LIMINAL || 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙚 [1]

𝟙𝟜 | 𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤

The idea that I might finally get some answers, might finally have someone to talk to about the sixth sense that'd always been a part of my life was enough to have me completely distracted the rest of the school day. Alice, too, had the glazed over look that I'd seen in her eyes a few times while we were in art and on the way to my science class. Somehow, she dodged her way through the mass of students and Brute trash cans without hitting a single one.

With every passing minute, my nerves wound a little tighter. I learned about as much in science that day as I usually did in math without the help of Jasper. I was too busy trying to organize my thoughts and compile the most important things to ask or bring up during the short ride to the hospital from school. I'd only have about ten minutes, max. Would that be enough?

"Don't look so satisfied with yourself," Jasper rolled his eyes, but his voice was lighter, a little playful. "If you grin anymore, your face'll split in two."

He appeared beside me at the exact moment I spotted Matt standing near the doorway. His fingers twitched, either from having to walk so slow to keep pace with me or because he wanted to finish the work he had started on Matthew's face Saturday night. The fool had enough sense not to sit in his usual seat behind me, and instead found an empty desk on the other side of the room. Jasper took Matt's former seat, a development that I noted with mild curiosity.

As much as I liked Pride and Prejudice, my mind was elsewhere during the usual class discussion. I could feel both the angry glare from across the room and the prickling of my skin from being so near to Jasper. By the time the bell rang for school to dismiss that afternoon, my stomach was tied into a large knot, and there was a lump stuck in my throat.

"Are you feeling alright?" Mrs. Wallace asked from where she stood by the door as I exited with Jasper directly behind me.

"Yeah, I'm great!" I smiled and tried to swallow the lump that made talking, made breathing, such a laborious task. Outside, the cool, damp air helped to clear my mind a little. Across the lot, Angela waved her hand to get my attention, then pointed towards her car. She had been driving me to the hospital for work most afternoons and probably thought I'd be hitching a ride again. I had forgotten to tell her about Jasper, partly because it would bring up a few questions that I wasn't ready to answer. I would have to eventually, especially the questions about the night of the dance, but it'd have to wait until later. I pointed towards Jasper who had overtaken me on the way to a black vehicle that I hadn't seen him driving before. Angela tilted her head and furrowed her brow, then made the universal "call me" sign before turning away. Yup, she would sooo bust me later.

I carefully placed my things in the back of the very shiny, very expensive, looking Mercedes, then hobbled into the passenger's side. The leather still smelled new, and the interior looked immaculate, just like the Cullen house had. You'd never be able to tell that anyone had driven the car before today from looking at it.

Jasper silently slid into the driver's seat and started the car. The engine roared to life; I took a deep breath to try and right myself. He switched on the heater, even though the car hadn't had enough time to warm up. I hugged my torso for warmth and to keep all the jitteriness inside.

"So," I said, not sure where to start even though I'd been thinking about nothing else for the last few hours.

"So," he parroted back, then heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, something that I'd noticed him doing when he was frustrated or particularly deep in thought. Like when I struggled to grasp a math concept (more than usual, that is). I took a deep breath and tried again. Hopefully I wouldn't completely fumble this.

"About our conversation in the library earlier. What were you going to tell me?"

The silence stretched out for an uncomfortable length of time. The longer it went, the more I became unsure about where this was heading. Maybe I'd been too presumptuous.