Almost Human | Jasper Hale

Chapter 5

Meg woke up the next morning on her own account. She turned on her phone, the brightness immediately making her squint. Once she adjusted to the light she read a message on top of the screen: hey bitch! can't ride with you to school today, i have a morning dentist appointment! i can still take you home! - Eleanor. Meg sighed and dropped her phone carelessly back onto the bedside table.

She did her daily morning routine, washed her face, put on makeup, brushed her teeth and hair, and got dressed without Eleanor's opinion this time. She went for her usual casual look: severely ripped jeans, a white t-shirt, and an oversized knit sweater she likely stole from Grandpa. She thought it was good as is, but added a layered gold necklace just in case.

She decided to walk to school and not bother her grandparents or Felix about a ride, after all it was only two miles away.

Her first period on the second day of school was History. Meg called herself something of a History whizz but she seemed to get grades below what she wished they were.

Everything was going great and she wasn't even thinking about Jasper or what Carlisle said until she saw the bouncy blond curls enter through the doorway. "You gotta be kidding me..." she mumbled to herself, looking quickly down at her desk and tapping her pencil. Her pulse oddly quickened when the boy stopped at the desk next to her and sat down. She bulked up enough confidence to give him a confused look.

Jasper was already looking at her, as usual, before he decided to speak after her signal "My apologies about yesterday..." he didn't even give a reason, that was all he said as he slowly turned to face the teacher.

She never really noticed the hint of a southern accent in his voice. It gave him an edge that was even more attractive which annoyed Meg even more. Meg scoffed and turned dramatically to the front as well as the teacher began to speak. "Now what's better than a new semester? Essays! I will give each pair a topic to write about and it's due by next week...You will work with the person next to you."

Meghan turned to her right first but realized the girl next to her already agreed to work with the person on the other side of her. Meg then feared the worst as she slowly turned to Jasper who sat at the window seat, the only one left in the row.

Jasper was gripping his pencil like he was going to snap it in two. Megs pulse quickened again with this time a sense of nervousness as she eyed him in his chair. He looked up at her and dropped his pencil, calming down which in turn calmed Meg down for reasons she didn't know.

"Jasper and Meghan...you get the American Civil War."

Meg nodded, not finding the subject assigned too terrible while Jasper had a different reaction. Something of a smile appeared on his once stone face as he shook his head with a movement that said "You gotta be kidding me"

Class concluded soon after. Jasper and Meg stood up at the same time and walked in front of their desks to meet each other. Jasper spoke first, "Dont worry about the essay, I'm pretty great at History and the war. I'll finish it by myself and give you a copy by Friday." He didn't wait for a reply as he walked past her towards the door.

"Wait-" she called spinning around to face him and grabbing his shoulder to halt his movement. With her touch, Jasper tensed up as if someone had dropped an ice cube down the back of his shirt. Meg pulled her hand away as quickly as she placed it, feeling that she had touched the ice cube. The intense coldness of his skin was a shock to her.

He turned to face her again but they stood in a moment of silence while Meg recollected her thoughts. "Um that may roll with other lazy high schoolers but History is one of the only classes I actually want to do good in, that includes credit for MY own work. Plus we're presenting them too- if I get up there without writing the paper it will be evident that I didn't do the work. We can meet at my place after school." Meg stated with such demand and confidence a smirk played onto her lips after she finished.

Jasper sighed and rolled his eyes halfway, stopping at the ceiling and returning to Meg. Meg couldn't tell if he was actually rolling his eyes at her or just thinking. "No, meet me in the library today, during lunch, we'll write the essay then."

"But-" before Meg could protest Jasper was out the door and she was left utterly confused and a bit excited for the upcoming time working with him.

A/n aghhhhh they're on talking basis, kind of...i have intense writers block so sorry if these chapters are weird or short Love Always- M