Chapter Eleven

"What?" I whispered, though I heard what she said. Jacob had suddenly let go of me, but that was OK, I was feeling suddenly sober.

"Will you come and talk to me now?" She asked, now looking at Jacob, who wasn't moving. No one was moving. Everyone was staring at Lauren.

"Jake," came Sam's deep, soothing voice. Emily was at my side now, squeezing my hand. "I think you should go with her," he said

"No," Jacob said sternly, he was looking at Lauren in shock. Lauren shifted awkwardly.

"Jake…" Lauren whispered and I felt mad at her for calling him that. Only the people who were close to him called him that.

"No Lauren. It's not possible and you know it. Why would you even try and tell me that!" Jacob was growling now, his hands were shaking. Sam gripped tightly onto Jacob's shoulder to hold him steady. Everyone was looking from Jacob to Lauren like it was some sort of tennis match.

Lauren blushed and looked at the ground. I'd never seen her look so uncomfortable. "What am I supposed to say Jacob? You just used me to get back at her." she looked at me viciously and I almost felt sorry for her, almost.

I stared at her with my mouth agape. "You just lied!" I stared at her and she at least had the decency to look ashamed. "You are unbelievable," I muttered and I stalked past her and out into the cool night air. That was beyond low. I felt myself filling up with hate towards her, lying to try and get Jake to say with her. I felt sick.

"Leighton, wait a second!" I froze as Lauren followed after me into the darkness.

"I don't have a second for you anymore!" I stopped so suddenly that Lauren nearly ran into my back. She did look miserable but it didn't make me like her anymore.

"People use to like me before you and Bella moved here," She told me. I stared at her. Was that what all this was about? Popularity? I didn't care about people liking me. I just wanted the people I loved to come out of this alive.

"Well I wonder why they don't now. Oh wait a second it's because you're a lying bitch!"

"I'm sorry about saying I was pregnant. I just saw you with Jacob again and it just came out. We didn't even – he wouldn't –" She stopped talking as I stared at her. But I felt slightly relieved that Jacob wouldn't do that with her. Maybe some things were still sacred.

"I don't even know why that would come into your mind…I nearly died in there Lauren. It was just cruel."

"I know," she shifted awkwardly again. It infuriated me that she could only look at her feet. "I'm sorry OK."

"No it's not OK," I pushed past her back towards the house.

"Did you know that my mum left my dad and me last year?" I stopped walking. Her voice sounded sad. I told myself that she was just trying to make me feel sorry for her.

"No. I didn't know that."

"You don't know because my dad told me not to tell anyone. He doesn't want to admit that she's gone. So I've been pretending for a year that my mum is still around. And I'm really mad at her. And I'm really mad at my dad. And I'm really mad at myself. And I'm sorry that I'm so horrible to you all the time. And I'm sorry that I was horrible to Jacob. And I'm trying to not be so angry but it's really hard sometimes."

I turned and looked at her. She was crying, and in the dull light of the moon she almost looked fragile, not like Lauren at all. I tried not to feel sorry for her, but I found it sinking in. I guess that people have things happening in their lives that you don't know about. Sometimes they're hard things.

"Ok. Just don't come near Jacob again." I told her, but I smiled at her too. Mostly because I wanted her to stop crying. She was easier to hate then.

I walked back inside where the party was considerably less raging. Jacob pulled me into a bear hug, familiar and warm.

"So I guess things can go back to normal now?" He grinned at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we can get straight back to werewolves fighting evil vampires with the good vampires. Normal."

Jacob laughed.

Hi Everyone! Another supershort chapter to meet the demands about "what the hell is going on!"

Now let me explain myself a little because I feel it's important! I wasn't ever going to drag this Lauren thing out for as long as I have but after I poped her in for the first time she was met with such hatred that I just had to tap into that for a bit longer. Mostly because I began to feel a little sorry for her.

Lets admit it she didn't exactly organise the whole Jacob thing. That was Jacob's idea (And I'll put in a spolier and tell you it was a little bit of the Embry genius in there too). And Jacob was just using her. As we know he would do anything to get the girl.

So I wanted to reveal to you a little bit about what it might be like in the life or Lauren... people don't just get born bitter and twisted. So i thought that we should all have a look at something that could have made Lauren like she is.. mixed in with all those teenage hormones like wanting to be accepted and liked...

I think that it is important to know where the antagonist has come from. You can still hate them.. but you have to walk a mile in their shoes first, right? What's that saying?

Anyway. Just thought I'd let you know that I hadn't gone completely mad or had just been taking my inspiration for Bold and the Beautiful (you were thinking it, don't deny it!) And I did go off on a bit of a tangent.

So now as Jacob says, back to the normal stuff of vampires and werewolves.

Lorrae =)