Circling Stars

🌟Chapter 7🌟

    Jasper disappeared after the bleeding incident. He wasn't at school, only answered my text messages to say he was sorry and would be back before Thanksgiving. He wasn't sure exactly when but he just needed some time to work on his self-control. I'd spoken to the three Swans I went to school with and gotten similar responses. Jasper would be fine, yes he was really coming back, no they wouldn't take me to him, be patient this was for my protection and his peace of mind. 

    To be honest I wasn't convinced what had happened was so bad. For one thing when I started to bleed he hadn't lunged at me, he just stood there. I'm sure he'd been waging a terrible battle within himself. That was just a part of who he was. I accepted it. I felt the important thing was he hadn't done anything. Sure the Swans had gotten to me fast to make sure nothing happened if his control did lag. The fact remained in that time before they got to us Jasper didn't hurt me. As he and I were closer in proximity he could have killed me before they got there...and he didn't. 

    "I'm not saying you're wrong." Bella put a hand on my shoulder. "Keep in mind if we hadn't been there he might of." She picked up a plate that had a turkey sandwich and a bag of chips. "You need to eat."

    I couldn't say no to the pleading look she gave me so I took the plate. 

    Nessie chimed in to reaffirm her mother's words. "Mom's right, Theo. Uncle Jasper has come a really long way since the old days. Had you been anyone else Jasper most likely would have been able to walk away. But you have to understand for vampires like me, mom, dad, and my grandparents, we've been able to smell humans in a different way for a long time. Like mom, they tell me she used to smell like flowers while she was human, and she had a friend named Angela who smelled like mint tea. But its only been within the past seventy years Jasper developed the ability. He lived off human blood for a century before he met Carlisle. That's why our diet is so hard for him." 

    Bella nodded. "And he would never forgive himself if he killed you because he lost control," Bella said. "I understand how frustrating this is. I went through similar things with Edward."

    The three of us were in the living room of my house. Shirley was coming over to try and cheer me up. She didn't know the real reason I was so sad and worried. We'd all lied and spread the story that Jasper was really sick, and his dad being a doctor, thought it'd be best for him to not have visitors.  

    I squirmed in my seat. "Do you think he might break up with me because of this?"

    "Shirley's here," Nessie said. "We'll let ourselves out the back door." And they were gone.

    "Well that's not a reason to worry," I said sourly to myself as the doorbell rang.

🌟

    It was the night before Thanksgiving, and all through my house, depression reigned and it was much larger than a mouse. I was spending the holiday with Shirley and her family since my parents were still gone. The Swans told me that they were all going hunting to celebrate and that was an activity I couldn't be around, once again for safety reasons. Jasper hadn't returned from wherever he'd gone. The cut on my face was nearly healed but the bad mood it put me in lingered.

    I was in the kitchen working on my offerings for the table, a green bean casserole, pistachio pudding, and the cheesecake created by special recipe curtesy of Nessie. Shirley had begged and pleaded for me to provide the last one. In the week Jasper had been gone I'd divided my time between school, my friends, and gotten to know the Swans better. I spent the most time with the girls, Bella, Nessie, and Esme. Carlisle worked a lot, and Edward, well I think he wanted to give us girls space. I'd learned that Jacob, as leader of a pack, bounced back and forth between here and a place in Washington state called Forks.