Tap tap tap... Hazel sat, boredly tapping her pencil against her desk. She had a lot to think about, but none of it seemed to fill her mind. "Oh my, I'm sorry for the interruption. I'd like you all to meet our new student." Mrs. Franck smiled as she beckoned the new student. "Introduce yourself dear."
Hazel glanced up and groaned in annoyance, her cousin Chase was standing at the front of the class, his eyes glued on her with a mischievous smirk on his face. He briefly nodded to the teacher, "Yes ma'am. I'm Chase Verice, I moved to Forks from Maine, but I lived in Italy for a lot of my life."
"How very interesting, are you perhaps related to miss Hazel?" Mrs. Franck asked and Chase nodded, his eyes not moving from Hazel.
"Is that the cousin you and Jasper ran into? The crazy one?" whispered Alice, and all Hazel could do was nod as she glared at her cousin.
"I don't see why you shouldn't sit together! Please, take a seat across from Alice. Alice, would you be a dear and raise your hand?" Mrs. Franck looked over to Hazel and Alice who looked troubled.
Chase waved his hand a charming smile appeared on his face, "There's no need Mrs. Franck, I already found my cousin!" His smile only ceased when he took his given seat across from Alice and shot her a small glare, "Great. Another one of the pale-skins."
"If your gonna sit with us can you at least try to be nice? At least for school?" Hazel groaned and Chase rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, I have no reason to like anyone like her."
Hazel sighed in response and she laid her head on the desk, "I hate this class already."
Alice nodded, patting Hazel on the back before glaring at Chase and pulling out her notebook to begin writing. "I don't see why you hate us so much, we're not even the same as the others."
"Whatever. I don't wanna hear it," Chase grunted and began writing in his own notebook.
*******************************************
Jasper froze the moment he saw Chase walk out of Hazel and Alice's classroom. It didn't take long for him to be noticed and Chase smirked, "Great didn't realize more of the damned were here. And it's the one that likes to play human. Pathetic..." He shoved his way past the stunned boy and marched down the hall.
Hazel and Alice rushed out the door and the two girls looked around feverishly only calming once they saw Jasper standing there quietly waiting for them, "J!" Gasped Hazel as she quickly made her way over to him, followed shortly by Alice. "Did Chase see you?"
"He did."
"What did he say?" Hazel asked her eyes searching his for any sign of discomfort.
"Nothing I couldn't handle Darlin', he won't try anything at school." Jasper smiled and hugged Hazel gently, "I doubt having him in your class was enjoyable."
Alice scoffed and rolled her eyes, all but confirming Jasper's statement, "It was awful. He's such a pain and a terrible conversationalist."
"Alice is a bit annoyed that every time she tried to talk to him he'd shrug her off and say he didn't want to associate with 'people like her'," Hazel sighed as the three began walking down the hall towards Hazel's next class.
"Was he raised to hate us or something?" Alice groaned as they made their way to Hazel's next class.
"My aunt... Has a rather negative view of the supernatural, unfortunately." Hazel sighed as she looked up at Jasper, "Be careful J, Chase isn't one to ignore something he doesn't like."
Jasper gives her a small smile to reassure her, "Don't worry Darlin' I'll be careful."
"See you at Bella's party?"
Hazel squints her eyebrows before nodding, and allowing a small smile to grace her face, "I'll be there, at least there's something to look forward to." Alice grins and wraps Hazel in hug.
"Great! You're gonna love it. I mean, you did help me plan it after all."
A laugh escapes Hazel's lips as she shakes her head, "Alice, you did just about everything yourself. I just gave you ideas that I honestly just got from her mom."
Alice shakes her head, "You're being modest, you were a great help. We'll see you tonight, don't forget Bella's present!" She calls as she merrily trots down the hall her next class.
"I s'pose I should get to my class." Jasper smiles and gently kisses Hazel on her forehead, "See you later Darlin'."
"See ya J."
*********************************
Gently smoothing her dress Hazel jumped out of her car and made her way up the Cullen's walk way. She was greeted by Jasper, who gracefully took her hand and led her inside to the large open living room, "Wow Alice you've really out done yourself."
"Is it too much? I really didn't want to go too overboard." smiles Alice sheepishly as she shifts from one foot to the other, "Do you think Bella will like it?"
Hazel smiles as she looks from one Cullen to the next, "I'm sure she'll love it."
Alice seems to relax at Hazel's reassuring words, "Thank you."
"Any time Alice."
Hazel grabs a glass of water and stands by Jasper a smile playing on her lips, "So when's the birthday girl arriving?"
"She's here!" Alice clasps her hands together happily.
"Clairvoyance, right." Jasper chuckles at Hazel before putting an arm around her.
Bella and Edward join and Hazel grins. After a few pictures Alice hand Bella her first present, this one's from Emmet."
"Already installed it in you truck." he grins, "Finally a decen sound system for that piece of-"
"Hey, don't hate the truck." Bella shakes her head.
"Open mine next!" Hazel grins as she hands Bella a gift delicately wrapped in silver wrapping paper and a golden bow.
Bella's eyes widened at the sight of the necklace, "How much did this cost?" Hazel merely shrugs and holds up her hand to reveal a matching bracelet.
"Don't worry about it, when I told Aveline I needed to get you a present she insisted it was magnificent." Edward gave Hazel an approving nod before helping Bella putting the necklace around her neck.
Alice steps forward with a small box, "Here's Carlisle and Esme's."
Bella gives everyone a grateful smile as she reaches to open the package, only to get a paper cut on her hand. Hazel feels Jasper tense as Bella's blood drops from her finger. The moment it touches the floor Hazel's eyes widen, "J don-"
Jasper lurches forward, knocking Hazel off her balance and she lands on the floor with a resounding thud. She watches in shock as Edward throws Bella away from them and pushes Jasper into the piano.
Knowing she had to act fast Hazel quickly gets to her feet and steps between Bella and Edward and Jasper, holding her hand out for Jasper to stop. As he's restrained by Carlisle and Emmet she steps forward and runs her hand down his tense face, "It's okay J. It'll be okay, it's just a bit of blood. Hold yourself together J."
Hazel glances back to see Bella's injury is much worse then she thought, shards of glass were running down her arm and she was bleeding a decent amount now, "Get Jasper out of here." Carlisle is the first to speak and Emmet walks Jasper outside followed shortly by Hazel.
"J..." she stands beside him looking into his distant eyes.
"It could've been you." His voice is soft and torn, an underlying sadness apparent in his voice.
Hazel rests a hand on Jasper's shoulder only for him to shrug it away, "It was an accident, and I can hold my own against your kind."
"But not as well as one of us. What if I hurt you? I can't live with the thought." His voice seems to crack and Hazel wraps him in a warm embrace.
"You won't, we'll get through this together."
"Hazel you should go." Edward appears at their side out of nowhere.
"But-" Hazel looks at Jasper pleadingly but he just shakes his head, "I see... I'll be going then. Take care of him Edward."
With a deep sigh Hazel walks down the long drive to her car and rests her head on the steering wheel for a moment before pulling out of the driveway and towards her house.
**********
Hazel watched out for Jasper and the rest of the Cullen's for several days only to realize they really were gone.
As she got home one day, there he stood the phantom she'd been searching for. "J..." breathes Hazel her eyes watering as she walks toward him.
"We need to talk." His eyes are cold and distant, the same way they were when they'd first met.
Hazel swallowed hard her eyes searching his for the love they once held, "Alright. Let's talk." Jasper leads Hazel into the opening in the field where they met her cousin Cole just a short while ago.
"We're leaving Hazel."
Those words shook Hazel to her core, "Leaving?"
"Edward and I convinced the others that it would be best if we kept our distance from you and Bella." Jasper's voice was hard and stony but Hazel could tell there was some sadness behind his words.
"I see... There's nothing I can do?"
"No, nothing could convince me otherwise."
"O-okay, then please," Hazel grabs a bracelet from her wrist and hands it to him, "Take this. It'll give me piece of mind, please."
An unreadable emotion passes over Jasper's face as he takes the bracelet gingerly in his hands, "I will, this is goodbye."
"I'll always love you, y'know that right?" Hazel reaches forward and plays with a lock of Jasper's hair.
"How are you so calm with this?"
"I'm used to goodbyes." Tears began to slide down Hazel's face ass she chokes out her words.
Jasper hugs her gently and kisses the top of her head. "I'm sorry." A cold rush of wind goes by her and suddenly, she's standing alone in the clearing. Not a moment later, Hazel collapses in a fit of tears.
Shakily she stands and begins walking through the forest, her eyes searching for something that wasn't there. "J..." The sun begins to set as she runs into Bella, who was sat there with wide eyes, "Bells?"
Bella doesn't even look up and Hazel collapses beside her, wrapping arms around the pale girl. The two lay on the cold ground soft whimpers escaping their lips. Eventually everything faded to darkness and Hazel could only hear the faint sound of wolves howling in the distance.
*******************
Warmth wakes Hazel as she looks up, carrying her is Taylor Chase at his side. "Tay..." She breathes out, earning a glance from Taylor and Chase.
"I'm glad you're alright Hazel, we're almost back to the station." Chase gives Hazel a comforting smile and turns away, "I was worried."
"I'm surprised, you didn't seem to enjoy my company much earlier." Hazel smiles wearily and Chase chuckles.
"You're still family, despite you're... Unsavory choice of companionship." Chase smiles and then looks to his left where Sam was walking with Bella in his arms, "Hey, wolfy, you should walk out first."
Sam rolls his eyes and he walks through the trees, leaving Taylor with Hazel and Chase. Chase checks his watch and after a few short minutes they walk out of the woods through a different clearing.
"Marina!" Chase called out as the two approached the group of people. A slightly disheveled looking woman whipped around and ran toward the two boys, "She's alright. Just a little cold."
"Hazel... Baby I'm so glad you're alright! I was so worried," Marina wrapped Hazel in a bone-crushing hug, "I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if something had happened to you."
"I'm sorry mom..." whispered Hazel, unwilling to raise in fear that it would break. "Can we... Go home?"
"Yes of course Honey, we'll talk about all of this later when you're feeling better," Marina stepped away from Hazel and hugged Taylor and Chase, "And thank you boys, I'm not sure how you found her. But I know it would've taken a lot longer had you not been out there."
"It was nothing Marina, that's what family's for." Chase gave her a reassuring smile before returning her embrace.
Taylor nodded and hugged her as well, "Yeah, you may as well be family to me too."
"How about I treat you two to dinner, as a thank you." Marina smiled.
"I'd never turn down your cooking," responds Taylor as he and Chase walk Hazel to the car. "You gonna be alright Haze?"
"I-..." Hazel closes her eyes to hold back her tears, "Only time will tell."
"We can talk about it later, for now rest."
A/N
Heeeeeey guys, I'm sorry for not posting in like 2 months my life has been... Chaotic at best. I think I'm finally ready to get back to writing completely, so new chapters should be coming out every Sunday again!
Thank you for your patience! I hope you're having a good day/night. See you in the next chapter!