Chapter Three

I got to work a half an hour late. My boss was pissed but he said he will let it slide since it has been the first time I've ever been late. Ryan and Zac were already behind the bar and for it being only a little after noon, they were pretty damn busy. Slipping behind the bar and in between the two, I clocked in and grabbed my tiny apron that I keep my tips in. I headed to the board to find my tables for the day. Brianna and Chelsea were already here and making runs with orders as I scurried to my get on with my work.
When the clock hit five I was ready to head out but Frank told me I had to finish off one more before I could go. He pointed to my last table of the night that was filled with men in expensive suits. Oh joy, this shall be fun.
One I reached their table, I plastered that damn fake smile on my face and popped my hands onto my hips.
“Welcome to Ladymen's what cant I get you boys today?”
The older of the men was looking me over and I had to hold the shiver of disgust back that was coming to the surface. “Well, cowgirl, I've had a rough day. What I could really go for right now would be a nice long ride. You up for it?”
Raising a brow at him, I sniffed. “No thank you. I don't think you could..” but he cut me off. I fucking hate when people cut me off.
“Cmon doll-face, I can show you a good time. Well, that is if you think you can handle me.” he smirked.
I almost vomited, hell I think I may have a little in my mouth with that one. “Trust me, you would be the one that couldn't handle me. Now, if you boys want to order something from the menu, I suggest you order it now because I was officially off the clock ten minutes ago. So, lets just wrap this up please.”
Mr. 'Cowgirl' over there was seriously looking to get my custom cowboy boot shoved up his ass. “Doll-face, I told you my order and you are refusing me service. Now, about that ride, wanna give it ago or do I need to speak with your manager?”
“Mother-” Before the word could even come out of my mouth, a strong hand gripped my shoulder and gentle pulled me away from the table.
“She said no, so I suggest you fuck off.”
Shocked, I looked up to be met with a head of messy blond curls. Jasper. I smiled widely to myself as he continued to chew the asshole a new one. The bouncer eventually saw the confrontation and not so nicely asked the 'business men' to get the fuck out. Jasper had now turned me around to him and was visibly checking me over, do see if I was hurt? I don't know but there was a certain glazed look in his eyes that showed he wasn't just making sure I was okay. I giggled at the thought.
“What?” he asked, looking at my eyes finally.
I giggled again. “Oh nothing. But really Jasper, my eyes are up here hon.”
His dimpled cheeks flushed and he looked at his feet embarrassed. I on the other hand, chuckled.
“Cmon, darlin' lets go grab some dinner.”
After I had clocked out and gave my normal hugs to Ryan and Zac, I followed Jasper outside. He climbed onto a motorcycle and I raised a brow at him. He just smiled and told me to follow him. We ended up in a hole in the wall diner on the edge of town. Once inside, we were greeted by a little old women with silver hair that called Jasper by his name. That got me to wondering how long he had been here and how the hell I had not ran into one of them before now.
We were placed in a booth in the very back of the diner. Watching Jasper actually eat, was completely … hell I don't even know the word for it. Now I know why they watched me eat. It was something they weren't used to seeing and it was definitely something I wasn't used to see him do. About half way through his burger and fries he stopped and smiled sadly toward me.
“I suppose we should talk now, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but I will admit that it is sort of.. fascinating to watch you eat for once.”
Jasper chuckled. “I guess it would be.” Clearing his throat and taking a sip of his soda, “I am sure you have plenty of questions for me. How about I just fill you in on what happened after that night. I would like to apologize for that as well Bella. I cannot say how sorry I am about what happened, I never was going after you, you have to believe me. I was going for Edward the whole time, he just simply read what I was thinking and he turned the tables on me. Even after you were cut, I wasn't going after you. It was all him, darlin'.”
“What are you.. what?” I stuttered.
“I will tell you everything. It's not a fun story Bella and it will hurt to hear it. If you want me to stop, just tell me. Okay?” I nodded. “It happened earlier that morning. Before any of you went to school. Rosalie and I had suspected something for awhile but we didn't know how to go about it. I had gone to hunt with Em and Rose that night and we were just getting back from the hunt when we turned around for … obvious reasons.” Raising an eyebrow for him to explain, he did. “Sex. It wasn't the normal for Carlisle and Esme but we figured since it was their anniversary the day before that they were just, celebrating.”
“We came back later in the morning, when we knew that Carlisle would be at work so we wouldn't have to run into that again. I mean, they are pretty much our parents and that just wasn't something a kid wants to hear. Well, with Alice at school I went to my study to read like I normally did but when I passed the guest room. The smell of Alice's err... arousal was coming from the room and it was strong.”
My stomach dropped. I knew what he was going to say. He didn't need to continue for me to figure it out but I motioned for him to go ahead.
“Before your party, I was getting strong vibes of love from Edward and Alice, I figured that it was because you were going to be over soon.” He paused and grabbed my hands. “When Alice gave you that last present, the one you cut your finger on it. When she walked past you, I noticed the silent conversation going on between her and Edward. Both of them were full of lust and it wasn't for either of us, darlin'. When I figured it out in my head, was when Edward pushed you back into that table. The monster in me was never after you Bella. I swear to you that I was never coming at you.”
“I explained everything to Rose and Em after they dragged me out of the house. Emmett was furious but it took everything in me and him to hold Rosalie back from going after the two at that moment. When we got back to the house, you were already at home and Edward had came back and told the family we were leaving. I refused to leave. I had to wait until everyone was gone before I could come and talk to you. It was the day he left you. I was almost to you when the dogs stopped me.”
“Dogs? Do you mean Sam and the boys from the rez?” I asked.
He nodded. “How did you know?”
“Yeah.. after you guys left, I sort of became friends with them. I didn't know about them at first. Jacob hadn't phased until sometime in February and then I figured it out after that.” My voice was weak as I spoke of Jake again. No matter how much I wanted to hate him, I still couldn't because he still had a place in my heart.
“You were hanging out with werewolves? And young ones at that! You really don't have any self preservation at all, do you?”
I sniffled out a laugh. “Jake always told me that if it wasn't a vampire I was with, I had to find the next closest monster.”
Jasper chuckled. “Silly Bella.” I smiled at him. “Well, with the wolves watching your every move. I couldn't get to you to talk. It wasn't until spring break when I had to leave Forks. Alice had seen a vision of you jumping off a cliff and told Edward that you were dead. He ended up going to Italy to have the vampire royalty end his life.”
I scoffed. “Was he always a drama queen?”
“Yes.” Jasper smirked. “Anyways. The leader of the vampire world has certain gifts like I had. His was similar to Edward's but he had to have physical contact to read the person's thoughts and he could also read memories that way. Sort of like your life flashing before his eyes. Well, when he touched Edward's hand, he saw everything. When it came to the point that not only Edward but the entire family knowing about you and you knowing our secret, Aro decided to punish the family.”
“See, Aro also had another gift that none of us knew about. Not only does his venom turn humans into vampires but, it can reverse the change and make vampires human. Since I had supposedly caused the problem that led to Edward wanting to end his life, Aro changed me first. He said that I was too dangerous to be near humans if I were to act that way. Even though he knew the truth. That ended up being his punishment for the entire family. Though, I must say, none of us were upset about it. That is, except for Alice.”
“Alice didn't remember her human life so when she woke up from the change, which I will say was more painful than the three days of burning, she was completely distraught. Edward tried to comfort her and that ended in a fight of her spilling every detail of their little affair to not only our family but the entire royal vampire guard. Aro was more than pleased to see our family fall apart after that.”
“I am so sorry Jasper.”
“No need to be sorry, darlin'. Alice and Edward made those choices and lied to all of us. We were officially separated the night of your party, Alice had the nerve to say it was all my fault and told me she couldn't play babysitter to me anymore.” He rolled his eyes at remembering her words. “Anyway, Alice tried to kill herself the night after she awoke. Edward tried to stop her.”
I gasped, feeling the tears prick at my eyes. “What did she do?”
“Cut her wrists. I must say, it wasn't a very smart thing to do in a castle full of vampires, human drinkers at that. Edward had cut himself too, trying to get the razorblade away from her. I don't really need to say what happened after that. They both got their wishes.” The note of sorrow was clear in his tone. I knew he did love Alice even though she had been unfaithful. “We were held in the castle for a year. During that year, we were to tell of any covens that had done wrong and if we wouldn't willingly tell them, Aro just pulled it from our minds. The Romanian coven was destroyed, along with the Denali's, the women that changed me, different covens here and there and a rather large group that even Carlisle didn't know about that lived in South America. They were creating immortal children. They destroyed well over half of the vampire world in that year.”
“That is awful, not the killing of that dreadful women that made you act in the wars but the others. Did they really do anything to risk exposure to the outside world?”
Shaking his head, I watched his honey blond curls fall into his face. “No, they didn't. But that is just how the Italian coven works. They rule the vampire world, so what they say goes.”
I thought about everything he had told me. Edward and Alice were dead. Everyone else from the Cullen family is now human. I couldn't really wrap my mind around it. I wanted to cry want to cry for the lose of my best friend and my first love, but, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
“Sorry, I knew that was too much to tell you in one sitting. It is a very confusing conversation. And I know it is hard to hear that the person you love is actually dead.” he sighed.
“No, no.” I assured him, knowing that my emotions were going crazy right now. “It is a lot to take in but I had to hear this. I needed to hear everything. Yes, it is hard to think that my first love and my once best friend are actually gone now. But, to be honest, I am not all that upset. Edward hurt me that day, Jasper. He hurt me beyond repair almost. Not only did he tell me that I wasn't good for him, he told me he never wanted me and that he had to stop pretending he was something he was not. I wasn't good enough for him, I never was. Even if he would have come back as human for me, I wouldn't have taken him back. Those scars were deep, and right after him ripping my heart out, Jake just finished me off and stomped it into the dirt. So, don't be sorry for anything. I actually feel sort of free now. I know it sounds weird but I feel as if I can finally go on now, move on with my life; knowing that I wont have to worry about waking up to find him sitting in the corner of my room like all those years ago. I don't have to live with thinking or hoping that one day he will come back for me. Please, understand where I am coming from.”
Jasper squeezed my hands that were tightly wrapped in his, his beautiful eyes full of emotion and unshed tears. He whispered, “I understand completely.”