Almost Human | Jasper Hale

Chapter 29

Edward had barely stopped in the street for Meg to exit the jeep and shut the door behind her. As soon as it closed, Edward sped off again as fast as the car would go. She began jogging across the large, overgrown front yard to her door, slowing only to glance around every so often.

She reached the familiar yellow front door and put her hand on the knob to open it. Just as she did so, a hand fell on her shoulder. The chill from the hand sent her heart racing like a defibrillator. She spun around, prepared to punch whoever it was until she noticed it was Jasper. "Hey, hey relax it's me." He stated as if he didn't just give Meg a heart attack.

"Jasper you cant do that." She wondered why he wasn't still with the Cullens. Maybe he came to say goodbye? Tell her something? Stay with her? "What are you going to do?"

Jasper paused as he decided what to say, then looked into her eyes and gave her the most honest truth he knew. "We have to get Bella out of here. I'm assuming to Arizona or Jacksonville. A few of us will stay behind to lead James away."

"Ok, well what do I do...what makes you so sure that my grandparents are safe and all?" Meg questioned, lowering her voice as if the trees could hear her.

"I think James only picked up Bella's scent, he's all the worry right now. If he changes course, Alice will see it and we'll- I'll be right back here, alright?" Jasper lifted Megs face by her chin, "Just stay inside."

"Fine. I'm keeping the hat." Meg smiled slightly in an attempt to keep herself from having a panic attack about Jasper, about Bella, about her grandparents, and about herself. A false smile to reassure Jasper. The boy opened the front door and allowed Meg to walk inside. Before he shut it, Meg stopped the door. "Jasper you have to promise me you'll be careful. And promise me you won't go get yourself killed. That none of you will. I actually think Rosalie is starting to warm up to me."

Jasper returned an equally false smile with his common blank stare from his deep black eyes. "I promise ma'am." He turned to walk around, but didn't move more than an inch away. Meg stood in the doorway, wondering exactly what he was doing. Jasper spun around and held Meg's face between his hands, pushing the brim of the baseball cap up enough to kiss her on the forehead. Before she could comprehend what happened, her cap was lowered again and Jasper was gone.

With that parting gesture, Meg shut the wooden door and made sure to latch every single lock she had.

"What are you doing?" A voice sounded behind her.

The sudden noise of the other person caused Meg to jump again before sighing and turning around slowly, "Nana you scared the sh- crap out of me."

Nana chuckled a little in her robe as she put a gentle hand on Megs shoulder. "Get some sleep dear, you probably had a busy day." She pinched Megs cheek a little before walking back to her own room where Bob was already snoring.

Meg leaned against the door frame behind her and let her head rest against the finished wood. She closed her eyes and took a few more deep breaths. There was no one coming after her, right? Right...she was just being paranoid. Meg shook her head of any thought of how she was alone with her grandparents and any thought of the danger she may have caused them by being drawn to a vampire. She felt guilty. The guilt crept through her like a spider crawling on her skin. If it weren't for her, her grandparents wouldn't be in so much danger. Danger they couldn't even know about. All because of who she decided to keep as company.

She lifted the curtain to look outside the window one final time. A stray lightening strike revealed something in the distance Meg couldn't really
make out, well besides a flicker of red. No way. Meg blinked and when she opened her eyes, the red was gone.