Don't Let Go Of Me [ Jasper Hale ]

7 || Like Lovers Do

I think I need to learn to love myself
I must learn to be strong

MIRABELLE SWAN

These live Youtube channels weren't half bad. It was basically internet radio but with a millennial mix to them. Not having to go through my playlist was a big help. As I told my father, who insisted music and internet were mere distractions rather than helping tools, music - good music - was the only way anyone was going to get me to do my homework.

Music wasn't mandatory so much as it was a luxury. Tests, quizzes, homework - pretty much anything academical I found pretty easy. Not to make my head look too big, but I'm just a bit of a genius. Either that or the education system here in America just sucks. Anyways, homework was a bore. I stared down at the duplicated work I had done out of pure boredom. The idea of selling it to my classmates was tempting.

After an hour of it, I considered drawing or photography instead but there was something I was waiting on that was far more interesting.

Knock. Knock.

Speaking of the devil himself.

I swirled around in my dark blue office chair. Mr. Hale boldly allowed himself inside my room through my bedroom window. Him appearing out of nowhere was still getting some used to.

"You could always come through the front, you know," I told him flatly, pointing to the story below us with my pencil for emphasis.

My eyes watched his every careful movement. He made my messy room seem like a ballroom with the way he gracefully maneuvered his way through fallen books and discarded articles of clothing. The comforter on my bed and the few stuffed animals from Sea World shifted underneath his weight.

"Your dad would've shot me."

Sensible. I nodded after a minute of thought.

"Well, welcome to my room. This is where all the magic happens. To the right corner you've got my laundry basket with an empty pizza box; to the left is my project I'm entitling 'Laundry Utopia' and this here is the drawing board called 'my life'. As you can see, it's currently in total disarray. Still a work in progress though."

Jasper's eyes followed the endless stream of pinned up pictures contrasted against my wallpaper. They weren't anything special. Just a few rough sketches, a couple of water coloring magic - really nothing unique. Seeing them everyday kind of dulled my pride in them. But when Jasper awed at each one with a partnering compliment, I found that pride renewed.

"You did all of these?"

"Uh...yeah...Just a hobby."

"They're amazing. You're really talented."

I spun back around to my desk to hide my flaming cheeks. My shaky hands stacked all my homework and work stuff to the side with my heart doing that annoying racing that only occurred because of him. "Is there something you needed," I asked, trying to quickly change the subject.

After Jasper revealed to me that he was a vampire straight from the myths, we spent that entire afternoon talking - well, more of him emphasizing that he wouldn't kill me since he and the rest of the Cullen family were 'vegetarians', a.k.a, a coven that survived only on the blood of animals.