Jasper hadn't spoken to Cassie since her invitation. She and Bella spilled the tea over the phone the night after the La Push visit, but they've hadn't seen the Cullens or Hales since.
Cassie sat at the bench outside, Jessica sitting on the table, soaking up the sun. It was finally a nice day in Forks, the sun meeting her skin for the first time since Cassie had moved to Forks. While Bella stayed in her normal Jeans and shirt, Cassie switched it up, wearing a simple graphic tee and black shorts. Both girls looked around for the certain adoptive siblings, but neither where in sight.
"There not here." Jessica said, not even looking down at the two, knowing what they where looking for. "Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullens disappear."
"They just....ditch?" Bella asked, giving Cassie a confused look.
"No, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen yank them out for like, camping and hiking and stuff." Jessica huffed, finally looking down at brunette's. "Tried the idea out on my parents....not even close."
Cassie took a drink from her water, when suddenly a body collided with her, causing small droplets of water to fall onto her exposed legs. She fell back slightly, grabbing onto the wooden table to keep her from falling into the dirt below, before finally hugging Angela back. "I'm going to the prom with Eric!!" She gushed, pulling Cassie into another tight hug. "I asked him! I took control!" She grinned, pulling Bella into a hug, finally letting Cassie get some air. Her expression shifted as she looked at the two girls. "You sure you guys don't want to go?"
"Sorry." Cassie responded, awkwardly playing with her water bottle. "But you two have fun! You're both going to have a great night."
"Oh My God! We need to hit the stores in Port Angeles before all the good dresses get cleaned out." Jessica said, ignoring Cassie's statement.
"Port Angeles?" Bella asked, Cassie wondering what has her so interested. "Can Cassie and I go with you?" She asked.
"Duh! We need your opinions!" Angela said, giving Cassie a side hug.
"Yeah." Jessica nodded in agreement.
*******
"That one's cute." Cassie commented as Jessica examined herself in the store mirror. "Makes your boobs look great."
"Thanks! I was thinking the same thing!" Jessica said, pushing her breasts up. While Bella sat in the store window, looking bored out of her mind, Cassie leaned against the wall, trying to get a close look at the dresses. "What do you think Bella?" She asked, turning to the girl. Before Bella could reply, a knock got their attention.
"Hey! Nice!" A drunk frat boy hollered to Jessica, while the rest of the group banged on the window, giving the four girls a suggestive look that made Cassie's inside turn.
"Ugh." Jessica said, glaring at the passing boys. "That's uncomfortable."
"It's disgusting." Cassie commented, Bella and Angela nodding in agreement.
"Bella?" Jessica asked again, hoping to ignore the boys.
"It looks great." Bella answered, not paying much attention.
"You said that about the last five dresses."
"I thought they were all pretty." Bella defended, awkwardly.
Angela gave Bella a soft look, "You're not really into this, are you?"
Bella smiled guiltily, " Actually, I really just wanna go to this bookstore." She admitted, grabbing onto Cassie's arm. "Wanna come?" Something in Bella's eyes begged, so Cassie gave in.
"Sure! I love bookstores anyways!" She quickly threw on her jacket, and grabbed her belongings. "By girls! Love you." She blew a kiss to the two girls, who just smiled back.
**********
"So, what's with you and this bookstore?" Cassie asked, trying to keep up with her face paced friend.
"Jacob told me about this tribe legend." Bella started, but Cassie interrupted her.
"About the wolves and pale faces?" She asked. Bella stopped and turned to her.
"How did you-?"
"Quil." She said. "I forced it out of him." She joked, as Bella started walking again.
"Oh." She responded. "Well, it seems kinda far fetched, but, it doesn't hurt to look." Cassie nodded in agreement, curiosity creeping up on her.
"You never know." The brunette responded.
When they finally reached the bookstore, the two girls split up. Cassie trailed up and down the aisles, her fingers dancing along the book spines. The books where older, and a few had collected some dust. But that didn't stop Cassie from breathing in the fresh scent of old books. After a few more moments, Cassie saw the book Bella described to her, quickly grabbing it.
"Bells!"
Bella whipped her head around, and looked at the source of her name.
"Found it!" Cassie called, holding up the book. Bella smiled, jogging over to her friend.
Cassie stood outside the bookstore, waiting for her friend to checkout. The man at the front desk was older, so she knew it would take a hot second. She looked down at the stoned walkway, memorizing the way the bricks where patched together. Her mind suddenly went to Quil. She thought about what he had said, and tried to patch it together. Pale face? What was that suppose to mean? Zombie? Vampire?
"Hey." A voice caused her to jump out of her daydream, the thoughts disappearing. Bella stood next to her, in her hand a bag with the bookstore's name. "Ready?"
Cassie didn't respond, she just nodded, and the two girls set off.
"We're running late. Do you have your cell? Mine's dead." Cassie asked, as she attempted to get the phone to magically turn on.
"No, I left it in Jessica's car." Bella respond, making Cassie mentally cuss.
"We'll just have to deal with it when we get there." Cassie said, when Bella suddenly stopped, causing her to bumping into her friend.
"Let's go this way. It's shorter." Bella said, hooking her arm around Cassie's, and pulling her into the ally. Something about the dark setting set alarms off in Cassie's head. Something was going to go wrong.
"Saw you in the dress store!" A frat boy slurred, stumbling out of the shadows, making Cassie's assumptions correct. Cassie and Bella immediately, turned away, attempted to walk the other way, but two of the other boys stood in front of them, trapping them. "Where are you going?" He slurred.
"Sup girls." The group huddled around the two teens, shoving them when they tried to escape. Bella tried to move, but one of the guys pushed her back.
"Don't touch her!" Cassie snapped, getting in front, or trying to get in front, of Bella.
"What's the problem?" He asked Cassie, getting uncomfortably close, snaking his arms around her waist. "I just think she's pretty. No harm in that."
"Such pretty young ladies." One said, getting in Bella's face.
"Get away from me!" She yelled, as she shoved the man back, but that only made him more rowdy.
"Whoa, we got a fighter!" He yelled out, making the group yell out. He reached out to grope Bella, but Cassie already jumped between them, kneeing him right between the legs. He yelled out in pain, as his friends tried to grab the girls in anger. Bella and Cassie latched on to each other, both of them trying to get in the front of the other.
Before anything else could happen, the sound of tires screeching made the drunken critters turn away from the girls. A way to familiar silver Volvo slammed right in front of the huddle. Before the car was fully stopped, Jasper appeared from the passenger's seat, making Cassie silently thank the gods. He quickly appeared next to Cassie, urgently yet gently pulling her away from the group.
"Get in the car!" He said, already pushing her towards the car. Once she was near the car, he turned quickly, and started making his way towards the drunks.
"Jasper! No!" Cassie pleaded, stopping the tall male. She grabbed his arm, and attempted to pull him away. "They're drunk!"
"That makes it ok?" Jasper asked, turning to the shorter teen.
"It makes it not worth it." Cassie said, her eyes pleading with him. Jasper stared in her eyes for a moment, before wrapping his arm around her protectively. He ushered her into the back seat, climbing in after her. Edward and Bella already beat them into the car. As soon as Jasper shut the door, Edward stepped on the gas, then onto the breaks right before the frat boys, making Cassie fall into Jasper.
"I should go back there and rip those guys' heads off!" He snapped, his voice low and laced with venom. In the back, Cassie was leaning against Jasper, in hopes to soothe her and his nerves.
"No, you shouldn't." Bella snapped back, holding onto the rail above her.
"You don't know the vile and repulsive things they where thinking!" Edward argued, still driving like they had 9 lives.
"And you do?" Cassie asked from the backseat, still holding onto Jasper.
"It's not hard to guess." Edward responded, giving Jasper a look through the mirror. "Can we talk about something else? Distract me so I don't turn around!"
"You should put your seatbelt on." Bella said, still holding on for dear life. This caused Edward to let out a bitter laugh.
"You should put your seatbelt on."
Jasper turned to Cassie, "You should." He said, as he reached over her to buckle her in. She just let him do whatever, since it calmed him and her.
By the time they arrived at the restaurant, Jessica and Angela were coming out of the restaurant.
"Where were you guys? We left you tons of messages!" Angela asked, concern filled her voice.
"Yeah, we waited but we were like, really hungry." Jessica explained, but trailed off when she saw the tall males behind the girls. Angela looked over at Jasper, whose arm was around Cassie's waist.
"It's our fault." Edward started, charmingly. "We ran into each other and got talking. Must have lost track of time." Cassie coughed back a laugh when she saw the "dazzling" smile Edward had on.
"Our apologies." Jasper said, nodding politely.
Jessica just looked at the two in awe, before smiling at the men flirtatiously. "Oh no! It's totally fine! I mean, that happens right? We were just leaving. Are you guys going to come or.....?"
"We should probably make sure they get something to eat. We'll make sure they get home safely, only if you'd like of course." Edward said, turning to Bella. She nodded, almost too quickly, making Cassie chuckle.
"Yeah, I'm a bit hungry." Cassie agreed, after her stomach growled. Angela shot her a wink, making Cassie roll her eyes and giggle.
"That's really thoughtful!" Angela said, following Jessica, sending the girls a smile. "Drive safe!"
As the girls climbed into Jessica's car, Jasper wrapped his arm around Cassie guiding her into the restaurant, after Edward.
*********
"Alright, one mushroom ravioli, and a chicken alfredo." The waitress said, placing the plates down in front of the girls. Though, she didn't look at them, instead turned her attention to their company, sending the men a flirty smile. "You sure there isn't anything I can get either of you?"
Jasper didn't respond, making Cassie realize how little he did speak to others excluding herself and his family. "No thank you." Edward responded, not looking away from Bella.
"Just let me know." She said, walking away. It didn't take long for Cassie to start eating, her hunger catching up with her.
"You're really not going to eat anything?" Bella asked, making Cassie look up from her meal.
"No, we're on a...." Jasper started, but struggled to come up with the wording.
"Special diet." Edward finished for him.
Bella and Cassie looked at each other, before glaring at their company. "Ok. You have to give us some answers." Cassie said, in a matter-of-fact tone.
Edward smiled for a minute, "Yes, no, to get to the other side." He started to list off. "Uh.....1.77245"
"She didn't ask for the square root of Pi." Bella said, clearly annoyed.
"You knew that." Edward said, impressed.
"How did you know where we were?" Cassie asked, leaning forward. Bella didn't say anything, the two girls just stared at the boys, with their most intimidating stare. Cassie was done with the secrets and the sneaking around. Their mood swings where giving her whiplash, and she just wanted answers.
"We didn't." Jasper said, lying.
Cassie took a moment, before sighing. Bella got up, and gently grabbed Cassie's arm. "Let's just go, Cass." Cassie stood up, collecting her things, not looking at Jasper. As they moved away from the table, Jasper suddenly grabbed Cassie's arm.
"Don't leave." He pleaded. Cassie's eyes softened. She looked over at Bella who looked at Edward and Jasper, and nodded, the two of them sitting back down.
"Did you follow us?" Bella asked.
"We feel...very protective, over the two of you." Edward answered, casting Jasper a glance, something Cassie didn't ignore.
"So you followed us." Bella summed up, bluntly. Cassie crossed her arms, watching the two men in front of her come up with an excuse.
"Yes, we followed you." Jasper answered, a little annoyed. "We were trying to keep our distance, then Edward heard what those low-lives where thinking."
"Wait." Cassie interrupted, "You said Edward hear what they where thinking? So, what you read minds?"
Edward sighed at his brother, finally dropping the act. "I can read every mind in this room, apart from yours." He answered, looking at Bella. He looked around, before listing off people's thoughts. "Sex......Money......Sex.......Cat." Edward stopped and looked at Cassie. "No, I'm not a liar." He said, making Cassie look at him in shock that he just read her mind.
Edward looked at Bella. "And you......Nothing. It's very frustrating."
"Is there something wrong with me?" Bella asked, frowning at herself.
Cassie chuckled to herself, looking at her friend. "He just said he can read minds, and you think they is something wrong with you?"
"But, he said I'm the only one he can't read....."
Cassie chuckled again, then glanced at Jasper. "What about you? Can you also read minds?" She asked.
Jasper shook his head, "No, but I can read other things. I can read and somewhat control other's emotions. All, except yours."
Cassie's eyes widen a bit when she heard that information. She now knew what Bella meant. Was there something wrong with her? Was her mind messed up that much?
"No, it's nothing to do with your mind." Edward responded, making Cassie glare at him.
"Hey! No fair with the mind reading!" She scolding, before turning to Jasper, who had a worrying expression painted on his face. "What is it?" Cassie asked, her face dropping.
"I.." He took a second, "I don't have the strength to stay away from you." He said, making Cassie's heart pound against her chest.
"Then don't." She challenged, though she could barley hear herself with how her thoughts where racing.