Freedom & Restriction [2] | Jasper Hale

-06-

Joanna didn't agree to help Alice prepare her grand graduation party.

Curses fell from her mouth as she climbed up the ladder again to stick a damn balloon to the wall. Surrounding her were more of those exact balloons, only colored in an assortment of yellows, whites, and blacks. The sight made her want to throw up, even though she was semi-excited.

Scratch that, she wasn't excited one bit.

"How many more of these do I do?" Joanna grunted, glaring down at a certain blonde female who stood below her.

Rosalie shot her a sharp look before smirking in clear amusement. "Do more until the floor looks clean and clear," she ordered, chuckling only when Joanna's glare hardened severely. "Do you need my help, hmm?"

"Yes, please," she muttered before suddenly the balloons started to disappear and were being placed all around the room. It was a sight to behold as a blur spun around the room, decorating the place in less than ten seconds. When she was done, she playfully wiped away sweat on her forehead.

"Oh, that's beautiful, Rose," Alice chirped as she walked into the room with a few tables perched above her head. Due to her being so small, she had to hold the tables above her head. Then, she plopped them to the wooden floor below her. "Now, Jo, this is an easier job for you."

  She quickly crawled down the ladder before taking a spot by the ballerina-like woman. She bloomed a huge smile as she gestured to the foldable tables. "Can you set these up, pretty please?"

  Sparring her a look, she nodded faintly before picking one up and beginning the process.

When she was done, Alice brought out table cloths for Joanna to drape over the tables. She followed Alice's orders before staring at all seven decorated tables with a small smile covering her lips.

  "Perfect," someone announced behind Joanna and when she twisted her head back, she saw Emmett. "You did a good job ladies."

"Could've been easier, with you," Joanna remarked, "You're full of muscle and strength!"

  "All true," Rosalie grinned, grabbing Emmett's arm and pulling him close to her frame. They shared a loving look, their eyes shining with adoration that Joanna smiled at. "He's a tough cookie, Jo. My own cookie."

  "Damn right," Emmett drawled, kissing her temple before the two flew out of the room. Alice dashed over to the human, catching her off guard for a split second,

  "Now that they're gone, we can relax... or you relax actually, I still have more to do. Go on, rest, I'll catch up with you later, alright?"

  Joanna, unusually quiet today, nodded and walked away. She past the other Cullens along the way to Jasper's room where she desired to rest in, huddled under his blankets as she stared at all his books for hours. Sometimes, in the late of night with small lights entering the room from his candles, she would read each and every title and author of his books. Really, it was a fun game to play and she played it all the time.

She was even playing it right now, buried under two heavy brackets as she stared at his large bookcases. He was gone - Jasper - and she didn't know when he would return. He was the only one in the household who hadn't made an appearance to her all day and silently, she was concerned for him. Then again, the Male was practically invincible and she knew he could survive on his own.

  Well, in all actuality, he would need her. Because the universe decided to place the two of them together, even if they despised at each other at first.

Lately, something in her was twisting her insides in a horrific way. It was feeling she had long regretted. She hadn't felt this down, this upset in a long time. Something lingered over her, strangling her as she crawled at it, wanting to escape. Panic. Anxiety. There it was... depression. God, did she hate it. It was a thing that would haunt her both in reality and in her mind that was covered in dark clouds. Depression controlled her during her tougher times in high school and when she graduated, it disappeared. And it was still gone when she met Jasper.