So when I wrote this part, I nearly forgot to add it to the story. I almost added the next chapter. You'd all have been extremely confused if I had. This is also my favorite part of the entire story, just so you know.
Thank you, Dawn, for the great review it made my day and I just had to post this.
Anyways, this is a pretty interesting chapter. I love it and the scene at the end is what made me write the entire story. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
A week passed and Bella and Jacob weren't suspicious at all. I didn't want to tell them that I was secretly best friends with Jacob's ex-best friend. Jacob would be angry at me. Bella would be worried because she thought the pack was a "gang." It just wasn't worth the trouble of everything.
It worked out well until the next Friday.
I had told Bella that I was going to visit Jen, an aquaintence at school. I actually went and spent the day at Emily's. I helped her cook, I helped her clean. I watched some soap opera show. And then, I hung out with Embry over at his house because his mom was always working.
We were getting closer and closer. I felt as if he was perfect for me, everything I'd ever wanted, but I didn't want to make that step. I was extremely happy with our friendship and I knew that I'd never be able to live without it. I was worried that if we started dating, it would end badly and then I'd lose his friendship.
I know, I know. He imprinted on you, Bianca. That means you're soul mates.
So? What if something happened and it ended? I didn't know the future. I didn't know what would happen. And I wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize our friendship, no matter how much I really wanted to.
Anyways, later that night, when I drove back over to the Blacks' house, Jacob and Bella were both in the house. I walked in and Bella was fuming. Jacob was just sitting on the couch, looking slightly worried.
"Where have you been?" asked Bella in a motherly voice.
"I was with Jen. I told you that," I replied.
"Yes, you did tell me that," said Bella. "So, when I was just checking up on you, I called Jen. She seemed surprised that I would be calling her while she was on vacation."
Shoot. Busted.
"Now, where were you?" asked Bella.
"I uh . . . um . . . I was . . . ," I stuttered.
"Bianca!"
"Fine!" I shouted. "I was with Embry!"
Silence. Complete and utter silence.
Then Jacob moved. He stood to his full height, glaring down at me. "You what?"
"I was with Embry. I ran into him the other day when I was buying candy. He comforted me. We've been hanging out a lot," I explained. I moved my eyes to stare at the floor.
When I glanced down, I couldn't help but notice Jacob's trembling fingertips. I realized that his arms were shaking slightly as well. I glanced over at Billy and saw that he had noticed as well.
"Bianca!" exclaimed Jacob. "You said that you'd ignore him, for me! You completely betrayed me."
"Jacob, it's not like that; we can't stay apart!" I replied, begging him to understand. He couldn't do this now. I couldn't lose Jake. Jake was my brother. "Don't make me choose between you guys."
Jacob had stopped shaking. He looked at me steadily.
"Choose, Bianca. You can't be friends with both of us."
I faultered. Jacob was making me choose. He was making me choose between my brother and my newfound "best friend."
I couldn't choose! How do you choose?
But I realized that I could choose. And I would have to choose the bond that was the strongest. I would have to choose the one that I couldn't live without.
"Fine," I whispered. "I choose him. I have to choose him."
In quick steps, I went outside and got into my car. As I drove away - back home - I could see Bella's silhouette in the window.
When I did finally make it home, I managed to mainly avoid Charlie. I quickly ate a sandwich and headed upstairs. I was about to go to bed when Bella appeared at my door.
"So, what's the deal with Sam and his gang?" she asked.
"It's not a gang, Bells," I replied, rolling my eyes. "And I can't tell you. It isn't my secret to tell."
"So?" she said. "I've told you secrets I wasn't supposed to tell."
"No, you didn't. The only reason I knew anything was because I helped you firgure everything out. I was there when Jacob told the story," I said.
"C'mon, B," she said. "Please tell me."
"I can't, Bella. I'm sorry."
She glared at me. Then she turned and walked away, stalking back to her room.
I admit, I felt a bit bad, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't share this secret. Not ever.
The next day, I was moving in hyperspeed as I got ready. I couldn't wait to see Embry and I was trying desperately to avoid Bella. When I made it downstairs, Charlie was still there.
"What are you so excited for?" he asked.
"I'm hanging out with some friends at La Push today," I replied.
"Oh," said Charlie. "What friends?"
"Emily Young," I replied. "It's a sort of study day today. Kim, one of the girls on the reservation, is bringing her work with her, too."
"Oh," replied Charlie. "Okay. Enjoy your day."
I grinned. "Thanks, Daddy."
The drive to La Push felt like it took hours, though in all actuality, it only took about ten minutes. I headed over to Embry's house first to see if he was still home. I quickly pulled into the driveway and hurried up to the door.
The door opened to reveal a woman. She had obviously once been beautiful. Her raven hair was thick and gorgeous, and her eyes were the same brown as Embry's. She was aged, but it was graceful, as if she wore her age with pride.
"Hello," she said kindly. "May I help you?"
"Um, I was just wondering if Embry's here?"
"Yes. Embry's here. Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"I'm Bianca Swan," I replied, holding my hand out. Her face broke into a wide smile when she heard my name and she shook my hand.
"Oh. You're Bianca," she said. "It's so nice to finally meet you. I'm Tiffany Call, Embry's mother. You're pretty."
I could feel my blush. "Uh, thanks."
"Come in, come in," she said kindly. She stepped back and allowed me in. Ms. Call directed me to the kitchen, even though I already knew where it was. She told me to sit down and make myself at home. Then she went to wake Embry up.
She came back a minute or two later.
"He still has to shower and then he'll be out," she said.
I nodded.
"So, Bianca, tell me how you met Embry," she said, prodding me into conversation.
"Well, I ran into him when I was leaving the store last week. Like, actually ran into him," I said, figuring it would be funnier than the garage story. Ms. Call laughed.
We sat and talked for awhile before Embry came into the kitchen. By that time, we were laughing like old friends.
"This is not happening," said Embry when he walked in. Tiffany had pulled out a photo album of baby Embry and we were laughing at how cute he was.
I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Are you finally ready to go?"
"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go," said Embry hurriedly. He hurried forward and grasped my hand, pulling me from the house.
"Bye, Mom, see you later," he yelled over his shoulder.
"Bye, Ms. Call! Thank you for sharing those special stories!" I called.
I heard her laugh lightly. "Bye, kids!"
Embry got into the driver's side without permission. I sighed and slipped into the passenger seat.
"Hey, hot stuff," I joked, waggling my eyebrows and nudging his shoulder as we drove down the road.
Embry just laughed and rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot."
"Nope. I'm just in an awesome mood!" I said. "Hey, wait, where are we going?"
We were heading out of La Push.
"Can we hang out at your house today?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah. Charlie's gone fishing and Bella's more than likely already over at Jacob's." I sighed. "Hopefully."
"Hopefully?" asked Embry.
"Yeah. When I got back last night, Bella called me out on my alibi. She wanted to know where I'd been and I blurted out that I'd been with you," I said. I didn't want to tell him that Jacob had made me choose. It would just anger him, or make him feel guilty.
When he spoke, his voice was calm. Too calm. "And?"
"And Jacob made me choose. He and Bella or you," I said quietly. "I chose you because I knew that it would hurt more if I was apart from you."
I glanced over at Embry. He was staring at the road. His hands were shaking on the steering wheel.
"He made you choose?" he asked in a deathly calm voice.
The shaking increased. His arms were shaking now.
"Embry?" I asked, alarmed.
His eyes were closed, trying to calm himself. It wasn't working though, so he opened his eyes again and the shaking increased even more. It was making the entire car vibrate.
I saw my driveway and the second Embry had parked the car, I jumped out. I knew that I should back away and let him be. I knew that I should just let him calm down.
But this was Embry. He wouldn't hurt me.
I hurried around to the driver's side and opened his door. I reached in and grabbed his arm, yanking him out to stand on his feet. He was like a robot, focused and trying to stop the shaking. I could see that it still wasn't working, so I wrapped my arms around his waist. I placed my head against his chest.
"Embry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," I whispered. The shaking was getting worse now. I could tell that it was getting dangerous. I stepped back to get a better look at his face.
It was flat, completely focused, yet he was still shaking. "Back away, Bianca."
"No, Embry. It's my fault," I said. Somehow, someway, this was my fault. Everything was my fault.
Embry's eyes flipped open and his beautiful brown eyes were hard. He was furious.
"This is not your FAULT!"
Fault wasn't a human sound.
There was a loud ripping noise. Instinctively, I flinched and raised my arm, dragging the nails in his paw from my shoulder to my wrist. I felt three sharp stabs of pain and then even more as the nails were dragged through the flesh of my arm. As the wolf fell forward, I screamed in pain and fell back, throwing out my good arm to catch myself.
Embry, in wolf form, stood above me. He was a thin wolf, with gray fur and a few large black splotches. He was beautiful and I wanted to reach out to touch his fur, to hug his neck, to kiss his muzzle. It fully hit me in that moment that this beautiful creature was mine.
His hackles were raised for a brief moment and he was growling, obviously still angry. Then, a few seconds later, he straightened up. His eyes widened in absolute horror as they roved from my left shoulder down to my left wrist. I could almost hear him hating himself.
He backed away from me.
"Embry!" I murmured.
He was still backing away, almost at the edge of the trees, more than likely unable to hear me. He howled loud and long before turning and sprinting into the forest.
"Embry!" I screamed through my sobbing.
But he was gone.
Input? Ideas? Is it too predictable, with her getting injured? Please tell me! :)
