Show Me A Garden (that's bursting into life)

Show Me A Garden (that's bursting into life) at ff.net

Peak at chapter 1:

“Yo, Jasper!” Emmett’s voice carried over the din in the room when he stood, and Jasper couldn’t help but grin, glad that he didn’t embarrass easily anymore. He made his way toward the crowded round table and sank into the empty chair between Emmett and a pretty brunette with large brown eyes dressed in a couple layers of t-shirts and jeans. There was also a lovely blonde with sparkling blue eyes on Emmett’s other side, dressed in a light sweater with a deep v-neck that emphasized her cleavage; a bouncing young woman with spiky black hair, green eyes and a perky smile, wearing a long sleeved t-shirt; and a gorgeous bronze haired man with green eyes and the most perfect features Jasper’d ever seen, clad in a dark blue polo shirt. Esme was on the bronze-haired man’s other side, next to a similarly gorgeous elder gentleman that Jasper was able to deduce was her husband, the other Dr. Cullen.

“Everyone, this is Jasper Whitlock,” Emmett introduced him. “The new History professor. This,” he indicated the blonde, “is Rosalie Hale, my girlfriend, and physics and math professor. The vibrating pixie there is Alice Brandon, art. Next to her is my brother Edward, music. You’ve met my mom, Esme, next to her is my dad, Carlisle, the school physician. Last but not least Bella Swan, literature and creative writing.”

Jasper’s eyes followed everyone around the table, but they lingered on Edward for a heartbeat longer than necessary. “Nice to meet you all,” he said quietly, offering a shy smile as they all spoke their greetings. He spread his napkin in his lap and picked up his fork, poking at the mac and cheese.

“It’s actually pretty good here,” Bella said quietly beside him, her cheeks slightly pinked, but a sparkle in her deep brown eyes. “They do the comfort food pretty well.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it, I guess,” he said with a grin and took a bite. She was right. It wasn’t his mother’s, but it was better than the boxed crap.

“So, Jasper, where are you from?” Alice spoke up from slightly across from him. He noticed she had vegetarian dishes on her plate.

“Texas, originally,” he answered, glancing again around the table. “But I was teaching at St. Maria in Colorado last term.” He cut into the chicken skeptically, and took a bite, again pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t rubbery or overly dry.

“That explains that accent,” Alice said with a wink.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jasper answered, surprising himself with the grin that seemed fixed to his face. Something about them was instantly welcoming, and Jasper felt more at ease with them than he had with people in a long time.

“Watch out, Alice, I think he’s got your number,” Rosalie teased and everyone laughed.

Conversation resumed around the table and Jasper fell comfortably quiet, soaking up the atmosphere around him as he ate. He answered questions that were directed at him, but was perfectly content to just observe. The conversations overlapped and jumped topics and it felt like a family supper rather than a meeting of faculty in a crowded dining hall. He noticed, however, that Edward seemed quiet as well, and that whenever their eyes met across the table, Edward’s gaze slid away first.

“We’d better get dessert before the Dean starts,” Alice said, bouncing out of her seat. It wasn’t until she stood that Jasper realized how tiny she was and why Emmett had called her a pixie. He doubted she was a full five feet tall. “Who’s joining me?”

Bella moved to stand and Jasper pulled her chair back for her out of habit. She smiled softly at him, laying her napkin on the table. Emmett jumped up next to him and pulled Rosalie up by her hand, and Esme stood after Carlisle held her chair for her, leaving Edward and Jasper alone at the table. Jasper settled back in his chair, extending his legs in front of him under the table, crossing them at the ankles, resting his hands lightly in his lap. Edward was sitting slightly hunched over, and Jasper could see his fingers moving lightly against the table.

Edward looked up suddenly, his green eyes fixed on Jasper’s for a long moment, almost as if he was trying to sense what Jasper was thinking. Jasper refused to look away first, letting Edward seek what he was looking for, his fingers never ceasing their movement against the wooden table top. Something seemed to pass between them in that moment, and Jasper saw something familiar in Edward’s eyes, something that he’d seen reflected back at him in the mirror when he shaved each morning. Jasper wondered if Edward felt that same longing emptiness that Jasper did, and wondered if so, what he did to fill that empty dead spot within him.

All too soon Edward’s eyes shifted away as Alice danced back toward their table, two small plates balanced in one hand, and two cups of coffee in the other. She set one of the plates and mugs in front of Edward, who nodded his thanks. The others were a few steps behind her, and Jasper reached for Bella’s chair once again on instinct, only to find that she hadn’t returned with the others.