Sadly, my mini vacation couldn't last forever. My school schedule arrived Sunday morning squashing any excuse not to go.
Seth was a little too happy for a Monday morning. He hasn't stopped smiling and honestly if this continues any longer I'm going to have to smack him. Part of the blame goes to Sam and Emily as well though. They decided that since Seth has his driver's license and his father's old car, he is going to be my ride to school every morning. When I tried to fight against it, Emily told me it would be safer to drive with Seth than walk and Sam agreed, so the matter was settled. And all morning Seth has been rubbing it in my face that he can drive.
"You know I can drive too" I said after Seth made yet another comment about how he was behind the wheel and I wasn't.
"Yes but who's driving now? And who has the car?" he rebutted.
I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed.
"You know, I think this officially makes me older than you" he added.
I choked on a laugh. "You're kidding right? You're just driving Seth. You haven't altered the past. I'm older."
"Yes, but if you think about it, I'm technically older. I mean look at me! I'm taller, I'm stronger, I knew about werewolves and leeches first, and…"
"You're driving. I know. But I'm a girl so the whole taller and stronger thing doesn't count. And how would I have known about werewolves? I just moved here!" I defended.
"Exactly! I have more experience and I'm more knowledgeable. So I'm older."
"How old do you think this experience makes you?" I snapped.
Seth was quiet for a moment and I was beginning to hope that either I had won or Seth was done bragging about his driving. "Twenty two" he said.
"You're kidding right? Seth I wouldn't have added more than a month, let alone six years!"
"Oh come on Emma! Werewolves! What sixteen year old knows about that? What twenty two year old knows? I was going to say thirty but I thought there would be know way to convince you of that. Plus, I'm strong, tall, huge, oh and I'm…"
"DRIVING! I know!" I shouted. "Are you going to be like this all day? Because if you are I swear I'll jump out of this car, whether it's stopped or not, and walk the rest of the way there!"
Seth mumbled something under his breath that I didn't quite catch but I could tell it was sarcastic. "Fine, fine. I'll stop" he agreed.
I smiled victoriously and relaxed a little more into the seat.
The school was a lot closer than I would have liked. It only took us a little bit of time to pull into the parking lot. I could just barely make out the forms of some of the pack boys near the front of the school. It was foggy today because of the rain from the last two days and everyone in the parking lot was just a blur. For once I was actually glad Seth was driving because I couldn't see a thing and thanks to his super senses, he could.
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and made my way through the maze of cars to the school. Seth was two steps behind me and he seemed just as happy to be going to school as Disney World. He is truly one of a kind.
"So do we have any classes together?" Seth asked.
I pulled my schedule out of my pocket and Seth immediately ripped it out of my hands. His eyes scanned between the papers and his smile widened. "Yes! We've got gym, film studies, and lunch together! This is going to be awesome!" he exclaimed. I couldn't help but smile as well. His joy is just contagious. "Oh, and you have study hall with Jake!"
"Jake…?"
"Jacob" Seth said and rolled his eyes.
"Oh" I said when it clicked that Jake is Jacob from the pack. Seth laughed at me and ruffled my hair. I jumped out of reach and playfully glared at him. "You're so mean."
Seth only laughed and pushed me the rest of the way to the front door. A couple of the guys called Seth over when we got closer. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth glance from them to me and I gave him a slight push towards the guys. "Go. I'll be fine. I'll see you in gym." Seth looked at me gratefully and ran over to his friends.
I took a deep breath and stepped into my new high school.
…
I'd be lying if I said it's easy to be the new student. La Push is a small reservation and a new face is easily recognized. My locker neighbor wouldn't stop staring at me and it seemed everyone had labeled me the new girl before they even saw me.
By the time I got to gym class, I was desperate for a familiar face. And luck have it, Seth ran right into me. Literally.
"Ow! Seth! What the heck was that?" I groaned from the ground. It felt like I had been hit by a car.
"I am sosorry!" Seth continued to apologize and pulled me to my feet. I rubbed my side where Seth had hit me head on. "Are you alright? Let me see!" he said. I pulled my gym shirt up just a little bit, just enough to see the beginning of a nice sized purple bruise.
I winced and pulled my shirt back down. When I looked up, Seth was staring at me with the most pitiful eyes I've ever seen. I felt bad. "It's alright. Just a battle scar" I tried laughing it off but I couldn't help wincing when I stretched the skin.
"It's not ok! God I'm so sorry! How can I make it up to you?" he asked pleadingly.
"Alright everyone! We'll be playing flag football today. No tackling. No shoving. And no complaining. Jacob Black, Seth Clearwater, you're our team captains" our teacher, Ms. O'Malley, shouted to all of us crowded around the field.
"Choose me for you're team" I said without another thought.
Seth laughed at how panicked I'd suddenly become. "Deal. I choose Emma!" he shouted so Jacob could hear. I shook my head embarrassed as everyone's eyes landed on me. I'd learned earlier today that I was the only Emma in the school.
"Seth" I groaned. He only smiled and tossed a football at me.
"Are you any good?" he asked.
I tossed the football back and forth between my hands a few times. "Define good" I said remembering all the times I've had to play football.
A whistle sounded near by and I covered my ears as it continued even after everyone was quiet. "Jacob, you're team is on defense first. And just to make sure everyone is playing," Ms. O'Malley's eyes roamed over the girls in the class, "the loosing team will run laps for the rest of class".
A chorus of moans and groans echoed around me before Ms. O'Malley blew her whistle again. Seth assigned everyone roles and thankfully I wasn't anything important. Seth was quarterback.
"Ready… set… hike!"
Everything was a blur and suddenly Seth had the ball and was running down the field. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jacob start running towards Seth before anyone could even register what was happening. And then Seth was on the ground and the football had fallen to the ground. Obviously, Ms. O'Malley didn't mean notackling. Jacob was laughing and reached out his hand to pull Seth back on his feet. Seth laughed as well and shoved Jacob a little.
Things were not looking good for our team. The score was fourteen – zero and we were starting to feel the pressure. It had started to rain and it was already raining hard. I could barely see past my nose.
"Alright guys…ladies, this is our last chance" Seth said trying to pump us up but doing a horrible job. "Joe, I want you to sneak the ball to me and fake a throw to Emma. Emma, make a run for it as if you have the ball and keep your arm close to your body. Hopefully they won't be able to tell with the rain. Everyone else, protect Emma. Don't even acknowledge that I have the ball" he instructed. I nodded along with everyone else and got into place.
"Ready… set… hike!"
And then I was running, running like never before. My feet were slipping on the wet grass and I stumbled more than once. A few of my teammates ran up next to me and cheered me on while body blocking the other team. The girl next to nearly tacked a boy trying to run me down and for a second I forgot we were playing flag football. This felt a whole lot more like paintball than gym class.
There was a loud thumping behind me and I turned slightly to see a blur running towards me. Suddenly my teammates vanished in the rain and I was alone. The sky was as dark as night and I wasn't even sure I was on the field anymore. It felt like I had been running for hours.
I felt a sudden wave of heat behind me and breath near my shoulder. I panicked knowing only two people who could be able to keep up with me and be close enough to breathe on my shoulder. It was Jacob. His hair was soaking wet like mine and I could see him smiling as he reached for the flag on my hip. I was so lost in the moment I forgot that I was only carrying an invisible football. I could have just shown him that I didn't have anything in my hands, but then again, I was determined to do this for my team. Even if we'd lose anyway.
I hit the ground hard. When I registered that I was on the ground, I also realized that my arm was screaming in pain. I rolled on the grass, not caring about the mud seeping into my hair, and clutched my arm to my chest. My eyes were squeezed shut and I took in shaky breaths.
"Emma? Are you ok?" Jacob asked. He was closer than I expected and he wrapped his arm under my back and under my knees, scooping me up and into his chest. His chest was warm even with the icy cold rain. I moved in his arms, my eyes still shut, so that my arm wouldn't be crushed between my body and his. "Emma what's wrong?" he asked near panic. "Open your eyes. Look at me."
I did as he said and opened my eyelids. My brown eyes met his chocolate ones and for a moment he stopped breathing. His eyes locked with mine and I was afraid that if I blinked I would break the connection. And so I didn't. But I couldn't help blinking when tears came to my eyes from bumping my arm into his chest. A wave of lightning hot pain roared in my arm and through the rest of me.
"Emma?" Now Jacob's voice was panicked. He started running and I clutched my good arm around his neck so I wouldn't slip. Stupidly, I began to wonder if Seth had scored. But before I could think more of it, more pain ran through my arm and I forgot about everything else.
"Is it your arm?" Jacob asked not slowing down and racing right past Ms. O'Malley and the rest of the class. He glanced down at my arm cradled against my chest and looked near crying. I couldn't understand why though, unless he had hurt himself as well. Werewolf or not, the grass is pretty slippery and I'm surprised he hasn't fallen yet.
"I'm so sorry Emma. So, so sorry" he cried. We, well Jacob, rushed back into the school and ran right past the locker room.
"Jacob?"
He looked down at me with big, sad eyes and apologized again. I would have told him I'm fine but the pain was terrible and I couldn't do anymore than suck in a quick breath of air.
Jacob took me straight to the nurse and didn't listen to the lady at the desk but brought me right into one of the offices. "Can you look at her arm? I hurt it during gym" he said pleadingly.
The nurse was a stern looking woman with curly blonde hair. I figured she is usually very by the rules, but when she took in our sopping wet clothes and the mud and grass in my hair and on my skin, she only nodded and motioned for Jacob to set me down on a chair.
He was extremely careful, as if handling a china doll, and placed me on the plastic chair with butterfly soft movements. I smiled gratefully at him against the pain because I was truly grateful that he brought me here, I don't think I would have been able to find the nurse without him. He didn't smile back, only glanced at my arm resting uselessly on my thigh and grimaced. Then he sat down on the chair next to me.
"You can go now Mr. Black. Thank you for taking Ms. Young here" the nurse said. I was a bit alarmed that she already knew my name. La Push must be smaller than I thought.
Jacob shook his head defiantly and remained seated. "I'd rather stay" he said and glanced again at my arm.
The nurse pursed her lips and scrunched her nose, ready to push him out the door if necessary. "Jacob" I jumped in before she could speak. "Could you please go tell Seth where I am? I'm sure he's freaking out right now." Which was the honest truth, Seth said we had film studies together and if I didn't show up without an explanation, he would file a missing person's report.
"Please" I added when he didn't move. He scratched the back of his head and nodded, still looking pathetically guilty. Jacob stood and the nurse settled back into her chair, satisfied that he was leaving.
"Alright," she said all business, "How did you hurt your arm?" She took my arm in her hands and prodded over it. I flinched and hissed every time she put pressure on my arm. Part of me wanted to call Jacob back and have him inspect my arm. His touch was so much gentler than hers.
"We were playing football and I… fell." Even though Jacob wasn't here I couldn't put any blame on him. After all it was my fault and he was punishing himself enough.
The nurse only nodded and gave one sharp prod to my arm. I yelled out and tears spilled onto my cheeks. She nodded again as if she hadn't caused me unbelievable pain. "You're arm is definitely broken. Wait here" she instructed and left the room.
I wanted to yell out. Did this really need to happen on day one? Couldn't it have waited until maybe day three? Or at least until people got to know me and wouldn't call me a freak for breaking my arm on the first day of flag football.
As I was fretting over what I would say to Emily and how I would explain this to Seth, the nurse returned with Jacob in tow. She looked rather angry that Jacob was back. I noticed that he was still in his wet gym uniform and still looking guilty.
"It's not your fault" I said when he sat down next to me. "I was the one that slipped."
"You ran into me" he countered.
"Because I was too stubborn to stop running, I should have just stopped and let you pull my flag" I reasoned.
Jacob wouldn't have that. "No, I should have been more careful. I should have stayed back and stopped sooner" he said. I could tell he wasn't going to listen to me even if I was right, so I decided to drop the subject.
"Am I free to go?" I asked.
Obviously that was the wrong question to ask. Both Jacob and the nurse turned and looked at me as if I had grown a tail. "Ms. Young I've just called for an ambulance. You have to go to the hospital."
I jumped up out of my chair which was a horrible idea because more white hot pain erupted in my arm. "I can't go to the hospital! This is my first day! I'm fine! Send me home if you have to, but not to the hospital. It's not that big of a deal" I tried to reason with her. She wouldn't listen either.
Two minutes later, two EMTs were lifting me into an ambulance with Jacob standing at the door and promising to visit me as soon as school was over along with Seth. The nurse had called Emily who was on her way to the hospital and would meet me there.
I wanted to cry. This had to be the worst first day ever. Not only do I need to worry about starting school, but I have to start school with a broken arm.
At least I don't have to worry about being picked last for gym anymore.
