Control ▸ Jasper Hale [3]

I

ONE; RISING TENSIONS

"I have one daughter that's out as long as she can and another that never wants to leave." Charlie said, more to himself, as Cassadee entered the living room. "And the odd part about it is the fact that you're the one that wants to stay in."

"Is this your way of saying you don't want to spend time with me?" Cassadee asked as she sat on the back of the couch before falling backward so she was upside down.

"I'm not saying that at all." Charlie disagreed as he flipped through his newspaper. "But I'm just saying I can only watch so much Teen Titans and Scooby Doo."

"There is no such thing as too much Teen Titans."

"You haven't seen Jake in a while." Charlie pointed out, looking down at his daughter. "Why don't you go see him?"

"We aren't exactly on the best terms right now." Cassadee confessed as Bella walked into the house. The brunette was thankful that her twin walked in at that moment, Bella had basically saved Cassadee from some lame excuse as to why she was no longer talking to the werewolf.

Charlie looked at the clock on the side table. "Four o'clock on the dot. That kid trying to brown-nose me or something?" He asked as Bella sat on the other side of him.

"He has a name." Bella pointed out. "Now he's too punctual for you?"

"Yikes." Cassadee said, attempting to lighten the mood as the tension between the father and daughter got thicker.

"Okay." Charlie tossed the newspaper on the table and looked at Bella. "You understand why you're being punished, right?"

"I know, I put you through hell." Bella nodded before looking at Cassadee. "Why isn't she grounded anymore?"

"Because I never leave." Cassadee answered for her father. "He can't even take Netflix away from me, I've watched practically everything on there."

"Both of you put me through hell." Charlie clarified, "But I have other reasons for grounding you, Bella." He paused, not knowing how to phrase his statement. "I just want you to get some separation from him."

Bella sighed, "Dad, there's nothing you can say. Edward is in my life."

"Yeah, I'm gathering that." Charlie stated, picking up his beer and taking a drink. "So, how about this? I'll make you a deal." Charlie faced his youngest daughter. "You're not grounded anymore if you use your new-found freedom to see some of your other friends, too, like Jacob. He's going through a really tough time right now. His dad's really worried about him. I remember when that was you girls. You needed a friend. Jake was there."

"Alright, I'll try to hang out with other people." Bella said before getting off the couch and going upstairs.

Charlie turned to his eldest daughter. "Do you think she's going to follow through with that?"

Cassadee snorted at the question. "You basically just gave her more time to spend with Edward."

[x][x][x]

To say Cassadee was pissed at Edward would be an understatement. She heard that Edward took the battery out of the truck last night because Alice had a vision that Bella was going to Jacob's. The brunette knew that Edward was protective of her sister but this was reaching a different level and Cassadee wasn't going to have any of that.

"I need to talk to you." Cassadee told Edward, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him down the hallway full of students. "Alone." The brunette said, glancing back to Bella.