Almost Human | Jasper Hale

Chapter 26

Meg woke up to the silent ringing and vibration of her phone against the wooden bedside table. Still disoriented from being pulled from her deep sleep, she reached for her phone with her eyes still shut and answered it. She pressed the device against her cheek and turned over onto her back, assuming the person on the other line was Eleanor.

"Don't you know how early it is? What do you want?" Meg mumbled in a hushed tone as she lifted a hand to rub her eyes.

"Sorry to wake you." The other lined laughed lightly. "Bella is coming over to meet the family  for dinner and I thought it would be easier if you came along as well. After all, they all love you ma'am. Well besides Rose, but don't take that personally."

Meg shot up, suddenly feeling awake with the sound of the familiar voice. She ran a gentle hand through her tangled waves and leaned her head against the wall behind her.

"Jasper? I thought you were- Eleanor, sorry about that. I don't know really. I'm a little mad that you stood me up for that project." She couldn't mention her dream. Or the joke. Or what Jacob Black said to her the day before. She just didn't want to give him the satisfaction or knowledge.

"I really am sorry about that. Think of this as an apology dinner. Bella will be there too. We're making Italian."

"Fine. I'll come to eat dinner and then I'm leaving ok?"

"That's alright with me. I'll pick you up later today if that's alright." Jasper ended the phone call. Meg slowly turned her phone off again. She slid it to her bedside table and combed her fingers through her hair once more, wishing she were not awake.

After deciding it was too late to fall back asleep, Meg pulled herself out of the comfort of her bed and to the closet with all of her clothes. She shuffled through the rows of familiar pieces of fabric until she landed on something she liked. A pair of lightly ripped jeans and a loose grey sweater. She slipped on a pair of beaten up converse and left her room.

Her hair was curled and tucked behind her left ear on one side, showing a pair of gold earrings that gave the sense that they were family heirlooms, well they had belonged to Marge in the 60s so they sort of were.

A few hours passed and a light knock was heard on the door. Meg rose from the couch in the living room and pulled a soft winter jacket over her shoulders. She felt her heart begin to quicken. She hadn't spoken to the Cullens since her hallucination or whatever. They all looked so different to her and she didn't know if she was quite ready to face them again.

Bob reached the door handle and pulled the yellow front door open, letting in a burst of cool air into the flame warmed home. He scanned the boy that stood on the other side of the door in the chilling weather. His lips were pursed and his bushy brows sat furrowed so low that they almost covered his eyes. He knew who it was- at least he thought so. It even gave him a bit of satisfaction to think he made the boy stand out in the cold for a few seconds.

Bob stepped aside to let Jasper in, releasing a light grunt as he did so, looking ever so intimidating and a little ticked. Marge on the other hand was not the best at hiding the slight joy she had to see the boy standing in their doorway with a flower in his hand. She rushed to the door pushing past her husband to greet him.

"Hello dear! Oh you must be so cold! Bob shut the door it's frigid outside." Marge chirped as she pulled Jasper further into the cozy cabin as Bob shuffled to shut the door. Jasper had a look of discomfort on his face. He tried hiding his pained expression by forcing a smile, but his eyes were a deep, swirling black void and the feeling of a heartbeat against him along with the smell of blood drove him insane. Yet, Jasper stayed still, hoping he wouldn't lash out anytime soon and keeping the image of Meg in his head to prevent him from doing so.