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We were running. Just running. So I had some time to think.
It still seemed so unbelievable that just a month ago I had been ready to kill my friends and (whether I liked to admit it or not, my 'family') over something like Bella being changed.
It seemed incomprehensible now, looking back on it, that I had been so mad. Imprinting had helped, obviously, but how could I have ever thought that Bella, my Bella, would be a monster? She's my 'sister' and I guess it helps that I see it now.
Vampirism, I nearly scoffed at the casual reference to the once nightmarish word, was nothing to kill over, as long as it was wanted.
Even Sam, who I didn't always see eye to eye with (hence the whole two packs mess) had been right about that one. Before he had gone mental about Nessie; then he was just plain wrong.
Sam's actually the reason that we're running. We're meeting Sam and Jared, Sam's second, to discuss some pack issues. I frowned as I remembered Sam's vague message:
We have some issues that need to be discussed and problems that need to be resolved. This should be done face to face. Sam had thought to me in our unusual (or usual, depending on who you asked) way of communication. Bring your Second. He had tacked on, almost as an afterthought.
Leah, Seth, and I had thought about what Sam could possibly have to talk about. We'd been forgiven, and promises were made never to harm Nessie, but Sam and I weren't exactly best friends, or close to it yet.
From Sam's wording, issues and problems, this was not just a 'long time no see' visit. What had happened? The stress had been eating at me and I was happy to finally hear what Sam had to say.
So I was running, with Leah, towards a little clearing near the Cullen's baseball field, finding it hard not to worry.
Leah's thoughts suddenly popped into my head,
You know they're going to be shocked to see me. They must think you're bringing Seth. Sam and Jared would not want to see me.
I could hear the sadness and bitterness she was trying to hide behind a neutral tone. I felt bad for Leah, she had been trying to get away from Sam, and now she had to go back...
I switched my train of thought quickly; Leah hated nothing more than pity.
Well, I thought back, you're my Second, so don't worry about what they think. 'We're going to shut up and drive!'
Leah gave a barking (or howling) laugh at my use of that line. It was from one of her favourite movies, Stick It: bitter, misunderstood, good kid gets her dreams and rebuilds her life. Haha, that doesn't sound familiar at all.
I guess... I just hate the- the- everything!
Well, now that that's all cleared up...I thought sarcastically.
Sorry, I'm just fed up. Sam can take all his imprinting and sexism and 'don't be intentionally mean' and 'we're a family...but I wish you would disappear' and pity and go STRAIGHT TO HELL!!! She finished, mentally screaming...but I guess it's not your fault. Sorry. In a slightly more composed tone.
What do you have to be sorry for? Feelings? Don't be ridiculous Leah, it's good to just vent every now and then. I remembered how many times I had tried to start a fight with Paul this summer and venting had seemed like a perfect solution to every problem. Let your guard down every now and then.
She seemed to be thinking it through, until we were almost at the edge of the clearing.
Let's phase.
Kay, I'll see you in a minute, she said as she faded out.
I phased back and pulled on some old sweats of Emmett's that I had torn off at the knees. The fashion police pixie nearly had a panic attack at the destruction of the designer sweats, but her husband or boyfriend or mate or whatever he was posing as now had got her calmed down enough to stop yelling at me. That was actually pretty funny.
Leah came back to where I was, wearing a dirty white t-shirt and cut-off jean shorts. It looked like she hadn't changed in weeks, which she probably hadn't.
"That's a beautiful shirt, Leah," I said trying to stifle a laugh, as we walked towards the edge of the trees.
"Go to hell," she muttered.
"Touchy, touchy..."
"Shut up, pedophile," she said, without missing a beat. Well, that was a new one.
"Bitch," I said restraining a smile. Sarcastic Leah I could deal with, it was the vulnerable Leah that was new.
"That's female dog to you, Almighty Alpha, sir."
"Sure, sure," I said patronizingly. She just mock-glared.
I hadn't noticed Sam and Jared watching us until just then. They looked like they had just seen aliens step out of the trees towards them.
Our heightened senses probably meant that they had heard our conversation, but that still didn't explain why they both had their eye brows pulled together and mouths slightly open.
I tried to discretely look at Leah and me to see if either of us had forgotten something important, like clothes, but we both looked normal.
That's when I noticed that they weren't staring at me. They glossed over me and glued their eyes to Leah. Well, that was a bit rude. Leah had been right about them being shocked alright. She was carefully avoiding eye contact with anyone.
Sam had the decency to look away after a while, but he still looked a bit puzzled. I looked over at Leah and saw the same Leah I had been seeing for the past month or so: sarcastic, defiant, and surprisingly calm and content.
Oh. Right. They hadn't seen her at all. They were expecting the bitter harpy, and from our conversation, they weren't seeing her.
Jared, in his charismatic way, decided to break the silence. "Is Seth okay?"
Seth, I thought, he brought us all the way out here to ask about Seth?!
Leah answered, looking as puzzled as I was, "Seth's fine, thanks. Why?"
He turned to me, "Then why'd you bring her?"
Well, if that was how it was going to be...I was about to explode, when I suddenly thought better of it. I wanted to hear what they had to say, not end up ripping Jared into pieces.
I put on my best extremely confused face and said, "Oh. I'm sorry; I thought you wanted me to bring my Second."
"We did," he replied, clueless, "but...Wait! You made Leah your Second?" Well that took long enough.
"Well, that would explain why she's here," I replied in my best I'm talking to a 2 year old voice.
Jared opened his mouth to say something, but Sam, sensing that we were treading on thin ice, cut him off. "We were hoping to discuss the situation with the numbers of the packs," Sam said a bit too loudly not to sound forced.
It was my turn to be confused, "What do you mean?"
"There are enough boys phasing to keep up two packs, and Quil and Embry want to join yours. Are you okay with that?" He cut right to the chase. Sam kept glancing at the suspiciously calm Leah, waiting for her to explode. This meeting was going to be short seeing as Sam was trying to get away ASAP.
Was I okay with that? Of course I was okay with that, what a stupid question. They're my best friends; but would Leah like the idea?
I looked over at her, trying to find out what she thought, but she was avoiding my eyes. She looked disappointed for some reason, but I didn't know what.
I tried to get her attention, "Leah, what do you think? Wanna give ordering Quil and Embry around a try? It's kinda fun..."
That had its desired result, as her head snapped around to mine, "You wouldn't want one of them to order me around?"
Wait, what did she mean by that? Would I want one of them to... Oh. Right.
"Nah. Leah, they're my best friends," I swallowed, "but you're my sister," I snorted, remembering Seth's thoughts about that: Don't worry, we can share. "Seth said we could share."
She actually looked really touched, before she masked it. "Thanks Jake," she muttered. In a much louder tone, she continued, "Well in that case, bring on the pups!"