hi, i'm not dead :)

been super busy with school lately, and just generally living! so sorry this chapter took so long. next chapter will be much quicker!

enjoy 3

Gym was hell.

Well, it was usually hell, Guin supposed, but today it was extra bad.

They had moved onto basketball, and despite how hard their team tried, Bella still managed to fall all over herself, and others. Guin could tell immediately that Bella's head was off somewhere else.

She wished she'd be a little more present — at least enough to minimize the damage.

Mollie realized pretty quick that Bella was not coordinated, at all, and quickly took up Guin's crusade to help protect Bella from herself and others. Guin was eternally grateful to her.

Once they got out of gym, with minimal injury to the three of them, they practically had to run to keep up with Bella's quick pace. Guin huffs, and waves at Mollie.

"I'll see you later! It was super nice to meet you!"

"Yeah, same!" Mollie called out, slowing down to a more sedate pace as she waved back.

Guin loped forward to catch up with her sister, looping their arms together. The two of them rounded the corner, only to see a tall, dark figure hanging out by the truck.

Oh god, this couldn't be good.

Once they got closer, Guin realized it was just Eric. Her gut still told her that something was up, but her shoulders relaxed anyway. The two of them walked up to the truck, Bella calling out to him.

"What's up?" Bella asked as she unlocked the door, glancing over at him.

"Uh, I was just wondering… if you would go to the spring dance with me?" he asked, voice cracking on the last word.

Guin's eyebrows shot up as she paused by the far rear tire, watching the two of them over the bed of the truck.

"I thought it was girls' choice," Bella said, startled.

"Uh, yeah," he said, looking uncomfortable and guilty.

"Thank you for asking me, but Guin and I are going to be in Seattle that day."

Guin swings her head around sharply to stare at her sister, bewildered. Since when was that a thing?! She didn't know anything about a Seattle trip! She had been looking forward to going to the dance with Jasper!

"Oh," Eric said, sounding disappointed. "Well, maybe next time."

"Sure," Bella agreed, automatically, and Guin shook her head in exasperation, opening the door to the truck and sliding into the passenger seat. A moment later, Bella yanked open the driver's side door, jumping in and then slamming the door loudly behind her. Guin flinched at the sudden noise, grimacing, and Bella looked over at her.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Just wasn't expecting it. Since when were we going to Seattle the weekend of the dance?"

"Since this morning when Mike asked me," she snapped, and Guin raised her eyebrows at Bella's aggressive tone.

Bella revved the engine, and reversed out into the aisle a little too quickly for Guin's liking, as her hand shot out to balance herself against the dash.

Edward's Volvo was already pulled out two spots ahead, stopped and seemingly waiting for his family. Guin looked over and saw the rest of the Cullen's walking towards the cars, but still over by the cafeteria.

At the sight of her mate, Guin smiled unconsciously. They had only been apart for a few hours, but it had still been too long. Jasper caught her eye, even from the distance, and the dazzling smile that spread across his face was enough to make her dizzy.

Once she regained her bearings, Guin glanced over to see that Tyler Crowley had appeared at Bella's window suddenly. Bella had the window rolled down halfway.

"I'm sorry, Tyler, I'm stuck behind Cullen," she said, audibly annoyed.

"Oh, I know — I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here," he said with a grin, and Guin knew immediately where this was going.

Oh boy.

"Will you ask me to the spring dance?" he asked, hopefully.

"I'm not going to be in town, Tyler," Bella said, a little too sharply.

"Yeah, Mike said that," he admitted.

"Then why —"

Tyler shrugged. "I was hoping that you were just letting him down easy."

"Sorry Tyler," Bella grit out, trying to hide her irritation. "I really am going out of town."

"That's cool. We still have prom."

And before Bella could say anything in response, he was walking back to his car. Guin, glancing up and seeing her mate walking her way, quickly rolled down her window to greet him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other three sliding into the Volvo, but disregarded it as Jasper came up to the car window, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. Guin kissed him back happily, until he pulled away, and she smiled at him. He squeezed her chin, sending her a fond smile.

"I'll call you, dove."

"You better."

And then, in one smooth motion, he was turning away and striding quickly back towards Edward's car, sliding into the backseat.

When Guin looked away, she noticed the stares from the student population, and realized that that had been the first time they had kissed in public at school.

Oh well, good fuel for the gossip mill.

Once Edward had driven away, and Bella had pulled out of the parking lot, muttering angrily to herself, Guin raised her eyebrows in Bella's direction.

"So…. How many boys asked you to the spring dance today?"

"Ugh!" Bella screamed, slamming her hand on the steering wheel, and Guin burst into laughter.

Once they got home, Bella started on dinner to give herself something to do, while Guin went upstairs to her room to start on her homework.

After a frustrating amount of math, she made her way back downstairs for a snack. When she came down, she could see Bella chopping the chicken intently, and paused to stand silently until she finished and had set the knife down.

"Hey," Guin said, and Bella jumped with a yelp. Guin sent her an apologetic look, walking over to the fridge to hunt down something to eat. As she stood in the doorway, rocking back and forth on her feet and pulling on the doors for leverage, Bella spoke up.

"Jessica called. Apparently Mike accepted her invitation to the dance."

"Ooh, good for her!" Guin said brightly, turning to peer over her shoulder. "I know she was really upset when he didn't accept the first time she asked."

"Yeah, I'm happy for her too. And it means that hopefully people will stop bothering me about the stupid dance."

Guin snorted in disbelief, shaking her head. That didn't sound likely, at all.

At dinner that night Bella (sort of) asked Charlie if it was okay for them to go to Seattle the day of the dance, and after they confirmed they'd be going together, he seemed to be fine with it.

The next morning, Bella made sure to park as far away from the Volvo as possible, which made Guin laugh. Her sister is ridiculous, but Guin couldn't blame her - she probably would've been tempted to wreck his car, too. Before Guin could open up her door to get out, it was pulled open for her, and Jasper was leaning in immediately to kiss her hard. She let out a startled little gasp against his mouth, and then relaxed into his kisses, humming happily.

He hadn't been able to come over the night before, busy with something else, and clearly he had missed her.

"You're a menace," she finally murmured against his lips when he pulled away. He smirked at her, pulling back and helping her down from the truck before grabbing her backpack for her.

She glanced over and was surprised to see that Bella and Edward were actually having a conversation, and she looked over at Jasper. "Edward's finally gotten over himself then?"

"I think so," Jasper said, wryly, herding her towards the buildings as Bella turned and walked away, stomping angrily through the rain. Guin couldn't entirely stop her giggle as Jasper nudged her forwards from behind, his hands settled on her waist as he directed her.

Edward caught up to Bella, falling into step beside her. "I'm sorry, that was rude. I'm not saying it wasn't true, but it was rude to say it, anyway."

A little unnecessarily blunt there, Eddie-boy.

He threw a little scowl over his shoulder at the two of them, and Guin grinned at him and sent him two thumbs up.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" Bella grumbled, sloshing forwards.

"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me," Edward chuckled.

"Do you have multiple personality disorder?" Bella snapped, frustrated.

"You're doing it again."

"Fine then," Bella huffed. "What do you want to ask?"

"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday — you know, the day of the spring dance —"

Guin couldn't stop her loud laugh, and Jasper quickly covered her mouth with his hand, leaning down to whisper conspiratorially in her ear, "Shh! We wouldn't want to interrupt their conversation, it's just getting good."

Edward pointedly ignored them, and she felt Jasper's grin widen against her cheek.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Bella interrupted him, swinging around to face him, looking up at him sharply.

"Will you please allow me to finish?" Edward asked, very clearly amused.

Bella interlocked her fingers in front of her, pressing her lips together.

"I heard you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride."

Jasper looked down at Guin, his eyebrows raised at the mention of their sudden Seattle trip, and she mouthed 'later'. He seemed satisfied.

"What?" Bella asked.

"Do you want a ride to Seattle?"

"With who?"

"Myself, obviously," he said, very clearly.

Bella stared at him, stunned. "Why?"

"Well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if your truck can make it."

"My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern," Bella said, and turned to walk again.

"But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?" Edward asked, matching her pace, and Guin and Jasper followed. At this point, the conversation they were witnessing was more entertaining than any soap opera. Not that that was especially difficult to achieve.

"I don't see how that is any of your business."

"The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business."

This time, Guin managed to stifle her laugh a little better, but not much, and she could feel Jasper's amusement and happiness bleeding into their bond. He pressed a grinning kiss against her temple, as Bella rolled her eyes so hard that you could sense it from twenty paces.

"Honestly, Edward. I can't keep up with you. I thought you didn't want to be my friend."

"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be."

"That was the line he used? No wonder she's been so irritated with him," Guin muttered to Jasper. Edward shot her another glare, and Guin shrugged.

I'm right and we both know it.

"Peanut gallery, you do realize you're allowed to keep your commentary to yourself, right?" Bella snapped, spinning to face her sister, who was already grinning.

"Oh, Bella darling, you know I would never deprive you of my dazzling wit and good humor," Guin quipped back, and Bella scowled at her and swung around again. The group had just come to a stop under the cafeteria roof, and Jasper tugged Guin a few feet away, pushing back the hood of her rain jacket. Guin shook out her curls, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend's waist. With her cheek pressed against his chest, she looked back over at the still sort-of-arguing couple.

"It would be more… prudent for you to not be my friend," Edward continued. "But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella. Will you go with me to Seattle?"

Bella seemed to be at a loss for words, and rather dazzled, so all she could do was nod, but Guin understood. The full force of a vampire smile was enough to knock any girl off her feet. Exposure to it didn't do much to help build up an immunity, either.

Edward looked at her, seriously again. "You really should stay away from me. I'll see you in class," he said, and then turned abruptly and walked back the way we'd just come from. Bella started after him, still somewhat dazed, and Guin giggled, pressing her face in Jasper's chest. Bella muttered something about how she was "going to class", and Guin just waved her off, face still shoved in her boyfriend's chest. She'd catch up soon - Jasper wouldn't let her be too late.

He squeezed her a little tighter, shifting to rock them side to side. At her tug, he loosened his arms enough to let her lean back to look up at his face. She was grinning up at him, mischievously.

"So… Do I get to know what triggered Edward's sudden change of heart?"

"I don't think we have enough time to talk about Edward's emotional constipation," Jasper said dryly, and Guin laughed into his chest again.

"That bad, huh?"

"You only have to deal with it in school. I have to deal with it all the time."

Guin snickered again, and Jasper tugged on the edges of her curls playfully, before whisking her away.

Jasper deposited her in front of her first period class with two minutes 'til the bell, and kissed her silly in front of everyone in the building. He had to steady her dizzy form after he pulled away, smirking.

"I'll see you in art, dove. Be good."

"Yes," Guin breathed, still dazed, as Jasper turned and walked away to get to his first period class. She took in a steadying breath, and turned on her heel to walk into the classroom. Mr. Mason looked incredibly disapproving, but she ignored him and the stares of her classmates, a small smile still touching her kiss-swollen lips.

In Bio II, Guin told Mollie about the fun conversation she and Jasper witnessed this morning. They only half bothered with the worksheet Mr. Banner gave them. Mollie seemed fascinated by Bella and Edward's situation.

"You're really telling me that he ignored her for a month, after he went off and offended her, and has now decided that suddenly she's all great and fine to talk to?" Mollie whispered, staring at Guin bewildered, and Guin nodded back.

"Yeah, and he was still like 'Oh, it would be more prudent that we weren't friends.'" Guin said, very poorly mocking Edward's voice (knowing full well he could hear her right now and was probably sulking), and Mollie looked both flabbergasted and highly amused.

"Seriously? And she still wants to talk to him? Why the hell would she want that?"

She and Guin paused, shared a look, and then said at the same time, "Hormones."

They finally stopped talking after Mr. Banner actually called them out about it, but only barely. Talking with Mollie was almost as addicting as being around Jasper - she was wonderfully expressive and incredibly blunt, but never mean. She said what she meant and made sure you understood her, and didn't seem to have any problems with speaking her mind. You almost always knew what she was thinking, which was nice - Guin got so frustrated with people who never really told you what was going on in their heads but expected you to know anyway.

After class was dismissed, they started heading for their third period (for Guin, it was Trig with Bella and Jessica, and Mollie was headed off to English with a certain vampire who was hot in their gossip). Jessica and Bella met up with them on the way, and Mollie split off with a wave and a grin towards the girls.

Jessica eyed Guin, and Guin looked over at her, eyebrows slightly furrowed and lips pressed together.

"Um, Jessica? You're staring really hard. Did you need something..?"

"Are you and Jasper Hale like, officially dating now?"

"What?" Guin asked, most eloquently.

"You and Jasper, are you guys dating? I mean, yesterday he totally just, like, waltzed up to your truck and kissed you in front of everyone, and then I heard that this morning he walked you to class - which, I mean, isn't that unusual, but - I heard that he kissed you again. Right there, in front of everyone and Mr. Mason like it was no big deal, but last I heard you guys were still just friends and not actually dating?" Jess said, a bit too quickly for Guin to really keep up, and she shook her head a bit, bewildered.

"You're asking if Jasper and I are dating?"

"Yes! I am! Are you, or are you not? The public needs to know, Guin!"

Guin let out a little laugh, nodding once. "Yes, we're dating. It was official a couple days ago."

That wasn't entirely true - it had been official since pretty much the night of the incident, but they had only just told Charlie and Bella a few days before. As far as the humans of Forks were concerned, Guin and Jasper had a wonderful, somewhat brief courtship, before they started "dating". Her dad still disapproved a little bit, but Guin thought it was mainly on principle, seeing as he rather liked Jasper.

It was easy for everyone in Forks to see that the two of them were deeply enamored with each other.

At that, Jessica seemed satisfied, and began rambling about something Guin tuned out with thoughts of her boyfriend and mate. In just over an hour, she'd be able to see him again. Still, he was never far from her - physically, he could get across the entirety of campus and to her in only a few seconds, and emotionally, well…

Emotionally, she could always feel him in her chest - the happy, golden, warm feeling that he brought out in her. He had told her that it was the effects of their "bond", and that he could feel it too. When they were happy and content, that was what it felt like - warm and golden.

She loved that he always seemed so happy with her.

Trig went as well as it could have, and then art came and went too quickly for Guin's liking, and then Jasper walked her to lunch, her arm through his. When they made it there and through the lunch line (Jasper got nothing, but she got a lemonade and some food), the two of them sat at the Cullen's regular table, although Guin noticed that Edward was conspicuously absent. A quick glance around showed Edward sitting off on the far side of the cafeteria - an attempt at privacy, she assumed.

When he motioned for Bella to join him, Guin knew that's exactly what he intended.

What Guin wasn't expecting was Mollie's tall, lanky form appearing before their table, her hands shoved in the pockets of her leather jacket.

"I want to know what they're talking about," she said bluntly, and the Cullen's looked at her, surprised. Guin wasn't really all that startled, because in the short amount of time that she had known Mollie, she had come to understand that the girl was incredibly observant. Too much so, maybe.

"I don't ask questions, and I can keep my mouth shut," Mollie continued, and Rose's eyebrows shot up, a sneer pulling at her expression.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't ask questions," Mollie repeated, "and I can keep my mouth shut. I want to listen in on the conversation, and I'm pretty sure that you guys are gonna be giving Guin the skinny. I want to know, too - I'm too invested in this stupid social drama that it's gonna kill me if I don't know what's happening. And Guin will just tell me later, anyway."

"Well, you didn't have to tell them that!" Guin cried, pouting at her.

"Please?" Mollie asked, begging as she looked around at the Cullen's.

The three of them looked over at Alice, who considered her for a moment, before shrugging.

"Sure! Sit down, you can hear about it from us," she said, with an easy smile, and Rose looked at her incredulously.

"Alice? Are you insane?!"

"Yes, but that's beside the point," she said, cheerfully. "She said she won't ask any questions and won't say anything — I trust her."

And that seemed to be enough for Jasper and Emmett, even if Rose still looked put out. Mollie dropped into one of the chairs, dropping her backpack beside her leg, grinning giddily. Guin smothered her laugh against Jasper's shoulder, and he just shook his head a bit, draping his arm around her waist.

Across the cafeteria, Bella made her way over to Edward, and Mollie leaned forwards in her seat. She was practically vibrating, and Guin tried so hard to stifle her laughter. Jasper shifted a little, his arm curling tighter around Guin's waist, and she couldn't have stopped herself from smiling even if she'd wanted to.

They watched as Bella sat down at the table with Edward, and even Guin could tell how uncomfortable her sister looked. The two of them sat somewhat awkwardly in silence, until Bella managed to get something out of her mouth resembling spoken word.

"Are you aware of just how awkward your sister is?" Jasper asked her, and Guin snorted a little in response.

"Extremely, thank you."

Edward said something Guin couldn't hear, but it made Emmett laugh and Rosalie roll her eyes, so she turned to Jasper expectantly, Mollie following suit.

"He said, 'I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly,'" Jasper offers, doing a very impressive mimic of his adopted brother's voice. Mollie laughed into her Monster Energy drink.

"What a drama queen."

"You don't know the half of it," Rose said, and Jasper turned to look at her, visibly amused.

"Rose, have you met yourself?"

"Just because I'm calling him a drama queen doesn't mean I can't acknowledge the fact that I am, too," she said, primly.

Guin, Jasper, and Mollie turned back to the conversation they were absolutely eavesdropping on, Jasper resting his chin on the top of Guin's head.

"Now he's commenting on her friends-"

"Our friends," Guin corrected, and Jasper shrugged a little.

"-Your friends. She's asked what brought it on, and now he's being dramatic again. 'I got tired of trying to stay away from you, so I'm giving up'."

"Do these lines actually work?" Guin asked, sincerely, and Mollie shrugged.

"Hell if I know."

"Ah, he's back to talking about 'trying to be good'." Jasper continued.

"What is it with him and morality? Is he Catholic or something?" Mollie asked.

"Protestant, I think," Rose said, "But I've never asked."

"With his obsession with sin and unbelievable levels of guilt, he'd probably make a good Catholic," Mollie said dryly, which made Guin crack up.

"Carlisle is Anglican," Jasper said offhandedly, and then turned back to the conversation, "Oh, now they're talking about being friends." Mollie and Guin turned back to look at the two teenagers on the other side of the cafeteria.

"He's warning her against being his friend again," Jasper muttered, and Guin rolled her eyes, "And telling her to avoid him, if she's smart."

"Something tells me she's not going to be smart," Mollie sing-songs, and Guin laughs into Jasper's shoulder.

"No, I don't think she will, either. What's happening now?" Guin asked.

"Ah, now she's admitted that she's trying to figure out "what" he is," Jasper said, and Guin turned her head quickly towards Mollie.

"Mollie, close your ears."

"Consider them closed," Mollie said, with a serious nod.

"Okay, what are her theories? Are they good?" Guin asked, bouncing a little bit in her excitement.

"None yet, but now she's going off at him, and it's terribly amusing."

"Oh yes," Guin said, immediately, "She can have quite the temper, but she's not the only one."

"Somehow I can't imagine you getting angry," Emmett said, and Guin just shrugs.

"Wow, your sister might be interesting yet, Guin," Mollie said, and Guin shook her head a bit, a little smile tugging at her lips.

"Give her some time, and you'll start finding all the interesting parts about her."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Rose muttered, and Guin decided to ignore that one.

"He's gone back to being brooding," Alice said, suddenly, and she sounded very amused. "Ah, and now he's getting a theory out of her."

Guin buried her face into Jasper's shoulder again to stop herself from giggling wildly. She just knew it was going to be something utterly ridiculous.

Jasper laughed suddenly, head thrown back. It was a full on laugh - one she hadn't heard from him yet. The deep kind, the genuine kind, and Guin is so distracted by just how much she loves it that she almost misses what he said.

"Bella said 'radioactive spider'," he said, still grinning, and she could see Emmett behind him, cracking up.

"That's a new one," Emmett said, still laughing, and Mollie had a very distinct look on her face, but Guin couldn't quite tell what it was.

"Your sister… is not very creative, is she?"

The expression was disgust, Guin realized.

Guin smacked her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing a little too loud. "Mollie! That was mean!"

"I'm just being honest!"

"That doesn't make it less mean! Be nice to her!"

"I'm trying but she isn't making it very easy-"

Guin reached over and smacked Mollie on the bicep, and then jerked her hand back, pouting.

"Ow, your arm is hard."

"Yeah I have muscles, you weirdo. Did you hurt your hand?" Mollie asked with a teasing grin, and Guin just scowled at her, pressing into Jasper's chest with a pout.

"Do you need me to kiss it better, dove?" Jasper asked teasingly. He was expecting a 'no', but when she looked up at him, dark eyes soft and the prettiest color he'd ever seen, he took her tender hand in his. Slowly, staring heatedly down at her, he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

Her heart stuttered in her chest, and he had to fight a smug smile.

Suddenly, it was as if the spell was broken, and Guin pulled back only to see that the only people left in the cafeteria were the two of them, Bella and Edward, who were lost in their own world, and Mollie, who was standing over by the cafeteria doors and staring down very intently at her phone, clearly trying to give them privacy.

Jasper stood up, pulling her up with him, and draping his arm across her shoulder.

"Come on, dove. We'd better get you to class before you're late."

Government was boring, as usual. It probably would've helped some if Mr. Jefferson wasn't so boring - droning on and on every class period. Part way through the class, Guin got a text on her phone saying that Bella was leaving early (they were doing blood typing in Biology, and Guin understood immediately), and that Alice had the keys to the truck to give to Guin after school.

When class finally ended, Jessica, Mollie, and Guin started making their way to the gym for their final period, although Guin was seriously tempted to skip and go sit in Mollie's truck instead of dealing with physical activity.

Ugh, just the thought of it gave her hives.

Unfortunately, Mollie had a tight grip on the back of her coat, all but dragging her towards the Gym. Jessica didn't seem to notice, instead turning to look at the two girls next to her with a smile.

"Oh, hey, I meant to ask earlier, are you guys still going to First Beach with us Saturday?"

"First Beach?" Mollie asked, and Guin wracked her brain to figure out when they mentioned this.

"Yeah, it's a beach over on the nearby Native reservation. It's not a warm, sandy beach or anything like that, but it's pretty enough, and good for surfing. Bella's coming too, I'm pretty sure," Jessica said, and Mollie hummed.

"Yeah, actually, that sounds fun," Mollie said with an easy smile. "You said it's Saturday, right?"

"Yep, we're meeting outside Mike's dad's store at ten, okay?"

"I have no idea where that is, but sounds good," Mollie said cheerfully, as Guin got dragged into something she wasn't particularly excited to be dragged into. And she didn't mean her gym class.

Oh good grief.

Jasper came to collect her after Gym, and Mollie waved at her as she started for her truck in the parking lot. Her truck was a big, black thing, with glossy paint, but the gloss was difficult to see under the mud around the wheel wells and on the sides of the truck.

"I'll text you later, Guin! Do you still want to get dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll ask Bella if she wants to come, too."

Mollie sent her a thumbs up, before loping off to her car, long legs eating the distance quickly. Guin watched her go for a moment, before Jasper steered her over to Edward's Volvo where Rosalie and Emmett already were. Alice came skipping up beside them, smiling as always.

"Oh, Guin, you know that you and Jazz are taking the truck home, right?"

"Mmhm. Bella texted me. Are you guys going to follow and take Jasper back?"

"He's gonna run, I think," Alice said, glancing up at Jasper for confirmation, who just nodded. Her smile turned sly, and she sent Guin a playful wink. "Something about him wanting you all to himself."

Guin flushed red, and Alice laughed at her, dancing gracefully over to the car and sliding into the back seat while Jasper rolled his eyes at his sister. He leaned down to rub his face against Guin's cheek, and she smiled up at him.

Jasper deposited Guin a few feet from the driver's side door, tugging her raincoat hood up over her head a little more to help keep her face dry, before walking over to Edward's already rolled-down window. He held out his hand, motioning for the keys to the truck.

"Thanks," he said after Edward handed them over, shoving them into his pocket. "I'll be home later."

"Sounds good," Edward said, glancing over at Guin. "Be careful," he added, pointedly.

Jasper glared at his sibling, letting out a low, quiet warning growl. Something about that noise, the depth and timbre of it, how it sounds rumbling out of his chest sent heat flooding through Guin, sent her heart pounding against her ribcage and her hair standing on end. Jasper doesn't say anything else, just turns back to Guin and tugs her into his chest, setting off for her truck at a pace just-slightly too fast for her short legs.

"Jasper," she gasps, and he glances down at her where she's clinging onto him.

"You're walking too fast for me to keep up."

At that he stops, slows down with a sigh.

"Sorry, dove," Jasper said as he unlocked the truck and opened the passenger side door for her. Before she can pull herself up into the truck, Jasper's hands are on her waist, easily picking her up and setting her inside, waiting to make sure her legs and skirts are all in before he shuts the door. He strode quickly around to the other side of the car, hopping into the driver's seat and making an uncomfortable noise in his throat at the amount of space between the seat and the gas pedals.

Guin's lip twitched, and when Jasper started up the truck, she turned on the heat immediately, blowing out a breath as the warm air washes over her. He sent her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry I didn't turn it on sooner, dove. I wasn't thinking."

"'S'okay, I'll live," she said with a little smile in his direction. He backed out of the parking spot and started on the way to her house, draping his arm across the center console so that they could intertwine their fingers.

"So, what's with the sudden Seattle trip?"

Guin groans immediately, dropping her head back.

"I have no idea. Bella sprung it on me totally out of nowhere, but I guess she used it as a way to get out of all the guys asking her to the dance. I'm a little bummed, I wanted to go to the dance with you."

"I wanted to go with you, too. Are you really going with Edward?"

"Who knows? Not me."

Jasper huffed in amusement as he glanced over at her. He squeezed her hand once.

"You're having dinner with that Mollie girl, right?"

"Yeah, she's great. We made fast friends."

"Good, she seems like a good person. Very… genuine."

"That's high praise, coming from you," Guin said, teasingly.

"What else are you doing this weekend?" he asks, curiously, and Guin groans again.

"Apparently I've been voluntold for a trip to La Push."

"The beach?" he asked, suddenly on edge as they pulled into her driveway.

"Yeah, the one on the reservation. Why?"

Jasper grimaces, glaring down at the steering wheel as if it had personally threatened her life.

"I can't convince you to skip this one, can I?"

"No. Aren't you hunting with Alice this weekend anyway?"

"I see that hurts my chances of convincing you to not go to La Push."

"Why don't you want me to go to La Push?" Guin asked, frustrated by his dancing around the point.

"The natives on La Push don't.. like us," Jasper said, slowly.

"Because we're white?" she blurts, and Jasper's lip twitches in amusement.

"Not necessarily. It's because we're vampires. The Quileute people have a belief in a creature they know of called the "cold ones", which are us vampires. They have a kind of.. werewolf that they transform into to protect from us. There aren't many of them right now, though, and we have a treaty with them - we can't pass the treaty line onto the reservation, and they can't pass it into town, although Carlisle doesn't hold strictly to that rule. I don't think anything would happen to you, but just… be careful tomorrow, okay? For me. And call me if something happens, I'll come get you."

"Come get me? You just said you can't go onto the reservation because of the treaty," Guin said.

Jasper shifted toward her, leaning across the small space to corner her against the door. His expression had suddenly darkened, becoming more serious. She stared up at him with wide, startled eyes.

"If you think I'm not willing to break something as inconsequential as a peace treaty to get to you, then you're fooling yourself, Guinevere. I'd kill people for you without asking twice. I might even enjoy it. You matter more to me than anything else in this world, and the sooner you understand that, the easier things will be."

"Oh," Guin squeaked.

Jasper sat back down in his own seat, frowning to himself.

"You don't like that I'm going to La Push tomorrow," Guin said knowingly.

"I don't," Jasper said simply. "But I won't force you to stay home. You deserve to spend time with your friends. Are Mollie and Bella going?"

"Yeah, they're both going."

"Good. Don't go to the reservation alone."

"Are you really that worried about what will happen?"

"I doubt anything will happen to you," Jasper said honestly. "The people on the reservation are good people - as good as anyone else, at least. I just worry. Try not to pull a Bella and fall into the ocean or something," he said, gentler this time.

"Well now you've jinxed me," Guin groaned. "I'm gonna fall in one of those tide pools now."

"Wear flats," Jasper said teasingly as he leaned over to give her a quick kiss.

After Guin gets inside, she popped up to Bella's room - where she was struggling to focus on Macbeth - to see if she wanted to go out to dinner.

"Hey Bells," Guin said, leaning on the door frame. "I'm back. What are you doing tonight?"

"Tonight? Nothing, why?"

"Do you wanna come get Chinese food with Mollie and I? We were gonna hang out and chat about whatever," Guin asked, and Bella considered her for a few moments.

"Actually, yeah, that would be fun. What time?"

"Like 7 probably? There's a place in town she wanted to go to. I can message her and ask, though."

"7 would work," Bella said, looking back at her book with a small smile, and Guin grinned.

Dinner it is.

A few hours later, the three girls were squished into a tiny booth in the back of an even tinier restaurant on mainstreet. It was an authentic American-Chinese food place, with the red neon lighting and yelling in Chinese in the kitchen and everything.

Mollie had introduced herself to Bella, after the two girls had realized they'd never really met before, and the three had sat down to look over menus. Mollie leaned her head on one hand, eyeing the menu speculatively.

"We should get an order of dumplings," she said seriously. "The pork ones. Do either of you have dietary restrictions?"

"I'm good with pork," Bella said, and Guin nodded in agreement.

"Sweet, because I love pork dumplings. I wish they had soup dumplings here…" she muttered the last half almost absentmindedly, flipping through the menu.

A few minutes later, after the girls had all settled, a waitress came over holding a notepad and pen.

"Hello," she said through a heavy accent, "Can I get you drinks?"

"Please," Mollie said immediately and the three girls ordered their drinks. The lady nodded once, smiled at them, and walked away.

"Did you know I speak some Mandarin?" Mollie asked conversationally, and Guin made a surprised noise.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I grew up doing my homework in this little Chinese restaurant at home in Texas, and they would teach me Mandarin when I was done. My knowledge is limited to basic conversation and food vocabulary, unfortunately. I couldn't give you directions down the street, but I could order you dumplings and wonton soup without a problem," she says with a laugh.

"Mollie, you're so cool," Guin laughs, and even Bella grins.

"Yeah, I know," Mollie said with a smug smile as the waitress returned with their sodas.

The girls ordered dumplings, eggrolls, fried wonton chips, and crab rangoons to start with (Mollie was hungry, okay?), and the waitress moved off again.

They debated for some time over food choices, before Bella finally settled on beef with broccoli, and Guin and Mollie decided to order two entrees to share - orange chicken and shredded pork with garlic sauce. They also ordered a side of lo mein to share.

Once their food had been all ordered, Mollie turned her sharp eyes on Bella.

"So, Bella," she started sweetly, "I hear you had an interesting lunch, did you not?"

Bella's wooden chopstick snapped in her hand, and Guin laughed.

"Something like that," Bella says tightly.

"Would you, perhaps, like to vent? I am all ears," Mollie said, practically begging, and Guin snorted.

"You're not nearly as smooth as you think you are."

"Actually, venting may not be a bad idea.." Bella mumbled, before she slammed down her chopstick-and-a-half, nodding once seriously. "Alright then, fine. I'll say it: Edward Cullen is a dick."

Guin's mouth dropped open in shock, and Mollie crowed with laughter.

"And he's annoying! And he doesn't make any damn sense! He's unbelievably confusing! 'As long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly', what does that even mean?"

"It means he's a grade-A drama queen, and probably not worth your time," Mollie says dryly.

"He can never just say what he means, he's frustrating, he's infuriating, he's incredibly hot," Bella ranted wildly, and Guin choked on her Sprite, leaning over to cough-laugh into her elbow.

"I hate him!" Bella continued, "I really do! I can't stand him!"

"But you also want to kiss him stupid, huh?" Mollie asked casually.

"Unfortunately, yes! It's infuriating!"

Guin hunched over the table, and laughed until there were tears streaming down her face.