ten.
criminal minds

JT stilled. Alice couldn't save her from whatever her mother wanted to do, but she could sure as hell postpone it.
Her eyes found her mother, who switched her gaze back and forth from Alice to JT. "Whatever," she spat.
JT practically hurled herself out the door, closing it behind her with a solid thud. Alice observed the blonde, seemingly checking every inch of exposed skin.
"Are you okay?" The pixie asked.
"Never better," JT eased. Truly, she was thanking her lucky stars that Alice Cullen had appeared in her life.
They got into Alice's car, which was a sleek black thing that looked like it cost more than JT's entire existence.
"Hungry?"
On cue, JT's stomach rumbled. Her cheeks flushed. "Yeah, a little."
"Esme's making eggplant parmigiana. Hope you like Italian."
JT's mouth watered. She liked Italian food as much as Lauren hated trigonometry.
"Can't wait," JT murmured. She was still in Edward's sweatshirt. Sinking into the leather seat of the car, she basked in the built warmth of the material on her skin. It still smelled just as heavenly as when she put it on.
   Soft French music was playing over the stereo. She caught part of the artist's name. Fleur—
   "Do you like Harry Potter?" Alice asked suddenly.
   A huge smile spread across JT's face. "Really?"
   The pixie girl nodded.
   "I'm a Hufflepuff," JT said.
   Alice gave a wide grin, almost feral. "Me too! Hufflebuddies!"
   JT shifted in her seat to face Alice while still keeping her seatbelt on. She wondered if it was a Cullen thing to drive ridiculously fast. "Who's your favorite teacher?"
   "Trelawney," Alice mused. "I've always felt a bit of kindred towards her."
   "Are you going to read my palms and tell me my future, Alice?"
   The dark haired girl eyed her for a moment before turning back to the winding road. "No, but I do have some rather large glasses at home."
   JT giggled. "Do they make you have googly eyes?"
   Alice laughed too, bells tinkling in a spring wind. "Of course they do."
   They continued to talk of the wizarding world as Alice drove. The girls agreed that while Cormac had the personality of a stale cheeseburger, he was fine as hell. They also agreed on the fact that Percy's betrayal and redemption should've been put in the movies.
   As they drove further into the woods outside of Forks, JT briefly wondered if Alice was taking her somewhere to kill her.
   Okay, what the fuck was that for?
   Maybe she needed to take a break from watching Criminal Minds.
   JT looked at Alice from the corner of her eye. The girl was humming melodically along to a song on the radio and drumming her thumbs on the steering wheel.
   Surely she had nothing to worry about with this girl, right?
   Someone has tried to kill you before, JT. There's plenty to worry about.
   JT brought her eyes foreword as Alice opened her mouth to speak. "Carlisle is off work, so he'll be there. Rose is working in the garage, I think. So you won't need to worry about her."
   "I wasn't—" she cut herself off. She'd been hoping that Rosalie would come out of whatever funk she'd been in.
   "If it helps, she doesn't like Bella," Alice added.
   It did help, but only a smidge. Perhaps Rosalie just didn't like outsiders.
   The trees cleared, presenting one of the nicest houses JT had ever seen. It was three stories tall with a wrap around porch. It looked like it had been built a century ago, but renovated to perfection. The south wall, from what she could see, looked to mostly be windows.
It made her house look like an animal's pen.
"Holy shit," JT muttered.
"Do you like it?" Alice asked as the pulled around behind the house. The back was just as beautiful as the front, leaving JT's jaw hanging.
"Allie, this is gorgeous."
Alice laughed again. "Esme was in charge of all the renovations. She loves architecture."
Eyes still as wide as saucers, JT looked at Alice with a broad smile. "No kidding."
They pulled into the garage, long legs poking out from under sleek car that JT didn't know the name of.
"Come on. Dinner should be ready," Alice called from the door. JT tore her eyes from Rosalie's legs. The Hale girl probably didn't want to talk anyways.
As soon as they entered the main floor, JT had to fight to keep herself from going slack-jawed. Walls had been removed to open the space. Everything was white, beige, or tan, except for the beautiful grand piano on a raised platform.
A shorter woman with caramel hair and a heart shaped face came out of what she assumed was the kitchen. She clapped excitedly upon seeing the two girls. "Oh good," she said softly. "Come, come. Dinner is ready. I hope you like Italian."
"Sì," JT confirmed. "I love Italian."
This must've been Esme, the adoptive mother of her classmates and the wife of her doctor. The architect.
Esme grinned. It was a blindingly beautiful thing that was maternal enough for JT to feel it in the very cells of her body.
Alice lead JT into the kitchen, where Esme prepared her a plate. "How many would you like?"
JT's stomach roared like an angry bear. "Two for now, please. I don't want to steal your food."
"Nonsense, honey. Most of us had late lunches or have already eaten. Eat as much as you want." Esme's voice was honey. Warm, soft, and sweet.
Just as a mother should sound.
JT fought against the sudden lump in her throat. "Thank you, Mrs. Cullen," she said. Sitting on a barstool, JT waited for Alice to get some too.
"Oh! I ate before I picked you up," Alice chirped.
JT's face flushed. She felt odd being the only one to eat in the new space she was in. She would do it, but it would be uncomfortable to do so by herself.
"Mom," Emmett's booming voice drawled out. "I want some more." He came into the kitchen, smiling widely at JT. There was something unnerving about the way he smiled. It seemed as if he was baring his teeth instead of merely flashing them.
"Oh! Then you can eat with JT so she's not the only one." Esme gestured to the seat next to JT.
The large boy sat down with grace unnatural for someone his size. She also noted that he never seemed to make much sound besides his vocal chords.
None of them did.
She shoveled a forkful of the parmigiana into her mouth, a groan escaping her lips at how delicious it was.
Esme was wringing her hands together. "Is it good? It's a... new recipe."
JT nodded vigorously. "Mrs. Cullen, this is the best eggplant parmigiana I've had in my entire life."
Esme beamed. "Please, call me Esme. You are much too kind."
JT swallowed another forkful. "I'm serious. Do you guys have to-go containers somewhere?"
Emmett snorted next to her while Esme smiled adoringly. "I'll pack some for you before you leave," the older woman said softly.
"Get enough?" Emmett asked. JT paused in her chewing.
"You fat shaming me, Emmett?"
His smile dropped. "What? No—"
"Because fat is a temporary caloric imbalance. I'm afraid stupidity is a permanent genetic malfunction."
Emmett's jaw slacked, a smile crossing his face. He looked to his adopted mother. "You hear what she's saying to me?"
"If you're going to make fun of me, don't expect to be babied." JT smirked, shoveling another forkful into her mouth.
"I just said I wasn't fat-shaming you," he protested.
"And I'm you're lucky Rosalie puts up with your dumbass."
"At least I'm not the size of a small mushroom."
"At least I'm the pretty one in all of my relationships."
"No you're not."
"How would you know? Big head." She spread her forefinger and her thumb apart before squishing them together again. "Pea brain."
"Ladies, ladies, you're both beautiful. No cat fights," came Julian's voice as he waltzed into the room like the hardwood was a runway.
"He was bullying me," JT defended. "I am 146 pounds. Words are my only defense."
"Yeah, Emmett. Pick on people your own size," Julian shot, pressing a kiss to his brother's curls before being swatted away.
"Are you done, JT?" Alice interjected.
JT's gaze snapped to her plate, which was now empty. "Yeah."
Alice took her hand and pulled her away from the bar before she could say anything else. The girl might've been small, but she was strong, and there was no resisting her grip.
They came upon the grand piano. It was almost too pretty to look at. JT looked to Alice. "Do you play?"
"No. But you do." It wasn't even a question.
"You do?" Edward's voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once, making JT's heart thunder in brief fright. He was coming down the stairs in an emerald sweater and jeans, yet still managed to look fresh out of a photo-op. She could only imagine what she looked like. Fresh out of the garbage, probably. She was still wearing his sweatshirt, too.
"I only know a few songs," she admitted. "It's been a few years."
"Ed is our resident musician," Alice said pointedly. "Maybe you should play her something."
Edward stared at Alice for a hard moment before sitting on the grand piano's bench. He patted the space next to him.
JT sat down beside him gingerly. The piano seemed special, and she didn't want her clumsy ass to damage it.
Alice had somehow set up an easel and canvas already, and was holding her fingers to her chin in thought. "Maybe you could sit sideways, JT — facing him."
JT nodded, a piece of hair falling into her face as she moved. She pulled a single knee up to her chest and rested her chin on it. Alice must've liked the position, because she began painting.
Edward looked toward the Mallory girl. "Any requests?"
"Moonlight Sonata," she said softly.
He was close enough that she could see the different shades of gold in his eyes. He raised a fluffy brow.
"It's my favorite."
"And so it is," he murmured. He turned his gaze back to the keys, before his fingers became a blur over them.
JT closed her eyes at the sound of Beethoven filling her ears. Edward had a gift. He was extraordinary at yet another thing, she begrudgingly admitted to herself.
She peeled her eyes open to find Edward looking at her as his hands glided across the keys. Blood rushed to her face, but she held his gaze.
She wondered what he was thinking. Was he miserable to be paired with her for this? Did she have sauce on her face? Was her hair as much as a rat's nest as it felt like?
Edward gave her a small, crooked smile before returning to the keys.
The light of the dimming sky played with the shades of auburn in his hair.
And he looked at peace.
At school, he looked uncomfortable, pained even. But now, the lines of furrowed brows and clenched jaws were gone and replaced with serenity.
The piano's chords stroked her ears with calming fingers. She closed her eyes again, missing the way his gaze flickered to her again.
But sitting next to him, JT wanted to save the moment forever.

I love them I love them I love them