Dangerous - Jasper Hale

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Alex woke up with a pounding head: she hadn't had a hangover in years since she's learned her ways around it. Now though, she felt her head pounding as her dry mouth made it hard for her to speak. She sat herself up and looked around, memories returning to her and she vaguely remembered meeting with Emmett, him taking her to his house. Taking in her surroundings, that was indeed where she'd ended up as she was lying on the couch in the Cullen house. In an armchair across from her was Emmett, looking at her with a small smile on his lips.

"Can I have some water?" Alex asked, her voice raspy and hoarse due to the soreness off her throat. Emmett nodded and walked down the stairs to fetch her something to drink, leaving her for a while. She was almost positive she was going to vomit with every movement, so she kept as still as she could to calm her nausea.

She sat up completely at the edge of the couch, holding her head in her hands in a weak attempt to calm the throbbing pain down even though it did nothing. When Emmett finally returned, she gladly took the glass of water he was holding out to her, downing it quickly together with an Advil he'd handed her in the same motion.

When she was done with the water and pain-killer she sat herself up straight and looked at Emmett slightly. He sighed, before speaking. "You're mad with me. What's wrong?"

Emmett's question provoked the girl in some way, the fact that he had to ask was annoying for her to take in. "Well, you could start with explaining why you lied to me about Jasper. You said you didn't have any contact with him. Still, Alice told me you've been the only one who's been able to reach him, and that he was the one who told you to visit me," Alex didn't know why she was saying these things, it made her feel horrible in a way. It was like word vomit, it couldn't be stopped. She knew Emmett always had cared for her, so in a way, it was pretty low of her to go at him like that. But, the combination of a ruthless hangover and sorrow lowered her mentally.

"Alex, I'm really sorry. I swore to Jasper that I wouldn't tell you because he wanted you to forget him. But he couldn't just leave you entirely, so he asked me to keep an eye on you as he couldn't trust himself to be near you," Alex looked at Emmett all this time but she couldn't bring herself to be mad with him. She knew he was telling the truth, and he was easily her best friend. He wouldn't keep this to himself if it wasn't important. So, Alex defied her hangover and walked over to Emmett and threw herself in his arms, feeling him hug her and kiss the top of her head. She smiled as the familiar feeling of Emmett's chest vibrating as he laughed, making her feel at home.

"So, what changed his mind now? It was him, right?" Alex spoke after they settled down again, referring to the phone call that she'd received at the party. She already knew it was him, but she felt as if she needed Emmett to confirm her thoughts. He nodded, making a knot tie itself in her stomach.

"Yeah, I tried to stop him but- I didn't even have time to react honestly," Emmett said, a small smile on his lips as he thought of the furious look on Jasper's face when he'd heard Alex's words through the phone. When she'd told him about the boy named Cyrus, Jasper was repulsed in a way he didn't know was possible. He'd always told her that she should find someone who could give her everything that she'd want, but he had no idea that he'd react that way to it.

Alex sighed, before continuing. "It's fine Emmett, I'll live through this terror. Now, do you have any food?"

o

Emmett and Alex walked down the stairs just a few minutes later as Alex felt hungry even though she was hungover. Usually she couldn't eat in the morning after a night like the previous one, but now she felt a sucking hunger in the pit of her stomach. So, well down in the kitchen, Emmett provided her with things to cook some breakfast.

Just a few moments after they entered the kitchen, Carlisle, Rosalie and Esme followed. Alex smiled widely as she saw their faces for the first time in so long, walking over to them and hugging them one at a time. She hadn't even caught on to how much these people actually mattered to her until they were gone, so when she finally saw them again she felt almost whole again.

"We missed you so much Alex, you really brought up the mood in this family," Carlisle said, Alex looking at him with a wide smile and furrowed brows as she felt as if her happiness would make her burst into tears. Though, she didn't, and she kept her calm and continued on a regular conversation with the beautiful, but incomplete, family.

After a while, they all stood and helped Alex prepare some breakfast; Carlisle was whisking some eggs in a bowl, Esme stood by the stove and waited for Carlisle to finish up so she could cook the omelet, while Alex cut up some tomatoes. Emmett was pouring juice into a glass that Rosalie was holding, showing off the extent of their teamwork.

Alex smiled as she looked around at the family, realizing how much she'd actually missed the simplicity of the life in the Cullen residence. Too bad it was all a façade, hiding whatever was to come.

The moment Jasper Hale stepped in through the front door, all eyes were turned towards him except for Alex's. She was looking down at the cutting board while transferring the tomatoes from it to a smaller bowl, when all the talking and laughing stopped. She furrowed her brows and looked around, only to lock her gaze together with him.

She couldn't help but to stare; Jasper looked different in many ways, while he was still exactly the same as six months ago. His hair was laying flatter on the top of his head, hanging down around his cheeks down to his jaw-line. His eyes were light brown but purple-like shadows could still be seen around them. Though, she didn't register any of that- all she could think about was that one afternoon so many months ago, where he left her.

"Jasper, I'd advise you to leave again," Carlisle spoke after what felt like a minute of silence. Said boy made no kind of attempt to respond, but Alex did.

"No, it's fine Carlisle, I'll go. This is his house, not mine, so I'm not going to disrupt the peace. Thank you for taking me in overnight, but I'll be going," Alex said, Rosalie protesting in the background, but the redhead blocked it out. She lowered her head and walked away from the kitchen and towards the door.

A cold hand grabbed her arm softly and held her in place. "Stop," Jasper murmured, making Alex do just that and turn around to look at him with narrowed eyes.

"You better let go of me right now Jasper."

"So, this is it? We can't even be in the same house?" Jasper spoke, making Alex snort.

"I won't run back to you just because you're in town again. You left me after those promises and all the 'never again'-bullshit, and you expect me to just act like nothing?" Alex said, finally boiling over and yanking her arm away from his loose grip. Jasper looked down from her face and to his shoes, not knowing what to say. He was ashamed to say the least. "I'm heading home, Josh can pick me up. Thanks again for letting me crash here, you really saved me some trouble there Emmett."

Emmett looked at her with furrowed brows before nodding his head. "Yeah, sure, my pleasure Dexter."

Alex smiled at him, before walking towards the door and leaving the house, calling her brother as she finally let the first teardrop of many fall down her cheek.