It's been a long few weeks, I am tired, and it's been full of family troubles, and writer's block- I am sorry if the chapter is crappy.
~Chapter Ten~
Everyone stares as I climb off the bike, removing my helmet as Jasper removes his as well, once we start towards the school, he wraps an arm around my waist, I can see Rosalie and Alice high-fiving each other as Edward glares, and Emmett gives Jasper a thumbs up. Behind us, someone whistles, causing me to blush as my stomach rolls, wanting to bury my face is Jasper's chest to hide my burning cheeks, he looks down at me, his eyes flashing yellow a bit. A sense of confidence and trust in Jasper fills me at once. causing me to smile at him, my hand finding purchase in my blonde locks. "You do know that everyone is staring. right?" I tauntingly ask.
"Yes," He pauses. "Edward does not approve of me being here, with you, like this." He looks down at me. "I'm also afraid that I have to leave, as soon as I drop you off at your first class."
"Why?" I ask, my tone is worried.
"It's a matter of, the sun. It's coming out." He answers.
"Then..." I sigh. "take that time to hunt, I know you need it." I reach up to stroke his cheek, right under his eyebrow, his once butterscotch eyes are now darkening, to almost a coal color.
"I promise." He rests his hand over my own, turning his head to press a kiss to the palm of my hand, causing my cheeks to flush as I look away, and he chuckles at me. "I will see you later." He promises.
"Alright." He leans down, pressing his forehead to mine, before he turns, walking away from the building as I sigh, entering the classroom. The day seems to sluggishly pass, until lunch when it seems to hit 50 degrees out, all of the students decide to eat lunch outside, and I eat with Bella, Jessica, and Angela.
"He's not here." Jessica says, causing me to realize that Bella's been searching all of the students, probably for Edward himself.
"Where is he?" She asks.
"Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullen's disappear." Jessica answers.
"What, they just ditch?" Bella's voice is slightly disappointed.
"No, Esme and Carlisle pull them out, to take the camping and hiking and things like that." I feel the lie burning my tongue as they both look at me.
"Oh, yeah. You and Jasper Hale are thing, now." Jessica's jealousy is evident in he tone.
"Guys!" Angela rushes over, causing me to turn my attention on her, instead of sniping at Jessica. "I just asked Eric to the dance, and he said yes! I took control."
"Congratulations!" I smile at her.
"I told you that would happen." Bella says sweetly.
"Are you guys sure, you can't come?" Angela asks, her face and tone are completely disappointed.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." Bella and I say in unison, causing Jessica and Angela to laugh as Bella and I look at each other in surprise.
"Okay, well... we should go shopping in Port Angeles before all the good dresses get taken." Jessica states, causing me to blink in surprise.
"Port Angeles? Mind if I come?" Bella asks.
"Uh, yeah! I need your opinion." Angela says, then looks at me. "You're coming too, Lily!" I nod my head in surprise, the school bell rings, making all of us stand, entering the school once more. After school, Bella drops me off at my house, where I rush upstairs, changing into a black, off the shoulders, ruffled top with my leather jacket, black jeans, my combat boots, with my hair hanging down on my shoulders, which is now black, due to dying it with a box of ebony hair dye.
Grabbing a purse, I tuck in my bottle of pepperspray, throwing in my credit card, that Matthew and Sheryl had given me a month back, and toss in all my money that I have from my jobs I had, before racing downstairs, and out the front door with barely a "I'll be back soon!" over my shoulder as Jessica, Bella, and Angela pull up in the drive.
"Geez," Jessica gapes as I climb into her car. "are your parents loaded. or what?" She teases, I remain silent the entire way to Port Angeles, where Jessica instantly directs us to the biggest store, leading us to the Junior section, Bella and I sit on the couch by the window, watching the little fashion show that Jessica and Angela put on. I find myself giving them a few pointers, in color, designs, and what seems appropriate. A group of men walk past, stopping to tap on the window, whistling and catcalling at all of us, causing me to cringe. "That's disgusting." Jessica states.
"That's embarrassing." Bella says, looking at the piece of paper in her hand.
"Bella, what do you think?" Jessica asks, tugging her straps into place.
"It's nice." Bella murmurs.
"You said that about, like, the last five dresses." The girl sighs.
"I thought, they were all pretty nice." Angela provides.
"I'm sorry, I just... really want to go to this bookstore." Bella provides, causing me to look at her, then stand.
"Why don't Bella and I go to the bookstore, and you two get your dresses for the dance, and we'll meet at the restaurant?" I offer.
"Yeah, that's fine." Bella says, shrugging on her jacket, the two of us wander out of the dress shop, where Bella leads us to the bookstore she was talking about, where she purchases her book, and we walk out, starting toward the boardwalk. Rounding an alley, we pause in place as two men press off the wall, starting toward us, causing Bella and I to turn, walking the opposite direction, our hands clasped as we enter the boatyard, freezing as more guys jump from a boat, stalking over to us.
"There you all are!" One drunkenly slurs.
"Yeah, we had to get our girls!" One behind us shouts, a quick look behind him tells me he's drunk, wobbling on his feet as they circle us.
"You're real pretty." One says, reaching out to stroke my cheek, causing me to flush away, gripping my pepperspray in my bag
"Don't touch me!" I snarl, causing him to grin sickeningly.
"She don't like that, man." One of his friends snarks as Bella swings at one of the men, causing him to laugh.
"Don't touch her!" I shout, my fist snaps out, connecting with one of the men's nose, causing him to go sprawling to the ground, one of his friends grabs my arm, just below my wrist, nails digging into the flesh there, drawing blood, he holds me whole another smacks me across the face, causing me to fall to my knees. Suddenly a car whips around the corner, rushing toward us as I stumble to my feet, grabbing Bella's arm, having planned to throw the two of us in the car's way, it maneuvers strategically to nearly hit all of the men, who jump back, the passenger and rear doors open.
"Get in!" I hear his voice, in unison with his brother's, causing my heart to hammer as I practically throw Bella in the front, climbing in the back as he slams the door shut, pulling me into his lap as Edward revs the car, flipping it around as we enter the busy street once more. My mind races a million miles a minute, my heart hammering as my hands shake, my can of pepperspray in one. "Jasper, distract her! I can't think!" Edward growls, suddenly cold hands are on either side of my face.
"Breathe darlin." Two golden ocher eyes stare into my lapis orbs, my breathing rushes, in and out, of my lungs, scraping against my throat sharply and rapidly, never getting enough air with each attempt. "Breathe, Lily!" Jasper urges, I can see his eyes flashing yellow, like a strike of lightning across the sky, I vaguely feel a rush of tepid calmness down my spine as my eyes prick and burn with unshed tears.
"I... Can't...!... Jazz!" I choke out, my hands fly to my throat, nails digging, peeling at the flesh in a desperate attempt to breathe, to have oxygen as my vision blurs and the edges start to fade to black.
"Jasper, just do it!" Edward snarks, suddenly Jasper's lips are on mine, my wrists are locked in his grip as he holds them by my head, away from my neck, my panic seems to fade as fast as it had come, and once we pull back, I can breathe deeply, again. Jaspers next movements are slow, gentle as he reaches out, brushing a hand along my cheek, I wince as his smooth skin comes into contact with the warm, painfully pulsating hand print on my cheek, then his eyes land on my wrist. Four angry burgundy lines mar the flesh of the inside of my wrist, the bleed had stopped shortly after it had started.
"You should put your seatbelt on." Bella's voice snaps me out of my Jasper induced stupor, shifting around in my boyfriend's lap, as soon as he wraps his arms around my waist, my back to his door, my eyes are on Bella's face, as I realize that she's speaking to Edward, who snidely laughs, before her retorts.
"You should put YOUR seatbelt on." I feel safer, knowing that I am in Jasper arms, which are stronger, and better than any seatbelt, by a longshot. Suddenly, we stop right outside the little Italian restaurant, where Jessica and Angela are currently exiting. "Jasper," I look up at Edward's voice. "Why don't you take Lily back to have Carlisle check her over? Just to be safe." Is that worry in his voice, I hear.
"Right." The four of us jump out, Bella and I rush Angela and Jessica, catching them before anything bad happens, or they leave.
"Bella! Lily! Where were you guys!?" Angela's tone a worried, her voice, , frantic, clearly she was such a sweet girl, worried for her friend's safety, and I can feel my heart go out to her, because all anyone sees, at first glance, is shy and geeky Angela, leaving her with Jessica, Bella, Mike, Ben, Tyler, Eric, and I, the bunch of misfits we are, as her only friends. "We were so worried!" I am vaguely thankful for the dark of the night so they cannot see the marking on my face, my arm, and my neck.
"Yeah!" I have to give it to Jessica, even if she doesn't like someone, she's a good enough person to worry for said person's well being and safety. "We were, like, starving, so we already ate." Or not.
"We're sorry guys, but we-" I feel a familiar presence behind me, knowing that it's Jasper as Edward steps up beside Bella, causing Jessica and Angela to go giddy with smiles.
"You'll have to forgive us, ladies, but we all sort of bumped into each other." Jasper says as I lean back, looking up in his face, as he wears his most dazzling smile.
"When that happened, we got to talking, and lost track of time." Edward finishes for Jasper, but Angela and Jessica shake their heads.
"No, that's totally fine!" Jessica states.
"These things happen, ya know?" Angela provides, causing me to smirk at my boyfriend, rolling my eyes at him.
"So, Bella. Lily. We'll see you... later?" Jessica asks.
"If you all don't mind," Edward steps up to the little restaurant. "I think we should get these two some food?" Edward looks at Bella.
"Yeah," She nods, crinkling her nose. "I should- We should... eat." I bite back a teasing remark.
"Actually, I'm not that hungry." I state, causing Jessica and Angela to look over at me. "Jasper and I are going over to his house, so I can see his family." The lie about his family is more of a half truth, I am actually going to have my injuries checked over.
"Right, well... we'll see you guys tomorrow." Angela states, pulling Jessica along to her chair, just at the end of the street, the two of them giggling, all the while.
"Jasper, take good care of Lily." Bella states.
"No doubt about it." He states, his arms winding around my waist, resting on my stomach.
"Lily?" I look up at Edward, a bit of surprise in my gaze as his gaze sweeps over my neck, face, and wrist. "Thank you," He states. "for what you did for Bella."
"Of course, she's my best friend. Also, Edward?" He looks at me. "Mind your manners, with her, or you will not like me." I threaten, causing him to swallow thickly. "Bella," She looks at me. "use protection." I tease, shooting her a playful wink, causing her to flush bright red, turning to stomp up the steps to the restaurant as Jasper and I both burst into laughter, completely ignoring Edward's look that is a mix between being stupefied and a glare, before he shakes his head, hurrying up to where Bella is now, a bit impatiently, waiting.
"Come on, darlin. I think it's time to get you to Carlisle." He leads me down the sidewalk, towards the edge of the restaurant, where he then throws me on his back, racing off towards Forks. We're there in the blink of an eye, standing outside his house as he lets me down on the ground, then he takes my hand, directing me inside. "Carlisle!" Jasper calls.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Rosalie asks, rounding the corner from the living room, her eyes landing directly on me, she takes in my swelling cheek, the scratches on my throat, and her amber ocher eyes turn a stormy brown. "Lilith, who did this to you?!" She snarls, rush me to take my face in her ice hands, looking me over for any other marks, her eyes land on my wrist.
"Calm down, Rose. Edward and I took care of it." Jasper states.
"I hope you ripped them to shreds!" She growls as I pull away, a bit scared of the beautiful blonde, my hand landing on Jasper's arm as he looks between Rosalie and I.
"Calm down, you're scaring her!" He snaps, causing Rosalie's head to snap to him, before she looks back down at me, her eyes softening.
"Carlisle." Rosalie says, turning as the blonde doctor appears from around the corner, his eyes are quick to take in each area of the injuries, he presses a hand to the small of my back. Leading me into the living room, Alice comes in with Carlisle's medical bag, her sad eyes are on me the moment I see her, and I sit down, allowing Carlisle to disinfect my scratches, before he gently bandages them, then he presses a cold compress to my swelled cheek, Jasper is beside me, his arm is around my waist the moment that Carlisle moves away, pressing a kiss to the side of my head, against my dark hair.
"I wish you'd been more careful, darlin. I practically was climbing out of the Volvo windows when your fear and hatred struck me, I almost shattered the glass when Edward told me what those vile thugs were thinkin." His accent is deepened as he speaks, something I've picked up on, that happens when he's scared, angry, or worried.
"I'm sorry." I murmur.
"It's fine, darlin, but in the future, I want you to be more careful. Ain't no commie or thug gonna hurt what mine, if I gotta say bout it." He snarls.
"Your southern is showing, Jasper." Emmett state, walking in from the back door.
"Shut it, ya damn Yankee!" Jasper snaps, causing Emmett to throw his hands up.
"Whoa whoa! I'm from Tennessee, dude!" Emmett cries as I look up at Jasper, who's grip has tightened, his face has changed, it's harder, and his eyes are darker, this is NOT the Jasper that I know. No, Alice warned me about this, when I came for my visit to meet Esme and Carlisle, the man holding me is not my Jasper, it is The Major, his alter ego, the war hero that comes out when he's too angry, too emotional, she also told me a hint to get him under control.
"The Major, I presume." I state as I look up at him, I spot Esme entering from the back door as well, just in time to hear me, causing everyone in the room to freeze, the air is thick with intensity as the man looks down at me.
"Got that right, sugah." He answers.
"Right, release me. Now, soldier." His arm removes itself from my waist, faster than a snake lashing out, as though he's been burned. Standing, I set the cold compress down, turning to look at this strange in my boyfriend's body, crossing my arms over my chest. "Stand in attention, when speaking to me." I demand, he's suddenly on his feet, standing rigidly straight as everyone around us stares. "I want my soulmate back, soldier, do you understand me?" He salutes, before dropping his arm, suddenly his posture is relaxed, there is almost a physical change in his body, and his eyes brighten. "Jazz?"
"Yeah, darlin?" He asks, causing me to breathe out a sigh of relief, suddenly Emmett is doubled over, body shaking as he cackles, hold his side's as though he'll break a rib, laughing so hard.
"Oh man! One meeting, and the Major is majorly WHIPPED!" Emmett chorkles, Jasper's head snaps over to look at me, as I smile up at him.
"The Major?" I nod. "You dealt with him?" Another nod. "By yourself?" Yet another nod. "And he didn't fight you, or growl at you? Nothing?!" He asks in disbelief.
"I just told him that I want you back, and he gave you to me, I don't enjoy that animalistic look in his eye." I state, picking up my cold compress, which Jasper takes, pressing a loving kiss to my lips.
"You're amazing, you know that?" He smirks that cocky little smirk that I love.
"I know." I joke, pressing another kiss to his lips, before he chuckles.
"I should take you home, before your parents get mad." I nod as I remove my compress from my face, giving it to Carlisle.
"Don't forget to put the ointment on until those wound heal, alright?" He reminds me, his voice is fatherly.
"I will." I promise as Jasper leads me to the front door, where he lifts me on his back, taking off towards my house at super speed, by the time we've stopped, where on my front porch. "You're coming up, tonight, right?"
"Yes, I'm not comfortable leaving your side after tonight, longer then needed." He states, causing my ears to burn a bit, I nod as I open the front door, stepping inside.
"Lilith, is that you?" Sheryl asks.
"Yes!" I answer.
"You're home earlier than expected." She calls from the living room.
"Yup, just got shopped out." I wince at the terrible lie, hoping she doesn't suspect anything behind that.
"Oh, alright." She doesn't.
"I'm pretty tired, so I am gonna go up to my room, and go to bed." I call.
"Alright, goodnight." She and Matthew both call.
"Good night!" I take the stairs two at a time, stumbling once on the second flight, where I smack my knee, causing me to bite my lip as I continue up to my room, where Jasper is sitting, on the ottoman, at the foot of my bed as I close my bedroom door. "I need a minute." I state before he can speak, rushing into my closet to grab my pajamas, then I hurry into my bathroom to change into the black sweats and black tank top, brushing my teeth, and pulling my hair back into a braid as I step out of my room, rubbing the ointment on my injuries, before I wipe off my hand, crawling into his lap. He chuckles, lifting me as I cuddle into his chest, getting the two of us comfortable on my bed, he presses a kiss to my forehead.
"You've had a long day." I give a tired yawn, as I to punctuate his observation. "Rest, darlin." I nod, resting my head on his chest. "Sweet dreams." I find lethargy sweeping over me, knock me right out, making me fall fast asleep, curled in my love's arms.
To be honest, I had not expected to get such amazing and great reviews, so thank you. 2 reviews - one new chapter. Read, review, enjoy.