Chapter 8: Huh Chapter 8: Huh?

"Jade," someone whispered, poking her and jolting her out of her dreams.

"Huh?" she opened her eyes, to find herself sleeping on the couch Embry had originally fallen asleep on. "Ouch," she said, standing up and wincing. "Remind me never to sleep on the floor again, or this very uncomfortable couch." Stretching her back, it cracked the entire length. "Okay, that felt better. What time is it?"

"Two in the afternoon."

"What!" she screamed, fully awake now. Adreneline pumped through her as she mentally went through the list of what she had to do to finish cleaning.

"Alright, so we still gotta clean, I mean this room…." Her voice drifted off as she looked around the room. It was spotless.

"Oh my gosh! You guys cleaned for me! Awww thank you so much!" she hugged Jacob, who happened to be the closest to her. "and thank you too Quil." She grinned and held out her arms to him. He shrugged and stepped in and hugged her quickly.

"Okay, so did you guys just clean this room, or is your entire house clean?"

"Hey, I think you forgot someone," Jacob said softly, nudging her. She looked up to see Embry – he looked sad.

She ran up to him and flung herself in his arms, taking him completely by surprise. He took a step back, taking in the impact. "I really mean it, thank you." she whispered in his ear, hugging him extra tight and enjoying his warm embrace.

Clearing his throat extra loudly, Quil cut into their tender moment. "Look, before this awkward moment gets any more awkward, I'm going to end it."

"Huh?" Jade unwound her arms from Embry's neck and dropped to the ground. "What are you talking about?" she turned around, but Embry kept his arm secuely around her waist, keeping her close to him – not that she really minded.

"Oh, nothing. But speaking of awkward, guess who called us while we were cleaning?"

"Who? Your ex-girlfriend?" Jacob teesed, and Quil growled.

"Huh?" Jade said, very confused.

"It was a very tragic break-up. I'm sure you can imagine her reaction when he told her that he was dumping her for a three year old. She wasn't all that happy, and that is being very nice about it." Jacob laughed as Quil lunged for him.

"Alright boys, break it up!" Jade called. "So who called?"

"Leah and Seth." Quil said as he lunged to get to Jacob's throat.

"Who are they?" she asked Embry.

"Believe it or not, you are not the first girl to join our pack. Leah and her younger brother Seth joined our pack about five months before you showed up. They're currently on a month long cruise in the caribbean, to celebrate their grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. Why'd she call us?" he asked Quil as he and Jacob finally broke apart.

"No idea. She left the most random message ever. Here listen to it." He walked into the kitchen, with everyone trailing behind him.

"Its, weird, to say the least," pushing the play button, a sultry voice came over the small speaker.

"Heyyyyyy boys, do you miss me yet?" her voice was slurred slightly, either in a drunken, or trying to be sexy way. Jade didn't like it one bit. "Yeah, so I'm out here all alone, tanning and looking absolutely fabulous. You would not believe the amazing views here. I swear all three of you boys would absolutely love it here. There is so much to do." Leah laughed, "Well, I'm gonna go scope for hot guys. Don't miss me to much. Muah." The dial tone filled the room.

"Weird doesn't even begin to describe that." Embry said after a moment.

"I don't think I like her." Jade said. "Are you all close or something?"

"NO!" all the boys exclaimed at the same time. "We're not." They said again, at the exact same time also.

"Okay, I guess that answers my question. Now, to change the subject, where is my clothing? Did you guys move it? Cause I don't see it in the living room."

"Yeah, we moved it into your room when we were cleaning this morning. Come on, I'll take you." Jacob left the kitchen and walked down a narrow hallway. "Your room is the very last one on the left." He said, letting her pass.

"Thanks Jake. I'll just unpack, and then I need to shower. My hair feels gross. Do you have a bathroom?"

"Yeah we do, its right here." He hit the door he was standing next to with his foot. "Knock yourself dead."

"Thinking about the state of your bathroom, I just might do that." She joked

"Huh?" Jacob asked.

"Your house was a mess when I came in, ya know, the bathroom could kill me. it's a joke." She said after Jacob still looked confused.

"Ohhh I get it now!" He laughed. "Sorry."

"Its okay," Jade said, walking into her new room.

It looked exactly like her other room, accept this one also had a desk. "Great, I'll need that for working on homework." She whispered to herself. Quickly putting her clothing away, she grabbed her tolitries bag and another set of clothing, and walked to the bathroom.

Closing the door firmly, she searched for a lock – there was none. "Great, just what I need, one of the boys waking in on me." but she quickly shed her clothing anways, turning on the water and stepping into its cool spray.

The water helped to soothe her aching muscles, so she spent pleanty of time letting the water caress her shoulders and get the knots out of her neck.

Finally stepping out of the shower, a full half and hour after she stepped in, she grabbed a towl and threw it around herself. Putting her shampoo and conditioner back in the blue plastic case she brought it in, she worked on wringing out most of the water in her hair.

Turning around so her back was facing the door, she grabbed her small bundle of clothing off the floor. Suddenly the door opened. Jade screamed and turned around to face Embry of all people.

"Embry, what the hell are you doing in here?" she cried, dropping her clothing on the floor. "Just to state the obvious, I'M CHANGING!"

"Sorry," he looked embarassed. "Quil asked me to get you, I thought you were already changed."

"Well what does he want?" she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling very exposed.

"He wants to get out of the forest tonight, and go somewhere. Since it our day off technically, we normally go out to the bar or something. He wanted to check and see if there were any good bands playing tonight that we could check out. But he wants your imput too, so he wanted me to get you."

"Okay, just give me like five minutes to change, and I'll be out, alright?"

"Yeah, okay." But Embry made no movemt as to leave, he just stared at her.

"You really can leave you know, I'm not stripping in front of you."

"Huh?" he said, blinking.

"Leave so I can change. I'll be out in about five minutes, more or less. Depends on how long it takes me to do my hair. Oh, and do me a favor, tell Jacob I'm not dead will you? I'm sure he's concerned." She laughed to herself.

"Jacob," he echoed, taking a step towards her. Jade took a step back, her back hitting the wall.

"Is there something you need? Or is there some other reason your not leaving?" She asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"Jacob," he whispered, his voice full of hatred, as he took another step in the bathroom and kicking the door closed.

"Embry," Jade said cautiously, swallowing hard. "What are you doing?"

"Do you like Jacob?" he asked, taking yet another step towards Jade.

"Course I do, we're good friends, I hope."

"That's not what I asked," he said, his voice getting mean. "Do you like Jacob? I see the way you look at him, the way you talk to him. Do you like Jacob?"

Jade's temper started flairing up. "Of course I don't like Jacob like that. Why would I? Frankly, I don't see what buisness it is of yours who I like or don't like. Your not my dad Embry, and I'd really appreciate it if you stopped trying to be my dad. I already have one, and its been crappy, I don't need another one." She grabbed her stuff and stalked out of the bathroom and into her room. Slamming the door as loud as she could, Jade could hear it echo throughout the house.

Taking deep breaths, she tried controling her anger as she pulled on her clothing. Forgetting about her hair, she stalked out of her room and into the living room.

"Just to make this perfectly clear, I don't like Jacob like that. Alright? Never question it again."

"Okay, we never were planning on doing that. But thanks, I guess we won't ever need to now." Quil and Jacob looked confused.

"Yeah, whats up with that? I know you don't like me. dude its insanely obvious you got something for Embry."

"What? I don't have a "thing" for Embry" she made quotations in the air as she said thing. "What would make you say that?"

"Hello, you sorta like hung on him all morning, and when we train? You two are always together. Hello he trained you on phasing. He even went and got you clothing to change into. You two seriously have something for eachother, and don't deney it. I'll just think of more examples."

Jade didn't say anything, and suddenly she remembered what Sam had said to her, about Embry imprinting. In her anger, she had forgetten it, and totally flipped out at Embry about him caring who she liked.

"Crap," she whispered. "Where's Embry?"

"He came staking through the house and ran into his room. Its over there." He pointed to the hallway on the far side of the house. "But wait, before you go, what band do you wanna go check out tonight?" he threw Jade the book of band listings. Scanning it, one name inparticular caught her eye, causing her to smile. "Lets check out them, The screaming whisperers. I actually know them, they were my next door neighbors until I moved here. A pretty good garage band if I do say so myself."

"Cool, lets do it. Come on Jake, lets go tell Sam. I don't really wanna be in the house to witness whatever is going to happen between our little lovesick friends." Quil joked.

"You can't. Did you forget? Your taking little Claire-Bear to the park."

"CRAP! I gotta go." Quil jumped up and ran from the house. "I'm taking the car, I'll be back to pick you guys up."

"Yeah, I think I'll head to LaPash and take a swim. See ya later Jade." Jake ran from the house, phasing as he went. Running into the woods, Jade soon lost sight of him.

Taking a deep breath, Jade prepared herself for taking to Embry.

"Hey Embry," she called, knocking on his door. "Can I talk to you?"

"No," came the reply. "Go away."

"Embry, come on, I need to talk to you." she knocked on his door again.

"GO AWAY!" his voice was louder this time.

"No, I won't go away until you talk to me. Nobody's here, I won't hesistate to break your door. I have the strength to do it, and don't think I won't do it."

"Just go away, leave me alone." He was quiet this time, not like his normal loud self.

"Make me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm stubborn Embry, in case you didn't know. And I'm not moving until you open your door and talk to me."

Silence greeted her. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to break your door." She grabbed the handle, and jerked it. As she suspected, it had a lock and was locked.

"Embry! Seriously, let me in. We need to talk." She slammed the door with her fist. "I'm serious."

Once again, Embry didn't say anything, but she could hear him moving around.

"Fine, I guess I'll just have a heart to heart with your door." She didn't talk for about five minutes, being careful to choose her words. "Look I'm sorry Embry, but I don't like Jacob. I have no idea why you'd even suspect that." She paused, hoping he would say something, but he didn't. she sighed and dropped to the floor, frustrated. She sat there for about ten minute thinking of things to say, but didn't. finally she spoke though. "Sam told me." Jade didn't know what compelled her to say that, but it worked.

"Sam told you what?" he asked quickly, shocking Jade that he actually spoke to her.

"That you imprinted on me."

"He had no right to tell you that." Embry snapped, clearly mad.

"Umm yeah he did. I had a right to know! What were you going to do, not ever tell me that you can't live without me? oh man that sounds creepier saying it outloud."

"I don't know what I was going to do, look nobody knows besides Sam. I had to tell him. nobody else knows."

"Oh, well I know. And look, I'm not real great on the whole relationship thing, so your going to have to be paitent with me. I'm not perfect, and won't ever pretend to be. Believe it or not I do want to make this work, but I don't know how to." Embry, once again, didn't say anything.

"Well fine, don't say anything." She hit the door again with her fist before turning around and walking away.

Just like that Embry had his door open and he ran up to her, grabbing her hand to stop her from moving. "Do you really mean that?" he asked.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't have told your door if I didn't mean it." She put her hand on his arm. "I really wasn't lying. I always tell doors the truth." She smiled at her own joke.

Embry smiled, just a second before his lips found hers. Jade kissed him back, standing on her toes and wrapping her arms around his neck. Embry lifted her up into his arms, his lips somehow still on hers. Running her fingers though his hair, she deepend their kiss.

They didn't know for sure how long they were kissing, all they can say is "awhile," and keep a guilty expression on their faces. But that is how Jacob and Quil found them, so wrapped up eachother they barley realized anyone else existed.

"Yo, we are standing right here. I'm seeing things I don't want to see!" Quil shouted.

"Yeah seriously are we going to the bar tonight or not?" Jacob added.

"Huh?" Embry and Jade said at the same time, breaking apart.

"Bar, tonight, music, drinks, dancing. Are you game?" Jacob said, looking up at the two of them.

"Yeah, we're game." Embry answered for the two of them.

"Great, lets get changed. And please, stop kissing, there are some things I don't want to see."

Everyone laughed as Embry set Jade down and they all went to change and get ready for the bar and The Screaming Whisperers.