New Girl, New Life (A Jasper Hale Fanfiction - a Twilight story)

Seven

~Tate's POV~

(Outfit Above)Everyone's in the cafeteria, and I'm sitting alone at my table trying my best to focus on my book, but I can feel his eyes on me. Jaspers eyes. I don't mind, I just wish that he would come over and talk to me. I huff and shut my book when Alice sits down next to me, placing her tray down a little too hard and making me jump. Flinch would be a better word, but let's not use it. I smile, "hey?" She demands, "eat." I ask, "What?"

She says, "I hardly see you eat and you need to keep up your electrolytes. Some avocado and chicken should do it." I scoff, "Alice, I really appreciate it, but-" she cuts me off, "No buts. Eat." I just look at her, my mouth open, and she continues, "Neither of us are leaving until you take at least one bite." I huff and lean my head back, groaning. She smiles and I slowly but surely take a piece of chicken and eat it. I ask, "Happy?" She replies, "Ecstatic." She says, "I heard you're coming over to our house later." I nod, "Yea, Jasper wants some help studying so I agreed to lend my hand."

I ask, "Can I ask you something?" She nods, smiling brightly, "Is there anything at all between you and Jasper? I-i'm not jealous or anything, I just, I-I wanna know." I look away embarrassed so she gently holds my hand, "No." I look at her, searching her eyes for honesty or deceit. She continues, "At first, there MIGHT have been a few mixed feelings, but that quickly turned into just friends. Best friends, actually."

I smile and let out a breath I had no idea I was holding. She asks, "Was it the twirl on that first day?" I nod and we both laugh. She says, "If you're wondering why he's always staring at you, it's not because he's trying to be creepy or leer at you, he's just...shy." I blush and look at him. I ask, "What do I do?" She smiles, "Be direct. Don't always beat around the bush. If he won't talk to you, talk to him." I ask, "Do you think he...do you think someone like him could like, well, me?" She guffaws, "Do you really need to ask that question?" We both chuckle and continue chit chatting.

She's right. I can't always depend on Jasper to do everything first. I need to take my own action.

Easier said than done of course.

AFTER SCHOOL

Now's the time. Time for studying. Studying and being awkward. Bella is at La Push with her friends and dad is driving me to the Cullen's. He smiles, "Have fun studying with Alice." I smile and shut the door. Okay, so I may or may not have left out a few details, but she's IN the house so It's not like I was TOTALLY lying about where she'll be. Dad pulls off and I walk up the steps, my heart pounding inside of my chest.

I'm hesitant, but I knock on the door, softly. I wait for a few moments before Dr. Cullen answers the door. He smiles and I say, "It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen." He insists, "Please, call me Carlisle." I smile and he steps aside, "Please, come inside." I say, "thanks." I walk in and he closes the door, giving me a small chance to look around. I say, "You have a beautiful home." He laughs and says, "Thank you." I hear footsteps and a stunning woman enters the room. He says, "I'd like you to meet my wife, Emse. Esme, this is Tate Swan, Chief Swan's daughter." She holds her hand out, "It's lovely to finally meet you. Jasper and Alice talk about you." I smile and gratefully take it, "Like wise." The second I touched her hand It was ice cold, but I thought it would be rude to say something so I just let it go.

I turn and see a bunch of graduation caps on the wall. I get really nervous being as no one's talking so of course I say, "I like those. Did you know that that particular style of cap is believed to have been developed in the 15th century, evolving from the square-shaped birettas used by catholic clerics, scholars, and professors? The tassel is the one item of regalia that has probably allowed for the greatest latitude when it comes to traditions. And they realized that fiberglass could increase the mortarboard stiffness, leading to the iconic graduation cap."

They just look at me, surprised and smiling, while I chuckle. I blush and look away, explaining, "Sorry. I have eidetic memory so sometimes when I'm nervous I start talking about random facts." They chuckle and Esme says, "It's amazing. I've never met someone with eidetic memory before." I just smile and nod. Jasper comes in and I release a breath, just barely whispering, "Oh, thank god." I hear laughing and he asks, "Are you ready?" I nod my head and he places his hand on the small of my back, leading me upstairs and to a room with a regular bed and tons of books on History and folk lore, mythology, other stuff like that.

I ask as I lightly touch around, taking in a good look, "How come you don't have any pictures of you or your family?" I look at him and continue, "I only ask because I usually see them in other people's homes, so I guess I just figured that you would to." He says, "My family isn't much of a fan of taking pictures." I nod my head understandingly and sit on the bed. I bend down to get my books out of my bag when I get a shot of pain where my bruise is. I wince and he nearly rushes over in what seems like the blink of an eye, "What's wrong?"

I shake my head, "I-it's nothing. It's just my-my side." He just gives me a look and says, "Here, let me get it. What do you need?" I tell him and we start studying.

It goes well for a while until I get a feeling. I look at him as he flips through a few pages of our biology text book. We both have it, but at different times. I ask, "I need to ask you something. And I need you to be honest with me." He looks at me, nodding and concerned. I ask, "Why did you ask me to help you study if you already knew all of this?" He looks surprised and I laugh, "I can tell." He scoffs and says, "You're right. I guess I just wanted an excuse to...hang out with you."

I blush madly. He wanted to hang out? Why didn't he just go to La Push then? I would have invited him. I laugh nervously, "Well, you could've just asked. I wouldn't have said no." He just smiles lightly and looks away. I get up and touch around. He says, "I heard you have eidetic memory?" I nod and ask, "Did you hear about the random facts too?" He nods, "Are you nervous now?" I let out a breath, "Honestly? Yes." He says, "Then tell me some facts." I turn around, confused, "What?" He reiterates, "Tell me some facts. If it'll help you relax, I'll be happy to hear it."

Why does he have to be so...perfect? He's mysterious, yet open. Bold, yet shy. Caring, yet...indifferent. Not to mention his accent and he's ridiculously cute. Hot would be a better word, but I'm trying to be uncreepy as I can be. I say, thinking of a bunch of different random facts at the same time, but I start, fiddling with my fingers, "A-alright, well, Michael Rockefeller, the son of the New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, was collecting indigenous art in Netherlands Guinea in 1961 when he suddenly vanished. He and his companions were crossing the mouth of the Betsj River when their boat capsized. The official reason given for his death was drowning, but of course that didn't stop the rumor mill from churning. Some people-" I cut myself off when I see him smiling, "What's that face for?"

He asks, "What face?" I point to his smile, "That face?" He just shrugs, smiling more, and I blush, "O-okay. Well, Some people..." For the next maybe 5 hours we continue talking and telling each other facts. I could do this forever...