iv. LIFE SAVER
☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ"SO, BELLS, HOW WAS YOUR FIRST WEEKEND IN FORKS?" Ophelia asked as she pulled apart the pastry she'd brought to school as she'd been running late this morning and had missed breakfast.
"Uneventful," Bella shrugged in response as the two girls hopped out of Bella's truck. She'd offered to pick her friend up today to which Ophelia had happily obliged, her heart warm at their growing friendship.
She'd always struggled making close friendships, particularly with her secret to keep, and that was why she found her friendship with Bella so easy.
Though Bella seemed curious about everything, their friendship possessed almost a mutual understanding that they wouldn't delve too deeply into their personal lives. They had enough to talk about with their mutual love of books and interest in people-watching that they never really bothered discussing themselves anyway.
"To be expected," Phee laughed, shutting her own door too, "This is Forks, after all."
Bella laughed, locking the car as they turned to make their way into the school.
People seemed to greet Bella today, more used to her presence in the school now. Ophelia could tell Bella felt more comfortable now, and smiled to herself knowing that she no longer seemed to cower when anyone looked in her direction.
They parted ways, their first class of the day was different again, and Ophelia found her stomach swarmed with butterflies knowing that it was history beside Jasper Hale that would begin her day.
"Good morning, Ophelia," Jasper smiled as she took her seat beside him, unusually more smiley than usual.
"Morning Jasper," Ophelia nodded, "I—uh, I like your shirt." She was nervous, as ever, and blurting out that she liked his shirt was especially awkward for two reasons — One, her eyes hadn't left his since she had entered the room and two, his shirt was a simple white cotton t-shirt, nothing compliment worthy even if it did cling perfectly to his muscled chest.
"Thank you," he smiled, grateful and almost oblivious to the stupidity of her compliment, though aware of her embarrassment, "You look beautiful today."
Ophelia was taken aback.
Not only did she not understand how Jasper fucking Hale found her 'beautiful', but the warmth of the grin on his face told her, somehow, that this wasn't the first time that he had observed her as such.
"Thank you, Jasper," she blushed furiously, glancing down at her lap and noticing Jasper shift uncomfortably in his seat out of the corner of her eye. She wondered why, but shrugged it off, "You didn't have to say that, though."
"I—," he paused, swallowing harshly and shuffling back a bit, "I meant it, you do. You always do."
For a moment he looked as though he was angry at himself for saying it and Ophelia silently tried to comprehend why as she saw him lean way from her.
They didn't speak again for the duration of the lesson.
—
"So he just told you that you were beautiful and then acted like he couldn't stand you?" Bella asked, leaning in curiously as she tried to avoid staring at Edward, who had returned to school and sat in the cafeteria laughing with his siblings.
"Sounds like they're all similar then," Ophelia pretended to sniff her sweater, giggling, "Do we smell, or something? I did shower this morning."
At her own words, Ophelia remembered the newly acquired spell she'd learnt just that previous night. She knew she was being silly, but felt that this was a flippant way to test what she had learnt and play with the two boys who wouldn't vacate her and her friend's minds.
"Apparently so," Bella laughed, acutely aware of the way Ophelia looked deep in thought, "I'm determined to make tomorrow the day I confront Edward, you should do the same."
Ophelia nodded, biting into a stalk of celery she'd been picking at for the past few minutes.
"Hey Pheels," an arm curled around Ophelia's shoulder and she knew immediately it was Mike. Bella found his continued obsession with her hilarious, but Ophelia evidently didn't. If only Eric had been here, Ophelia could've mocked his sudden crush on Bella instead.
"Quit calling me Pheels, Mike," she groaned, gently nudging his arm off her shoulder. She noticed Jasper staring again, blushing but trying to ignore it even as Edward's eyes snapped up towards her too, smiling almost teasingly.
"So I know we're like, friends, and stuff," he began, ignorant to the fact that Ophelia was clearly uncomfortable, "But do you want to go to prom with me?"
Ophelia drew in a deep breath, desperate to scream "No!" in his face but knowing that she could never be that cruel to the boy whose crush was harmless, albeit annoying.
"Thanks, Mike, but I don't think I'm going to be going," she gulped as she desperately tried to think of an excuse, "I've got some family stuff..."
"Oh right, sure. No, that's fine."
Mike took a seat at the other end of the table, slumping down defeated, and Ophelia couldn't help but notice the smile on Jasper's face grow even wider somehow.
"Sorry, Mike, you know I totally would otherwise."
"Yeah of course, no it's fine Pheels—uh Ophelia."
Ophelia felt guilty for turning him down, but she couldn't agree to go to prom with him, not when her heart was already set on attending with the one person she knew would probably never ask her.
"Maybe ask Jess?" she smiled sympathetically, knowing Jessica would definitely accept his invitation as she wanted to go with him, "She'd love to go with you, Mikey."
At that moment, Jessica, Angela, Eric and Tyler appeared at the table too, sitting down and diffusing the awkward tension that had arisen with idle chatter.
One final time Ophelia made eye contact with Jasper, whose jaw was now currently clenched. How on earth did his emotions seem to change so damn quickly?
She didn't stop thinking about that stupid boy for the rest of the day.
—
As the school day drew to a close, Bella and Ophelia headed out to Bella's truck, quietly chattering about their usual topic of conversation — the Cullen family.
As they approached Bella's truck, Ophelia dropped the book she'd been carrying and quickly crouched down to pick it up. In the time it took her to collect it and stand up, Bella had reached the truck and Tyler's car had come swerving in her direction.
In a split second, two members of the Cullen family appeared — Edward between Bella and Tyler's car, and Jasper with Ophelia's face now pressed tight to his chest as he yanked her out of the way so that her eyes weren't on her friend's near-death experience.
"Woah-" the blonde girl gasped, stepping back from Jasper and twirling to assess whatever the fuck had just happened, "Bells, you okay?" she noticed Bella's startled expression as she stood up beside a stoic looking Edward, who had been crouched with his palm denting the car.
"I'm— uh, yeah?"
Jasper's palm curled around Ophelia's lower arm, swivelling her back round to face him as the commotion occurred behind her and people swarmed to Bella's side.
His face was soft, etched with concern, "Are you alright, darlin'?"
"I think so, but Bella—," her face twisted in confusion, then, as she pondered how the brothers had gotten to them so fast, "How on earth did you get to us so fast? He saved her life and you— well you saved me too."
Jasper laughed, shaking his head.
The pad of his thumb ran softly over her forearm, her body noticeably relaxing even though she was still on edge. Not to mention that his touch was ice cold. Ophelia couldn't tell if the goosebumps spreading over her body were from his touch or her retained shock at the previous moments events.
As if aware of her sudden thoughts, Jasper pulled his hand away quickly, realising his cool hand had been on her arm for far too long.
Yet still, as chaos ensued around them, Jasper's gentle stare made Ophelia forget about all else.
"We were only a few metres away," Jasper coughed, a small smile flashing as though it was absurd of Ophelia to assume otherwise, "We saw Tyler getting close so came to help."
"I saw you— you were far away," Ophelia furrowed her eyebrows, glancing over at their car, where they had been stood, "But— uh, thank you. Thank you."
He nodded, and the pair both returned their gaze to the scene behind them. Bella was surrounded by people panicking and circling her like seagulls around food.
"I'll take you home, if you like." Jasper swiped his tongue over his bottom lip as he spoke, eyes squinting as though his offer was reluctant, "Since you came in Bella's truck."
Ophelia shook her head, eyeing the crowd.
"Bells!" she called out, finally back in the reality of what had just happened, "Are you sure you're okay? You could've been really hurt!"
"I'm fine," Bella sighed, "I don't even need to go to hospital but since I'm being forced... here—," she tossed her truck keys towards Ophelia, "Take my truck home, I'll ask Charlie to bring me to pick it up later. Get home safe," Ophelia noticed the way her mouth curled up a little as her eyes flickered between Jasper and her. And then she was gone, whisked away by the crowd.
"You too— call me as soon as you're home!"
"I promise."
"Okay well, I'd best be off," Ophelia swallowed thickly as she turned back to Jasper, "Thank you for offering to take me home though. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Get home safe, Ophelia."
And in the blink of an eye, he too was out of sight and she was began driving home in awe of what the hell had just happened.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
AUTHOR'S NOTE !
↳ thanks for reading! this one
was quite long so took a while
to edit but i hope you enjoyed!
i love writing this SO much it's
my fav fic of mine so i hope u
are all enjoying also. also sorry
the last part is messy and bad
i didn't know how to write it
so may edit again in future :-)
—lou. x
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───