𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝘀•𝗝. 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗲✔︎

18

  "I only kind of get, you know I don't sleep, but it's understandable. I have six siblings to come wake me up, if I were human, I would be upset. I would probably be a little angry." I knew I'd never fully understand, my distant, and too fuzzy memories would never recover. I just wanted her to know feelings aren't controllable, and they should be accepted.

  "Thanks, Jasper." She smiled. Again. I couldn't understand why something as simple as my name seemed to momentarily take over my entire mind. Though I was obviously still focused enough on the road to know where I was going.

  We pulled into the school parking lot, where Evelynn watched Edward and Bella run the show. Walking into the school. The moment was like some big event.

  "I'd call her an idiot, but... here I am." She unbuckled. I did the same, getting out of the car just before she did. Rosalie was glaring at Bella, and Evelynn never failed to notice something so small.

  "What does she have against Bella?" Her tone was protective, and harsh. I already gathered that she was like this. It was probably a product of trauma and loyalty. She was fiercely over protective.

  "I'm not sure, and even if I did, I don't think it's my story to share." I was now oddly aware of how close we stood, almost touching. It was Roaslie's surprise, and anger. She was burning a hole in the back of my head. She wasn't used to the big announcement from a human, most of the time they let it go.

"You do know. I'm not going to invade her privacy, and I don't mean to. All she needs to know is her story has nothing to do with Bella." It was half-true, but both Bella and Evelynn affect our future.

"Yes, and no. Yes, it has nothing to do with all of our past stories. And no, both you and Bella are a risk. If the volturi found out about you.." I didn't want to think about it.

  "Bella and I, probably killed. You guys, probably killed." She finished. It was odd how I already knew her only fear was that Bella would be hurt, that my family would be hurt. She had already decided that we were now something she wanted and needed to protect. I could tell. The way she said Bella's name first. She had always put Bella's name first, in everything. I heard the way she talks to people, when she shuts Jessica Stanley's gossip. When she talks to Charlie, she always says Bella's name first. Not because it sounds better or because it would be grammatically correct, but it was a subconscious decision that Bella would always be first.

  I was sure Charlie and Bella were her priorities, then her friends, my family and I, and then herself.

  My thoughts had not taken up a large amount of time, we only just got into the building. Not that I wasn't unaware of surroundings, they were just less prominent. Not that that really made sense.

  "So how long do you think they'll be talking about Bella and Edward?" She asked, no bitter tone in her voice, just curiosity.

  "Maybe a few days, a week for your friends." I grinned, we both took a glance at her friends. Their eyes were wide with disbelief and questions. Jessica mouthed, "Tell me everything!"

  "I'm sure Mike will enjoy hearing about Bella and Edward." She smiled, nodding at Jess.

  "You don't seem to like Mike." I raised an eyebrow, as we started walking again, to our lockers.

  "Mike's great, but I definitely am not going to like a guy covered in axe body spray. Also, I do not want to be his sloppy seconds. Don't ask a girls cousin out, and then her." She rolled her eyes, a slight—not anger—but frustration flashing in her eyes.

"You're actually annoyed about it?" I was surprised, Evelynn was almost never annoyed by things like this.

"Of course I am. I'm not mad that he asked me, or thought that I'd go out with him. I'm upset that he thought I'd be willing to go out with him after he asked Bella out right in front of me." This she obviously thought was justified. I guessed one the only feelings she could cope with was anger, as it was typically what denied feelings turned into. Maybe, I thought, was why she was much more hot headed than people expected.

  "That makes sense. I mean if I were a girl, well you type of girl I would definitely be mad." I said leaning against a locker that was next to hers.

  "What do you mean by, you type of girl?" She asked curiously, her voice even and questioning.

  "A confident girl. Most girls in general aren't, much less teen girls." I shrugged, knowing it was something she already knew.

  "Oh, don't think I haven't noticed." She smiled, knowing the conversation ended here. We split ways. I just had to grab a pencil, and then I was off to class. She was already heading in the opposite direction. She was catching up with Angela Webber. A nice, quiet girl. She was friends with Jessica. It didn't make much sense to me. They were complete opposites, but so were Evelynn and Bella.

  By lunch the whole school was buzzing with Edward and Bella news. I was thankful that they were too busy with them to notice Evelynn and I. I was already annoyed with the constant muttering about Edward and Bella. I couldn't imagine the annoyance if it was all about Evelynn and I.

"Oh my gosh! Do you think they've kissed?" I heard a girl gawk.

  "Probably, but I just know her sister, Evelynn, and Jasper Hale have definitely done a little something." I stopped listening immediately, I knew where that was going.

  Never mind. I thought bitterly.

  "Where's Bella?" Jessica asked in the lunch line, looking around the room.

  "She's with Edward. Eating with him." I heard Evelynn say.

  "Like a date?" Jessica Stanley questioned with a friendly smile, though she was very jealous.

  "No." Evelynn said sternly.

  Jessica opened her mouth to speak, but Evelynn spoke first. "How many high school boyfriends have you had?"

  "Four." Jessica stated confidently. "How many boyfriends have you had?"

  "One." She glanced at me. It took me only a second to realize it was me. I was one.

  "Really?" Jessica said a fake surprise.

  "Mhm, but I've had three girlfriends and dated one non-binary person." Evelynn nodded.

  "Huh?" Jessica's jaw practically dropped. She obviously wasn't expecting it. I knew Evelynn wasn't straight. She hadn't said anything, but she made comments that made it fairly obvious. She wasn't hiding it, just wasn't announcing it. I found it more interesting. Evelynn had had more relationships than I had.

  "Yeah, uh if your wondering what a non-binary person is, they're just someone who doesn't identify as girl or boy." Evelynn was momentarily saddened by something.

  "Oh cool, so like what do they use?" Jessica's interest spiked. I was surprised, Jessica Stanley had in the past made a few comments about women dating women. It was only a year ago, but maybe she had grown since then.

  "Most use they/them pronouns. Singular form obviously, and I swear to god if I get anymore comments on how that's not how it works I will kill someone." She ranted shortly. "Sometimes they use different pronouns, though. They're called neopronouns. I don't know them super well, so you could look it up if you're actually interested."

"Oh, have you looked it up?" Jessica asked.

"No, not really. I kind of don't think about it, and I didn't really have any screen time before this." Evelynn stated honestly.

  "If you don't think about it how do you know about it?" Jessica questioned as they sat down, I got out of the line a few seconds later. I hadn't actually realized that time was moving slower than I thought. Listening in on Evelynn's conversation was entertaining, and I learned things. I hadn't realized how fast girls actually talked. They talked in fast, flowy conversations.

  "My sister, Winnie, they, uh, use..d she/they pronouns. Sometimes people use both. I think it's called Demi-and then girl or boy. I'm not sure, not many people really talk about it." Evelynn explained. Another place she faltered, on the topic of her family.

  "Oh, cool." Jessica nodded. She was interested, and it was odd how interested she was. Obviously I was too, but not quite that much.

  I involved myself in conversation with my family. All except Rosalie, who was literally boiling with rage because of Bella.