Oh, Dayum

When they got back to the room, they found Neila pacing in front of the window. He rolled his eyes. "Neila, we really don't want to hear anything of what you have to say right now." Her face darkened and she paused to take a deep breath, then continued pacing. He drew Penny close, putting his arm around her absently gesture of protection and possessiveness. Neila's eyes flicked from his face to his hand on her waist. She shot Penny a stealthy, pleading look. He felt Penny stiffen a little and he looked down at her, confused. "You know, I forgot my...cookies in the kitchen. I have to go." She quickly slipped out of his grasp and closed the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. He growled a little and started for the door but was stopped by Neila's voice. 

"Jasper. Please wait." He turned irritably and was surprised to see her heading towards him, wringing her hands. "I really have to talk to you. I...am really sorry about the way I've been acting." He rolled his eyes and she frowned. "Please don't make this harder than it already is for me. You're my best friend and you can't take the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me?"

He sighed and scrubbed his face. "Look, I don't know why you've been acting the way you do, but you just need to get over it."

She grew angry, "See that's what I'm saying. You don't even care. This isn't something I can just get over." She began to pace again.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I care. But you also have a job. I am your boss first, friend second."

"Haven't you ever thought it could be the other way around?" She asked softly, looking at the floor.

He stopped short. The other way around. What the hell did that even mean? She approached him slowly, and for the first time, he realized how graceful she was when she moved. Years of dance would do that to a person. She stopped a hairsbreadth away and just stood there, looking searchingly into his eyes. She has very pretty eyes, he thought vaguely. Dark blue, and he could see himself reflected in them. The whole scene seemed to be going in slow motion. He was analyzing from afar but not really aware that it was his body this was happening to. She licked her lips nervously and he noticed how lovely they were. Feminine and soft. He felt like he should be remembering something, but he couldn't for the life of him figure it out. Or someone, perhaps? She put her hand on his cheek and he was acutely aware of the contact. She'd often put her hand on his cheek when he was smaller, but this was somehow different.  

"Jasper," she whispered. This wasn't right. Her voice wasn't right. Someone else should be saying his voice like that but who? He started to take a step back but she moved even closer to him, their bodies touching. It was weird how well she seemed to fit and his arms went around her in response. She reached up on her tip toes and cautiously laid her lips on his.

That was what broke the spell. He reeled back, pushing her hard so she fell into the chair, turning away from her. "What the bloody hell was that." He heard her breath go out in a little oof, and then silence. He turned back and saw her curled up in a ball, shaking. He instantly had no idea what to feel. He should feel guilty, which he did, but he also felt an uncomfortable sense of satisfaction, like an itch that had just been scratched. With a kiss. He ran his hands through his hair. This was wrong. Penny was his soul mate. Then why the bloody hell did he want to kiss Neila again? He didn't feel about her anything close to what he felt for Penny. That sexual need that he constantly pushed down when he was around her. This....was different and he didn't know how to make it go away. He wanted Penny and this just threw in a whole wrench in his plans. Maybe it didn't have to. He walked over to Neila and sat on the arm of the chair, facing away. "How long?" he asked.

"A year at least," she mumbled into her knees, still shivering.

"This changes nothing."

She looked up at his back, tears streaming down her face, outrage clearly visible. "How can you possibly say that?"

"I feel nothing for you. Simple as that. It's good we have this out in the open though and I'm sorry you've been feeling this way." The half-truth tumbled easily from his mouth, and he twisted, looking down at her with concern. He could see that he's hurt her deeply with his words but her spine straightened in response to the condescending words. He winced inside. This was not easy for him, but he couldn't ruin what he had with Penny. She was his everything. He softened his tone. "I hope we can still be friends."  

"...Right. Friends." She looked away and rose to her feet, straightening her clothes. "I'll go get Penny. We should get our story straight for tonight."

"Nothing is to be said to her of this." He stressed it coldly, knowing that she wouldn't have anyway.

"I really don't know who you are," said Neila, her eyes bright with tears again. She walked out the door and slammed it behind her.

Jasper took another cold shower, music blaring on a hard rock station, and kept up a continual string of curses the whole time.