Loving The Major - Jasper Hale

Summer and the Start of a New School Year

Summer passed, and the Cullens enjoyed it as they usually did. Either lazing about the house, happy to have an excuse to take a break from being near the humans, or travelling. Jasper and Adeline for the most part, spent the summer at home, enjoying the peace as she tended to her garden. Although Jasper had whisked her off for a week-long trip in Scotland to celebrate their anniversary. Where thanks to the cloudy weather, they were able to spend a whole week outside exploring the various castles and sights in the area, as well as some alone time away from the family.

The only thing to dampen their moods that summer was their growing concern over Edward and Bella. While they both had feelings of love for one another, Edward's emotions were still complicated, filled with fascination for Bella, as well as desire and longing. Bella's on the hand had firmly settled into the territory of obsession.

Jasper secretly thought that this obsession had more to do with remaining young and beautiful forever and less with Edward, but he kept those thoughts to himself and avoided thinking about it when Edward was nearby. The only one he confided this in was Adeline when they were away from the family.

What really worried them, however, was the fact that those two spent almost the entire summer in their own world. They were together almost every minute of everyday, not wanting to be a part from one another. And while Jasper and Adeline could not really judge, seeing as they spent a lot of their time together as well, they at least included others. Adeline would read on the couch, her shoulder leaning against Jasper's as he played video games with Emmet. Or he would rest his head in her lap for her to play with his hair while she chatted with their sisters. They even went out with their family, either on hiking trips, to the movies, or to a nearby lake one of them had found a few months back to swim.

Edward and Bella were different. Even when they were sitting in a room with others, the only ones they focused on were each other, tuning out those around them. It honestly felt like weeks since Adeline had gotten the chance to have an actual conversation with her brother, one that did not revolve around Bella. For even on the rare occasions she was not there Bella seemed to be the only thing on his mind.

Jasper and Adeline had discussed this, worried about it, but in the end decided to let it play out on its own. After all they could not dictate who or how someone else loved. They also figured that because this was the first relationship both Edward and Bella had ever had, they were probably in some "honeymoon" phase and would eventually settle down eventually and begin to reconnect with other people outside their relationship once again.

In addition to their concerns though, Bella had also begun to annoy the rest of the family with her growing obsession with vampires. They would often overhear her asking Edward when he was going to change her. Which upset Rose a great deal seeing as she never wanted this life for herself and could not figure out how Bella could just throw her human life away. Furthermore, whenever Bella did try to talk to any other members of the family, it always was somehow about them being vampires; what it was like and how they had been living all this time.

Even Adeline was not spared. Bella tried time and time again to find out everything she could about their pasts, which was a sensitive topic for her, Jasper and most other members of their family. It seemed that this girl either had no ability to read the situation and realize that she was making everyone uncomfortable, or did not care. Either way, she continued plowing on ahead with her questions, getting more pushy when they refused to answer.

Finally, summer came to an end and none of the Cullen children were excited to go back to school, save Alice; who used it as an excuse to add to her wardrobe. School was the same as ever, the Cullens went to class, not talking to anyone but their family and now Bella and they all sat as a group at lunch. 

Jasper still struggled to deal with all the raging hormonal teen emotions that bombarded him every second of the school day, hating that he had to be there and wishing for the day to end quicker. The only upside he could see was that he and Adeline had almost the exact same schedules this term, with only one class being different; he had physics, while she had music.

Things were settling into a routine for the Cullens again, something they were thankful for after the end to the last school year. But then a few days into September, Alice came bursting into the living room with news. "I've decided we should throw a birthday party for Bella!"

"Why?" Rose was quick to ask, not at all happy to being doing something for the human.

"Because it will be fun!" Alice cried.

Edward, who for once was with his family and not Bella, spoke up, "but she doesn't want to celebrate her birthday, Alice. She will refuse if you try to throw her a party."

"Well, that's just too bad! This is a special day for her! After all you only turn 18 once! And if she will refuse, then we will make it a surprise party and only tell her the day of, that way she has no chance to refuse!"

"I don't know Alice," Esme spoke up, not wanting to make Bella uncomfortable by doing something she would not like, "maybe we shouldn't. After all the girl has a right to spend her birthday as she wants."

Alice huffed, "Oh, come on! You know she will like it. Who doesn't like having a party to celebrate their birthday?" She looked to Carlisle for support.

He sighed, "Very well you may throw a party for her, but only if she agrees to it." Alice flashed a bright smile before skipping out of the room to begin planning.

Meanwhile, Adeline who was still curled up in Jasper's lap on the couch watching him play chess against Carlisle (the only one besides Alice who could even challenge him), began to think of gift ideas. She thought about what she knew of Bella and what she would like, giving a mental laugh as her clumsiness came to mind. Maybe I should get her some elbow and knee pads she thought, thinking it would be funny to see Bella walking around in them all the time.

Edward's head shot up and looked at her with a small glare and a warning, "Adie, don't try to embarrass Bella by getting her something like that."

"What were you thinking of getting her shortie?" Emmet asked, now curious.

"I was only thinking, with how clumsy she is,that elbow and knee pads would make a good gift. I could get them in prettycolours so that she could where them everywhere" she said, giving Emmet her bestlook of innocence. He and Jasper let out laughs at this and even Rose and Carlislesmiled at the image.