Keep Yourself Alive ¡ Jasper Hale

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Another Tough Conversation, Hopefully The Last One For A While Now

"Where have you been?" Wren is immediately shouting as soon as I pull into the driveway. Julian stands next to her, his arms crossed with a disappointed look on his face.

I had assumed it would be more difficult to get my two best friends together but Wren told me they were already together when I called her. I really should have called them before I left, now their anger is amplified by ten since I went rogue.

"Italy."

"You did not go to Italy." Shortly after I had met Julian I informed him of the Volturi. To never go to Volterra if he could help it. That it was obvious he should not reveal himself to humans. My tales of the Volturi, secondhand from Carlisle and Edward were the things which scared him into blending in with humans.

"I had to."

"What's in Italy?" Wren has a confused look on her face, her anger faltering as she often knows an answer rather than asking the questions.

"I think Nevaeh was an idiot and went to the most dangerous place for a human. Not just in Italy but the world."

"Okay, I'm lost. Vae, you told me we couldn't hang out because you had to be in La Push with Jake. Now I have multiple days worth of missed calls and text, I thought they had killed you! When I called Jake he said you weren't there. Where were you?" Her question has more force the second time around.

"Julian, I need you to hear me out, okay?"

"So you did go to Volterra. Do you suddenly have a death wish? All that talk about saving Bella, yet you went to the home of some of the most cruel vampires alone!"

"I wasn't alone. I went with Bella and Alice." I can't remember how much I told Julian about the Cullens. I don't know if Wren even paid attention to them when they went to Forks High School.

"Alice Cullen?" Wren looks as if the last name leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

"Cullen? Okay, tell us what happened, we probably won't interrupt you."

"This probably isn't going to make any sense looking back on it but I'll try. Wren, I was in La Push. That night I went to check on Bella and everything went horribly wrong. Bella had tried to jump off a cliff, through some phone calls Edward believed Bella had died. Thinking Bella was dead Edward was trying to kill himself. Bella and Alice were determined to save him. So I went to Italy with them, to protect Bella."

Wren shakes her head before I even get to the part where we are in Italy. "When will you realize your life is just as important as anyone else's? I care that you are alive, maybe even more than you care I am alive. You continue to risk your life for Bella's but I don't think she will ever put in as much effort for you. While you saved Bella's life she was saving Edward's. How is that fair to you, Nevaeh?"

"It's not fair. But the past year of my life has been all about protecting Bella. I can't just stop now. I know all too well how many people care about me. My mom, my dad, you guys, and the guys in La Push. I know you all love me and want me to be alive, that's why I would never go cliff-jumping 'recreationally.' But I need you to understand that every moment I spent with the Cullens was focused on Edward and Bella. I have always been a pawn to protect Bella. When they left I had to fully take on that role because I will not allow her to die if I can help it."

"I swear if they are back-" I cut off what would probably be a threat from Julian as soon as I can.

"Can you save that until after I finish my story?" I snapped at him. My friends talk a lot about caring for me but it's overshadowed by how many conclusions they jump to. Though, a good amount of those conclusions are accurate.