Keep Yourself Alive ¡ Jasper Hale

Chapter Thirteen

A Loss of Words... and the Cullens

I feel crazy standing on the Cullen's doorstep right now. I've never shown up uninvited before, yet here I am, no phone calls from any family members for the past two days. I can't say I'm surprised Jasper's ignoring me, but not one text from Emmett in the past twenty-four hours is weird. They've been absent from school even though it has been cloudy as usual. I muster up the courage to ring the doorbell, I don't care who answers the door as long as I get some kind of answer.

"Nevaeh?" Esme asks, the door half open, as if she's unsure whether to let me in.

"Esme!" I heave a sigh of relief, seeing the woman who has been like a second mother to me over the past few months.

"Nevaeh," her voice is softer now. "What are you doing here?"

The very question I had feared. "I haven't heard from you guys in a while, I just wanted to come over and say hi. So, um, hi."

"Who's at the door?" I hear Emmett's voice echo through the house. At this question Esme finally opens the door completely. "Oh, Nevaeh. Hi."

I'm not only greeted by Emmett's voice but dozens of moving boxes. "Can I come in?"

Esme only nods, stepping out of the doorway. I step into the house. The only members of the family I see are Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle. The last two had stayed silent upon my arrival. "Why are you guys packing things up?"

"We're leaving." Rosalie is the one who finally gives me the answer I did not want to hear.

"We can't stay here, people are starting to see I do not look as old as I say I am." Carlisle feeds me the excuse.

"So you go and work at a different hospital nearby. Why are you packing up everything? Where is Jasper?"

"Nevaeh, it's not that simple." Esme only answers one of my questions.

"Then why are you trying to make this all sound easy?"

"Vae, it's fine, I'm sure we'll come back to visit you." Emmett smiles, walking over to my side, as if he wants to comfort me.

"No we won't." Rosalie is the only one giving me the hard answers.

"Okay. You're leaving, it was going to happen anyway that people would notice your 'lack of aging.' Where are you going?"

"What?" Esme asks.

"Maybe I can come visit you guys sometime. Where are you guys moving?"

"We can't tell you, Vae." Emmett gives my hand a squeeze, he looks at me with sympathy in his eyes.

"Why not? Four days ago I was here eating dinner that Esme had cooked for me, we were all laughing together. Jasper drove me home. That morning I had gone to school with Alice! And now you're just leaving? Did you just plan on going without a call? You won't tell me why you're leaving or where you're going!"

"Nevaeh, please, go home." Even Rosalie has started speaking to me with pity in her voice.

"Rosalie, please, just tell me where he is. I know he has to be around here somewhere." I somehow keep my voice at a normal level.

Though I know in my heart that it's not my exceptional emotional control which keeps my voice at a normal level. Any reason or self-control I have is thrown out the window when I'm around the Cullens. My heart is being ripped into pieces yet I feel somewhat okay, and I know he's here yet so far away, manipulating my heartbreak.

"He's not here." She lies but I can tell it's half-heartedly.

"Fine. I get it, 'he's not here,'" I say the last few words mockingly and raise my voice, unsure of where he is in the house and how well he can hear us. "I just wish he'd stop manipulating my emotions since he obviously doesn't care about how I feel right now."