chapter 10. Hope you all enjoy. And yes. Kim does find out her beloved Jared´s secret. Happy reading and a big super thank you to all who took the time to review the last chapter. You are all great people. Besos.
"Kim…..did you actually make out with him again?" Yoli asked me, incredulously. She started to snicker at me as she loaded the shopping cart with her favorite brand of chips.
"I couldn´t help it!" Yoli started to laugh now. "I´m being serious!"
"´Cause you got the hots for him bad. Reeeaaallll bad!" She taunted, smiling widely. "It´s finally happening Kim. Aren´t you happy?"
"I am. I mean….he said he´s going to tell me what´s going on."
"He´s changed so much. Not just the hair and the muscles. Alex says it´s like he´s aged ten years or something. He´s way more mature than he used to be. You know he drove out that meth dealer with Sam Uley and Paul Lahote last week?"
"He what?"
"Yeah! The council wants to keep that under wraps though but Alex found out through the grapevine. Why do you think we´re having to do all this drug awareness stuff now?"
"Holy shit! He could have gotten hurt! What if the guy had a gun or something?" I said in a panic. Yoli put her arm around my shoulders and led me towards the sodas.
"Have you seen the size of Jared? I suppose you have….making out with him and stuff."
"Yoli….stop!" I giggled, remembering his gigantic boner from last night.
"You know that half the girls at school are going to hate you for snagging him right? So…..have you finally decided on what you are going to wear? We only have a couple of hours."
"Saffron is going to kill me but I can´t wear stockings and suspenders. I know it will get back to my folks. I´ll put some of my ballet stuff together and see how it goes."
"Jared might appreciate it if you dress sexy."
"I don´t have the guts."
"Where are you going with him afterwards? Did he tell you?"
"I don´t know. I never asked." I frowned.
"Well if you go missing then we know who was the last person with you."
"Thanks a bunch Yoli…don´t make me even more nervous!"
"Hi Kim!" I bright, familiar voice said from behind me. Yoli´s eyes widened in shock then darted to the sodas in embarrassment.
"Oh….hi Emily." I said without enthusiasm. Emily Young. Despite the scars she was still pretty but….this was the girl who stole Sam from Leah….and was now inexplicably living in La Push with Sam. I do feel sorry for the girl but the whole situation just weirded me out. Did they not care that they were rubbing Leah´s nose in it?
"How are you?" She was looking at me strangely. A bit expectantly. Oh God take me out of this situation.
"Fine. You?" I took a bottle of Cola from the shelf and placed it in my cart.
"Good. Good. Jared talks about you non-stop." Yoli and I made eye contact. Silently acknowledging the strangeness of the situation.
"Okay." I nodded, not wanting to take the conversation any further. A second later Sam Uley rounded the corner, wrapping his arms around Emily and fixing me with a creepy stare.
"Hello Kim." His deep, gruff voice greeted me. I hadn´t talked to Sam in ages it seemed. Not since he was with Leah. I had always thought that he was so nice. But all I saw in front of me was a cheating asshole.
"Hi." I said in a quiet voice, not making eye contact with him.
"How is your family? Are they doing well?"
"They are fine. How´s Leah?" I asked spitefully. Yoli sniggered which she tried to hide by coughing. Sam instantly turned hard faced. It looked like he was going to say something but instead he just gently pulled Emily away from us.
"I know what you think Kim." Emily said sadly. "But there is more to it. You´ll know soon enough. I hope you understand."
"Bye Emily." I turned away from her and stared into the shopping cart, ashamed of my behavior. I was on Leah´s side. She needed someone in her corner since the two people she had trusted the most betrayed her.
"Bye Kim." Emily said. I heard her walk away.
"You shouldn´t have been so mean Kim. It doesn´t suit you." Yoli reprimanded me.
"I know. I shouldn´t have said that." I bit my lip and looked back at Emily´s retreating figure. Sam locked eyes on me, looking totally pissed. This would so get back to Jared. I mouthed sorry at him and he nodded minutely.
"Kimimela!" Holy fuck! Marcii Cameron, Jared´s mom, was making a beeline towards me, wheeling her shopping cart in front of her like a steam engine. She was beaming a mega watt smile at me which scared me a little.
"H-hello Mrs. Cameron." I stuttered, which made Yoli giggle.
"Call me Marcii dear. How are you? Hello Yolanda."
"Hi Mrs. Cameron." Yoli responded to her brightly.
"So…what are you girls up to?" She asked only to me.
"Just buying some food." I said, sweating a little. This was Jared´s mom. She had never been like this with me before.
"You know you can come over anytime you want Kimimela. For lunch or dinner. I know Jared´s dying to have you over."
"Oh! Oh…okay." I said like a complete retard, completely shocked.
"Perfect! Tonight then." Oh God!
"I can´t…but thank you. I-I´m going to a party."
"Before then, for a little snack." She persisted.
"Thanks but I´m eating at Yolanda´s house."
"Tomorrow. I´ll make a casserole." She pinched my cheek and Yolanda started to shake with uncontrolled laughter.
"I´m sorry but I´m visiting my Grandparents for the day."
"Soon then. Monday. You can´t be doing anything special then. I´ll call your parents and tell them that you are coming over."
Sweet Jesus in heaven she was just like Jared. That must be where he got it from. The not taking no for an answer. The persistence until he got what he wanted. The statements instead of questions. I was trapped. She knew it and I knew it.
"O-okay. Thank you Mrs. Cameron." She smiled widely at me. Her eyes were gentle.
"You´ve turned into such a lovely young women. I am so happy that Jared has found you."
"We´re not going out." I said, mortified.
"Not yet you´re not." Yoli said. I knew she was loving this. I gave her the shut the fuck up eyes.
"But Jared said…" Mrs. Cameron looked a bit embarrassed then shook her head as if she was trying to clear it. "So Monday. You´ll have a lovely night. I´ll leave you two girls to your shopping. Have fun tonight."
"We will."
"Can I speak to Kim for a moment please Yolanda?"
"Yeah. Sure. I´ll be at the check outs Kim." Yolanda wheeled the cart away and left me Mrs. Cameron.
"I´m sorry if I put you on the spot Kim. It´s just that since Jared….told us that he really liked you well….he´s my eldest son and I want to see him happy. And since you, he´s the happiest I´ve ever seen him." Mrs. Cameron was being so honest.
"I-I don´t know what to say to that."
"Do you like him?" She asked.
"I do. I like him a lot."
"I know my son. I know his reputation with girls and don´t think for one minute that I am happy about that. And don´t think I would encourage this if I wasn´t one hundred percent certain that he wasn´t completely serious about you."
"I wouldn´t think that about you Mrs. Cameron."
"Thank you Kim. Go have fun tonight. And whatever Jared tells you tonight, just know that he would never hurt you. He´ll be the best protector that you could ever want." Huh?
After we said our goodbyes I joined Yoli at the checkout in a state of confusion. First Emily, then Sam and then Mrs. Cameron. It was like everyone who was close to Jared were ganging up on me, telling me how great he was and how much he liked me. The unknown importance of whatever Jared was going to tell me tonight was being to unnerve me.
Before we went to Yoli´s place we headed to mine to rummage through my closest for things to make up my outfit. We left with a giant duffel bag stuffed with clothes, shoes and make up. When we got to Yoli´s we had an eventful couple of hours trying to sew together scraps of material to make up her Sally costume from The Nightmare before Christmas and apply her make up while stuffing our faces with junk food.
After we finished with her costume we started on mine, which was a weird take on the Corpse bride meets Black Swan. After my skin started to itch under the white body paint we decided to keep the make up to a minimum which seriously took away from the whole creepy look.
"Wear this Kim." Yoli handed me a white lacy corset from her underwear drawer.
"When did you get this?" I asked, taking off my bra and putting it on. Yoli did up the hooks on the back. At least it made my boobs looked good.
"When I was dating Aaron. You look like Madonna from her like a Virgin phase."
"I should put something over it." I said as I stepped into my tutu.
"Take off the tutu and put on the white slip." I did as she commanded and she shook her head. She rummaged through the clothes that littered her bed and pulled out a long, shear ballet tutu. "Try this, with the white tights and the pointes."
"I´m not sure about the corset though."
"This is gonna take forever."
"How about I just wear a sheet over my head." I said in despair. I wanted to look perfect for Jared. Yoli noticed and sat me down on the bed.
"Do you trust me Kimi?"
"You know I do."
"Then take off everything and let me dress you."
"In what?"
"I thought you trusted me?"
"I do!"
"Then let me make you look amazing."
"You can´t!"
"Ugghhh!" Yoli bounded to her bedroom door and opened it a crack. "ALEX!" She yelled.
"WHAT?" He yelled back from what sounded like his bedroom. He turned his music down.
"DON´T YOU THINK KIM IS TOTALLY HOT!" I covered my face with my hands.
"SHE IS SO FUCKING HOT!" He answered before turning his music back up. Yoli looked at me, daring me to say anything else.
"Go ahead, make me look beautiful."
She smiled at me before closing the door.
"I´m gonna make you look so good that Jared will come in his pants when he sees you."
I was trembling as we entered Oliver Smith´s house and into the party that was already in full swing. Yoli dragged me along behind her in search of Saffron. It was always funny to see kids I went to school with dressed up in gaudy outfits. As I passed Quil Ateara dressed as Zorro he stared at my cleavage unabashed until Embry Call nudged him hard in the ribs when he saw that I had noticed.
"Hi Kim." It was Sonia Mara. She was a year younger and in my ballet class. She was wearing a black velvet, full bodied leotard and cat ears. Like me she was also wearing pointes. "You look great!"
"You look amazing Sonia!" Why couldn´t I have her confidence? I noticed Jacob Black look at her ass for quite a few seconds then start to yap on about some girl called Bella to Quil and Embry.
"Thanks." She was such a sweet girl. "I have never seen you dressed like this before. You look hot."
"Really?"
"Eh yeah! All these guys are drooling." I automatically adjusted the neckline of the long, sheer, pale mint nightdress that Yoli and I had recycled from her mother´s old things. "You look like a sexy Clara."
"You sure know how to pay a compliment Sonia." I smiled at her gratefully. She was going to say something to me until Embry shoved Jacob into Sonia, I guess on purpose, making her spill her drink.
"Watch it!" She snarled, rounding on the trio. "You guys are morons."
Jacob Black went red faced and Embry snorted with laughter.
"Ahh don´t be so mean Sonia!" Quil said, with a mock frown.
"Catch up with you later Sonia." I told her as I saw Saffron frantically beckoning me from the other side of the living room.
"Cool. Talk to you later. I want to get a picture of us together before one of these jerks ruins my costume."
"Kim! I thought you were going to wear stockings too!" Saffron said angrily, pulling down the ruffled skirt of her French maids outfit.
"I fucking am!" I said, a bit pissed. She could be so nervy sometimes. I pulled up the skirt a little and showed her the stockings.
"But they are hidden under the dress. God Kim!"
"What´s with you?"
"Nothing!" She snapped, looking a little put out as she crossed her arms. "You look nice."
"You do too. Do you want a drink?"
"Yeah. I brought vodka."
"I´ll get two glasses of cola."
"Get me orange."
"Okay orange." I rolled my eyes as I went in search of drinks.
I squeezed through the crowd and into the kitchen and grabbed two plastic cups which I filled with orange soda. As I was about to head back I felt my cell vibrate from the little pocket in the nightdress. Placing the cups on the kitchen counter I opened a message from Jared.
"Hey there. Are you having fun? Who has the worst costume? I´ll be there in about an hour. Can´t wait to see you!"
"Gary Harrows is dressed as either the Hamburglar or a referee. I can´t decide. Either way it is just a black and white t-shirt. I can´t wait to see you either."
"See you soon Kimi. Don´t let any of those lecherous jerks give you any alcohol."
"I won´t. See you soon."
Oh God. What if he thinks I look stupid? I looked down at my outfit. The satin teddy could be clearly seen under the nightdress, as well as the stockings. Where the fuck does Yoli buy these things? The string of pearls around my neck suddenly felt like it weighed a ton and I all of a sudden felt like a big fool. A walking joke. What if he laughed at me?
"Here´s your orange." I handed Saff the cup and sat down next to her on the window seat.
"What´s eating you?" She asked as she poured vodka into both of our cups.
"Nothing."
"Loverboy not coming?"
"He´s coming."
"Then what´s the matter?"
"Do I look stupid?"
"No. You look good."
"Where´s Matt?"
"He´s coming in about ten minutes with his friends."
"You want to dance?" I asked, noticing the limited space in the living room was filling up with kids grinding.
"Nah, my feet are killing me."
"Already?"
"These shoes are my sister´s. They are a size too small."
"Take them off."
"Hey, hey, hey!" Yoli came over to us with a joint and a happy smile on her face. She sat down heavily between us and took a long drag then offered it to me and and Saffron. I declined. My one experience with Marijuana left me violently ill and I didn´t want a repeat of that night. Saff took a small drag and kicked her shoes off.
"Where did you get that?" I asked Yoli over the blare of MSTRKRFT.
"From Alex. Sure you don´t want any?"
"Nah, I´m good."
"Don´t be so nervous." She laughed. "Saffi, do you know what happened at the store earlier?"
She proceeded to tell Saffron about all the crazy goings on at the store, which Safffron found amazingly funny. As they laughed and got stoned and drunk I felt my anticipation growing. That strange pulling that made me immediately think of Jared. Checking my watch I found that he would be here in about half an hour. Oh man…I was crazy nervous. I fidgeted with the pearls around my neck until Yoli made me stop.
Sonia Mara and a couple of other friends dragged me to dance and pose for pictures. Fifteen minutes later the feeling of nervousness was reaching such a peak that I dashed to the toilet to take a nervous pee. I stayed in there until someone was banging on the door to make me come out.
I knew Jared was here. I knew he was. I could feel him.
I navigated my way through the narrow hallway and back into the living room. I could feel eyes on me, Jared´s eyes. Oh God, please let me disappear. Please let this go okay. I saw Yoli making out with Oliver Smith and Saffron was nowhere to be found. Then I felt a hot hand brush my upper arm, leaving tingles in its wake. By instinct I placed my hand in his and turned around. His face was expressionless but his eyes danced with different, fleeting emotions.
"Hi." I said in a breathy voice. He smiled slightly.
"Hello." He just gazed down at me, content to just stand there holding my hand, or so it seemed. "Wanna go somewhere quieter?" It looked like the loud music was bothering him.
"Of course." He led me through various couples making out and kids dancing and into the kitchen and ultimately out onto the porch. The cold night made my skin come out in goose bumps.
"You´re cold Kim." He came beside me and put his arm around my shoulders, rubbing my arm.
"How can you be so warm?"
"High body temperature. Does it bother you?"
"Of course not."
"Good. I´m not surprised that you´re cold though." Jared turned me around, making me face him fully as he looked at my outfit. I felt my cheeks burn as I could feel his eyes heat up every part of my body that they touched. "Your costume is really pretty."
"Thank you." I had my face turned away from him. Jared touched my cheek and made me face him again, ever so gently.
"You look beautiful." He said with honesty. "You always do. I know you don´t feel comfortable in it though."
"You´re the one that can see right through me." I searched his eyes for something. For what I don´t know.
"Really?" He raised his eyebrows and gave me a half smile.
"Jjjjareddd!" Alex burst through the back door totally wasted at raised his hand for a high five which Jared reluctantly gave.
"That hurt a bit man." Alex shook out his hand and took a swig of his drink. "Kim…you look hawt!" He winked at me and Jared growled lowly, freaking me out a little.
"Don´t fucking look at her that way!" Jared spat at Alex, shoving him into the wall.
"Jared! Stop!" Fuck…. "He´s my friend! He´s your friend!" I grabbed hold of his arm with both of my hands and tried to tug him away. It was impossible.
"Shit man! What´s the matter with you? You don´t even know Kim!" Alex stood upright, shocked into soberness and squared off with him. "She is too good for you."
"You know shit Alex!"
"I know that Devon still thinks that the two of you are going out."
"Listen Alex…" I started. Trying to calm the situation. "They have broken up. Why don´t you go and enjoy the rest of the party?"
"You deserve better than him Kim. Be fucking careful." Jared started to shake a little and when Alex went back inside, his shaking subsided.
"If anyone ever fucking looks at you like that again I swear…."
"What´s the matter with you?" What just went down had seriously shaken me.
"Sometimes I can´t control it…" He was breathing hard, and could barely make eye contact with me.
"You know you can tell me whatever is going on Jared." I took his hand and he snatched his hand back like I had scalded him.
"I can´t hurt you….if I ever did…." He was so pained, so torn.
"But….how could you hurt me? Why would you? You´re freaking me out." I wrapped my arms around myself for more than protection against the cold.
"I´m so afraid Kim. You have no idea."
"Tell me what´s happening Jared. Please…I don´t understand."
"I told you I would. I am. Not here though."
"Then let´s go." He contemplated me before nodding.
"Did you bring a coat or something?"
"Yeah, it´s inside. I´ll go get it."
"I´ll wait for you here."
I went inside and got my coat and said goodbye to Saffron and Yolanda. Yolanda told me to be careful and said that she´d call me in half an hour if I didn´t call her. I told her not to worry. Jared wasn´t going to murder me. I got back outside and buttoned up my coat. Jared was waiting for me at the bottom of the steps of the porch with a resigned expression. As I got to the top step he held out his hand and I took it, feeling his warmth and fire. I felt safe with him.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we headed down a small road towards the woods. I hated the woods. Ever since I got lost in them once when I was very young….the day my dog Lucky went missing…
"You okay? Are you scared?"
"No. I´m not. We´re not going into the woods are we?"
"Just a little bit in….to a clearing. Is that okay?"
"W-why do we have to go into the woods?" Jared stopped walking and pulled me into him.
"I´ll take you home."
"No! You´re going to tell me or I will never talk to you again!"
"Are you ready? I mean, I don´t know if you are."
"I don´t know if I am because I have no idea what you are going to tell me. If you don´t trust me then just call it quits now."
"Kim….come on then." He took hold of my hand again and led me into the woods. I could feel the cold damp seeping into my shoes, slowly freezing my feet.
"How much further?" I asked, creeped out being so far into the woods since I was a kid.
"Not much. Don´t worry. Nothing will hurt you here."
It was pitch black, the only light was from the full, fat white moon. It´s light barely breaking through the foliage of the trees. Jared walked a little in front of me, leading the way confidently as though he was walking in daylight. As I stumbled forward over a root or a rock Jared caught me before I could fall and gathered me up into his arms and held me.
"You don´t need to carry me. I´m too heavy." I started to squirm but Jared held on tight.
"You weight nothing. I don´t want you to fall and hurt yourself."
"I won´t."
"We´re here." He walked a couple of feet into the clearing. The moon casting it´s silvery glow gave it an almost magical appearance.
"Why here?" I asked. Jared placed me on my feet but didn´t let go of me.
"Because here is where it first happened." He whispered into my hair.
"What happened?" He went and stood in the centre of the small clearing.
"This is where I changed. Kim…when I tell you you won´t believe me but when I show you then…then you will."
"Changed how?"
"You know our legends right? You know the story of the wolves."
"The story goes that Taha Aki was the first Quileute to share the body of the wolf when Utlapa stole his physical form."
"Taha Aki was the first and he wasn´t the last. What more do you know? Come on, you´re a smart girl."
"Taha Aki defended the tribe from our enemies along with his sons who also could change."
"And what happened to Taha Aki in the end?"
"We don´t know what happened to him. He disappeared after the death of his wife. When she sacrificed herself for the tribe."
"Why did she sacrifice herself?"
"Because a cold one was threatening the village. Why are you asking me this?" I asked impatiently.
"Because it´s true Kim! It´s all true."
"But…how? They are just stories. You really took me here for this?" I felt very uneasy and totally confused.
"This is what I took you here for. You wanted to know. You need to know. I…have to show you something….and please don´t scream okay."
"What the fuck? Jared….I´m leaving." I turned and strode away from him with such anger and bitter disappointment. He was totally playing me for a fool and I was the bigger fool for letting him.
"Don´t Kim! Please!" He yelled after me! Something in his voice made me stop. I hesitated for a while but didn´t turn around. I could hear him moving about and then some real loud shuffling noises.
"Jared….I thought…I thought that…" I couldn´t find the words, I only stared into the dark trees. He didn´t say anything. He was just silent. As I turned around I did a double take and stepped backward in terror, tripping and landing painfully on my ass.
In front….in front of me, where Jared had stood only moments before stood a giant….creature. The size of a bear but it was a wolf…paralyzed with fear and shock I just stared and whimpered a little. What the….where is he? Where´s Jared? What the fuck is this thing? Oh God I´m gonna die here…..I know I am….I could feel my breath become more labored, I could feel my chest tightening. I could feel hot tears roll down my cheeks.
The beast cried softly and moved towards me, making me cry harder. I´m going to fucking die here. In the woods. Wearing fucking stockings and a teddy! Wearing Yoli´s mom´s old mint sex lingerie. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!
My breath caught in my throat as the beast turned into a man…into…into Jared. A buck naked Jared. A panicked Jared. He hastily pulled on his clothes and ran towards me, searching my pockets for something….was he going to rob me then kill me? He forced something into my hand and to my mouth. My inhaler. I took a couple of shots while still maintaining a terrified eye contact with him. The asthma attack subsided but the fear didn´t.
"I´m sorry it had to be this way Kimi." He told me gently. "Just breath. Don´t worry. I´m so sorry. I´m so so sorry Kimi. I didn´t want to frighten you. Please…just breath." He held me tight as I started to shake and sob loudly. "I´m the biggest fucking dick in the world. Please….you don´t need to be scared. I would never hurt you."
"W-w-w-hat a-a-are y-y-y-you?" I stutter sobbed into his chest.
"I am what you saw with your own eyes. I am a shapeshifter. Please Kim….I am not a monster….please don´t think that I am."
"B-but how? I don´t….I don´t understand." I stared into Jared´s eyes, feeling nothing but utter confusion.
"Can I please tell you more some other time? Let me take you home."
"I can go home by myself." I stood up on shaky legs and backed away from him.
"No Kim. You´ll get lost in the woods." He stepped forward to take my hand but now it was my turn to snatch my hand away like I was the one that was scalded.
"Don´t.." I whispered. "Don´t come near me…." He looked utterly devastated. Like he might even cry. But I was the one to do so. I felt devastated. "What is this Jared?" I sobbed. "I have no idea what you are but how could you drag me into this? Why did you have to….why did I fall in love with you? And you let me….you kissed me and told me all the shit you knew I wanted to hear….you knew I fucking love you and still took advantage!" I screamed at him through my tears.
"That´s not how it is Kim!" Jared yelled back. He advanced towards me but I backed away even further.
"Stay the fuck away from me!" I screamed at him.
"I can´t!" He yelled again. "I won´t and you don´t understand!"
"I don´t want to understand anymore!" I turned and dashed through the woods. Stumbling a couple of times I grazed my knees and my hands on the forest floor but I didn´t stop running until I reached my house. It was in total darkness and I tip toed into the bathroom to strip and clean myself up. My knees and palms were a bloody mess. I ripped off the costume and smeared my make up around my face in some sort of strange fit. Totally naked I sat on the cold tiled floor of the bathroom and cried again.
Jared…..Jared what the hell are you? What the hell happened to you? I buried my head in my hands as those strange howls ripped through the silence of the night with a sudden violence that made me physically ache. I knew Jared´s howl was the loudest, and the saddest.
Thanks for reading! I had so much fun writing this chapter. Stay tuned and the next chapter for my other story Love will tear us apart will be up in the next couple of days. Besos and have a great Holy Week.