Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

~o~O~o~

"Hello, love," Paul said, taking my hand and kissing it lightly. "Come to run away with me?"

I laughed and patted his cheek. "You aren't supposed to let Jacob know yet."

Paul twirled me into his arms and dipped me. "I could hide it any longer, my dear."

"Well, sweetie," I said. "What are we waiting for?"

We both laughed and he brought me up, twirling me again, but this time I was spun out of Paul's arms and into Jacob's, who wrapped around me protectively.

"Mine," he growled menacingly. "You can't have her."

Everyone in the room laughed and I hurried my face in Jacob's chest to bide the blush. It was fine to play around with Paul, but hearing Jacob sound so serious, I got nervous in front of people.

"Come on and sit down," Emily said kindly, taking my arm in hers. "Us girls will be civilized on the back porch for this fifth sunny day in a row. The boys can be animals when they go to work."

"Why do I have to come here while you work again?" I asked Jacob.

"Because," he said. "Jasmine's at work, and it's your day off. You'd be alone, and I want you around people. Plus, you need to get to know the girls if you're gonna be hanging out with them more often."

"You're weird, you know that?" I kissed his lips lightly.

"Yes, I do know that." he kissed me in return and all of a sudden I felt like I didn't wan him to leave. I wanted him to stay there and keep kissing me. Apparently, he didn't want to leave either.

"All right, break it up," Emily pulled me away and I pouted at her, not happy. She laughed. "It gets easier, I promise." And she dragged me outside. I waved pathetically at him and he looked pained as the guys dragged him out to.

"Hey, Leigh," Claire said. "How's it going?"

"Good," I said lightly. "You?"

"Great," she said. "And you look better than good. Does that have anything to do with Jake?"

"It's a possibility," I shrugged.

"She's got it worse than any of us," Kim laughed.

"Except Em, maybe," Claire said. "Remember last January?"

"Ooh, that was bad," Kim said. "She was horrible when it came to that."

"Shut up," Emily said warningly. "Kim, come help me get the food."

I sat down across from Claire as the other two left to go back inside. I looked over at her.

"Emily sounds like a mom," I said. "She's sweet and commanding and I don't know...just motherly."

"We all think of her that way," Claire responded. "Twenty five years old and she's not out drinking and acting stupid like most people."

"Is she the stable one in the group?" I asked.

"Yeah, actually," Claire smiled. "The rest of us are fools. I mean, she really is the mother hen. When we're hurt or upset, or angry, or even when we do bad on an exam, we go to her for support and comfort. Or, if we've done something stupid, she sits us down and has a talk with us about what we did and she fixes it. Emily is the best woman ever."

"It's sweet that you feel the way about her," I commented.

"She's a better mom than mine," Claire snorted. "Do you remember my mom doing one kind thing for me at all?"

"Nope," I said. "Not your dad, either, now that I think about it."

"Exactly," she said. "They're paying for college courses next year in Port Angeles, at the university there. That's something nice, but otherwise nothing."

"You still going into fashion?" I took a sip of the lemonade in front of me.

"Of course," she smiled. "But I'm thinking of doing something besides clothing with it."

"Like?"

"Interior design, maybe," she shrugged. "I think it'd be nice to do something like that."

"Your room always did look the best," I said. "What does the one at your apartment look like right now?"

"Since I'm sharing it with Quil," she said. "I chose black and white as our colors, with dark green walls and accents. I wanted something I liked, but that he could deal with."

"That sounds cool," I said. "Now let me ask you something: did you decorate the inside of the shop?"

"Yes," she responded. "I chose red and grey as their colors and made it look really good in there."

"You sound proud of yourself," I smiled.

"I am." she smiled in return. It was quiet for a awhile, and we just sat there, relaxing the best we could. Kim and Emily returned in no time, thankfully.

"Chicken sandwhiches," Emily said as she set the plate in the middle of the table. We all eagerly grabbed one and leaned back in our chairs, enjoying the sunshine.

"So," Kim said. "How about this heat stroke?"

"Yeah, really," I said. "It hasn't been like this is forever."

"Maybe the world is ending," Claire suggested.

"No, it's not," Emily said. "The world will end when Brady takes a shower every day."

"And washes his socks once a week." Kim added.

"Or brushes his teeth, God forbid." Claire said. They all shuddered.

"I have tried over and over and over again," Emily sighed. "But I cannot get that boy to be clean like be should. I mean, does he even own a toothbrush?"

"What about shampoo?" Kim said. "Have you seen the poor boys head? He makes me crazy! I love him, but he makes me crazy."

"He's fifteen," Claire said. "What do you expect? Him to brush his hair and smell good."

"Collin cleans himself," Emily said.

"But that's because he into a girl," Claire said. "A very important soul mate."

"How can you meet your soul mate at fifteen?" I asked.

"I did," Kim said. "Three years ago, I met Jared. I'm eighteen. He's my soul mate."

"Now that, I can see," I said. "Just by the way you look at each other and hold each other. There's something there extremely strong there I've never seem before. With you guys, it's possible to believe in true love at first sight sometimes."

"Are you and Jake in love?" Emily asked kindly.

"I don't know," I said, suddenly feeling shy again. I crawled back into my imaginary shell. "It hasn't been to long."

"That means nothing," Kim said. "One day is all you need."

"And in your case," Emily said. "It's been one week. How much more time do you need? One day is enough, one week is over enough. Seriously, think about it."

"Okay," I said. "Let me think." one. Two. Three. "I'll know in another week."

"What is it with you and weeks?" Kim sighed.

"When we were younger," Claire jumped in. "Jasmine, Leigh, and I. We all decided a week was the perfect time for everything, because it seemed to be our lucky number. One week at the lake, one week until our applications for summer camp came back, one week for us to become friends. One week for everything that happened in pir lives. It was weird, but we considered it an omen."

"That's cool," Emily said. "So one week, then you'll tell us if you love him or not?"

"Oh no," I said. "He gets to know first."

"Damn," Kim snapped her fingers. "I got my hopes up."

We all laughed and then I smiled. "So what's the deal with you and Jared?"

"What do you mean," Kim looked suspicious.

"Down girl," Emily said to Kim. "She has Jake, remember?"

"I mean," I said once Kim smiled again. "When are you getting married? I thought you wanted it to be soon. Isn't that what you said last week?"

She bit her lip. "I guess it's a good of a time as any."

We all looked at her. "What is?" Claire asked.

"Jared's mom," she said. "She just got laid off, and his Dad walked away. So, Jared's starting the semester in January to get a degree and get a real job. Real job, real money. Hopefully."

"I'm sorry," Emily said, hugging her. Claire took her hands and I stroked her hair.

"We won't be getting married any time soon," Kim said tearfully. "He had gotten a ring and everything. He was going to propose the night we found out. I mean, he has three little sisters, and no income at his moms house. It was good he got a scholorship at the end of school and they happily accepted him. He's also been selling art work at the museum, but I don't know how things will happen."

"Oh, sweetie," Emily said. "It will all work out, I promise."

"We can help," I said. "With anything."

"Can you keep a secret?" she said, wiping her eyes. "I mean, a big secret?"

"Of course," I said. "We promise not to say anything."

"I sold the engagement ring," she said.

"You what?" I asked. "How much was it?"

"A lot," she said. "Jared wanted to save it for about six years so he could graduate, get a stable job, continue helping his mom, and then save some money. Then he would propose, we'd get a date set, and use the saved money for the wedding."

"So why did you sell it?" Claire asked.

"If we're waiting six years, we can get another one," Kim said. "His mom needed the money, and I don't need a ring to say Jared and I will be getting married."

"So Jared doesn't know?" Emily said.

"He does now."

We all sharply turned around to see Jared and Paul standing there. Jared looked fairly calm.

Claire and Emily stood in front of Kim, which I thought unnecessary. Jared wouldn't hurt Kim. I had confidence in this guy I knew, but didn't know.

"You aren't angry, are you?" I said impressed.

"Nope," Jared said. "What Kim did was right. Though she didn't tell me, I'm impressed that she did that for my mom."

I gently pulled the other girls inside and smiled as Jared made his way over to the nervous looking Kim. He wrapped her up in his arms and she leaned into him. The feeling I had pushed into the back of my head and heart rose up again. I wanted Jacob here with me. At that very moment, I wanted to be in his arms. I felt completely empty without him near me, and my mind started to get jumbled.

That's when the pain hit.

As if someone...something...was digging claws into my back, biting my shoulder. The thing was, it wasn't so bad I wanted to cry out, but I flinched a bit as I walked, trying not the show the stabs of pain in my ribs. It was odd. Like it wasn't happening to me, but I could feel someone else's pain.

The house phone rang when we got into the kitchen, and I had to sit down. It didn't help. I still hurt.

"Quil?" Emily said. "What's wrong with him...Was it a Cullen...Someone else? But what about Le—okay, okay. So it's like a repeat of last year...Take him to Carlisle, he'll help him again...Is he there...He wants to talk to her? About what?...oh shit, it's too soon, I know it is...but Quil!" she smacked the table and sighed. "Fine, put him on...Hey, Jake. I just want you to know I think this is a big mistake. She isn't ready."

She handed me the phone with a serene look on her face. "Jake wants to talk to you." I shakily took the phone from her and pressed the received to my ear.

"Hello?" I said quietly.

"Hey, Najeria." Jacob's voice was different. It sounded pained.

"Are you all right?" I said. "What's wrong with you?"

"I've had a...ugghhh," he made a grunt of pain. "A little situation, that's all. I'll be fine, though."

"What happened?" I said. "Why are you hurt?"

"That's something I need to tell you," he said. "It's important...shit, Paul, can you not put pressure on my ribs?"

"Jacob, real quick," I said. "Don't tell me anything else, except the exact spots where you hurt."

"Leigh, why?"

"Jacob, tell me," I said fiercely.

"My shoulder, across my back, and my ribs, why?"

"I'm feeling your pain." Tears stung my eyes. "Literally. Does it feel like someone is biting your shoulder?"

"Something actually did, yes," he said.

"Did something claw your back?"

"Yes."

"Did something break your ribs?"

"I think so," he said. "I've had broken ribs before and it feels like this. Ahh!" his sound of even more pain made me flinch physically.

"Jacob, what's wrong with me?" I asked, tears starting to flow down my face. "Why can I feel what you do? What's going on?"

"Do you know the Quileute legends?" he asked, his breathing getting heavier. It sounded like he was struggling.

"Vaugley," I said. "Why?"

"Read them tonight, okay?" he said. "Promise me you will. Read them, think about them, know them, then call me, and if you can't get me, call Emily."

"Okay," I said. "But Jacob—"

"I love you," he intterupred. "I know it may be too soon for you, but I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, as much as I possibly can. I. Love. You. Leigh."

"I...I love you too Jacob," I whispered. "I'm going against everything I've promised myself, but I know I love you."

Suddenly, Jacob cried out in pain.

Suddenly, my chest hurt even more.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Just read the legends, promise?"

"I already have."

"Leigh."

"I promise."

~o~O~o~

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