Never Looking Back [Jasper Hale] Ch. 6

Jasper was, indeed, mad at me after I explained him the whole thing, but at least he agreed with me. He started hanging out with his family again and I was happy for it. Just for now, things had settled down. I could spend time thinking without feeling guilt or anxiousness.

For a very short moment, my life was completely happy. Jasper and I would go running in the forest and then we would stop in our meadow and just lay on our backs, holding hands and contemplating the grey sky. The old scars that still marked me were hidden for now and so was the pain caused by them. I could breathe easily and be around Jasper without a problem now.

I had even befriended with the rest of the Cullen family. I even shared the table with them during the lunch break and I used to go hunting with them during the weekends. Since Hannah and I were not talking to each other, I didn’t mind too much seeing her always alone. She didn’t really like the idea of talking and bonding with human beings, so she was really uncomfortable around them. It had been weeks since our fight and none of us had ever spoken a word toward each other. You have no idea how long you can argue with someone when you have eternity ahead of you.

I knew that somehow, soon enough, something will happen that would spoil all the balance and the order in my life. Never, in my hundreds of years of existence, had I ever felt peaceful and content for too long. My whole existence was a continuous run from different enemies or situations. I had traveled most of the world in my incessant search for something better, but never found it. To be honest, I didn’t even know what I was looking for or if it existed at all. Mostly, I had been running away from my past and things I didn’t even want to recall. I was running from the pain inside of me, even though I knew that I couldn’t even get away from it; it was a vital part of me, just as my very flesh. It went bone deep.

Even though all of my preparing, the event struck sooner and harder than I expected. It was just an ordinary day; I was at the Cullens’ residence. I had grown to hang out a lot there. I was talking to Emmett, heck, I don’t even recall what we was talking about because of the shock that followed. Alice’s suddenly went blank. I realized that she must’ve had a vision. You see, our gifts didn’t work the same way. I saw the future only when I wanted or when I knew what to look for. Her visions simply kicked in without any warning.

Her eyes became unfocused and when she seemed to be back, she grimaced with shock. Her brows furrowed and her mouth formed the shape on an O. At first, I didn’t think it was so important, but then Edward rushed into the room, dragging Bella after him. Then, I let my mind search Alice’s. I also gasped in horror as the images in her mind filled my own. They were flashes, disappearing quickly, yet not quick enough for me not to follow them. I saw a group of cloaked creatures on the steps of the Cullens’ house. Once the one who looked like their leader uncovered himself, I recognized him immediately. I recognized his paper-like chalky skin and his bloody eyes. He was no other than Aro. The little cloaked figure standing by his side was, by no doubt, Jane.

The vision faded away before I could make more out of it. The wave of shock had gone through me, leaving behind an impossible practicality. I searched Edward’s mind; he seemed to be the one who knew all about it.

Why are they coming here? I asked him.

Because of Bella, he thought back.

What? I asked. I was really getting bored of this little weasel. She was always getting herself into trouble, and leaving others to clean the mess for her. She wasn’t even worth everyone fighting over her. Such a little wimp. I was careful to hide these thoughts from Edward because I was sure that nothing would stop him from trying to rip me apart.

She isn’t supposed to know about us. She’s human, Edward explained. Exactly as I had feared.

‘Alice, when are they coming?’ Emmett asked.

‘Two days, maybe less.’ She whispered.

‘What do they want?’ Rosalie muttered.

‘They’re checking on Bella.’ Alice answered.

‘Oh, my God. This is all my fault.’ Bella squealed. You bet it is, you little—

Jasper’s P.O.V

Everyone was looking at Alice; they were all tense and listening very carefully to her. So was I; I hadn’t ever met the Volturi before. That’s when I noticed Sonia. She was in the same position as she had been minutes ago; she was sitting on the couch, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. But right now, she was perfectly still. Her face was empty and her hands were claws around her folded legs.

‘Sonia, what’s wrong?’ I asked. She didn’t react. She didn’t even blink. I sat down near her, pushing Emmett aside. I put a hand on her shoulder and shook gently. She looked at me and I noticed that her eyes were stormy black again. She broke into tearless sobs, mumbling something incoherently. All I could make out of it was, ‘don’t want to come’. I put my arms around her and she buried her face in my chest, still sobbing.

‘I don’t want the Vol—them to come.’ She cried. So this was what it was all about. She had met the Volturi before. God, I wish I had Edward’s gift so I could know what was making her so desperate.

‘Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you.’ I whispered. I was aware that my family was watching, even though they tried to be discreet.

‘I know, that’s not it.’ She sobbed again.

‘Then what is it, Sonia?’ I asked, desperate. She was so puzzling. Edward, what’s wrong? I thought, hoping that he would hear me.

‘It’s hard to tell. She keeps blocking my thoughts.’ He said, looking concentrated. ‘She’s met them before. They’ve—they’ve asked her to join them because— astonishment flickered over his face, followed by admiration. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Sonia raised her head and shot him a deadly glare. His mouth snapped shut, but you could almost feel the smugness giving off from him. Now he knew one of her secrets so she was wrapped around his finger. I felt left out. Why wouldn’t she tell me? Me, of all people!

‘Believe me, you don’t want to know.’ She whispered as she recomposed herself.

‘Yes, I do.’ I muttered under my breath.

‘You wouldn’t spend one more second around me if you’d know.’ She said. Her face looked so serious and so pained I didn’t question any further. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what her little secret was. I was surely going to bribe Edward into telling me.

Sonia’s P.O.V.

I was really starting to get pissed about Edward being in my head. He didn’t feel anything more than amusement when doing it, but for me, it wasn’t fun. Especially in circumstances like this one. I sighed. I knew he wasn’t going to tell anyone, save for Bella, because he loved being able to maneuver me by threatening with telling Jasper.

Still, I had worse things to worry about, like, for instance, the Volturi. I knew that if Edward didn’t do the job, they will surely start talking about my other ‘gifts’ and, what scared me most, about my past. They knew everything about me, more than anyone ever did. I shuddered at the thought of seeing Aro’s face again. Or Jane’s.

The next day, I was at the Cullens’, again. I didn’t tell Ian, or Anna, or Hannah about Alice’s vision. I knew that it might turn out to be a mistake, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them. I certainly didn’t want them to know about me being involved with those—creatures.

Alice announced that they were going to be there earlier than she had expected. They were to come that very day. I was already starting to fret.

I tried to tell myself that they weren’t here for me, but for Bella. Still, my gut was telling me that they would surely remember all of their unfinished business with me when they’d see me. The last words they had spoken to were still ringing in my head as clear as I had heard them that day, years and years ago. I still remembered running around the streets of Volterra at night, sobbing and screaming. Every pain I had ever gathered until I met them, they brought it up again, twisting it and making me feel it again, a hundred times worse. I knew that they would do the same again and again until I agreed to join them, selling my soul to them. As hard as it was for me, I would never consent to becoming one of them and adapting to their horrid, underground lifestyle. They were so purely medieval. It was grotesque. It made me remember my turbulent early days so clear I could almost feel the taste of human blood in my mouth.

I shook off the grim thoughts and braced myself for whatever they were going to throw at me as Edward announced that they were within less than 10 miles from the house.

You’ve got to show them

What it means to be alive.