Jasper 1

Warning: IF you're looking for a short story or with explicit contents, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.

This story is an original copyright. Any similarity is pure coincidental. Forgery or publishing without the permission of the author is fraudulent.

Critics are more than welcomed. This is my first story to be published; please comment freely so I can improve my writing and makes it a pleasure for you to read as it will be for me when I write.

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PROLOGUE

THE CLOUDS above were smoky grey, a sign of an oncoming storm. A small boat bobbed on the sea, its lodgers unaware of the treacherous weather. The wind was picking up, and far in the distance, seagulls were crying aloud. Yet, they were oblivious to it.

Except for the navigator and his friend. Me.

"Can we go back?" I asked Stephan.

"It's too late," he replied grimly. "Tell the others to stay in deck."

I stood up from my slack sitting-position and hurried up the stairs.

"Oh, hell."

I looked up and said, "Yes, hell."

Without delay, I rushed up to the deck where Stephan's friends and their girlfriends were and shouted, "We have a giant wave coming our way!"

One minute I was holding on to the rail as the

boat bounced precariously, the next minute water was gushing into my mouth and down my throat in huge volume. A hand gripped mine and tried to pull me up. But whoever was trying to help me failed as the salt water blinded my senses, pulling me deeper as I fell harder.

I fought helplessly, trying so hard to breath. So stifling, so smothering. I tried to shout for Stephan. Tried to reach for him.

Then, darkness came and I didn't remember anything.

CHAPTER ONE

I OPENED my eyes to meet the sharp gaze of the sun. My body felt so weak that I didn't move for a moment. My brain tried to work out where I was. First, what was cushioning my body? Second, why was I so cold despite of the sun? Third, why did my whole body itch like hell?

Everything came back, so sudden that I moaned my pain. I elbowed up to sit, and found myself alone in a beach.

A groan sounded and I looked to its source. Well, I wasn't alone anymore. Hooray? Nope. Not going to say that because the person who was groaning was none other than Jasper.

Oh man, of all the guys in the world, why was I alone with him? Where were the others? Where was Stephan when I needed him? Darn.

Ignoring the pain and the itchiness, I struggled to my feet and waded into the sea. Washed my face with the salt water, tried to untangle my hair, and finally took of my coat. It was pulling me with its weight. At least I wore a black tang top inside. I also took off my Jeans and was glad that I wore tight pants underneath. Yeah, I know, it was dumb but at least my dumbness saved me two items.

I looked around us. Besides the sea and the beach, I could see a small green spot a few distances away. Probably another island. This meant that I was now in an island, too. Man, talk about dream coming true. If Stephan were here, he would say, "Schmuck. These suck!"

Attempting to be unaware of the shape of my beefy legs exposed to naked eyes, I approached a clean big rock and lay my wet coat and jeans on it.

"Where are we?"

"AH!" I shouted. I turned my back, glowered at Jasper, and stalked away. Oh, I so hated it when someone shocked me like this. Did he think it was funny? Okay, he didn't know that I hated to be shocked but it still hurt.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jasper the Smoking Hot Guy called after me.

"None of your business," I muttered.

Born in a city, a totally city girl, I did not have any basic survival instinct. Also, I never had been involved in adventurous activities so that left me feeling stupid and helpless. I hated this. I did not ask for this. I wished Stephan were here.

"STEPHAN! WHEN I GET BACK, I AM SO GOING TO KILL YOU!" I yelled.

Hearing it echoed through the place gave me a slight satisfaction.

I returned back to the beach. Seriously, I was really allergic to trees. This would be a survival test for me because trees, especially ones that gathered like jungles and forests, pissed me off.

Jasper was hacking a tree with his Swiss Army. From what I could see, he wasn't doing anything different at all. I approached a tree of my own choice, one with thinner branch, and searched for its weakness. Then, with a wave, I hacked it off. The moment it hit the ground, a grin flashed and I looked up at Jasper.

What a sore loser. He was smirking at me as if what I did was nothing to him.

"What?" I demanded.

"Show off."

"Why don't you try to call for help?" I asked, clearly angry with him for looking down at me. At least I managed to hack of a branch. What did he do? Nothing at all.

"This is a waste of time," he complained. "Of all the people in the world, I have to be stuck with you, a stinking hippo!"

Wow that hurt very bad. I thought he was quite decent regardless of his popularity. He always looked so cool and cold that nothing could break his icy facade. I was wrong. He was also a spoilt brat like me. Mayhap we would get along just fine because he hated me as much as I loathed him, now.

I shook my head, disapproving him. He waded into the sea and splashed the water furiously, swearing whomever he wanted with no decorum, and then returned to the shore, panting heavily. Foolish. He could make himself useful by helping me make an SOS.

I tried to remember what Stephan had taught me about making a fire. A scout man through and through, he never stop telling and reminding me about these stuff, even making quizzes about them. Since he was the only male human being who cared to befriend me from the first time I moved here, and became my best friend until now, I tolerated him willingly.

"Help me gather driftwoods," I told Jasper before leaving him to flip over my clothes on the rock.

Grudgingly, he did. After a while, a fire was burning and we were sitting opposite each other. I was surprised that he knew how to start a fire with two stones. Not a total jerk.

"I prefer Stephan to you," I told him, breaking the lethargic silence.

The sky was darkening, and already stars were scattering up above. It was a rare sight in the city. The metropolitan life had engulfed the nature so much so that we seldom remember what simple things can give us. Satisfaction. Contentment. Peace. Tranquility.

"We forget how small we are when we're in the city," I continued. "Such things that is so beautiful and natural. Like the stars. No fluorescent lights or disco balls can replace the stars."

"No wonder no guy has ever find you attractive," he muttered.

I threw a small stone at him and feigned ignorance.

"HEY!" He shouted.

"I cannot believe how much you stink under your indifferent mask," I said. "Insulting people is such a childish attitude. Don't you think?"

Jasper rolled his eyes and lay back. I went to the sea, behind the rock and away from Jasper, stripped myself, and cleaned myself. By the time I pulled on my semi-dry coat and Jeans, I was shivering madly. I ran to the fire, set my clothes to dry, and decided to turn in as well.

CHAPTER TWO

"WE'VE BEEN stuck here for three days," Jasper said furiously. "My hp's flat! Yours is gone! No one is around! There's no way we're going back!"

"Man, you are so lame. How can you give up that easily? Is that why Kathleen left you? Because you give up so easily?"

"That's none of your business!" He snarled.

"OH, really? The last time I remember, it was my business because she's my cousin!" I snapped.

Our eyes locked. His red hair blazed with fire as my black one glowed with the moonlight. Not.

Our eyes did meet, but it was only the ray of the fire that made his seemed to burn. Just like his name, it was as red as the gem. He threw away the stick in his hand and marched off into the jungle. In spite of his anger, he was quite thoughtful.

After a few moments, he returned with a few coconuts in his hands. I watched him cut the top painstakingly with his Swiss Army. It was quite a work especially when he had to use such a small knife. But, after a long time, he managed to cut off four.

Knowing that I had no instrument or skill, he thrust one to me. My thirst disappeared and I sighed with relish. Pure coconuts, so difficult to find in advancing and contaminated city. I used a thin stick to peel the inside and ate slowly.

We finished and dried them up, and then I arranged them on the rock where I dried my clothes.

"You know, I still don't understand how you ended up with Stephan," he spoke.

"Don't be a jerk," I said.

"He's such a cool guy and you, on the other hand, is so...so-"

"Shut. Up. You think you're so cool? You're worse than I thought! Selfish, self-centered, particularly obnoxious and unbelievably irritating!"

In my rage, I threw a coconut shell at him and stood up. Kicking the sand with my bare feet, I turned to him and demanded, "What is the matter with you? What sins did I do that you hate me so much? Why would it bother you that I am not as skinny as your lamppost girlfriends are? Why would you care if Stephan and I were close? I can't believe how narrow-minded you are, insulting someone who is not perfect in your eyes!"

"Damned it!"

Jasper stood up and stalked to me. He took my arm and shook me thoughtlessly.

"Let me go!" I shouted.

Somewhere in the middle, I forgot that I had black belt in taekwondo. I tried to push him away but the more he shook, the more rattled I was. I had motion sickness, so too much movement can trigger it. Like what he was doing to me, I became so dizzy and light-headed that tears streamed down my eyes.

Suddenly, he released his grip. I crumpled to the floor like a wilted flower, and curled myself into a ball. Shutting my eyes, I forced myself to focus on stopping the faintness.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Are...are you okay?"

I moaned in reply. Okay, coconut shit! What I really needed wouldn't probably here. Something sour, like pickle or lemon. Why, oh why, was he so stupid?

Something rough and warm touched my forehead.

"You're perspiring!" Obtuse Jasper said, dumbfounded.

A stunned yelp escaped from my mouth when he slid his hands under me, followed by amazingly strong arms, and my world fly when he lifted me up. If I weren't ailing, I would have protest and kick his butt. As it was, I curled into him and did something that froze us. I dug my nose into his shirt and smelled him.

He smelt so goooood. Hot, spicy, salty and very yummy. Like...something warm and calming.

"Come the next day, forget about everything," I told him forcefully. Then, I shut my eyes and succumbed to the spinning world.

I AWOKE to something cold and salty. Wrinkling my nose to the smell that was becoming rather familiar to me, I met a pair of startling green eyes. Somewhere above birds cried noisily. The slapping waves followed, and I recalled what had transpired yesterday. My throat still felt queasy, but fortunately, it was getting better.

"Water," I croaked.

Forcing myself to sit up, I took the coconut from Jasper and drank it in one gulp. I was surprised to find myself feeling really thirsty. Jasper kept on thrusting coconuts into my hand until I had enough.

"Wow, did I drink all that up?" I asked, amazed to find ten empty coconuts lying on the sand.

"What do you think?" Jasper muttered as he gathered them up and began to dig into the shell for the inside. I watched weakly as he filled up three of them before collecting the rest and went to the rock. Without delaying, I took two of the shells and finished them. Then, I took the rest and, by the time he returned, they were gone.

"Don't tell me you ate everything?" Jasper asked with disbelief.

I looked at him sheepishly, "Sorry, but...I was so hungry! I'll help you find more!"

I began to get on my feet.

"No, you just stay there. It's not as if you really can. Can you? Climb?" He asked.

I stomped my foot and said, "That's not fair!"

Jasper smirked before walking away into the jungle. Livid, I practically march to the rock, stand behind it where no one could see, and strip. My bra had gone unwashed for three days, as well as my panties that I decided to dry them on a smaller rock below the bigger one, I just hoped Jasper didn't see them. He would most probably laugh at how big they were.

After that, I pulled off my shirt and skirt and rubbed my skin roughly. Somehow, I was glad that I could use the seawater every day. You see, I had this illness-eczema-for quite some time, like, ten years, and it worsened for four whole years. Now, I was still speechless when I looked at my clear and flawless skin.

When I had my fill, I grabbed my coat and Jeans, folded the cuffs up, and approached the fire.

"Who's your favorite singer?" I asked, suddenly curious to know.

"My favorite singer?" Jasper asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, favorite singer? I just want to know. After all, it's been four days and you haven't helped me do an SOS."

Jasper scowled. My heart raced wildly, unexpectedly. I have never thought that he was not only cute and handsome, but also captivating, especially when he was mad.

"Well, since I'm stuck with you..."

"Jasper!"

"I guess I can answer that. Just don't tell anyone. Only Stephan knows. And you, now," he warned.

Now, that sounded really mysterious. A popular guy telling me to keep a secret. Didn't he know that I could use it against him as a weapon when things didn't go well between us? Oh, this better be good.

"A promise of a Scouts girl," I said as I crossed my heart.

"You're no Scouts!"

"Stephan is."

"I don't see the connection."

Laughing silently, I shrugged my shoulders, waved my hand at him, and asked him to ignore me.

"Amy Lee," he relented.

I gaped. Literally. All of my life I had been worshiping the vocalist of Evanescence without knowing anyone who shared my fanatic passion, without meeting anyone who at least listened to it, and here, in front of me, the hottest guy of Pine Cross College of my batch was telling me that he loved Amy Lee?

I couldn't help pinching myself.

"OW!"

"Why did you do that for?" Jasper looked at me as if I was stupid to pinch myself.

"You're not pulling my legs, are you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Stephan, I am so, so going to kill you. Literally!" I muttered under my breath. That was not fair. Stephan knew how much I wished to meet anyone who loved Amy Lee but he never even hinted that there was someone else who did. Maybe, knowing how much a zealot I was when it came to Amy Lee, he decided to keep mum. On the other hand, even if he told me that Jasper worshipped Amy Lee, the fact that he was Jasper itself would deem my excitement.

"Well, that's shocking," I mocked. "You're Gothic!"

"SHH!"

"Jasper, there are only you and I here," I pointed obviously to him, raising my eyebrows to emphasize how silly he was being.

"Besides, your secret is safe with me," I added, pleased with me.

CHAPTER THREE

"IF I'M dead will be together...aw... At the end of the world... All the last things I see..."

Two weeks. Jasper finally had gathered enough wood to create a bonfire. We agreed to light it up tonight and the next day, keeping another for when we saw a boat or ship.

I found a drifted buoy-of all the things in the world-and used it for a pillow. We also finally helped each other to make a decent banana rug from the banana leaves for lying down so that we did not have to sleep on the cold sand anymore. Now that banana was added to our diet, we alternated between coconuts and bananas.

It felt like being in the Sims2 Castaway, except that this was real, not a game. I did not know how long my tight pants would fare. My Jeans and top were still okay, but I had to give my coat to Jasper since his own polo had gone missing. I bet it was a monkey, not that I was telling it to him.

"That polo was the first gift I had from Jema!" He barked at no one.

Jema was his twenty- thirty-something girlfriend, a Cuban with ebony hair and tall figure. I envied her because she had curves. Fatefully, she dumped him because she caught him locking lips with another girl. Served him right. You go, girl!

Actually, after fourteen days stuck with him, I didn't find him hateful at all. He was a very entertaining company to have and we had reached the point where we can conduct civilized communication. He was opening up to me, not hostile or judgmental, without realizing it himself.

That evening, we stood side by side, watching the first bonfire sizzled to life. The heat was welcoming, very appreciated, because it chased away the cool breeze of the sea.

"I hope someone will see," he mumbled.

It seemed that luck wasn't with us. By the time the fire became ashes, and the sign of dawn arrived from the lightening sky, no one came. Jasper kicked the leftover and stalked off, swearing incoherently.

It was at that moment when I realized how helpless and hopeless our circumstance was. We were stuck in an island, somewhere we didn't know, with no sign of other people living, too. We would have to eat banana and coconut, sleep on banana leaves by the fire, smelling as fishes do, and nothing else to do besides waiting.

Tears rolled down my eyes. I sobbed aloud. My body dropped to the floor and I bent up my knees and hid my face in my hands. How was I going to survive this?

"This is your entire fault," Jasper suddenly said. "If you had warned us earlier, I would have been able to get inside instead of been swept away by the wave! If you had come earlier, I wouldn't be stuck with you!"

"So now it's my fault?" I exclaimed as I stood up and faced him.

"Hell, yeah!" He yelled.

Heaving my chest rapidly, so livid and infuriated beyond words, I screamed, "HOW WAS IT MY FAULT WHEN YOU AND YOUR STUPID FRIENDS WERE BUSY MAKING OUT LIKE BUNNIES, LIKE ANIMALS ON THE DECK, THAT YOU WERE TOO BUSY TO SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT THE WEATHER HAD CHANGED? IF I HADN'T COME TO WARN YOU, I WOULDN'T BE HERE STUCK WITH YOU! IF I HADN'T COME TO WARN YOU, I WOULD BE WITH STEPHAN INSTEAD OF YOU, A STUPID, SELFISH, OBNOXIOUS MAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN!"

"You dare!"

I didn't see it coming. A hand slapped my face, so hard that my ear ringed and my body unbalanced. I fell on my butt, and I became numb. Why did he hit me so hard? Touching the side of my face he had violated, I looked up to him and stared.

"You'll regret this one day, Jasper, this I promise you," I whispered.

Without a word, I dragged my feet and traced back to the shore. I shouldn't feel this acute ache in my heart, but there it was. The first time he handled me brutally-I had forgiven him. Twice, now, I wasn't sure I would. Even the sight of the second and third bonfires couldn't soothe my pain.

CHAPTER FOUR

TWO FORTNIGHTS. Still no help coming our way. Usually, at this time of twilight, we would wait by the fire and relish in the exceptional serenity. The wind blew at our face playfully, the scent of salt lingering along.

However, ever since that incident four days ago, we ceased communicating. I refused to look at him, ignored the food he brought, and kept my distance. Since I knew where I could find my own banana outside the jungle, I fended for myself.

Funny, I was so blinded to see how egoistic he was. He never even once apologized. Not for the time when he triggered my motion sickness, or the time he printed his handprint on my cheek.

"Soon far away... It's growing colder... Without your love... Why can't you feel me...? Calling your name... Can't break the silence... It's breaking me... All my fears... Turned to rage... And I'm alone now... Me and all I stood for... Nothing worth fighting for... We're wondering now..."

Jasper suddenly pulled me onto my feet.

Instinctively, I pushed him away.

"Hey, I'm not talking to you!" I shouted.