DISCLAIMER: I do not profess to own Twilight or any of Stephenie Meyer's works. Sucks to be me, right? Anyway, here we have my newest fan fiction. It is Blackwater, so beware of excessive cursing, sarcasm, and maybe even a little bit of fur flying.
"I hate the way you talk to me and the way you cut your hair…"
JACOB
"Get your feet off the coffee table, douche. I just dusted it and I don't want your muddy boots messing up my hard work." Her voice was nails on a chalkboard. I felt the need to spit out an equally venomous comment dripping with sarcasm, but I resolved that it was probably better for my health if I let Leah have this one. She was on a rampage today and it wasn't just because she'd injured her paw last night on patrol. No, Sue had volunteered their backyard for a pack picnic and everyone was allowed to bring their imprintees which meant that Sam would be there with his beloved Emily. And of course, this only meant that Leah would be twice as antsy and annoying as ever. Sometimes she was worse than the leeches. She had the talent of sucking the fun out of everything.
I obliged her just this once, mostly because I wasn't really in the mood to duke it out with the likes of Leah. Bella's wedding was a day away and its eminent arrival was a huge weight on my shoulders. I couldn't bear the idea that in just a day Bella would be married to IT and soon after she would become a walking ice cube. Warm sweet Bella…
"Yo, brainless. Wake up. Are you going to help make food or what? I'm not about to cook all this food on my own." Leah snapped her fingers in my face. She was wearing an expression of the utmost impatience. Be nice Jake. She can't help that she's a sniveling witless harpy.
"Like you could cook anything on your own. I'm just here to get the fire extinguisher when I need to put out your hair." I muttered grudgingly getting up from my spot on the Clearwaters' very comfortable couch. It was ancient in that it was in its best seventies puke-plaid style, but it had that home feeling like when you sat down you knew that right here nothing could truly go wrong. Leah gave me a dry look, turning and marching prim and proper-like to the kitchen.
"I'm making potato salad dimwit. And you get to mix the chip dip. I thought I'd give you a simple task you could handle." Leah: ever the silver tongue. If she weren't such a bitch we might have gotten along fine…then again, maybe if I didn't mope so much I'd be easier to deal with too. Well aren't we just two peas in a miserable little pod. The loves of our lives are both getting married soon. Mine sooner than hers, so I suppose that I have greater reason to be pissed, but then again Leah lost Sam to what I've come to affectionately refer to as "true love". But then if you factor in that Bella will be turned into a vampire after her wedding, the most despicable thing on the face of this earth (the vampire, not the wedding), I've got the worse end of the deal even if Leah did lose Sam to her somewhat sister. Crap, I'm overanalyzing this.
I stepped into the Clearwater kitchen, carefully examining the pale blue walls. It was a fairly big kitchen with a wide set of glass doors on one side that appeared to be brand new. There was a floral etching on the glass that looked like it had been done by an artist rather than a pattern. The curtains on either side of the doors were a darker shade of blue than the walls and they appeared to have a fleur-de-lis pattern that repeated itself in neat little rows. The cabinets in contrast looked older and the paint seemed to be chipping in places. The oven looked similarly ancient and rusting alongside the fifties-style refrigerator which was just screaming to be tossed into a dumpster and carted away on the next garbage run. The room was filled with little knick knacks that I surmised Sue and Harry had collected over time. I didn't miss the abundance of fishing paraphernalia that looked all too much like my dad's tackle box. Leah was working diligently at the kitchen table (covered interestingly enough with a plastic yellow-checkered table cloth: can you say clash).
Leah handed me the bowl of chip dip wordlessly. It became apparent to me that she had already thrown in the ingredients and it was my job to set to work mixing and mashing the cream cheese, onions, and other various ingredients I didn't think I wanted to know anything about. I briefly wondered where Seth was, glancing through the windows to see if I could spot his familiar lanky build in the woods beyond the old swing set and rusted grill. The little pup could be seen nowhere; I didn't even see the flicker of a sandy tail.
Grumbling, I turned back to the kitchen table and settled myself in one of the small white chairs. I wished for the grounding company of the younger wolf. It was easier to stomach Leah if Seth was around. He was an impossible person to hate. He was the type of kid who could annoy the crap out of you, but at the same time you can't help loving him more than you did a moment before. I like to think of him as the little brother I never had, though to be honest I had enough siblings as it was. I didn't see my sisters Rachel and Rebecca very often as they were always off living their own lives outside of La Push. Rachel was supposed to be coming back this summer from college but there was still no word from Becca. It didn't really surprise me. Becca hasn't been back much since Mom died and I can't really blame her. Mom died before I reached the age of ten but I knew that she and my sister were two peas in a pod, more so than Becca and Rachel were. They weren't exactly your stereotypical twins. In the end, Becca was the mother I lost and Rachel was the crazy fun aunt I never had.
"So where is Seth?" I asked nonchalantly, mashing the dip more violently than was necessary. It smelled faintly of onion and I suddenly found my mouth watering. I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast, mostly because I'd overslept, so my stomach was begging for sustenance. It growled loudly, catching a shocked look from Leah. Her thin dark eyebrows arched and a small smile crept up her face.
"I sent him out to get hamburgers and hot dogs for the grill before you got here. He should be back any second." She held in a comment about my hunger and instead continued to slice and dice potatoes. Her hands were quick and skillful and I couldn't help but notice that she was very conscious of every movement her agile fingers made. She looked like a chef on one of those famous cooking shows like Bobby Flay or even Rachel Ray and her magical 30-minute meals. I couldn't deny I was mildly impressed. "You know he's going to flip his lid when he sees you. You're basically his idol Jake. You disappear for weeks into the forest, all wolfed out and utterly stoic and all of the sudden you reappear happy to be a human again and decide it would be a good time to rejoin the pack. He will be off the walls." Leah said, not taking her eyes off the food she was preparing.
"I was afraid of that." I scrunched up my nose in distaste, lifting the spoon in my hands to examine the off-white gunk dripping off of it. "He's practically stalker material. If we weren't both obligated to protect the world from vampire scum I might've taken out a restraining order years ago."
"Hey! Don't knock my brother. You're asking for a fat lip, Jacob Black. I know Seth can be a pain but he's ten times better as a person than you are." Leah snapped and for a moment I could just barely see the werewolf beneath her bronze-tinted skin. Her frame shook just the tiniest bit and I could see the lioness protecting her cub. It struck me that Leah would do just about anything to protect Seth. She was a good older sister. I wish that were still true about my sisters.
"Yeah that is probably true." I could quickly see that she wanted to knock that smirk right off my face. It was a hobby of mine to push Leah's buttons and sometimes it was easier than others. She could see now that I would never do anything to hurt Seth and I was instead just trying to mess with her.
"One day, Jacob Black, you're going to say something to set me off and you will be limping home." She wagged her knife at me and I felt my eyes cross as I concentrated on where the point was in proportion to my face.
"Be careful where you're pointing that. Don't want to mark this pretty face." I wagged my spoon at her. Bad move. The dip on the end splattered on her face a little and I could almost see her dark eyes roll back in her head in that perfect Exorcist style. Very slowly she set down her knife and reached up to wipe the white droplets off her face. She opened her eyes to examine the dip residue on her fingertips. I held in a snort, hiding my face rather unsuccessfully behind the bowl of dip.
"You are very lucky that murder is still punishable by federal law at reservations, Jacob." She said, wiping her hands on a wash rag and turning from me. She was controlling her temper quite well. She pulled back her short black hair into a ponytail, her bangs falling across her forehead. Leah soon busied herself with boiling water for macaroni and cheese. From then on we didn't acknowledge each other's presence until the front door burst open with a lanky boy laden with groceries. He looked like he'd bought the entire candy stock of Wal-Mart.
"I decided to get some dessert!" Seth called over the pile in his arms. I raised a single eyebrow at Leah from where I sat, setting the bowl of dip on the table. Leah rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead, merely leaning over the sink to strain the macaroni noodles.
"Jeez Seth, did you buy out Willy Wonka?" I stood to take a few bags off the fifteen year olds hands. I could almost hear his eyes bug out of his head as he heard my voice. I had to keep from cracking up as I set the bags down on the table and began unloading the hamburger meat, hotdogs, and various other coma-inducing confections. I had no doubt that the pack could easily consume all of it.
"Jake! I didn't know you were coming. I thought you'd still be with Billy. I mean, you were gone so long and you weren't with the pack last night so I figured you were on hiatus." Seth's mouth was moving a million miles a minute and it was hard to decipher what he was saying.
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down, Seth. I'm just here for the food. Not that I could trust anything your sister makes." I snickered and dodged the rag Leah had thrown at me in response. "Damn Seth. You must've held Hershey's at gunpoint or something. Did you pass a candy armored van on your way home or was there a ten billion for one sale at the mini mart?"
"I'm hungry. Everyone knows you buy more when you're hungry." Seth explained and I noticed he too was salivating over the food in the room. "The only way anything Leah made would be bad for you is if she poisoned it special for you, Jake. She was trained by the best."
"Who? Wolfgang Puck?"
"No, Sue Clearwater, dimwit." Leah sneered, mixing in the liquid cheese with the noodles. They were steaming and filling the air with light heat. The smell of cheddar filled the air and my stomach clenched angrily. I had not treated it fairly today and it was on full protest mode. I was waiting for shouting and picket lines. I picked up a candy bar off the table, ripping off the wrapper and stuffing it in my mouth. My stomach grumbled agreeably and I couldn't help sighing in satisfaction. "Don't eat that. You'll spoil your appetite." She slapped the back of my head and I swatted her with the candy wrapper.
"Who are you, my mom?" I snapped, swallowing the rest of the candy whole.
Before she could respond we heard the front door open again and Sam and Emily appeared in the doorway. As always, I was struck by the scars tainting Emily's skin. It was hard to miss and as always I felt guilty for noticing it every time she walked into a room. She was always such a nice girl and I couldn't help feeling bad for staring. I looked away quickly, picking up the abandoned bowl of dip and stirring despite the fact I'd stirred it quite enough. I also found the distraction imperative so as not to get pulled into the black hole that Leah, Sam, and Emily seemed to have created between themselves. Seth noticed it too and quickly began ripping open packages of meat and buns.
"Food smells good." Sam stated awkwardly, removing his hold around Emily's waist to instead take her hand. Leah merely nodded and began pouring the macaroni and cheese into a huge bowl. She too seemed to be trying to distract herself, no matter how ineffectual her distractions may have been. She set to work with the hamburgers, pulling them from Seth's grasp.
"You're telling me. I'm starved." I said, trying to remove the tension that seemed to paralyze the room. This was what I got for arriving early. I should have dawdled and hung out with Dad. Besides, wasn't it more appropriate for me to be fashionably late? I always did like to make an entrance.
The door burst open and, oh saving grace, Paul, Embry, and Quil entered along with Emily's two year-old niece Claire. "Jared and Kim will be here later. Collin and Brady were both grounded for staying out too late last night on their run. Apparently they decided it was it good idea to sneak out with some girls instead of going home." Embry snickered as the three of them crowded into the kitchen.
"Damn. Why didn't I think of that?" Seth cursed to which Leah slapped the back of his head. I determined that she would forever be his warden. Poor boy. Billy didn't have that kind of authority over me anymore though I don't think I could ever do a thing to hurt my Dad.
"Watch your language boys. We've got impressionable youth in the room. We don't want to offend wittle Jacob." Leah snickered, waving a cheese-covered spoon at me. I glared before turning to Claire who seemed to be pulling at Quil with inhuman strength.
"Unca Jay!" Claire cried. Quil laughed, releasing her hand so that she could tackle me. There was something so true and beautiful about her innocence that it was impossible to ever find her annoying. Though, considering what she put Quil through I don't know if I'd be able to deal with it. "Unca unca unca Jay bawwcckk!" She sang, jumping on my lap and throwing her arms around my neck. She was so enthusiastic; it was hard to deny her a good hug in return.
"Yep. Can't take the La Push out of the boy I guess." I laughed, peeling her off gently and setting her back on the floor.
"Hungwee! Qwil and Cwaire ungweee!!!" She squealed, running back to Quil. She couldn't seem to stay away from him for very long. It reminded me of those childhood crushes kids got on teenagers. It was apparent, however, that Quil held Claire in only the most fatherly admiration. It was such a big change to see him go from pseudo-womanizer to all respect all the time. There was no way in the world that Quil could ever hurt Claire in any way.
"Join the club. Leah, why don't we slap those babies on the grill?" I pointed over my shoulder to the grill that could be seen vaguely through the lines in the etching on the windows. She nodded vigorously, her little ponytail bobbing. I could see she was very glad to get away from Sam and Emily. Her face was even tenser than it had been when I slapped dip on her face. I always found it interesting that she never had a problem blaming Sam but she couldn't bring herself to make a single rash comment to Emily. She was, after all, still going to be a bridesmaid at their wedding. I suppose she thought that his imprinting on her was more his fault than it was Emily's. Considering the risk Emily took and the result…well, no one could really bear to blame her for anything. I doubt she liked being pitied though.
Leah finished gathering up the meats and piled them into my offering arms. She opened the door for me. It swung outward onto the patio. She shut the door behind me and skipped down the patio steps, bounding towards the grill. With matches in hand, she filled the old grill with coal and dribbled just a few tiny drops of kerosene onto the pile before striking the match. She stoked the flames that erupted with a small poker so that they caught in the charcoal. I set the hotdogs and hamburgers on the picnic table next to the grill and watching her work diligently. She seemed all consumed in her work and I couldn't help but admire her self control. Leah and I never really hung out outside of the pack and it was strange to have so much one on one time in one day.
"Sucks to be the ultimate third wheel, doesn't it?" I said, leaning against the table as she began patting burgers together with the ground beef Seth bought. She gave me a single sparing look before directing her attention attentively to her work.
"You are one to talk, Jacob." She spit out, placing the precooked burgers on a plate.
"True. We don't really have a chance, do we?" I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. My brow pulled together and I picked up the spatula Leah had brought out and twirled it between two fingers. She snatched it from my hands, muttering something about how cooking utensils were not toys.
The sky was bright for once. There were only a few wispy clouds tainting the perfection of the endless blue horizon. It was warm and only a light breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. I could see the rays of the sun peeking over the points of the trees that lined the Clearwaters' backyard. The back door opened and I looked back to see Seth leading a very excited Claire to the ancient swing set a few feet from the woods. She giggled and squealed as she settled herself into the faded rubber seat. "Push mweee!" She clapped her hands before clutching at the rusted chains for dear life. Seth trotted behind the seat and took hold of the chains, pulling back and letting go. Claire let out a thrilled yell, her little legs swinging madly.
They were followed by the laughing pair that was Sam and Emily. Both were carrying out the plethora of sweets Seth had bought. "Do you want to rot our teeth, Seth?" Sam called over his shoulder to the boy entertaining the over excitable two year-old. Emily set down box after box of cookies next to me, her eyebrows going up second by second as she observed the sheer number of packages.
"You do realize all of that will be gone by the end of the night, right?" My mouth pulled up in a half smile as I looked at the slight awe on Emily's once pretty face.
"I'm well aware." She laughed, patting my arm. I noted the long scar on her bare arm and couldn't help wincing a little bit. What if I'd ever done something like that to Bella? I don't think I could bring myself to ever look at her again: not out of disgust but of shame. I can tell it hurts Sam to see her as malformed as she is. I suppose that, given I were a vampire, if I changed Bella, I might look at her the same way. Wow, now I understand what's going on in the bloodsuckers head. Ugh. Never doing that again.
"Hey, Leah, when will burgers be ready?" Quil called as he and the rest of the troop exited the kitchen.
"Give it a few minutes. Jesus. You people are more ravenous than six bloodless vampires." Leah snickered, turning over the burgers to reveal a darker brown side beneath the salmon pink. "Alright, who wants what?" She called, turning to catch orders as though she were a short order cook in the flesh. Though, considering that most people here were werewolves the orders were in no way going to be short. Leah, even for a she-wolf, was of no small appetite either.
In true form, everyone began shouting out their orders at full speed. The last to be heard was Claire's shrill voice announcing that she wanted a plain 'cheebuger'. Leah rolled her eyes, shaking her head and wagging her spatula at us all. "Alright, do I need to make this clearer for you knuckleheads? Who wants what, one at a time?" Leah splayed her hands in wait for the first of us to step forward and give our order.
"Just make as many burgers as possible and we'll dress 'em with the fixins. Sound good?" I suggested, sitting on the picnic table and leaning my legs out so that the heels just barely touched the ground.
"Wow. That plan didn't sound half as stupid as I would expect from you Jacob." Leah nodded, clearly impressed by the suggestion.
"I try." I muttered darkly, glaring at her with as much sarcasm as I could muster today.
As much as I enjoyed smashing Leah's face in verbally, I really wasn't up for sarcasm. I wanted to wallow in self-pity, but of course Billy banished me from the house on the pretense that I needed to socialize like a normal teenager. Though I can't comprehend what he could see was ever normal about me. If I wasn't enough of a misfit before I had to grow a tail and dog ears. I guess I fit the role I was put in though. To Bella, well I truly was man's best friend. Ruff ruff.
Jared and Kim arrived in due time, escorting a battalion of pack mates who were just getting acquainted with the radical concept of being a puppy. Of course, Collin and Brady were absentees at this little get together due to their suspect after hour's activities to which even I had to commend them on. It was still a wonder that Leah was the only female werewolf to be 'born' in the pack. I wondered if the doctor lied when he delivered her. Maybe Sue and Harry really just didn't know the difference. Or maybe she's one of those freaks of nature who are born as both sexes. The world may never know.
"First set of burgers are ready for those who want them. Hotdogs coming soon." Leah announced, setting a platter of steaming patties on the picnic table next to me. I reached out to grab a paper plate only to turn back and find the platter empty, having been gorged upon by my fellow pack mates in a matter of seconds. I should have known better than to leave the food unattended.
"Jeez. You people just know how to welcome a guy home, don't you?" I muttered, laying down my paper plate and leaning back on my hands.
"Oh, don't pout so much Jacob. It only makes your face look uglier." Leah commented, handing me a platter of hotdogs instead. I picked up my plate and piled them on before they could get taken away. I set them down when I was satisfied and put them in buns, filling them with all necessary dressings: mustard, horse radish, ketchup, basically everything to make your eyes water and your mouth burn. Yum.
"These are some quality hotdogs, Leah." Embry commented as he took an oversized bite of his own condiment-drowned dog.
"Nathan's. Nothing but the best." Leah replied, making up a few burgers for herself and slapping them with every topping she'd prepared. What was with us wolves and big appetites? I must be robbing Dad blind with my eating habits.
"So Jake, when is Rachel supposed to be in?" Leah asked. She and Rachel had once been pretty close until Rachel ran off to college leaving Leah to rot here at home. I have to wonder, now that she is out of high school, what she could possibly do with all that free time. Did she have a job? Was she taking online classes somewhere? Or was she just staying home to help Sue raise the whirlwind that was Seth Clearwater. I doubted it was merely the latter.
"Next week. First time she'll be home since Christmas circa '04. Should be quite the event." I said around my second hotdog. Rachel and Becca for that matter haven't been back to La Push very much since they disappeared to start having their own lives. I wish I could leave sometimes, but I have a duty here, unlike my sisters. Sometimes I truly envy them.
"We should throw a party." Seth suggested as he dove into a rather large pile of macaroni and cheese. I was often amazed how much the boy could pack down. Granted, I could still beat him in a hot dog eating contest, but he could definitely give me a run for my money, despite our blatant size difference (a.k.a. about half a foot and fifty pounds).
"No! There will be no parties. Like my tiny house could fit all you kooks anyway." I snapped, grimacing at the very idea of such chaos in the confines of my home. The claustrophobia would be enough to suffocate me. And with Leah there I'd probably take to bludgeoning someone with our little couch and then I'd have federal murder charges on my hands. Granted, murder isn't that daunting to me, though I get the feeling I'd feel guilty for taking Sue's only daughter away after the death of her husband. And Seth? Well, Seth might be better off with one less woman watching over him like a hawk.
"It doesn't have to be at your dingy little house. We could have it at the beach. A beach party sounds like just what you need to unscrew the frown from that ugly mug of yours." Leah noted with a bright smile, licking mustard from the tip of her finger. I growled and rolled my eyes, pressing my palms into my eyes in frustration.
"Okay fine. But I'm not going to enjoy it."
"And that should matter to us because…" It was unfortunate that the plate I threw at Quil was filled with hot dogs…
LEAH
"Shit." I cursed, putting my finger in my mouth and sucking, tasting the warm metallic tinge turn salty. The little wound was healing fast but that didn't necessarily stop the pain. I nibbled on the flesh a little, embracing the pain before taking my finger out of my mouth and shaking my hand vigorously. Normally I wasn't so clumsy, especially when washing dishes.
"Cut yourself?" That familiar vile voice questioned. I could taste the smirk in his words. I was almost tempted to take the knife I'd just cleaned and toss it straight at his head.
"Shut the fuck up, Jacob Black. Shouldn't you have gone home by now to pine over your precious brunette bimbo with a pension for ice cubes?" I snipped, wiping my finger on a towel. It stung briefly before I spotted the tiny slice sew itself up. I've never been the fastest healer or the strongest wolf, but I certainly take pain better than anyone. Woman's gift I guess.
Before another thought could pass into my head I was forcibly being turned around at the speed of light. My hair ripped out of the tie at the back of my head and the strands fell around my face in a dark curtain. My eyes grew wide as I looked up at the man who still towered over me, regardless of the fact that I was twice the height of any other girl on the face of the planet. The look of fury on his face was painfully apparent and for a very brief moment I was actually scared. Abruptly I realized how harsh I sounded. I didn't really care all that much, but at least I have the decency to know when I'm being a bitch. Some poor souls are oblivious to how very bitchy they really are. Like Bella for instance. But it's not my place to say is it?
"Never speak of her like that again." His voice was thick with anger. Admittedly it was pretty sexy, at least, it would have been on anyone but him. But considering the reason behind it, well, frankly at this point it was just pathetic. He needed to wake up and smell the crappy tap-water coffee. She chose and there is nothing he can do about it. If we make war on them, fine. He'll just have to deal.
"Jesus. Sorry, Jake. Don't be so sensitive. Save the waterworks for after dark when no one else can see the little boy beyond that pretty face of yours." I smiled despite how uncomfortable I was at how close he was standing and patted his cheek playfully before turning back to the dishes to dry them. "But seriously, why haven't you left yet? I would've thought you'd jump the gun to escape Queen Bitch's wrath." I glanced back at him. He'd taken a pair of steps back and appeared to be attempting to contain his anger. He was breathing heavily, eyes darting back and forth across the torn tiled floor.
He shrugged finally after I'd lifted a questioning brow at him. "Figured I'd hang out with Seth for a little while…but he seems to have vacated faster than Speedy Gonzalez." He scratched the back of his head in befuddlement, staring out the glass doors at the abandoned swing. I laughed and shook my head, scrubbing at a bowl furiously just to occupy my hands.
"He didn't tell you? Boy finally got a girlfriend. He had a date with her after the barbeque. Nothing serious of course, he's not stupid, but I can't really blame him for wanting to be a teenager among this chaos. I mean seriously, since everyone realizes they have no choice over who to fall in love with, they don't even date anymore. It's kind of sad. Destiny is shit if you ask me." I ranted, setting the clean dishware in the cabinets, planting my hands on my hips and turning to look at Jacob. He was watching me strangely, calculatingly. It bothered me more than I'm willing to admit.
"You're right." He nodded where he leaned against my kitchen table, his arms crossed over his chest. It bothered me that he was still standing awkwardly in my kitchen. I had a strange urge to take him by the forgotten carefully constructed ponytail and toss him out my second story window. Granted, he'd be able to land on his feet, but it's the thought that counts right?
"Of course I am. Now, since you know that fascinating bit of info about my little brother's life, why don't you scuttle on home where you're actually wanted." I pushed, tapping my foot anxiously against the worn vinyl floors. He didn't take the hint though. God, this boy could be extremely thick. That window was looking more and more welcome as the seconds ticked by.
"Race me." He stated simply, splaying his hands in offering. Surprise flitted across my face briefly and I could have sworn he spotted it. His expression didn't change but I could see the smile in his annoying brown eyes. Internally I cursed myself before standing up a little straighter to regain what was left of my dignity. I don't really think I succeeded, but points for effort, right?
"Okay. What are the stakes, Chihuahua?" I prompted, lifting a challenging brow at him. He was not intimidating; I didn't expect him to be, but I gotta hope for a little rise. That's the only time it's fun to be around him.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, pip squeak." Jake stated with a smirk. He stepped off of the table and pulled off his t-shirt, laying it on my clean counter. I let out a fierce growl, ignoring his now half-nakedness and ripped it off the counter, tossing it into one of the kitchen chairs violently.
"Don't leave your sweaty clothes on the surfaces that I cook on." I snapped, opening the glass doors and shoving him out into the backyard. I left the door open but stepped back into the house to strip. I wasn't too keen on ruining my best pair of jeans for a whim. Once I was completely nude I transformed, feeling my bones grind and crunch into a form a little more canine. I trotted out into the backyard and kicked the kitchen door shut behind me.
Jacob was already in wolf form, his shoes and jeans tossed onto the porch. He paced back and forth impatiently, huffing and puffing like he was a bull ready to throw down at the rodeo. I couldn't help but laugh, the sound coming out more like a bark than anything else. You ready to get whipped, pup?
Yeah yeah, in your dreams she-wolf. He snorted and lined up at the edge of the forest. I trotted up next to him, dancing a little on my paws. I grinned at him before leaning back on my heels, claws digging into the soil anxiously waiting for his word to go. He gave me a sidelong glance and a loud huff before leaning back as well.
On your mark…
Get set…
GO! He'd said the mark but before he could even move a muscle I was rocketing through the wood and brush, leaving light paw prints for him to follow through the muck. I laughed as I ran, glancing back just once to see his hulking form struggling to catch up. All the other wolves were bigger than I but I had something none of them had: speed. There wasn't a single soul in the pack that could hold a candle to my fast feet. In wolf form or not.
Face it Jake, you've already lost. I thought as I bounded into a clearing and shot like a rocket across the meadow.
I wouldn't be so sure about that Leah. He answered slyly. I looked back in confusion to see him leaping out of the shadow of the trees, fur flying and back arched to pounce. I yelped and scrambled to get out of the way only to be pinned against the ground. Growling, I kicked at his stomach, biting harmlessly at his ankles. I quickly realized that I'd let my guard down. I slackened my speed to gloat and it cost me. Damn it. Damn it is right small fry. I win.
The grin on his furry face was frustrating. I barked at him and clamped my jaw around his neck, pushing up and flipping him over, despite his size. Now I was pinning him down. I beg to differ, Jakey boy. I grinned and shot off again through the forest, making a circle back around to the house.
By the time I'd gotten back into the house and dressed, Jake was panting in the backyard, kneeling over his knees with sweat beading on his brow. "Nice try, but I don't lose easily." I pointed out and trotted over to the rickety swing, sitting in its too-low seat. He'd already at the very least pulled his jeans back on while I was inside dressing. It's not that I can't handle all the nudity, but frankly I've seen enough of their below-standard packages as it is. Clothing is simply preferred. "What's with the impromptu race anyway, Jacob? I mean, it was obvious you'd lose anyway, but what exactly made you want to run fast enough to overtake me: the unbeatable?"
Jacob let out a long sigh before sitting on the grass with his head between his knees. I couldn't help raising a curious brow at him. Briefly he reminded me of Seth and part of me wanted to be the protective big sister and go over and comfort him. But I didn't. It was understating things to say he looked forlorn, a little lost in the big oscillating galaxy that was our Milky Way. To say he looked like a kicked puppy was like saying Michael Jackson looked like the walking dead (too soon?).
"Bella's wedding is tomorrow." He stated simply, his voice gruff and a little off, like he was trying very hard not to let loose any emotions that might betray the fact that he is actually, oh I don't know, human. For a moment we were both silent and still as the forest around us, the only sound being the light rustle of leaves in the wind. It felt wrong to break the silence but I knew he was waiting for an answer, some sort of acknowledgement that I'd been paying attention and at least felt some of his pain. I don't like Jacob but I'm not going to antagonize him for something that we both feel though in completely different situations. I don't like him yeah, but I certainly don't hate him. I empathize with him too much to truly hate him.
"Are you going? To the wedding I mean?" I asked quietly. I'd already been presented with this predicament. Emily asked me to be a bridesmaid and I accepted. I love Emily. I loved Sam. Now I'm not sure if I even like him. But I'm happy that Emily is happy. Even if my love life is all but completely nonexistent, why should I ruin it for anyone else? I'm not a completely heartless shrew. But just because I'm going to be at her wedding does not mean I'm going to smile with genuine glee. Because expecting the impossible is ridiculous in every universe, even one with werewolves and vampires and a totally clueless brunette who obviously needs a good dose of reality. Did I say anything?
"No idea. I'm just…not sure if I can watch her get married to…that." He grimaced, rubbing the side of his face worriedly. He looked far older than he was, bypassing eighteen for eighty. I remember that feeling and while it does sometimes creep up on me at the most inopportune times (like this afternoon for example) I've learned the art of suppressing things so at least they don't come out too wildly. For all my sarcasm and cynicism, I'm probably one of the best at controlling my anger, aside from Jake anyway. I'm often astounded at how much shit that boy puts up with without phasing prematurely. I suppose it's because he is the descendent of the true Alpha.
Pssh. Sam doesn't even deserve the title he stole. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
"I understand that. But at some point, Jake, we've all got to face the music." Even me. It hurt to admit this to myself, but I knew it had to be done. The sooner I let myself accept that this was real life and not some horrible nightmare I couldn't wake up from, the sooner I could move on. Who knows, maybe one day I'll imprint and all this shit will just be water under the bridge.
"But most brides' wedding music is not also their funeral march." He pointed out sagely. I sighed and leaned back in the swing, moving back and forth a little slowly, my heels skimming the dirt. He threaded his fingers into his hair, growling as though embracing the pain. I thought he was going to pull the dark strands out to make a toupee. Abruptly I stood up from where I sat on the swing and folded my hands over my stomach, beginning to hum the familiar wedding march played at every traditional wedding on the face of the planet.
"Imagine I am Bella. And the grill, the grill is Edward." I proposed, taking measured steps towards the grill as I hummed along to my own little orchestra. "I am about to get married to my first love, my strongest love, and while I do love my best friend, I just won't deal with second best. It doesn't matter that I'm abandoning my family and friends to become a bloodsucker. All that matters is my own selfishness. Now don't you feel better that you're not marrying such a heartless bitch?" I turned back to look at Jacob as I reached the grill, dropping my imaginary bouquet in the grass.
"It's not that simple. She's not that simple." He merely replied, his hands clasped over his knees.
I groaned in exasperation. His situation was too similar. I didn't want to live through this song and dance again. I'd already dealt with my issues. Having to deal with them again is just plain torture and frankly is it really fair? I've never been sympathetic or empathetic to anyone. Why can't I just toss Jacob out of my backyard as if his problems meant nothing to me? Which they don't. They definitely don't. "What are you going to do, Jake? Are you going to show up and sweep her off her feet and run away together like in some cheesy chick flick? I hate to tell you this, pup, but life isn't like that. I've embraced my fate (begrudgingly), you should do the same."
He shook his head. "Why not? Why can't life be easier than this fucked up world our ancestors seem to have created?" He ranted briefly, slapping his hands against his knees and sitting up, briefly skimming the edge of his lip with his thumb.
"I don't know, Jake. That's just the way things are." I stated, almost sadly. I understood his angst more than I would like to have. Imprinting, love, all this tacky romance shit, it's overrated. Why can't things just be…equalized?
Jacob stood up and moved to stand across from me where one might expect their groom-to-be would stand. The Edward grill was our little priest. Awkward. "What are you going to do when Emily and Sam get married?" He asked warily, eyes narrowed and cutting. Paired with that question, I thought they might break me in half. I'd been asking myself that question a lot lately. Like Jake, I foolishly hoped secretly somewhere that I would walk in with my bridesmaid dress and bouquet and that would be the end of his little tryst with my best friend and cousin. But I knew they were just pipe dreams. What was I going to do?
I shrugged nonchalantly, though I knew that Jacob could see right through my cool façade. "I don't know. Stand. Smile. Look happy. What else can we do Jacob? It's over." I splayed my hands in acceptance of the fact that I would probably end up being a spinster with 142 cats. Or dogs. Seems more likely that I'd get along better with the dogs, don't you think?
"But it doesn't have to be." He seemed persistent, still holding onto that naïve shred of hope that I had all but completely abandoned long ago. I took a step back shaking my head surely, strands of black hair falling to cover my hazel eyes.
"Stop talking, Jacob." I snapped. He was making me think about this too much. I didn't want to gain any sense of hope from his nonsensical speeches and starlit wishes. There was no point in deluding myself. If he kept this up, I'd hit him. "You can't let yourself believe this stuff, Jake. I hate that you talk yourself into believing that things will be perfect. They won't. This is why no one wants to go on patrol with you to hear your pussy ass whining about how life isn't perfect. Just accept it. Yeah, I still throw shit around, but at least I know a lost cause when I see one." I took another step back and snorted, looking back at the lonely house, a stoic expression plastered to my face.
"Fuck, this was a stupid idea. Why did I even think about talking to you, oh helpful harpy? I hate talking to you. It's like slamming your head into a brick wall. Sam's probably glad he imprinted so he didn't end up marrying all this crazy." The moment the words were out of his mouth, we both knew he'd gone too far. He froze, eyes glued to my forcibly emotionless face. For a very brief moment I thought I might cry; I even felt my eyes blur a little with tears. But not a drop of salt water escaped my lids. I would not cry so easily. And I definitely wasn't about to let Jacob Ass-wipe Black know that he was the one who made me cry.
I turned my head back to look at him very slowly, taking the time to compose my voice so that it didn't crack. "Go home, Jacob. Just get off my property." My voice cracked anyway, but at least I still sounded threatening.
He nodded knowingly and took a few measured steps back. "I'm sorry, Leah. That was out of line. I'll see you later." He nodded once to me before turning and jogging to the gate. I heard the familiar sound of him phasing and then he was gone. I was left alone to the silence of my backyard.
Slowly, mechanically, I walked back into the kitchen, stepping forward to grip the counter for support. I finally let a few tears leak out and drip onto the counter, but not much more than that. When I turned back around to look around the kitchen I spotted Jacob's t-shirt still laying in a kitchen chair. I picked it up, moving it around warily in my hand as though weighing it. I sat in the chair and laid the t-shirt flat on the table before crossing my arms and nestling my head in the crook of them, letting myself fall fast asleep there at the kitchen table.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I'm hoping to finish this one in a timely manner where my other poor babies have been neglected. I promise I'll get back to them again one of these days. Rain might actually have another chapter up here pretty quick and as for Shadow of a Dream, well, I will certainly try my best. I've hit a metaphorical wall so to speak. But anyway, we'll see what happens. No previews for this story. Yeah, I just like to torture you. Also, as a side note, the storyline will be roughly based on Breaking Dawn, at least in the very beginning, but there are going to be a few changes just to make it fit more with the storyline I've got planned. If you've got issues with that, talk to someone who cares because honestly? BD pissed me off and I'm gonna remedy my frustrations. So yeah. End long author's note.