Tattoos & Scars [1] | Jasper Hale

-04-

Sometimes, when Joanna was off work and was home by herself, she would be found lounging on the couch, dressed in her warmest pajamas as a storm began to attack Forks, Washington. Her mind, crazy and jumbled as it was, was only focused on the random house show that being played on HGTV. Dark strands of her hair were framing her pale face, her eyes dull from just waking up moments ago.

If someone dared to ask why she woke up at one o'clock in the afternoon, you would be faced with a heated glare. Waking up in the afternoon wasn't seen as unhealthy in her eyes. No, waking up with at least eight or more hours of sleep was healthy for her.

So, as she placed her bowl of empty cereal on the coffee table, she leaned back into the comfort of her couch. The piece of furniture swallowing her as she fluttered her eyes closed and scratched at her head - relaxing all together. This was the first day off for the week, a stormy Tuesday that left her sister at school, her mother working at the daycare with the newborns and her father, almost always sitting in the seat next to the light-brown couch. She could imagine him sitting there, amused by both her and the show before letting himself enjoy a bowl of cereal like she just had.

The two of them bonded that way. Spending, mostly the weekend, dressed in pajamas and watching a random show that they could critique on.

  But the last she did that, she was in middle school and now she was twenty-year-old adult that was still saving up for a college. As that thought plagued her mind, her forehead and lips formed into a frown.

  Jesus, she thought to herself, rubbing her face all over. It's been two years since graduation. Immediately, her eyes drifted towards her cap that her mother has forever rested on their shelf that stored books and photo albums. Her lips curved downwards even more. "Pathetic," she whispered to herself, letting her feet rest on the coffee table as her stare slowly curved into a glare. The golden cap mocked her and made her become rigid. Jealousy slolwy left her mind and floated all throughout her body.

  Her old friends - the ones she met in high school - they were now in college. Communication between them all was difficult; they were planning their futures. A future that Joanna saw that was going to take years. Ever so badly, she wanted to become a school nurse. It was odd, why didn't she want to become an actual nurse that worked at a hospital? The answer was simple, she had a connection with kids, they understood each other in many ways that her sister, Kinsley, was never gifted with (she despised them more than liked them). But also, a small factor, she didn't want to be the nurse that gave kids an ice pack if half of their arm was cut off.

  Reverting back to reality, Joanna's eyes locked with the television. A commercial was playing and so she grabbed a hold of the glass bowl she used and let her feet guide her to the kitchen. As usual, the tile floor was cold and she shivered when her skin made contact. She didn't have the time to wash out the bowl, her laziness crashed over her, so she placed it in the sink before searching for something to drink in the fridge.

  However, the female stopped when her eyes made contact with her old, hairless cat that was may more lazy than her. "Theodore," she greeted, knowing that he'll never respond back. "Looking like a ball sac like usual, huh?" The cat looked back at her, rolling its dark eyes before slowly walking away and towards the bathroom. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and when she twisted her head to look towards the pantry, her lips formed into a frown. There was a roll of paper towels that was torn to shreds. Claw marks visible among the white material. Sighing, she sent a glare towards where Theodore went before cleaning up his mess.

===

  It was the next day that Joanna was sent a job to drop off her little sister at Forks High School and the entire time, she was lucky that her sister had her headphones in and was listening to some sort of song. From what Joanna's ears could pick up, it sounded similar to the Beatles - a favorite among the Hodgson family.