I got a rude awakening when Paul ripped me out of my bed, pulling the blankets sharply. I fell onto the floor with a thud and looked up at Paul angrily.
He stuck his tongue out. "Your phone has been ringing like crazy all morning." He threw it at me and I caught it. "Go to school."
We laughed together as he walked out and I stood up. I had thirteen texts, unread, that were all from Emmett. They ended up saying two sentences, one word at a time. Meet me at the border. I think we should talk about some things.
I looked at my phone, confused. I shrugged, tossed my phone on the bed and walked to my closet. I ended up choosing a pair of black jeans, a pink and orange striped t-shirt over a blue tank top, and my leather jacket.
I walked down the steps in mine and Paul's small house that he had saved up to buy. He got it after he was emancipated. He let me live with him, and I helped pay mortgage. His parents paid our bills. Pretty sweet arrangement if you ask me.
Paul was chowing his way through a bowl of cereal, and I followed suit, eating quickly. I waved a quick goodbye, then grabbed my helmet and walked out the back door. I opened the garage and looked at my baby.
The black Kawasaki Ninja gleamed in the early sunlight. I touched it lightly, then opened the garage door and left. I leaned with the weight of her bike as I twisted through the path to the border where Emmett couldn't go past, thanks to the treaty.
When the red Jeep came into sight, I smiled under my pink helmet. Emmett was pretty much my best friend. I was the brains behind the brawn. I knew all about his family's secret, and about the werewolves in La Push. Paul always made me shower when I came home. I went to Forks High, instead of the school on the reservation. It was a sting to my gas budget, but that was okay. Lately, I would walk to the border and Emmett would carry me the rest of the way while he ran. It was way more exhilarating than riding my bike, and I didn't have to wear a helmet.
I stopped and took off my helmet. "Hey you," I said as I tousled my hair and smiled at him.
"Hi there." His normally booming voice was soft in the morning, but I was used to this by now. The last few weeks he had spent less and less time with Rosalie, and more and more time with me. Like, the whole taking me to school thing. We all knew they were fighting, but Alice and Edward couldn't tell us anything. Their thoughts and decisions were too jumbled. "Ditch your bike." I gave him a skeptical look. "Alice already knows it's fine."
I nodded and smiled, then leaned my bike against the tree. I hung the helmet on the handlebar, looking at him. He nodded and cocked his head to the jeep. By the time I was to the door, he was already opening it from the inside. I jumped in and he reached across me, lightning quick, to close it. His fingers brushed my chin when he pulled back to his seat.
Emmett whipped a U-turn, heading back to Forks. We sat in the car for awhile, jamming out to the System of a Down CD he had in the car. When the silver Volvo rolled up, we got out of the Jeep, me stepping out by Edward.
"Hey Eddie."
"I thought I told you not to call me that, Brookie?" He said, irritation falling out of his mouth like a ton of bricks.
"Jeez, Ed. What's up with you?" He shot a look at me, his irises dark and the bruise like circles under his eyes pronounced. "Oh."
We looked around at the parking lot, full of cars, but everyone was already in class. Edward looked at us and said, "The teachers are about to mark us as tardy. We should probably go."
Emmett looked at me. "I'll walk you to class, Brook." He smiled.
"Alrighty." I smiled back and walked in the direction of my class, where I would meet and talk to Alice. Well, she talked, I decided what I was going to say and she saw it in the future, then I replied quietly.
Emmett's hand flitted across my lower back as he walked away, his freezing fingers touching my skin lightly. I smiled as goose bumps popped up in the wake of his fingers and he winked at me as he walked to his class at a human pace, watching me as he walked. I walked into class.
"It's very nice of you to join us, Brook," Mr. Banner said acidly.
"Sorry." I walked to the back of class and sat down next to Alice. We talked about nothing, then class ended. I saw the Cullens/Hales/Bella at lunch, and we talked mindlessly for a while.
Then, while I was sitting in my sixth hour class, Alice popped in and said I was to be excused, with a note and everything. I stood and walked out of the room, asking her what was up.
"Rose's temper." I was about to ask what she meant when Rosalie stormed out of one of the buildings, Emmett in tow.
"Rosie, please! Don't do this!" He pleaded; I think more with himself than her.
"No, Emmett. Not this time." She turned to him, her blonde hair fanning around her. Her voice had such a final tone that it knocked the wind out of me. "I'm done."
Then she was gone. I don't know how long we all stood there, it could have been years. Emmett just looked at the spot where she had been, frozen in time. Then he just dropped to his knees in the parking lot.
I stood, motionless, for about a second then started walking towards him. Alice put her hand on my shoulder, trying to restrain me. I knew the risks, that he could easily kill me right then and there, but I took the risk every time I got into his car, or went near him at all. I had to right now, because he was alone and needed someone. Anyone.
I shrugged off her hand and she didn't try to touch me again. I went and knelt beside Emmett, putting my hand on his shoulder. It was like trying to comfort a block of cement, but I was doing more than Alice.
I started to say his name, but suddenly, before I could realize it was happening, Emmett's arms were around me, crushing me in a tight embrace. My back cracked once and his embrace loosened, but remained tight around me. I put my hands on his back and learned something: Vampires could cry. Emmett's body shook lightly beside mine, and he stood, taking me with him. The parking lot was gone before my eyes, replaced by the forest whizzing by me. I was on Emmett's back, being carried through the forest. Away from La Push, away from Forks, away from everything.
When he stopped, we were somewhere cold-well, colder than usual, and he let me down gently. I wrapped my arms around myself, having left my jacket in school, and rubbed my arms for warmth. Emmett looked back at me, his dark eyes brooding and careful.
"Are you cold?" He asked. I started to nod, but before I could finish it, his sweat shirt was on my shoulders, feeling like it had just come out of a freezer, his hands lingering for a moment on my shoulders. Then he was in front of me, towering over me, and I could see a streak on his face where a tear had wiped away the dirt. I reached up to touch his face and was surprised when he didn't stop me. I stopped, about a millimeter away from his perfect cheek, when a tsunami of realization washed over me.
Why had Emmett brought me out here, where we were alone? His eyes were dark, thirsty. It scared me, and yet I had couldn't look away or step back. I had to look at him; I had to take a step towards him.
Is this it? I ask myself, walking towards what I was sure was the end of me. Is he going to kill me? I took another step forward, scared to death and so serene. I was dazed, hypnotized by Emmett, who had a sad smile spread across his face. I looked down when my hand became colder.
Emmett had taken my hand, and his thumb was right over my pulse. I could feel it bumping against his thumb. It was steady, calm, collected…until he pulled me closer to him, his other arm winding around my waist. His sweatshirt fell around his arm, and my chest was touching his now. I wanted to cry out, to ask him what he was doing, say anything, but my mind wouldn't turn my jumbled thoughts into words. I was vulnerable, as I always was when I was around him, and I liked it.
I liked being so close to him in this secluded place. I liked being alone with him, how is thumb hadn't moved from my pulse, which had quickened. How I felt that he was sure to kill me here, but it looked like he only needed me to be there.
And his eyes closed as he inhaled my scent, drinking me in. I saw what he was doing now. He was only trying to calm himself down, he could see I was scared, and he knew I was helpless against him. He didn't want to kill me. At least not here and now.
When he opened his eyes again, they were golden instead of black. I could finally blink. I closed my eyes and exhaled; I realized I had been holding my breath. Emmett's hand found the back of my neck and put my head on his chest. I let him; let him have someone to hold onto, because I need it too. I rested my head there, feeling and hearing his every breath. His nose and mouth nestled into my hair, and he took a deep breath.
He stayed like that until it got dark, then stayed a little longer. Emmett breathing in the scent of me, and my heart beating so fast I thought I would explode. He laughed gently a few times at that.
He pulled away from me and I looked up at him. His eyes were soft and there was another streak from a teardrop on his face. The streak ran from his eye and into his mouth. It perturbed and excited me.
"Are you still cold?" He asked, a smile threatening to break through his mouth.
"I'm freezing," I replied simply, my 2,000 dollar smile breaking through.
He wrapped his sweatshirt around me again, saying quietly, "You should probably go back to La Push. Paul and Sam are probably worried about you."
I laughed. "Probably not. Sam maybe, but not Paul." I smiled wider. "He doesn't care as long as I'm paying electric." We both laughed.
"I'm pretty sure I pay that bill, Ms. Storm." He grinned and pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on my head. He smelled so good.
I looked up at him. "So?" I scoffed.
He laughed as he put me on his back to take me home. I pulled my arms through the sleeves and put my arms around his neck as he began to run. The wind ran into my mouth, making it hard to breathe, so I buried my face into his shoulder and I heard him laugh lightly.
We finally arrived at the border; my bike was leaning on the same tree. Emmett swung me around him, so that he was holding my bridal-style. I could barely feel his arms underneath me. He looked into my eyes with the look only a vampire could give you. It was impossible for me to look away; his eyes were breathtaking in the full moon's light.
He looked up and I followed his eyes. There were two people standing on the other side of the border. They both had their arms folded across their chests, and I couldn't make out either of them.
One of them stepped forward into the slight clearing and moonlight. It was Jacob, his face angrier than usual when he was around vampires. He was super protective of me, and this probably didn't make him happy. Emmett put me on the concrete, but I kept my body turned towards him.
I looked up at him and said a quick goodnight. He pecked me on the cheek and I could hear a deep growl behind us. I smiled and turned away from Emmett, towards my bike, my hand lingering in his for a moment. When I turned again, he was gone. I was alone with two very angry werewolves.