Impudent [Jasper Hale]

five ; flashlight

"Well, Bella," Dr. Cullen said, cutting off the little chat. "Looks like you've taken quite a spill. How do you feel?"

"Good," she said.

"Good enough to be bickering," Charlie joked. I glared at him. I'm smart, it just takes time.

"Look here," Dr. Cullen said, raising a finger and taking out a flashlight and pointing at Bella's eyes. "You might experience post- traumatic stress or disorientation, but your vitals look good."

They're not the only thing that looks good.

I wanted to hit myself at that thought. Could I get any stupider?

"No signs of head trauma," Dr. Cullen concluded, smiling. "I think you'll be just fine."

"Until the next fall," I smirked, making Charlie hit my head. "I think you need to check me for a head trauma now, Dr. Cullen," I muttered, making him chuckle. 

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Tyler suddenly said. "I'm really-" I stood up, closing the curtain.

Charlie looked at me funny, it wasn't exactly like me.

"What can I say, low tolerance when I'm in the hospital." I shrugged.

"Understandable," he muttered.

"You know, it would have been a whole lot worse if Edward was there, he knocked me out of the way."

"Edward?" Charlie asked, then looked to Dr. Cullen, "your boy?"

"Yeah, it was amazing, he got to me so fast. He was nowhere near me," Bella said, and I hit her back gently.

"Sure thing Bells, and I'm the unicorn princess."

"Sounds like you were very lucky," Dr. Cullen said, smiling again. "Charlie," Dr. Cullen said, parting ways with us.

"What, feeling like Sherlock again?" I asked Bella.

"Just... stop it," Bella sighed, annoyed. I shrugged, opening the curtain to reveal Tyler. 

"Sorry."

"It's okay," Tyler shrugged, "I was getting on your nerves, understandable."

I smiled at him as my sister and father left the room. "Are you okay though?"

"Yeah, just... I'm fine," he smiled at me, so I kissed his cheek and left the room.

"Ashley's got a boyfriend," Bella teased, making me shove her lightly. 

"Shut up already." I grumbled, "Where's dad?"

"Signing some papers." 

"Oh," I nodded."I'm gonna go to the bathroom," I told Bella, trailing around the corner. Dr. Cullen, Rosalie and Edward stood there. "Hey," I greeted, quickly shuffling past them.

Edward's name was making me feel unbelievably bad. It was stupid.

  After a moment I heard footsteps, making my heart's pace quicken. Calm down, he's in prison.

"Ashley?" a half- familiar voice asked. I turned around, relieved to see it was Dr. Cullen. Never in my life was I as happy as I was to see a doctor. 

"Yes, Dr. Cullen?" I asked, smiling. 

That was so stupid of me. 

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm quite alright," I assured. "Hi Rosalie," I greeted, "I'm Ashley."

"I know," Rosalie said simply. I wanted to compliment her, but there was so much to say that I decided to stay silent. 

"Well, later," I waved to them, walking to the bathroom.

I gripped the sides of the sink tightly, willing myself to calm down. Why the hell did I react like this?

○

"Good morning, sweetie," Charlie greeted, surprising me.

"Hi dad," I muttered, sitting next to him. 

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just..."

"Bad dreams?" I nodded, making him pull me into a hug. "It's okay."

"Yeah," I agreed, but couldn't shake the gloomy feeling away as I got dressed and followed Bella outside to the car.

We had a trip that day, as part of Biology. 

"Collect the slips, Sammy," Mr. Molina's voice interrupted my daydream- or rather, day-nightmare- and I handed my slip to a dark haired boy, smiling at him.

Alice suddenly stood next to me, Jasper and Edward by her side. 

"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. I noted that Jess was right, Jasper did look like he was in constant pain. That was the closest I have ever stood to him.

"Nothing, why?" 

"You seem gloomy," Alice explained. "You're usually much more cheerful." I shrugged, making her frown. She glanced at Jasper, that looked away from her glance.

"Well..." I started, "I'm gonna go on the bus now," I announced, walking up the steps, finding a seat at the back of the bus.

I checked my phone, half- hoping to see a text. After a while, the replies to my e-mails stopped being as enthusiastic, and now they barely replied.

Great friends I had.

At least Bella's didn't make the impression that they'll keep in touch.

"Hi," a tense voice said from next to me. I couldn't recognize it, and when I looked up, I realized that it was the first time I've heard Jasper Hale's voice. 

"Hi?" I asked, not sure why was he standing next to my seat. He looked back to Alice, that sat next to Edward in the two seats before us, before looking back to me, looking slightly embarrassed.

I  must be the only person in Forks who isn't utterly awkward.

"May I sit next to you?" I nodded, moving my bag. He slid into the seat next to me in grace, and I looked at his face.

"Were you left a year or something?" he looked alarmed at my boldness. "Sorry, I shoulda gave you a heads-up. I'm kind of bold."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "no, I wasn't left a year. Why?"

"Just," I shrugged, "you seem older than Alice or Edward."

"Oh," he simply said. Oops, I guess I left another man without words. I almost giggled at my thoughts, and I caught Edward's chuckle.

"Guess puberty hit you earlier?" I offered, making him nod. I think that he would have agreed to anything. 

Even though it felt kind of awkward, I was strangely calm, my thoughts never even once going back to him or the dream.

I caught Jasper looking at me halfway through the ride, so I decided to strike a conversation. "Do you understand Biology?"

"What?"

"I mean, Mr. Molina likes me because I give a lot of correct answers, but I'm just bullshitting my way through this class."

"Really?" Jasper asked, "and how's that working?"

"Pretty good, out of ten events of him asking me questions, I answered eight correctly and listened to him zero minutes. I think it's a pretty good score."

"Yeah," Jasper agreed. "You know, it's an important skill to have, being able to, simply put, bullshit in a good quality as you do."

"I know it is, saved my ass a bunch of time." I grinned, and even if his face was slightly scrunched up- like he was in pain- a smile decorated his face.