Not Your Enemy

“You’re home early,” Tobi whispered to Saline as she walked through the door. She took in her mother’s exhausted appearance and turned her head back to her homework so she didn’t have to feel guilty. Tobi didn’t mean to snap at her mom the night before, but every emotion she was bottling in was only adding stress to her life. She just let some of her anger slip out on her mom, and ever since then she’d been feeling really bad. There Saline was, taking in a child that was even related to her and raising her like a mother would. There are few kind people in the world, and Tobi was lucky to be adopted by one of them.

“Yeah, Charlie let me go because I ‘haven’t been on my A game’,” Saline explained, “I’ve been spaced out all day just thinking about what’s wrong you, Holden’s teacher meeting because he punched some yesterday, and Hannah just started her period. You kids are my first priority, and right now you guys seem to want to be difficult.”

Tobi stopped writing the last paragraph of her chemistry report and looked over at her mom, “Hannah just stared what?”

“You didn’t know?” Saline questioned, “I thought you’d be the first person she’d tell; you guys are always so close. Well, she started her period a couple of days ago and I guess she’s just scared about what’s going on. You know how you were your first time.”

“Mom,” Tobi yelled, embarrassed, “can we just talk about something else. How about we talk about the fact that I’m going to Alice’s house Saturday night for a sleepover?”

Saline stopped taking her shoes off and looked over at her daughter, “You and Ruby are going to someone else’s house Saturday?”

Tobi didn’t correct her mother, she just bit her lip and nodded, “Alice invited me yesterday, but I guess I’m PMSing now or something and decided to flip over nothing last night. Can I go?”

“Of course you can go,” Saline smiled and ruffled Tobi’s curls roughly, “it’s about damn time you started expanding your social group. I swear, there have been so many times I worried you and Ruby were secretly dating or something –mainly because you were so close and never had a boyfriend. But even if you two are together I love you because-“

Tobi laughed, a real laugh, for the first time in a while, “Mom, I would have told you if I were a lesbian, but girls are just too bitchy for my liking. You never know, I mean if you threw Megan Fox in my direction I could easily change my mind. But anyway, about the sleepover, I might go to the beach the day after because it’s supposed to be really sunny.”

“As long as you’re safe,” Saline said, “now, I’m going to start on dinner. What do you want tonight?”

“Whatever, really,” Tobi said as she finished the last of her work, “I’m going over to Ruby’s house for something, I’ll be back whenever.”

Tobi’s thoughts revolved around how she would apologize and the exact words she would say. She knew she’d have to suck it up and tell Ruby everything that she’d been hiding from her, yet , as she neared the steps that lead up to Ruby’s door, Tobi found her hands shaking and her heart racing like it had when Jasper was in her car. She knocked on the door and tapped her foot as she waited for Ruby to answer. Because she wasn’t in the parking lot when school ended, Tobi figured Dalton had brought her home or she skipped to go smoke with him.

Speaking of smoke…

“What the fuck do you want?” snapped her out of her thoughts, and Tobi looked into the bloodshot eyes of Ruby’s uncle. When he saw Tobi there, he crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame, “she’s not home, but can I interest you in something else?”

“No thank-you, but can you tell Ruby I stopped by to talk,” Tobi said before turning and attempting to walk back home; however, her arm was caught, once again that day, and she was brought back harshly against the door of the house. With Dalton, she wasn’t scared because she knew that if he hurt her there’d be hell to pay with everyone she knew. But Ruby’s Uncle was a different story. Tobi’s eyes widened, but she didn’t dare say anything.

Mario brought his hands to the hem of Tobi’s shirt and his body closer to her, “Have you even tried pot? Meth? Shrooms? Acid?”

Tobi shook her head, “I don’t want to either, but thank-you for the offer. Now, can you let me go I promised my mom I’d help her with dinner and if I don’t hurry home she’ll come looking for me.” Mario stared lazily at Tobi for several seconds before letting her go. She rushed to her house, and up to her room before her mom could see how baldy she was shaking. When Tobi walked into her bathroom, she washed her face with cold water to relax her nerves and closed her eyes to focus on something different. Something that always relaxed her.

Everything stopped shaking, and a smile even made its way onto her face, as Tobi thought about Jasper. The way his cold lips brushed her earlier caused her heart to skip a beat, but when his lips touched her neck she felt her head spin and she walked to her bed so she could lay back. She was puzzled as to why Jasper was staring at her so intently, but she forgot all about how dangerous he looked when his kissed her neck. Even thinking about it made a fire in Tobi’s core ignite.

Her hands trailed up and down her stomach as she thought about it and just as she was about to go further down, her room door opened and her head snapped in the direction of the slam. Holden stood in the space of her door with wide eyes and a smile forming on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked into Tobi’s eyes, “Having fun?”

Tobi grabbed her pillow and chucked it in at him before getting up and glaring at his laughing figure, “What the fuck do you want?”

“Well, mom’s been calling you for like five minutes,” he explained, walking further in, “but since you were too…preoccupied , I guess you didn’t hear her say dinner was done. Is Ruby coming over again?”

“I wasn’t doing anything, just scratching my stomach little pervert,” Tobi hissed, “and Ruby’s over at someone else’s house right now, so, no, she’s not coming over.”

The two argued as they made their way to the dining room but stopped as soon as the food was in front of them. Dinner passed quickly, and after everyone was done eating Saline brought out a small cake she had bought from the store earlier. Tobi bit her lip as Saline passed it around, mainly because it was Ruby’s favorite and Tobi’s guilt just increased.

Jasper had been in his room ever since he was dragged home and most of his things had been thrown around because of his minor temper tantrum. He was so close to killing Tobi and drinking every drop of her delectable blood to ease his constant itch. Everything seemed so perfect: there weren’t many people around so he could have easily killed them off, Tobi had been charmed by his beauty, and she was right there. Her blood was basically on a silver platter, but Jasper hated himself for even thinking about harming his Tobi.

“You love her,” Edward said as he walked in Jasper’s room. He had decided to comfort his brother, because he heard every thought that Jasper had ever since they took him away from Tobi. “You love her, but you don’t want to hurt her.”

“I don’t love her,” Jasper whispered, sinking back on his couch and grabbing his curly locks tightly, “if I loved her I would be bringing her into the arms of danger. I can’t bear to see her like Bella was in the studio. I’d kill myself if she were even in a small amount of pain because of our secret.”

Edward winced at the thought of Bella so broken and in pain, but he shook the thought away and looked down at his brother, “When you feel things like that you know you’re in love. You’ve been in love before, how would you feel if Alice were in danger?”

“I love her still, yes, but more so as a sister than anything. I’d kill for any of you, and myself if I caused harm to the people I care for.”

“But you’d do all that and more for Tobi,” Edward reminded, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder , “don’t fight your feelings for her, I’m sure you’ll find you can’t live without her.”

Jasper listened to Edward’s footsteps fade and shook his head, “That’s the thing…I already feel like that.”

Tomorrow, after school we need to talk. I promise you I’ll explain anything and everything you want me to, just give me another change! I feel so shitty about what I did and I completely understand that I’m now a bitch, but I can’t live without you. You’re my best friend… my only friend. Please, I’m tired of this fucked up shit between us. So, can we talk?

Tobi stared at her message for Ruby before she sent it. As soon as it was gone, a huge weight lifted from her shoulders and everything seemed better already. Tobi smiled and went to take a quick shower and brush her teeth. Throughout the shower she thought about how she’d just be straight forward and tell Ruby everything about her drunken night with Paul and the pity suck she gave Newton because she felt bad for turning him down on his date offer.

When she walked back to her room, she checked her phone and squealed with delight when she saw Ruby’s message waiting for her.

I agree, no more secrets. I miss us too and I’ll wait for you tomorrow. We can talk on the way to school if you want

Tobi fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Jasper ran his cold fingers up and down her bare back as his lips abused her neck sensually. His light taps and touches drove Tobi insane and she found herself moaning in ecstasy.

“Jasper,” she whispered before gasping when one of his hands slid down to her butt and squeezed it roughly. Tobi moaned once again and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt his hardened member rub against her opening just a bit before he pulled away and moved his lips down to her breasts, taking them roughly between his teeth and his hands moved to cover her warmth.

“Say it again,” he commanded huskily before switching to her left breast.

Tobi giggled and tightened her legs together as Jasper’s hands sped up, “Oh, Jasper.”

Never in her life had Tobi hated her alarm so much. Cussing, Tobi unplugged the annoying item from its socket and threw it to the floor as she sat up. Angry, she walked to her bathroom to brush her teeth and shower but once she was done cleaning herself she felt better. She even went as far and singing and dancing as she straightened her hair and put on make-up; more than she usually did but much less than the whores at her school wore.

When Tobi walked out of her room, her smile was still in place and she found herself skipping down the stairs toward the kitchen. She grabbed her usual apple, but skipped the news so she could race to Ruby’s house. But when she opened her door she found Ruby about to knock. Happiness swept through Tobi’s body and she couldn’t help but tackle Ruby in a tight hug, “You have no idea how painful yesterday was!”

Ruby rolled her eyes and hugged Tobi back, “Bitch, I suffered too.”

Tobi laughed and pulled away, “We have an hour or so before we have to get to school, do you want to get coffee or something?” The two got into Tobi’s car and drove toward a small breakfast diner just a couple of blocks from the school. When they sat down, Tobi looked over at Ruby and took in a deep breath before starting her explanation.

“During freshmen year, I decided to go to a party because I thought high school parties were supposed to be the best things ever. Before I thought Dalton was a total jerk I’d talk to him and his friends, and they were ‘cool’ enough to buy me my first couple of beers. I got smashed” –Tobi laughed bitterly- “like I couldn’t even speak straight, and some upperclassmen were in the back room and Lauren was begging me to go with her to see.” Tobi’s hands started shaking and she bit her lip before continuing- “Paul was back there, and Mike was too, but Paul –you know from La Push- he asked me to the one of the rooms with him and I went. God, I was so fucking stupid to follow him! When I woke up the next morning, the only things I remembered were me blowing Paul and Newton and the taste of their cum.”

Tobi looked into her friends eyes and laughed, “I feel like a fucking whore because I was only fourteen, and now Paul’s texting me and Lauren’s bringing it up again. It’s just too much and I flipped on you for no reason. I’m sorry; I really should have treated you better. I was just hurting you because I didn’t know what else to do.”

Ruby stared at Tobi, some unknown emotion on her bruised face, before she nodded her head and grabbed Tobi’s hand from across the table, “Don’t worry, I’m not like those sluts at school. Trust me when I say, there is nothing wrong with you.”

“Thank-you,” Tobi whispered, “now, it’s your turn.”