A few weeks passed and Bella continued her hunt for answers as Maya continued to try and distract Jasper. Some days she would tease him and he would drag her to bed, not letting her rest until she was too tired to even move. Other days they would explore the woods, playing tag and racing. However, as time wore on, and the fights continued, it got harder and harder to distract Jasper for any length of time as the minute he got home, the emotions of his family would once again overwhelm him.
Had it only been a human's curiosity, he was sure that there would not have been so much conflict as they had dealt with that before. However, what really frustrated their family so much was Edward's inability to keep his promise to stay away from her. One day he would ignore her and then the next he was asking her about "her latest theories on what they were". From what Jasper could sense with his gift and what Maya had told him, all this was doing was making Bella even more curious and obsessed with Edward. Rosalie seemed to have picked up on this growing obsession as well, which just fuelled even more fights in their house.
The arguments had hit an all time high however, when Rosalie figured out that Edward had been sneaking into Bella's room at night to watch her sleep. He had tried to defend himself by stating that he was doing it to get used to her scent and pointing out that Jasper also watched Maya sleep but it hadn't done much to help his case. Jasper had growled at that as Rosalie pointed out (read: yelled) that Maya was actually aware that he was there and had given him permission to be in her room, unlike Bella who had no idea it was happening.
Esme had expressed her disappointment in Edward's actions at this, which only caused him to become angrier and begin yelling again. At this point Jasper was ready to run away from home simply to avoid the arguments and feelings he picked up from them all. To make matters worse, he couldn't even go to see Maya, as it was one of those rare sunny days, so his family had to stay home from school and work. Which meant he was forced to sit and listen to his family argue with Edward as he counted down the minutes until Maya would be done school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maya similarly had also been spending her time counting down the minutes as her day just seemed to be made up of one annoying interaction after another. Unlike probably every other teen in town, she had not been excited to wake up and find the sun shining, given that it meant that none of the Cullens would be at school. But she had dutifully gotten up and ready for school, heading outside to pull the tarp off the car her uncles had bought her. While she loved it, it spent most of its time sitting off to the side in the driveway as Jasper was always more than willing to drive her wherever she needed.
She had just finished wrapping up the tarp and tucking it away when Bella came stumbling out of the house. It wasn't until she reached her truck and got the door open that she finally noticed Maya, but when she did her face darkened in anger.
"What is that!?" She demanded outraged.
"What's what?" Maya asked distractedly as she put the top down on her car.
"That car! Where did you get it?!"
"My uncles bought it for me when I moved back here so I would have something to get to school in. I did tell you I had a car when you arrived, didn't I?"
"We don't have any uncles" Bella stated in a tone that suggested she thought Maya stupid.
"They're my friend's parents. The ones that live in Italy, I stayed with them while I was there." Maya silently apologized to her family for lying like that. For making them seem less important to her than they were. But honestly? She had no idea how else to explain her relationship with them to a human without them sounding like some weird sugar daddies. "Anyways, are you done with your questions? Because I don't want to be late."
"No. Trade with me" Bella demanded, holding her hand out for the keys.
"Why would I do that?" Maya was honestly confused at her adopted sister's demand. Who in their right mind would willingly trade her car for that monster of a truck?
"Because Jasper drives you most days anyways, so that should be my car and you can have this truck."
"Yeah ... no. I'm good." Maya flicked her sunglasses down and pulled out of the driveway quickly before Bella could say anything else. As she drove down the road she contemplated if she would have to hide her keys from now on so Bella didn't try and take her car. Which just made her groan and bang her head on the steering wheel. It was bad enough that Bella still tried to barge into her room without knocking and Maya had caught her snooping through her things on more than one occasion, but now she also had to worry about her car! It honestly made her long for the days she spent with Jane. While the two often got into each others stuff, they at least asked first and respected boundaries.
Arriving at school she parked and headed straight into class, pulling out a book as she took her seat. Her plan was to spend the day quietly catching up on her reading given that besides the Cullens she really didn't talk to anyone much. Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for her. Angela, one of the few people besides the Cullens she talked to, noticed the Cullens absence and invited her to sit with them at lunch. Had it been anyone else, she would have turned them down. But Angela was nice and someone she often chatted with when they sat near each other and she wanted to continue being friendly with her.
Which is how she found herself seated on a picnic bench outside at lunch with Jessica, Bella and Angela. She still had her book out and was ignoring them and their discussion (something about going shopping for prom) when Jessica gave her a small shove to get her attention.
"So? What's like up with you and Jasper?"
"We're dating. I would have thought that was obvious" Maya deadpanned, not wanting to discuss her relationship with them. Especially as Mike and Eric joined them.
Jessica rolled her eyes, "well duh. I meant what's he like? He never talks to anyone besides you and his family, so what's he like to be dating? Have you two done it? Is he good in bed?"
Maya studied the girl and the way the others were looking on in interest. With a sigh, she closed her book, realizing that they weren't going to let it go till they had answers. Oh well she thought, at least I can have some fun teasing them and maybe if I give them enough vague details they'll drop it.
"Jasper is a gentleman" she stated.
"Oh yeah, even in bed?" Mike wiggled his eyebrows and smirked.
"Poor Mike," Maya teased with a pout, "you really don't know much about this do you? After all as the saying goes: a gentleman on the streets is a beast in the sheets, and as I said; my Jasper is a gentleman."
Eric choked on his drink at that as all three girls broke out in a blush. Maya shook her head at their reactions and laughed quietly under her breath, wondering if all of them were still virgins. From everything she had read, seen and heard about small towns like Forks, there was not much to do besides drinking, partying and hooking up. As such she had expected at least one to have some experience. At the very least she hadn't expected it to be this easy to get a reaction out of them.
Jessica, unsurprisingly, was the first to recover and let out a disbelieving scoff, "what you actually expect us to believe that?"
"I didn't say you had to" Maya gave a careless shrug and smiled at them as she rested her head in her hand. "All I'm telling you is that Jasper is a wonderfully dominate partner. One who knows exactly what he is doing in the bedroom and enjoys taking control of my pleasure to ensure that I am fully satisfied every time and unable to walk afterwards. Whether you believe me or not is your problem."
Surprisingly, Maya was almost enjoying herself. Not that part about sharing private aspects of her and Jasper's relationship, but because she was able to shock the five and enjoy their expressions. She also thought it might finally get Mike to leave her alone. Hopefully if she poked a few holes in his ego by pointing out how Jasper was better, he would finally get the message. She had been with Jasper for a few months now and never encouraged him, but Mike still sought her out every once in while to try and chat her up. This angered Jasper and made him act more possessive, which she didn't mind as she enjoyed being tucked into his side, but Mike annoyed her, and if this could get him to back off all the better.
Plus, it also gave her a chance to brag a bit about Jasper. Something she did not really get the chance to do. She was proud to have him as her mate and while she couldn't share all the reasons that made him amazing due to the laws of secrecy, she could freely admit that she was dating a sex god.
Was it petty of her to enjoy the looks of envy and shock on the others faces? Yes. Was she going to apologize for it? No. Call her shallow all you wanted, but given that Jessica had described him as "the one who looks like he's in pain all the time" and acted like he wasn't worth her time after he turned her down six times, Maya felt no shame in letting them all know what a catch he was.
The boys began to look uncomfortable as she dropped a few more hints about his abilities in the bedroom with a smile that resembled a cat that was very pleased with itself. Poor Angela on the other hand was about as red as a tomato as her mind conjured up images of what exactly Jasper was like in bed. Clearing her throat, she was quick to change the topic to something else before Jessica could ask anymore questions. Lunch moved on from there with more boring topics, causing Maya to return to her book and soon enough the bell rang.
Maya continued on throughout her day like normal, minus the cowboy that was usually by her side, but she noticed that a lot more people approached her than before. Apparently, Jasper's mere presence worked to keep others from bothering her and as the third person in an hour tried to start a conversation with her, she wished desperately that he was there with her.
All of the students that approached her seemed to want the same thing; the girls wanted her to help them get Edward's attention and the boys wanted to know if she was seriously still dating that "Hale dude" and telling her that they thought he was no good for her.
Needless to say, by the time she got home she was beyond annoyed and ready to curl up in bed and do nothing. She grabbed some snacks as she passed through the kitchen before heading up to her room, glad that at least she had the house to herself as Bella had gone shopping for dresses.
She entered her room and shrieked in shock at the sight of Jasper lounging on her bed. "Jesus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"
He laughed at her, setting down the book he had been reading. "You know, you would think that you would stop being so surprised at finding me in your room, but apparently not."
Maya shot him a glare and threw her bag of marshmallows at him, causing him to begin laughing again as he caught them.
"Move over" she demanded, crawling onto the bed with him as she grabbed her laptop.
"What no happy to see me kiss?"
"I'm too annoyed right now. School was perfectly dreadful today. The only thing that made it worth while was the look on Mike's face when I informed him that I am in fact dating a sex god."
Jasper snorted, "You really told him that?"
"Well not in those words, but I did tell him that you were totally dominant and knew what you were doing in the bedroom though."
Jasper stared at her in shock before annoyance began to take over, "and why exactly were you discussing our sex life with Mike Newton?"
"Because I was sitting with them at lunch and Jessica asked about it" she said fluttering her eyelashes innocently up at him. "And I thought this may be a great chance to get Mike to finally stop pestering me."
"Do you really think that worked?" Jasper asked skeptically. He had felt the lust coming off that boy when he talked to Maya and doubted that a conversation about her sex life was going to dissuade him.
Maya shrugged, "Probably not. But it was fun to brag about how amazing my man is in bed. And don't worry, I did you justice. I made you sound just like one of those main characters in a steamy romance novel."
Jasper snorted and rolled his eye heavenward before her leaned down and gave her a kiss on top of her head. Deciding that he didn't want to hear what other things she had said about him though, he quickly turned the conversation towards picking a movie to watch.
In the end they chose to rewatch some original Scooby-Doo episodes. They spent the next few hours joking and laughing as they watched, Maya laying on Jasper's chest as they cuddled. Both of them enjoying the peace and break from the outside world.
"You know, when Scooby-Doo first began to air Emmet actually tried to recreate some of these traps?"
Maya pulled back to send him a pleading look, "tell me they worked!"
"Nope. Not at all. The only time he did manage to catch Edward in one was when he covered the kitchen floor in olive oil. He was in a rush to go hunt and slid along the floor before crashing into a window. Esme was so mad at him. Emmet had to spend the next two days fixing the window and cleaning up the floor."
Maya threw her head back and laughed at that, not having any trouble believing his story. Emmet was much like her in that he tended to try something without fully thinking it through, especially if they thought that it would fun or hilarious. It was one of the reasons why the other Cullens had often remarked that leaving the two alone was a recipe for disaster.
"You know, I bet if me and Emmet put our heads together and made use of some more modern gadgets, we could get some of these traps to work" Maya mused, already having a few ideas.
Jasper groaned at that, "forget I ever said anything."
"What you don't like the idea of me and Emmet spending time together and bonding?" Maya teased.
"What I don't like is how the rest of us will probably be forced to spend our time dodging nets and pitfall traps."
"Hmph well you're no fun" Maya declared as she pulled away from him and sat up pretending to be angry.
"No Darlin' just the only one with any common sense between the two of us apparently."
At his teasing remark, Maya gave a squawk of indignation and shoved him off the bed. He laughed as he fell and went to get up only to be hit in the face with a pillow.
"Ha! Serves you right!" Maya crowed, still holding her pillow up, ready to swing it again.
Jasper let out a playful growl and jumped up onto the bed with her, snagging another of her pillows to use as his own weapon.
The house was filled with sounds of their laughter as they fought with the pillows, their movie completely forgotten. After a few minutes though, Jasper was able to wrestle away her pillow and pin her to the bed, tickling her mercilessly.
She lay under him, gasping and shrieking with laughter as she tried to get away from him and catch her breath. Both made impossible by the fact that he knew every damn spot on her body that was ticklish. "St-stop ... stop ... please" she managed to gasp out in between laughs.
Jasper looked down at her with a grin, "you surrender?"
"Yes ... yes! Please!" she nodded frantically, pushing him to the side. "You cheated" she muttered as she got her breath back.
"No I didn't. I was just using every skill at my disposal. It's not my fault that your ticklish" he said with a careless shrug.
She sent him a look of mock outrage, "just for that mister, no more kisses for you!"
He laughed outright at that. "As if you could ever follow through on that Darlin'. After all you are dating a sex god." He gave her a smug smile at that and she groaned, falling back on the bed.
"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Not a chance" he said with a grin before bringing his lips down to meet hers.
She quickly gave into the kiss, opening her mouth to allow their tongues to mingle. This wasn't a rushed or heated kiss. It was a kiss where they took the time to explore each other, enjoying each sensation they brought the other. They took turns kissing up and down the other's throat, licking and nipping as their hands ran over each other's bodies. Each paying special attention to the mating marks that decorated their necks, loving the visible proof of their bond.
Eventually their shirts were pulled off and thrown carelessly on the floor to allow their hands easier access. However, just as Jasper's hands moved down to pull her pants off, they were interrupted.
Focused on each other as they were, they both missed the sound of Bella arriving home. They only noticed her when she slammed open Maya's door, which she had not bothered to lock being the only one home.
"Vampires?!" Bella shrieked, startling the two and causing Jasper to pull Maya behind him a bit.
"Get out!" Maya shouted, startled and upset at being interrupted.
Bella, realizing what she had just walked in on, turned red and fled to her own room, leaving Maya's door wide open. Maya groaned and let her head fall back on the bed, frustrated at the way Bella had managed to kill the mood.
Jasper on the other hand was in shock, realizing what Bella had been shouting about. "She said vampires" he told Maya quietly.
She sat bolt upright at that, "Merda. Do you think she knows?"
"Yes, I do." Jasper rubbed his forehead, already imagining the argument this new development was going to spark within his family.
"Doppia merda. You think there's anyway we could still lie to her? I don't want her getting involved with the supernatural, its just too dangerous for humans, especially one as curious and danger-prone as Bella. Not to mention what it would mean for your family if the Volturi found out about her."
"I doubt it. Especially with the way Edward has been acting. Its almost like he was purposefully dropping hints or lying badly, hoping she would figure it out."
Maya let out a sigh, knowing exactly what he meant. "Yeah, I don't think he will deny it if she asks."
Jasper let out a groan, "I have to go home and tell everyone about this. Do you want to come with me?"
"I would, but it's my night to cook dinner, which I have to get started on soon" Maya said, glancing at the clock to see the time. "But could you drop by after or give me a call so you can fill me in on what the plan is?"
He placed a kiss on the top of her head, "I'll come by after to fill you in."
He climbed out of the bed and Maya followed, both pulling on their shirts as they did. Maya give him a last quick kiss before he left, using the front door just in case Bella was paying attention.
As he disappeared, Maya let out one last sigh of frustration at the whole situation before she turned to head back towards the kitchen to make dinner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey dad, dinners almost ready" Maya called as she heard him enter the house some time later. After pulling the chicken from the oven and setting it on the counter, she turned to face him. "What's wrong?" She questioned noticing his face.
"It's Waylon sweetheart. He was found dead today."
She rushed over to him to pull him into a hug, "Oh Daddy I'm so sorry."
"Thanks sweetheart" he said sadly. "It looked like an animal attack, but I don't think so."
Maya gave him a sad look as she pulled back from the hug, "yeah, Jasper said some other supernatural people had been in the area and the Cullens think they are behind the recent killings. He told me that if they keep causing trouble then they will deal with it."
Charlie nodded his head in acceptance, knowing that there was very little he could do to find or stop someone who was not human. "I want you be careful though alright? Leave it to Carlisle to deal with, okay? I want you to be safe and to look out for yourself."
"Don't worry Daddy, I can take care of myself," She held up he hand to show off her claws, "Uncle Caius and my brothers taught me how to handle myself. Added to that I have Jasper. Ain't no one getting by him."
Charlie chuckled at that shaking his head at his daughter. "Still, I would feel better if you also carried this with you." He held out a can of pepper spray to her.
She reached out to take it and looked it over before grinning at him, "Good idea Dad!" She jumped up to pose, one hand held extended in front of her with her claws out and other in front of her face, pepper spray in hand. "I'm now invincible! No one will dare challenge me now!"
He snorted at that, "oh yeah, your invincible alright. Although I think it would work better if you actually pointed the nozzle at your opponent and not your own face."
She blushed at that and quickly adjusted it so it wouldn't spray her in the face before striking her pose again. At her father's nod of approval, she relaxed and moved over to give him another hug.
"You know you have nothing to worry about, right? I can take care of myself better than most other girls."
"I know, but I'm your father, it's my job to worry."
"And if I didn't love you so much for it, I would be insulted by your lack of faith" she joked. "Now come on, we're gonna sit in front of the TV and watch the game while we eat dinner."
She rushed to the kitchen to plate up their meals while her dad set up the game, chuckling the whole time.
They spent the rest of the evening eating and yelling at the players and refs as they cheered on their team. When the game was over, her dad headed off to bed giving her a kiss on the forehead and wishing her goodnight as he did.
She watched him head upstairs before moving to put their plates in the sink, intending to wash them tomorrow. She could still see the sadness and grief on him, but it was nothing like when he first got home and she was glad that she could help him, even if only a little.
Translation:
Merda - shit
Doppia merda – double shit