Battle Wounds || Jasper Hale {2}

Chapter 8

Ellie finished applying her red lipstick before glancing at the clock to her left. A sigh left her lips. It was almost time.

"Evie, hurry up! We're gonna be late," she yelled, placing her lipstick back on the vanity.

She heard a frustrated sigh come from the next room before her sister replied, "I'm almost finished! Just trying to find the perfect outfit."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "It's just school, Evie."

Evie peeked her head into Ellie's room, "But I don't know any of these people. I must be glamorous!"

"You're overdramatic," Ellie chuckled, giving herself one last look before standing and turning to her sister.

Evie's eyes widened slightly. Ellie was wearing a sparkly, black, long sleeve, crop top and a high waisted black mini skirt paired with red pumps. It was nothing like her usual ensemble of a cute top and jeans with her leather jacket. Ellie was showing more leg than Evie had ever seen her show.

"What are you wearing?" Evie asked her twin.

"Isn't it cute?" Ellie asked, a smirk on her lips. She have her twin a twirl to further show off the outfit.

"It's gorgeous, but... it's not exactly something you normally wear," Evie said, squinting her eyes and scrutinizing the outfit.

"It's phase one of Mission: G.O.V.," Ellie said, grabbing her bag from the chest at the foot of her bed.

Evie bit her lip before nodding. If this was her sister's way of coping, then so be it.

"Are you ready?" Ellie asked, pushing out of her room and into the hallway.

Evie looked down at her simple floral dress and nodded as she said, "Just let me grab my bag."

As soon as the silver Porsche pulled into the parking lot, a blond boy came running toward the car surprising Evie. When the duo stepped out of the vehicle, Ellie immediately made her way into his arms where they held each other as if they would never see the other again.

Mike was relieved to see his best friend. He had been so scared when the Cullens had taken off, and he couldn't find her anywhere.

"I thought you'd left with them," he muttered, pulling his fingers through her short blonde hair.

Ellie just gripped onto him tighter, trying to push the tears welling in her eyes back down. "I'm not going anywhere, Mike." She felt the first tear fall and choked back a sob before she continued, "And if I did, I would definitely tell you first. I wouldn't leave you like that... because that is the worst feeling in the world, and I care too much about you to put you through that."

Mike pulled back from Ellie for a fraction of a second, a scowl on his face. "Are you trying to tell me that prick didn't even have the decency to tell you he was leaving?"

Ellie looked away for a moment, but Mike understood her silence. He pulled her back into his arms and said, "I could kill him for that."

Ellie released a hollow chuckle but snuggled back into his arms, "Me too."

Evie watched the two with admiration, disregarding the odd colors she saw emanating from the boy. They were perfect for each other in all ways, but the tether. Maybe he would be a suitable replacement for that idiot who left her sister. Obviously, this boy cared very much for Ellie, and her twin cared for him in return. Was the tether all that was stopping them?

At the thought, Ellie's head snapped toward her sister causing Mike to look at the the distraction in turn. He furrowed his eyebrows for a second before a smile lit his face.

"You must be Evie," he said, pulling away from Ellie and offering a hand to her twin. "I've heard a lot about you. Although, I didn't know you'd be coming home with my favorite girl."

Evie smirked at her twin, her thoughts filling with ideas of matching the two, before she turned back to the boy and said, "I guess we were both surprised then. You must be Mike. I've heard a lot about you, too. It's nice to finally meet you."

Mike shifted his eyes to Ellie who had a light blush on her cheeks. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but let it go. They were best friends. Of course she had mentioned him. However, this was the first time he had seen her long legs, and they were definitely something. A blush rose on his own cheeks as he realized what he was doing. "So are you registered for classes yet?"

"I think so," Evie nodded, not failing to notice the looks being exchanged between the duo in front of her. Mike thought he was being discreet, but Evie was certain he was eyeing Ellie in her new dress like he was seeing her differently for the first time. "We just have to go get that stupid paperwork from the office."

"Right," Mike said, bringing his eyes away from Ellie. "Well, uh, I'll let you two get to it then. I'll see you in class, El?"

Ellie nodded, "Second period."

He grinned and threw up a hand before walking quickly into the closest building, muttering incoherent words the whole way.

Evie quickly turned to her sister and gave her a wide grin. "You said he was Mike, the best friend, not Mike, the hottie who can't keep his eyes off of you. Bow-chicka-wow-wow, my sister. We need to hook you up with that!"

Ellie rolled her eyes at her twin. Even though the thought of Mike being more to her wasn't terrible, she was tethered to that imbecile who left her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she loved him and wasn't ready to jump into anything new. "Let's not, Evie."

"But he's totally into you!" Evie protested, following closely behind her twin who had started toward a smaller building.

"That may be so, but it's probably not," Ellie said, pressing forward into the main office. "Regardless, it's too soon, and honestly, Mike is pretty much the only light I have left in my life, and I don't want to ruin that."

Evie sighed, but relented, "Fair point."

"And you, dear Evelyn, have an appointment this afternoon," Ellie said, a teasing smile on her face. "Don't forget it."

"With who?"

"Billy Black and the council of doom," Ellie said jokingly while opening the door for her twin.

"You say that so ominously," Evie replied flatly, trudging through the door.

"You'll probably like him," Ellie shrugged, leaning on the counter while they waited for Ms. Cope to come back to her desk. "I was just warned to steer clear of him. Although, I'm not sure if that still stands with them being gone and all."

"Well," Evie started, watching the office attendant come into the room, "I guess we'll find out."