A/N: Hey! This is the longest chapter yet! Hope you all enjoy, and thanks for following and reviewing! I love hearing what you all think of each chapter. This covered a lot of ground, and lots of good Jasper and Amelia moments :) Next chapter will be soon.

-BrownEyedGirl87

Chapter 6:

Sometimes you open yourself up to a person because you feel and believe that they're different and maybe this time they won't break your heart and that your care, or love, will be requited—whether that's a friendship kind of love or a romantic love. So, you go out on a limb and open up so much of yourself to this person, and the other person does the same. Things that you're afraid to tell others about because of fear of being judged or rejected, but there's just something about this person that allows you to tell them everything. Sometimes the other person is a little cautious, too, but the intent to put themselves out there and show they're there for you is all that's needed.

Jasper and I have done just that since we first met in the middle of last week. When he showed up at my rusty truck's door that rainy Friday with an umbrella in his hand, offering me shelter and escorting me to the school and class, I immediately knew for certain he was a good person through and through. A good man I should say, because he was in no way a regular high school boy. He acted as a grown, noble, and respectful man would. We found ourselves talking any chance we got before and during class as sneakily as we could as well as after in the hall. Also, something pulled me to him, a gravitation that was unlike anyone I've met before and different from my group of new friends at lunch.

He was becoming someone I wanted to always be with. With that being said, anyone who had done me wrong in the past was all forgotten. They were the past, what they had done I forgive them for, and I wouldn't be me if I didn't focus on the good in people especially the good people around me.

The guys I've known pale next to Jasper—none of them can even compare to him. If I kept remembering that old pain and become fearful of opening up again, it would put a dent in me and Jasper's friendship or any of my other friendships currently. I was open to trust again.

Strange enough I found myself friends with Jessica, and eventually Sarah the volleyball girl started sitting at our table becoming friends and talking with my sister Bella as well—whenever Bella wasn't searching for Edward that is. And during lunch, I would zone out of silly conversations and occasionally look over Jasper's way and meet his golden eyes, and I'd feel my entire self smile seeing he was doing the same; especially when he would mischievously smile towards me like he would hear everything Jessica would ask me to tell her about when she would catch wind of some good gossip about me and Jasper being caught talking in the halls.

He was a definite friend, but also a definite possibility of something more than that. However, that may be just on my end… Despite being optimistic and out-going for what I want in life, I had never put myself in the position to chase after a guy or speak up my feelings first. But were they feelings? It was still way too early—then again maybe not, because I hear stories how people do know the moment they meet or after a first date. I would second guess myself after English when Jasper and I would part ways right after class, or after he walked me to my locker at the end of the day. At that point, we would both be smiling infectiously at one another after another sweet yet innocent conversation about our likes or random casual topics, and Jasper would make me blush every time. He never flirted with me since my second day when we talked about history, he said "I'm impressed darlin'." His use of 'darlin' or ma'am had some hint at something, but I believe he calls any girl close to him that.

But it also boosted my high hopes that he didn't spare a glance at any other girl in the school besides his sisters and maybe my own sister. Now that's something.

Like I said, even though it's been a week since starting the rest of my senior year at Forks High, and I just met Jasper, his voice is a velvety soft song I will never tire from listening to. It somehow helps in an inexplicable manner. When he gets passionate talking about his favorite things, most particularly history topics such as the Civil War, he tells me what he learned of it all his life in school as if it were a story. Then me, I would tell him about my passion for art to which he leans his chin into his hand listening to me with a sparkle in his eyes that I can't help but pin as fondness. I'm always completely excited to see him and everything about him makes me happy. Being with him is an emotion of complete comfortability on its own and that alone is what leads me to believe that there is a spark between us, and he isn't blind to it.

"I don't think I've told you this yet." Jasper mumbled quietly as he stared expressionless down the end of the hall as we idly walked to the front of the school; his posture as stiff as a board. It's the end of the day and that was sometimes when Jasper would grow stiff or straight-faced as we parted ways and we'd each go to our siblings.

I glance a little up at him still because he is 6 foot something to my 5'8". While shifting my backpack to my other shoulder, my hand moved at my side brushing his cold hand on accident making me exhale an invisible cloud of frost from my mouth. Embarrassed, I cover it by brushing some hair behind my right ear to hear him better, and I ask curiously, "What would that be?"

"My mother studied art in college," he looks to me with a small smile now that soon grew into a beaming grin when he saw my face light up. I just love how he reacts like that and I bring him out of his shell seemingly easy. "She's an artist herself, even studied architecture and photography. You two would get along very well; both of you are very kind and gentle."

"Aw that's very sweet," I blush, once again, as he always does at dismissal. And his mom? That's a wonderful compliment and a good sign. "She sounds awesome, what is her main interest or area of study?"

"She is indeed. She likes abstract and scenery. You said you like scenery—" Jasper's voice was drowned out by the sound of a girl screaming.

"Yes!" …And another girl was asked to prom that was just announced and wasn't until the end of April… I think. Maybe it's May. I glanced back at one of the several banners above the lockers, but the date was blocked by a wall.

"That went right through my ear," I cringe from the high shriek of her scream. Jasper cleared his throat.

"Yeah you're tellin' me. Anyway, back to what I was saying," He chuckled once before he placed his hand at my lower back as we passed a group of guys hanging out by their lockers. One of them, who was in one of my classes, told me 'hey', but after we passed them, one made a wolf-whistle and said my nickname 'Mila' rather suggestively. The typical flirting of high school, ugh.

Jasper's hand curled around my waist as he slammed our feet to an abrupt stop in the hall, his infuriated face snapped around so fast it gave me whiplash. His jaw was taut and his golden eyes held so much contempt to the boys that I felt myself grow frightened for them. Half of them were grinning at Jasper's reaction, the other half was gulping and nervous at the other end of his deadly glare.

Since my first day, me and my sister Bella have noticed the attention we were getting from the guys, but since Bella kept to herself and kept her face impassive, my kind face drew more unwanted talking and attention. Jasper wasn't around for any of those incidents, but at lunch when a guy would try chatting me up or simply make conversation with me, I would look Jasper's way to see him frowning dejectedly or glaring at the said guy.

Bella pointed this out to me as well last Friday and the beginning of this week after school, so it wasn't all in my head. Since Edward hasn't been around, she has calmed down immensely, but the disappointment showed in her eyes every day when he wasn't there. But it didn't stop her from talking to everyone else in our group, or sliding her chair to mine to ask me about Jasper. Unlike Jessica, I'd tell my sister everything about the Cullen who I enjoy being around.

After lunch, Jasper and I would always meet up shortly in the hall with his sister Alice, who walks with me to history every time. Only this week has it been different. A moody Rosalie would whisk her twin, Jasper, away to the other end of the hall before I could tell him 'hey' again. Rosalie was another story I won't explain this moment.

"Jasper," I call his name softly but sternly. It took me placing my hand on his hard chest to get him to exhale a low hiss, but he was calming down slowly but surely. Still, what he was feeling was affecting me. I began to feel a surge of anger as well as uncomfortable the more the guys kept standing there almost in mockery.

But I wasn't going to explode or start anything. If I told them anything, they would just ignore me or laugh. Bravely, I listened to my inner peace to make peace of the situation, and I carefully placed my hand on Jasper's searing cold left cheek, turning his face to me to which his eyes widened in surprise that fell away to his fondness for me and my company. His anger evaporated like steam into thin air.

"They're not worth it, okay?" I tell him and he gives me a faint smile that only I could recognize on his naturally serious face white as snow. Now, the fluorescent lights made his eyes glow an eerie, ethereal gold that was the color of dark honey, void of any recognizable emotion. "Nothing they say matters. Anything a guy tells me in this school I overlook and ignore, except for you."

His body turned towards me, now, and his hand dropped from my side to take my hand from his cheek and hold it in his own. He then bends down to place a gentlemanly kiss on the back of my hand making me melt. My entire body grew hot despite his naturally cold skin touching mine.

He straightened himself smoothly, and his eyes now shine with a tender look that should be criminal as he placed his hand back at my back while he escorted me away from the guys and down the rest of the hall. "You are my undoing, darlin'."

My boldness rose, and I couldn't stop myself from responding back in kind. "I could say the same for you," I smile as I sealed my lips in attempts to hide my big smile. He squeezed is lips shut into a thin line, and his hand froze at my back. Was he rubbing it? No wonder my nerves eased.

Seeing his reaction that deflated a little of my confidence, I asked to be sure, "But is that ok?"

After all, he flirted with me just now. Yet he could just be testing the waters, and I didn't want to lose him as a friend.

Jasper looked to me in concern, his throat gulping noticeably, "I don't see why not."

Blushing, I stumble out, "I meant… you. Is it alright that I do that to you? Be your undoing? I don't mean to."

He opens the door for me, still keeping his hand at my back like an ice pack over a bruise that won't heal and I hope it never does heal if it means he finds a reason to hold me like that. Meanwhile, it's still raining hard, again. We stayed under shelter a bit longer waiting for it to lighten up.

"No, it's completely alright. I'm perfectly fine with that Amelia," he answers honestly. "It's nothing you can control." His tone laced with reassurance. "You never do anything wrong or deter me in any way. In fact, it's a good thing. A very good thing that you can do that to me—" Interrupted, Jasper looked up, past me, to his sister Rosalie approaching us with a scowl on her face—reminding me of Gothel in Barbie Rapunzel—leaving me a little disgruntled. My face probably showed a hint of it as my eyes held defensiveness.

"Hey." I quietly said politely and attempt to be friendly, but she only amplified her snootiness and ignored me. I shift my eyes to the ground and the feet of other students walking to their cars before chancing to look between Rosalie and Jasper.

"Time to go Jas. We're needed at home." Rosalie narrowed her golden eyes to me after she said that, her perfect face turning like a live, marble statue of Venus.

"As always, but for once I'm needed elsewhere. Just one more moment and I'll be right over," Jasper's tone didn't give his sister the option. He settled it with sending her an annoyed look of his own that made my toes curl and my lips almost break into a pleased smile.

Rosalie nodded by the hardest, and with her plump, dark mauve painted lips closed, she judged me with caution and contempt before her light blonde hair billowed up, perfectly dry, as she reopened her umbrella and propped it on her shoulder as she walked away towards their cars and other siblings.

I wasn't going to say anything, but my out-spokeness got the better of me. Her attitude was uncalled for, and she just started this on Monday with me!

"It seems like I'm doing something wrong with her, but I did nothing." I tell Jasper with a frown. "Why did she look at me like that?"

"My sister is overly protective is all. She is worried that something is wrong with me," Jasper shook his head after he said that, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Ever since we met and I've been with you, they've noticed a change in me. Talking to someone other than them for the first time is rather concerning for my sister."

"I'm not a bad person though…" I mumble feeling guilty for actually making Rosalie treat me that way. Well not making her, literally, but being the cause of her over-protection is a tough feeling I know all too well dealing with my sister. Then, she had no right to separate us or ruin our friendship. She could loosen the reins a lot.

On the other hand, Jasper did have some kind of issue, but I wasn't ready to ask him what it was. In fact, that was his to tell much to my anxiousness. As all these emotions and thoughts whirled inside of me, Jasper's intense gaze anchored me back down in reality. Once my eyes locked with his, the intensity only risen.

"I know you're not. You aren't." Jasper nearly growled. It sounded like it was directed to me, but being the immediate deep thinker I am, he may have growled at himself. He blames himself for a ton of things he has told me, but the only things I was aware of was how he reacted to me my first days of school.

"And you aren't either! Whatever you blame yourself for, I don't. I don't blame you for anything you've ever done." I tell him in an equally hushed voice. Like he was struck by lightning, his face crumbled to a look of weakness and shame.

I continued as I swallowed, "I'm sorry. I don't want to be the cause of a rift between you two. The last thing I want is drama or to…" I paused feeling the rest of my dangerous words on the tip of my tongue. To lose him as a friend would be another hurt I didn't want. Suppressing the strange feeling of ease filling up inside my head, I grab hold of my embarrassment and guilt and walk away with one last silent nod to him, this time reaching for the hood of my jacket to brave the rain.

"Amelia." Jasper stops me, his hand grabbing my own that trembled. I admit, I was a little afraid of how close we started to get so soon, and just this afternoon how he showed such protectiveness of me, and that kiss on the hand! Where was all this coming from? "Don't worry about her, she'll come around."

I know he made no promise, nor was I expecting him to. Still, I managed to smile though forced. Now I have to be cautious in light of Rosalie. "If you say so."

"Then why do I see doubt in your eyes?" Jasper points out, stepping to stand beside me now. He opened his umbrella with ease and holds up his arm for me to take so he can walk me virtuously. As I carefully buried my cold arm in his gray wool coat, I feel a little nauseous all of a sudden so I speak quickly and honestly, unable to cover up what I'm feeling.

"Because I'm trying to figure everything out," I tell him as he walked with me underneath his umbrella in the parking lot to my truck. "Figure you out still as you are me, I assume."

Jasper nods slowly, "Yes, I am. You look surprised to hear that if I ain't mistaken."

Shaking my head, I lightly lick my dry lips as I gave him a tiny smile as he does to me countless times. "A little. Just why me all of a sudden? That's what I'm curious about."

We stop some feet away from the truck to finish talking and so Bella, standing outside the truck waiting for me, wouldn't hear us.

"Why are you so cautious?" He asks me, trying to shift the questions my way.

I exhale through my nose as I let go of his arm and tucked my hands under my armpits as I crossed my arms comfortably. "I told you that. I'm careful who I let in my life now and give my trust to. My kindness was taken advantage of at my old school."

Jasper shut his eyes then, and shook his head almost not at all it was so fast. When he opened his eyes again I spoke first and to remind him of my previous question, "One day I'd like to trust you completely, and also not let your sister's glaring get to me, but I can't until I know you better… That's all it is. But why me? And why are you more cautious than before we started talking?"

He smiled with his teeth in a tight grimace, and his head tilted briefly to the side as he struggled to find a response. When he does, it's a wave of charm that only belongs to him as he spoke in low tones, falling gently like the rain from his light-red lips. "I told you that, too. You're not like them at all. You're a fountain of endless joy that I can't get enough of." Then his head snapped around in the direction of his siblings as if he heard something.

I looked where he was and saw Emmett smirking our way as his wide, buff chest shook with laughter. Rosalie reached to pinch his ear and forcibly turn him away as Alice looked on at us with an expressionless face for once, set in a frown, but her golden eyes from here I can see are deep in thought. He's so attentive of his surroundings… Especially with his siblings even if they're on the other side of the lot.

"So… I make you happy is what you're trying to say? And you do like being around me?" I reel Jasper's attention back to our conversation, and he immediately refocuses on me as he stuffed his hands back in his coat pockets.

"Yes," he answers with a slight nod and his perfect, small, lopsided smile he was trying to keep discreet. "It's why I'm cautious and I don't want to scare you off." Before I could reply to that, he shrugs, adding an honest truth of his that would keep me up all night. "Furthermore, I can't help but be a little scared by your kind, beautiful heart and the way you make my voice shake. Again, it's not in your control ma'am."

I felt my mouth was open, and I definitely looked like a parched fish or dying mermaid as I stood there, gaping at his words like a love-sick fool. Oh my word, lovesick… The nausea returns.

"You will see me tomorrow." He tells me with a confirming nod as we started to part ways as cars drove past to leave the lot. "You and your sister have a good afternoon now."

"You too. Thank you for walking me." I nod back to him and watched him walk off. He turned to give me a final beaming grin that made me forget I was standing in the rain, then returned to weaving between cars and back to his siblings to leave.

"Um, keys would be nice right now Mills." Bella calls out to me in impatience, probably soaked to the bone.

"Right! Sorry," I tell her as I rushed around the truck and unlocked the doors. After tossing my backpack in and climbing in, shutting the door with Bella, I start the truck as she started talking.

"Mila, he was there today. He talked to me." Bella whispered in a discreet mumble as she removed her coat. I could tell she was hiding the smile from her face, so I slapped the steering well with a huge smile as we sat in park.

"Come on! I told you he didn't hate you!"

Bella blinked, "Whoa, wait, what makes you think it went well?"

"You're blushing and biting your lip—biting back that rare Bella smile," I laugh as she covers her now bashful face with her pale hands as I put the truck in reverse and prepared to drive off. "Did you smile to him? Please tell me you did, at least once."

"Of course I did!" She chuckles as her face turned red.

"Yeah girl!" I gas her up. "That's what I'm talking about. Damn I sound like mom, I'm so sorry," I stop to recollect myself making her laugh even more. "That's a first. So… how.. did.. it.. go?" I said each word on its own and slowly to chase the thought of my mom out of my mind and this conversation. The last thing I wanted in this world was to sound like her.

"Very… well, actually," Bella slowly replied with a sigh.

When I turned the truck out of the parking lot, I narrowed my eyes at her. "Come on you don't have to mock me."

She shook her head, the smile returning to her pink lips briefly, "I wasn't. I'm just in disbelief still is all. The entire time I was referencing, in my head, what you told me of you and Jasper and how he talked to you the first time. I made sure I was calm and nice."

"What's he like? And where has he been, did you ever find that out?"

"He was out of town for a couple days," she scoffed as I tilted my head, sort of believing him. "He's polite, a little awkward asking me about the weather, you know? He asked about our situation moving up here, mom and Phil…"

"That's alright. Jasper was curious too. How much did you tell him?" I ask her.

"A lot, actually. He left abruptly in the hall, before my last class." Bella paused making sure I was listening. I nodded my head as she continued. "You said Jasper's eyes are golden, right? And Alice's?"

Now thinking of Jasper's eyes that I drown in every day, I sigh, "Yeah."

"And they're sometimes dark… like black when they're worked up over something?"

I shudder thinking of any of their eyes that dark, but once again, that was something I was curious about but not ready to ask Jasper yet.

"Yeah they change a little. It's probably—"

"Yeah yeah, the stupid fluorescence," Bella groaned. "Just, Edward's eyes looked super light gold today; it's the most unique color I've ever seen. I asked him if he got contacts but he said no it's the fluorescence and left after that."

I snickered thinking of something funny as she imitated Edward's response. "I wear contacts. And those contacts, it's not to hide who I am, but to create what I am. You made his voice sound so deep so it sounded like Bruce Wayne. But is he still all brood and gloom?"

"He's a guy," Bella rolls her eyes. "His voice wasn't as deep as I thought it'd be… but he speaks maturely, and shy. No he wasn't brooding at all or gloom, much. Just curious and shy."

"Much like his brother." I nod my head and think about them and how they must get along at home, or better yet what they talk about. "Did he... flirt?"

Bella's breathing wavers as she smiled funny. "I guess. He also said he had trouble reading me."

My smile drops to a frown after she said that. "You're not that closed off."

"But you're my sister, you know me better than anyone, especially better than dad." Bella tells me as she swallowed. "It's probably nothing. Like you and Jasper, you're figuring each other out still and talking a lot more. Like, has he asked you to senior prom yet? There was a boy in almost all of my classes who want to ask you."

"Junior-senior prom," I correct her with a pointed look, insisting she should consider going with friends or a date. "And no he hasn't. I don't expect him to, I'm not even sure I want to go. We're not that close yet either. That may be a while."

"I doubt that. He looks at you like you're an angel in a pit of fire or water in a desert," Bella comments in a relaxed sigh, shutting her eyes some as I drive in the rain.

I raise an eyebrow at her silly simile comparisons, but what she said… my heart was beating with so much gladness and hope.

"Really?"

Bella looks back over at me as if I grew a second head, "Uh, yeah. He's crushing on you big time sis. Anyway, you like dancing though. And it's your last school dance. He could at least take you as a friend, for now." Bella reminds me. I still shake my head, so she asks something else. "So what were you talking about so importantly that I was getting soaked in the rain? It looked serious."

I reach for the wet ends of my hair and twirl them clumsily, "It was about our caution around each other, you know opening up about everything and me not completely trusting him yet. Then he was saying how happy I make him and he likes being around me. He said he was a little scared by my kind, beautiful heart and I make his voice shake. So that explains why he is a little shy and quiet."

It was Bella's turn for her to drop her jaw. "Mila, that's—that's perfect! He sounds so perfect for you."

Blushing red, I bite my lip shyly. "Nothing's perfect though—"

"—It could be! If you seek it and pursue it diligently, see the imperfections are what make things perfect, you said that Mills," Bella took me by surprise when she said that. After we pulled into the driveway and I put the truck in park, I looked at her for all the answers. "I think he really, really likes you. And he just met you too."

"That's why I'm cautious and being careful," I tell her with a little smile. "I do like him… a lot. His sister Rosalie is overprotective of him is all and it kind of frightens me."

"Why would she frighten you? Forget about her, Jasper is his own person," Bella shakes her head.

I sigh, "He knows that, he steps up to the plate when it involves me. It frightens me because he could easily be swayed to stay away from me, and I could cause a rift between them. She glares at me like I would hurt him, like seriously harm him."

Bella rolls her eyes and scoffs, "You would never, you can't even harm a fly."

I shrug, leaning my head against the window, "Except the half-dead ones. Those are annoying."

"Just an expression, not literally." Bella dryly reiterates. "Mills, don't downplay anything like you always tell me. Go with your feelings and stay positive. Jasper comes across as someone who can read you and already know that you're perfect." He sure does treat me like I'm perfect… That is hard to come by, and I have never been respected by someone as much as he has been treating me.

I lean the other way, resting my cheek in my headrest as I look to my little sister who keeps spewing all this wisdom, facts, and motivation.

Bella swallows then, "I don't mean to sound like mom. Sorry."

"No." I shake my head and turn the engine off as the rain lets up a little. "You don't. You sound like Bella. I can always handle that."

Bella sighs, "Really? Seriously?"

I laugh, repeating what she said with sarcasm, "How many times do I have to keep telling you? You're perfect too Bella, don't let Edward walk over you like a mat. He should know you're the best girl in the world."

She shakes her head, "I have a tiny crush on him but no feelings at all yet. I can't read him either believe it or not. Come on let's get inside, you cook tonight." I nod my head, grab my things, and we exit the truck in the drizzling rain.

Then I make a second glance at what my sister is cradling in her arm and hands, "Is that an onion?"

"Edward and I won the mitosis thing," Bella explains. "Being a gentleman, he let me take the golden onion."

"So it can remind you of his eyes?" I joke as she hits my back with jest. "Sorry but that was too funny not to say. Let's wash it so I can chop it up and put it on my ham sandwich."

"And you say I'm weird with food." Bella scoffs, placing the onion in my hands as she walked past me with an annoyed exhale.

I point at her, following her into the house, "I like flavor, and you don't. Onions are good for you too. They are known to be put on a sandwich unlike raisins."

A crush is a seed for something more. Hopefully I get the flower and not the thorns. But crush, the term wouldn't exist if it doesn't hurt does it? When did the feelings start? When I first laid eyes on Jasper, or when we first collided in the middle of last week? I looked forward to school every day, and I looked forward to seeing him walk up to me, smile, talk, and escort me to my truck when it was storming or just plain cloudy outside. He made time to do that and wanted to, no guy would do that if he wasn't interested in the girl.

After Bella and I talked in the truck after school, and she used the word crush, it only made me feel like an idiot for not recognizing sooner what I feel budding. Then that night as I fell asleep without any music, just the show M*A*S*H playing in the background, I kept thinking of Jasper's words in my mind. His voice wasn't his perfect southern drawl and earthmoving as it is in person, but his words still held so much weight to them whenever he spoke to me. Even the way his lips lightly grazed the back of my hand, but that slight contact elicited an ecstatic response from me, and brightened the spark I see between us.

Last night I dreamed of Jasper for the first time. It was a quiet dream as if it were a silent movie, and all we did was walk arm in arm through the dense green forest, side by side staring straight ahead at something entrancing us. As we got closer to the bright light, I smelled something burning like firewood, and I realized it was a fire in front of a large tree. In the dream, Jasper said we would go to the other tree because it was for us, but I was compelled to go to the other tree. His grip on my arm tightened and no longer was he escorting me, but picking me up and forcibly carrying me away from the tree on fire that I wanted to save and he wouldn't let me. The black smoke spread and my hands slapped Jasper's back to drop me. When I grabbed his blonde hair at the nape of his neck, he turned me to him and made eye contact with me—his eyes were black as the smoke, burning with a bloodcurdling thirst. The anger in his eyes when I met him returned as well as the brooding stare in class, breaking my heart.

So, I woke up right before my alarm, gasping from the screaming I was doing in my deep dream. My hand was on my other pillow with my nails dug into it harmlessly. The burning smell my dream had was gone replaced with the smell of my dad or sister frying bacon downstairs. I pushed the covers off my bed, I shook my head at the awful dream, scraped the sleep out of my eyes with my right index finger, and got up to style my hair in waves that I haven't done in a while.

For my own comfort, I put on my soft, white junior year softball team shirt with the team title Desert Vipers across the chest in royal blue, and the number 8 on my back. I bend my head down as I pulled the neck of my shirt to my nose to sniff it, smelling a permanent sunscreen scent because it's been worn to the beach and extremely hot games where I applied lotion and spray. Over that I wore my favorite gray suede jacket I always wear, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and my gray sneakers.

After going downstairs and ate a quick breakfast which was a couple piece of bacon with milk, I took a vitamin C before chewing some minty gum. Bella and I waited for dad to come back with our truck so we could go to school. I had no clue where he could've gone other than to get us gas.

"I hear it." Bella suddenly stands from the couch, grabbing her backpack and heading towards the front door. Sure enough I heard the old chugging engine and the brakes squeaking as it turned into the driveway before put in park.

I followed Bella with my things and shut the front door and locking it behind me, smiling at dad who waved to us.

Going down the steps being mindful of the slick patches of ice and wet puddles from yesterday and last night, I had no time to warn Bella who was oblivious to the patch of ice she just walked over. Her legs flew up from underneath her and she landed on her backside with a startled yelp and hiccup. I hurry carefully to go to her, but dad waved his hand to me to stay where I was as he ran to Bella.

I wince at her fall because it sounded hard, but she got back up without a problem.

"Are you alright?" Dad helped her up and held her arm after she was straightened just to be sure she had balance.

"Ice doesn't really help the uncoordinated," Bella makes light of it with an amused sigh.

"Yeah." Dad withdraws his hands from her to help me around the ice and slick wet pavement. When I was near the truck, he let me go and went up to the front of it. "That's why I had some new tires put on the truck, the old ones were getting pretty bald."

I put my backpack at the base of my seat and looked at him. "Thank you dad."

He nods to me then at Bella even though she said nothing, "No problem kiddo. Well I'll probably be late for dinner I gotta head down to Mason County." Dad walks down the driveway to his ice blue police car in the street. A security guard at the gristmill got killed by some animal." My heart filled with hurt at the news as I was also speechless such a freak occurrence could happen like that so fast.

"An animal?" Bella questions. We stared at dad as he opened his car door.

"You're not in Phoenix anymore Bells," dad tells her directly. I stare at him from my place on the other side of the truck, standing at the rear of it lost in thought of what animal it could've been. "Anyways I figured I'd lend a hand."

"Well be careful," Bella and I told him at the same time making dad grin understandingly.

"Always am." He assures us.

"And thanks for the tires." Bella finally thanked dad making him smile differently.

"Yeah." He nods his head to her lastly before ducking inside his car, leaving before us.

"That's pretty wild and awful," I tell Bella as we got into the truck and were on our way to school before we knew it.

"I know. Was it a bear you think?" She asks me somewhere along the way.

I shrug, "Or a wolf or bobcat, those are more prone to attacking people I think."

Bella raises an eyebrow at me as she drove, "You've been up here more than I have. You should know these things."

"I do but not so early in the morning." I groan in a hushed mumble making her giggle.

In the parking lot of school, Bella pulled into a parallel parking spot near the front of the school but facing the exit so we can leave easily not having to worry about backing out.

Bella was about to turn off the engine before craning her neck to look in the back window, but then turned back to check the rearview mirror. "On cue, your white and shining armor is on his way."

"Shut up Bells," I tell her with a swat of my hand on her shoulder.

"I just think it's so polite that he does that. It makes him more handsome than he already is." Bella tells me as she turns the truck off and grabs her things.

"Okay mom, or granny more like," I giggle. "I'll see you at lunch okay?" I open my door as I grabbed my backpack and stepped down while looking around at the other few old cars present. Jasper was easily spotted, approaching me closer with a charming, subtle grin and smile in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm going to return this textbook to Angela. I borrowed it from her yesterday and forgot to give it to her. You think she'll kill me?"

I look back at Bella wryly, "With her camera and tons of paparazzi flashes, yeah, knowing you. That'll take you down in a heartbeat."

"That makes me feel better. Well see 'ya," Bella nods her head to me and to Jasper who made it to my side, catching the end of our conversation, and I shut the door to the truck. We watched Bella walk around the truck, but instantly my gaze went right to Jasper in a white coat that looks insanely gorgeous on him. A living angel. When the breeze pushed his scent of pine and outdoors to my nose, I couldn't help but beam as he looked down at me. His light amber-ish eyes gained a sparkle seeing me do so.

"How did you sleep?" Jasper asked, extending his arm to me I gladly take. He has never asked that personal of a question before. It alarmed me more because I dreamed of him last night for the first time, and it was a private question that only a concerned boyfriend who cares enough would ask. I know that for a fact. So currently my heart is on the verge of exploding as we walked side by side to the school.

Seeing my brief panic, he raised an eyebrow and closed the appropriate gap between us as he lowered his voice to concern, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," I nod my head twice. "It's fine. I just didn't sleep well last night was all. Well, in the morning I should say."

"I'm sorry darlin', that's no good," he murmurs with the concern gradually lessening in his light eyes. "Maybe in bio you can lay your head down on the table. Our field trip is tomorrow anyway, Molina will be showing us a video today about plants."

"Oh right. Fun. Something we clearly don't know a lot about," I smile lightly. "I should be okay though. Thank you."

"No problem." He returns the gentle smile. His eyes look past me for a short minute. Thinking it was Rosalie, I prepared myself to meet her glare, but come to find out he was looking at my sister walking past us and back to the truck to hang out before the bell rings. She kept her head straight, avoiding eye contact with me and Jasper.

"You and your sister look very much alike." Jasper comments perceptively.

"You think so?" I ask him, turning back to him as we walked. This time his hands were kept to himself, one of his pale hands over his shoulder bag, the other on his strap.

"Certainly related anyone could see," he chuckles at my slight unsureness. I know we look a lot alike, our features only molded divinely different on us, but I was also shy at his words. Whenever anyone would point that out, I'd freeze up like anyone else would, unsure of what to say. "But there's definitely a big difference between you two."

I tilt my head, thinking about his ambiguous response. "My eyes?"

"Yes, that's part," he nods thoughtfully. "But not the big difference."

"If it's my little tan then ha-ha, heard that countless times already." I made him laugh deeply.

"No, it's not your complexion." He reassures me. The enjoyment in his eyes having me guess made me blush.

"So… what is it?"

"Your—" The sound of a horn blaring and tires skidding like thunder and brakes screeching interrupts Jasper and causes us to both snap our heads around to see what was going on. My eyes landed on the sporadic movement in the parking lot matching the sound.

"That's Tyler's van!" I exclaim, panic fills me seeing him slide around the empty lot avoiding a car backing up, and it looked like he got it under control, until I noticed his truck was still skidding and made one last turn.

In slow motion, my eyes fell to my truck—me and my sister's truck—and she was innocently standing oblivious on the side of it, the side that the black van was about to collide into.

"Bella! No!" I yell at the top of my lungs to no avail. Bella removed one of her earbuds and turned her head slightly, seeing the van a few feet away from her. I drop my bag at Jasper's feet dart forward, but his arm grabs me.

"No stay back—I won't let you get hurt by any impact." He calmly told me despite his panicked face. He was focused on the scene he was about to witness while I was physically reacting to it, not just standing by!

I frowned at him, gritting my teeth, "That's my little sister let me go to her!" The collide of the van and the truck happened as I snapped at Jasper; the sound of crushing metal made my voice crack, and no sign of Bella made my heart shatter into oblivion. My stomach churned ravenously like the sea in a hurricane, and my body burned all over with fear and pain of losing my baby sister.

When a broken cry fell from my mouth, Jasper's hand and arm fell from me instantaneously as I took off running to the truck with tears already spilling from my eyes while I shouted my sister's name.

The students were standing between other cars, not in my way, so I raced down the lot I just walked. My attention was focused solely on my sister somewhere on the ground between the two large vehicles, but a sudden shadow caught my attention. In a split second, Edward Cullen had made eye contact with me as he leapt over the hood of Bella's car. The freaking Batman just pulled a stunt I envisioned him doing last week. What did he just do? He was nowhere near Bella!

His face was stern and fearful of something, but his eyes gave away his masked respect right before he abruptly turned away and ran down the little incline into the road, disappearing somewhere I didn't follow. I made it to the truck, grabbing the tailgate and the back of the van to hoist myself up and throw myself over the collision. I jumped down to the pavement, seeing my sister sitting safely on the ground like a baby bird that fell from its nest.

I glance to the van that should've hit her but didn't, and where her body would've touched it was a large indent like a boulder rammed into it. That didn't add up, it wasn't right.

Relieved and sobbing, I throw myself on my sister who was coming to a slow stand, ghastly pale staring at a ghost in front of her. Maybe it was just her regular paleness, but she looked fearful and after what just happened, my excessive worrying may have blinded me.

"Bella! Wait, be careful," I took her in my arms and hugged her tight as ever. My hand went to the back of her head and held it.

"I'm fine Mills, I promise." She whispers in a mumble to me, looking all around her dazed, trying to find something. I turn her to look at me, my ringing ears finally hearing students shout from behind me and crowding behind the vehicles. Mike jumped over where the vehicles touch like I did, and comes to help with Bella. A girl I didn't know shouted she was going to call 911. Angela being smart came running up the open side, talking to Bella trying to see if she would communicate clearly.

I look her over with Jessica, who pushed her way through the students gathering at the open end to look at Bella's face. Sure enough, I saw nothing broken, bleeding, or even a scratch or scuff on her.

"Bella I'm- I'm so sorry!" a remorseful Tyler stuck his head out of his half-opened window with a bleeding cut on his forehead.

"She's just stunned, I think," I tell my group of friends, expecting the strangers to just listen in on me. "She was sitting down there and the van—" was pushed? Bella is so light she wouldn't have been standing so firm for the van to push back… I point to the dent in the van that Mike kneels down to look at.

Mike puts his hand on my shoulder, looking at me for a long time to comfort me, "Your father and the other policeman will show up to look at it." Right after he said it, we heard the sirens of an ambulance.

"No he's in Mason County—oh my lord I gotta call him. Bella are you sure—" I ask her again and she nods coherently. "I'm fine, call him and let him know."

I got dad on the phone and told him what happened and he immediately flipped a gasket. He said he was on his way. He was in the middle of investigating the crime scene where the person died.

Two ambulances pulled in as I wrapped up the call, telling dad that they were going to take Bella and Tyler in the ambulance to the hospital.

"Amelia." Jasper's hand on my shoulder and smooth voice grabs my attention. I clutch my phone to my stomach and look to him and see him holding my backpack over his shoulder. "I can give you a ride to the hospital."

I was in such a mental fog that I couldn't even respond, blush, or feel my heart pound when Jasper draped his arm firmly over my shoulders and led me to his jeep. He guided me to the passenger side and helped me in, shutting the door before rushing to the driver's side and jumping in, revving the engine to life. I also didn't see him look to his two sisters standing near the silver Volvo, sharing a knowing look.

I blinked once and we were already backed out and speeding through the parking lot about to turn onto the road way behind the ambulance rushing to the hospital.

"Thank you." I tell him with a shaken up breath, getting a hold of my emotions as best as I could. Thankfully I regained levelheadedness.

He waved it off only replying, "My father will be there. He'll take care of her as soon as she gets there."

"I hope she wasn't hit. She wasn't bleeding."

Jasper tensed when I said that, but I wasn't ready to question it. If he was sensitive to talking about blood, then this wasn't the best time to discuss that. If my sister was hurt and bleeding, you bet I'll vocally express my concerns. But good thing she wasn't.

"This may sound strange, but your brother Edward was there." I felt the words leave my numb lips as I recognized the wave of calmness wash over me as it normally does when I'm with Jasper. I still felt my heart beating out of my chest for my sister—maybe subconsciously knowing I was driving with Jasper too—but I was feeling calm as anyone could get with leftover nerves. My sister was okay.

"Yes, he was with us this morning with the others," he nodded to me, rushing his response.

I swallowed to clear my dry throat and ease my fear of sounding silly, "Yeah, but he jumped over my sister's truck when I got there. He was in the middle of the collision with her somehow."

Jasper didn't say anything to that. His face only held a look and emotion I haven't seen on his face since last week and it was pain.

"I know you saw it too," I tell him, watching his hands grip the steering wheel as he drove. He kept his eyes fixed on the road. "It was right next to where I was standing and he ran from the scene. We made eye contact."

Jasper smirked mirthlessly, "My brother is stubborn like the rest of us, if not awfully more. He would never admit to that."

"That he pushed the van and my sister out of the way? That large round dent didn't come from my sister's light and fragile body." I ask and explain.

He swallows now, but this time fear rolled off of him in waves. The silence in the jeep was filled with it until he finally responded. His drawl thicker. "I'm not gonna say you're wrong darlin', but I won't say you're right either."

"You won't say I'm right, that your brother saved my sister? She stood up unharmed."

"I know she did. At least it looked like she did. I was more concerned for you nearly running into the middle of it. I'm glad you weren't in the middle of it." When I said nothing but closed my eyes, cringing at what could have been, he continued.

"She could have still hit her head, but I pray that's not the case." He looks over at me now as he crossed the intersection and safely sped the rest of the way. The ambulance was no longer in sight.

"Me either. I pray the same. But I also pray that what trust I have for you is rightly placed."

"It is. I'm striving to be granted all your trust every day." He swerves into the empty hospital parking lot and pulls straight into a spot. He looks to me with intense eyes as he parked it. "I promised you I would never put you in that position again, where I would be senselessly angry at you or take out any frustration on you in any way."

"And I see that, I do. All I ask right now is please don't lie to me or think I'm a fool." I say with emphasis. "I know what I saw."

His hand clenched into a lightly closed fist over the console between us as he closed his eyes, preparing for a slap in the face he was expecting or something. When he opened his eyes as I unbuckled myself, they glistened with utter fear and fierce care. My emotions were all over the place once again. Him making me feel so strangely calm, happy, cautious, and timid mixed with concern for Bella inside the hospital.

"Amelia, you are no fool at all but trust me when I tell you that I can't answer that right now." His voice faded several notches to an indistinct whisper that would've been carried away in the wind if we were outside. "And always know I would never lie to you."

My fear for Bella and her wellbeing, and the intensity of his words, his honest words that I severely believed, had me nodding repeatedly as stinging hot tears fell from my eyes and down my face.

Considerately, he reached his hand over and brushed away both sets of tears, his hands lingering with a slight tremble as he waited for my response.

"Okay. I trust you." I felt the words pile on top of one another like honey. I had no hesitation or fear. "I need to see my sister now."

"Let's go see her, come on." We get out at the same time and shut the doors. He met me in the front of the Jeep and led me to the doors with his hand on my lower back.

We walked up to the front desk and the old, well-seasoned nurse with thick, curly black hair looked right at me.

"Are you Isabella Swan's sister?"

I nod and reply, "Yes ma'am. May I see her?"

She stands up and walks out from behind the desk, "Yes you can. She looks to be perfectly alright. Dr. Carlisle will be in there soon for a final examination."

Jasper lowers his hand from my back as I looked up at him. He gestured with his head for me to go.

"I'll wait out here." He spoke through tightly shut lips; the pain in his eyes and the expressionless look plastered on his face like the first day I saw him. Not wanting to leave him like that and to make both of us feel better, I absentmindedly reached for his hand, and squeezed it gratefully with care. I also wondered what was going through his mind.

Promptly he squeezed back, his golden eyes widened with the sparkle in his eyes that he had right before the accident happened, the pain going away only a little. But with no smiling, I left him at the front and followed the nurse to the emergency doors. It was a small hospital in a Podunk town like dad had said, so there wasn't much to the average, clean place. There's no way to get lost in it.

Bella was about to have her blood pressure checked when I walked in, seeing Tyler being looked at on the cot next to hers.

"I'm so sorry Mila," Tyler told me as I walked past his bed. "I tried stopping it."

"I know I heard the brakes. Gave us all a huge scare for sure," I exhale, looking to my sister then back to him. "Glad you're alright, right?"

"Just a cut, I can walk it off." He tells me with a sigh, shaking his head. "Please forgive me."

"We do," Bella answered for me, turning in her seat. "It's fine and I'm fine, we went over it already."

I go around the bed to stand behind the Quileute nurse checking Bella's blood pressure.

"No bruises of any kind?" I ask my sister directly.

"No. Just the fall from this morning outside the house maybe." I give her a look to be quiet, jutting my thumb and tilting my head to the nurse sitting right there. "But yeah, that was nothing."

"I saw Edward there, Bella. We made eye contact as he jumped over the truck," I tell her. Her eyes widen now, full of relief and question. "was he there?"

"Yes, he pushed me out of the way—" Bella nodded her head, pausing as the compression on her arm tightened. But the sound of the hospital doors opening made us look that way, seeing it was dad. I straighten and step back to the wall behind me to give him and the nurse some space in case they had to talk. Curious, I look up at the x-rays they got of my sister. They sure got those done fast.

"Bella." Dad walked in, breezing past the other hospital beds. He unswervingly asks Bella, "Are you okay?" Then he frowns, second-glancing at Tyler pointing a finger at the boy, "You and I are going to talk." Dad looks back to Bella, worry all over his face and tone, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine dad, calm down." Bella nods to him.

Tyler spoke up again now that our dad was here, making him more anxious and apologetic once more. He wanted to reassure us all. "I'm sorry Bella I tried to stop."

"I know it's okay." Bella looks over her shoulder at him, confirming with an understanding nod. I reach both of my hands up to rub my jaw and neck, relieving my tension.

Dad huffs, glancing back to Tyler before swiveling his head back to Bella, "No—sure as hell not okay."

"Dad it wasn't his fault," Bella tries to reason with him as she rolled her sleeve back down. I remained silent not wanting to interrupt. Tyler shouldn't have been speeding in the lot on slick pavement so it was his fault. It was just a foolish accident, however, and a miracle my sister was alright. They were both alright and that's all that mattered.

When I glanced over at Tyler I averted eye contact with his mother standing near him.

"You could've been killed. You understand that?" Dad's grip on his belt tightens as he spoke to her. "Mila could've been there too. I could have lost both of you, you understand that?"

"Yes. But I wasn't, so…" Bella trailed off as I sighed at dad turning back to Tyler. I shook my head at Bella. He was calming down but once someone gets dad worked up, he rides it out. Even though he's protective and loving, if he's worked up with anything to do with us, he was greatly worried—more than mom.

He tells Tyler, considering it, "You can kiss your license goodbye." The doors burst open again, this time it's Dr. Cullen. How could I tell? He had on a bright white doctor's coat, pale skin nearly as white as the coat, his eyes were golden, and his hair blonde like Jasper and Rosalie's. Even though they weren't related, their similar complexions and eyes said otherwise. And he was just as gorgeous and angelic as them! He didn't even look that old to be a father. How did they all look so attractive and flawless?

"I heard the Chief's daughter was in here," he smiles in greeting to our dad as he walked directly to our station.

"Dr. Cullen," dad greeted him politely. When Dr. Cullen passed behind him, he patted his shoulder in good, friendly gesture.

"Charlie," he said his name like they were long time friends. Then he turned to me with a compassionate smile, holding out his hand. "And you must be her sister Amelia, pleasure to meet you Miss Swan." I subconsciously prepped for his cold touch as I took it quickly, shaking it once knowing he was about to get down to business to check my sister. His hand was ice.

"Pleasure to meet you too Dr. Cullen." I nod to him, returning the smile. He looked away and took the clipboard from the nurse, already flipping through the papers.

"I got this one, Jackie." He nods to the nurse who stood up and left. He flipped to a page he was finding, recognizing her now, "So, Isabella."

She corrects him with a shy mumble, "Bella."

Dr. Cullen seemed to grasp my sister's shyness and lowered his upbeat tone to a clear mumble as well. But his voice was still compassionate and civil. "Well, Bella. It looks like you took quite a spill. How do you feel?"

"Fine." Was all she told him. That's her usual response to many things, and the same thing she said in the parking lot to me and the others.

Dr. Cullen took out his pocket-sized flashlight to it to look into Bella's eyes. "Look here." He tells her, moving his hand side to side as he held up a finger, shining the small light in her eyes.

He clicked it off as he informed her, "You might experience some post-traumatic stress, and some disorientation, but your vitals looks good. No sign of any head trauma. I think you'll be just fine."

Tyler miserably pipes up again making me roll my eyes discreetly. We get it Tyler. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm really..." Dad grabbed the curtain separating Bella's cot from Tyler's and draws it closed making me let out an amused sigh.

As Dr. Cullen wrote on his clipboard, Bella spoke to him, this time not so shy. "You know, it would've been a whole lot worse if Edward wasn't there. He knocked me out of the way." I swallow after she said that, and waited to see Jasper's father respond but he continued looking down at his clipboard, writing away as if he was trying to ignore her. My eyebrows furrowed as I watched him without making it obvious.

Dad heard her mention Edward as he shifted his head between the two of them. He came out of his deep thoughts as he questioned to Dr. Cullen, "Edward? Your boy?" The man looked up a tad at him and smiled slightly before frowning, returning to what he was writing down in the report. Odd.

I shifted my feet and crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall wondering why Dr. Cullen was acting just as strange and quiet as Jasper. 'I'm not gonna say you're wrong darlin', but I won't say you're right either.' 'My brother is stubborn like the rest of us, if not awfully more. He would never admit to that.' 'Amelia, you are no fool at all but trust me when I tell you that I can't answer that right now.'

"Yeah, it was amazing," Bella continued. I blinked at her out-spokeness as I kept thinking of what Jasper said and comparing it with his father who remained silent about the subject. "He got to me so fast! He was nowhere near me."

Dr. Cullen finally finishes his report and looks to Bella, "Sounds like you were very lucky. Charlie." He nodded to our dad and walked away after that not even glancing to me as he departed. Bella looks right at me just as unsure and curious as I was.

"Well I guess I better get you home. You shouldn't go the rest of the day." Dad tells her before he realizes something and turns to me. "How did you get here? The truck isn't out front."

I reply, "I know. Edward's brother Jasper brought me here. He offered to take me seeing I was in no state to drive."

"Jasper?" My dad made sure he heard the name correctly as I nodded. "You know him?"

"Yes. We have two classes together. We talk often, every day. He's very kind." I tell dad who grew a bit curious making me uncomfortable. I wasn't going to talk about a guy, no less Dr. Cullen's son, in his hospital!

"Told you two he has good kids. Cool," he dismisses his worry. "Will he bring you back to school?"

Bella interrupts us, "Does she have to go back, she can't come home with me?"

Dad looked down at her pointedly, "She wasn't nearly killed nor is she in the hospital. Mila, you feel well enough? You look fine."

"Yeah I'm fine, shaken up too but…" I trail off, playing with my hands.

"She has to graduate this May." Dad tells Bella making me giggle and groan at the same time. She nods her head and tells him she gets it. "Is Jasper here still?"

"Yes, he's waiting in the front lobby. He'll bring me back, for sure." I reassure him.

"Okay, let me have a chat with Tyler before we can walk out together." He places his hands back on his belt and goes around the curtain to talk to him.

Bella kept silent and didn't warn him to be easy on him because he would only tell her no. I'm sure he wouldn't take his license away either because nothing bad happened. Something bad almost happened, but he could give him a fair warning for next time.

My sister gets my attention, perching herself at the edge of the bed. "He just dismissed everything I said like it wasn't true!"

"I know he did Bella." I nod my head, moving to sit beside her to rest a little. "Jasper did the same thing on the way here. I told him what I saw and he… said I wasn't wrong or right. He won't tell me for some time it seems like."

"Edward pushed the van out of the way Mills," she whispers to me hearing dad wrap up his chat with Tyler and his mom. "His hand crushed the side. He kneeled at the ground beside me and pushed me down… carefully."

"Figured that," I recalled the dent that was not caused by the truck or Bella, but by some opposing force strong enough to make a dent that wide and deep. Then Edward jumping over the hood of the truck making eye contact with me answered everything. He obviously did do it! And I trust my sister. "Just how could he do that? And why are the rest of them dismissing it and quiet about it?"

"I don't know. We'll talk later." Bella shakes her head when dad returns, bending down to pick up her backpack for her.

"Come on girls, let's get rolling. I got to get back to work as soon as I can." He tells us, making sure Bella and I walk ahead of him.

We exit the doors and enter the bright hall despite it being cloudy outside. The clear white sun rays pouring in making the entire hall a wolf gray color.

"I gotta go sign some paperwork," dad tells us both, patting me on the shoulder as he looked at Bella. "You should, uh should probably go call your mom." My lips pursed in an oh. If I could let out a low whistle I would.

Bella blanked, worried, "Did you tell her?" I lick my lips and squeeze them awkwardly while dad merely made a flippant hand gesture holding her backpack. I mean, someone had to tell mom eventually, and he was right to tell her. All I know is I didn't want to be the one to tell her or talk to her about it.

"She's—" Bella shakes her head, taking out her phone. "She's probably just… freaking out." Dad sighs, nodding to me to comfort by sister as he goes off to the set of doors going to a private hall to sign discharge papers and all.

I go up to Bella, making her look up from her phone, "She'll take it better than dad did Bells. She'll calm down as long as she hears you and you sound coherent. She loves you."

"I hope she'll take it better." Bella mumbled as she looked down at her phone about to dial. I walked in front of her and was about to round the corner to give her privacy, but I caught a glimpse of the only cluster of people there in the front hall that we both thought was empty: Dr. Cullen, Edward, Rosalie, and Jasper, huddled together in a private discussion near a different set of exit doors.

Bella walked into the back of me making me move, pushing me around the corner with a startled jump of breath. Jasper was the only one to glance away from his family members, with an open mouth because he was in the middle of saying something as he looked my way. I looked at him with what I hoped was relief he was still here, but made sure to avert my gaze to the windows and the wall. I didn't want to intrude on their discussion.

"What was I supposed to do let her die?" Edward mumbled clear as day for Bella and I to hear. I looked at my sister who was leaning against the edge of the wall, examining them like I was. Rosalie looked peeved and fearful whispering back at him, but this time Dr. Cullen looked up as well in our direction, silencing Edward and Rosalie's conversation. Jasper raked his fingers in his hair, smoothing it out to distress or that he was still stressed over something—most likely what happened today involving Bella and Edward.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Bella asks leaning out from behind the wall, looking at Edward.

Dr. Cullen nods to his daughter placing a hand at her back guiding her away. Astonishingly, she looked back at the both of us with no glare, contempt, or caution, but guilt. I watched her nod to her twin Jasper who had mumbled something to her before making his way over to me after Edward.

I decide to walk and meet him half way almost to where they were all standing, to give Edward and Bella some space. As I walked past Edward, I eyed him hesitantly as he did me, though more scrutinizing. If he did save my sister, he should look happy he did and confirm Bella's slight doubt. She knew what she saw, as did I, but for him to not confirm it at all like nothing happened, that was poorly audacious.

"Hey." Jasper managed to greet me, nodding his head. He was standing stiff, his hands glued to the sides of his dark jeans. The bright hall light making him shine in his dashing white coat and captivating blonde hair. His eyes are warm honey I dive into with all the curiosity in the world despite my current state.

"Hey." I respond in an exhausted exhale.

"What?" I overheard Edward talk to Bella.

"How did you get over to me so fast?" She asked.

"I was standing right next to you Bella." I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes to hide my frustration and disappointment. He was lying to my sister's face!

"Amelia," Jasper reaches for my arm and holds it gently. I open my eyes and look up at him, hurt that his brother was dismissing it all. "No. Don't listen to them." A single tear formed in the corner of both my eyes. I felt stupid, idiotic— "Let's go to the front. I told you I would never lie to you," he whispered. "You have to trust me darlin'. Not right now, please."

I glance back at my sister and Edward who were conversing more hushed than before, then back to Jasper who tentatively held out his hand to me. I reached out, but I was hesitant because I couldn't tell if he wanted me to take it or lock arms with him as we have been.

Like the first day we met in the hall, he retracted his hand once more and settled for placing his hand behind my back. He stepped close to me to where I couldn't turn to look back at the other two, I was nestled in the crook of his shoulder enraptured by his distinct, enrapturing scent.

Facing straight ahead, I couldn't respond to him despite his expectant eyes on me, burning through my hard head. Any words I had tried to form died in my throat or right before it left my lips as he led me to the front desk. It suddenly felt hard to breath. I am tired, I am sad, I am happy, I am anxious… disappointed, frustrated… yet overall didn't feel one complete emotion.

Jasper stopped us just before we crossed over the hall into the front lobby, and he pulled me to the side by a fake plant near the large propped open door. Surprising me, his hand went to my cheek and he tilted my head up gently to look him in the eyes.

"Your sister is alright and I'm relieved she is, but are you alright? You're ignoring me," He asks with apprehension.

"No, of course not. I'm not, that's impossible." I tell him. "I don't know what to say so I'm keeping silent. What—I can't wrap my mind around any of it. What have you done to me?" My voice was anxious. Not only was I angry with him for keeping silent about what I saw, I was scared. I didn't understand what was happening in general.

Jasper furrowed his brows and I felt a wave of calm flood through me. My eyes fluttered closed and a pang of relief shot through his face when I reopened them. "S'cuse me ma'am?"

I inhaled through my nose and let out a long, deep breath. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothin' as far as I can see," he flashed a crooked grin, his brilliant eyes shocked I would even ask that. "You're perfect from where I'm standing."

My heart skipped a beat but I wasn't amused, however, and turned my face in his hand from him. As my heart raced in my chest, he stepped forward to place his hand on my shoulder. He said my name once more this time it sounded broken.

"How do you have so much control over me?" My voice was barely above a whisper, mingling with the low talk of the nurses across the way and floating away into the long hall. "You consume my thoughts. You, Jasper. You're all I think about since I started here, whether I'm alone or with my sister and friends. I could be having a regular day and you just slip into my line of thought. Somehow my every thought finds its way back to you. Everything that happens, too, is somehow linked all to you."

Jasper gave a small chuckle. "So now you know how I feel."

I stiffened. "You think about me?"

He dropped his hand from my cheek and explained with his hands, "I've thought about you since the first time I laid my eyes and hands on you, darlin'." He stared into my eyes, a warmth emitting from him and his once pained face. He looked vulnerable, yet powerful. "Ever since I met you my world has been thrown off its axis. Everything has changed and I've never been happier knowing you for as short a time as I have, and that's all because of you Amelia."

I gulped and said nothing as he continued.

"I just hope—I fervently hope that I can know you longer. What my brother did today, I don't want that to ruin…" he gulped as he murmured, "..us."

I blink wide eyed, and stutter in a whisper, "He did save my sister? He pushed Bella out of the way? How?"

He swallows giving me the faintest nod of his head, it almost looked like he was swaying slowly on his feet. However, his response to that was quick and hushed, "Yes but any other questions you have about it will have to wait. I can't answer them right now. All I ask of you is that you're patient with me, more than you already are that downright gets to me every day."

"Of course," I smile in relief up at him. His shoulders loosen up and his jaw relaxes. "Just… Thank you for being you. And please be patient with me as well." His face practically glowed and his mouth parted to say something in response to that. But someone approached the doors on the side of us and behind us. I glance back first to see Edward exiting the building. Jasper shakes his head to me.

"Don't worry about him."

"Amelia." I turn to Dr. Cullen who spoke my name, walking up to the two of us with a kind smile. He nods to his son pleased before turning to me, handing me a piece of paper. "This is an excuse for this morning. The school will excuse you for being absent this morning and understand you were with your sister."

"Thank you, sir," I tell him, taking the excuse nervously. He was thoughtful to do that. I didn't even think about getting one. "I'm glad she's alright."

"So are we. Take as much time as you need. Jasper, you'll be sure she gets back to school safely and reach her classes acceptably, won't you?" Dr. Cullen looked to his son with a closed lip smile and eyed him with his yellow ochre eyes that shone with significance. They were lighter than Jasper's it looked like.

I watched Jasper who looked to him with a chivalrous bow of his head, his lop-sided grin returning making me blush. He replies, "Undoubtedly yes."

"Good. Have a wonderful rest of the day," he patted his son's shoulder that his son returned equally to his father in high-esteem. Dr. Cullen nodded to me with a polite smile, extending his hand to me, "I'll see you around Amelia. It was a pleasure meeting you today."

"Likewise, Dr. Cullen. Pleasure meeting you too," I expressed shyly, shaking his hand more slowly this time as did he. I also noticed the greater amiability he shown more now. Then it hit me, did Jasper tell him about me?! Most likely yes. When he walked back where he came from, Jasper focused on me.

"Are you alright now?" He asks me to be sure.

I nod, "Yeah. For now, yes."

Jasper looks down, nodding understandingly knowing what I meant. Then he held out his arm to me. "Well, shall we return to school?"

"I guess so." I mumble before giggling at his dreading eye roll. "It's already been a long day."

"I'm sure it'll get better," he masks his emotions as he led me out the front door to where we parked. "It already has for me."

I couldn't hide my smile, "Me too." When we got to the Jeep he opened the door and helped me up into it. After thanking him he shut the door and made his way around to get into his seat on the driver's side. The entire time observing me from outside the window, smirking in wonder.

"Would you be opposed to me joining you at lunch today? I'd like to pick up where we left off this morning, if you want." He asked me gentlemanly once he got in the Jeep as he started the engine and backed out the spot.

"Yeah, I'd like to as well," I answered. The fluttering in my stomach and chest returning. "What were we talking about? My bag—" I turn to look in the backseat for my backpack which was sitting in the back row.

Jasper puts his hand on my shoulder, the very contact getting rid of every discomfort or ache in my body. He answers, "I believe we were talking about the difference between you and your sister."

"Oh right," I squeeze my mouth shut, recalling him about to comment the biggest difference about me. In the corner of my eye I can see Jasper smirking at me. He then reached to the radio to turn it on.

The music that started playing had a rock and roll rhythm, the catchy drums and the bass-line thudding before a woman's gothic vocals lightly sang. I recognized the song from hearing it a long time ago when I was into alternative music.

"Oh, you were a vampire—And baby, I'm the walking dead…

I got the ways and means- To New Orleans-
I'm going down by the river where it's warm and green
I'm gonna have a—"

Jasper's hand shot back out to the radio and changed the station to one that was currently playing the end of a country song. I looked to him with a smile that faltered, seeing him frowning deeply and look a tad sick.

"Emmett." He grumbled his brother's name, not looking my way at all. "This is his Jeep by the way."

"It's nice. He's into goth rock too?" I giggle, taking in the big vehicle as well as him opening up about him. "He's seems more like a hard rock and classic rock person like myself."

"I would have never thought you were into that," he tells me, his voice smiling despite him not. He kept his eyes on the wet road in the misty rain, glowering over his brother it seemed. "You have a delicate soul."

I completely turn my body to face him as he drove. His sweet comment, or compliment, stirred me in the best way possible. For now, I dismissed his sudden anger towards his brother having that station.

"I'm flattered you see that," I tell him before adding on. "But I guess my soul craves the rougher parts. If anything, there's more soul in that kind of music, and very old songs in general. They're my favorite. There's a depth that's unreachable, but whatever parts you do reach, what your soul reaches, it's just enough. It's a blissful feeling. You know?"

I shake my head then and laugh fleetingly. "Sorry if that was a bit deep or if my words didn't make sense… I'm not a morning person and still shaken up—"

"No." He interrupts me rambling. "It made perfect sense."

I turn my head a tiny bit, shyly, peeking through a lock of my brown hair that was in my face, and I see him taking his eyes off the road for a brief second that felt like a long moment. If I didn't know any better, he had that knowing look in his eyes, the kind that my heart recognized that he was crushing on me too; crushing as softly and relentlessly as the rain falling outside.

...