PERFECT PERIL; J. HALE [3]

FOUR; PRETTY PICTURE

WE WALKED BACK through the clearing to the Cullens house, the burning sensation in my throat engorged most of the conversation. Self control. It'll be fine. You can do this.

Jaspers fingers ticked my own, every single hair in my body stood on end. "So, you're taking this surprisingly well?"

Toning down the sound of the leaves crunching under our feet, I chuckled slightly. It was true, I was reasonably calm about the whole being dead situation. I hadn't had the proper chance to ponder the implications of this new transformation and I hoped my life would go on like this forever. I was finally with him. "Yes, but I assumed you had something to do with that? You have a small habit of playing with my emotions, Hale"

"Swan" he cooed. "-I haven't been able to alter your emotions for a little while now. Believe it or not, you're doing this all on your own. I'm proud of you"

The Cullens house came into view. Why couldn't jasper read my emotions? Was something wrong with me? Something wrong with him? I had always assumed we were perfect for each other, not that he would ever know. Maybe this is the universes way of letting me know I was wrong. "Strange"

"Don't worry, they all know about your recent transformation. I've told them not to be weird, but, it's my family and you know how they-" as if on cue, Alice flew towards me and wrapped me into a bear crushing hug that would surely kill a human.

Pulling away, she smiled. "Hello blood sister"

Jasper screwed his face up. "-can be"

Alice smelled like cranberries & pine cones, something I had never noticed before, and although her skin usually felt ice cold, it was warm and inviting now. "Hi Alice"

She turned to Jasper and released me. "Bella just left" Bella was here?

Nodding, he looked at me. "Unfortunately we cant have you around any humans right now, it would be too dangerous. As far as Bella knows, I've took you on an overnight trip. We thought you'd like to tell her about your new adventure"

"Thank you, both of you. I guess I didn't realise how many things are going to change now" it was true, so many things would need to be different. Would I go to school? What about Jacob? Where would I stay? What if I wasn't good at self control?

We began walking inside the Cullen house again, the sweet smell of pine wood invaded my senses. Carlisle. "Hello Scarlett! How are you? Don't worry, Jasper has told us and we're here to help you"

Most of the family then entered the room and greeted me, they were the loveliest people. Even Rose came to ask me if I was alright. Said something about how 'she never got the choice either' and fully sympathized.

Edward stalked into the room and looked at me with a pained expression. "How are you?"

Pulling my lips into a fine line, I told the truth. "I'm scared, but glad I have the best people to teach and guide me. I'll be forever grateful"

"If you need anything, just ask. I know if it was Bella in your shoes, Jasper would do the same thing" Next to me, Jasper nodded at Edward.

It hadn't occurred to me that it could've been Bella in my situation. I'm incredibly glad it wasn't, but if it was James who went after Bella rather than me, and Edward who killed him rather than Jasper, then my life could've been totally different from how it is today.

After Rose and Emmett left the room, Edward went to hunt and Carlisle continued with his studies beside Esme, Alice looked at Jasper. "Should we tell her our theory?"

Jasper smiled and corrected her. "Your theory"

Rolling her eyes, she looked at me. "My theory. It's a little bit bonkers. But, I mean, we're vampires, and werewolves exist and I thought, what the hell?"

Sitting down with her, I shook my head. "Just tell me already, this is killing me" internally laughing at the choice of words.

"I think you have a power"

A power? "Go on.."

"Basically, you syphon of off others powers and can pass them off as your own"

"That sounds ridiculous" I'd never be capable of having such a rare power, i think she's mad.

"Hear me out okay? I had a vision of you. You were strong and powerful. On the battlefield. All you had to do was touch somebody to use their power"

"Battlefield?? What battlefield?" I ain't fighting nobody.

"That's really not the point" Jasper squeezed my leg.

"We think that you're a syphon. They're very rare, and hard to come by but that's because the few who possess the power don't know that they have it. But I know that this vision won't change, and I know that you have powers. You just need to learn to channel them"

My head was spinning. Powers? Even that in itself is absolutely insane. But rare syphoning powers? How?! It did sound cool but how on earth did they think I could have such a lethal gift. "Look, I think your vision must've been wrong or you looked at the wrong person or something. But, I definitely don't have powers, I'm sorry Alice" Rubbing her arm, I turned to Jasper. "Can we go to your room? I need some air right now"

He smiled and took my hand, turning to Alice. "Maybe another day?"

We stood up to walk away and I had this insane sense of deja vu when a picture slipped down and fell onto the floor from the Cullens wall. Blinking it away, I turned to Alice and gave her a small wave. I know she was only trying to help, but it just perhaps wasn't the right time, or the right person for that matter.

We walked through the halls and he sighed. "Sorry about her, she just gets really excited and well, she's Alice"

I chuckled. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure she understands I have a lot on my brain just now and just need time to chill with my favourite person" I poked him in the side. "That's you by the way"

Fake gasping, his hand flew to his mouth. "I'm your favourite person??"

"Yes, is that so hard to believe? I do like you Jasper, I think you're pretty rad"

Just as he was about to reply, a crack noise drew my attention to the corridor in front of us. Walking forward, a picture had fallen onto the floor and cracked.

The exact same picture that I had thought about before.

"Okay, I know this sounds even crazier. But, I totally knew that was going to happen"

He looked at me. "So Alice is right?"

I nodded. "It may be a fluke. But, I'd like to look into it more"

He pulled his lips into a line and then grinned like a child. "You think I'm rad?"

Oh, Jasper Hale.