Chapter 11:

It had been one week since I phased for the first time, and I hadn't phased since then. Jake offered to bring me into the woods and run around with me, but I didn't want to. I guess some part of me hoped that maybe, if I didn't phase again, I would just go back to being normal. I spent my lunches inside, afraid that Kit would notice that there was something different about me. I stayed in the classroom with my teacher, and when she asked if something was wrong, I just told her I felt like I wasn't understanding out science unit as well as I should be, so I was using my lunch period to study. She seemed pretty impressed with that and gave me some extra worksheets the last two days of school so that I could have some extra practice. It was also a nice cover up so when my friends asked me where I'd been, I showed them the worksheets and said that Jake was making me study harder.

I'd also been going straight home after school. Jake decided that instead of going to the Cullen's after school like we normally did. Brady drove me home, and I was allowed to stay home by myself for an hour and a half while Jake was with Nessie. I had to call him when I got home, and then he would call me again when he was leaving the Cullen's. It was really nice to have that time alone, especially now with so many things changing.

Friday, when I got home from school, I sat in my bathroom, staring at my reflection. I didn't really look different. I mean, when Jake phased, he got all this muscle, and cut his hair. I still looked the same with shoulder length, straight, black hair, dark eyes, and bland as ever features. I didn't even get any muscles.

It wasn't fair. When all the boys phased, they all looked good. Even Leah had a new glow about her. I still looked like a pathetic little girl. Abby's parents let her wear make-up to school. She wore lip gloss and mascara, and she didn't look like a pathetic little girl. All the guys thought Abby was pretty. They were always asking her out, but she said she was holding out for something better-which I still think is my brother, Jake. I wanted to wear make-up like Abby did. Then maybe I'd be pretty too.

"Kiana! Kiana?" I heard someone yelling my name frantically, pulling me out of my thought. It sounded like Jake. Suddenly realizing what was going on, I jumped up and opened the bathroom door. Jake was in the living room looking around for me. "Ki-" He saw me and stopped short. I walked out, guiltily. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" Jake demanded, crossing his arms at me.

"I was in the bathroom." I told him, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"For thirty minutes?" he asked skeptically. "I called three times in the past thirty minutes, and you didn't hear the phone go off once?"

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze. This was awkward. I didn't want him to know what I was really doing in the bathroom.

"I'm sorry, Jake." I said. "I wasn't really paying attention."

"Well what were you doing?" He asked, as though it blew his mind I could be in the bathroom doing something where I couldn't hear the phone.

"I was . . . I was . . ." Jake looked at me as if to say, 'yes, come on'. "I was doing girl stuff." I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

"You were doing-" He paused, then leaned back as though realizing something. "Oh. Okay." Now he seemed uncomfortable too. "Well, next time just, listen for the phone . . ."

I nodded, still not meeting his gaze.

"Alright, then." Jake clapped his hands together, then rubbed them. "I'm going to get dinner started. Have you started your homework yet?"

I shook my head.

"You go do that now while I make dinner, then maybe we can go catch a movie after, okay?"

I looked up, smiling, forgetting about feeling awkward. I haven't been to see a movie in forever.

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

"Yeah, but only if you start your homework. I don't want you leaving it until last minute Sunday night."

"Okay!" I sang, running into my room to start my homework. I didn't have much. A few vocab words, a little reading on Harriet Tubman, and a take home math quiz. Depending on what Jake made for dinner, I could have it all done by the time he called me to eat.

~ . ~

When Jake and I got home from the movies, it was around nine at night. We had went to see a movie called Frankenweenie. It was okay. I enjoyed spending the time with Jake, more than I really enjoyed the movie. But by the time we got home, I was feeling tired and grumpy.

"Kia, why don't you unload the dishwasher." Jake suggested when we walked inside.

"I don't want to." I grouched, kicking my shoes off and flopping down onto the couch.

"When I said 'why don't you', I really meant, 'go do it'." Jake clarified, pulling me off the couch and sending me toward the kitchen with a gentle push. I stopped a few steps out and looked back at him.

"I want to go to bed."

"You can go to bed after you unload the dishwasher."

"No! I'm tired, I want to go to bed now!" I said, stomping my foot.

"Kia, unloading the dishwasher is your chore. You know what happens when you don't do your chores." If I didn't do my chores on time, then Jake would give me two extra chores for the next two days. Usually they were really annoying things like cleaning all the windows inside and out, or mopping the floors.

"Fine!" I snapped, turning around and stomping to the kitchen. I didn't make it far before Jake grabbed a hold of my arm and gave me a real hard swat to the backside. "Ow!" I protested angrily.

"If I were you, I would knock off the attitude. Now." Jake warned. "I just brought you out to see a movie, and we had a great time. There is no reason for you to be snotty to me right now, and if that's how you're going to be, then you can stay in your room for the rest of the weekend? Is that what you want?"

I glared at him for a moment, and then slowly started realizing what was going on. I didn't really know what was going on, but I knew that I had no idea where that little burst of anger came from. I didn't want Jake to be mad at me, and I definitely didn't want to stay in my room all weekend. I sighed, looking away.

"No." I said quietly. "I'm sorry."

I could feel Jake's gaze on me, then his hand under my chin moving my face to look at him.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked, staring intently at me.

"I'm fine." I dismissed, pulling my face out of his hands. "I'm just-tired." I turned and left to go into the kitchen so I could unload the dishwasher and go to bed.

That was weird. I'm not one to have mood swings like that, but maybe it was because of the whole wolf thing. If that's what it was, I didn't like it. As if I didn't have enough to worry about, and a hard enough time controlling my emotions, now I was having weird wolf mood swings?

I went into the kitchen, grateful that Jake didn't follow me in. I put the dishes away as fast as I could, and when I was done, I headed straight for my room. Jake was in his room, because the living room was empty.

I changed into my pajamas, then went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I barely looked in the mirror this time.

I climbed into bed with my door closed and lights off. I cuddled up with my pillow, looking out my window into the sky. Jake came in a few minutes later, keeping the light off. He came over to my bed and leaned over me.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" he asked gently, and I nodded. He sighed a little, as though he knew that wasn't completely true, but he didn't push the matter. "Alright. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Jake." I said as he kissed my head. He left my room, closing the door behind him. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

~ . ~

When I opened my eyes, the sun was barely coming up over the horizon. It must have been really early still, which was odd, because usually on weekends I slept until at least nine. The latest Jake would let me sleep until was ten. But normally, I wasn't up this early.

Something was wrong though. There was a reason I woke up. My stomach was bothering me, and it hurt. It was different, not like a stomach ache I've had before. Maybe I had to go to the bathroom? But it didn't really feel like that either. I shifted, moving to sit up, when I realized something felt different. My bed felt a little wet, almost sticky on my legs.

I thought I wet the bed, so with a sigh, I threw the covers back. When I threw the covers back, my eyes popped out of my head at what I saw, and then before I could stop myself, I screamed. There was blood covering the my thighs, and soaked into my bed sheet.

My door flew open and Jake came running in, flipping the lights on.

"What's wrong?" He asked, coming right up to my bed. I quickly pulled the covers back over my legs, and all I could do was stare wide-eyed at him, breathing unevenly. Jake looked from my face, to the bed, where I was holding the covers over my legs with shaking hands. "Kia," He said, his tone leve, "What happened?"

I shook my head wordlessly, still in complete shock. Jake waited a few moments for me to say something, but when I didn't he took my blankets from my hands and pulled them back.

"Jake!" I protested loudly, then before I could stop myself, I started crying. I could feel the blood rushing to my face, as his eyes reflected the surprise he felt. He was able to compose himself quickly though, and put a gentle hand on my face.

"Hey," he whispered, catching my gaze. "It's okay."

"No it's not!" I wailed. "Something's wrong with me! Eleven year old's aren't supposed to get p-p-" I couldn't get the word out. "You know!"

"I'm sure it's not a big deal," Jake replied. "Come on, why don't we get you cleaned up and then you can call Emily? Would that make you feel better?"

I knew Jake was probably having a hard time with this, seeing as he was a boy and all, but he was trying for me. I nodded, and let him help me out of bed. I felt so gross, covered in blood. What was worse, was that it dripped down my leg when I moved. Not knowing what else to do, I held my night gown against it. This was the last time I was ever sleeping without underwear. I half waddled to the bathroom, trying to keep the blood from flowing, and stood in one spot while Jake turned the shower on.

When it was ready, he left, and I pulled my nightgown off and stepped in. The water that ran off had a pale pink tint to it, and I felt slightly queasy. The weird part was while I was in the shower, nothing came out. Jake put some clean clothes in the bathroom for me, and when I got out, I stuffed a bunch of toilet paper in my underwear, for lack of anything better to use.

I slowly made my way out to the kitchen, where Jake was sitting at the table. He handed me the phone and I dialed Emily's number, but paused before I pressed call.

"Jake, what if she doesn't want to talk to me about it?" I asked. "What if it's too gross?"

"I'm sure she'll talk to you." he assured me. I still hesitated.

"Jake?" I said after a few moments.

"Yeah?"

"Can you-Can I have some privacy?" I was already embarrassed enough as it is, and having Jake-a boy-listening to me talk about it, was more than I could handle.

"Oh, yeah. Sure." He stood up from the table and headed out into the living room. I pressed call, hoping that they would pick up.

"Hello?" Sam's sleepy voice answered.

"Sam? It's Kia. Is Emily there?"

"Kia? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just have to asked Emily something."

There was a small shuffling noise, and then Emily's tired voice answered.

"Kia, are you okay?"

"I'm okay." I answered, then before I could chicken out of saying anything, I said, "Emily, I just got my period and . . . I don't . . . I'm not . . . Is something wrong with me? I'm only eleven!"

"You-Oh, wow." She said, sounding a little more awake. "No, no, there's nothing wrong with you, first of all. Some girls get their period early, it's nothing to worry about. I didn't get mine until I was thirteen, but my cousin got hers when she was in fifth grade. Have you had any health classes where your teacher talked about your period with you?"

"No." I replied.

"Alright. Well, the drug store isn't open yet, so we can't go buy you anything until it opens in a few hours. Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll come over around nine, then we can go out and I'll help you get everything you need. Sound good?"

"Yes." I said, feeling better. "Thanks, Emily."

"Anything for you, Kia. I'll see you in a few hours, okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

I put the phone back on the charger on the counter, then went out to the living room. Jake was sitting on the couch, propping his head up with his elbow on the arm rest. I sat down next to him and snuggled into his side. He peeked out of his lids at me.

"How'd it go?"

"Good. Emily is coming over this morning to bring me to the store."

"Oh good. So we can go back to sleep now?"

"Um. Well, my bed is kinda . . . gross."

"Oh, right."

Jake and I went into my room and stripped it clean. Jake said there wasn't really anything we could do for the mattress but scrub it with some water. That stain would be there pretty much forever. At least my sheets would clean in the wash.

Jake agreed to let me sleep on the couch because I was too grossed out to sleep in my bed while the mattress dried from scrubbing. Besides, I was still a little too awake to fall asleep, so he let me turn the tv on and watch it with the volume low. It wasn't long, maybe two or three episodes of late night tv and I was able to fall asleep again.