empathy

THIRTY-SIX

"This isn't even your class," Anastasia complains as Jasper stalks into the room next to her. "It is now," he shrugs. 

He went out for a hunt last night and made sure to come in early to change his classes. And it's only partly because he just longs deeply to be with her as often as possible. It's knowing she needs a constant in her life that will help her adjust again. 

Anastasia has let her life go far too long ago to know how to fully grasp it again and he intends on helping her hold on to it. 

Well, that and the fact the new student is arriving today and Alice warned him about her a few weeks ago. Apparently, her blood is supposed to smell rather tempting and he just doesn't want to risk it. And with Ana next to him, he knows he's safe.

Even with the major screaming at him to be let out.

Sitting down in the back, Jasper next to her, Anastasia lays her head on the table with her face turned towards the window. Jasper leans back in the seat, his eyes on her in both amusement and adoration. 

"Stop staring," she mumbles quietly. "I'm not staring," he denies. "Yes, you are. It's creepy."

Shaking his head, he turns his attention to the front of the class, the teacher choosing this moment to enter. 

"Alice wants us to join my siblings for Lunch," he informs her. "Have fun," she brushes him off. "It's just for a few minutes. They want to meet up outside to make an entrance, I didn't really listen," Jasper points out. "Why would you want to make an entrance, this whole town knows who you are," she sighs as she sits up and turns to look at him.

"There's a new student and apparently she's important to Edward," he states. "Good for him, he needs to get laid." 

Jasper shoots her a look but Anastasia just shrugs to herself. He does, he really, really does.

"Rosalie wanted to talk to you as well," he speaks up again after a moment. "To do what? Skin me alive? Freeze my heart like the chick from Frozen?" she raises a brow at him. "Antonina," Jasper retorts, watching her expression switch to worried and her playful banter disappear. 

"Is she alright?" "Antonina's fine," Jasper calms her down. "Rosalie just wants to talk about habits or stuff, favourite bedtime stories, something like that, I believe." "Fine,"

Jasper drums his fingers against his thigh. Despite having full trust in himself, Alice reassuring him and Anastasia by his side, he somehow doubts he will be able to control himself. He isn't even sure what it is, a bad feeling maybe, a hunch. It doesn't matter, something inside of him is telling him today won't go as planned and he is freaking anxious about it. 

Anastasia's eyes drop to his hand and for a few moments she just watches him, watches him tense up and seemingly freeze in place as his breathing stops before she reaches over to slip her hand beneath it, intertwining their fingers. 

She is already staring back out the window when Jasper looks over at her, surprised at the contact. He didn't really expect her to react, at least not like this and yet he is glad she did. He can feel her heartbeat where her wrist meets his and puts his focus back on her. 

"Better?" she glances over to him after a minute, her thumb moving slightly over the side of his. "Thank you, darlin'," he nods. "Do you want to leave?" she asks, noticing he is still tense. Or tenser than usual. "I'll be fine," Jasper shakes his head, sending her a short smile. 

Humming, her eyes stay on him for a moment longer while he raises their hands to breathe a kiss on the back of hers before resting them in her lap.

Lunch seems to be taking forever, at least for Anastasia. Jasper convinced her to stay with his family outside, which ended even more awkward than she imagined it to be. She spent at least ten minutes stopping herself from laughing out loud at their ridiculous choice of outfits, especially Emmett. The white just doesn't fit him very much. 

Though there is no denying Rosalie, Alice and Aurelia look smoking hot, Aurelia especially. A thought that brought her a weird look from Edward.

Rosalie did indeed talk to her. Mostly about whether or not Antonina will be staying with the Cullens for some longer time and if so, whether they could pick up some more stuff for her. She also did ask about Antonina's favourite things, wanting the little girl to feel as comfortable with them as she can.

Anastasia was actually a little surprised how deeply the so-called ice queen seems to care for her sister but then again she really isn't. Antonina could wrap the devil around her little finger. 

"Come on," Jasper holds his hand out as the others start heading inside. Looking at him for a second, still not happy about this and much rather wanting to go back home, she takes it. Heaving his arm up, she wraps it around her shoulder and switches hands. Her right hand is in his right hand as they make their way inside.