𝘊𝘙𝘐𝘔𝘚𝘖𝘕 ° 𝘑𝘈𝘚𝘗𝘌𝘙 𝘏𝘈𝘓𝘌 ✓

13 | NORMAL TEEN THINGS |

Jasper stiffened. "Oh." He hadn't realized she noticed.

"Yeah. Oh." She blushed.

He paused and tilted his head towards her bedroom door as he listened to something Rory couldn't hear. "Your mother is about to come in," he said casually before unwinding his arms from her waist.

"Shit." She turned away from him as the footsteps grew louder.

"Rory?" The door abruptly opened and Jasper disappeared in a blink of her eyes. Stella stood against the doorframe, peeking her head into her room.

She had no idea where Jasper had disappeared to, but didn't give anything away to her mother as she entered. "Morning, mama." Rory sat up, stretching her arms out as if she just woke up.

Stella smiled at the sight and sighed. "Sorry I came home so late last night, mija. There was an animal attack. A man died. Waylon Forge?" Stella sat on the bed, right where Jasper was not even a minute ago.

"Oh, that's horrible." Rory cringed at the much to hallow pang of her voice. She definitely didn't sound as if it was the first time she heard the news. She was usually a good liar, she resolved to do better. She cleared her throat. "We met him before right? At the diner?"

"Yes. It was a tragedy. I really think you should stay out of the woods, mija. It's not safe," Stella said warningly.

"What about Orion?"

"Keep her in the yard for now, I'm sorry, I just don't want to risk it," she said apologetically but unswayable.

Rory sighed in defeat. "Of course, mama. I won't go into the woods." Alone.

"Good." Stella nodded happily. "Oh and you should invite Jasper over for dinner again sometime soon. He looks a little too old for you, but I like him."

"Why don't you invite him?" Rory narrowed her eyes.

"I'm trying to give you a chance," Stella said teasingly as Rory rolled her eyes. "And Bella called also. She asked if you could come over when you get up."

"Right. I'll go do that." Everything that happened the night prior crashed over her then. Oh, crap—Angela and Jessica were probably worried to death. Hopefully, Bella covered for her.

"Sí, unfortunately my next shift starts in an hour."

Usually, Rory hated how her mother worked too many hours, leaving her alone more than she could handle, but she understood. Stella coped with the loss of Luna and her husband by working as many shifts as possible, as well as support their household.

"I'll order dinner," Rory said helpfully.

Stella nodded, satisfied at whatever thoughts she had in her mind. "I'll be expecting Jasper, mija."

"Maybe," Rory smiled at her mother until the door closed. Jasper appeared back on the bed in a blur and a grin on his handsome face. Rory reached out to him once more, resting her head on his shoulder.

She hardly noticed how hard his body was anymore, his body and it's coldness never bothered her for some reason despite Rory preferring warm climates. Besides, after a while, her warm body temperature transferred to his enough that his usually ice-like body leveled out a bit to hers the longer she held his hand or hugged him. It seemed like the law of thermodynamics was useful to her.

"I guess I'll see you for dinner?" He smirked as she nodded with a defeated sigh.

"If you don't mind pretending to be human once more, that'd be great." Then she remembered his peculiar eating habits. "But you don't have to eat the food, I don't know any vampire physics, but I assume human food isn't to your palette."