Chapter Nine: The Comeback
When we arrived at Sam's, it felt like I was stepping into some sort of intervention. Somehow, I didn't think this was the same as the one Zane threw for me in fourth grade when I was getting a little too friendly with gummy bears.
"Nelly," Zane says, placing a hand on my back and pushing me further into the house. I smile graciously at Sam, because I know who he is, even though I never met him. I make a point not even to look at Emily. Her scars were too much for me.
"Since there was some argument over who should tell you," Sam says, walking towards me and offering me a seat on the couch. "I figured we could all do it together." I felt my insides all mush together in nervousness. I was about to find out a giant secret and there was nothing like that feeling. I sit on the couch, looking up at all their giant faces. I glance at Chappin hiding in the corner, chewing her lip nervously.
"Have you ever heard the La Push legends?" Paul asked, his brows pulled down. Zane took a seat at my feet, smiling small at me.
"Yeah, yeah." I wave him off, waiting to hear the secret. Who cared about the legends now?
"Nelly." Zane says, taking my hand inside of his and looking at me hard. "Fuck." He curses and his face turns a red hue with anger. "They're real." He seems to spit at me, shaking now. "They're all real, all of them. Nelly, that's what happened. It was me." He's raving now, but I don't understand.
"The wolves. Nelly, I know it sounds crazy, but you have to try and-"
"Show me." I cut Paul off, as he's trying to explain. I didn't quite understand what kind of psycho shit he was on about, but I knew I needed to show him that it was a psych trip, and not the actual thing.
"No," Zane snaps, but Sam puts a sustaining hand on his arm as Paul helps me up and leads me outside. I pass the rest of the La Push gang on the way, all of who are staring me down. I wink at a tall one and push past some other out into the clearing behind Sam's house.
"Whoa," I holler, when Paul behind stripping in front of me. Blushing, I look back at Zane.
"I'll show her." Zane offers, but before he can strip, Paul's body explodes everywhere into a million tiny pieces and then where he was standing was a giant grey wolf.
I don't remember what exactly I did or say, but I was sitting in Zane's car now, waiting for him to drive me home, and I was shaking. No one had said a word to me since- so I imagine I freaked out, or yelled at them, or called them mean names- but either way, I didn't mind.
When Zane finally got into the car, I try to smile and make a joke but I can't and suddenly im crying and Zane is driving towards my house.
"So the other day…..the scratch." I prod, running my fingers along the scar on my side.
"I lost control, and I was too close to you." He says, but he sounds exhausted, like he hasn't slept in weeks.
"What's wrong with you, Zane?" I ask, because even though he'd just told me he was part of some kind of psychologically unstable cult, that wasn't it. With a rev of the engine, he scretches to a stop in the middle of the road, looking at me.
"Do you know what it's like to love someone? Like, really fucking love them?" He's saying, his hands tightening on the wheel, looking at me hard.
"A girl?" I say, and try to laugh, "That's what this is about? Common, she'd be crazy not to-"
"God, it's not just that! You wouldn't understand." He seethes through clenched teeth. My hand flied to his arm and I squeeze hard as he starts the shake.
"Then explain it to me. Zane, please. Common, what's wrong with you?" I ask forcefully, and in the next minute before I can think or draw another breath, his lips are on mine, and they're too hot, and I don't move.
"Zane," I whisper, because I'm still searching for something to say, but before I can finish his hands fly to his head, gripping it tight.
"You don't get it! I can hear him thinking about you, and I want to feel that way. Fuck, I thought no one loved you as much as I did, and now this guy," he's speeding through his words, and it's so fast and sharp it makes me jump.
"Who's thoughts are you hearing?" I ask, tears nearly falling from my eyes. "Zane, you're not right up there." I tell him, but he's shaking his head.
"I have to go. I have to. Wait here." He says, flinging the car door open and running for the trees. Within seconds, Seth is climbing into the car, and starting the engine.
"Hey."
