Bloody Mary // J. Hale

Between Right and Wrong

She was back. Finally, after three days of absence, Jenna Marston had returned to school. Jasper had looked for her on Monday, scanning the halls and hoping he'd just missed her. But she hadn't shown up. By lunchtime, the whispers among the students filled in the gaps, and Jasper pieced together what had happened. The more he listened, the angrier he grew. He wanted to tear Lauren apart, to make her pay for hurting Jenna. It was strange—Jasper rarely felt protective of anyone outside his family. Yet here he was, fuming over some human girl, a girl he wouldn't have thought twice about hurting just a month ago.

The feeling unsettled him. He'd caught himself longing to see her, even considering going to her house to check on her. But Jasper wasn't his brother; he had principles. He wouldn't invade her privacy, no matter how much he wanted to. As each day passed, though, the urge to check on her grew.

And then here she was, after three days away, and the relief that washed over him caught him off guard. He tried to hide it, but when her eyes met his, he couldn't ignore the thrill that sparked inside him. It irritated him to feel so... excited.

A soft laugh sounded beside him, and Jasper turned to see Alice watching him with that familiar, knowing glint in her eyes. She leaned casually against the car, arms crossed, a hint of mischief on her lips.

He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in return. "Alright, what have you seen this time?"

Alice just shrugged, pushing herself off the car with a sly smile. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough, Jazz."

Jasper let out a quiet groan, a touch of frustration colouring his voice. "Alice..." he whined, but she only laughed again, clearly enjoying keeping him in suspense. As much as he loved his best friend, he couldn't stand when she kept her visions from him—especially if they had to do with him. He wanted to know what she'd seen, to have even the smallest glimpse of the future. But Alice was careful about what she shared, always insisting that knowing too much could change things in ways they couldn't predict.

He'd just have to endure it.

When he looked back toward Jenna, she was already gone, having slipped into the school building. Jasper sighed, running a hand through his curls in frustration. He'd have to wait until class to catch another glimpse of her.

The morning crawled by, every minute stretching painfully long. Algebra, chemistry—none of it mattered to him. He'd been through these lessons countless times, each formula and theory worn-out and predictable. The monotony was suffocating, and his attention wandered, latching onto the sounds around him as he tuned in to the undercurrent of gossip that buzzed through the air like static.

The usual hum of idle chatter filled classrooms and hallways, but today, there was an edge of excitement—a new drama gripping the school far more than any lesson could. In fragments and whispers, Jasper pieced together the story. Bella's friends, it seemed, had come to Jenna's defence, standing up for her in front of everyone and challenging anyone who dared to insult her. They'd made quite a scene, calling people out in the hallways and even threatening those who kept spreading rumours. Their boldness had left an impression, and students were still talking about it, some with reluctant respect, others with irritation.

Jasper couldn't help feeling a flicker of satisfaction. He hadn't expected anyone to defend Jenna so fiercely, least of all Bella's circle. In the past, even when Jenna occasionally spent time with them, she was usually in the background, often ignored or left out of conversations. But now, they were protecting her—the girl everyone else seemed so quick to turn against. It was curious, this sudden shift, and he found himself wondering how Jenna felt about it all.

The thought made him restless, impatient, and he caught himself glancing at the clock every few minutes, waiting for the moment he'd finally see her again.