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warning; some dark, triggering events occur at the end of the chapter
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"YOU LOOK OVERWHELMED."
Rory let out a small gasp from her bed to find the unexpected vampire visitor standing in front of her open window. It was nearing midnight, the silvery beams flatteringly highlighted his high cheekbones as he observed her with a raised brow, his wavy honey hair lightly ruffling with the night breeze.
Jasper Hale, a vampire, was in her bedroom.
She blinked, glanced at the laptop screen which definitely did not display a mythological website all about vampires, reached out and slammed the screen close, fluidly shoving it under the bedcovers before smiling at Jasper as if she had not just suspiciously put her laptop away the moment she realized he had snuck in.
"Not that I want you to leave," Rory said slowly, "but if you wanted to come over, you could've, I don't know, texted me? Instead of scaring the shit out of me...I mean look at me," she broadly gestured to her pajamas and bare face, "I would have changed if I knew you were coming..."
She felt horribly awkward once more even though she knew deep down she had no reason to be. She fiddled with the loose thread of her baggy sweater she wore that was so big on her it hid her plain cotton shorts. She was basically only wearing an oversized sweater, essentially half-naked, in front of Jasper Hale.
Jasper nodded apologetically. "I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort. I—I'll go—" He turned to grasp the window sill once more, preparing to jump out to hide his mortification at thoughtlessly invading into Rory's room without invitation. He wasn't Edward (who was currently doing so in the white house next door.) At least Jasper wasn't watching her sleep.
"No—" Rory was surprised at how fast she dismissed his attempt to exit. Her hand had reached out and grasped Jasper's sleeve instinctively. "I mean, you can stay. If you want. I'd...like it if you did. Just next time...give me a warning."
Jasper's stiff disposition softened immensely. He nodded once as he stared down at her as if she was an angel. Her hand on his sleeve slid down to his hand, intertwining their fingers together until he was fully in the room. Rory sat back on the bed while Jasper stood before her, looking as though he had something important to talk about.
He decided he preferred her bare and natural face—not that he hated makeup. It simply wasn't his business and he appreciated the artistry of Rory's skills anyways. She didn't need it but she clearly liked makeup and Jasper liked everything that was Rory. Her bare face revealed the fawn colored constellations that dotted her cheeks and nose. Even the red and faded acne scars endeared him, though he knew many others wouldn't agree.
He could stare at her all day. Jasper blinked out of his thoughts as Rory asked him a question.
"Is everything okay?" Her eyes held concern as her mind frantically darted to countless scenarios where something had gone wrong for Jasper. What if he was sick from eating the very human pizza? Or his family was angry at him? Or he had...lost control?
