Ophelia; Jasper Hale

3

A lump moved under my skin and I looked away quickly. I felt like someone was watching me. I looked around and saw the boy from my art class. His eyes seemed to flicker and my anxiety once again eased. Was he magic or something? I looked back at my hands and then looked back to find him smiling at the boy across from him.

"Those are the Cullens. They're really weird."

"They aren't that weird," Bella argued.

"Yes they are, they never eat. They're all adopted by Dr. Cullen and Edward is the only one not shacking up with their legal sister."

"They're together?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's... weird," Jessica spoke.

I looked back at the boy from my art class and the girl. They sat close together. Are they dating? Why was I kind of disappointed. I looked back to see the boy, who I assumed was named Edward, was smiling. He laughed to himself and I looked back to my hands. Nothing still, no anxiety just a wave of calm. I finished my lunch and put my gloves back on. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but it felt like every itch got worse, deeper. Everyone watched me as I looked back at the boy I wanted to call xanax.

"You ok?" Bella asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I grabbed my tray and stood up to take it to dump it. I came back and the bell rang.

"What class do you have now?" Bella asked.

"History."

"I have bio. I'll see you later."

"See you."

I started walking towards where my class is. I definitely couldn't find it though.

"You lost?" A southern accent flowed through the air.

I turned around to see a tense version of the boy I saw in art class. He was southern? I didn't have a southern accent, but I was originally from Georgia. I moved with my mom to Texas a few years ago. I realized I never answered him and scratched my hands.

"Umm, yeah."

He looked at my hands and back to my eyes and that wave of calm crashed over me again. My hands stopped itching and I looked at him confused.

"What class do you have?"

"American History."

"I'm going there right now, but you've already passed it."

"Oh."

"It's this way."

He kept his distance and I followed him. He stopped in front of a door and opened it for me. Without a single itch or a worry in my head I smiled at him.

"Thank you."

His presence still intimidated me, but in a romantic way. He chuckled as I went through the door.

"You are more than welcome darling."

I blushed profusely at the endearing nickname. The teacher saw us and looked upset.

"Mrs. Flores. Welcome to American History. Please take a seat. You're both late."

I scratched my hands instantly feeling anxiety take over me.

"I'm sorry, I got lost and he helped me find the class."

"Don't be late again Jasper," he said looking towards the boy.

"Yes sir."

Jasper went and sat down and I followed. Why was the teacher so mean to Jasper? All he did was help me. I looked at him and he sat in his seat. I sat in the seat next to him hoping to apologize, when I sat Jasper looked into my eyes and once again my anxiety melted into a puddle and seeped into the cracks in the tile floor. The teacher started the lesson and Jasper looked away looking slightly strained.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him.

"It's okay."

I looked down feeling slightly embarrassed. I looked back to the teacher and paid attention.

-

When the bell rang the teacher asked me to meet him before the end of the day. I agreed hoping it wasn't something bad. As soon as I left the classroom Jasper appeared.

"Don't meet up with him after school."

"What? Why?"

"Just don't."

"What's going on?"

He tensed up when I got closer to him.

"Just please trust me."

I walked off confused and a little angry. Who was he to tell me what to do? I had just met him and he was demanding things of me? I wanted to trust him, somehow he made me feel at ease, but I felt like I had to go now. I walked past Bella and she waved. I stopped and she looked confused.

"What's up?"

"Just a Cullen being weird."

"Who?"

"Jasper, he told me not to meet with Mr. Hank after school, but wouldn't tell me why."

"That's weird."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"What do you have now?"

"English 4."

"You're a senior?"

"Yeah."

"I'm still a Junior so I have English 3"

"Well I'll see you later."

She nodded and I walked to my next class.

-

I hadn't ran into Bella or Jasper after English. After my last class today I went to Mr. Hank's room. I knocked on the door and he let me in. He closed the door and I got a weird feeling.

"I just wanted you to know I don't tolerate talking in my class during my lecture."

"I'm sorry Mr. Hank. It won't happen again."

"Yeah, it won't be. I should give you detention for it, but I've got things to do today."

"Thank you."

I looked down and scratched my hands.

"And we don't normally allow gloves inside, so I don't want to see them on during class."

"But my-"

"No buts. If they're on next time you'll get a detention."

"I have Mo-"

"I don't want an excuse. Now out."

I quickly walked out. I wanted to cry. I was breathing heavy and my hands itched like crazy. I scratched through the gloves furiously. I hurried down the hall and noticed Jasper standing by a locker. He watched me with worry. I walked past him and hurried to my car. Almost everyone else's cars were gone. I got into my car and tore off my gloves. Bugs under my skin crawled around my hands. I scratched and tried to squash the bugs. I needed to calm down, I was making it worse. I felt eyes on me and jolted my head up to meet eyes with Jasper.

Suddenly a wave of calm crashed over me. The bugs stopped moving and disappeared. I kept eye contact with Jasper. He looked away quickly and walked to his car. What was that? I looked at my hands and there were no bugs. I turned my hands to see my palms and there was still nothing. I steadied my breath and put my gloves back on. I drove home and listened to music.

When I arrived at my house I walked up to the door and went inside. I didn't hear my mom and there was no other car in the drive way so I assumed she was out and went straight to my room to process the day.