《empathy》TEN
Advertisement
If Jasper were to describe Anastasia's feelings, he would probably compare them to the calm before the storm.
Quiet and relaxed but with an immense force of destruction seething below the surface.
Anticipating an explosion of anger and sadness and everyone will be completely helpless about it.
Anastasia has pushed her feelings away for far too long to still have utter control. Anastasia has refused to feel her feelings for too long to still be able to fully decide.
And she might not realise it but slowly, at an agonising pace, emotions are dripping through the small cracks in the bricks she has used to build her wall. And once the dam breaks down completely, a flood of emotions will breakthrough and drag her down.
And once again the people will be helpless about it.
Anastasia won't be able to stop it as she will be too busy ignoring the red flags that will alarm her about the upcoming happening.
And even if Jasper were to prevent it from happening, he is only able to procrastinate it for so long; because his gift doesn't allow him to swallow the emotions of others and even if he were able to do this, it really wouldn't do anyone any good.
And the environment doesn't care enough to even notice a single thing about Anastasia outside her usual cold attire.
But today there is something different about her. Different from the last days, the last two weeks.
And it isn't for the faint smell of alcohol still clinging to her. Or maybe it is her clinging to it and the things it made her feel and do.
It isn't for the faint smell of salt coming from the tears she has poured last night and the redness and puffiness her cheeks now hold beneath the make-up.
It isn't for the dark red colour of her hoodie that hangs looser than anything else she usually wears; never mind the fact she had never been seen wearing anything but black ever since the small town can remember.
Advertisement
It is for the faintest of smiles adorning her lips.
Anastasia doesn't smile. She grins, smirks, fakes and feigns but she doesn't smile. Not like this. Not real. Not honest.
And yet here she is, sitting on the hood of her car, a cigarette hanging from her lips - not yet lit.
Jasper's eyes can't seem to look away as she smiles down on whatever is on the exposed part her ripped jeans offer. He doesn't even look away as she finally catches on to his look and snaps her own eyes in his direction.
Instead, Jasper watches in amazement as whatever fling of contentment leaves her eyes like a gazelle fleeing from a lion. He watches her smile falter until her lips are nothing more but a straight line; curled inwards and pressed tightly together.
Jasper watches her pull the leg of her pants up to hide whatever she was looking at before pulling a lighter out of the pocket of her hoodie and bringing it up to her cigarette.
Her eyes don't look away as she lights the fire and neither do they when she inhales her first drag. It's only when she blows out the smoke that her eyes fall back onto the clouds hiding the sun.
If it weren't for Emmett nudging his side, Jasper would have missed the bell opening their fifth class for the day.
He was too focused on the way shadows fall onto her black hair tied in a messy french braid. Too focused on the different shades that seem to paint a picture that might as well have been a Van Gogh.
Too focused on the way the smell of alcohol gets drowned out by smoke and too focused on the way her hands tremble less than usual.
It's not that Anastasia trembles or that she can't hold still. It's that her left side seems to have weaker muscles or that her left hand seems to not be used to hold things and move them around.
Advertisement
But today is she is utterly still, content. Maybe even happy; or at least as happy as she can get.
And Jasper? Jasper is way too deep to dive back up.
Anastasia isn't completely oblivious to this. She can feel his gaze on her when she passes him in the hallway and she can feel his eyes when she sits on the hod of her car but she has long since forgotten how to care about these things.
There was a time this whole town stared at her; was it at the funeral, after or after the times Charlie had to bring her home. They stared. Stared and whispered because that's just how people here are.
But something about his look is different. It isn't filled with pity or distaste, it's unusual soft.
And not soft in a way that he smiles and that his eyes sparkle or that they hold a tenderness. His gaze is soft in a way that his eyes hold barely any emotions and yet seem to have found a way to shine with... decency? adoration? She can't describe it.
But it is quite refreshing.
Other than Antonina, there is no one that has looked at her with anything but hate or disgust in a long time. Over time they have just grown so used to looking at her with those feelings that they just do it out of reflex now.
The Cullens are the exception to the rule. Jasper more so than the others.
They haven't known her long enough - or rather, they don't know her at all - to feel any form of distaste to her and they also don't seem to be the type of people to interact with gossip. Or people in general.
Hell, they have barely spoken over the few times she has seen them in class or in the parking lot. They stick with themselves.
Though even Carlisle, who she is sure has heard about her or has at least heard her name by Jessica Stanley's mother, who is working as a nurse... even he has been unusually kind to Antonina and her.
He has somewhat taken her sister's fear of hospitals because no matter what, the doctor they had before has never been the most gentle. He has distracted Antonina in a way that made her forget all around her and he has made her smile.
But even Anastasia hasn't seen an emotion outside of kindness, patience and the sign that he knows exactly what is going on in his eyes.
Hell, he pulled her aside once they were finished to tell her that he'd always have an open ear and even an open door for them when things get too ruff. Carlisle offered her and her sister a way out. A way out that would cost too much trust and kindness to be real; so Anastasia declined.
He didn't seem surprised and replies that the offer would continue to be and that, in case she would rethink it, his wife would be happy to meet them somewhere to get to know Antonina and maybe her. Carlisle offered a kind of help to her Anastasia had never known before.
---
Hey guys,
I am so sorry I didn't post last week but I was on vacation and stupid me forgot to take her laptop. So, I didn't really have the chapters.
Anyways, I hope y'all like the chapter
and the short paragraphs out of Anastasia's perspective
because I felt like I have written so much about what Jasper sees and somewhat thinks, I totally forgot to officially introduce you to what is going on inside of the OC.
What did you think of it?
I hope you're doing well!
Advertisement
Max-Level Great Swordsman In The Women's World
As a great swordsman who had reached the top level of 999, Lin Feng was hailed as the best swordsman cultivator that the World of the Nine Continents had seen in a thousand years. His sword techniques were exceptional and exquisite.
8 639Lia and Lara will seek the One Piece
Now it's already the third round for the strange chicken loving being that was called Clair, Dexter and Kara. What will it do if it has the chance to roam the world of One Piece? And will it be able to hold on to its love of Kurama? Will the Straw Hats be their enemy, their ally or is there maybe no connection to them at all? Follow it and see how it builds its own crew and sails the Grand Line, leaving chaos and doing questionable things on her road to the One Piece. But remember, only one thing is sure, there will be chicken! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeah, my third story, if you exclude the one shot^^. Hope I won't struggle with a good end, as I have with the others.... But be warned, there is a high chance that I will have to place it on Hiatus for some time. But that won't happen until I reach the current One Piece storyline. And maybe I will kill them off somewhere along the line, remember the Grand Line is dangerous^^. The cover is made by NBadonK, and remade by OnLin3. The size was not matching RR's standards....
8 288Star wars: Selfish virtue.
''He's broken, are you sure this is a good idea?'' ''It's gonna be alright, it'll become a different timeline. I will supply the power for it myself, won't cost you anything and you can watch it play out with me.'' ''If you're sure dear, the last time we did this it didn't turn out so good for the world though.'' ''It's gonna be fine! ...Probably.'' A man yanked out of our world is put into another one on the whims of beings out of his comprehension or knowledge. Journey with him as he tries for the things that were ever out of his reach in his last life, enjoyment, fulfillment, happiness... and maybe even love. This is my first time writing anything. I'll be taking it as a learning experience, though obviously, I'd hope that people enjoy it. When you find something to criticize, and you will. I at least hope you'll word it in a constructive way so I could remedy and/or learn from it. Enjoy.
8 385You World
You were web surfing on RoyalRoad, wondering about what kind of crap you will stumble across while you searched for your daily dose of stories, seemingly with nothing better to do in your life. While scrolling down that never ending list of novels, you noticed a novel named ‘You World’ which immediately grabbed your interest, and decided to click on it – yeh, you and that curiosity of yours. You waited for the page to load, then began reading the synopsis with maximum concentration. By now you are probably wondering why this novel is written in the 2nd person perspective and why the hell the narrative has suddenly changed from the past to the present tense – or what kind of weed this author smoked while writing this. While lost contemplating, an invisible force attacks your body, ripping your soul apart. Your body doesn’t feel anything but your conscious fades away as your precious soul is taken away from you, somewhere far and far away… [small hiatus - working on a more serious project :)] Tags: 18+ Mature, weird stuff, weird stuff, and even more weird stuff.
8 142EUDEMONIA;; ie orion.
❝ just some of the inazuma boys under one roof together with you, their manager. ❞ー[EUDEMONIA],a fem!reader-insert ie orion fanfiction.↳ meeting them was like finally finding a way back home after years of searching. //published; 𝟶𝟺. 𝟷𝟻. 𝟸𝟶
8 122Set It Off Fanfic
(Warning) i do not know them personally so sorry if i get something wrong.
8 102