He Makes 'Em Good Girls Go Bad
A Twilight FanFic
3. Almost
Embry matched his long, flowing stride to my slow, choppy walk while I showed him around the house.
"This is my surprisingly clean bedroom," I said and gestured to the spotless floor, and the cluttered wall of posters and pictures that included mostly of me and my friends. Embry walked around the room, and chastised himself with a heart-shaped locket.
"Who'd you get this from?" I found it weird that he'd assumed somebody had given it to me.
"My ex-boyfriend," I told him.
"What's his name?"
"Gabe." What was interesting about him? I mean we'd dated for a couple months, and broken up, like what happens with teenage relationships.
"Huh."
"Do you know him?" I wondered, puzzled.
"No."
"Oh. Let's go downstairs," I suggested. I couldn't miss catching the glimpse of my alarm clock, the bright, bloody red numbers jumping out at me. It was about time for me to pick up Ella from Brad's. I don't think she'd mind if I showed up earlier than she intended me to.
"Hey, do you mind if go pick up Ella? I'll only be a few minutes," I turned to Embry.
"No, I don't mind. Actually, do you mind if I tag along?" Embry's eyes suddenly turned hard, and edged with protectiveness.
"No, you can come." I mumbled, dazed. I swayed dangerously to the side.
Embry reached out and caught me before I had the chance to fall on my face. I stumbled a bit, but Embry kept me quite still in his arms.
"Thanks."
"No problem. You should be a bit more careful."
"That might help."
I stood up awkwardly, and Embry followed behind me, ready to act if I happened to fall again. I slipped on my shoes for the third time today, and opened the garage door, waiting for Embry. He flashed by my side in no time, and I ended up dazed again.
Shaking my head, I slowly stepped down the stairs, just in case if I went to fast I'd trip and fall. Luck was on my side, and I made it down without any accidents. I jogged over to the driver's side, but Embry still beat me to his door, with his fluid walk and everything. I silently envied him.
I dug my key into the ignition, for the second time today, and twisted it until the engine caught. The garage opener was on the roof above me, and I skillfully reached over my head and pressed it. The garage slid upward slower than I would've desired, but I remained as patient as possible. I finally got to take Ella home from Brad's. A dream-come true, literally.
It was a quiet drive, Embry nor I bringing up simple topics to chat about. I was focused on the road, just staring blankly at the yellow lines in the centre of it. No cars passed by us, so I had nothing to worry about.
Out of nowhere, a speeding navy car, going faster, higher than the speed limit was racing around the corner of the road. It skidded across the pavement, the screech of tires was so loud I could hear it crystal-clearly even inside the car. It was on the same lane we were plodding along on, the driver increasing his speed as the street straightened out. The police were chasing him, hot on his trail. It was hot pursuit, grand theft auto.
The dark blue turbo was coming at me quicker, and coming closer every second. I was paralyzed. He'd crash into me, and chances of me or Embry walking away from a crash like that would be zero. My muscles and my brain screamed at me to move, to do something. To move out of the way, but I couldn't. It was like waking up from a nightmare, you wanted to scream, but you're throat wouldn't allow it.
My Cobalt was still crawling along the road, against this one hundred thirty mph crazy driver. There was nothing I could possibly do; we were toast.
It was all in slow motion. Embry had undone his seatbelt (did he even put it on?) and my seatbelt, and shifted positions with me. He was now driving, and I was lying on my side, on the passenger side, where he should be sitting. He accelerated forward, and my car lurched forward in protest. I closed my eyes, and covered my ears. I didn't want to hear the crippling sound of metal against metal, or Embry being thrown through the windshield. I didn't want to hear Embry die.
But I could still go with the sharp movements of the car. I got tossed to one side, and then flung into the hard plastic of the dashboard. Everything had stopped. I opened my eyes one by one, and removed my hands from my ears. Embry had parked the car on the side of the road, almost on the sidewalk. I glanced at Embry, and he was completely at ease. Me, on the other-hand, was wide-eyed and gasping for air.
"You okay?" Embry asked.
"We just about crashed!"
"But, we didn't."
"How did you do that? I mean, the car was about this far away from us …" the width between my fingers was about ten centimeters, even if I was exaggerating it a bit.
"Easy: I moved you out of the way, and took the wheel."
"I-I can't … believe …" I struggled for the right words.
The black jacket of a policeman crossed over to Embry's window, and he rolled it down.
"Nice driving skills, kid. Not a scratch. Now, did you happen to see which direction the low-life went?"
"Thanks, Chief Swan. Um," Embry turned around in his seat, and pointed behind us. "Over there, where he crashed."
"Oh, thanks. Well, see you later, Embry." Chief Swan waved, and ran back to where his cruiser was parked.
"You know him?"
"Sure. That's Bella's dad."
"Bella?"
"Isabella Swan? Well, now I guess its Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen."
"She's married?"
"Yeah. Jacob used to like, love her. He impr –," Embry caught himself. "He, uh, likes her daughter."
"Oh. I've never met her before."
"She's really nice. Bella was kinda a klutz, but I guess she grew out of it."
"Hm," I laughed. Embry laughed with me.
"So, do you want to drive still?"
"You might wanna stay behind the wheel, just in case something happens again. But wait."
"Huh?"
I threw open my door and got out in a rush, I wanted to see if Chief Swan was correct, that Embry hadn't gotten a scratch on my car. Honestly, I didn't care, because I wasn't dead, and that's all I was worried about. He was right, not a scratch, dent, nothing. I've got an angel on my hands right now. I got back in.
"Didn't believe what he said?" Embry teased.
"I don't really care if it has a dent; all I really care about is about being dead or alive." I smirked.
"Ha-ha, fine with me. Where does this kid live?"
I gave Embry the directions, and he found the house easily. He parallel-parked beside the house. He opened his door smoothly and ran to my side to open mine for me.
"How sweet," I stammered as I got out. We both went to shut the door, and his hand touched mine. It was really warm. Actually, it was hot. I just stared at him, and he smiled in response.
"You're hand is … really … warm," I squeaked.
"Yeah, we Quileute boys run at higher temperatures than you do," Embry laughed it off.
I raised my eyebrow, but he seemed to think nothing of it.
"Okay, then. I'm gonna go get my cousin."
"I'll come with."
I sauntered over to Brad's front door, and as I turned around the corner, Embry wrapped around my waist. I wanted to ask him what he was doing, but I secretly liked it, so I just pretended to ignore it, and go with whatever he was doing.
Ella stepped outside with Brad right behind her, holding her hand. He smiled at me, but once he saw Embry at my side, his face turned grim and pale white. Embry looked dangerous to Brad. Mission accomplished. Maybe he'll leave Ella alone now.
"Hi, Brad. Ready to go, Ella?"
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"Embry. Embry, Ella. Ella, Embry."
"Hello, Ella." He winked at her.
"Hi, Embry."
"Oh, and Embry, Brad. Brad, Embry."
The two boys just glared at each other.
"Come on, Ella," I gestured to Ella, and she ran down the cement stairs. She took my hand and I took her to my car. I couldn't help but notice that Brad had pink lip gloss all over his lips, which he didn't even bother wiping off.
"Um, one second, Shay?" Ella asked shyly, and turned to kiss Brad good-bye. More lip gloss came off on him, and he hugged her, winking at me over Ella's shoulder. Embry pretended not to see it, and turned away.
"He's only fourteen, Embry." I assured him.
"I know."
"Then?"
"I don't have a good feeling about him."
"I don't either."
"Okay, Ella, let's get going." I ordered urgently.
"'Kay, bye, Brad."
"Bye, Ella. I love you!" Brad shouted when he ran back into the house. I cussed at him some more, and growled, "He's such a player. They're doing this behind Emma's back!"
"Really? Poor, Emma."
"I know. It's so unfortunate."
Embry parted from me, and went to sit in his seat on the opposite side of me. Ella hopped in the back, all happy-go-lucky like she always was after she talked to Brad. She probably had billions of things and details to fill me in on.
I had to persuade myself to ask Ella how everything was between her and Brad, to my discretion. I hated hearing about it as much as she loved to describe it, so everything usually ended on an interesting note.
"Did you guys have … fun?" I gulped.
"Yes! Oh-my-gawd, Brad is an amazing kisser! –," I cut her off.
"I DID NOT need to hear about you and Brad, kissing!" I shouted.
"Well, you asked me what happened …" Ella mumbled.
"Is that all you two did? Was kiss?" I squeaked.
Ella remained silent, twiddling her thumbs.
"You're lucky I don't tell Mom –."
"Oh, please, please, don't tell Mom, please, Shay! Even you aren't that cold-hearted! She'd flip!"
"I won't."
Sometimes Ella does not act her age at all. She acts like she's five, whenever she doesn't get her way or somebody doesn't do things her way, I thought. My hands held onto the steering wheel tightly.
"Calm down, Shenae," Ella said bitterly. "And, if you're going to say, 'he isn't good for you', well, I don't care, because I like Brad, a lot. You're just going to have to deal with it," she warned me sternly and crossed her arms.
I pursed my lips, but kept my mouth shut. I tried my hardest not to think about what they could be doing, and let my mind wander.
I kept all my emotions bottled up inside until we got inside the house. Mom and Dad still weren't home yet.
"Do you wanna hang out, downstairs?" I wondered, trying to get a playful look in my eye. I guess it worked, because Embry smiled in response, his eyes sparkling.
"Sure."
I started down the stairs, and Embry followed along like an obedient puppy.