I quite like this chapter. Short AN today but one question:
HOW DO YOU DO A CONTEST? : S Please tell me someone!
Chapter 9 - Friendemies
I cradled a cup of steaming coffee in my lap. I wore a blue baggy sweater with baggy denim jeans - comfort clothes. My hair, normally smooth and clean, was dirty and greasy, pulled up into a messy ponytail. I knew I had massive bags under my eyes, and I knew I looked hideous.
Seth's reaction to Edward had been both stressful yet entertaining. The memory made me cringe - I had made a complete and utter arse out of myself while my brother and my 'best friend' had talked.
"…So," Seth shot me a glare. "This is your friend?"
"Hehe, err, yup, this is Eddiekins," I laughed, trying to ease the tension that lingered in the air. My attempt failed miserably - Edward shot me an irritated glance, and Seth just ignored me. I felt my cheeks heat up a little as I pushed past Seth and walked into the kitchen. Behind me, I could hear Seth and Edward follow me in - the door was slammed a little too hard.
"Anybody want tea?" I called out, loudly. "Coffee? A cup of blood?"
Silence.
"Okay then," I shouted. I turned on the kettle, grabbing a large mug from the cupboard and pouring a little too much coffee into the cup. I quickly made the coffee and moved into the lounge, where Edward and Seth were sat, just looking at one another, not saying a word.
Awkward.
"So," I paused to take a sip of coffee. "Anybody got any sevens?"
No answer whatsoever.
Then, suddenly, a grin broke onto Edward's face. Seth's expression mirrored his - their smiles growing as I watched. I blinked, rubbed my eyes. Then, as I blinked, Seth was giving Edward a high five, and Edward was laughing.
"What the hell you guys!" I demanded. "You were all 'glare' and 'glare' at each other and now you're best buds?"
Edward looked at me. Finally.
"Ahum… Lee, we were playing, it was a joke. See?" he asked, smirking, quirking an eyebrow at me.
I glared at him, and walked over as if I was going to hug him. I instantly started humming 'Row Your Boat' in my head. Edward looked at me suspiciously. I walked straight past him though, then turned around, and emptied the contents of my mug straight onto his ginger hair.
Needless to say, Ed hadn't been happy. He'd stormed out of the house almost instantly afterwards, leaving Seth and I to have a good old giggle as we watched Bella Swan's 'God' stalk into his Volvo and drive away.
But the following morning, when I woke up, I felt bad. I had gone to make myself another cup of coffee, and then I'd changed into my comfort clothes. I sat on my bed, visibly pouting as I listened to the song playing on the Radio.
'…Well we got no choice,
All those girls and boys,
Making all that noise,
Cuz they got brand new toys,*'
Almost instantly, I shut off the radio, sinking back against my cushions with a sigh. I was acting like I was a lovesick teenaged girl who had just been dumped - maybe Edward had gone hunting or something. I did have a life before Edward came into it, didn't I? I could just go back to being the old Leah.
But before that, I needed to make a phone call.
Calling Eddie…
When there was no answer, I pouted even more, and decided that maybe I needed some Ben and Jerry's. But I cracked at that point - I needed to get out, to see someone other than Edward for once. I did have a life - I didn't revolve around him, after all.
So I picked up my phone again, calling the first person that I could think of. And that person just happened to be Jacob Black.
"Hello?"
I would recognise that voice anywhere. Isabella 'You dumped me so I'll dump you' Swan. Her voice was even more annoying than I remembered. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to snap at her.
"Hello, it's Leah. Can I speak to Jacob please?" I was short and abrupt. I hoped she would've got the message. There was no response for a couple of seconds, and then the sound of the dialling tone signalled she'd hung up on me.
She hung up on me!
A growl ripped from in-between my teeth. I let my muscles tense up and then relaxed, the tremors fading away instantly. I had become much more in control of my phasing recently. It was good - maybe I'd finally get to be a normal human woman again - not this giant menopausal wolf thing that I was currently.
I wasn't having it though - not from Swan. I ran downstairs at top speed, grabbing mom's car keys as I whirled past them. I fled out of the door before mom or Seth could ask where I was going.
I turned the key in the ignition, listening to the growl of the engine. Our car was old, second hand when we bought it, but it held many great memories. I wouldn't get rid of it for anything.
I sped off the drive, intending to have a laugh with my one time friend, and give Swan a good kicking.
…
…
…
I pulled up outside the Black's house, noticing Swan's red, broken truck discarded near the forest. I rolled my eyes, getting out of the car and locking it, before trudging over to the front door, a glare plastered onto my face. I'd forgotten all about Edward in my haste.
I rapped on the door, hard.
There was a flurry of voices and movement inside, and I heard someone come barrelling down the stairs. There was a loud bang, followed by a low 'ouch' and then, the door was pulled open.
I looked down at Swan. It was perhaps the best moment of my week - looking down on the person who had broken Edward's heart. She looked so weak, standing there, pale, with blood trickling from her nose. She was clumsy - not elegant in the slightest, as most girls were. She was pretty, but it wasn't in a unique way. Her skin was a little too pale for my liking, and despite living with Jacob for a couple of weeks, the smell of leech still lingered on her skin.
"Hi, is there a reason why you hung up on me?" I demanded. Part of me chastened myself, telling me to be quiet and polite. Obviously, Edward's manners had gotten to me at some point.
She looked down, her cheeks flushing bright crimson, her eyes glazing over a little. She bit her lip, and inwardly, I frowned. How could that possibly look attractive to someone? She looked like a nerd gone wrong.
Okay, I was being unnecessary harsh towards her, but Edward was my - my friend. She had broken his heart, fled to the werewolf for comfort, and Edward had no one apart from his siblings, who couldn't relate to what he was experiencing.
"…I didn't," she replied, flustered. "The line timed out."
"Oh, did it now? How convenient."
"It did!" Swan protested.
"Of course it did, you just fear that Jacob's going to be taken from you, don't you? Unless you're looking for an excuse to run back to Edward and break Jacob's heart instead. Is that your plan?"
"No! I love Jacob."
"Yeah love, you said that about Edward, too, and you dropped him like a piece of trash."
"What's going on? Oh, hey Lee," Jacob greeted with a friendly smile. I noticed the way his hand snaked around Bella's waist as he answered the door with her, noticed the light that shone in his eyes. Gag. Me.
"We were just having an argument," Swan said at once. I shot her a very dirty look - it was obvious Jacob would take her side without even hearing what the argument was about.
"Need your boyfriend to stand up for you?" I challenged, smug. Jacob's expression changed, became angry - no, furious.
"At least I have a boyfriend to stand up for me. At least I can chose who I want to be mine," she replied - she was just defending herself, but her words cut me deeper than you could imagine. I felt an odd sensation in my eyes, like they were pricking. My throat was being blocked by something, and my lips were dry.
I hadn't cried in years.
I wasn't going to let her watch - she had won, and she knew that. I hastily retreated to the car, fighting tears as I started the engine and revved it sharply, before turning back down the road and driving at top speed back towards our house.
…
…
…
I was badly in need of the Ben and Jerry's by the time I got in. Mom was already out, at the hospital, and Seth was out on patrol. I knew I was going to get in trouble if I didn't pick up on my patrol duties soon, but I certainly wasn't going out when I was in this state.
I went straight up to my room, stumbling slightly as I collapsed onto my bed. Something cold grabbed my arms, flipped me over so I could lay on my back. I looked up, dazed, to see Edward in all his glory.
He was wearing a white button down shirt, with beige shorts. I couldn't see his feet, but I could see his tousled ginger hair was back in it's usual shape, and there was no hint of coffee on him, anywhere. But the thing that made me feel a little better was the pot of Ben and Jerry's ice-cream that he held in his hand.
…
…
…
"How did you know I needed that?" I asked, gesturing to the empty pot of ice cream, a slight smile tugging at my lips. Whoever said that Ben and Jerry's was good for unhappiness was totally right.
"Alice," Edward replied vaguely. I looked at him, gesturing for him to elaborate. He grinned. "She had a vision of me disappearing through your window holding the stuff, so I figured I should come prepared."
"Ah, tell your sister I love her," I replied sleepily.
"Would you care to tell me what happened?" he asked, eyebrows raised. The images of Swan spitting those words at me, the heartbreak I felt as she spoke the words flooded into my mind, and I closed my eyes tightly, trying to destroy the images.
"She did that?" he asked. His voice broke.
I didn't say anything, just nodded. A single tear glided down my cheek. I felt so weak, so vunrable, especially beside the Vampire who kept it together so well. I looked up to see Edward clenching his fists, his eyes closed.
"I shouldn't have gone - I provoked her, really," I said, a little abashed. Everyone was on her side - I didn't want Edward angry at me. He looked up, his jaw tight, but a slight smile on his face.
"Leah, I was angry with her, not you. I couldn't be angry with you," he smiled shyly, and I grinned.
His arm wrapped around my waist securely, pulling me to him. I smiled in return, unsure as to why I wanted to nestle my head into the crook of his neck. I didn't fight the urge though, nestling into him.
…
…
…
A.N: There we go - the chapters are getting longer, slowly! Inspiration comes in the form of a tube of Pringles (google it, if you don't know what they are) lol
REVIEW!