Pain

Flightless Bird

Laura sat in the room periodically checking her phone. The tv was on as a hopeful time passer though it didn't really do much. Eventually her phone rang, upon answering it she instantly stood to her feet and placed the phone to her ear. "Jasper?"
"Edward's taking Bella to the hospital" 
"W-what happened? Is she bad? Is James gone?" she rambled as she started pacing back and fourth. "Are you okay?"
Jasper exhaled through his nose before speaking, "I'm fine. We got rid of James, but he broke Bella's leg, a mirror shard cut her femoral artery... and he bit her"
Laura's eyes widened and she stopped her pacing as the last words sank in, "What?!"
"Edward was able to suck out the venom in time, she's okay" Jasper assured her. "Emmett and I are coming to get you and take you home"
"But Bella..."
"Edward's with her, he's going to call her mother and father, she'll be fine" Jasper cut her off. "You need to see your mom and talk to her. We'll be there soon" 

When Jasper and Emmett picked me up, I was very happy to see them. Emmett of course decided to tease me about the fact I managed to lose Bella while getting a snack, but I didn't mind, I knew he was only kidding around. Emmett offered to drive, letting Jasper and I sit in the back. We spoke a little but the best part to me was that Jasper held my hand the entire time, he maintained a perfect conversation, all the while sitting so close to me and holding my hand in his. No breaks needed, no signs that I could see he was struggling, he seemed just as happy as I was that he could act like a "normal" boyfriend in that moment and it made me the happiest I had been in a while. 
When we eventually drove passed the 'Welcome to Forks' sign, I texted my mom telling her I'd be home soon. Of course I had to stop off at the Cullen's house to get my car first. I felt bad about what I had admitted to my mom, it wasn't like it was her fault that I was keeping things to myself, she hadn't forced me to, I just thought it was the best idea. Jasper accompanied me on the drive back to my house, and we parted ways with another kiss, this time softer, sweeter, and just as butterfly inducing as the last.

When they broke from the kiss Jasper was quick to vanish, and Laura understood why as she looked towards her house. Susan was exiting the door and running down the driveway. Laura got out of her car and was nearly knocked by the embrace her mother gave her. "Honey I am so sorry" she instantly apologised. 
"Mom don't worry, I feel ten times better after that trip, I promise" Laura breathed hugging her mother tightly. 
"Are you sure? Sweetie I never... why didn't you tell me you were down about dad?" her mother asked as she pulled from the hug "You're my daughter, I want you to be able to talk to me no matter what. I can put my feelings aside to help you if you're upset, please don't hide your emotions from me, I never want you to feel like you have to do that"
Laura smiled softly as she nodded, "Thank you mom. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you, but I mean it, I'm okay now" she assured her. 
Susan let out a sigh of relief, pulling her daughter in for a brief hug again. "I feel like I haven't talk to you in forever, how was that baseball game?" she asked with a smile. 
Inside Laura was smirking to herself, though her exterior remained neutral as she nodded. "It was good, the whole family is so athletic" she beamed. 
"And how's Jasper doing?" her mom asked raising her brows.
The teen let out a chuckle, "I'm just back and you wanna talk about a boy?" 
"Pardon me" a southern accent interrupted the two. Immediately recognising it, Laura knotted her brows confused and supicious as she turned and of course saw Jasper. "Pleasure to see you again Mrs. Winters" Jasper firstly greeted Susan before turning his attention to Laura, "I wanted to ask, if you'd like to accompany me to prom?" 
Automatically Susan was filled with glee as if she was the one that had been asked. A smile pulled at the corner of Laura's lips which then turned into a smirk, "You're my boyfriend, I thought it was a no brainer?"
"Boyfriend?!" her mother exclaimed amazed, before bringing her hand up to cover her mouth embarrassedly. 
Jasper smirked at Laura, 'Well that was one way to drop the news' he thought to himself. "Great, well we can talk more about the arrangements later" he smiled, nodding a goodbye to Susan before heading off back down the sidewalk. A blush filled Laura's cheeks as she looked at her wide-mouth and wide-eyed mother, giving her a coy shrug. 

Rather unfortunately mom decided to tell Allison I was going to the prom with Jasper, and of course Allison told Sam who wasn't too happy about it. A few days later I had to go dress shopping and asked Eliza to come with me, she was ecstatic about it and asked me to pick her up from Jace's. They were officially boyfriend and girlfriend also. 

Pulling up outside Jace's Laura honked the horn to signal to Eliza that she was there, not wanting to get out of the car. While sitting she noticed Sam approaching, with Paul and Jared trailing behind him. Exhaling heavily she put down her window as her cousin neared. "You're dating a Cullen?!" 
"Yup" Laura answered, popping the 'p' nonchalantly. 
"They're bloodsuckers!"
"Yeah and you're a furry, four-legged beast, you're all weird" she smirked, having anticipated this kind of conversation. "No offense" she called to the other boys who remained a few feet away. 
"You need to end it" Sam demanded, causing Laura to snap her gaze onto him, feeling defensive.
"I don't need to do anything you say" she readily retorted. "I'm not breaking the treaty, so what I do is none of your concern Sam. I know what I'm doing" 
Sam clenched his jaw as he took a step back from her car, "We'll be watching" he warned.
"Well enjoy the show" Laura remarked unbothered as she turned away from him in time to see Eliza exiting Jace's and jogging over to her. 

Prom rolled around and although Laura was exulted about getting to be with Jasper, she wasn't over the moon about the event itself. Jasper had arrived just ontime, Susan opened the front door to let him in just as Laura was making her way downstairs. The vampire was in awe of how she looked from her natural beauty radiating, to the small amount of makeup she had flawlessly applied, and the way the prom dress hugged her body, she surpassed his expectations in everyway. Jasper smiled enamoured as he watched her descend the staircase, Laura shyly bit her lip as she walked down the stairs and all of a sudden on the last step she went over on her ankle due to the heels. Luckily Jasper was right on hand to steady her as always and all the blood rushed to her cheeks, "Wow, that's embarrassing" she breathed a nervous chuckle. 
"At least it wasn't like Bella's fall" Jasper commented with a smirk, both secretly knowing that the cover story for her incident being that she fell down two flights of stairs and went through a window. 
"You two look perfect" Susan beamed, her hands on her chest. 
"Wow" Nate's little voice rang out as he turned the corner. 
Jasper looked down at the little guy and smiled slightly, this being the first time he'd actually seen him. 
"Pictures, we have to get pictures!" Susan urged before running off to get her camera. Jasper and Laura shared a chuckle but waited around to appease her. 

Getting to prom Laura was happy to see her friends scattered around, Mike with Jess, Angela with Eric, and Tyler with the girl he'd decided to ask instead of waiting on Laura's decision like she had encouraged. Of course Tyler wasn't angry or anything that Laura had turned up with Jasper, he was just happy to see she decided to come. "I didn't think a highschool prom would be the scene for an hundred something-year-old" Laura whispered to Jasper as they walked through the dancefloor. 
"It's not" Jasper muttered before flashing a grin that made Laura giggle. "But with you as my date I think I can stomach it for a while" he added playfully. Laura smiled and both shared each other's gaze before Laura took Jasper's hand and began to lead him back outside to a little bench she had seen upon arriving, somewhere quiet and away from people. "What're we doing out here?" Jasper asked as they sat on the bench. 
"Easier to have a conversation without the music" she smiled. "You mentioned Bella at my house and it got me thinking... you said James bit her, what's it like? To turn?" she asked.
Jasper straightened his posture, and pursed his lips for a moment before speaking, "Excrutiating, the venom burns as it makes it's way through your entire body, coating everything in it's path, and it's a process that can last days" he answered her truthfully. Laura slowly nodded, her gaze drifting as she listened to him explaining. "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering" Laura replied, bringing her eyes back to him. 
Jasper knitted his brows, "Is it something you..."
"Not yet" she quickly answered him shaking her head, "But at some point I want to, just not yet" she smiled hopefully as she took hold of his hand. 
Unlike Edward, Jasper wasn't bothered about souls and being damned, it wasn't something he believed in; at least not that your soul was damned as soon as you became like them, perhaps by your actions... perhaps ones like his own. Regardless, Jasper could never imagine Laura's soul being damned for simply becoming a vampire, if like she said at some point it was what she wanted. "Whenever you're ready" Jasper smiled as raised her hand to his lips, and placed a kiss on it gently.