Asteraceae

TWELVE

Those bright eyes, and that dopey look she had on her face would never be directed at him again. He'll have to live knowing that he wasn't the man she wanted, and he'll have to live with the fact that the man she did want was better than he'll ever be. He didn't have any bad history attached to his name, didn't even have to lie, or struggle with himself just to prove that he wasn't the monster he was before. He didn't have to do anything, along with being what everyone seems to agree with, perfect. It was saddening, downright disheartening and a bit heart clenching considering that he very much still loved the girl before him.

"You think far too much." Edward had whispered, a bit ashamed, that Jasper was even still thinking about it, "you know how she feels about her soulmate." He knew, they knew, it was impossible for someone in their family not to know.

"But you see how he's treating her?" He looked up front, the man sat still in his seat and ignored whatever Alice was busy chatting about. Not once since had he even made a move to give her proper eye contact, or even respond to the questions she asked about him, "he's not even looking at her." He never looked at anyone longer than a few seconds. Edward didn't really see the argument he was trying to make considering the man looked like he hated anyone and everything. He wondered if he got the job because it was available, not because he wanted it.

"He's also human, an adult man that can't really have a relationship with someone of Alice's 'age,' or with someone her age that he's technically teaching. There was a time when Emmett had become a PE Teacher, and Rosalie a student. The two of them couldn't be seen in public displaying their love like they do now. It was torture for not only the family that had to endure the constant lovey dovey stuff they did at home, but also the angry glares, and the passive aggressive remarks when they were in public and away from each other.

"So?"

"So, showing interest could be bad for the both of them...mainly him, but for the sake of their kindling relationship the both of them could get in trouble." He felt bad, just a little bit bad, but what could he do? There wasn't anything he could do to help since Alice's thoughts were just as cheery as they last were.

"Hmm." Jasper just signed, leaning back into his seat as he watched the two interact. From an outside point of view, it would look a bit one sided, but he saw how Joshua reacted to whatever she said. He might not look at her, or even respond, but his fingers drum against the desk, and a lazy smile rested on his face as he continued to read a book Edward was very much unfamiliar with, "still doesn't look right."

"How does she feel? How does he feel?" He felt truly little of it, the only bit of emotion he could pick up was the little bits that manage to overcloud Jasper thoughts.

"Happy, and content." It wasn't hard to discover who was who, considering one was bouncing around, and the other was calmly watching the chaos the girl was ensuring in his class.

"Are you upset about that little brother? I did mention that it was only a possibility, only something to think about if Alice hadn't met him yet. I wasn't saying you had a chance. He ignored the side glance that Rosalie threw, she had sat a few rows in front of them, but with the noisy students to the side of them made it hard to pick the exact words he was saying.

"You said she still loved me." He whined, he was sure that if vampires could cry then Jasper would be a few words away from bawling his eyes out, "you told me that she still loves me."

"I didn't." His eyes wondered, Alice was still very much distracted, and he didn't think Rosalie could hear them still, "But she does, she loves all of us very much, and you hold a very special place in her heart considering she was the one that found you first." He grinned, tight lipped considering he didn't know exactly how to explain that he only told half the truth, or in the very least a quarter of it.