"Okay, the next question asks you to describe the central themes of The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe."

Alice waited expectantly, but the girl in front of her was staring out the window at the overcast sky with a blank expression on her face. Her emerald eyes were clearly very far from Poe and his poetry, lost in the gray of the clouds outside.

"Evelyn? Ugh, Ev, you're not even listening to me!"

At the sound of her name, Evelyn was pulled from her thoughts and back into the dreary school library. She smiled sheepishly at Alice, who sat with her arms crossed in her chair and a delicate pout on her lips.

"Sorry, Alice," she apologized, flipping her English notebook to her notes on Poe and his work. "I guess I'm not that focused, today." She hadn't been thinking about English at all, in fact. She had been thinking about what had happened in Italy just a short few weeks ago, replaying it in her head and still trying to wrap her mind around the dangerous uncertainty of her future. In the aftermath, finals didn't seem all that important to her, anymore.

Alice sighed, rolling her eyes playfully as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "Well maybe you should've waited for a day that you weren't so distracted to ask me to help you study for the English final."

"The final is in less than month, Alice, I don't exactly have that much time to wait at all." The brunette sighed, flipping aimlessly through her notebook. "Doesn't taking high school finals ever get old to you? I don't know how you all do it over and over again. It's miserable."

Alice raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, giving her a knowing look. "Well, you'll be joining the club pretty soon and then you'll get to retake them forever like the rest of us."

Right. Evelyn winced at the mention of her impending transformation, making Alice's eyes widen in realization.

"Sorry, Ev, I shouldn't have said that. I know you're still really uncomfortable with it."

Evelyn smiled, though it didn't quite meet her eyes. "It's fine. I guess I better start getting used to the idea sooner rather than later." She was cut off by the lunch bell ringing, and she forced a bright smile on her face as she began shoving her notebooks and pens in her bag. "Let's go find the others, I'm starving."

The pair made their way out of the library and into the crowded hallway of Forks High School along with the rest of the students who were eager for their lunch break. They weaved in and out of the throng of students with ease, Evelyn allowing Alice to guide her to their usual lunch table where Mike, Jessica, Angela, Eric, Bella, and Edward already sat.

They slid into the two empty seats, just catching the end of the conversation about Jessica's valedictorian speech.

"Jess doesn't need clichés. Her speech is gonna be epic," Bella said, grinning at Jessica from across the table.

Jessica nodded. "Epic? It's gonna change lives."

Angela looked up, smiling when she saw Evelyn slide into the seat beside her. "Hey, guys! How was studying?"

"Not productive," Evelyn said with a laugh, shaking her head. "This English final is gonna kill me. Why does Mr. Berty require us to memorize literally everything from the entire year? Who just knows every Shakespearean sonnet off the top of their head?"

Edward grinned. "I do."

Of course you do, she quipped back in her head. He only grinned wider. "Okay, well then you're just weird," Evelyn teased out loud for the benefit of the rest of the table. "Maybe you could take my final for me?"

"Enough about finals!" Alice chided, looking at everyone at the table with a bright, cheery smile. "I've decided to throw a party!"

Edward smiled dryly. "After all, how many times are we gonna graduate high school?" Beside him, Evelyn saw Bella nudge him with her elbow.

The humans who were blissfully unaware of the small joke looked shocked. The Cullens were notorious for keeping to themselves; no one besides Bella and Evelyn had ever been to their house.

Finally, Angela spoke up. "A party? At your place?"

"I've never seen your house," Jessica said, and it was clear she was excited about the prospect of finally getting to see how the mysterious Cullen family lived.

Eric looked at her with an incredulous look. "Um, yeah Jess, no one's ever seen their house."

"Are we sure that another party is a good idea?" Evelyn said, raising her eyebrows as she stared at the pixie-like vampire next to her.

"It'll be fun," Alice insisted, looking between Bella, Edward, and Evelyn with pleading eyes.

Bella frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, that's what you said last time."

An awkward silence settled over the table as Bella, Evelyn, and the two vampires exchanged a glance. They all knew that they were thinking of the same painful memory. Evelyn's thoughts were immediately on Jasper and the night of Bella's birthday last year... the night that had changed everything. She was glad that Jasper was not there to hear their conversation because she knew that he would instantly feel terrible about the whole thing all over again.

She wondered idly what he was doing today. She had to admit that she sometimes missed when they used to attend school together. He made the monotony of high school more bearable before everything had taken a turn for the worst.

Things had been... tense between Evelyn and Jasper, to say the least. It was difficult to even see him now since Marie held her on such a tight leash. The fact that her aunt hated Jasper's guts also didn't seem to help much, and neither did the fact that Jasper had graduated with Rosalie and Emmett last year. They barely had any time together, and when they did things were very clipped and awkward.

Evelyn still found it difficult to be near him after everything that had happened in Italy. Although she knew that he had lied when he left and had truly loved her all along, she still was unable to get past him hurting her the way that he did. She knew that he was trying and that he was giving her the space that she needed, but she wasn't sure if things would ever go back to how they were before. It didn't help that everyone around her seemed to be waiting on her to run back into his arms like nothing had happened. Bella and Alice were the worst, constantly badgering her to give him another chance. But she knew she needed time, and she and Jasper had agreed to give themselves that before jumping back into anything.

Suddenly, Alice's face went blank, and Evelyn knew it was a telltale sign that she was having a vision. Bella knew it too, because she reached for Angela's graduation announcement envelopes and asked if she needed help to draw the attention off of the small vampire. The rest of the table settled into light conversation about graduation, Alice's brief odd moment long forgotten for them.

Evelyn and Edward shared a concerned look as they waited for Alice to resurface. When she did, she and Edward seemed to communicate with just their eyes. Evelyn always hated when they did that because she disliked being left out of the conversation. She made a mental note to ask Edward about it later, and she took a pile of Angela's envelopes and tried to look like she was interested in whatever Mike and Eric were talking about next to her.

Whatever the vision had been about, neither Edward nor Alice even acknowledged her questioning looks or thoughts for the rest of the day. Evelyn guessed that they were trying to keep something hidden, and to her frustration, they had decided not to tell her about it. She left school that day without saying goodbye to either of them.

***

After school, Evelyn drove straight to work at her aunt's restaurant for her evening shift, her thoughts running wild about Alice's vision. She tied her apron on and greeted her new coworkers, two sophomore girls who had just started in the past couple of weeks. She thought they were nice enough, but she found herself missing Leah... and unfortunately, Will.

Both of them had quit after the events from a couple of weeks ago. Leah was still refusing to see her after her father had passed and she had finally phased. And it wasn't for lack of trying on Evelyn's part; she still called Leah at least every couple of days to leave a message and had tried her house a few times, but Leah always seemed to be conveniently unavailable when she got there.

And Will... well, for all she knew, he could be dead in Italy if Aro had found out that he came back to Forks to apologize to her. Of course, she was still so angry with him. His betrayal was still fresh and she didn't know if she would ever forgive him for what he'd done. But she had to admit to herself that they had bonded while he was here. He had been one of her closet friends, had helped her pick up the pieces of her broken heart, and she had grown to love him. Despite her anger, things just weren't the same at work without him.

Without Will and Leah there to keep her company, she found her job unbearably lonely.

After two hours of rushing around the dining room taking orders and running food to tables, the dinner rush had finally settled and only a few customers lingered in the building. Marie was back in her office and the two other girls were gossiping at the bar, leaving Evelyn to try and busy herself with cleaning empty tables and preparing for closing.

She was busy wiping down a booth near the front window when a glint of gold caught her eye in the fading daylight. She looked up to see Jasper standing outside, his hair slightly damp from the drizzle and his eyes bright. She involuntarily sucked in a breath as she met his eyes through the glass. He smiled at her, gesturing outside with his head to show her that he wanted to speak to her. She knew that he wouldn't dare come inside and risk Marie seeing him, so Evelyn would have to go outside to talk to him.

She debated for a moment if it was a good idea for her to be alone with him, but her boredom and curiosity won out and she quickly climbed out of the booth. She left her rag on the table and with a quick glance behind her to make sure no one was paying her any attention, she slipped quietly out the front door.

Jasper was there waiting for her, and she offered him a small smile as she tried to make herself stay calm while she spoke to him.

"What are you doing here? You know Marie doesn't like it when you show up here." She said, whispering even though no one else was around them.

Jasper sighed, running a hand through his honey blond hair before meeting her eyes. "I know, but I really needed to talk to you." At the skeptical look on her face, he continued. "Please, Evelyn, I promise it's important."

She studied him for a moment, searching his face to make sure he was telling the truth. "Fine," she said at last, glancing back inside at the restaurant before grabbing his hand. "But not here. My aunt will murder me if she sees me talking to you."

She pulled him around the side of the building towards the brick wall that she knew had no windows inside where her aunt could potentially spot them. She tried not to think about how this was the first time that she'd been alone with him for weeks, or how her hand still fit perfectly in his. She hoped her heartrate would at least stay normal.

Once she was sure they were out of sight, she pulled her hand away and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "What's going on?"

Jasper grimaced, shaking his head slightly as if thinking back to an unpleasant conversation earlier. "Edward doesn't want me to tell you this, but Alice has had a vision. Victoria will be making a move this weekend. She'll try to get into town, or at least as close as she can get before one of us spots her. We think that she wants to see if she can get close to you."

At the mention of the red headed vampire's name, Evelyn could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She couldn't help the involuntary uptick in her heart rate at the thought of seeing Victoria anywhere near her hometown. "She's coming to Forks? Do you know where?"

"Alice sees her in the forest outside of town. We're going to try and intercept her there and finally put an end to all of this." She didn't miss the determined glint in his eyes. It was clear Jasper was looking forward to the encounter already.

Evelyn swallowed hard, taking a moment to consider his words. But for some reason, one detail stuck out more than the others. "Wait, you said Edward didn't want me to know. Why?" She asked, suddenly irritated. Had she not already told Edward to stop keeping things a secret from her? Hadn't he learned lies and deception never got them anywhere in the past?

Jasper frowned, likely thinking the same thing. "He doesn't want Bella to be worried... you know how she gets when there's danger. Edward is worried she'll try something reckless if she knows what's coming. He didn't want me to tell you, either, because he thinks you'll tell her. But I don't think it's fair. You have a right to know."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. Edward and his savior complex was getting really old. She made a mental note to yell at Edward about it later. She turned back to the vampire in front of her. "Well... thank you, Jasper. I appreciate it." She looked at him for a long moment, suddenly afraid for him and his family. "Will all of you be there trying to catch her? What if something happens?"

He smiled then, his dimple showing as his lips curved up into the familiar crooked smile she still loved so much. "Don't tell me you're worried about me, Ev."

She felt her cheeks flush pink. "Of course I'm worried! About all of you," she said, emphasizing the word all. "She's fast, and smart. What if one of you gets hurt?"

"It's going to be six of us against one of her. She should be the one that's afraid, especially since Alice can see all of her decisions."

Evelyn nodded thoughtfully, counting in her head. "Only six? Who is sitting out?"

"Edward is taking Bella to Jacksonville to see her mother and get her as far away from here as possible," Jasper explained. He searched her eyes carefully. "If I had it my way, you would be far from here, too. But Alice doesn't see any danger for you or your aunt since Victoria won't make it into town. I thought you would prefer to have the choice."

Evelyn thought for a moment. Leaving when Victoria was close to town did seem appealing. But she didn't know what she would tell her aunt, and it was such short notice. She wasn't that good of a liar, and Marie would catch on. But the thought of getting her aunt away from the danger was very persuading.

Jasper seemed to be able to read her thoughts from the worried look on her face. "Evelyn, I could get plane tickets for you and Marie to anywhere in the world if it would make you feel better. Just say the word."

She shook her head, too stubborn to accept the offer. "I couldn't ask you to do that. Besides, you know Marie would be suspicious if I just showed up with two fully paid plane tickets for this weekend. She's still worried that I might..."

Evelyn cut herself off, suddenly realizing what she was about to say. She looked up at Jasper apologetically through her dark eyelashes.

He smiled, though she didn't miss the brief flash of hurt in his eyes. "She's still worried that you'll come back to me," he finished for her, his voice soft as velvet as he stared deeply into her green eyes.

"I'm sorry," Evelyn breathed, though she wasn't sure what she was apologizing for. Many things, everything... it was all still too complicated. She held her breath as Jasper took a careful step forward, her whole body tense as she watched him carefully raise a hand to brush a stray strand of her wild hair behind her ear.

"Don't apologize," he murmured, searching her face. "You're not the one whose done anything that warrants an apology. I understand," he said, his cool fingers lingering on her cheek and leaving a trail of goosebumps on her skin.

"I just don't like knowing that I'm hurting you. Even now," she said at last, losing herself in the deep golden pools of his eyes. "I hope you know that."

"I know," he said, the soft smile on his lips never fading. He could feel her remorse in the air around him. "But it isn't anything I don't deserve. I'm okay, Evelyn, really. Don't worry about me."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I can't not worry, you should know that by now."

"I do know," Jasper grinned, silently taking pleasure in the fact that whenever he smiled at her, he could still hear her breathing quicken and her heart flutter. "But really, you don't have to worry about me or the others. We'll keep you and Marie safe. I promise."

Evelyn grimaced, shaking her head. "You say that now. But what happens if she hurts one of you? Or gets past you and she finds my house? I can't put Marie in danger, Jasper. I've put her through enough as it is."

"Would it make you feel better if I stayed with you while the others hunt Victoria?" He spoke carefully, as if afraid she would turn him down outright. At the look of surprise on her face, he quickly amended his words. "I only mean that I'll be near your house to protect you and Marie. I won't come in unless you want me to."

Evelyn chewed her lip nervously, squeezing her arms with her hands. On one hand, she would feel better with someone there for protection. But on the other, she didn't want to take away anyone  else from the hunt for the woman who was hellbent on killing her and her best friend.

"They need you, Jasper. You're one of the best fighters. I don't want to take you away from them, especially if Edward will be gone, too."

Jasper chuckled lightly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall casually. "It would still be five against one, Evelyn. The others are more than capable of taking down Victoria with Edward and I gone. Though I would enjoy doing it myself," he added, mostly as an afterthought to himself.

"Well... maybe," Evelyn finally conceded. "I'll have to think about it."

Jasper grinned, the possibility of spending more time with her soon lifting his spirits significantly. "I'll talk to Carlisle about it, as well. Let me know before Saturday night."

She nodded, but then an idea came to her. "What if... what if Marie and I went to La Push that night? Surely the wolves would know if she was coming or not. They could protect us."

Alarm and disgust flashed in his eyes. Jasper shook his head. "No, absolutely not. They're too dangerous."

Evelyn scoffed. "Dangerous? Jasper, they would never hurt me. Plus they want to kill Victoria just as badly as you all do. If she even came close, she wouldn't stand a chance."

"They're unpredictable, Evelyn. Controlled by their emotions. It's not safe there. I couldn't protect you if something went wrong."

Evelyn knew he was referring to the treaty line that kept the Cullens and the wolves in an uneasy peace. "Jasper, this rivalry is ridiculous," she said. "You don't even know them. They wouldn't hurt us."

"You don't know that," he countered.

Evelyn raised a challeneging eyebrow. "And neither do you."

"I don't like the risk," he argued. "I know that they're your friends but I just don't like knowing I can't get to you if something happens."

"That's a really big 'if' and you know it," Evelyn snapped, getting irritated with his stubbornness.

Jasper opened his mouth to argue, but instead he closed it with a large sigh. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at his feet. "I've made you angry again, haven't I?"

"Not angry, just... frustrated," Evelyn replied. "I know where you're coming from but I also know that I'm not in danger when I'm with them."

Jasper nodded. "I would rather you not go over there but I can't keep you from doing what you want." He shifted, his eyes pleading. "Just think about my offer. I'll be there in a moment if you say the word.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll consider it." The pair looked at eachother for a few more moments, both trying to think of something to say to the other but coming up blank. Finally, Jasper's head quirked towards the restaurant, and Evelyn was suddenly grateful for the distraction. The charged silence between them was beginning to make her anxious. She watched him listen intently for a few moments before turning back to her.

"Marie is looking for you. I should probably go before I get you into trouble," he said, taking a few steps away from Evelyn towards the forest behind the restaurant.

Evelyn laughed to herself, rubbing her upper arms to warm herself up. "Yeah, we wouldn't want that," she agreed. She turned to Jasper once more, offering him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Japser, really. I'm glad you warned me."

"Of course. Now I'll just have to deal with Edward being upset with me at home, but it was worth it," he grinned again, making Evelyn laugh.

She waved as she watched him back further towards the forest. "Good luck, then. You'll need it with him."

With a wink, he disappeared into the darkness of the trees. Evelyn blinked, and then she knew he was gone. She stood outside for a few more moments, waiting for her breathing and heartrate to return to normal before she went back inside. She didn't want Marie to know who she had been talking to.

When she went in to resume her cleaning, all she could think about was Victoria. Though she had not seen her face in quite some time, it was burned into her memory. She thought of Esme or Alice trying to take her down in the woods and internally cringed. Though she knew logically that they were more than capable of getting Victoria, she just couldn't see it in her head. She was worried about them almost as much as she was for herself and her aunt.

She went to bed that night trying not to think of the woman with flaming hair hunting for her while she slept.

**********
ahhh yay so excited to be writing this story again!! hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and are so ready for this book!!

okay serious question really quick: I have the main storyline planned through breaking dawn and I'm finishing up some outline details for this book and the possible next one. as we all know, renesmee (aka renaissance, resume, rename me...lol) plays a huge role in breaking dawn and I have been somewhat considering the idea of Jasper and Evelyn having a child. I have a plot line planned out for if they do and another for if they don't and how it could potentially happen but I'm not sure because thats kinda Edward and Bella's thing and also because I am a certified pregnancy trope hater (but a little baby Jasper running around is hard to resist lol).

anyways lmk what you guys think if you want, I would love to hear your thoughts. it's still a ways off but I write this for myself as well as for all of you so your opinions matter to me too!!

until next time ;)
kris!