Not Your Enemy

As the girls made their way down the stairs, a certain ginger pushed passed them in her usual morning glory. Her red locks were shooting in different directions, her eyes were glazed over with sleep and irritation, and her freckled features popped out because of her flushed cheeks. When Ruby saw Hannah her dark brown eyes gleamed with mock cheeriness and she stopped walking, “Morning sunshine!” she exclaimed, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Tobi shook her head at her friend and waited to see if Hanna would do anything to retaliate.

“Fuck off,” Hannah muttered as she walked into the bathroom.

“Well, someone is moody,” Ruby muttered as she glared at the door.

“Be nice, Ruby, Hannah just got her first TOM,” Tobi whispered. She didn’t understand why Hannah had to be so pissy about everything, but she knew that PMS was the worst thing ever. Tobi hated it with a burning passion, and she prayed her future children were worth the agonizing months that passed as she endured the monthly visit from Aunt Flow.

“AW! Hannah!” Ruby’s eyes gleamed as she rushed over to the bathroom door and she banged on the door. “YOU’RE A WOMAN! WHOO! I WAS HAVING DOUBTS, BUT NOW I KNOW YOU ARE A WOMAN!”

“Mange-moi, salope!” (Eat me, Bitch!) Hannah yelled over Ruby’s knocks and hit something against the wooden barrier that caused Ruby to stop and step back a little.

Ruby turned to Tobi with Questioning eyes, causing Tobi to stifle a laugh, “You don’t want to know,” Tobi held back a laugh. “She’s PMS-ing, leave her alone.” Ruby followed Tobi downstairs where they met with Tobi’s mom who was cooking pancakes. Tobi wasn’t really in the mood for breakfast because small butterflies danced in her stomach as she thought about the rest of the day at the Cullen house and how she should act in front of Jasper. The two had never really been around each other outside of school, so Tobi was curious as to how he would act around her.

“I still think this is an awful idea,” Jasper whispered as he and Emmett parked in Tobi’s driveway, “just one human in the house is enough trouble, but two plus my singer isn’t a good idea. Are you sure Alice saw nothing?”

“Everything’s cool,” Emmett rolled his eyes at his brother’s worry, but understood how he felt. As they got out of the car, Emmett pulled out his phone and called Ruby while Jasper stood back and tried to think about things other than Tobi’s blood. He didn’t want to hurt the girl he loved, but he wished her blood wasn’t so tempting.

Minutes later, Tobi was hugging her mom good-bye and walking toward the Cullen car with Ruby. Jasper took her bag and Tobi got into the backseat while waiting to leave for her destination. When Jasper’s cold body sat next to hers, Tobi looked over at him and smiled bashfully as she tried hard not to blush. His eyes were brighter than they had been in a couple of days and the bright topaz made him look beautiful. It puzzled Tobi as to why his eyes would change color, but she didn’t press it for she didn’t want to seem nosy.

“Good morning, Autumn,” Jasper greeted, smiling at her lightly

“Just call me Tobi, Jasper,” Tobi whispered, secretly loving the way her name rolled off his tongue, “I mean, if we’re going to be friends and all… I’d like you to use a shorter name. Autumn is too formal and hippie sounding. I swear my mom was on something when she named me.”

“Pardon my asking, but I thought you were adopted.”

Tobi bit the inside of her cheek before answering. She knew the Cullen kids were adopted so they could relate, but she also knew their parents didn’t leave them in the hospital. Tobi smiled a bit and rubbed her palm against her bare leg; if she couldn’t use her lighter –she also mentally reminded herself to buy a new one because of Ruby- she was going to have to occupy her hands.

“My birth mother left me, yes, but I was named a week later by my mom,” Tobi explained, “mom said they called me Angel until she adopted me.”

Jasper nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. The morbid feeling that rolled off of Tobi after he mentioned her adoption made him angry with himself for causing it. The rest of the ride was spent with them talking a little bit about school, nothing more.

When they reached the Cullen home, Tobi was at a loss for words. The house was mainly glass, but it also held a hidden elegance because of its placement. Tobi was too busy looking around to actually attempt to move, but Ruby bumped her hip and snapped Tobi’s thoughts back to reality. After a couple of seconds of looking around once more, the girls walked into the house where they were attacked my Alice and hit with the soft smell of vanilla.

“I’m so happy you’re both here!” Alice squealed.

“Aren’t sleepovers at night?” Tobi asked. She couldn’t hold it in any longer because she was seriously curious as to why Alice would want them over so early.

Alice pulled from the embrace. “I thought we could do the entire day, did you have other things planned?”

“Well, no,” Ruby answered. “The whole day of just fun sounds good to me.”

“Me too,” Tobi agreed with a nod.

“Where’s clumsy?” Ruby looked around for Bella.

“Edward went to get her,” Alice answered. “Come on, I have my room ready for us.”

When the girls followed Alice upstairs, Tobi noticed a large piano as she waited for Ruby to make it up the first three steps. It took all she had to stay away from the beautiful piece of art, but she made her way after her friends, “This place is huge,” Tobi whispered to Ruby.

“It’s amazing, right? I mean, I knew they were rich, but this… is… whoa,” she told her.

Tobi began to have doubts about her chances with Jasper after seeing how he lived. It was like everything was from a movie and she was just the plain Jane that ruined it all, “Do you think we’re in way over our heads? I mean, two gorgeous boys are interested in plain girls like us… it’s kind of unreal.”

“We’re not plain, Tobi, we’re awesomeness,” Ruby grinned and linked arms with her. Alice linked arms with Ruby.

“You guys are not plain, trust me,” Alice said with twinkling eyes as she walked into her room. The whole theme of it all made Tobi want to back out and go to the piano because it was all fashion and no comfort. Tobi was a girl of comfort and nothing more. Every so often she would try to look pretty like before a recital or concert, but never just for the hell of it. A shiver coursed through her body and she shook her head.

She felt so out of place.

“Wow, these are really pretty,” Ruby said while feeling over the dresses.

“Thanks, I made them myself,” Alice grinned a smile that proud parents usually wore.

“Really?” Ruby asked. Alice nodded her head and Ruby said, “You’re down right amazing.”

“Do you like this one?” Alice asked, but her voice sounded as if it was a rhetorical question because she knew the answer already.

“Yes,” Ruby answered, her voice held nothing but amazement.

“I had an idea that we could have like our own little dance here,” Alice informed the girls. “We’ll all get all pretty up.”

Well fuck me Tobi thought while shaking her head and looking at the many dresses she’d have to choose from.

“I think it sounds like a plan,” Ruby chimed in and looked to Tobi. “You’re going to wear a dress, ha!”

Tobi narrowed her eyes at her and bit her lip before asking, “We’re having one right now?”

Alice shook her head. “No, later in the night. When Bella comes along with Rosalie, we’ll start by watching movies.”

It was now or never, Tobi decided to ask to shower because she was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with not bathing and being in a house as clean and nice as the Cullens. When Alice pointed to the door, Tobi rushed into the bathroom before closing the door behind her and walking over to the large shower. As she started the hot water, she stripped from her night clothes and tied her curly hair up tightly.

The hot water felt wonderful against her body and Tobi savored her time alone. She thought about different things before finally stopping at Jasper. As she washed her hair, she pictured his long pale fingers tangled in her locks and a sigh of content left her lips. When she soaped her body, Tobi imagined Jasper there touching every inch of her bare skin and causing a fire within her core.

The first thoughts Edward heard while walking through the doors was Tobi fantasizing about Jasper. He rolled his eyes and growled lowly while trying to distract himself from everything. He didn’t want to hear the soft moans leaving Tobi’s parted lips as she thought about his brother, or see the things she picture.

Bella kissed his cheek before parting and walking to Alice’s room.

Tobi decided to step out of the shower, finally, and get dressed in the clothes she packed. Since she had to pack on short notice, and would be spending all day hanging out with her friends she dressed in something comfortable; however, when she looked at herself in the mirror she wanted to scream at herself for having no idea how to look ‘sexy’. She shook her head and walked into the room that had been full of all the girls she knew.

“Hey, Bells,” Tobi greeted, walking over to put her dirty clothes in her bag. The rest of the day was spent watching movies and laughing. Tobi really felt as if she were physically out of place with all the beautiful people, but she got over that once everyone started talking and having fun. The Cullen girls really knew how to make guests feel comfortable and kept their minds occupied, but every so often Tobi found herself anxious for her tour with Jasper.

Finally, Tobi got what she was waiting for when Esme knocked on Alice’s door asking for her girls. When the two beautiful people left, Edward asked for Bella; leaving Tobi and Ruby in the room with nothing to do. Ruby looked over at Tobi and rolled her eyes, “I guess that was our cue to go and find Emmett and Jasper.”

Tobi blushed a bit, but tried to hide it behind her frizzy curls, “Fuck,” she whispered so quietly she knew Ruby barely heard her, “I don’t want to do this anymore!”

Ruby shook her head and grabbed Tobi’s arm, “Well, you’re the one who agreed to do this so quickly and now you are getting what you asked for. Besides, I bet he’s just waiting to passionately kiss your glasses off. Also” –Ruby stopped in the middle of the hallway and leaned closer so only Tobi could hear- “why the hell are you wearing your glasses? I saw you back contacts.”

“Well, I feel less naked with them…” Tobi muttered, biting her lip and looking at her sneakers, “Besides, I think I look hotter in glasses. Like a sexy librarian.”

“No librarian is sexy unless they’re in a porno,” Ruby shook her head and continued to pull Tobi down the hall and down the stairs.

Jasper smirked and mentally disagreed with Ruby after he heard her comment to Tobi. He watched the girls descend the stairs, but he was hit first by the sweet scent of Tobi’s blood. His mouth waters with venom, but he shook off his negative thoughts when he looked at her long legs barely covered by the shorts she wore. He looked over her body and met her eyes before he made his way over to the human and pushed a piece of stubborn hair off her shoulder, “You look beautiful, Tobi.”

Ruby smirked and walked away; she knew Tobi was going to get a huge ego boost while spending time with Jasper.

“Merci,” (thank-you) Tobi whispered, embarrassed and flattered, “Um, are you going to show me around?”

Jasper gently grabbed her hand in his and walked toward the family room. For some reason, instead of thirsting more, Jasper felt an odd form of comfort from feeling her pulse beneath his hands. It reminded him that her heart was beating, signaling she was both human and able to love. The only question he had was whether or not she was able to love a monster like him.

“Who’s piano?” Tobi asked, unable to contain the curiousity she had. After the words left, she walked forward and ran her finger tips across the keys. The cold, new feeling caused her smile to grow and she couldn’t help but play a couple of cords from a song she had written the year before.

“Edward plays,” Jasper answered, smilling fully when he felt how happy Tobi was while playing the music, “I didn’t know you played.”

“Ever since I was six.”

The two parted from the lovely instrument and Jasper showed her upstairs, but Tobi didn’t really pay much attention until they were in his room. Oddly, Jasper’s room had an old farm feel to it. It wasn’t like the hick farms, but the comfort and homey feeling the houses gave off. Jasper told her a little about everything, and Tobi even caught a hint of her accent every so often as he explained.

“You’re from the south,” Tobi teased, poking his rock hard abdomen while biting her lip. Okay, so she was trying to flirt and she wasn’t that bad at it; In fact, she thought she sounded pretty good at it, “I thought you were a charmer, but didn’t know it was because of your roots.”

“And you’re from France,” Jasper whispered, grabbing her small hand in his and pulling her a little closer. He thought he could take her scent, but after a half hour with her he began to hold his breath. It was all too much, but he couldn’t give up a chance to woe her in private, “I’ve always noticed you’re beauty, but always knew it was because you were different.”

Tobi shook her head, “Is different good.”

Jasper pulled her body closer to his and hovered his lip over hers, “I love..” –his hands lowered to her lower back, causing her to shiver- “different.” Just as their lips drew closer together, Jasper’s room door opened and Esme walked in with a strange smile on her face.

“Sorry to interrupt, but Alice says she needs the girls pronto,” Esme walked over to Tobi, “It’s nice to finally meet you. Jasper and Alice talk so much about you. I’m glad to finally put the pretty face with the lovely details.”

Tobi pulled away from Jasper, flustered, and smiled shyly at Esme, “It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Cullen.” She smiled once again at Esme and back at Jasper before walking out of his room awkwardly and toward Alice’s room. When she walked through the door, she tried to hide the large smile playing on her lips but couldn’t help grinning like an idiot while sitting next to Ruby while Alice negotiated with Bella over the dress-up ‘game’.

“You so kiss him,” Ruby whispered, bumping her shoulder against Tobi.

“Almost,” Tobi whispered back, her smile never leaving her features, “but that’s not good enough.”