As I lifted my shirt, I saw the setting bruise, purple and looing like a splotch of food coloring dripped on water, on either side of my waist. I could see Jasper's fingers and the marks they left on my skin. As I traced the red and dark purple splotches, I couldn't help but remember how it felt, how he felt.

The afternoon had been absolutely perfect. My mind went back and relived the moments.

"Do you like it?" Jasper had asked. When I finally had managed to tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me and redirect them towards his beautiful face— which was definitely not a downgrade and gave me no trouble whatsoever— I saw it was contorted into a slight frown.

He licked his lips and stared at me, expectantly and fearful.

"Of course." The sounds came out of my throat as two wisps of breath.

Looking in the mirror, I pressed a particularly nasty bruise forming just on the side of my neck. It hurt; I winced. It was a good kind of pain, however, and I couldn't help but press it again. Masochism?

I could vividly remember how his fingers had dug in, the desire they expressed.

I remembered the feeling of his coldness on me, his smell, the feel of his lips on mine. I remembered trying to get closer and closer, until it was not humanly possible to do so, and yet it wasn't close enough.

I could also remember his horrified expression when I cried out, after he had held me just a little too tight, "Jas, you're hurting me a little right now."

He immediately released me. Everywhere. The arm snaked around my back, the hand on the crook my neck, his cold, hard lips; they were no longer there… I craved the cold of his skin the moment it lost contact with mine. He apologized profusely, and he looked as if he could cry.

I hurried to say, "No, it's fine, Jas! Please, we just need some practice. You're not used to it." I hugged him, pleading.

He didn't respond, his hands were up and he was eyeing them as if he had committed some dreadful crime.

I was jerked from my thoughts when the bathroom door lurched open with a loud squeak. I could only stare at Will's shocked face for a moment, before jumping for the nearest towel and wrapping my naked body as fast as I could.

"What the hell?" He asked, almost enraged. The clothes in his hand told me he was about to shower; the fact he dropped them and walked towards me with anger that shit was about to get real.

"It's the female human body, Will, have you never seen one before?"

He didn't laugh. I felt instead his gaze harden with anger. "Did he do that to you?" There was a menacing edge to his expression.

"Let me see," he said, extending his hand, asking for the towel.

"No, Will, this is weird!"

"No it's not, you're my sister and you've been hurt. I just want to assess the damage in order to properly take care of it."

I held the towel tighter. He looked at my arm, and I felt his gaze trail up towards my shoulder. I adjusted the towel to cover it up as well.

"I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this—" I said, backing up a little.

"Of course it's a big deal! He hurt you!"

"As if you didn't get bruises from Lydia!"

Just looking in his eyes I could tell something snapped. "Don't you dare," he said with a pained voice, "say that. Please."

"It's true," I said, almost whispering. It was a low blow, but necessary. I knew it was insensitive of me to bring her up, so soon at least, but he had to understand…

"I know it is. It's just… hard for me to see these." He sat down on the toilet, stared ahead. I just stood there, slightly uncomfortable, shifting my weight between legs.

"I'd say 'There, there,' and pat your back, but this whole conflict was stupid and your fault and I'm naked and need to hold up the towel, so, if you'll excuse me," I said, jerking my head towards the door.

He looked up. "Right," he said, getting up and making his way out of the cramped bathroom. "I'll be on my way then. Don't take too long, I still need to shower."

I let out my breath once the door clicked shut behind him. I made a point of locking it. Damn, why hadn't I done that before?

Lying down on my bed, wet hair fanned out over the pillow, shaking slightly with the wind coming in from the open window, I stared at the ceiling.

Honestly, I was waiting for him, for his nightly visits. I hoped it would become a routine thing, but I knew he might keep his distance today. I wished he didn't.

I sighed, and then shifted to the side, so I could watch the window. I was cold; my whole body was curled under the blankets. Still, I was not going to close that doorway to Jasper, he might think I was mad at him or something. I'd die of hypothermia first before letting him think that.

I decided to not fight sleep, that if Jasper came or not, what would be, would be.

I tried to believe in the lie, I really did, but it was too far-fetched.

Of course I was going to stay awake. I was going to stare at the blasted window for as long as it took for him to arrive. I didn't care if that would be minutes or hours or days. I might quit school altogether just so I could keep staring at that window the entire remainder of the year.

About twenty minutes later, Will knocked on the door, before opening it up carefully, as if I was a sleeping bear and not his little sister.

"Hey," I said, still curled up. He motioned to the open window. "It's a little cold. Should I close that or...?"

"I'll close it if I get cold," I told him, smiling. It was an unconvincingly horrible attempt, specially seeing as my lips were almost chattering and my lips were probably blue, but he left it quiet.

"He apologized, right?" Will asked. There was something in his eyes I couldn't quite place.

"Way more than what deemed necessary."

"So it won't happen again?"

"He didn't mean it. He isn't used to it— to me." I spoke confidently.

"That's not what I asked."

Silence engulfed the room all of the sudden, making the howling wind in the distance hearable.

"I guess I shouldn't be so judgmental," he muttered but he looked a little troubled. He looked me in the eye. "I'm sorry if I am blowing this out of proportion."

"It's your job, Will, to worry about me. And I don't like it, but I accept it wholeheartedly, because it comes with the package." I sat up and hugged him. He hugged me back, and that's how we remained for a few moments.

"Well," he said, "I guess we should sleep now, huh?" He got up, tucked me in as if I were a child again, and went to his bedroom. The door closed with a soft click.

I turned towards the window and resumed my watch.

And I gave a slow blink, yawned, and suddenly woke up. I looked around, very disoriented, to find out it was morning already. So much for not falling asleep, I thought. I sat up, looked around my room, checked the time, decided to get up.

I could hear Will messing with some dishes downstairs, so I assumed he was setting the table for breakfast. I decided to join him.

"Mornin'," I said as I fixed myself a bowl of cereal. My brother yawned in reply, and scratched his eyes to rid them of sleep.

Behind the lethargy and slowness, however, I could see there was something bothering him. He was gonna ask me something, I was sure, but I just ate my cereal, feigning oblivion.

He just sat down across from me, not looking in my direction. He coughed, and I just looked at him with the best "oh dear, what now?" face I could muster.

"I'd ask if you used protection but it's not really necessary, is it?" He said, staring at the mug in between his hands almost nonchalantly. His eyes flickered up, as if asking for confirmation.

"We didn't have sex, for goodness sake! We just made out a bit."

"Oh thank God." He looked like he could have passed out from relief. He set his mug down on the table and put his hand up to his eyes, letting out a deep breath.

I laughed. "That's what's bugging you so much? The possibility that we had sex?" For some reason, I found it hilarious. I threw my head back from so much laughter.

Will just shrugged, staring at me with an amused face and sheepish smile. "Oops?" He said.

"Oops is about it," I told him, shaking my head but with a smile still on my face. "You know I don't sleep around." I leaned in, and asked, "Speaking of which, any cute girls where you're working at?"

It was his turn to laugh. "That," he said, "might have been the least subtle yet smoothest way of asking your brother if he has any romantic interests."

"Is this a yes?" I wasn't letting this go so easily.

"It's a maybe. More information needed to make an educated answer."

"Tell me how your data collection goes, then. I want to be kept updated."

"You'll be the first to know of my amazing romantic conquests, don't worry." There was a smiling tugging at the edge of his lips. I was glad to have him in such a good mood, though I knew it was probably because he knew my sex life was still as dead as ever.

Yes, I am back from the dead. Hey guys. Please don't throw rocks at me. Every time I thought about this story and tried to write I ended up hitting a brick wall. I got some inspiration from some other stories I have written (nothing published, I fear) so here I am.

Thank you to all who kept favoriting and following this story and/or myself —seriously, that's what has been poking me at the side of the head for a while— even though both of us have only been gathering dust for a really long time. As in, a REALLY long time. Last time I updated was September of 2014. Oops.

Just saying I might be publishing some original stories in Wattpad. My username is OttersArePeopleToo. Not that there's anything worthwhile up there, but maybe in the future.

My vacation started already, and I might get some writing in right now. But probably not seeing as my laptop is getting the battery replaced and it really sucks to write in my phone or iPad. So no promises.

Anyways, as always, thanks, and don't forget to review!

Best wishes,

BluestOwl47

P.S. What did you think about the heavy use of dialogue? It's different, but I think dialogue is sometimes way more important than flowery language. I don't know, I have changed my style of writing a little through these last few months. Honestly, I reread some chapters and cringed lightly at them. Damn. Won't edit them, though, let's just keep the writing train barreling ahead.