Oh, look! I updated again :)
"A dream you once were,
A dream of all my realities,
A dream I can no long strive for.
In the wake of my manly betrayals"
C. Elizabeth, Absolute Obsession
*Twilight is the sole property of SM and her publishing company.*
Chapter 3-Dinner at the Blacks'.
Bella
As the airport doors slowly retracted, I let out a huge sigh of relief. I never realized just how weighed down my soul had become. I had carried around so much contempt for the Cullens that I had forgotten what it felt like to be unencumbered by their imposed misery. A smug smile pulled at my lips. Chastising Jasper had been the pinnacle of my day, a culmination of the agony I had endured over the past half decade, and my shoulders felt lighter as a result.
I had a peculiar feeling about standing out in front of the airport. While my actions were gratifying, I essentially shot myself in the proverbial foot, having not secured a vehicle. It was a fair distance from Seattle to Forks, so I guessed my vindication came at a very steep price. However, my pride prevented me from remedying the situation, so I needed to contemplate another option.
"Damn, you look good enough to eat," a husky voice whispered in my ear.
A blood-curdling scream left my lips, and I jumped back in shock, unintentionally throwing my body against my would-be attacker. Fearing for my safety, I grabbed the crook of the man's arm, squared my body, and hefted him up and over my shoulder. The man was easily three times my size, and while the action wasn't perfunctory, his body made a gratifying sound as he connected with the sidewalk. I was secretly pleased that I had gotten the drop on him. Wasn't gravity wonderful? I needed to remember to thank my self-defense instructor for his superior teaching skills.
Before the large man could move, I dropped my knee against his throat. My knee felt as as though it hit granite and I screamed in protest, but I didn't flinch. I refused to show weakness. My assailant gasped and moaned, strangling slightly under my slight weight. There was no way on God's green earth that I would lay down and become a victim twice in one night. Both men could kiss my ass!
"Jesus, Bella, you might be little but you sure pack a punch," the man said humorously.
Pushing my hair behind one ear, I gazed down at the man and smiled sheepishly. My cheeks flushed tomato red, when I realized who I had thrown to the ground. My friend returned my smile, flashing a set of pristine teeth.
"Oh my goodness," I squealed in delight. "I'm so, so sorry. You scared the shit out of me. Let me take a look at you." -I lifted myself off him and held out my hand to help him up- "Little Seth Clearwater, what happened to you? You grew up on me."
As the last words left my lips, the silence was shattered by a cacophony of raucous laughter. I jumped and spun around, alarmed by the upsurge of dissonant sound, nearly deafening underneath the open canopy. Standing several feet away was Embry, Quil, and Jared - all of whom were bent over at the waist, apparently laughing at Seth's misfortune. The trio were so tickled, in fact, that they had tears streaming down their cheeks.
I took a shaky breath and let it out slowly, attempting to slow my heart rate. "Umm, wow! Next time you might want warn a girl before you sneak up on her. What are y'all doing here?"
Embry scoffed and replied in his usual sardonic tone, "What does it look like we're doing? We're picking you up from the airport! God, has the Florida sun fried your brain, Swan?"
Jared roared with laughter. "Embry, I believe senility has set in!"
Jared's comment opened the flood-gates, and the boys burst into another fit of raucous laughter, slapping each other on the back. The brotherly bonding continued with a full round of high-fives. I shook my head at the flood of obnoxiousness and flipped them off.Boys! It didn't matter how old they were, they all stopped progressing after age twelve.
I rolled my eyes. "Fuck off. Actually, I wasn't expecting anyone to pick me up. I was planning to rent a car, and I told Jake as much. I am glad you're here, though. It seems as though there was an issue with the car reservation. I was going to catch a cab." Such a liar.
"Ang and Jake needed us to pick up some junk for the wedding. So while we were here, he said we should swing by and pick you up," Seth said nonchalantly, placing an arm around my shoulder. "Instead of gratitude, I get my ass kicked by a woman, no less! Speaking of women, you look fantastic, Bella. What's the occasion?"
"Well, we are attending a rehearsal dinner, right?" I said, looking at each of them in turn.
"Yeah, but…this is Jake's house, Bella. None of us are dressing up. Although-" Quil paused and started tapping his finger on his chin, and then after careful consideration divested himself of his ratty shirt. "-Or, we could go au naturel."
"Yuck, Quil! We're not getting naked!" I balked, quickly looking away in embarrassmentt. It was one thing to oogle or drool, but you didn't want to be caught in the act. The boys had egos a mile wide, already.
"That's all right, Bella! You don't wanna see that naked." Seth motioned to Quil and then continued his chiding, "In fact, you'd be sorely disappointed, 'cause Quil lacks in the manliness department. His girlfriend actually came over last night to take a ride on Seth's giant sausage. I think she finally lost her virginity!"
I threw my hand over my mouth and snorted loudly. With wide eyes, I watched as Quil pounced lithely on Seth, socking him in the gut. Grabbing Seth's neck between two arms, Quil pummeled Seth about the head.
"Don't say shit about my girlfriend, Clearwater!"
"Quil! Seth! Please...stop," I pleaded, grabbing the nearest by the shoulder.
Quil socked Seth in the gut one last time and then slipped his shirt back on. "Asshole," he grumbled.
Seth rubbed his head furiously, groaned loudly, and then chuckled under his breath. "So, Bella, are you're gonna save a dance for me?"
"You have a girlfriend, Clearwater. Besides Ms. Swan is dancing with me tonight," Embry said assuredly. He promptly grabbed my bag and slung it over one shoulder, clearly considering himself the victor.
This trip was beginning to look up. I smiled sheepishly at Embry and bit my bottom lip. Maybe, just maybe, Jenny had been right. Perhaps I should snag myself a date, have a little fun. My V-card and my dance card were equally barren.
"Let's get the hell out of here," Seth said loudly, "I'm double parked, and if I get another ticket in Mom's truck, she's going to freak the fuck out!"
"I would pay money to see that, Seth!" I said animatedly, clapping my hands together. "Getting your ass kicked twice in one day would be some sort of record, right?"
Seth's face fell into a grimace and his cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. As we walked towards the truck, I giggled at Seth's pouting. He was a spoiled sport. The man could apparently dish shit out, but he sure couldn't handle being on the receiving end.
Feeling eyes upon me, I gingerly gazed over my shoulder. I narrowed my eyes and risked another look. At first glance, I swore that I had seen a pair of ocher eyes behind the glass. However, my second glance showed nothing. Jasper had obviously disregarded my demand. Why didn't that surprise me? Vampires rarely did as they were told. His presence definately posed a serious problem, both with the wolves and me.
"Bella, you smell like a leech, or…the airport smells like leeches," Jared stated, his muscles trembling.
All the boys agreed and nodded their heads, frantically scanning the area for the threat. Embry stiffened and grabbed me by the crook of the arm, tucking me behind his back. I rolled my eyes. Guys were so predictable.
"When I got off the plane, I…well, I was robbed and believe it or not, a vampire came to my rescue," I said sheepishly, pulling out of Embry's embrace. I certainly hoped they wouldn't press the interrogations, because I was a terrible liar. "He's gone now, so there's no need to worry. I'm safe, I promise."
Thankfully, my explanation was sufficient even though only part of it was true. The Cullens weren't the wolves' favorite 'people'. The two species were mortal enemies, so I thought it was unwise to bring the topic up in casual conversation. There was no need to start a war over a chance encounter. At least I hoped it was merely an encounter.
Seth's truck was a mammoth vehicle with huge tires, and I cringed internally as I glanced up into the cab. Even with a running start, I would require help. Why I hadn't stuck with the classic jeans and sneakers, I will never know. A dress wasn't my typical attire, so I found myself at a disadvantage. I had no idea how I was going to both hoist myself up into the mammoth beast and keep as much of my assets inside this blasted dress.
Jared and Quil lithely jumped into the bed of the truck, while I clumsily clambered my way into the the front seat. Once I was situated in front of the stick shift, the two remaining men sandwiched me between them. The heat that radiated off their skin felt wonderful, maybe too wonderful, and I was instantly uncomfortable. However, I didn't think either of them minded being so close , because both of the boys grabbed several comprehensive looks down my cleavage when they thought I wasn't looking. I had, indeed noticed their interest.
Boys are creeps.
Seth drove like a maniac on the way to La Push. He took each curve with reckless abandon, but the speed didn't bother me. For the first time since I got off the plane, I felt at ease, just as if this was where I truly belonged. I supposed it could've been, if I wanted to come home. That was the crux of the matter…I honestly didn't know where I belonged.
On our way to the reservation, Seth, Embry, and I had a great time rehashing old memories. We spoke about all the changes in pack, Sam and Emily marriage and surprise baby, who had imprinted on whom and who hadn't, and of course, Jacob and Angela's wedding. Therefore, I felt fully caught up by the time we rolled into Jacob's driveway.
The groom was waiting in the doorway with Angela draped in one arm. If it were possible, Jacob looked even larger than I remembered. Well, all the boys seemed larger.Was that even possible? I thought and smiled widely. The two of them looked so in love, and the thought of many happy years warmed my heart.
The boys quickly piled out of the truck before I could move. Well, all but one. My admirer, Embry, who I believed was still trying to impress me, had waited for me at the door and lifted me out of the truck. His warm hands around my waist made me shiver with delight. Maybe I should wear a dress more often, I thought, feeling pleased for the first time in ages. It'd been a long time since I had felt special and wanted.
Gazing around the property, I spotted Billy, Sue, and Leah sitting under a lovely linen awning in the front yard. Shortly, the three were joined by the boys and their dates, which had already loaded up plates of food and were stuffing it into their faces.
Twinkle lights and ribbons embellished the surrounding the trees, setting a soft glow upon the ground. The lights illuminated, Sam, who was grilling a massive amount of steaks, while his wife, Emily, swollen with child, arranged various bowls of foods on folding tables. La Push seemed to have been frozen in time. Nothing had changed in my absence.
I stepped awkwardly away from Embry, still painfully aware of his presence, and was immediately caught up into a rib-breaking hug by my best friend in the whole world, Jacob. It felt wonderful to see him again. He kissed me on the top of the head, and I pulled away to look into his wide, childlike eyes that glittered with excitement.
"Bells, you…"
"Jacob, I…"
"Sorry, Jake…you first."
"I was just going to say you reek," he said, smiling widely.
"Gee, way to make a girl feel good about her self. I love you, too, Jake," I said in annoyed tone, placing my hands on my hips.
"Seriously, Bells, you aren't hanging out with the bloodsuckers again, are you?" Jake looked concerned. Fuck, he looked slightly pissed. He, above everyone here, should've known better.
"Nope, not even if you paid me a million bucks. There was a vamp at the airport, and I got mugged. He was nice enough to retrieve my purse from the dickhead who stole it," I said assuredly, holding the purse under his nose.
"Ugh, that's frickin' nasty. Put that thing somewhere where I can't smell it and come get some grub. I'm starved."
Once I disposed of my purse, Jacob and I made our way over to the buffet table. The food looked wonderful, and I watched Jake grab a plate and generously pile a mound of food on the flimsy plate. My best friend scampered away and promptly dropped at Billy's feet, leaving me in the dust. Before his ass made contact with the ground, his mouth was already full of food.
I shook my head and a broad smile crossed my lips. Werewolves were insatiable beasts. Instead of food, I grabbed a Coke out of a nearby cooler of ice and laid it against my neck. All the excitement, coupled with the events of the day, had made my stomach churn uncomfortably. When I had properly cooled myself, I popped the cap and sipped gently at the cool liquid, happily basking in the glow of the people around me.
"Swan, aren't you gonna eat anything?" a deep voice cooed in my ear.
I squealed under my breath and swung around, ready to take on another attacker even if I knew I was safe. "What the…fuck? Embry, don't sneak up on me unless you want me to kick your ass, too."
"Baby, you can do anything you want with me," he said, wagging his eyebrows at me.
"Embry, you're incourrigible," I blurted out.
"...and proud of it, baby," Embry returned playfully.
I snorted and blushed, turning away before he could see the emotion that undoubtedly painted my face tomato red. I had the distinct feeling he would attempt to pursue me while I was in Washington, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. While the attention felt pleasant, it also felt strange. I hadn't dated anyone since Edward, and I wasn't so sure that I had deemed all relationships with a jaded eye.
It had been five unbelievably, long years and while my heart had partly healed, I knew I couldn't stand another rejection. My heart wasn't strong enough. Edward hadn't been just any person, though. Our relationship, well, my portion, at least, had been so much more than a high school crush. And when he left me alone in those woods, he took everything with him.
Whatever I felt with regard to Embry, it felt wonderful to take part in life instead of merely existing, if only for a moment. Unfortunately, this was a fantasy world. Everything would return to normal on Monday, because I knew myself all too well. This was what he…what Edward had done to me.
"I just don't feel well."— I turned slowly and looked into his eyes.—"Um, Embry, can I ask you a question? It's sort of personal, though."
"Sure Bella, you can ask me anything. What would you like to know?" he said, his brown eyes sparkling.
"While I understand the mechanics of imprinting, Jake explained it to me once, why hasn't it happened for you, do you think?"
"I don't know, really. I'm the odd man out, I guess. Maybe, it's just because I hadn't found the right girl, yet," he said, smiling at me, tucking some hair behind my ear. "Maybe, you're the right girl, Swan."
Fuck! Swan. Of all the questions, you had to ask that one!
"I was just wondering. Curious I guess." I turned abruptly and pulled away, sweating bullets. "I should really go say hello to Angela."
Fuck me sideways, I thought, as I hurried over to the large group, panicking. I hadn't meant for that conversation to turn so heated. I hoped to distract him with my question, not encourage him - even though, in theory, it sounded nice. I should've known he wasn't so easily sidetracked.
Angela, Emily, and Leah were deep in conversation when I walked up, and I flung my arms around Angela, hugging her tightly. A wave of calm settled over me the moment her arms responded to mine. She pulled away and gazed into my eyes. It had been so long since I'd seen Angela. Yet when she looked at me, it was as though I had never left. As if I never ran away and our friendship hadn't suffered.
"I'm so happy for you!" I said shakily, tears prickling at my eyes.
"I can't believe what's happened, Bella! On one hand, I'm so incredibly happy with Jacob. He makes me feel so special, and loved. On the other hand, it's a completely new world with vampires, wolves, and traditions…it's a lot to take in, somewhat overwhelming. Jake said you've known about all this for years. How is that? It's kind of a secret society. And the Cullens—" she broke off, ducking her head in embarrassment.
"Yes, it's true - all of it. I have known about all of this for years," I sadly responded, motioning with my arms to include the whole area and everyone in it. "I guessed the secret, so I'm a special case. It's a carefully guarded secret."
"Did you leave Forks because of him? Because of Edward?" she questioned.
"That's part of it. However, after Charlie's murder it was just too much. Too much hurt and way too many memories—" I trailed off sadly, and smiled up at her. "Enough of that unpleasantness, though. So, Saturday is the big day, huh?"
Angela smiled sweetly, gazing at me through those impossibly thick lashes. "Well, I should've asked you sooner, but I was afraid you might not come. You know, with you and Jake's history and all. But, since you're here now...will you be my maid of honor?"
I pulled her into an all-encompassing hug and held her tightly as both of us broke into nervous and tearful laughter. "I would be honored, Angela."
The evening had been chocked-full of good friends, food, and music. I had decided to take Jenny's advice and just have a bit of harmless fun. I danced with everyone, twirling around the dance floor so often I almost forgot about my past and my earlier reservations. Luckily, my friends found my clumsiness endearing instead of pitying me for my two left feet. It had been worth it, every second of it.
Since the boys had sipped a few beers, I had opted to drive myself to the motel in my old truck (which I had gifted Jake when I moved to Florida). Embry had offered his house, hoping I would spend the night, but everything about that situation seemed wrong.
Driving the old beast felt fabulous. The familiar rumble of the engine, faint smells of tobacco, and remnants of peppermint soothed my nerves. Even though it was freezing outside, and took a great deal of hard work to roll down the windows, I let the cool salty air fill my lungs.
My journey ended at a Motel 6 just on the edge of Forks, and I checked in for four days. If everything went as planned, I would fly home on Sunday and attempt to hid from the past, lest it consume me. This trip was a celebration of the joining of two souls, and I'd be damned if I ruined it with my brooding.
My room was, of course, on the third floor. My feet were exhausted, so I slipped the little heels off, swung my purse and bag over my arm, and trudged upstairs. Room 222 was at the end of the hall. I fiddled with the stupid plastic card, swiping it several times before the lock finally released, granting me entrance.
Throwing my junk on the bed, I made my way to the bathroom, washed my face, and slipped out of my dress, happy to take off the stupid thing. Several minutes later, I was fumbling through the dark. I stubbed my toe on the bed frame as I walked by and yelped in pain, awkwardly stumbling over to the window and slidding the curtains closed. Then with as much grace as I could muster, I spun on my heel and slid onto the bed, turning on the light on the headboard. As the bulb illuminated the tiny room with soft light, I realized I wasn't the only person in the room and opened my mouth to scream.
AN: Next Chapter is the very last overlapping POV. So who's in Bella's room? What's Jasper up to? And what on Earth is going on between Embry and Bella? Hmmm... Thoughts and reviews are sometimes excellent motivators!