Saturday morning, Amber woke up and headed downstairs. She saw Bella making breakfast. "Morning Bella." She greeted her sister.
"Morning Amber." Bella greeted back.
"Did Dad go fishing?" Amber asked, noticing Charlie wasn't in the kitchen. His bedroom door was open and wasn't in the family room, so she guessed he had left to go fishing already.
"Yeah." Bella said. "He left with Harry Clearwater before you woke up."
"Ok." Amber said. She went over to the coffee pot and started making some for her and Bella. Once they had both finished what they were doing, they set everything on the table and sat down. "So, what are your plans for the day?" Amber asked as she took a bite of the scrambled eggs Bella made.
"Edward's taking me to meet his family." Bella replied. "Would you like to come with us?"
"Thanks for the offer." Amber said. "But I've already met them and I'm hanging out with Jasper."
"Oh ok." Bella said. "Well, have fun."
"Honestly, I'm a little nervous." Bella said. "What if they don't like me?"
"I'm sure they'll love you, Bells." Amber said.
"Thanks Amber." Bella said.
Once they finished eating, Amber helped Bella clean up breakfast. Afterwards, Amber went up to her room to get dressed. She started looking through her closet. Even though she and Jasper were just hanging out, she found herself wanting to look nice. She picked out a pale blue plaid shirt with a white tank top, blue jeans, and a pair of converses. She changed into the outfit and combed her hair out a little bit.
"Amber, Edward and Jasper are here." Bella called from downstairs.
Amber looked out the window and saw Edward and Jasper getting out of Edward's car and heading up the pathway. As she looked outside, they saw that there a little bit of sun showing through the clouds. For once it was going to be a nice day in Forks. She made her way down the stairs as Bella opened the door.
"Hey guys." Bella said, letting them in.
"Hey." Edward said as he walked in with Jasper.
Jasper looked at Amber. "Hey." He said.
"Hi." Amber said.
"Ready to go, Bella?" Edward asked.
"Yeah." Bella said.
"Have fun." Amber said. "See you later."
"Bye." Bella said as she headed outside.
"Bye guys." Edward said, following her.
"Come on." Jasper said. "Grab your car keys."
"Ok." Amber said, not knowing what he had planned. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the keys to the truck, off of the counter. She walked outside with Jasper.
"Would you be opposed to me driving?" He asked.
"Not at all." Amber said, tossing him the keys. She got in on the passenger side while he got in on the driver side. He started the car and drove down the street.
"How are you doing?" Jasper asked.
"Doing good." Amber answered. "And how about you?"
"Same here." Jasper replied. "By the way, you look nice today."
Amber looked down to keep him from seeing her blush. "Thank you." She said. They sat in silence for a little bit.
"No offense." Jasper said. "But damn, you're truck drives so slow."
"Oh, so you're into fast cars?" Amber asked.
"My whole family is." Jasper said. "We all have fast cars."
"Ahh ok." Amber said. She noticed that they were heading out of the town limits of the Forks. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see." Jasper said. They came to an end of the pavent. Amber noticed a trail as they got out of the car. "You don't mind hiking, do you?" Jasper asked.
"No." Amber said. "Hiking's fine."
"Ok." Jasper said. They started walking through the woods. After a little bit, they came to a meadow.
"What is this place?" Amber asked.
"I like to come here when the weather is nice." Jasper said. They sat against a tree.
"I'm sorry about the other day." Amber said. "About the date."
"It's ok." Jasper said. "Don't worry about it."
"I feel like I owe you an explanation." Amber said.
"You don't owe me anything." Jasper said. "You don't have to tell me."
"I want to tell you." Amber said.
"Ok." Jasper said.
"Honestly, I do like you." Amber said. "I have since I first met you."
"But." Jasper said.
"But, like I said the other day." Amber said. "I don't want you to see me extremely sick. I don't want to put someone I love through that again."
"Again?" Jasper said.
Amber sighed. "I had a boyfriend in eighth grade and part of ninth grade." She explained. "I ended getting extremely sick in ninth grade. It was first time I got really sick since being diagnosed. He was really scared. Once I was better, I broke up with him." Jasper listened to Amber. "I mean he stuck by me and was there for me through everything. Him being there helped me get through it and I appreciated it." Amber said. "But, I just didn't want to put him through that again or anyone, for that matter. That's why I said no to going out with you."
"I'm sorry." Jasper said. "I shouldn't of pushed you. You said from the beginning you didn't want to be in a relationship."
"It's ok." Amber said. "So, you didn't want to stay at your house and meet Bella?"
"Nah." Jasper said. "It's harder for me to be around her than the rest of my family."
"How so?" Amber asked.
"I didn't have same upbringing as the rest of my family." Jasper said. "Me and Alice weren't turned by Carlisle."
"So, what is your story?" Amber asked.
"In 1861, I joined the Confederate Army when I was 17. It didn't take me long to become a major. Two years after joining, I was riding back to Galveston when I came upon three woman, Maria, Lucy, and Nettie. They were all vampires. Maria turned me into one. During that time, there were vampire wars going on in the South. She used me to create a newborn army to try regain back territories. She had me train the newborns and when the time came, kill them, not letting them live past the first year. Because of my ability to feel others emotions, I could feel everything they felt as I killed them. By 1938, I ended up leaving Maria after an old friend that I had fought alongside with came back and told me that vampires in the North could coexist and asked me to go with me. I immediately agreed and left Maria. Ten years later, I met Alice at a diner in Philadelphia. She was waiting for me because she had a vision of me. It was like we were meant to be mates, but neither of us saw each other in that way. She told me the visions she had of the family and went in search of them. We finally found them around the 1950s. Unlike the rest of my family and because of my upbringing in the first couple of years after being turned, I was never taught how to control my bloodlust and therefore have a difficult time around around humans. I still haven't perfected it."
"Is it hard to be around me?" Amber asked.
"You're different." Jasper said. "Your blood appeals more to me than everyone else. Even though it's hard to be around you, I can't stay away from you. I feel very protective of you."
"Am I your mate?" Amber asked.
"Yes." Jasper replied.
"Ok." Amber said. "Thank you for telling me your story."
"You're welcome." Jasper said. He stood up. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" Amber asked.
"Out of the cloud bank." Jasper said as he pulled her onto his back. "You still want to see what I look like in the sun, right?"
"Yeah." Amber said.
"Well then, hold on tight." Jasper said.
Amber tightened her grip around Jasper's neck and he took off running. Once they were out of the cloud bank, Jasper stopped on top a hill and set Amber down. He walked to the edge of the hill, where the sun was shining. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and diamonds appeared on his skin. Amber stared at him in awe. It was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen.
"You look beautiful." She said, walking over to him. She touched his chest. She looked up at him and saw him looking at her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Jasper broke the silence.
"Come on. I'll take you home." He said.
"Ok." Amber said.
"Get on." said Jasper.
Amber got on his back and wrapped his arms around his neck. He took off running. Amber watched her hair and the trees whip by around her. They got back to the truck within minutes, where it would've taken them an hour had they walked. Amber got in the passenger, letting Jasper drive again. They got back to the house at the same time that Bella and Edward. Charlie wasn't home yet.
"Hey guys." Bella greeted them.
"Hi." Amber said as she got out of the truck.
"Are you going to school on Monday?" Jasper asked, handing Amber the car keys.
"Yeah." Amber said. "Our history project is due that day."
"Ok." I'll see you Monday, then." Jasper said.
"Bye." Amber said. She watched him and Edward get in the car and drive away, before walking into the house with Bella. They started making dinner.
"How was meeting the Cullens?" Amber asked.
"It went well." Bella replied. "Esme and Carlisle really like me. Edward told me it's because they're happy that he's found someone."
"That's good." Amber said.
"How was hanging out with Jasper?" Bella asked.
"It was good." Amber said.
"What did you guys do?" Bella asked.
"We hung out in the woods and talked." Amber said. "We talked about a lot of things."
"What did you guys talk about?" Bella asked.
"I told him about Jason." Amber said. "And he told me his story on how he became a vampire."
"You told him about Jason?" Bella asked, shocked. "Are you ok? I know how hard it was to break up with him and how hard it is to talk about him."
"Yeah. I'm ok." Amber said. "He also showed me what he looks like in the sunlight."
"Really?" Bella asked.
"Yeah." Amber said.
"Cool." Bella said.
They finished making dinner just before Charlie got home. They three of them ate and then, Amber and Bella headed up to bed.