Sam Uley's Happy Bubble of Denial
Part 1 of 2

"Who do you think Leah's dating, anyway?"

Sam believed this to be a perfectly innocent inquiry, for a perfectly ordinary day in La Push. What he did not understand why Emily got this funny look on her face like she couldn't believe what she just heard.

"What?" Sam asked, "It's been four months since she's started dating. She has to have found someoneby now. Do you think she's dating that Mike Newton kid from off the Rez? I know she thinks I would be angry if she dated someone who wasn't in the know, but I'm would be okay with it."

"I can't believe you," Emily said, getting up from her place on Sam's lap and bustling over to the kitchen, banging around with pots and pans while she made the oatmeal—letting Sam know she was angry. "You know perfectly well who Leah was dating; she told us months ago. You told them you were okay with it."

Sam followed her into the kitchen, "What?" he said, flabbergasted, "I honestly have no idea what your talking about."

Emily snorted, "Of course you don't," she said sarcastically, pushing him out of the way to open the microwave and put the oatmeal in. She slammed the door with excessive force and turned to face him. "Stop being intentionally dense."

"I'm not. Are you sure she's not dating that Mike character? They seemed to have quite the connection."

"She met him once at the camping store. If I remember correctly, she kicked him in the balls after he tried to make a move on her."

"No blood, no foul."

"He was definitely bleeding."

"Oh," said Sam, "I guess Mike's out then. Maybe Embry, then?"

Emily sighed and started to rub her temples, "She's know Embry since she was nine, still calls him 'Embryo', and, last time I checked, they both hate each other. Not a very good basis for a relationship."

"Hmmm, I guess your right. I just wish she'd hurry up and tell us who it is—they suspense alone will probably kill me."

Emily gave him an exasperated look, "She already told you she was dating Jacob a month ago!"

"Jacob?"

"Yes!"

"Jacob Black?"

"Yes, Jacob Black."

"Jacob. Black." Sam looked like he was is a state of permanent shock—body rigid, eyes wide open, brow above hair line—until he suddenly started breaking dow into fits of loud, uncontrolled laughter. "Jacob...Black..." he choked out between guffaws, "That's a good one, E—e—emily."

"It's not a joke!" cried Emily, throwing up her hands into the air, "I'm being serious. Stop laughing!" The microwave started beeping shrilly and Emily turned to take out the cooling oatmeal and placed it on the stove. "You better stop with this fake obliviousness crap before the pack bonfire tonight."

"But I really don—"

"No buts."

"But—"

"I mean it."