AN: Next Chapter
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Clay's POV (:o Yes!)
It bugged the hell out of me to not know anything that was going on with my sister. Yeah, we'd gotten off on the wrong foot the last time we spoke to each other but it doesn't change that I love Syd.
Another thing that was now bugging me. She wasn't being very sneaky about getting out of her room. Why was she sneaking anyway? I wanted to open the door to see, but I waited until she was down the stairs to start following her.
I watched silently as she tiptoed across the kitchen and opened the door very slowly, easing her way out. The door gave a silent click and she was gone.
I scuffled along the kitchen floor and stood by the window. I only saw a flash of her hair before she'd turned the corner. Where the hell was she going?
I walked back to the living room looking through a window real ninja-like. I saw her and immediately moved to stand by the window, and I sunk down to the floor and tried to hear something.
"You okay?" I heard a guy's voice ask. It wasn't Soji's familiar voice, either. "I can get my jacket if it makes me seem more...normal. But soon it won't matter anyway." What the hell? "No, I mean. I-I don't need it. I'm not cold."
The guy sighed. My sister hadn't had to say one word. Was this guy talking to himself?
"This part is going to sound even worse, but you gotta trust me, because I'm trusting you with this."
"What part? Trusting me with what?" she finally asked.
"I gotta get back into the forest deeper, enough that I can make sure you're the only one watching. But I'll stay close enough for you to keep your house in sight, alright?"
Oh hell no, Sydney was so not going to follow a guy into the forest after what she went through. I peaked up from my hiding place. I didn't catch the guys face, but I saw his shadow slink into the woods. Syd took a few steps closer. Was she stupid?
I couldn't hear anything anymore. I tried to, but my hearing wasn't working for me.
I waited and waited and waited, getting more paranoid by the minute. Finally I hear the sound of the kitchen door open, and I rush to get to my room before she sees me.
Once I got to my room I waited to hear her footsteps come up the stairs before I felt secure about the situation. No, never mind. I wouldn't feel better about the incident no matter what.
Sydney's POV
The next morning I was cursing myself for actually going out there to meet Paul. How stupid was I? Going into the freakin' woods with the guy who raped me? God...
I was shocked, to say the least to figure out that the Legends were true, and the fact that Paul was apart of the whole deal. He told me about Sam and the others, and everything made sense now.
I'll admit, Paul wasn't too bad of a guy, but the whole idea of...imprinting means nothing to me. He said it's like a pull, I feel nothing. The insane need to be near him? Pshh. Maybe a little something, but I figure that was more curiosity than anything...
He was like a drug, every time I was around him I felt like I wanted to know everything. Like he was some big mystery, and the only time I had my sanity back was when I was away from him.
He's still Paul and nowthat I'm thinking straight again, I'm getting more anxious about it. He's a huge wolf and I didn't freak out at all, I patted him! He'd followed me home, too. So, so stupid... I could have been hurt, or even the baby could have been. I won't allow that to happen again. Never.
(AN: I know it's kinda confusing about her mood swings and weather she believes Paul or not. Don't worry, it'll make sense later! ^^;)
I never told Soji about Paul. It wasn't my secret to tell anyway. I didn't tell Clay either, but we were talking more. Not like conversations. Just a little more friendly around my mom. He gave me once-overs a lot though, like he was making sure I was okay. Yeah, he cared now.
Time passed quicker than I realized, especially without an incident with Paul to slow it down. A few weeks went by and it was actually kinda boring now, even if I hate to admit it. Patterns came as easy as breathing now. I went to school, did homework with Soji (who never complained, mind you), and came home. Again and again. It was safer this way. I knew that, and every time my mind urged me to wonder why Paul was being to distant lately I'd shut it out. Then try to keep my mind occupied until I was unconscious with sleep. I tried to live in the present at all costs, any thing that reminded me of Paul, I avoided. Which was easier to do when he never showed up for school. Quietly I panicked, but I continued to go on with my life, keeping my mind elsewhere.
So I was surprised when Soji had come up to pick me up for school one morning. It defiantly wasn't in my sanctuary of the pattern.
"Happy Valentines Day." Soji said. He was smiling, friendly as usual, but he was holding something. A medium sized, red box with a black bow on top.
"Jeez, it's V-Day already?" I asked. He raised his eyebrow in amusement.
"Well if you forgot, I can just take the chocolates back..." he teased.
My eyes widened. "Chocolate? You got me chocolate?" How could I have forgotten Valentine's Day? "Hand 'em over." I demanded, holding my hand out.
He chuckled and gave them to me. "You owe me now."
"Well, you already got me chocolates. How ever can I repay you?"
"You could do my homework for the rest of the year." he suggested.
I snorted. "Ha. Take your chocolates back then. No way."
He laughed back and shook his head. "It's fine, I'm just a better friend that you."
"Probably," I mumbled. I made a mental note to make sure I got him something before it was too late.
"It's very nice of you to get me something though." I told him.
He grinned. "You're welcome."
We both got in the car and started on to school. The heat coming from the air vents made me sleepier than before. Another new 'simptom' I had discovered. I was tired all the time, along with eating a lot. I hadn't puked, which thank God, by the way. I guessed that I wouldn't if I hadn't by now. Lucky me. I just felt like a tired pig by four months of pregnancy. Wonder what the next 5 months will be like...
"I'm getting outta school early tomorrow." I announced.
Soji turned his head to me, raising an eyebrow, then back at the road. "Why?"
"Doctor appointment. Mom wants to be there."
"Oh. Just your mom? Not Clay?"
"Clay's still..."
"You should make up with him already, be the bigger person."
"I thought you were supposed to be on my side," I grumbled.
"Not when you ignore your sibling for like three months. That's like ignoring me."
"He ignores me too, though."
"Bigger person," he repeated.
"Fine, fine. Maybe. I wouldn't think he'd want to go with his sister to check on her pregnancy though. Doesn't seem like Clay."
"Does your dad know?"
"Um, I wouldn't know. He never called to ask, or anything. So unless Clay told him, no."
He nodded and we were suddenly at school, pulling into the parking lot. We walking into the school together, no one giving me a second glance.
I was always prepared to come into school and everyone turn to me, giggling and whispering. But it never happened.
Soji noticed, like he noticed everything. "So I guess Paul's been quiet. I wonder why though." Soji was always bluntly honest, which I loved him for, but that wasn't something I wanted to hear.
I flinched. Of all times he chooses to bring up Paul, now?
"I mean he's been gone for a while," he continued. "Think he moved away?"
"Doubt it," I mumbled. I knew he hadn't moved away. I still got the feeling he was out in the woods as a wolf a lot. I was almost completely positive he couldn't move away, even if he wanted to, from what he'd told me. If any of that was true.
I never liked going to the doctor, thus the unnerving squirming in my seat. I hardley ever had any reason to come to the hospital. I only ever got small colds, in spring and winter. I had never had the flu, never once broken, sprained, or cracked anything. I remember coming to this place, for a few check-ups, and normal enough reasons.
I'd come here, mainly for Clay, who having soccer, had broken a few bones. A right arm, from falling out of a tree when he was around seven, a couple of fingers along with that. He sprained both of his ankles. Once when he was eight, and another a little more than half a year ago, practicing with our father. Was really close to a hair-line fracture about a year ago, during a big soccer game.
And at the moment, I wished I had broken, sprained, or cracked something. Had gotten sick in some way. Just so I wouldn't be here in this way. Pregnant, at seventeen.
"Stop please, Sydney." My mother sighed, slamming her hand down on knee. I sighed back, stilling my shaking leg. It was a nervous habit. And right now I was extremely, off the charts nervous. "Since when do you not like the doctor?" My mom asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Since I had to go to this doctor." I mumbled. I didn't know why I was so scared. Maybe it was the fact that once I looked up on that screen and saw the baby growing inside me it would make this so much more real. I knew I was pregnant. The fatigue, eating like a starving animal, and skipped periods were testaments to that. But seeing it would make it a real deal. And it scared the hell out of me.
"It's fine sweetie. He's not going to kill you." My mom smiled, giving a small laugh. My mom seemed so much stronger than be about this. Like it really wasn't a big deal that her daughter was a mom too.
"Yeah." I mumbled, folding my hands over my stomach. I was a couple days away from 4 months by my calculations. I hoped that meant the morning sickness would be out of the question now. But on the other hand, it meant that I would be getting a lot bigger soon. My pants were getting harder to button over the small, almost unnoticeable bump of a stomach.
I stared straight ahead; it was the only safe place to look if I didn't want to see a bunch of different pregnant women, old and young alike. It was like staring a couple months into the future. It freaked the crap out of me.
(AN: I had no...idea what to make her last name be. I didn't know cosidereing there's names like Clearwater, Black, Call, Ateara (sp), Uley. And if Sydney had a Quiluete-ish last name..? So yeah, no flames on the last name, it wont come up often anyway.)
"Brooks." A young looking nurse called out, glancing up from her clipboard to find the person the name belonged to. I stood, my cheeks getting warm as she raised her eyebrow. I could tell what she was thinking. Another knocked up teen. I should be getting used to it I guess, that would be the look I would be getting in the next few months when my stomach was going to get bigger. My mom rubbed my arm as I followed the nurse into the hallway. She took my weight and a few other small, normal actions. Then headed into a small room.
"How long since your last period?" She asked, glancing up at me.
"Umm," I mumbled, my cheeks flaming red. I was so bad at keeping up with that kind of track. "Middle of October, I think."
"So your about 4 months." The women said, giving me a look.
"I guess." I said, glancing down at my hands.
(AN: Yeah, no flames on a pregnancy time-line either, I'm not 100% on when you CAN get an acurate picture on an ultra-sound. You can tell me if you want, but I don't want it to make the story...un-factual?)
"Alright. Lean back please and lift your shirt, please." She told me, laying down her clipboard. I did as she said and glanced over at my mom.
She gave a small smile, reassuring. I was glad she wasn't as apposed to this as I may have guessed. It seemed like seeing the baby on the screen wasn't a death sentence to her, like I felt it was. I focused back on the nurse.
"This will be a little cold." She said, squirting the gel on my stomach. I gasped, sucking it at the sudden cold. The nurse was unfazed as she laid the monitor against my stomach. I felt my heart speed up as the black and white screen fuzzed and moved about before she stopped.
"There is the fetus." She said, pointing to the seed shaped figure on the screen. I nodded, in shock at what I was seeing for the first time.
I expected to feel disgusted just like I did when I thought of Paul most of the time. Even though I no longer...hated Paul, I was more afraid of him than anything. But I couldn't find any disgust in my feelings. Just...a warm feeling that I couldn't identify. I didn't know why I felt as such.
"From the size of the fetus you are about 4 months. Around the fifth month is about when you will start to feel movement." The nurse said, sounding like she was reading from a book. Fifth month, then I may feel the baby. That sent me into a shock once again.
"Oh." I mumbled. I couldn't take my eyes off the little baby on the screen. The nurse went on and on, I heard, and some of it sunk in. Most of it I'd already read online, but hearing it from someone who supposedly knew what they were saying, made it real. Made it something I was experiencing for the first time, though I'd had the baby...growing inside me for four months.
"Sydney," my mom called. I turned to her, slowly. She was grinning. "You're already making me a grandmother this early?"
I chuckled. "You'll be fine." I hoped I would, be too.
My due date, they told me, would be in July. They would give a better reading after another ultrasound later on. It was odd to think about. July seemed so far away, and yet so close at the same time. The most terrifying thing I had in mind though, was the labor. The pain. Every time I thought of it I shuttered.
Back at home, I felt the need to take a shower. The gel that nurse gave me left it's mark, I still felt like it lingered, even though it was gone. And the hospital always made me wary, dirty even though they're known for their cleanliness.
As I stripped my eyes went directly to my stomach, which wasn't big yet, but the small bump mocked me. I turned my glance away and headed into the warm water.
AN: Love it? Hate it?
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