Ophelia

Ophelia walked home after school. Sure, she could drive, but with all the beauty of nature around her, she figured, why not walked? She was pleased by the mist the light rain had left earlier that afternoon. It was her favorite type of weather. It was the kind she needed in order to remain sane.

She decided to take a detour instead of going home. She was just so...thirsty. Ophelia looked all around her to make sure no one was coming her or looking at her. When she had decided it was safe, she slipped into the thicket of trees. She ran, ran so fast that it was inhuman, for a few moments before stopping in the middle of a ravine. She sniffed the air and stopped: something was out of place. Her golden eyes scanned the horizon and she honed her senses. Yet she came up with nothing.

Ophelia stood still as a statue for a few moments until she heard rustling from the water below. She saw a small deer come into a view. Her lips curled into a gleeful smile and she jumped down and chased the deer. After a few moments, she had caught her prey and had reaped reward. She thought she was all alone in the dark wood.

But she was wrong.

Jasper Hale and his brother Edward Cullen couldn't believe their eyes as they watched the girl drink the deer's blood. They had followed her after school and had come close to being caught. But their years of practice with their cat-like reflexes had paid off. They went along undected.

"I told she was a v-" Jasper started, but Edward held up his hand and shushed his brother. They walked for a few more moments before she left. After her scent was no longer flowing through the air, they decided it was safe to leave too.They left the wood in silence and made their way to their new home.

"So, she's one of us, huh," Edward said, slightly dumbfounded as to why she hadn't realized that earlier. The golden eyes, the white skin, the lack of human smell, but that still didn't explain-

"How come you can't hear her thoughts?" Jasper's golden eyes turned to Edward and he noticed confusion etched on his face.

"I don't know. I mean, I can hear all of your thoughts...except Bella's. But, like I said, I can hear thoughts, but it's like two people talking at once, so it makes no sense," he scratched his head and closed his eyes. This was getting weirder by the second. They walked inside their home and were immediately bombarded by their family.

"What happened?"

"Did she see you?"

"She's a human, right?"

Jasper looked at his brother to see what he should do, but Edward nodded, indicating that it was okay for him to tell them the story.

"She-she-she's one of us," he said and looked down. For some odd, and strange reason, he felt like this beautiful girl shouldn't be one of them. He felt she should have been living a normal, human life. But such was not the case. He paused for a moment and wondered how she had the misfortune to become a monster.

"She is?" Bella asked, with a slight smile on her face as she sat down next her husband. Edward nodded, but didn't seem to share his wife's excitement.

"We saw her hunting. Didn't even notice us...but I still wonder why I can't decipher her thoughts," he scratched his chin and smiled at his daugher who had walked over to him. She sat down next to him and gave him a big smile, but said nothing.

"Maybe you should all just talk to her, get her to come over and talk to us," Esme, always the mother figure, suggested. The others nodded.

"I wish Alice was here," Rosalie sighed and flopped on the couch next to Edward, Bella, and Renesmee. As soon as she had said it, she realized she shouldn't have. Jasper was still having a hard time getting over her departure. Alice had all but up and left when she had a vision of herself with someone besides Jasper. Her departure had left everyone dumbfounded, but Jasper had returned to his quiet, somber state. He thrust up his chin and nodded too, regardless.

****

The next day at school, the Cullens had agreed that they would try and talk to Ophelia. Jasper had a class with her first. AP English Literature and Composition. A snap for him and seemingly for her, so they would have plenty of time to spare and talk. He made sure he sat next to her and tried to start a conversation.

"Hi, I'm Jasper," he said quietly as she poured over a book.

"Hello," she said back in a rich, melodic soprano; without even glancing up from her book.

"You're Ophelia, right?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded slightly. After that, she kept on reading and Jasper couldn't think of anything else to say. So, he just watched her. He noticed there was something different about her...something more human. The bell rang its shrill chime and everyone rushed out the door... except Ophelia and Jasper.

"So...how old are you?" he gave a slight awkward laugh, and cringed at his own remark.

"17," she said and gathered her things.

"How long have you been one of us?" he decided to just get the question out. Sooner rather than later.

"One of you?" she seemed genuinely confused.

"Yeah, you know-"

"One of what?"

"Us," he insisted.

"Say it. Out loud," she was getting impatient now. She wondered what this crazily beautiful boy was on about.

"Vampire," Jasper finally managed to get out. Ophelia stared at him, her face unreadable...