The Outsider

14. The Challenge (Part Two)

14. The Challenge (Part Two)

"What the hell is your problem," Jasper said in a harsh whisper, his face inches from mine.

I could feel his warm breath on my lips, and it took every ounce of strength in my body not to lean closer to him. Even if I gave into the urge, I probably wouldn't be able to move anyway, considering how strong Jasper was.

I had no doubt in my mind that he could easily kick my ass. Or that he could've have knocked me out when he threw me up against the wall. But he didn't. Something was holding him back from doing those things, and I wasn't complaining.

"Things I say to my penis during sex," I muttered back with a smile, before shaking my head and scrunching my face. "No, to your penis during sex. Wait, no. Things you say to your penis during sex. I really fucked that up."

I felt Jasper's grip tighten around my shirt's collar and felt myself be pushed harder against the wall, all while Jasper moved his face a little closer. As he did, I could have sworn I saw the hint of a smile.

"If I tell you to stay away from me, then you listen."

"You know, you may think this, holding me against a wall, is intimidating me, but if anything, it's turning me on."

Shooting Jasper another smirk and continuing to ignore the comments people around us were making, I wondered as to why I wasn't scared. Why I wasn't shaking in his grip or calling for help.

Was it because part of me felt Jasper didn't want to hurt me? That he was only doing this because it's what people expected of him?

Was it because I was batshit insane and this excited me?

The answer to all of those questions was most probably yes, but there was another part of me that kept telling me there was another reason I wasn't scared.

This wasn't who Jasper was.

I may have only know him for a few minutes—formally—but there was something in his eyes that was screaming for help. It was is if, while he got out of prison, part of him still felt trapped. Caged. Like he wanted to move on and be free from whatever past he had but was reminded of it everywhere he turned.

The murmurs and the rumours that followed him. The stares, and the way everyone reacted around him. How they moved to avoid him. Trying not to get too close. Treating him as though he was diseased.

What I saw in his eyes, was someone who was still fighting to be free. And although that same look and feeling didn't make it to his face, I could still see that he was happy someone had finally treated him like a human.

As we stood there in silence, Jasper gripping my shirt tightly, his face barely an inch from mine, I began taking notice of what the crowd around us were saying. The taunts and comments that started out being directed at both of us, were now no longer about me. Every word that was being uttered and every insult that ran around the students, were all meant for Jasper, and I felt my heart shudder at the sound.

He was doing this for me. To protect me from their poison words. Being near Jasper for barely a second had turned the other students on campus against me and he was placing them back on my side.

I felt Jasper's grip on my shirt falter, and as I looked at his face, I saw the hardness fade ever so slightly.

"Please, stay away from me." Jasper's voice was soft, barely a whispered, and before I could say anything else, he let go of me.

Turning his back to me, he walked through the crowd of students, all of them moving quickly out of his way as he moved to the other side of the courtyard, soon disappearing out of sight.

I continued to stand where he left me, my back resting against the brick wall and my shirt still dishevelled. The students who had been looking on stayed too, looking after Jasper before turning back to face me, all looking concerned. Even those who had been taunting me for standing with Jasper.

"You do know that you are all terrible people, right?" I asked, gesturing to the group in front of me, who looked around at each other. "Good. Glad that's cleared up."

Plastering a big smile on my face, I started making my way back over to James and the others, pushing my way through the students who had not moved out of the way to let me through. Looks of bewilderment on their faces as the usual skip in my step returned as if nothing had even happened.

But something did happen. And I'm not talking about the obvious sexual tension between Jasper and myself, which I may or may not have been imagining. What I mean, was I got his name. Plus, a conversation that lasted for more than a sentence, So, aside from the small aggressive spectacle that happened, I would class that as a win.

Challenge complete.

However, within the little interaction that I had with Jasper; it had raised some questions. Why did he go from someone who was seemingly enjoying company, to someone who told me to stay away? Though, more importantly, why did he ask so nicely before leaving?

Was it all to protect me from the harsh words of everyone around? From the world of misery he found himself in?

The thought of him not being the bad guy everyone was making him out to be continued to circle my mind, and I hoped I was right.

"Well, that went well," James announced, closing the gap between us, followed by the others.

"Looked as though you were going to get a piece of him alright," Amber said with a laugh. "Mainly his fist in your face."

"Joke all you want, but I got what I wanted," I said smugly, standing next to James.

"Before or after he slammed you against a wall?" James asked, moving to stand beside Amber, Chloe, and Rachel, leaving me standing on my own.

"Before, and what is this? An alliance against my stupidity?"

"So, you agree you're stupid?" Amber questioned, and I sighed.

"Shut up. The point is, I got his name."

"Jasper," Rachel said suddenly, and I looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, what the fuck?"

"That's his name."

"His name is Jasper?" James asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah."

"Did you forget I'm on the student council? I literally told you about him," Rachel said, and I shrugged.

"Honestly, I just keep forgetting you exist."

"How rude," James muttered with a chuckle, shaking his head.

"Shut up, James. It's Wednesday, you're not even meant to be here."

"It's Wednesday?" James asked, looking at everyone in the group, who all nodded. "Ah, fuck. Well, I'm out! Peace, sluts!"

With that, James, turned away from everyone and headed back they way we had come and soon disappeared out of sight.

"And you think I'm an idiot," I muttered, looking towards where Jasper had walked away to.

Maybe I was an idiot. Maybe I wasn't.

All I knew was that I wasn't going to let this go.

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A/N: Gosh darn it, Rachel. Could you not have told him before? You were right there!

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Question:

What do we think is the deal with Jasper?