Part One: Love Bites (J. Hale)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Lupe lounges on her bed, the morning sun streaming in through the bus windows and onto Jasper. Whilst not bright enough to 'sparkle', it still does make him look beautiful. Her fingers brush through his hair as he reads. They don't need to talk to be comfortable with one another. She just likes being around him. It's a feeling....acceptance, she supposes. A sort of peace. She's at peace around him. Calm. Soothed. Whatever it is. She just feels better with him around. Safe. Protected. Despite what he is.

"We should get up" He points out, but lacks conviction, he does not want to get up, he wants to lay in bed with her all day. Forget the world outside.

"Five more minutes" She complains as she runs her hand through his hair, he smiles and glances up at her before leaning up to kiss her. She chuckles against his lips, knowing that she's won.

"Five more minutes" He agrees as he presses her back into the bed, his hands in hers beside her head.

"We don't have time for that though" She teases against his lips, he smirks and kisses her.

........

A little over five minutes later and Jasper and Lupe are getting dressed for the day. Lupe has just pulled on her boot when the door to the bus opens and Bella pokes her head in. Wanting to make sure she's not walking in on anything.

"Is it safe to come in?" She asks, Lupe hums in agreement as she stands.

"Yeah, we're decent" She assures her, Bella steps further in, worrying her hands together. "What's up?"

"Can we talk?" Bella asks Lupe who raises an eyebrow but nods.

"Sure..."

"I'll see you at school" Jasper offers Lupe who gives him a thankful smile. Jasper kisses her cheek and then leaves the two of them to it. Lupe pulls her hair back once the bus door closes and Bella paces in the small space, as much as she can.

"What's going on?" Lupe asks her, Bella lets out a breath and turns to her cousin.

"Have you noticed anything weird about Jasper?" Bella counters, Lupe cocks her head.

"Weird how? Because that's a very loaded question..."

"I don't know" Bella whispers. "Just...weird...cold skin? Eyes changing colour?" Lupe frowns at Bella. "Speed.....strength...." Lupe is not stupid, she gets it now, what Bella is getting at. She's figured it out. Or she thinks she has it figured out. Now she's asking for Lupe to reaffirm it. To tell her that she's right. That she's not reading too much into it.

"Why would you ask me that?" Lupe asks, her fingers toying with her sleeve as worry now sinks in. Bella can't know. She can't know about this. Edward was trying to protect her from it all. And it's not her place to confirm what Bella has figured out. It's not her secret. She needs to tell Jasper that Bella knows. He is going to need to sort this out with his family. Lupe can't say anything. She has no idea how to get out of this.

"I just..." Bella starts, Lupe shakes her head, grabs her bag and jacket.

"Look, we're going to be late for school..." Lupe rushes out. "I don't know what's going on" She adds. "Can we just go?" Bella sighs and then nods. Lupe lets out a relieved breath.

"Right, I just....I'll see you at school" Bella offers and then leaves. Lupe reaches into her bag and pulls out her cell phone as she follows after Bella, watching her cross the lawn to her truck and climbing in. Lupe dials Jasper's number on her phone before she sets it against her ear. She waits for it to pick up.

"Bella was just asking me some weird questions" She admits as she heads towards her camper.

"What sort of questions?" Jasper asks her.

"Urm...whether you were cold. Whether your eyes change colour. Whether you're fast and strong.....she knows, Jasper..." She admits. "I didn't say anything to confirm is but she definitely knows something is going on" There is silence on the other end of the phone and she frowns. "Jasper?"

"Tell me everything" It's Edward that answers instead.

"I just told Jasper" She argues. "I was just trying to get her to leave so I didn't have to say anything.....but she had this look in her eyes" Lupe opens her camper and climbs in. "You fucked up" She scolds Edward a little. "Showed too much weird...."

"I know" He agrees. "But it's not as easy for me as it is for Jasper...." Jasper snorts in the background. Lupe knows it's not easy for Jasper, even though he doesn't have the bloodlust with her, there are other issues. Strength. Power. The cold. It's still dangerous for them. "You know what I mean. I..."

"Look, it's simple" Lupe argues. "You have to decide and you have to decide now. Walk away or tell her the truth....she's not a toy for you to play with. She's my family. If you don't want her to know about vampires, you have to put a stop to it now before she knows for sure...."

"Yeah" Edward agrees.

"Right, I'm hanging up, tell Jasper I'll see him soon" Edward hums and Lupe hangs up, setting her bag and phone on the car bench before letting out an annoyed sigh. Edward is infuriating, this whole thing is ridiculous for someone his age. She's been lucky compared to Bella. Jasper saw more worth to their relationship, trusted her with their secret. It means a lot. But it still sucks for Bella.