Jamaican Sunshower: Hey peoples! Well, this is me coming in with another story! This is actually my very first Twilight story starring Jacob Black and my OC, Kara! I know those of you who have already read my material and are waiting for the other chapters are like, "WTF is she doing?! Get back to work on your other stories!" I know, trust me, I do! But this story has been bugging me for a while and on top of that, I have college applications to work on as well. So please, just bear with me and I promise you, those other stories will be updated as soon as I'm done with my applications. Thank you for being so patient with me and for sticking by me! So please, enjoy this one shot and tell me what you think! Ciao!
7 Reasons
"I still think you're making a mistake, Kara."
A soft sigh left her lips as her head hit the headboard with a small thud. Kara Anderson held her black, wireless phone to her ear as her best friend, Audrey, continued on the other side of the line. It was Friday night and usually, the girl would be out with her friends or her boyfriend, just out having fun. However, due to recent events, she didn't feel up to even leaving her bed let alone having fun.
"I mean, just think about it, will you? So what if a bunch of girls talk to him, they're just talking. It's really nothing big."
"I hear what you're saying, but you gotta look at it from my point of view too," Kara replied, blowing some of her dark brown, almost black, hair out of her face, "These are all kinds of girls that are, and let's face it, way prettier than me. Freakin' down right adorable. Every single one of them has a better shot of getting him than I do at actually keeping him. It's not the fact that he talks to a lot of girls, it's the fact that he could easily drop me like a new born giraffe and replace me with any one of them."
"But he's not going to, Chickie, I thought you knew this!" Audrey replied, "Jacob Black may be the hottest guy in school, but he's no playboy. He's a one-woman guy who is absolutely crazy about you. You're all he talks about when we're out there on the track, I'm not even lying!"
"That's all well and good, Aud, but I doubt that he'll be interested in me for very long. Not while pretty little Amber is around," Kara muttered moodily.
"Well, how did he take it? When you told him it was over?" Audrey asked.
"He was frantic, didn't really understand why I was breaking up with him," Kara answered back.
"Can't blame the guy. You just sprung that up out of nowhere with no warnings whatsoever. It's like that song by Jordin Sparks "No Parade." He didn't think anything was wrong between you two and now he's girlfriendless."
"He'll get over it…that Amber chick will help him out, I'm sure."
The two girls were quiet as they immersed into their own worlds. After about 5 minutes, Audrey spoke again.
"Well, Chick, I can't make you get back together with him, that's all on you. But…truly, I think you're making a huge mistake. Jacob really cares for you, I'm even going to go as far to say that he loves you, I don't know. Please, Kara, really think about this," Audrey said wisely.
Kara waited a moment, taking a deep breath before saying, "I did think about it."
With that, she hung up the phone and tossed it near her leg. She leaned her head back once more and looked to the left, slightly surprised to see the picture on her nightstand staring back at her. It was a framed photograph of her and Jacob taken the night of their first date at the county fair. The boy himself framed it and gave it to Kara the following Monday as a memento of the first date that had brought them together in the first place. Kara picked up the picture and held it in her hands, staring at the image of a broadly smiling Jacob. Her fingers lightly traced the outline of Jacob's face, a small smile making it's way to her lips as she admired his perfectly sculpted face; his high cheekbones, his russet skin, his lively brown eyes and pearly white smile. He was simply perfect, too perfect to be kept to one girl and that's what motivated Kara to end it while she still had the power to do so. Yeah, it may have been a decision made from a panicked state when she saw Jacob chatting with another, very flirty girl, but she had perfect reason for it. She knew that a guy like Jacob was not capable of staying faithful for very long, so she extinguished the relationship before he could. But…that sad look on his face, the panic that she saw, made her chest feel painfully restricted. He was hurt and very confused, but she didn't want to think about his reaction, it would make her regret her decision.
"Sigh…Like I said, he'll get over it," Kara whispered, placing the picture back on the nightstand, face down this time.
She slumped a little further on her bed and held a pillow to her chest, not bothering to push her black hair out of her face. Despite her want to forget about him, Kara couldn't help but wonder what Jacob was doing right at that moment.
(I gotta feeling that tonight gonna be a good night/That tonight's gonna be a good night/That tonight's gonna be a good good night)
"I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas caught Kara's attention as the girl picked up her phone to see that she had gotten a text. A text message from Jacob. All of a sudden, her palms got sweaty and her heart began to thud rapidly in her chest. She was torn between opening the message or just deleting it altogether. On the one hand, she really wanted to see what Jacob sent her because let's face it, she was still crazy about the guy. But on the other hand, opening that text would defeat her whole purpose of breaking up with him, of forgetting him and moving on.
'One last word of goodbye wouldn't hurt,' she thought to herself as she clicked on the message to open it.
What she saw surprised her beyond words. It was a picture mail text message; the background had dark purple hearts that shrank and grew continuously and a lilac background. The main picture was of an anime boy holding an anime girl close to his chest and just above them was a pink heart with the words "Love U" typed in black. Kara couldn't help but giggle at the presentation, but her giggles subsided as she read the message below it.
My dear Kara,
These past three days have been like walking in hell for me without being able to be with you, to have you close to me. I'm still confused as to why you suddenly broke us off and truthfully, it hurt more than anything. I'm not sure if I did something to upset you or if you're afraid of me in some way. If that's the case, than I'm determined to show you that you have nothing to fear when you're with me. For the next seven days, I will be giving you seven reasons as to why I would choose only you over every other girl in the world. I really do care for you, Kara, and I want you to know that.
Jacob
Kara dropped her phone once she was done reading the message, her mind reeling rapidly. Jacob was actually trying to win her back…she had to hold strong to her decision. She broke up with him for a reason and no seven reasons of his will change her mind!
"Why do I get the feeling that I'm only lying to myself?" Kara muttered lowly as she flopped onto her back, wondering what the next week was going to bring.
Saturday: Reason #1
The sunlight streaming through her open window stirred the young woman from her slumber as hazel brown eyes slowly opened to the new day. Kara sat up in bed and stretched her muscles, feeling a few bones pop in relief. She dropped her arms and sighed in content, picking herself out of bed to get ready for the day. She did the usual showering in the morning, walking out of her bathroom to pick out her clothes. She settled on a pair of dark blue, denim shorts, black Chuck Taylor's with white flowers on the sides, and a black baby-tee with a white tree in the middle. Checking herself once over in the mirror to be sure that she at least looked presentable for the day, Kara nodded her head slightly in approval and bounded downstairs where the smell of pancakes, eggs, and bacon was abundant in the air.
"Morning mom," she greeted once she entered the kitchen, approaching a woman at the stove and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
The woman was Kara's mother, Margaret Anderson. When people look at both Kara and Margaret, no one questions whether or not they are really mother and daughter. Margaret was like a spitting image of her daughter, granted that she has lighter skin on the account that she was half black, half white and her eyes were more a hazel brown. Both Margaret and Kara had black hair that was slightly curly, brown, almond shaped eyes, and slim, curvy figures. The only things that linked Kara to her African-American father, Marlin Anderson, were her darker skin, dark brown eye color, and taller stature.
"Good morning my baby!" Margaret greeted her daughter, leaning over to kiss her on the forehead, "How are you this morning? Feeling okay?"
"Uh huh, I'm fine," Kara answered, noticing the worry in her mother's voice.
Kara tells her mother everything, so it's pretty safe to say that she knew about Kara's misfortune, her break up with Jacob Black. The young girl rolled her eyes when she caught her mom staring at her intensely, as if looking for some form of sadness so the older woman could go flying in and doing whatever it took to make her daughter happy again.
"Mom, chill out. I said I'm fine!" Kara chastised playfully with a smile.
"I know, baby, I'm just…I'm just sorry," Margaret said to her daughter, putting down her spatula and giving her daughter a tight hug, "He was your first boyfriend."
"Mom, when you bring up Jacob, it doesn't make me happy," Kara said, feeling her heart grow heavy.
"Ooooh! I just don't understand sweetie!"
The younger girl sighed as she looked at her mom, "Jacob Black is the hottest guy in school. So many girls throw themselves at his feet, he can have any one of them at the snap of his fingers. Most of them are a lot prettier than me, so-."
"You're the most beautiful girl in the world, Kara, I told you that," Margaret interjected fiercely on her daughter's behalf.
"Well, you're my mom, you're supposed to say that," Kara muttered, "I guess I just got scared. I was scared that he would drop me just when I was starting to feel like he really did care for me and I would be humiliated everyday after that. I wanted to get him before he could get me."
Margaret stared at her daughter sadly, feeling her heart throb painfully. She had been so happy to hear that Kara had gotten a boyfriend, FINALLY! Her daughter looked so happy for those two months they were together before the girl started looking like she was in pain. Before Margaret knew it, her daughter was crying her eyes out, saying she had broken up with her boyfriend, Jacob and she felt horrible.
"Well, sweetie, I may not be able to fix your relationship with him, but I can make you blueberry pancakes to make you a little bit happier!" Margaret chirped, smiling brightly.
Kara smiled back as well and kissed her mom, "Thanks mom. I'll get the plates ready."
Kara went to the cupboard while her mom went back to cooking and took out three plates. Upon seeing the third plate in her hand, she looked at her mom and asked,
"Hey, where's dad?"
"Oh, your father went out to the fields to check the harvest. He should be back real soon."
Almost as if on cue, a tall, burly black man with a head full of wooly hair and dancing brown eyes entered the kitchen through the back door. He held in his hands a crate filled with fresh milk that was left on the doorstep by the milkman and a box with holes in it.
"Hey, hey, hey! How are my girls!?" Marlin Anderson greeted, his voice boisterous and exuberant by nature.
"Morning daddy!" Kara cried, running to give the great man a hug.
"Morning princess, you feeling okay today?" Her father said, taking her by the shoulders and examining her face like her mother had done.
Kara rolled her eyes again; "You and mom," she whispered before saying aloud, "I'm fine, daddy, really."
Marlin smiled at his little girl, patting her head, "I know, baby girl, you ARE a Anderson, after all. It's in your blood to be strong and tough against anything."
"Ahem!"
Marlin looked at his wife who was looking back at him with a warning glare.
"Although that doesn't mean you HAVE to be strong all the time," he corrected, smiling innocently at his wife as he held his daughter's shoulders. Margaret quirked her eyebrow at her husband but was satisfied and turned around to finish cooking.
Marlin sighed and looked at his daughter, who laughed at his face, before moving more into the kitchen to put the crate of milk and the box on the table. Kara looked at the box curiously, trying to see through the holes what was inside.
"Daddy, what's in the box?" she asked.
"Don't know, sweetheart, but it's addressed to you," Marlin answered, his eyes narrowing, "I think it's from that Jacob boy."
Kara's heart leaped into her throat as she looked at the box; 'My first reason!' she thought as she picked up the card that sat on top of the box.
"Look at that, knows he messed up and is already trying to get her back with sorry little gifts," Marlin stated, sitting at the kitchen table.
"I think it's cute," Margaret argued as she put began to put the food on the plates, "And at least he's trying."
Kara, ignoring her parents as they began to argue, opened the card that sat on top of the box and read the inside quietly to herself.
"Reason #1 Why I Would Choose Only You: We both have a love for animals."
"What the heck?" she mumbled to herself.
"What is it, baby girl?" Marlin asked her as her mom came to the table with plates of food, also curious as to what was in the box.
"I don't know, dad," Kara answered as she undid the bow on top of the box and removing the lid, letting out the squeal of a lifetime but a moment later.
"EEEEEEEEHHHH!! OH MY GOD!!" she exclaimed as she reached into the box and pulled out the cutest Siberian Husky puppy in the world.
"What the Michael Jackson?! He sent you a dog?!" Marlin cried when he saw the chipper pup.
"He's such an adorable little thing!" Margaret gushed, scratching the Husky behind it's ear.
The dog yapped happily as it shut its eyes in bliss, leaning into Margaret's fingers as Kara rubbed its tummy.
"The boy sent you a dog?" Marlin repeated, still in shock.
"What should we name him, mom?" Kara asked her mother, ignoring her father's questions in her excitement.
"I don't know, sweetheart. He's your dog, you pick a name for him," Margaret answered.
"Hello! Does no one else in this family find it weird that this boy bought my daughter a dog in order to get her back?!" Marlin cried out.
Both Margaret and Kara looked at each other before looking back at Marlin; "No, not really."
"Women," Marlin sighed finally, shaking his head in defeat.
"Oh, daddy," Kara said as she cuddled up to her father, "The dog didn't do anything. Let me keep him, pleeeaaasse?"
Marlin looked at his daughter, her full puppy dog eyes, and sighed, "Alright, you can keep him."
"YES!! Thank you dad!" Kara cried as she hugged the man fiercely.
"He still needs a name though," Margaret stated as she sat down to start eating breakfast.
Kara lifted the puppy in the air and looked at its furry face. The Husky puppy yapped back at her, staring right back into her eyes with a glint of happiness. The girl giggled and nuzzled it to her neck, the puppy cuddling without hesitation.
"Simba, that's his name," she finally said affectionately.
"I like that name sweetheart," Margaret said, looking at her daughter with soft eyes.
"I'm going to take him outback and let him run around for a bit," Kara called as she made her way to the back door.
"But what about breakfast?" Margaret called to her a little too late as the young teenager slammed the door shut.
Margaret and Marlin looked at each other before they both laughed humorously at their young daughter.
Marlin shook his head as he cut into his pancakes; "That's just plain ridiculous. I can't believe that boy went and got Kara a puppy to get her back. What an idiot."
"I think it's cute, Marlin and it's different. Remember when we broke up for the first time what you did to get ME back?" Margaret asked, looking at her husband expectantly.
"Of course I do and it was the most romantic and unique thing in the world," the man replied.
"Oh sure, if you call crawling on your knees, bawling your eyes out, and begging me in front of the whole high school population unique and romantic," Margaret retorted as she cut her pancakes.
The two remained in silence for a few seconds before Marlin said, "I love you sweetheart."
"I'm sure you do."
While this was happening inside, Kara was outside with her new puppy, watching as the little canine rolled around in the grass freely. She smiled softly and clapped her hands, the puppy's head shooting up at the sound. Simba saw Kara hold her hands out to him and immediately ran towards her, throwing himself into her awaiting arms and cuddling into her chest. Kara laughed happily and kissed the puppy on its head, allowing him to lick her cheek.
"You are so cute!" She exclaimed, hugging it warmly with all the excitement that had built up in her body.
However, that excitement began to trickle away and was replaced with a withdrawn feeling. Simba, sensing a change in his new master's mood, looked up at her in worry. Kara looked so sad, her eyes dimming and a frown on her face. He leaned up and gently licked her cheek again, eradicating a giggle from her.
"Oh, Simba," Kara sighed as she pet his head, "You know that you're reason number one out of seven why Jacob would choose only me?"
She looked up at the pure blue sky as she anticipated her future, "Who knows what the next six days will bring?"
Sunday: Reason #2
"Awww! He's so cute!"
"I know right!"
It was now Sunday morning and Kara had plans to go into town with Audrey for the whole day. Audrey was full African-American with skin as dark as the dirt of the Earth. Her ink-black hair, streaked with a scarlet red, was cut short to where it just barely brushed her shoulders. She had big, coffee-brown eyes that went well with her heart-shaped face and full pink lips. Her build was taller than Kara's and less curvy, but her long legs made her a favorite on the track team.
Both girls were at Kara's house, gushing over the new puppy that was given to the girl the day before.
"Simba is a good name for this little guy. I can already see him being fierce," Audrey commented, tickling the little pup's tummy as he laid in her lap, obviously enjoying the attention he was receiving from the two females.
"Oh yeah. Falling apart at a girl's touch is definitely a sign that he's going to be fierce," Kara joked as she stroked the Husky's belly.
Simba kicked his leg rapidly in bliss, causing both girls to laugh at its cuteness. After a few minutes of playing with the puppy, Audrey sighed and looked at Kara.
"So…this is Jacob's first reason why he wants only you, huh? Impressive," she commented.
"I guess, but I'm not going to cave that easily," Kara replied with determination.
Audrey made a 'che' sound and rolled her eyes to her friend, "Girl, with the way the boy is going about it, you are so going to cave."
"Whose side are you on, anyway? His or mine?" Kara shot back.
"I just want to see the both of you happy," was the reply, causing Kara to roll her eyes, "So, today you get your second reason. You know when it's coming?"
"No idea. It's like a game of Sit and Wait really. I'm kind of nervous," Kara answered, sighing and placing her head in her hands.
Audrey patted her back and took Simba in her arms, "Well, let's get going. I'm sure a day of shopping will get your mind off of it for a while."
With that, both girls got up from the couch they were sitting on and headed for the door, Kara calling to her mom that she was leaving and would be back later. They hopped into Audrey's used, black Sedan, the girl getting her license when she was sixteen, and took off towards town. Considering that it was Sunday, the stores weren't really packed but filled enough to let them know that people still had lives enough to get outside every now and then. The two teenage girls went from shop to shop, buying a couple of outfits and getting a few things for little Simba.
They were having so much fun together that Kara, although momentarily, forgot all about Jacob and the seven reasons deal. It was slowly ticking towards late afternoon and the trio was almost ready to leave. They walked by the town plaza where a karaoke event was being held. They currently had a dark haired woman on stage that looked fairly young and very lively. She was singing a very popular song by Michael Jackson called "Wanna Be Starting Something." She had just finished the song when Audrey and Kara walked by.
"Excuse! Excuse me, young lady with the puppy!" she called, stopping both girls in their tracks, "Hey there! Why don't you sing us a number?"
Kara looked around, confused; "Are you talking to me?" she asked.
"Yeah! How 'bout it?!" the woman said again.
"Oh, no I don't think so," Kara answered, declining politely.
"Oh, come on! One song won't hurt! I'll even let you pick it yourself!"
A few more words of encouragement were said from the crowd and even a few from Audrey before Kara found herself on the stage with a mic in her hand and looking through a list of songs to sing. She finally settled on a song by a new artist, Save Me by Jordin Sparks. She stood before the crowd, looking at Audrey to see her older friend smile encouragingly, before she began to sing.
Mmnnm
yeah yeah yeah
Handshake
try to keep em steady
won't break
you been getting ready
Here we go
it's time to say goodbye (say goodbye)
Mmmm
You've got a lot up on your shoulders
Not quite sure just where you're going
But you know it's gone be quite a ride
You know with every twist, turn, crash and burn
that you're gonna reach the other side
You will do things you never dreamed of
You're gonna find a few new friends
Get to explore the worlds of wonder
Where the magic never ends
Time to go out and make your moment
Make a few memories on the way
Life is unfolding it's happening right before your eyes
On the road to paradise
Mmmm road to paradise
Oh yeah yeah
Inside you feel the fire blazing
Outside you are so amazing
Take a breath and soak in all the sides
Mmmmmm
Danger and fear are gonna test you
Still you are coming to the rescue
Rain or shine you won't give up the fight
It doesn't matter how long how far
there are miracles along the way
You will do things you never dreamed of
You're gonna find a few new friends
Get to explore the worlds of wonder
Where the magic never ends
Time to go out and make your moment
Make a few memories on the way
Life is unfolding it's happening right before your eyes
On the road to paradise
Might be surprised
by the strength you're gonna find
Inside your heart
You will do things you never dreamed of
You're gonna find a few new friends
Get to explore the worlds of wonder
Where the magic never ends
Time to go out and make your moment
Make a few memories on the way
Life is unfolding it's happening right before your eyes
On the road to paradise
On the road to paradise
Yeahhh
On the road to paradise
The crowd broke out into applause, whistles and shouts ringing in Kara's ear loudly. The girl couldn't help the blush that rushed to her cheeks at all the attention, smiling down at Audrey and Simba who barked happily. The woman came back on the small stage and took the mic from Kara's hand.
"That was amazing!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks," Kara replied bashfully, fiddling with her fingers.
"What was your name again?"
"Kara Anderson."
"Well, Kara Anderson, I have to say that you have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard! Right folks?!" the woman voiced, causing the crowd to break out into another round of applause.
"And that, my dear, is reason number two!" the woman stated, handing Kara a single red rose.
Kara's jaw practically hit the ground at the woman's words, taking the rose in her hand hesitantly. She looked at Audrey, who mouthed "Woah." Only one word ran through her head at that moment: Jacob. Yeah, this week was definitely going to be interesting.
Monday: Reason #3
It was Monday morning at Patterson High School and the halls were filled with dead tired teens who scuffled back and forth, looking for their friends or just some way to wake themselves up from their weekends. Kara was at her locker, struggling to get the damn thing open so she could put her things away and get the necessary books out for first and second period. Her locker had always given her trouble, jamming tightly so the girl couldn't open it for at least 10 minutes. She swore that God had a twisted sense of humor sometimes.
"Come on!" she muttered in irritation when the door wouldn't budge.
She let out a gust of air in exasperation and hit it angrily. A sudden burst of laughter coming from down the hall caught her attention and she turned her head to see where it was coming from. There, at the other end of the hall, she saw Jacob with his friends Quil, Embry, and Jared. The four boys were laughing with one another, joking around as only boys do, and basically being the only ones that seemed alive on a Monday morning. Kara stared at Jacob, feeling her heart flutter at the sound of his deep, rich laugh. Jacob was usually the one to help her get her locker open when it was jammed, considering that he had tricks to use backed up by his strength. However, now…she was on her own. The girl sighed and turned back to her locker, attempting once again to open the door. Turning the combination once again, she gave it three good, hard yanks and successfully flung the metal door open…and right into her nose.
"OW!!" she cried out, grabbing her nose in pain, hoping that it wasn't bleeding.
"Ahahahahahaha!"
Kara swiveled around to see Audrey laughing her ass off, falling against the lockers in her fit. Her face was turning slightly red from her laughter and tears were starting to fall down her cheeks.
"That's not funny, Audrey!" Kara shouted, failing in trying to get her friend to stop.
"Yes it is…yes it is!!" Audrey replied through her laughter, slapping her thigh.
Kara huffed and turned back to her locker, throwing her bag inside and getting out her things. Audrey took a moment to calm herself, taking three deep breaths, before she finally stood straight and let out a relieved gust of air.
"You done laughing?" Kara asked, glaring at her friend.
"Whoo, I don't know why, but every time I come around you, you're doing something to make me laugh," Audrey commented.
"Me getting hit in the nose with a metal door is not funny!" Kara yelled.
"It is to me," Audrey retorted, leaning against the locker on the opposite side of Kara, something to her left catching her attention, "And it looks like I'm not the only one who saw."
Kara looked in the same direction that Audrey was looking and felt her heart stop when her eyes locked with Jacob Black's. The young man stared back at her, his eyes glinting with worry. He raised his hand and gave her a small, hesitant wave, a total contradictory action for someone who was tall and very strong. Kara quickly looked away from him, missing the disappointed look on his face, and turned back to her locker.
"How mortifying?" she muttered.
"Still convinced that he can live without you?" Audrey voiced from her side.
"Sure am. Check it out, he's even go help," Kara used her head to indicate to Jacob's direction without having to point.
Audrey looked back to see a dark haired beauty practically hanging off of the older teen's arm. This was Amber Davidson, school beauty queen and obsessive Jacob Black fan. She's been pinning after the handsome boy ever since grade school, according to the information Kara was given. Amber had long, shiny black hair and the biggest blue eyes anyone has ever seen. Her skin was milky white and very clean, her figure thin and fit. Amber and Jacob would make the perfect couple and Kara was sure Jacob knew that, so all she had to do was wait until it happened.
"I can't believe you're just going to let Amber move in on him, Kara. That's ridiculous," Audrey said in disgust as Amber's shrill giggle reached her ears as she flirted with Jacob.
The boy looked very uncomfortable to have the blue eyed girl all over him, flipping her hair flirtatiously and giggling at everything he said. However, he remained polite and humored her attempt to get him on a date.
"Audrey it was bound to happen sooner or later. I just don't want to be humiliated when it happens," Kara replied, closing her locker.
"But Kara-"
"Discussion over."
"But-"
"Over."
"Kara-"
"Look, there's the bell," Kara cut her friend off again as the bell for first period rang.
Audrey sighed through her nose and threw her hands in the air in defeat; "Fine, whatever. What are you guys baking in Home Ec. today?"
"Sweets," Kara replied with a knowing smile.
Audrey's eyes lit up with mirth as she turned to the lighter black girl, "Snap! You better save me some of whatever you're making cuz those cookies you made last time were off the chain!"
"Will do, Aud!" Kara laughed, waving to her friend as the two parted ways to get to class.
The Home Economics class was warm and smelled of baking powder and sugar. The students in this class were always lively due to the fact that they got to make food and eat the food and then get a grade for it! Kara liked it because it was an easy A and she never went hungry in the mornings. It was about half-hour into the class; the floors already covered in flour, sugar, and other powdery products used for baking.
"Bake my students! Let your imaginations manifest themselves into a delicious masterpiece!" the Home Ec. teacher, Mrs. Brinestone, said dramatically.
Kara laughed at her teacher's exaggerations and turned back to her station. She finished pouring the rest of the brownie mixture she had been preparing into a pan, added two handfuls of chocolate chips and some chocolate syrup, and popped it in the oven. She had just closed the oven door when a voice caught her attention.
"Hey! Kara, look!"
"What's up? Oof!"
The curly haired girl was hit in the face with a handful of flour by one of her classmates, said attacker laughing at her victim. Kara wiped off as much of the flour as she could in 4 seconds before she, too, picked up a handful of flour and through it back. This Battle of the Baking Products went on for about 5 minutes when Mrs. Brinestone called order to the class.
"Girls! Girls! Please!" she called, grabbing their sleeves, "This is a studio of artistic delicacies, not a rough-housing playground!"
"Sorry Mrs. Brinestone!" Kara and her classmate chorused, giggling to themselves.
Mrs. Brinestone nodded her head in approval and flourished to another station. Kara and her friend looked to each other, laughed in humor, and turned back to their stations.
"Is there a Kara Anderson in the class?!"
Kara turned around at the sound of her name, wiping more flour from her face, "Here!"
A female student with dirty-blond hair and hazel green eyes walked over to her, a large, white cardboard box in hand with a card taped on top.
"I'm from Mrs. Lewis's Home Ec. class down the hall and I have a special delivery for you!" the girl chirped, handing the box over.
"Um…okay. Hold on," Kara replied, putting down the box and going over to her bag.
She dug through its contents for a moment before she pulled out three dollars. She walked back over to the girl and gave her the money.
"Here you go! For your trouble!" she said nicely.
"Hey, thanks!" the girl exclaimed in gratitude as she turned on her heel and walked out.
Kara turned her attention back to the box and stared at it. Her heart began to race and her palms were sweaty. She had a feeling this was her third reason. Picking up the card, she opened it and read its contents.
'Reason #3'
She put the card down and lifted the lid of the box, her mouth falling open in awe. Inside the box was a well-made chocolate cake. It was designed with dark purple flowers in the four corners, each topped with a fresh strawberry. And right in the middle of the cake was written,
'You're sweeter than anyone I've ever met!'
Kara held a hand to her head and backed away from the cake as the girls in the class rushed over to see what she was given.
"Wow…he's really trying," she said lowly to herself, feeling her will starting to break.
Tuesday: Reason #4
Kara sat in her Drama Class, tapping her pen in a lazy rhythm as she read through the script the class was given. Well, she was "supposed" to be reading the script, but really her thoughts were on other, more important matters. Like, all the reasons Jacob was giving as to why he would choose only her to be with instead of all the other girls. And it really wasn't the reasons themselves; it was how he was presenting them, very creative. She honestly had to admit that he must care for her a lot if he was going through all this trouble to try and get her back, there was no denying it. But…she couldn't let her will break, it would only mean trouble for the future.
"Alright, class, listen up!" Mr. Brocklehurst called attention to the class, clapping his hands loudly.
Kara snapped out of her thoughts and focused on the drama teacher; "Okay, today we will be going over the romance scene in the play! Of course the main male character, William, will be played by Donny Michaels who has shown excellent acting skills!"
A young man with wavy brown hair and the greenest eyes ever scene smiled to his classmates, a blush crossing his cheeks.
"And the leading lady, Anna, will be played byyyy…Kara Anderson!" Mr. Brocklehurst announced.
"WHAT?!" Kara cried in disbelief.
"It's only for today, dear, don't fret," the teacher said, shooing away her astonishment, "Now then, I want Donny and Kara to come to the stage right now!"
Kara groaned and rolled her head back against the seat, wondering why God chose her today of all days to go over a play. She was in no acting mood; not that she was any good at it anyway. Finally, she picked herself up out the chair and made her way to the stage where Donny and Mr. Brocklehurst awaited her. She smiled at the green-eyed boy, just barely noticing the way his cheeks turned red when she did so, and turned her attention to the teacher.
"Okay, you two, just give it your best shot, okay? I'm not looking for perfection, but I do expect it to be believable. You've had the script for about a month now, you should have some idea as to how to bring it to life," Mr. Brocklehurst told them.
"We'll do our best, sir," Donny voiced softly; from the way his voice was, you would never guess he was a really good actor.
"I'll give it a shot," Kara answered, not really wanting to do anything at that moment.
"GREAT!" Mr. Brocklehurst boomed, startling both teens as he made his way off the stage to sit in the audience.
He sat in a chair and made himself comfortable; "And…Action!"
Donny started, facing Kara with his eyes a blaze with passion, "My dear Anna, what you say cannot be true!"
"It is, William, and don't you believe any differently!" Kara replied, actually putting the feeling of anger into her lines.
"But Anna, how could you choose that dirty scum Rodenburg who has no compassion for you whatsoever?" Donny continued.
"Because it is obvious that you no longer love me! At least with Rodenburg, I have a secure future, even if it is without love," Kara responded with a haughty air.
"Your claim is not true, my sweet! I do love you! Please, don't leave me!"
"Give me one good, honest reason why I shouldn't, William," Kara seethed.
Here, to the confusion of Kara and Mr. Brocklehurst, Donny stopped and stared at her for about 3 long minutes. Finally, he lowered his script and took a step forward.
"You already know the first 3 reasons, so I'll just continue on to reason four," he whispered, making Kara's blood run cold.
Donny then knelt on one knee and took hold of Kara's hand, the girl starting to tremble from her confusion and astonishment.
"Kara, you're the most gorgeous creature I've ever laid my eyes on. You're more beautiful than the stars in the sky, the moon at night. You're face is the last thing I want to see when I go to sleep and the first I crave for when I wake up."
Donny reached behind him and pulled out a fake, purple rose and stood up to present it to her; "You are more beautiful than the rose in my hand, the color purple representing royalty and the royal grace of your person. Kara, you are so mythically beautiful and that is reason number four."
He pinned the rose in her hair and brushed his lips against her cheek. Kara was too stunned to react to the sudden action, feeling her heart leap when he leaned in towards her ear and whispered,
"A gift from Jacob."
All was silent in the theatre where the drama class had assembled. The students were dumbfounded at the obvious display of affection, some even more so considering that it was quiet Donny who had made such a display when he showed no intimate interest in Kara before. The silence was only broken when one girl in the crowd, after flipping through her script several times, suddenly cried,
"None of that is in the script!"
Wednesday: Reason #5
Kara felt like her brain was fried beyond recognition. These past few days have been filled with surprises left and right for her. Everywhere she looked, Jacob had set up another "reason", each one more surprising than the last. What sucked more about it was that she never knew when the next reason was going to come and she was on edge from the moment she woke up in the morning as she waited.
"Hey, chickie girl, ain't you hungry?"
Kara looked up from her book when Audrey came sliding into a seat across the table from her at lunch that day, a tray filled with food following her.
"I had a sandwich," Kara answered, lifting up a crumple, brown paper bag.
"Boring," Audrey commented, taking a bite of her pizza, ignoring Kara's gaze, "Any new signs today?"
The curly haired girl sighed and put down her book, removing her glasses, "Not yet and I'm starting to get anxious."
"It looks like it's going in a pattern like, early in the morning, noon, afternoon, and so on and so forth," Audrey said thoughtfully.
"I just want this next reason to come so I can stop being so anxious," Kara sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
Audrey looked at her friend, laughing lightly at her frazzled state, before an announcement in the quad caught her attention. Patterson High was known for holding competitions at lunchtime, each one ranging from food eating to dance comps. Audrey smiled to herself and grabbed Kara's hand, dragging the girl over to the front of crowd that had gathered. The older girl knew that Kara loved to get involved in competitions every now and then and this one just might be enough to get her mind off of Jacob.
"Alright, y'all, gather round!" the announcer, a teenage boy himself, called to the crowd, "Alright, alright, how y'all feeling today?!"
The crowd erupted into applause at the question; "Cool, cool! So this your boy Drake and today we have a very unique competition! Check it out! We…are going to have…a rock-climbing contest! What y'all think of that!?"
Again, the crowd screamed in excitement, Audrey joining in on the fun. Kara, although not the very best, loved to get involved in active activities and she's never been rock climbing before, aside from when they were both 9 and she climbed that big, plastic rock at the park. This competition was absolutely perfect for her; it was something new and something active.
"Okay, so I need four people for this competition! Who wants to be the first up!?" Drake exclaimed, earning a few eager responses from girls and boys alike.
"Okay, okay! You…uh…you…um, let's see…you too," the teenage boy picked out three kids already, two boys and one girl, leaving one more slot open.
"Raise your hand, Kara! This is so your thing!" Audrey urged the smaller, silent girl.
"I don't know, Audrey. I don't really feel like-."
"SHE WANTS TO DO IT!!!" Audrey screamed at the top of her voice so the announcer would be sure to hear her.
"Okay! Let's go, girl!" Drake said, pointing at Kara.
"Beans," was Kara's blunt reply as Audrey pushed her on to the stage where the other teens stood.
Within a few minutes, all four teens were suited up in the proper gear and waiting for the competition to begin. Drake turned to the crowd, calling attention to the four teens once again.
"Alright, y'all, we're going to start left to right and get the names and grades of these awesome teens up here!" he called, walking to the end to the first boy.
"What's your name, kid?"
"Uh, my Sam and I'm a junior," the first boy answered into the mic.
"Okay, cool! How 'bout you pretty girl?"
"I'm Shelby and I'm a junior," the girl chirped excitedly.
"Alright, alright, cute. And you homeson?"
"I'm Brandon and I'm a senior! Go class of 2010, whooo!" the next boy exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air and eradicating a loud response from the other seniors.
"Yeah! Too excited! Okay…and you pretty thing?" Drake said as he got to Kara.
"Um…My name is Kara and I'm a senior too. Go class of 2010?" she responded as if unsure.
"YEAH!!!!" Brandon shouted, earning applause from the seniors in the crowd again.
"Yeah, okay, calm down," Drake said to the boy, "Anyway! So, the rules are very simple! The first one to the top and pushes that button is the winner! There is no pushing, kicking, punching, biting, or anything that causes bodily harm allowed! Annnnnd! the winner gets a special prize at the end! So, without further ado, competitors take your places!"
Kara and the other three teens took separate places in front of the giant rock and waited for the go ahead.
"On your mark…get set…GO!!" Drake exclaimed.
The four teens rushed to the rock and began the climb. At first, it took Kara awhile to get her footing right seeing as how she had never gone rock climbing before. However, before long, she found herself scaling the plastic obstacle with ease. She was having fun and truly enjoyed what she was doing. It was new and did love doing new things. She was now neck and neck with Brandon, both having the same sort of stamina and climbing ability. They looked at each other, a sense of fierce competitiveness flashing between them and they went harder against each other.
"Looks like this one could be close, you guys!" Drake said into the mic as he stared up at Brandon and Kara.
Right hand, left hand, lodged foot at the exact same time. This one really could be close, but by some power she had hidden, Kara thrust herself forward and hit the button. The red light at the top flashed and an alarm sounded to make her victory noticed.
"Yes!" she cried as the crowd below applauded for her.
"Alright, ladies and gents, it looks like we got a winner!" Drake said as the four competitors scaled back down.
"Hey, that was a good race," Brandon commented to Kara, giving her a high five.
"Thanks. You're pretty good; you ever think of maybe being a rock climbing instructor when you graduate?" Kara replied.
"No, but now I am," Brandon answered with a smirk.
Kara giggled and gave him a wink. She then approached Drake, who pulled her hand up into the air.
"Ladies and gentleman, our winner, Kara!"
The crowd screamed, shouted, and applauded loudly for the darker girl, making her smile with all the excitement and praise. She heard Audrey applaud the loudest, causing her to smile and wave back at her.
"Okay, Kara, you remember in the beginning when I said that the winner gets a special prize?" Drake asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.
"Yes."
"Well, here it is! Two tickets…to Universal Studios!"
"Oh my god!!! Thank you!!" she cried in excitement, thanking the Heavens for her love for sporty activities.
"From this competition I can see that you are a very fun girl with an adventurous spirit! That's very rare to find in a girl these days and that, Kara, is reason number five!" Drake said as he handed over the tickets.
Kara received them with a slack jaw and wide eyes. The sound of the crowd died down from around her as she turned to Audrey. The girl had the same shocked expression from the news, but soon that shocked expression turned to amusement and the much darker girl was soon laughing. Kara shook her head in amazement; she just couldn't wait until the end of the week for this to be over.
Thursday: Reason #6
"This just gets weirder and weirder as the days go on," Kara muttered to herself as she put her unnecessary books away and got her book bag.
It was Thursday afternoon and school had just let out. Kara would usually be on her way home by now, seeing as how Audrey had track practice, but the girl needed Kara to bring her water bottle filled with Crystal Lake Water to practice. Audrey, although one of the best runners, often got dehydrated and needed water with her at all times. Kara grabbed the specialized water bottle filled with the liquid and closed her locker, making her way to the track in back of the school.
The track and field team was already under way in practice when she got there. Boys and girls dressed in tank tops, shirts, shorts, and sweats ran around the track, the coaches near by keeping time. The only things out of place were the cheerleaders who were practicing out in the middle green of the track; it was later said that the gym was undergoing maintenance and the cheerleaders had to clear out. Kara looked around for Audrey, not seeing the girl at first before her eyes fell on a very familiar figure: Jacob. She stared at the handsome boy as he did sit ups, a fellow teammate keeping count. She admired the way his muscles flexed with each sit up, feeling her face getting hot as sweat dripped down the creases of his biceps, giving his skin a golden gleam. His face held a determined look, one he only got when he was concentrating on his task and pushing to accomplish it.
"Hey, chick! What's up!?"
Kara jumped at the sound of Audrey's voice, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned to her taller friend, seeing her clad in black shorts and a white tank top. Audrey had sweat on her forehead and a towel in her hand; she most likely just finished a run.
"It's all good, Aud. Got your bottle," she replied as she handed the bottle over.
"Thanks! You coming to the meet tomorrow right? It's going to be hot!"
"Uh huh," Kara replied absently as she took a quick peak in Jacob's direction.
Audrey didn't miss the look; "He asked for you today. Wondering if you were okay," she said as she took a swig of the water.
"Really…what did you tell him?" Kara said in a soft voice.
"I told him that you were okay. You know, nothing big," Audrey told her.
Kara nodded her head, turning to see that Jacob had alternated sit ups for push ups. He was now staring straight ahead of him, concentrating once again. To her surprise, he suddenly turned his head and locked eyes with her. Kara started and turned around quickly, hearing Audrey giggle at her.
"You know he's still crazy about you. I didn't think you needed the whole week to realize that. And here I thought you were smart, hahahaha!" Audrey joked.
Kara shrugged before something to her right caught her attention. It was a crowd of girls circling one girl in the middle, all seemed to be pitying her.
"What's going on over there?" she asked, indicating the direction with her head.
"Hmmm?" Audrey hummed as she looked before realization dawned one her, "Oh! That's Maddy Mae!"
"Maddy Mae? What's going on with Maddy Mae?" Kara asked.
"Her boyfriend broke up with her," Audrey answered.
"Maddy Mae's boyfriend broke up with her?!" Kara exclaimed in shock.
"So I hear. The day before their anniversary too."
"Maddy Mae's boyfriend broke up with her the day before their anniversary!?" Kara exclaimed again in shock.
"Why do you keep saying her name?" Audrey asked.
Kara smiled to herself and shrugged her shoulders, "It's just fun to say."
"Ah," Audrey replied before both girls were startled by a loud, painful wail coming from Maddy Mae's direction.
"Hey, maybe you should go talk to her," Audrey commented thoughtfully.
"Me!? Why me!? You're a fellow athlete! Why don't you do it?!"
"Because you're good with this stuff. I mean, how many times have you talked me out of a depressing state?" Audrey answered with a sincere look.
Kara had no idea how to answer that so she opted for silence. Another wail pierced the air, making both girls worry for the broken hearted girl's health.
"Please, Kara, before Maddy Mae has a mental break down."
Kara remained where she was before yet ANOTHER wail hit the air and forced her to move. Grudgingly, she walked towards the group of girls, who all saw her coming and immediately parted for her. There, in the middle sitting on a bench, stood a very pretty girl with golden locks in two ponytails, a lithe figure, creamy white skin, big, baby blue eyes, and a sweet voice crying her eyes out. This was Maddy Mae Sharlton. Kara approached her and stood before the girl, feeling pity for the broken cheerleader.
"Maddy Mae? Maddy Mae, it's me, Kara Anderson," Kara said as she kneeled in front of the girl.
A second later, Maddy Mae had her arms locked tightly around Kara's throat as she sobbed heavily into her shoulder.
"There, there Maddy Mae, it's alright," Kara said soothingly.
"No it's not, Kara!" Maddy Mae answered with a sob, "It's not alright! Robert broke up with me this week!"
"Well…did he tell you why?" Kara asked, wanting to get all the information.
"He said…he said that he couldn't handle our relationship anymore. That I just wasn't what he wanted anymore. I don't know…maybe he's right. Maybe there's just…something wrong with me," Maddy Mae answered between sniffles, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Hey, hey! Don't you start thinking like that now, you hear me!" Kara said fiercely; she hated it when girls belittled themselves because of a guy.
Her tone softened and she smiled at the blond girl, "Maddy Mae, there is nothing wrong with you, nothing that we can see. From what all of us girls here know about you, you're sweet, kind, gentle, intelligent, and active. If there's something wrong with that, then may the rest of these girls here lose their boyfriends too."
"Woah now, let's not go that far," a fellow cheerleader joked, causing Maddy Mae to giggle slightly.
"Listen to me, Maddy, you are a very special girl and if Robert can't see that in you, then it's his loss. He's probably out there having himself a good time while you're sitting here crying your eyes out. Now you have to worry about you; this is Maddy Mae time so make the best of it. My mamma once told me that if you have to depend on someone else to make you happy, then somethin' ain't right. You have to be happy with you before you can be happy with someone else. Do you understand?" Kara said to her.
Maddy Mae giggled and nodded her head, "Uh huh, I understand."
Kara smiled at her and said, "Trust me, girl, there's probably a better guy out there for you anyway. God just needs a little more time to make him just right."
Maddy Mae gave a sniffle and smiled thankfully, "Thank you, Kara. You're such a gentle and understanding person."
Kara smiled bashfully and waved her hand, "Awww. I'm not that great."
Maddy Mae bounced up and took hold of Kara's hand; "Will you do one last thing for me? Will you watch the cheer the girls and I have been practicing and tell us how it looks?" she asked eagerly.
"Um…sure, if it makes you happy!" Kara answered.
Maddy Mae nodded and called her girls to formation. The cheerleaders all lined up in their proper positions and began the cheer with zeal, Kara watching with interest.
"You're kind and sweet! The very best! Your character beats all the rest!" The cheerleaders clapped in time to the cheer, a couple stepping out to do cartwheels in front of the group.
"You're strong and brave and never fail! Your gentleness will prevail!
To have you is my only wish and that is reason number six!! GO KARA!!"
The cheer was ended with four cheerleaders doing back flips in front of the others as the rest of them formed a pyramid in the background. Maddy Mae cartwheeled in front of Kara and landed on one knee, holding out to her a silver bracelet with a charm shaped as a wolf howling hanging on it. Kara stared at it in shock; she was not expecting that.
"Please accept this gift for it goes with reason number six," Maddy Mae recited, smiling sweetly up at the darker girl.
"Thank you," Kara said robotically, "I'm going home."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked off the track with no intent on stopping. Audrey laughed as her best friend retreated, finding the whole thing quite hilarious. A few minutes after Kara had disappeared from sight, Jacob approached his African-American teammate. Audrey looked at him and smiled kindly, earning a similar smile in return.
"Jake…man, I gotta tell ya. Everything you're doing is downright amazing," Audrey voiced, laughing lightly.
"Thanks, I try," Jacob replied playfully before a glint of worry flashed in his dark brown eyes, "So…what do you think so far? Is it working?"
"Oh yeah, it's working alright! I know it may not seem like it, but it is, trust me!" Audrey replied.
"I hope it is…and I hope that it doesn't look like I'm forcing her back into this relationship," Jacob mused after a moment.
"Jacob, you are not forcing her into anything. You are the best thing to happen to that girl, she just needs a little help in realizing that."
The tanned young man smiled at his friend and nodded his head, "Thanks Audrey, you've been a big help."
"Hey, that's what friends are for. Now you just make sure that everything is set for tomorrow. We came this far, let's not mess it up now," Audrey said as she and Jacob ran off to continue with practice.
Friday: Reason #7
The bleachers were filled students and parents alike that Friday night, each one cheering and roaring with vigor as the track and field meet went under way. This was the championship meet, the one that would put Patterson High School at the top if it was won. So far, the Falcons, the name for the athletes of Patterson High, were in the lead, ahead of St. Dominick High and Rosenburg High. Kara sat in the bleachers, cheering with the rest of the crowd as the runners took their mark for the 200-yard dash; this was Audrey's best event.
"Go Audrey, whoo!" Kara cried, clapping her hands in excitement.
The pistol was shot and the runners took off. Audrey instantly pulled ahead instantly, her long legs giving her a great advantage. It was no surprise that she won; barely breaking a sweat in the process.
"Yeah! Go girlfriend! That's my best friend, whoo!" Kara cried.
The Falcons remained in first place, a few more events were to be held until the final verdict, the last race being Jacob's best event, the 800 meter race. Kara wondered how he would do; according to Audrey, even though he was holding up, he wasn't at his best for the whole week. Kara had to wonder if it was her fault that Jacob was faltering, if it was…then she was a horrible person.
"Now I feel bad," she sighed to herself, running a hand through her curly/wavy hair.
It soon came time for the 800-meter race and Kara felt anxious. She watched as the runners for that event took their mark. Jacob's figure was instantly spotted, his body strong yet lean and lithe. His short hair shinned a silky black under the stadium lights and the sheen of sweat on his body from the heat of the place made him look very hot indeed.
"Runners…get ready!" the announcer called, raising the pistol in the air.
The runners prepared themselves; BOOM!
They took off, each one doing a steady pace to conserve their energy for the final lap. The runners had done one lap already, all seeming to do just fine, and were half way done with their second lap when Kara noticed something bothersome. Jacob was starting to fall behind!
"Oh no," she said to herself when he fell back to the second to the last one, "Come on, Jake. You can do better."
The third lap started and Jacob remained in the back. Kara was starting to get worried; Jacob had never fallen that far behind before. Audrey was right, he wasn't putting his all into it.
"Oh for the love of…COME ON, JACOB! PUSH IT!!" she screamed as loud as she could.
He didn't hear her, the fourth lap had started and he was still in the back.
"JACOB!! JACOB, RUN FASTER! FASTER, JAKE, FASTER! JACOB!!!"
That seemed to do the trick. For a moment, Kara thought the handsome runner had looked in her direction before he booked it full speed. He passed the other runners with great ease, going neck and neck with an opponent from Sunnyside High School. They were approaching the finish line, both giving their all. They crossed! It was a photo finish!
"And it's a photo finish folks! Let's give the judges a few minutes to make their decision!" the announcer voiced.
Kara, and the rest of the crowd on both sides, waited with baited breath. To her, the race was too close to call and she thought it would end up as a tie for sure. In her anxiety, she fiddled with the charm bracelet that Jacob had given her the other day, deciding to wear it because it was such a sweet gift and it was very beautiful. The few minutes were up; the judges had made their decision.
"Okay, folks…we have a winner!" the announcer called, the audience eager for a verdict, "…The Falcons take the victory!"
"YES!!"
The crowd on the Falcons side erupted into a great applause, their energy circling in the air at the last call. Jacob was escorted to the winner's perch where the second and third place winners were already standing. He shook hands with the runner from Sunnyside High and also the one from Rosenburg High before he took his perch for 1st Place. He was adorned the gold medal and ultimately put the school in at the top. Kara cheered loudly for him, her excitement bubbling over and spewing from her mouth in congratulations.
"Ladies and gentleman! The winner of today's meet…Jacob Black of Patterson High!" the announcer called.
Jacob raised his hand to the crowds' cheers, his face absolutely glowing from the praise. Kara thought he was amazingly beautiful as he stood there, a big smile on his face. She felt a sense of pride overtake her as, for just one moment, she thought of him as her boyfriend. She felt proud of him as his girlfriend until she remembered and her clapping ceased as her face fell.
"It appears we have a change of plans here ladies and gentlemen! A sort of…twist in events! Will Kara Anderson please come down to the winner's perch!"
Her blood ran cold as spotlight was put on her. The people around her turned their attention on her, wondering excitedly what the twist was.
"Kara Anderson, please come down to the winner's perch!" the announcer repeated.
Kara slowly stood up, wobbling a little as her legs felt like jelly, and made her descent to the track. A moderator escorted her from the bleachers to the track itself and all the way up to the winner's perch. The crowd applauded when she got there, but Kara hardly realized it as she was helped up to the 1st Place winner's stand; Jacob's stand. Her heart beat a million miles a minute, her blood pounded in her ears. She was finally face to face with the man she had tried to let go and forget, the man who all this week gave her six reasons why he would choose only her. She had a feeling that now she was going to get reason number 7. Jacob took her hands, a smile adorning his features, a very soft, loving smile.
"Hey Kara," he greeted, gently touching her chin.
Kara couldn't find the voice to answer; she was in shock. What could she say? Hey what's up? Long time no see?
"Now, it's to my understanding, Kara, that throughout the course of this week starting last Saturday, you had been given 6 reasons as to why Jacob Black here cared for you so deeply. Is that correct?" the announcer said so the crowd could hear, holding the mic up to the stunned girl.
"Yes," Kara answered, her voice wobbling.
"Well, tonight is the final night! Jacob will now give you reason number 7!"
The crowd applauded once more as the mic was handed over to Jacob Black. He took it with gratitude and turned to Kara once more, holding her eyes as if she were the only one in the whole stadium.
"Kara," he started, "from the minute that I first saw you, two years ago, I knew there was something special about you. You stood out to me, from a sea of kids, I could pinpoint you without a single problem. You had captivated me, invaded my mind so all I could think about was you and only you."
Here, Jacob let out a bashful laugh as he looked to the skies for what he was going to say next. He raised his hand and ran the back of his fingers across her cheek, lighting her skin on fire, or so it felt to Kara.
"You have no idea how hard it was for me to choose only 7 reasons as to why I would choose you over anyone else. It was like…Mission Impossible! Hahaha! There is so much about you that I admire, so much that holds me close to you…so close that I never want to walk away. Kara, even though it was hard to pick only 6 reasons about you, the 7th one was no question at all."
Jacob then, pulling out a velvet-covered box and kneeling on one knee, took Kara's hand. The girl looked like she was about to have a heart attack!
'Please don't let him ask me to marry him!' she cried frantically in her mind.
"Kara…the 7th reason why I would choose only you…is because…I love only you. Please, take me back and be my girlfriend," Jacob said, opening the box to reveal a silver heart necklace along a thin, silver chain.
Kara felt immensely relieved and smiled at him. She bent down to be eye level with him and asked softly,
"Jacob, are you sure? I don't have much to offer you."
"You have more to offer me than I'm asking for. I love you Kara and always will," Jacob replied.
Kara felt a tug at her heart, a serious tug that told her 'If you don't say yes, you're a freakin' idiot!'
"Then I accept, Jacob Black!" she cried happily.
Jacob smiled as they stood, taking the necklace from the box and clasping it around her neck. It hung delicately upon her chest, the shine matching the glow from her eyes. Kara turned and threw her arms around his neck, bringing him down for the kiss of his life. Jacob responded to the kiss passionately as he wrapped his arms around her waist, missing the way their lips molded perfectly together. The crowd around them erupted into cheers, the air filled with the energy and buzzing in Kara's ears. Jacob pulled back gently and looked her in the eyes.
"I love you, Kara," he said again, feeling he would never tire of it.
"And I love you, Jacob."
They kissed once more.
Saturday Night
"Did you see her face?! She looked like she just had a stroke!"
"She was so scared! I bet she thought he was going to propose!"
"I don't blame her! That move is the give away!"
"Watch it again! Watch it again! It's hilarious!"
The scene where Jacob knelt down on one knee with the velvet box was replayed, the 5 teens in Kara's living room all laughing at the shocked expression on her face. Audrey, Maddy Mae, Quil, Embry, Jared, Kara, and Jacob were all at Kara's house, a place they felt comfortable to just crash and hang out at. They had spent the whole day out in town and retreated back to her house for pizza and movies. One movie that was surprisingly shown was of the meet itself and Jacob's confession. Audrey had the whole thing taped and burned onto a DVD in record time.
"Hey, there, kids!" Margaret Anderson greeted the 5 teens as she and her husband descended the stairs.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Anderson!" the teens greeted back.
"Where's Kara?" Margaret asked when she didn't see her daughter.
"And Jacob?" Martin added suspiciously.
"They said they were going to the backyard about 10 minutes ago," Audrey answered.
Martin Anderson looked at her before he turned and made his way to the kitchen. However, before he could get two steps away, his wife reached out her hand, grabbed him, and turned back to the couch.
"Honey, why don't we sit here and watch the movie?" she suggested as she sat her husband down and cuddled in his lap.
The 5 teens laughed at the two adults and continued with DVD. In the meantime, Jacob and Kara were indeed in the backyard, both sitting on the porch and watching Simba play around in the grass. They smiled and laughed at the little puppy as he chased his own tail round in circles.
"He's such a sweetheart!" Kara commented, leaning into Jacob's side.
"I'm glad you like him. He reminded me of you," Jacob replied, putting his arm around her waist.
Kara had to stop and think about his remark, narrowing her eyes at him; "How?" she asked.
"Just look at him!"
Kara did as Jacob said, watching as Simba chased his tail for a few more seconds before collapsing in the grass dizzily.
"You better not be calling me furry," she said.
Jacob chuckled at her words, "No, Kara, I meant his energy. He's just full of it! It's nine o'clock right now and he's acting like it's the afternoon! He never gets tired of playing…and neither do you."
He leaned in and gently kissed her on her lips. Kara kissed back, closing her eyes to allow the full feeling of his lips against hers wash over her. Jacob pulled back after a minute or two and stared into her chocolate brown eyes, softly brushing her cheek with his thumb.
"Kara, can I ask you a question?" he said in a soft voice.
"Sure."
"Why did you break up with me? You never really said."
Kara stared at him, sighing slightly and pulling back to look at Simba. Jacob kept his eyes on her, patiently waiting for her to answer. Kara finally got up the courage to reply and, with a blush across her cheeks, said,
"Because…because I got scared."
The handsome young man blinked, "Scared? Scared of what?"
Kara shrugged, "You. The girls that know you. The possibility that at any moment, any one of them could captivate you and take you away from me just when I was getting comfortable with being your girlfriend. I guess I just thought…I wasn't good enough. That I was some stand in until your real Juliet came around."
"…Oh Kara," Jacob whispered, kissing her fingers, "Why didn't you tell me something?"
"Because I thought you would laugh at me! Or dump me, whatever came first!" Kara replied.
"Kara, the day I ever break up with you is the day I'll admit to being gay. And THAT will never happen! Trust me!"
Kara giggled at Jacob's words, the young man happy that he could make her smile.
"You believe me, though, right, Kara?" he asked after a moment.
She nodded her head, "Yes."
Jacob remained staring at her; "What?!" Kara exclaimed.
"You DO believe me, right?" he asked again.
"Yes! I said yes!" Kara replied to him.
Jacob laughed at her, holding her closer and giving her a soft kiss on top of her head. Kara laid her head on his chest, sighing contently. A second later, Simba, seeing his master and her love snuggling so closely together, felt out of the loop and bounded towards them. He jumped into Kara's lap and cuddled against her neck, causing the ebony girl to giggle.
"Hey there Simba! Look, it's daddy!" she cooed to the little pup, showing him Jacob.
Jacob tickled Simba's tummy, the word 'daddy' ringing in his ear. He looked at Kara, at her beautiful face, sweet smile, silky hair. He suddenly saw a future him, sitting on a porch just like this one, Kara by his side with a little baby bundled up in a yellow blanket. They were happy, happy and in love; that's what Jacob saw, what he wanted.
"Why are you staring at me so intently?" Kara asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
He shrugged his shoulders as he scratched Simba behind his ears, "I was just thinking."
"Of?" Kara urged.
"Of…something else…calling me daddy. A little something that also called you mommy," he answered her.
Kara stopped and looked at him with wide eyes, "Jacob…"
He shrugged playfully again, "I'm already thinking of how to get you to marry me."
"You have to go through her father first!"
Jacob and Kara jumped at the booming sound, turning swiftly to see Mr. Anderson standing behind the screen door. He stared at Jacob with daring eyes, a look of murder flashing in them.
"Daddy!"
"M-Mr. Anderson! I, uh-."
"Martin, leave them alone," Margaret said to her husband, pulling him away slightly from the door.
"He's trying to take my baby from me, Margaret!" Martin cried to his wife.
"No he's not, now come on," Margaret urged further.
"I'm watching you," Martin said warningly to Jacob, glaring at him before his wife pulled him away from the door.
Kara and Jacob looked back at each other before they broke out into laughter.
"Well, looks like you got your first obstacle to overcome," Kara commented, looking at the starry sky.
"No worries. I'll find a way to get him to agree to our marriage. You'll be Mrs. Kara Black in no time," Jacob answered her with a grin.
"How about we just enjoy me being Kara Anderson, Jacob Black's one and only girlfriend for now?" Kara replied, leaning into his chest again and leaning up to give him a kiss.
Jacob melted under her lips, sighing once they parted and holding her close; "Okay, but just for now," he told her.
"Thank you."
"…I still like Mrs. Kara Black better though."
"I know."
The End
Jamaican Sunshower: Orale! What did you guys think? Good? Bad? Maybe? I wanted to do a Jacob Black story that had nothing to do with werewolves and vampires and Bella and all that junk. I just wanted to see what kind of feedback I would get. Review please if you like it! If I get some that didn't like it because of the fact that it's not in the original universe, well then boo hoo, but other than that, I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it! Tell me if you think I'm good enough to write more Twilight Stories cuz if I'm not, then I'll leave it to the professionals who have been doing it for a while! Thanks a bunch peeps! Ciao!