La
Push. It had always been home to me. Home-a secure place where your
strongest support system is always there to stick with you. Your
family. Three things happened that changed my home. The first, my dad
died. That kind of screwed up the whole 'support system' seeing
as though my mom was unwilling to get over the fact that she was
widowed, and never seemed to wake up from this trance that had her
eyes glazed over half the time. The second, I changed into a
werewolf. That transformation made me hate La Push. Okay, it wasn't
entirely the reservation's fault, but I couldn't find anyone else
to blame for the change. The third, I ran away.
Since Rachel, my
best friend that was a girl was moving back to La Push to be with
Paul, the one who imprinted on her, she said that I could move into
her apartment in Seattle. I did just that. I was far enough away from
home that I could claim that I didn't have time, or I didn't have
enough money, or that I had tests in the state university I went to,
and I didn't have to see anyone from La Push, except occasionally
Rachel who came to visit me every once in a while. So this situation
worked out perfectly.
In my classes at the University, I focused mainly on my anger management, meditation, yoga, and such. With the help of that, plus not going to La Push constantly, I hadn't phased into a wolf in one and a half years. And as predicted, my "girly stuff" as everyone used to call it, picked right back up again. My temperature dropped considerably, to about 99.5, so I was considered healthy at the doctor's office again. My life was almost back to normal. Almost.
I still shook when I got angry, and my senses dulled, but never really faded. I could still see and hear farther than the average human. My sense of smell was annoyingly sharp. I could still growl when I was human, which I tried to do as little as possible because it kind of freaked people out. I was happier now. I kind of missed my family, though. I missed Emily too, which surprised me. I missed her half-smile half-grimace, her always cheerful attitude, her sickly-sweetness that I could hardly stomach. I missed Seth and Jacob. But I refused to go back.
I did get updates from Rachel when she visited. She always asked to bring Paul, but I told her that it was a bad idea. She was reluctant, but she understood. Seth had imprinted on a girl named Danielle. She was beautiful from the picture that Rachel showed me of them together, and she and my brother made a cute couple. She was Bella Swan's third cousin or something. The Cullens were still in Forks, and Charlie was not aware of that. Jacob had found out that his connection to Renesmee was ("sadly"…um, yeah, right) not an imprint. She was too young to understand when he realized it, so she never really knew, but he was still a big part in her life. They were both happier that way. She looked about eleven right now. Sam and Emily had finally gotten married-made it official, and I was glad I missed out on that one. Paul and Rachel's wedding was set to be the summer of next year. Everyone got their fairytale happy ending. Everyone except me.
Where was my fairytale prince to come and sweep me off my feet, to ride off into the sunset into our happily ever after? Nowhere to be found. Yet. I had never really liked imprinting, part of it being that imprinting was the cause for my five year depression that ended when I finally fled from La Push. Part of it was that it was just so annoying to be around people who were like that. So googley eyed, and ga-ga over each other. It was sickening. I had a hard time stomaching it. I never wanted to be like that, to love somebody against my will. That was it; I wanted to love, not against my will. I wanted to love who I chose to love, not who my instincts told me to. It was great finally being free from that pressure.
I stumbled into my apartment with groceries in my arms, still sweaty and smelling of French fries from my job at McDonald's. God I hated that job, but I still did need food. That was another thing that hadn't changed. My disgusting appetite. As if on cue, the phone rang. I dropped the groceries, expecting it to be Rachel. She was the only one who ever called anymore.
"Hey Rach," I said, slumping down on the couch.
"Leah? It's your mother." I hadn't talked to mom in…well, since I left. She sounded horrible.
"Mom? Is everything okay?" I asked nervously.
"Sweetie, I guess everything is fine. I just wanted to ask you some questions. I know you're busy, but this will only take five minutes."
"Okay," I said, sighing. "What is it?"
"Well, um, how long has it been since you…phased?" she asked, choking out the last word.
"A year and a half," I announced proudly, but my pride turned to suspicion. "Why?"
"Just wondering. So, are things…back to normal?" she asked.
"Yeah, everything has…picked right up. Mom, really why are you calling?" I asked. My mom knew all these things, she could've assumed them. Anyone could've
"Sweetie, I'm not asking you to come home permanently. I just want to see you. Just for a week end. Please, you don't have to leave the house. I just really miss you, honey, and I need you to visit."
"Mom, I don't know…" I trailed off. It would be really nice to see my family. I would get to meet Danielle, which was great. I'd get to see if she was really good enough for my baby brother. I did need to see my mom. It was crucial that it happened sooner rather than later.
"Please sweetie? For me? You won't have to see anybody else besides me and Seth. We both miss you. He's been asking me to call for months. Please, Leah."
"Okay, mom. Sure. I'll come up for the weekend. I'll be there tomorrow morning."I sighed as I realized it was Friday.
"Really?" she asked. She sounded super shocked."You don't need money or anything?"
"I just got my paycheck. I think that I'll be able to make it."
"Thank you, honey. From the bottom of my heart. I can't wait to see you. I'll let you get back to your school work now. Bye, sweetheart. I really can't wait. Seth will be so excited…"
"Alright, Mom. I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Yes, honey. Goodbye." She hung up. I was just glad she was happy. So it was set. I would go down to La Push this weekend, see Seth, and Mom, possibly this Danielle girl, if I was feeling up to it I would go over to the Black's house to see Billy and Jacob. Then I'd go back home and continue on with my life. It would be that simple. Could it be that simple?
"
