It's been a year since Tatum and her family moved to Forks and the only way to celebrate it is with a whole bunch of unneeded drama. But then again, who doesn't like a little bit of drama?
An unknown stalker, reunited best friend, a loving nephew...
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Tatum was sitting next to Alice and Edward during lunch when she had gotten the text.
Jasper Hey, we need to seriously talk.
She looks up from her phone to see the two Cullens looking at her with worried eyes. Of course, she was left with the two gifted vampires that can read your mind/future.
"He's by your car. You might want to hurry there," Alice says, her eyes fazing over. "He won't be here for long."
Tatum nods and quickly launches out of her seat and runs through the hallway. She skirts through the front door and sees a motorcycle parked next to her bronco. Her heart stops when she sees the blonde putting on a helmet and kicking the peg out.
"Jasper!"
His motorcycle stops and he turns around to face the running girl. He takes off the helmet and sets it down as he hops off the motorcycle. She runs up to him and quickly stops him from moving anywhere by pulling him into a hug. His posture stiffened and he pulled her away.
"We really need to talk," Jasper says. She watched his expression and saw that he was using sympathy not anger or seriousness. They genuinely needed to discuss something. "Let's go for a ride?"
"No, let's go for a walk."
●○●
The two had talked so much that they found themselves at the Forks cemetery. They wandered around the cemetery until they came to a specific tombstone. It read someone's name and Tatum knew nothing of the person.
"This was Elenora Yorkie. She was thirty-seven-years-old and had two kids. She was walking from a coffee shop when she met me. She died 13 years ago, her youngest son is in your grade," Jasper says, not looking at her. She connected the dots and realized it was Eric Yorkie. "If this ever happened to you, I wouldn't be able to survive."
"I know nothing like that would happen," Tatum says.
"How? How do you know that?"
"Because you would've hurt me so many times before. Don't you realize how many times you've kissed my neck," Tatum says, facing him once again.
"Don't you realize how much I've had to control myself around you?"
"Don't you realize how much I love you?"
The two stood there, not making eye contact but still feeling connected.
"Why do you love me?" Jasper asks.
"Because I just do. I don't have a real reason for loving you," Tatum says, playing with her hands. "You know, I don't need a reason to love you. It's that type of thing that doesn't have a real explanation, I just know that I would love to spend the rest of my life with you."
"You would?"
"Why do you seem surprised by that? I thought it was obvious," Tatum says with a laugh.
The cemetery is enveloped with silence as Jasper processes her words. She truly, undeniably loves him. He knew what he had to do, just like Alice warned him.
"We're moving away," Jasper says. Her eyes snap up to his. "I want you to come with."
"What?"
"We have to move away with my actions and how people are getting suspicious that Carlisle hasn't aged within the past five years," Jasper says, taking her hands in his. "I love you, too. That's why I want you to come with."
"Jas," Tatum sighs, gripping his hands tighter. "I would love too."
"Perfect! I'l-"
"But," she cuts him off. "I have to take care of Avery and my family."
Jasper looks at her and notices the guilt in her features. He sighs and brushes a piece of her hair back behind her ear. He lifts her head up with both his hands and places a small kiss on her forehead. He pulls back and places his arms around her shoulders, making sure not to put too much pressure on that shoulder.
"You are so admirable," Jasper says, kissing her nose softly as she peers up at him sadly. "I'll just have Avery make sure no boy tries to take my woman while I'm gone."
"Your woman?"
"Yeah, you're my woman and I'm your man," Jasper says, watching as a small laugh raises from her throat. "I thought that was a no-brainer."
"I like that," Tatum says, wrapping her arms tighter around him. "My man."
"Well, now, we talk about the tough things."
"That wasn't the tough thing?"
"Communication," Jasper says. "How are we going to keep in touch?"
"Facetime, letters, emails, texts, calls, and I can even visit wherever you decide to go!" Tatum says excitedly. Jasper smiles and laughs silently.
"That'll do," Jasper says, his eyes focusing on Tatum's. "You have the most extravagant eyes. They're like a green on the inner parts and then fade into a blue-ish brown."
