Solar Flair

Chapter One
The New Girl

I had lived my whole life in one place. A place that no one else in the world knew anything about, a place so small and insignificant that it wasn’t even on a map. We spent the summer in Forks and it was nice there but it wasn’t home. I started to wonder if I would ever have a home again. I gazed out the window as the rain poured down from the cloud covered sky. Moving to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania had been a group decision that we all came to in the middle of summer. Never mind the obvious vampire pun in the comparison between the name Pennsylvania and Transylvania that Emmett made more than once on the drive. I was living in a big city, going from a small invisible town to a city that was well known. We pulled up to the complex we’d be living in. it was a gated community and very high end houses making me feel a little more out of place.

Carlisle was driving while Esme was talking on her phone with Bella and Edward who were following in the moving truck. I was strapped into my seat feeling like an infant because I was the only one wearing a seatbelt. I watched out the window as drops of rain rolled down the cold glass. It had been a google search on cloudy city’s that brought us here. 56 cloudy days a year, from what Edward found out. Portland has been above that and so had Buffalo New York. Edward said we needed to be discreet which meant moving to a less obvious place without over exposing the fact that they were vampires which meant little to no sunlight. The woods were about ten miles out of town. But with the camping excuse on weekends The Cullen’s would be able to keep fed. They had gone on a big hunt before moving so they were good for a few months.

We pulled into the driveway and I looked up at the large house. It was a beautiful home. The outside of the house was a beautiful shade of sky blue. It had a huge porch with a swing and large bay windows. I turned my eyes away from the estate we’d be living in for who knew how long. Jasper reached across and unclipped my seatbelt. He gave a slight smirk which was his way of smiling at me. I knew that Jasper was experiencing his own emotional pain right now. His wife of lifetimes had just left him too. Told him it was over and she was gone.

I got out of the car and started to help with the unpacking of the moving truck. It would be so easy for the Cullen’s to move everything on their own. But with nosey neighbors peeking out the windows at us they decided to play it safe and move in the “human” way. As Emmett put it when he and Jasper were carrying a couch inside. Something Emmett could have easily done on his own. I carried a stack of small boxes marked “Kitchen” inside I took them into the kitchen and started to unpack them. Esme came in and started to help me put things in their place. Esme looked at me giving a smile.

“Looking forward to starting at Saint John’s tomorrow?”
She asked making conversation. I think she had noticed how quite I was becoming and she in a mothering way wanted to get me talking so I wouldn’t isolate myself the way Jasper had been lately. One gloomy isolated person was enough. I turned to her giving a light shrug as I tossed the paper that wrapped the dishes into the trash bin.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been to a Catholic school before. Are you sure you guys want me going to one?”
Esme smiled at me as she put the glasses away.

“We don’t have an issue with God. Just with the ignorant people who try to force their views on others.”
Esme said shaking her head. I understood what she meant coming from a big church town. It was every other day that Grandma was told how I was going to hell because of my tarot card reading. We finished unpacking in the kitchen and Esme smiled at me as I stacked the boxes together getting ready to take them out with the trash.
“I’m going to go pick up some food. I can make you a nice dinner tonight”.

I felt bad right away, I was the only person in the house who ate but Esme seemed to really like cooking so I made no completes. I smiled grateful to her and gave a nod.

“Sounds good”.
I said as I took the trash out. Esme followed me out to the car. I put the trash out and started to help with the rest of the moving that needed doing. By the time we finished moving everything in and the guys put my bed together for me. I was ready to pass out. I started to set up my bedroom which I was grateful was painted my favorite shade of lavender purple. Edward and Bella had a room on the other side of mine while the room to the left side belonged to Jasper. I was going through my tarot cards when my eyes lifted to fix on Jasper standing in the doorway.

“You get settled alright?”
Jasper asked as he waited to be invited into the room. I smiled at him giving a nod, my smile was invitation enough and Jasper entered the room sitting down on the bed. I looked at him and smiled a little. I couldn’t help but smile when I looked at me. Maybe it was because he reminded me so much of Apollo. God of the sun. It was ironic because he was a vampire.
“Yes, I did. At least for now”.
I said sitting down on the other side of him. Jasper looked at me with a confused expression.
“Thinking of running away?”
He asked in a knowing tone. I knew if anyone would understand how I was feeling it was Jasper. I sighed laying back on the bed resting my hands against my stomach.

“I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me. And maybe some part of me stupidly thinks I can out run these feelings. Dean has probably found this Beth person by now. Forgotten all about me”.
Jasper laid back on the other side of me.
“You can’t think that way. Dean made a foolish choice and he should have made it clear that his feelings were confused from the start. You deserve better”.
Jasper said a hint of bitter anger in his tone. I looked over at Jasper unable to contain my smile again but this time it wasn’t because I was thinking of Apollo.

It was because of what he said. It felt good to hear someone say that. Jasper sat up and stood making his way towards the door.
“Esme should be finished cooking for you soon. I think she really enjoys it”.
Jasper said looking back at me. We had become as close as two people with broken hearts could be. He gave a half-hearted smile before making his way back to his bedroom.

When morning arrived I changed into the school uniform I’d been given the night before. Completing my education was a big deal for my dad. He and Carlisle talked about it at length. Edward, Bella, Amanda, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper were all attending the school with me as my personal protection. It was like having a team of superhero’s looking out for me. I grinned at the sight of myself wearing a skirt.

I really didn’t think I looked good in them at all. I took my hair back and made my way downstairs. The others were already changed and waiting for me. Emmett gave a whistle as I came downstairs and I shot him a hard look while Rosalie shook her head at his reaction rolling her eyes. It was obvious Emmett was just doing it to tease me.

I grabbed a ripe red apple from the fruit basket and followed the group out to the cars that were waiting. I followed Jasper to a black B.M.W while Edward and Bella took the Volvo with Amanda. Emmett was driving a black SUV. It was of course cloudy and raining like always. We drove through the city and traffic was a nightmare. But Jasper didn’t seem to mind. I reached out for the radio dial and stopped myself looking at Jasper.

“Do you mind if I turn this on?”
Jasper looked sideways at me giving a shrug.
“Not really. Beats awkward silences”.
I laughed a little turning on the radio. I found a station that was ok for both of us to listen to. I sang along with all the songs I knew to take my mind off of the horrible night I’d had. Nightmares were common for me now since Dean and I separated. They were cryptic nightmares that I didn’t really understand. But I always ended up dying in the end.

Jasper looked over at me as we grew closer to the school and I just finished singing along to the Metallica song “Nothing Else Matters”. Not even Dean braking my heart could ruin Metallica for me.

“You have a really beautiful voice”.
Jasper said out of the blue. I looked at him and smiled. I’d never actually sung in front of anyone other than Grandma and Dad. Jasper parked the car and we got out walking over to join Emmett, Rosalie, Bella, Edward and Amanda. Everyone was staring at us. Amanda sighed looking around.

“Looks like we’re today’s biggest topic of discussion.”
Amanda said. I smirked to myself as we started to walk. I was used to being an outcast. I had been one all my life. I shoved my hands in the pockets of my coat walking alongside Amanda while Jasper joined his brothers talking with them. He seemed more open today. It was nice to see him opening up more.

“Maybe I should have brought my tarot cards. Really freak these guys out”.
I said in a snicker. Amanda giggled as we walked into the school. We got our class lists and locker assignments then parted ways to get ourselves settled. I hummed “Nothing Else Matters” to myself as I walked to my locker putting the combination I was given in. I opened the locker and pulled out a book I had been reading about demonology. Lately I had been considering preparing myself for demon attacks. I didn’t know why it was a gut feeling. These were the things my father never wanted me to know about.

I had just realized how stupid it was for me to bring my demonology book to catholic school. I kneeled to grab it when someone else picked it up. A smirk crossed his lips as his dark eyes lifted from the hard cover red book to me. His hair touching to his jawline. There was something mysterious about him. Something dangerous that made my insides scream at me to run the other way.
“You seem familiar”.
He said as he held the book out to me. I stood taking the book back from him and turning away quickly.

“I don’t know how that’s possible. We’ve never met”.
I said quickly remembering what Carlisle said about talking to strangers. Ugh I felt like a baby sometimes. The way everyone treated me. Was there really harm in me making one friend? He leaned on the locker next to mine smiling at me.

“Kristen Starr, your father’s the exorcist right?”
I looked at him not sure how to respond. He smirked looking me up and down.
“You’re even more beautiful in person. My names Ashe. We don’t normally get such breathtaking girls as students here”.
He continued. I looked at him over my shoulder a little. I wanted to respond to him but my words caught in my throat as I locked eyes with Jasper who looked unsure of Ashe. He walked over and took hold of my hand.

“Hey. We have the same class”.
He said as he held my hand. I gaped up at him not knowing what to say. The color flooded to my cheeks at his touch. Why was this happening? I thought angrily at myself. Last thing I needed was to fall for yet another guy who loved someone else. Ashe looked between Jasper and I and I could tell by the look on his face he assumed we were together.
“Well, see you around Kristen”.
Ashe said walking away. I sighed looking up at Jasper readying myself for his scolding.