storm ◇ jasper hale ◇

chapter five ; time off

Mandy looked at Madej unimpressed. 'I know why you got in a fight, but you've been removed from the school for a week.'

'Sorry.' Madej signed, feeling awful and embarrassed that he was having to deal with this in front of the Cullen coven. 'He stole my hearing aids and wouldn't leave me alone.'

There was a twitch in Mandy's face. "If he stole your hearing aids, then next time break his legs." Mandy sighed, shaking her head, her words leaving visible surprise on the vampires' faces. "Get in the car, we can talk later."

"Aight. Peace." Madej said, looking over at Jasper, hand up in a peace sign. He walked backwards before he turned in the direction of his mom's car. He got in and Mandy joined him, looking older than her years.

Mandy drove them back home. "So that boy took you for lunch?"

"Shocking, right?"

His mom sighed, glancing over at him. "Sweetie, you have to be careful. We both know those things can only do so much."

Madej looked down at his hands, covered by the gloves that had been made specifically for him. His mom and brother, Benedict, had been the ones to make them. Madej had been comatose. Zeke wasn't there anymore.

"I know," he said, and the words came out more watery than he would've liked. "I'm just tired all the time, Mom. That asshole at school kept trying to take my hearing aids, and then the principal didn't-didn't give a shit, and I hate being there. Angela is the only one who really understands."

"Madej, I know. And I hate having to ask you to do these things, but you have to control yourself. You're lucky that Benny taught you how to fight. You could've gotten yourself hurt, or hurt that kid yourself."

He felt a stab of annoyance and betrayal. "I'm- Mom, I'm not gonna kill someone. Surprisingly enough, I have some control over it."

Mandy sighed through her nose. "But we don't know how long those damn gloves are going to last. I know you can control things with the help, but ... there's gonna be times in your life where you're going to have to control it by yourself."

"I thought you'd care about the fact Logan was harassing me."

"Don't get me wrong, Madej, I want to punch that kid's teeth in as much as you do. I'm more worried over how your emotions take effect on what you can do."

Madej looked through the window, trying not to shake his leg. "I can't exactly do anything when these things are stopping me,"

"It's for your safety."

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During his week off, Madej missed the Biology trip, and had to get some new hearing aids. With his results of losing even more of his hearing, he felt a bit antsy. It was never fun to hear that he had lost around eighty-five percent of his hearing. He'd tried to keep himself from going insane by getting back into the routine of his stretches from his old dancing days. His muscles ached, but he was familiar with it, made him feel like how he used to.

At least his mom had dropped the subject about him having really bad and uncontrollable powers. Madej wanted to blame her; she was the one who continued the witch lineage, had followed her parents' footsteps. She'd taught him, Zeke and Benedict, had married Dad, and everything with him had ended badly.

But he didn't have it in him to blame her. She was trying her best; Madej was an anomaly in the witch life.

Madej looked out of his bedroom window, aware of the rain pounding down on Forks. He breathed in slowly, trying to concentrate.