Ice Veins; Ice Heart

pardon, pardoned

You are entirely bonkers but I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.
The Mad Hatter

"Pardon."

"You are pardoned". Said the overzealous history teacher. They are all the same.

"What can I do for you miss-?"

"Swan, sir. I am Noelle Swan. The new transfer?"

"Oh, yes. I have been expecting you Miss. Swan.

Please come in."

Taking a few steps inside the bright classroom. Everybody was dying to see the Swan twin. Knowing her sister, everybody was on their edge of their seats. They wanted to put a face to all the rumours.

"I heard she is smoking hot."

"I heard she is more outgoing than Bella."

"I heard she got kicked out of her last school."

"I heard she LOVES the green bud!"

"I heard her hair is insured in Japa-"

But all those rumours were disappointed since no face could be attached to them. The face was hiding behind a stylish piece of sunglasses and leather gloves. It was almost she did not want to be judged by simple-minded town-folk.

"Okay, Miss. Swan you are more than welcome to take a seat in any open spots and here... is your textbook. Feel free to ask anyone to catch you up on the work."

Noelle took her textbook and turned her back to the teacher. She could spot a few open seats; one in the front, another one in the middle row and one all the way in the back. Noelle felt like luck was somehow on her side as a seat next to her trusted person was wide open and he somehow was mentally begging her to take it.

Elle walked to the back of the class and took a seat behind him. As she brushed past him, she felt more at peace than ever. As Noelle was settling in her seat the blond Cullen raised his hand.

"Yes Jasper?"

In his best Texan accent Jasper replied, "Ah would be more than happy to help Elle".

A few audible groans could be heard from the rest of the over-excited boys in the class who were hoping to be the new girl's knight in shining armour.

"Well that is fantastic new Mr. Cullen. How about for the coming assignment you guys group together and you show her the ropes?"

"Ma' pleasure".

Noelle, a little thrown back by the decision-making that took place in-front of her without any consideration from her side, was staring right into Jasper's golden eyes.

"Miss Swan, sound good to you?" The history teacher asked.

"Yes." That is all Noelle could mutter out. She was still in a trance trying her best to figure out the Cullen boy sitting in-front of her.

Jasper turned in his seat, his back towards Noelle now.

"Alright class please turn to page-"

And for the Noelle rest of her history class the teacher drowned on and on about the dark part of American history and it's hidden stories.

Noelle listened attentively but her attention was often disrupted to the world outside the tainted windows. There was a sparrow sitting on a tree. It was so free. It flew away when it wanted and stayed when it pleased it so. The sparrow was such a contrast to her own ordeal. She wanted to leave and fly away but she couldn't. She was shackled to the flesh of her body and the obligations that pursed her so.

THUD

Noelle booted out of her dreams brought her attention back to the teacher dropping stacks of assignments on his table. He was announcing the project for the group assignments. As if on cue the blond turned around in his seat to bring his attention back to the one thing that was driving him insane.

Jasper could feel all her emotions throughout this time. The calm, the anger, and the sadness. He wished he could help her throughout all the negative ones but his manipulation only helped to a certain point. Further his diet of vegetarian blood did not strengthen his powers either. Since he was abstaining from human blood he was weaker than usual making his power weaker than before. Jasper felt like he was stuck in this loop of helplessness because for the first time in his life he had found the one person that he would gladly murder half the school population without a guilt in the world if it meant helping any ill-affecting emotion in her body.

"Howdy ma'am".

"Hi."

"M Jasper. Jasper Cullen."

"I guessed so Mr. Cullen. If you don't already know I am Noelle - leaning in, she whispered- the crazy twin".

Jasper stifled a chuckle.

"Ya'know what they say about the crazy ones"?

"That we are secretly sane? No thanks. I think I rather be sane but secretly insane. It is easier to blend with the rest."

"Well that would awfully borin. Be'ing like the rest, ya know?"

"I think at some point you have to choose between easy and different."

"Wise words."

"I hardly doubt it." Noelle waved her arm to emphasize flattery. This was the first time she had a conversation with another person without it leading to either a screaming match or her running away.

Something about Jasper Cullen made the conversation much easier than anyone else. Noelle secretly wondered if he felt as comfortable as she did with him.

Before either of them could say anything the bell screeched. Time for second period. The students swarmed out of the class but two students took their sweet time. They did not want to leave each other's presence so soon.

"May I walk you to your next class"?

"Yes! I mean, yes please."

Noelle did not want Jasper to know how desperate she was not to separate from him. It was almost embarrassing. After gathering their stuff Jasper picked up Noelle's bag and headed towards the exit with Elle right behind him. She did not even question his action. She liked how he cared enough to carry her bag for her.

Toto I have a feeling we made a friend, Noelle thought to herself. She felt smart for referencing  the Wizard of Oz in her thoughts. She found it was amusing.

As they both went to cross the class threshold the pair was stopped by a brown-haired, black eyed individual.

His hair was ruffled and he wore a leather bracelet with a lion emblem. It was none other than the wicked witch, himself.

Edward Masen Cullen.

Someone take out their water bottle!

"What is it do you think you are doing?"