomach felt like she would lose the little bit of lunch she had already eaten. Hearing that he was with the pixie looking girl Alice hurt, and Bella couldn't figure out why that would be. It was all together possible that this wasn't her JW. Yes, the first initial was the same, but the last didn't match at all. It couldn't be him. It just was not possible. After seven years, her JW would look different, he would have aged, he would have changed, and he would not be in this little town. Why then could she not get herself to believe all of that?

Having a plan in place and acting it out was proving harder than Jasper anticipated. The moment he set eyes on her through the window of the lunch room, he could remember her trying to warm his hands and he wanted her to do that for him again. She had grown and matured into a beautiful young woman and if he had a beating heart it would have sped up and his pulse would have quickened. As a 10 year old child he had felt a connection and had known eventually he would see her again, and now he was doing what he could to keep his distance, and for the life of him he could not remember why.

Jasper took a step in her direction and felt a hand on his arm pull him towards the Cullen table. Looking down, he saw Alice next to him, guiding him. It was true he asked her to back him up, but did she really have to follow through with it?

"You can talk to her after school. Right now, it would cause too much of a commotion. I will get a message to her to meet you off campus so that no on suspects anything," Alice snickered softly.

Frowning, Jasper questioned, "Alice?"

"You may think that it is best to stay away, but I happen to know differently. Besides, she and I are going to be best friends. It will be so much easier if you and she can get over this little awkward period now. Don't you think? Oh, which reminds me, take off after lunch and hunt. You'll be meeting her today at 4:30 at the old park near the woods on the other side of town that isn't used any longer."

"And if she doesn't come?"

Alice almost looked offended before she started to giggle and seemingly floated the remaining way to their table. That particular question didn't deserve an answer.

With one last look over his shoulder at the child turned woman, Jasper smiled and shook his head. If Alice was setting this up, it was because she knew something he didn't, and he would trust her. His only problem was the mind reader sitting at the table with them. He was too curious about Bella and that drew him to her making Jasper slightly jealous.

"I can't read her mind," Edward spoke softly so only the people at his table could hear him.

"What do you mean? You can read everybody's mind. Are you losing your touch Eddie boy?" Emmett teased.

Shaking his head, Edward furrowed his brow in concentration and said, "Not hers. It's blank. I can tell you that Jessica is jealous of the attention Bella is getting, Angela wants to genuinely be her friend, Mike wants in her pants…"

"Enough!" Jasper growled low.

Edward knew when to press the issue and when to back off; and now was the time for retreat. He wasn't exactly sure who this girl was to his coven mate, but it started seven years ago, and he was going to find out more. He had means no one else did, and he could get the information without anyone ever knowing he had been snooping around. Isabella Swan was an anomaly to him and he wanted to know why this was the first person he had ever met in his life that he could not hear her thoughts. It was a mystery that intrigued him, and that meant the girl intrigued him and he wanted… no he needed to get to know her better, and he needed to do it without Jasper knowing what he was doing. However, during biology, he discovered that his intentions had a way of going awry.

Taking his seat at the lab table like he did every day, Edward waited for class to begin not knowing that this class would be unlike any other he had ever been in before. Her smell reached him before he realized what was happening. It was a different scent, new. His head snapped up and standing in front of the fan was Isabella Swan, and she was tempting him with her smell. This was more than normal temptation, this was almost uncontrollable and he knew in that moment that Bella was his singer.

It was a rare find, but when a vampire found his or her singer, he/she was overcome with the desire to drain the person dry, just as Edward was right now. There was only one for every vampire and it doesn't always happen that a vampire will find that person. Emmett had found his and had been unable to resist, would Edward be able to resist temptation here in the school building during class. He wasn't sure. He wanted her, craved her, and thirsted for her.

When Edward was about to give into temptation, there was a knock at the door interrupting the class. Now would have been the time to strike, but he could hear the thoughts coming from the other side of the door and knew who it was.

"Don't do it Edward. I have an excuse for you to leave class. Get your books and let's go," Alice called out in his mind. As soon as the teacher opened the door, she said, "Sorry to interrupt sir, but I have message for Isabella Swan and there has been an emergency at home and I need Edward Cullen to come with me." She handed both slips of paper to the teacher and waited for her brother.

"Mr. Cullen, you are dismissed," the instructor said and as soon as the door was closed once again, he handed Bella her message, "Here you go Miss Swan. Now, let's continue!"

Bella stared at the classroom door for a moment before she focused her eyes on the text books in front of her. There was something about Edward that intrigued her, but not as much as someone else had. He was good-looking and alluring, and she would admit to an instant attraction and fascination, but he was missing something. It wasn't something she could pinpoint or say exactly what it was, but Edward wasn't a person she would want as more than a friend in her life. She had dated guys in the past that didn't measure up to her picture, and it never turned out well; and learned that it was better to wait than date a bunch of Mr. Wrongs.

Her eyes fell once again upon the delivered missive and she could no longer hold back. Opening up the letter, Bella read it discreetly and felt her heart skip a beat, "I can explain everything. Meet me at the old playground on the outskirts of town at 4:30. I will be waiting for you. JW." Did this mean Jasper really was JW, or was he related to him? It was a possibility she had not considered earlier, and now realized that it very well could be the case. One thing she knew for sure, she would be at the park at 4:30.

The remainder of the school day seemed to pass by in a haze as anxiousness and nervousness took over her body. She had no time to think about who said what about whom, or what any of her new "friends" asked her to do; her mind was solely focused on getting to the park and seeing her childhood hero again.

In her possession for less than a day and the letter was already beginning to look worn from the countless times Bella had taken it out to read the words written on the simple white paper. Although, she had to admit that JW's handwriting looked significantly more feminine than she would have believed, but then again she didn't really know him all that well. In truth, much of what she knew of him is what her ten year old imagination dreamed up after she met him, and even though she knew it might not be real, Bella still held firm to those countless childhood dreams… and she could never say why. Maybe it was in anticipation for when she would see him again, or maybe it was an escape. Who knew, but she did know, she always believed she would eventually see him again just like they promised each other years ago.

Pulling into the old park, she turned off her engine and looked around. The weeds had long ago claimed this territory as theirs and it appeared as if no child had played on the ancient rusted equipment in years. This was the park that her father would take her to upon occasion when she visited as a kid, but that was long ago and sometimes felt a lifetime away.

Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. It was time. Stepping out of the truck, Bella walked towards a picnic table and sat on top of it since the weeds were as high as the seat and waited. She thought JW would have already been there, granted she was about thirty minutes early, but she had hoped.

Jasper heard the roar of Bella's truck as she approached the park earlier than expected and stood within the tree line, his presence invisible as he watched park and then her breath in and out before getting out of the old rust bucket she called a truck. She seemed to be looking for him and disappointed when she didn't find him, but he was there observing her, amazed at the gorgeous creature she had become. If he thought she captivated him as a child, she did so even more now. How he thought he would stay away from her, he would never know.

Unable to put off the inevitable any longer, Jasper walked out of the woods and towards the brunette sitting with her back to him. She still didn't realize he was there and if it had been anyone else, she might be in danger… hell she might be in danger with him. She stirred things up within him that he hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't just her blood and person he craved, and that was secondary, but he desired her body and just gazing upon her could feel his groin tighten with the need to take her. He wouldn't though. He could control himself… he hoped. For Bella, he would. He had done many things in his long life, but he would not hurt this woman. Not her.

"Bella Swan," Jasper said as soon as he had reached the table where she awaited his arrival.

Whipping around, Bella's eyes widened when she saw the man standing behind her. That voice was the same one from her memories and that face had not changed in the seven years since she had last seen him; however if he was a senior in high school, how was that possible? "JW?" She asked breathily. Confusion and nervousness causing her breaths to come faster and shallower than normal, and the last thing she remembered before she blacked out from hyperventilating was JW's face above hers and his arms wrapping around her as she fell into oblivion.