LIMINAL || 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙚 [1]

𝟟 | 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕡 𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕

I woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming into my room through the blinds of my balcony door, before my alarm even went off. I almost couldn't believe that the weather was playing nicely for once in the last few weeks, reaching an unseasonably warm temperature of 50 degrees. When I stepped out onto the landing, I almost didn't break out in chill bumps. Almost.

For a moment, I just enjoyed the sunshine's gentle warmth on my skin until yesterday started playing back through my mind. Talking to Angela, meeting with Mr. Savrda, and the interaction I had with Jasper afterward. I had run the whole thing over again and again in my head, trying to figure out what I had done since first meeting Jasper to make him act so unfriendly towards me, especially when Alice had been so insistent about us getting along.

At that moment, there was a chime from the Blackberry Pearl charging on my nightstand. I closed the balcony door with a sigh, figuring that it would be Jessica or Angela making sure I was awake and getting ready for our shopping date. Instead, it was an unfamiliar number.

Hi, it's Alice! I got your number from the school directory. I'm feeling extremely nauseated and won't be able to hang out with you guys today. Have fun though! XOXOX

I quickly typed a text back, hoping that she felt better soon. I didn't know that Forks High had a directory, let alone that Alice had gotten my number from it at some point. It was unfortunate that she would be missing our girls' day out, even more so because she hadn't had one in forever.

Downstairs, Cara left a note that she was at the hospital working on call with her psych patients. I had the house to myself until Jessica was supposed to come by at nine 'o' clock to pick me up. First, I made a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and watched Niketoons, since no one was here to tell me I couldn't or shouldn't. Around eight, I hopped in the shower and tried to keep my good mood intact by pushing all thoughts of Jasper Hale and his horrible temper out of my mind. I wouldn't give him any more attention than when we met for tutoring sessions after lunch.

☽●☾

"What happened to you yesterday at lunch?" Angela twisted her body around in the seat as I got buckled in. Jessica was dabbing at her Barbie pink lip gloss in the visor mirror before flipping it back up and shifting into drive. I hadn't had the chance to mention my new tutor until now; so much for keeping him off my mind.

"I'm kind of struggling in my math class right now and Mr. Savrda wanted to meet to discuss our options," I skirted around the subject, hoping that we could start talking about something else.

"What did he end up saying?" Jessica piped in before turning left at the end of the street.

"Well, he decided to assign me a tutor for the rest of the semester, in hopes of bringing my grade up?"

"Ooooo, is it that one hot guy taking calculus now? What's his name, Angela? You had chemistry with him. Travis? Trevor?"

"Tobias! Collins please tell me you got paired with Tobias. He's gorgeous. A little eye candy wouldn't hurt while studying," she wiggled her brows suggestively

I spun the amethyst ring around my middle finger, wishing with all my might that Tobias, or really anyone, had been assigned to me as a tutor instead of my actual tutor. The car fell silent as the two other girls waited expectantly for my answer.

"Um, well. It's actually Jasper..."

"Shut up!" Jessica let out a squeal that I couldn't really identify the meaning of. Was she excited for me, mad at me, or in disbelief? My hand flew to grip the back of her headrest as she jerkily merged onto highway 101, due east. Maybe Jasper was the least of my worries compared to Jessica's driving.