Margaret Allie Brandon (Jasper's Mate Story)

Chapter 5

Jasper's POV: (September 17th)

I was waiting in History class, waiting for her to walk in so I could invite her over to my house to work on the project Friday afternoon. It was only Wednesday, but humans always seem to make plans earlier than we do. Plus on a Friday we wouldn't have to worry over the rest of our homework, not that I or my siblings ever do, but at least I could spend more time with her. I had already gotten Carlisle's approval and even Esme's out of respect for her. I knew that Rosalie would probably be pissed at my decision to become Margaret's friend but I didn't care.

I had been attempting to make small talk with her each morning before the bell rang and I was sometimes rewarded by my efforts with her answering my questions. Though just hearing her voice was reward enough. I now knew that she planned on moving away from here as soon as she could, and though the idea of her leaving upset me for some reason, the amount of hope that came off her when she spoke about it made me smile.

Alice knew something about Margaret that I had yet to discover but I was content with finding out for myself when the time came, for now anyway. I looked up from my history book that I had been staring blankly at when I finally smelled her. I watch as she walks into the room, my eyes meeting hers almost instantly as she looked at me. I smiled at her, earning a nod in return as she sat down at her desk next to mine. It was the same every morning, and I wished to one day see her smile when she saw me. I watched as she wrapped her arms around herself slowly and carefully before looking at me as I cleared my throat.

"Margaret?" (Jas)

"Yes, Jasper." (Mag)

"Well I've been thinking about the project and I think we should work on it this Friday after school and get it done with." (Jas)

"Ok, I must agree that would be a good idea." (Mag)

"Do you want to work on it at your place?" (Jas)

"No! I.....I'm not allowed to have friends over because of my guardian's work schedule." (Mag)

I knew it was a lie as she seemed to just grab the first excuse she could think of. I heard her heartrate accelerate and watched as she seemed to start to panic a bit and even start to shake in her chair. I knew now that it was the start of a panic attack having explained her actions to Carlisle after the first day of school. The thought of why she would be so panicky and nervous around me and nearly every other male that came near her infuriated me to no end but I managed to hold it in well.

"Hey it's no problem. It's actually better if we do it at my place anyway, if that works for you that is." (Jas)

"That....that works better I suppose." (Mag)

"Good, I'll drive us to my house after school on Friday. I know you like to walk but we live too far out to walk and make it before dark. That ok?" (Jas)

I watched as her face paled a bit before she looked at me and I met her eyes. I sent her a wave of calm as I had always done when sitting anywhere near her and watched as it seemed to calm her down just a bit. She took a deep breath before looking down at her hands in her lap, still twisting them, before nodding and looking back up at me with a slightly determined look on her face.

"That would be fine Jasper. Thank you." (Mag)

"No problem Margaret. What are partners for after all?" (Jas)

She doesn't answer, though she wouldn't have had time to anyway as Mr. Michaels started to lecture us about the start of the Civil War. Something I was all too familiar with so I didn't pay him any attention as I was too busy watching her take notes with the same small smile on my face that she caused me to start wearing only moments ago. I can only imagine how beautiful a smile is on her face, and it's something I want to see if it's the last thing I do.


Alice's POV:

I smiled as I saw Margaret coming over to the house this Friday after school, before I heard Edward chuckle a bit and tell Emmett he wanted his 100$. I heard Emmett complain a bit as Rose hissed under her breath, all of us ignoring her. Sure, Margaret may be human, but no one's ever made Jazz smile or relax as much as she has. I pack up and stand up to leave the class just as the bell rings.

Edward places a gentle kiss on my forehead before I rush out of the classroom at a human pace. I can't help but skip to art, knowing that I too am making slow progress with Margaret. I was upset at just how slow, until I realized that she was at least more relaxed around me than Jasper for some reason. Not to mention every friendship has to start somewhere even if it does seem to be taking forever to start.

I pull out my sketch pad that's turned into more of a fashion design book than actual art before taking a seat at the table that I share with Margaret. I smile and wave at her as she walks in and she offers me a small nod before pulling out the canvas and oil paints she's been working on for the last week. Even for a human she's talented, as the painted mountainside overlooking a river can show anyone with eyes.

"That really is beautiful Margaret. Where is it?" (Alice)

"Thank you Alice. It's a memory, or at least I think it is. The view from my Grandmother's back porch before she died, when I was little." (Mag)

"It's like looking out a window it's so realistic Margaret." (Alice)

I saw what looked like a ghost of a smile starting to form on her face before another kid walked by and faked coughed 'scarface,' making the smile disappear completely. That little punk ruined what would have been her first smile to me. I watched as Margaret sighed before closing her eyes for a moment, putting her beanie back on to hold down her hair over her scars on the side of her face. It wasn't until her beanie was back in place that she opened her eyes and she started to work on her painting, and I began to wonder if it would be wrong of me to flatten that little punk's tires before school was over.

I didn't try to talk to her anymore during class as I knew by now that when she started painting she didn't really hear anything anyone said, unless it was the bell ringing. I sighed some knowing that I would only have a few minutes after the bell rung to talk to her a bit. I started working on a dress sketch that I just know Rose would love to wear to Prom this year, counting down the seconds until the bell rang. I was hoping to get a smile from her before Jasper to make him jealous and hopefully help him realize why he seems so taken by her. I thought he would have realized that she was his mate by now, but I suppose my brother is slower than I thought he was.


Margaret's POV:

I was happy that Alice liked my painting so much, especially since I was doing it from memory and wasn't happy with it just yet. My happiness was brought back down to earth though after Jeremy walked past. It wasn't a new insult, 'scarface,' if anything I've been called that enough times one would think I would answer to it. Rather it was the reminder that my life was a nightmare.

I pulled my beanie back on before I picked up the paint palate I had set up, and turned back to try and determine what was missing from my painting. I could almost hear my grandmother's voice in my head as I painted, the sound of soft jazz playing in the background of the memory just as she liked to listen to while baking. I could almost smell her cinnamon cookies and the cedar floors of the porch as we rocked in the swing out front waiting on mom to come pick me up. I missed her as much as I missed my mom and as I stared at the picture I realized what was missing was the sense of peace and home I felt there.

I sighed some as I finished a few of the trees and added more texture to the river, knowing that I would never be fully happy with it because a sense of home isn't easily captured by paint. I heard the first bell ring for the last class of the day, and sighed again as I started to clean up my area just as Mrs. Peters walked up to examine it. I finished cleaning everything up before I turned to see she was still looking at it.

I held my breath but not of out of fear of being punished, but fear that she wouldn't like it. She was one of the only people I willingly allowed close to me in any sense of the word when possible, and her opinion mattered greatly to me. I was relieved only seconds later when her kind warm eyes met my own as she smiled at me. She took a few hesitant steps towards me before gently placing her hand on my shoulder. She had always known that I wasn't one that liked to be touched, but over the last two years I had grown attached enough to her to let her in, at least in some ways.

"This is one of your best pieces Margaret, will you let me put it in the show this year?" (Mrs. P)

"I always do, but do you think it would have a chance?" (M)

"It has more than just a chance of winning dear, that I can promise. Now I better let you finish packing up so you can enjoy your weekend. Come see me if you ever need anything Margaret, alright?" (Mrs. P)

I forced a small smile on my face as she said that. It wasn't the first time she had said it, as I knew she suspected something was happening at home but I was always extra careful to keep any bruises hidden from her. I didn't want to put her in any danger from Randy, no matter what her death dream had shown me in her passing away peacefully surrounded by grandchildren at a very old age, I wouldn't risk it somehow changing. There was a first time for everything after all. I had just finished washing my paint palate and put the canvas on the stand to finish drying before I saw Alice walk up next to me out of the corner of my eye.

"Jasper told us at lunch that you would be coming over Friday to work on a project. Would you like to spend the night as well? We could have a girl's slumber party?" (Alice)

"I....I can't. My guardian would never let me. I'm sorry. I....I'll see you tomorrow." (Mag)

"Oh. Ok, see you tomorrow Margaret." (Alice)

I had hated seeing the look of disappointment on her face, as I found myself wanting to be friends with her and even with Jasper. But I don't want to know how they would die, I didn't want to see her death so instead I'll just keep seeing her disappointment at my reluctance to be friends with her. It's the only way in the end to keep either one of us from getting hurt. Whether it's a death dream for me, or Randy somehow coming after her to punish me for trying to be 'normal.'