A/N Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. Anya Simms is all mine.

Chapter 18: The Swan Arrives

APOV

Tues Jan 18th/05

The morning air was crisp as I walked toward the high school the following Tuesday morning, my breath puffing out in little clouds. It wasn't exactly a scenic stroll, but I'd needed to clear my head after everything that had gone down. Spending time with Jasper had been surprisingly... nice. I never felt he was out to kill me, drain me, or screw with my emotions. He was genuinely curious about me and his sense of humour! It truly was a pity he didn't get the word count he deserved. And yeah, I found myself looking forward to seeing him again, to more of those easy conversations that made this whole bizarre situation a little more bearable.

Climbing the stairs to the building, a familiar feeling crept up the back of my neck—the telltale sign that the Honey-Coloured Five-Pack was near. I couldn't help but smile a little, half-expecting to see Jasper and the rest of them gliding out of the shadows, looking like something straight out of a high-end fashion magazine. Despite everything, I was kinda looking forward to it.

But then, instead of the sleek purr of expensive cars, I heard the clatter and groan of a decrepit engine. My smile faded as quickly as it had come, and my mood took a nosedive.

Bella Swan.

The sound of that truck could only belong to one person. I muttered a quiet, "Merde," under my breath, my pace quickening as I hurried toward the entrance. The last thing I needed right now was to deal with the girl who had, quite literally, driven this entire story.

I didn't bother waiting to see if the Cullens had arrived. Whatever conversations or looks might've been exchanged would have to happen without me. I pushed through the doors of the school, determined to disappear into the crowd before Bella even noticed me.

Inside, the familiar buzz of students filled the hallways, and I found myself blending into the background with practiced ease. I knew Bella's arrival was inevitable, but that didn't mean I had to roll out the welcome mat. As far as I was concerned, the less interaction, the better. Still, there was a part of me that couldn't help but wonder how this would all play out now that she was here. Would everything follow the script, or would my presence throw a wrench into the works? And more importantly, where did that leave me?

Once again, lunchtime found me back in the cafeteria, waiting in line to use the microwave. But this time, my constant human companion—Mike Newton—wasn't there to provide his usual chatter. Instead, he was across the room, at a table with Bella Swan.

Of course. The play goes on.

I couldn't help the bitter thought that slipped through my mind. I was, at this point, a mere spectator, and now I had to watch how this all unfolded.

How does Edward act? Will my presence set things off? Will Jasper be able to sense my resignation?

I tried to push those thoughts down, tried to hide the creeping sense of inevitability, but I was failing miserably. I felt like a ghost in my own life, which really wasn't even my life, it was American Anya's life. And now, what? I sit back, watching the story play out exactly as it was meant to?

And then, just as I reached for the microwave, I caught sight of the Cullens entering the cafeteria. I did an internal happy dance as I searched for Jasper's face, hoping he'd look my way, hoping he'd see... something.

But his gaze was focused elsewhere, the usual calm in his expression replaced by something more intense, more guarded. Edward, on the other hand, was already watching Bella, his eyes narrowed as he clued in that once more, he was faced with a human's mind he could not read.

I forced myself to turn away, to focus on heating up my lunch, but the questions kept swirling in my mind. How long would it take before the pieces started moving into place? And where did that leave me? As a background character, or something more?

I was beginning to suffer from Main Character Syndrome.

God how I hated high school.

Note to self: invest in a microwave for my office in the library.

By the time evening rolled around, my mood had taken a sharp turn. The day had been a rollercoaster, but I'd decided there was only one way to deal with the latest monkey wrench tossed into my life—lean in and embrace it. If I was going to be stuck in this Dreamworld, I might as well make the best of it.

And tonight, the soundtrack to my defiance was "Mad World." The haunting melody filled my kitchen as I danced barefoot, letting the music seep into my bones, pushing away the frustration and confusion that had gnawed at me all day. This was my anthem, a reminder that nothing here made sense, and that was okay. I could live with it. I could thrive in it.

The gentle tinkle of the piano notes carried me through the motions of making dinner. I moved with the music, twirling around the kitchen as I chopped vegetables and stirred pots, completely engrossed in the song. For a moment, I let myself forget about everything—Bella's arrival, the looming storylines, all of it. It was just me, the music, and dinner on the stove.

I didn't even notice him at first. I was mid-spin, the lyrics of the song on my lips, when I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped short, and turned to see Jasper standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame.

He was smiling, a soft, amused expression that lit up his eyes in a way that made my breath catch.

"Enjoying yourself?" he teased, his voice warm.

I blinked, the remnants of my dance still lingering in the air. "You could say that Tex," I replied, catching my breath and letting the music fade into the background. "You know how it is—when the world goes mad, embrace it."

Jasper chuckled, pushing off the doorframe and stepping into the kitchen. "Ahh is that what you were doing?"

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the stove but couldn't stop the deadpan escaping. "No, I was doing Sun Salutations."

He nodded and laughed. "Fair point. So, Mad World, huh? Fitting choice."

"Perfect, actually," I said, turning back to the stove, still feeling the haunting piano notes echoing through my house. "it's not like I am going anywhere."

I hesitated for a moment, then, with a casual tone, I added, "Although I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you here tonight. I figured you might be busy... talking your baby brother down off a window ledge or something."

Jasper's smile didn't falter, but there was a subtle shift in his expression, a flicker of understanding as he caught the undercurrent in my words. "Edward's dealing with things in his own way," he said carefully, not giving much away but not dismissing my comment either.

I stirred the pot, trying to keep my tone light, though I was fishing for more. "Dude—I've read the playbook, remember? No need to be coy with me."

Jasper's expression softened into something between amusement and understanding. "Fair enough," he replied, a slight smile curving on his lips. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

"Yeah, well, they might want to die a little quicker around me," I teased, giving the pot one last stir. "Especially if we're going to keep this whole... whatever it is, going." What exactly was it that we were doing?

Jasper nodded, his gaze steady. "You're right. No need to dance around it."

Well, you could dance with me. I kept that thought to myself as I pressed on, "So, anything I should know? Or is it still business as usual in the land of broody mind readers?"

He chuckled softly, leaning against the counter with that relaxed demeanour I was starting to appreciate. "Let's just say... Edward's got a new puzzle to solve. And he felt the best course of action was to get out of Dodge."

A spark of curiosity flared up in me, but I kept my tone casual. "Hunh, figures."

Jasper's smile grew, a knowing glint in his eyes. "So, is this the beginning of Edward's love story?"

I snorted, unable to resist the sarcasm. "Do ducks tread water?" I said, with a pointed emphasis on "ducks," a not-so-subtle nod to the Swan in question.

Jasper chuckled, his eyes lighting up. "Touché."

Right, so either Edward is pissed he can't read Bella's thoughts or he's struggling to drain his singer dry.

Or both.

I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured myself a generous amount of wine, offering the bottle to Jasper with a wry grin. "Well, shit. There isn't enough wine in the world for the amount of broodiness we're about to endure. Remember—your creator went ad nauseam with the broodiness."

Jasper's smile turned into a full-on laugh, and damn if it wasn't attractive! But then, as I took a sip of my wine, reality hit me. "And ugh... you're going to need to be there, aren't you?"

He nodded, a bit of regret in his eyes. "Yeah, I'll have to keep an eye on things."

I sighed dramatically, leaning against the counter. "Damn it. Just when I thought I had the Texan all to myself."

Jasper's grin softened, and he tilted his head slightly. "Who knows, maybe I'll find some time to sneak away."

Oh, interesting, either he hates having to babysit his brother or he likes me. Or maybe both.

"Better," I replied, raising my glass in mock seriousness. "Because if I have to watch Edward brood his way through this 'love story' without at least some decent company, I might just lose it."

He clinked his pretend glass against mine, still smiling. "I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen."

Feeling a bit daring, the wine loosening my tongue, I shot him a playful look. "Well, Tex, the door is always open—day or night."

Jasper's smile widened and his voice dropped an octave when he finally spoke. "I'll keep that in mind."

Was it a little forward of me? Well, given that a few days earlier I had told him he could do what he likes to me that I really didn't care. Saying my door was open 24-7 didn't seem like a stretch. Plus, I always liked Jasper. Add in the fact that he took me into the woods and not once decided to snack on me or use his touchy-feely ways to force me to share more of what I knew, I felt safe giving the invitation.

I could feel my heart pick up its pace, but I kept my expression light, not wanting to push too far.

I could also feel what I thought was a small spark of interest bleeding out of the empath.

Hunh, isn't that interesting?