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ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮

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Warning! A scene of sexual assault will be mentioned in this chapter. I'll be putting a summary of the scene at the end of the chapter.

JASPER'S PALE AND COLD HANDS brushed along Luna's warm ones as he handed her a case of her blue contact lenses.

"There's no way I'm wearing those eye killers." Luna protested, pointing at the contact lenses.

Jasper figured that Luna would respond that way. He already predicted that they would at least bicker about four things every time they talk to each other. It's kind of becoming a daily routine.

"Unless you want your striking gold eyes to give your dad a heart attack, then please, be my guest." Jasper retorted, placing the case on top of her bed.

Luna shoots an eyebrow upright as she witnessed Jasper Hale, the brooding vampire who looks like he's in constant pain, blurt out a sarcastic response.

"Ooh. Since when did you become sassy, Ramen Noodles?" Luna said, a smug smirk curling on her lips as she crossed her arms.

"Since I became unfortunately linked to you, Blabbermouth." Jasper said.

Luna widens her eyes at the honey-blonde hair in both shock and anger. Jasper himself also widens his eyes when the nickname rolls of his tongue together with his Southern accent. It was like he was incapable of controlling the words coming out of his mouth, much like Luna. They really are linked.

When the honey-blonde noticed the girl's reaction, he immediately holds his hands up.

"I didn't mean that." Jasper justified. His face would've paled even more if that was possible because of how defensive he got when the girl rose from her bed.

"I don't care." Luna said.

It wasn't the kind of anger that would make her punch someone in the face, but it was the kind that would allow her to have her fun and torture someone by thinking she's beyond mad than she really is.

Suddenly, calmness started to wash over her like a large wave, engulfing her like an embrace, warming her up like the rays of the sun. And she knew it wasn't her having a change of heart and forgiving Jasper for calling her a 'Blabbermouth'.

"Stop manipulating me, Jasper." Luna said.

"Stop growling at me, Selene." Jasper replied.

Luna rolled her eyes and groans in frustration at the sound of her real name.

"I told you to stop calling me that." Luna said, walking past the honey-blonde to take her school bag that rested on her dresser's chair.

"And I told you that I don't want to." Jasper responded as he turns around to face her. "I much prefer your real name than your fake one."

"Well, I don't." Luna said before she makes her way to exit the room.

But before she could reach for the doorknob, Jasper appeared in front of her with the case of her contact lenses in hand.

"Can you at least wear this?" Jasper asked, pouting unknowingly as he looks at Luna with, ironically, puppy dog eyes. "Huh? For me?" he added.

Luna felt her heart flutter at many things, at their undeniably close range, at Jasper's irresistible charisma, at his golden eyes softly looking at her, at his cute pouting. But it all had one similarity, it involves Jasper Hale.

Luna, being her usual self, scoffs and tries to hide the fact that her heart is beating a million times per minute.

"What makes you think that would work on me?" Luna said, internally praying that Jasper didn't notice how he is making her feel right now. But who was she kidding?

"It made your heart flutter, didn't it?" Jasper said, a smirk appearing on his lips once again.

"You were manipulating me." Luna defended.

"No, I did not." Jasper said, his smirk not fading.

"Well, it's the stupid soulmate bond thingy." Luna said.

Jasper can't help but stifle a laugh as he lowered his gaze to the ground before looking back up to walk past her and to towards her dresser.

"Come here, I'll help you put these on." Jasper said, lifting the case.

Luna crosses her arms and faces Jasper with an uninterested face, being the stubborn girl that she is. But Jasper wasn't going to take no for an answer.

He sighs before moving towards Luna and gently holds her wrist before dragging her all the way to her chair and sat her down, all while Luna wore a weirded-out expression.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

"Luna, Jasper! Where have you guys been?" Alice greeted as soon as Jasper and Luna climb out his car after parking it beside the Cullen's in the school parking lot.

"My apologies, ma'am. Goldie here was too busy poking my eyes out." Luna said, trying to do a Southern accent accompanied by an excessive exertion of enthusiasm.

Jasper, for probably the eleventh time this morning alone, rolled his eyes at the mockery of his soulmate.

"If you keep jerking for another five times, then I would've totally done just that." Jasper retorted.

Luna shot him a look before storming away and into the school building, leaving the rest of the Cullen's in the parking lot.

"Well, don't you two look sweet?" Emmett teased, with his arm wrapped around Rosalie who was grinning in amusement, as well as Alice and Edward.

"Shut up. It's a lot harder than I thought." Jasper said.

"How come?" Rosalie asked.

Jasper turns to his 'twin' before he responded.

"Well, one minute we feel attracted to each other because of the soulmate bond, the next we remember how much we annoy each other and start bickering. Imagine that happening multiple times in a row. It's confusing." Jasper explained.

Edward finds himself patting the shoulder of his adoptive brother.

"Just remember that Luna has your strength. Which means she can pretty much throw a punch as hard as you can now." Edward reminded him before he walks away, leaving Jasper with slight worry.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

During English class, which Luna shared with Jasper and Rosalie, she thought that this subject was going to be the least of her problems. She simply doesn't pay attention to her teacher reading a chapter in front of the class. All she had to do if there were any assignments given to them was use this magically little life-saver called Google.

But today was different. Not because she liked the book, or she was interested in it. No. It's because this particular chapter of the book made her feel uneasy.

*Warning! Sexual assault scene ahead.*

""We were on the ground. When did that happen? 'No.' I did not like this. I was on the ground and he was on top of me."" Her English teacher said as she read the chapter from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson out loud.

""My lips mumble something about leaving, about a friend who needs me, about my parents worrying. I can hear myself-I'm mumbling like a deranged drunk."" She continued.

Luna feels her hands shake as she grips the book in her hand tightly. She could feel her heart beginning to pick up its pace as her minds drift off to a memory she never wanted to recall again.

The muffled sound of the party music blasting outside the room was all she could hear. Her eyes settled on the ceiling as it spun around. She thought the room was spinning when in fact, it was just her vision due to how drunk she was.

Her boyfriend, Jeremy, appeared in her line of sight. The boy kissed the girl harshly and forcefully. Like he has been craving her for months. Well, he actually is.

With what little strength Luna has left, she tries to push him away.

"Jer, No." she mumbled.

But the boy didn't listen. He continues to place wet and rough kisses on her lips, her jaw, and down her neck while he unbuttons the girl's blouse.

Jasper felt his beating heart beginning to hammer in his chest, causing him to grimace as he clutches on the fabric of his shirt. He felt like he was in pain, like he was scared. But he was simply sitting there, not paying attention to the reading as usual. It took him only a split second before realizing it wasn't him feeling all these, it was his soulmate.

The honey-blonde whips his head around to the back of the class, seeing Luna with her jaw clenching, her eyes wide and glistening as she took deep but fast breaths.

""His lips lock on mine and I can't say anything. I twist my head away. He is so heavy. There is a boulder on me. I open my mouth to breathe, to scream, and his hand covers it."" Their English teacher continued.

Luna felt like she was short of breath, causing her to open her mouth as a way to suck in more air she needs. But it was all worthless as the memory flashed again.

Luna thrashed around, trying her best to make Jeremy stop but there was only so much she could do when she was really intoxicated with alcohol. "Jer, stop!" her scream coming out a little weaker than expected.

"Rose." Jasper mumbled.

Rosalie turns to her seatmate and brother only to see him looking at the back of the class. The blonde shifts her gaze towards Luna and notices the frantic expression that's plastered across her face.

"What's happening?" Rose asked, worry evident in her voice.

""In my head, my voice is as clear as bell: 'NO, I DON'T WANT TO!' but I can't spit it out."" Read the teacher.

It was Rose who first realized what was happening to the raven-haired girl.

"The book. The book is triggering her trauma. Jazz, do something." Rose said.

Her alcohol-filled body tried to fight him, trying to get him off her but nothing was working. The next thing she heard was Jeremy undoing his pants, which somehow made Luna snap.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO!" she said, finally having the strength to scream before it was taken away again.

Jeremy slaps his hand over Luna's mouth, causing her screams to be muffled while he removes both his pants and boxers.

The poor girl thrashed around and screamed in both anger and fear, her eyes glistening with tears as most of them already escaped. The next thing she knew, she was completely bare down there and the loudest of her screams erupted in her throat when she felt something force itself inside her.

*Sexual Assault Scene ended*

""I'm trying to remember how we got on the ground and where the moon went, and wham!-"" Their professor said, exclaiming the last word which brought a giggle to escape from one of their classmates.

Because of Luna having Jasper's enhanced hearing, she was able to hear the insensitive giggle of her classmate which triggered every last bit of control she has on herself. She knew the girl was laughing at the choice of expression in that particular passage, but she didn't care.

Jasper didn't get a chance to manipulate her emotions and calm her down because he was too shocked by what had happened next.

The raven-haired girl abruptly stands up from her desk, her chair sliding away from her as she did before marching her way towards the unlucky girl.

"What's so funny? Huh?" Luna snarled, her eyes wide and her fists clenched at sides.

Her clueless classmate simply made a confused face before she replied. "Uhm, what?"

"You think this is funny? You think sexual assault is something to laugh about?!" Luna said, nearing the girl who looked at her in terror.

"Miss Swan!" said the professor.

Rosalie and Jasper rose from their seats and hurried their way over to Luna before she could hurt the poor girl.

"Selene, come on." Jasper said, grabbing her wrist and attempting to drag her out of class for her safety and their classmate's but Luna yanks her hand out of his grip.

"No! She thinks it's funny! You are being educated about rape and you have the audacity to laugh?!" Luna shouted, probably the loudest shout she has ever done. She could feel her throat scratching like sandpaper as she lets out ear-piercing yells.

Jasper himself was feeling frantic and angry because he could feel her emotions overflowing, which made him grab Luna by the waist and finally drag her out of the classroom successfully.

As she was being yanked out of the class, Luna didn't utter another word. But as soon as she was out in the corridor, she pushed herself away from Jasper and lets herself drop to the ground, her legs under her.

"Luna!" Rosalie said as she as well dropped in front of her and takes her face into her hands.

Luna felt like her heart was being gripped. Like her breaths were being snatched away from her. Her eyesight lost the ability to focus as it became blurry, only being able to see a blurry figure of a blonde woman in front of her.

She felt like she was suddenly immersed underwater. The voices calling out to her tuned out. Her body felt like it was sunk in water. Her eyesight is unclear. And everything starts to happen in slow motion.

"Luna!" Rose called out again.

When Luna once again didn't respond, the blonde hugged Luna tightly before trailing her gaze to the honey-blonde who was feeling like he himself was having a panic attack due to Luna's emotions.

"Jasper, do something!" Rose exclaimed.

This seemed to snap Jasper back to reality and he finally drops to his knees beside Luna and Rosalie. Rosalie lets go of Luna and gives her to Jasper, holding both of her arms as he looks straight into her eyes.

"Selene? Hey, it's me. Calm down for me, darlin', okay?" Jasper said as he used his ability to calm her down.

At first, Luna wasn't able to make out the words that were coming out of the boy's mouth. But when she felt a wave of relaxation hit her, her hearing was starting to recover, her breathing was starting to go back to normal, her eyesight was starting to revert back to its crystal-clear state.

The first thing she heard was a sweet Southern voice and the first thing she saw as soon as her vision cleared was a concerned boy with a pair of golden eyes and a mop of honey-blonde hair on his head.

The raven-haired girl exhaled slowly and deeply as she remained fixated on his eyes, finding comfort on his eyes with both of their pupils dilating.

"Hi." Jasper breathed, a small smile forming on his lips.

Luna remained staring at the boy in utter silence before she finally mustered up to speak.

"I thought I could do it." Luna started. "I thought I could be strong like Rose and overcome it."

Rosalie looks at her as her face wore a mix of worry and realization.

"But It's harder than I thought." Luna added, her voice cracking due to how quiet her voice was and how fragile she had become at that moment.

Jasper's heart clenched at seeing and hearing Luna like this. He couldn't help but pull her into a much-needed hug, which Luna would've protested to but she knew she needed it.

She lets herself melt in Jasper's arms, closing her eyes before her consciousness drifted away.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Summary of the sexual assault scene:
Basically, Luna's trauma was triggered when their English teacher chose a book that centers on rape and about how they voiced out about it. She recalled being so drunk that night at the party where Jeremy, her ex-boyfriend, raped her despite all her efforts to stop him. Jasper and Rosalie noticed Luna having a mild panic attack but before any of them could help her, Luna verbally attacks their classmate for laughing at a certain passage in the book.

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I love Jasper and Luna with all my heart. Their relationship is so cute. Anyways, about the panic attack scene. I haven't experienced it first hand so I don't really know how it feels. I hope I didn't make any offensive mistakes. If y'all ever need someone to talk to, just know that I'll be here.

xoxo Sammy