Hopeless Devotion ~ A Jasper Hale Story

Chapter 4 -Bella Miss Popular-

In my dream I was at a ranch, It was dark like a storm was supposed to come. I Walked to the Barn where I found Jasper standing in the middle, He was holding the reins of the horse. He seemed to radiate light but looked ready to leave. He jumps onto the horse. "No! I shouted to him but he didn't look back. "Jasper!" I call repeatedly as he leaves. I start chasing him but I reach the End of the land and stop. I wake with a gasp.

To Bella's dismay, she was the center of attention for the rest of the week, I stuck close to the Cullens though Jasper seemed pretty distant. Tyler Crowley was seemingly obsessed with Bella, following her around, trying to make amends with her by depicting her saying she was fine and nicely trying to get him to leave her alone.

It was obvious that Mike and Eric were not pleased another person joined their Bella fan Club.

Despite Edwards' part in the fatal day, no one questioned or talked to Edward, honestly, I took this time to get to know him, though I mainly kept my public appearance around Alice and Rose Strictly.

People Avoided Cullen's and Hale's as usual. I sat at the table with them talking to Alice, who often tried to talk me into a Shopping trip. Rose was less interested in hanging out outside of school. So I lean towards her.

I talked to Bella one night, we had a girls night and

I asked her, "So has Edward talked to you any?"

"No, he seems to ignore my presence, sometimes balling up his fists. Sometimes I think he regrets saving me." I nodded as I shoved more ice cream in my mouth.

"There isn't any other reason I can think of." She continued.

"I get it, Jasper has been avoiding me too. You're not alone." I say hoping to cheer her up.

The days of the next month pretty much flew by, not much changed other than the different books I was reading. We sat at the table as Alice made a comment about the upcoming girls' choice dance. I rolled my eyes "I don't dance Alice, and I can say Bella won't dance either." That caught Edward's attention. I looked at him "you want to make a bet?" I asked if he looked at me suspiciously. "Bella will reject all suitors and will have an excuse which means she and I will get to spend a day in Seattle book shopping."

I finished my classes and saw Edward walk swiftly to his car and pull out to block Bella and me in. I giggled and walked up to his car first.

"You're trying to get Tyler a chance to ask?" I say, noticing that he was walking up to the truck behind us. Then I saw Jasper and the rest of his family come up, so that I didn't have to be an unwanted ghost I walked back to Bella.

That's when Jasper looked at me and said "It would be better if we're not friends," I looked up at him shocked and decided to hell with letting him pout or whatever he's doing "No, you don't get to pretty much ignore me for a month and then practically say we shouldn't be friends." I glared at him waiting for a response and when I got none, I said "I don't care how dangerous you think you are, wouldn't it be for me to decide if I want to risk my life. It's my choice if I decide to make a bad decision, not yours." I then turn and walk to Bella's truck, slamming the door as I get in.

"Those boys are going to be the death of us," I state and she nods in agreement.

The drive home was slow and Bella and I both were muttering unrepeatable things about guys.

Once we got home, Bella decided to make enchiladas to keep herself busy and I finished my homework and tried to concentrate on a book, to no avail.

When I came downstairs Bella was on the phone from the way she was somewhat celebrating. I assumed that Mike said yes to going out on a date with Jessica.

She soon hung up and started dicing the chicken when she started to tear up. I randomly hugged her and said, "What's up, you know you can tell me anything."

She sniffled and opened up and pretty much said that Edward said as well that they shouldn't be friends. That idiot. She was thinking that she wasn't interesting enough and he was trying to not lead her on. I'm going to beat this boy the next time I see him.

Mess with me, Fine.

Mess with my sister, we got problems.

When dad got home he was suspicious of the food Bella made, I don't blame him though our mom was very experimental when it came to cooking which usually led to unreadable disasters.

As we waited Bella started a conversation.

"Dad?" She asked as we were almost done.

"Yeah, Bella"

"Um, I just wanted to let you know that We will be going to Seattle for the day, a week from Saturday... If that's ok?" She asks, while it was obvious she really wasn't asking she and I both don't want to walk all over dad.

"Why?" He asked surprised

"Well I- We wanted to get a few books-- the library here is limited-- and maybe look at some clothes." It was something new with us having more money than we did with mom.

"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage," Dad says

She says before I could offer my car "I know, I'll stop in Montesano and Olympia-- and Tacoma if I have to."

"Just you girls?"

"Yes."

"Seattle is a big city--you girls could get lost," Dad fretted.

I jump in and say "Dad we were up in Phoenix, which is five times the size of Seattle."

"Oh, Ok." He says

"Thanks." we both say to dad, smiling.

"Will you girls be back in time for the dance?"

I smile, as I nearly laugh out loud at his question while Bella looked mad.

"No-- I don't dance, Dad." I knew he should have known that Bella and I were not the best choice for dancing, more so Bella, between her and I, plus we didn't get our balance problems from our mother.

Finally, he caught on "Oh, that's right," realizing the torcher we both would go through.

The next morning when it was my turn to drive u to school Bella asked me deliberately for me to park as far away from Edward's car as we can. Which honestly I was more than happy to do.

I grab my book bag and knowing that we were a bit early, Bella drops her house key when Jasper and Edward seemingly appear out of nowhere. "You.." She gasped and I held back my amusement and looked up at Jasper.

"You find a lot of amusement from your sister," he stated with a half-smirk that almost made me forget our conversation. "Of-Ofcourse what sibling wouldn't," I responded before changing the conversation.

"So are we talking now or is this another way of playing cat and mouse?" I say pulling my bookbag out of the car, just for him to take it from my hands "I just don't think it wouldn't be best that we aren't friends not that I don't want to be." I roll my eyes at his response "Ok," I say sarcastically, "Is there specifically something you want?" I ask knowing there is no way he came that far out of his way just to reiterate what he said yesterday.

"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday-- you know the one the day of the dance--" I interrupt him.

"You know if you think it would be funny to ask me to the dance, the answer is no, and unlike Bella has portrayed going to Seattle is not an excuse. It is a plan." I say turning towards the building. That's when his hand grabbed my shoulder.

"Will you let me finish?" I could hear a slight annoyance in his voice, so I turn back to him, remembering that he also has my bookbag. So it's not like I could really go anywhere, stupid incredible handsome god, I thought.

"As I was saying, Edward wants to take Bella, so would you like to go with me." he says, despite my annoyance with him, I really want to play matchmaker with Bella so I smile shyly and say "Sure, I guess." He smiles a dazzling smile that made me forget what we were talking about.

"Are you ready to go to class?" I nod and tug for my bag back, feeling naked without it. Mumbling "thanks," as I slip it on.