SLASH BACKSLASH ONE-SHOT CONTEST

Story Name: Red Corvette
Pen name: hexumhunnie311
Pairing: Jasper/Emmett
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns any Twilight characters that may appear in this story. The remainder is my original work. Copyright 2009 by hexumhunnie311. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.
To see other entries in the "SLASH BACKSLASH" contest, please visit the C2:
http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/c2/74941/3/0/1/

A/N: Thanks to my lovely beta Frenchbeanz, and to spellboundagain, Mamma4ever and Allysue08 for pre-reading this for me. I've never written slash before, so this is tame. Baby steps people.

I entered this contest because Frenchie said 'Oh, do it for AG bb!'. And well, who can resist a plea like that? So, for you AG, I pop my slash-writing cherry.

I sit in my usual parking spot in the back corner of the Forks High School lot. My beat up old truck is definitely on its last legs. Even just sitting idle with the heat blasting and the radio on, it's making the most dreadful noises. The heater also doesn't seem to be working much. I shiver and hope it can make it through the winter.

I watch for the car, like I do every morning.

The car that always parks in the front of the lot.

The car that is always surrounded by tons of people as soon as it pulls in.

The car with heat that works.

The car that now produces a leggy, busty blonde from the passenger seat.

The car that, most importantly, produces Emmett McCarty from the driver's seat.

Emmett McCarty, the boy that I am in love with.

I watch as the car pulls in and parks in the front of the lot.

The red corvette.

She's a beautiful car. A well-maintained antique, still running as smoothly as the day she came off the assembly line. That leggy blonde only dates him for that car. He doesn't know that, but I do. Girls like that only care about looks and money. And that boy, well, he has both.

I want to ride in that car.

They make the perfect couple though. The quarterback of the football team and the head cheerleader; it's so clichéd it makes me want to projectile vomit. I thought high school was only like this in movies – stereotypical cliques with their stereotypical perfect couples, shunning the stereotypical outcasts.

Of course, I fall into the latter category by default. Not many high school students are accepting of the openly gay.

Not many, no. But Emmett McCarty is an exception.

Emmett, the captain of the football team.

Emmett, the most popular boy in school.

Emmett, who can bench press 305 pounds.

Emmett, who is dating the most beautiful girl in town.

Emmett, the boy I've been in love with for two years. Two agonizing, yet glorious years.

When I came out as a sophomore, it took everyone by surprise. Well, everyone but me. I'd known for a while. But I was scared, and naïve, and thought that maybe if I dated a girl and she let me touch her lady parts, I'd change my mind about…well, not really being interested in lady parts.

So, I'd started dating Alice Brandon in the eighth grade. Within a year, when she'd let me touch her lady parts and I'd let her touch my guy parts, I'd realized my plan wasn't working. Every time I touched her, I had imagined it was some gorgeous, male, celebrity. And when she touched me, I thought the same thing. That first year I was fixated on Josh Hartnett. The second year, it was Ryan Reynolds.

Looking back on it, I know I shouldn't have led Alice on for two whole years – told her I loved her, made promises I knew I would never keep. She didn't have any idea at all until I told her. She didn't take it well, to say the least. Within the hour everyone at Forks High knew. In the age of iPhones, Twitter, and Facebook, gossip doesn't take long to spread, especially in a small town.

The next day at school, four guys from the football team cornered me in the locker room, called me hateful names, and proceeded to beat the shit out of me.

The day after that, all four of them walked into the locker room with black eyes and busted lips.

Emmett McCarty walked in with bruised knuckles.

He didn't say a word to me when our eyes met. I silently thanked him. He nodded his 'you're welcome'. Those four boys never came near me again. People listened to Emmett McCarty.

That was the day I fell in love with him.

I have very few friends. Edward and his girlfriend Bella are pretty much it.

But Emmett McCarty nods at me in the hallway every day.

Emmett sits next to me in biology and shares his textbook with me on days I forget mine. I share my notes on days he forgets his.

Emmett always smells like cinnamon, and mint, and Emmett.

Emmett always gives me a little smirk whenever he drives past me in that red corvette.

I want to be in that car with him.

The parking lot is now void of all students, so I shut off my dying truck and make my way to the building. It's the week before winter recess, and it's already bitterly cold. I daydream about lying in Emmett McCarty's muscular arms, and feel warm.

I will never understand why Edward invites me to these things. Probably because he knows I can't say no to anyone. But I also won't talk to anyone. And no one will talk to me.

I don't enjoy celebrating New Year's Eve. I think it's because, deep down, I know that there will be no difference from one year to the next.

I will still be gay.

I will still have next to no friends.

I will still love Emmett McCarty.

He will always love someone else.

I heard during lunch at school that he might be coming to the party tonight, so I dress with extra care and style my hair just right.

He might look at me tonight, and give me that smirk. And I want to look good for him.

I pull up to the Cullen's house in my ancient rumbling truck, garnering a few bizarre looks and malicious giggles from party-goers that are still outside. I'm used to this though, and ignore them as usual.

As I step outside into the brutal night air, I notice the red corvette is already here. My heart pounds at the sight.

I bet the inside of that car is warm and smells like Emmett.

I go through the front door without knocking. The party is in full swing. I'm not surprised. It's already 11:30. I decided to come as late as I thought I could get away with. I plan to leave as soon as the clock strikes 12:00.

Long enough to see Emmett.

Long enough to possibly get a smirk from Emmett.

Long enough to watch Emmett kiss his leggy blonde girlfriend at midnight.

Long enough get my heart ripped out one more time.

Long enough to have had a few beers so it won't hurt so badly.

I spot Edward in the kitchen, pouring some drinks. Bella is at his side – as always – looking at him with so much love in her eyes that my chest actually constricts at the sight. I wonder if anyone will ever look at me that way.

I wonder if Emmett will ever look at me that way.

I wonder if Emmett looks at his leggy blonde girlfriend that way.

I know she doesn't look at him that way.

Edward hands me a cup of beer that I down in one gulp and hand back for a refill. He looks at me strangely and asks if I'm alright. I just nod and smile like I always do. I wonder if I'll ever get to take off this mask.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to take off this mask in front of Emmett.

I wonder if Emmett wears any masks.

I haven't seen him yet. I hope he's not off hooking up with his girlfriend. I hope I get to see him at least once before I leave.

It's two minutes to midnight already. I notice everyone is starting to separate into couples. Bella and Edward hug each other tightly. Mike and Jessica hold hands in the corner. Angela and Ben cuddle on the couch.

I stand alone next to the wall, holding my beer, searching for Emmett and his girlfriend. I don't see them. I wonder if they left already. Maybe they're making out in his car.

I want to make out in that car.

One minute to midnight. I zipper my coat and prepare to leave quickly. I can't stand being in this room with these people for much longer. These happy people, starting the New Year with someone they love.

I clearly won't be doing that this year – not even from afar. I prepare to head for the door.

"Leaving so soon?"

Mint. And cinnamon. And Emmett.

He's standing next to me. He's talking to me. What do I do? What do I say? Why isn't he with his blonde girlfriend? Why is he talking to me? Why haven't I answered him yet?

"Yeah well…no one to kiss, right? No point in sticking around," I babble without looking up. Why did I tell him that? Why didn't I just say something normal?

"Hmm, I understand your dilemma. I have the same one as a matter of fact."

I look at him questioningly. His beautiful blue eyes pierce me and I shiver involuntarily. I finally notice that his leggy blonde girlfriend isn't with him.

"Where's Rosalie?"

He snorts without humour and nods to the far corner of the room. I try to distinguish what I'm seeing. A mass of long, blond hair obscuring the face of someone else.

"She decided to spend the evening with Jacob Black. I decided to spend all of my time without her," he sneers.

I can't decide which way to let my emotions go. Should I be happy that he's ended things with the leggy blonde not-girlfriend? Or should I be sad for him? He doesn't seem that upset about it. But, I should be considerate. Right? Jumping up and down for joy would not be subtle or appropriate.

"I'm sorry, Emmett. That's not very nice of her."

Yeah, real intuitive. Dumbass.

He snorts with humour this time. "No, it's really not. But I'm over it already. Had my eye on someone else for a while now. Guess I have a thing for blondes."

My heart plummets as I wrack my brain for other blonde girls at Forks High. A few faces flash through my mind, each one a new source of jealousy for me, though I have no idea which is the lucky one. The next lucky girl to have caught Emmett McCarty's attention.

Ten seconds to midnight. Everyone around us begins counting down, but I barely hear it.

10…

I see all the couples snuggle up to each other.

9…

I notice Rosalie hasn't taken a breath since she started sucking Jacob Black's face.

8…

I realize Emmett is still standing next to me.

7…

I wonder why he hasn't gone off to find his new blonde to kiss.

6…

I see that Bella and Edward haven't waited for midnight to begin their new year.

5…

I notice the cruel irony of my hair being blond.

4…

I feel Emmett lean a little bit closer to me.

3…

I wonder if he can hear how hard my heart is pounding because of his nearness.

2…

I wish I could be Emmett's new blonde.

1…

I want to ride in the red corvette

There are lips on mine. I'm too stunned and confused to return the kiss. Then, as quickly as it started, it's over. I blink about fifty times before licking my freshly kissed lips.

Mint. And cinnamon. And Emmett.

I look up. Emmett McCarty just kissed me. And all I can do is stare at him with my mouth hanging open.

Say something you idiot!

"Whaaa…uhhh…why…er…"

Really articulate. Fucker.

Emmett smiles at me. Not just a smirk. Better than a smirk. Better than any smirk in the history of smirks. He smiles so widely I can see all of his perfectly straight, white teeth. His entire face just lights up with it. He's beautiful.

And he just kissed me.

"Well, neither of us had a midnight kiss. That's a bad way to start off the New Year, in my opinion. I decided this was the better option."

He continues smiling and looks at me expectantly. I've still said nothing coherent.

"M-much better," I stutter out and return his smile.

I can't help but quickly glance around the room, wondering how many people saw Emmett McCarty kiss me. I'm rather unsurprised to see that everyone is too wrapped up in their significant others to notice anyone else. Rosalie is still attached to Jacob Black. I think she might be eating his face off.

Emmett is still standing in front of me. I have no idea what to do, so I stay quiet and examine my beer cup.

Emmett chuckles.

What a lovely sound.

It makes me want to stand on the roof and shout to the heavens that Emmett McCarty kissed me at midnight, and now he's smiling at me.

"Jasper, would you like to go for a drive?"

I look up so quickly I think I've given myself whiplash.

"In your corvette?" I ask as I rub the back of my neck and gulp with nervousness.

Emmett nods, then jerks his head toward the door in a silent request to follow him outside. I return his nod and follow him, admiring the muscles in his back and the way he gracefully weaves through the intertwined couples.

No one notices our departure.

No one knows Emmett McCarty kissed me at midnight.

No one knows I'm going to ride in Emmett McCarty's red corvette tonight.

A/N: Thanks to AngstGoddess003 and PastichePen for hosting this contest! Don't forget to read, review, and vote!