𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐇 | J.H

THIRTEEN

The sky was dark now, dotted with stars. Eleanor and Jasper hadn't moved, they had spent hours talking amongst the daisies - some moments filled with silence but they were comfortable simply in each other's presence. Now she pointed out each constellation, reciting odd facts she had learnt from her father.

Jasper was impressed by her knowledge of the stars, he could tell by the way she spoke about them that they fascinated her. Eleanor very rarely displayed any emotion in her voice, yet as she explained the north star, he could hear the subtle expression in her words.

Each time Eleanor surprised him - it pushed him even further down the hole with which he was already irrevocably falling.

As it grew later, Jasper decided it was time for Eleanor to go home. And despite her snarky argument, she followed him through the woods.

"Carlisle agreed to look into your condition, I'll help him with some research so I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it soon." Jasper's voice was reassuring.

But his words only cast Eleanor back to her own research - the discovery of Henry Martin and the acceptance of her own demise.

Jasper felt an odd twist in Eleanor's emotion, not sure if he had caused it or not.

"Thank him for me."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Jasper spoke up, asking a question Eleanor had never thought about.

"Do you believe in love?"

The words coming from Jasper made her heart skip a beat, which, of course, he heard and hid his smirk.

How could she not? Her parents had been in love from the day they met until the day they died, unconditionally adoring each other everyday. Even Edward and Bella proved it's presence in life.

But then the thought of her seemingly inevitable death tainted the hopeful thoughts as she caught sight of it - the looming dark figure that stalked her in the shadows of the woods. It's appearance was fleeting, momentarily making itself known before shrinking back into the darkness. As if it were reminding her of it's presence and the power it had over her.

How could she give Jasper hope when she couldn't promise him a future past a few months?

"No." Once again Eleanor's usually unfeeling voice reflected her emotion, Jasper heard something of sadness as she spoke, "I'm not sure it really exists, but even if it does for some people,  it won't for me."

Jasper hadn't felt real pain in a long while. Yet somehow Eleanor's words cracked his heart, the faintest of agonies - he yearned to prove her wrong.

The rest of their walk was in silence, and when they reached Eleanor's house she said good night and retreated within without looking back.