Chapter 11 The Smile
A few days later...
"Hey beautiful. Need a ride?" Jacob called out through the open window of his car as he pulled over to the side of the road and grinned when the girl in question turned around and locked eyes with him. He hadn't planned on driving this way, but it seemed like once he had gotten behind the wheel, he had no control over his body and had winded up driving by Forks High School and came up right on the road where his girl was currently walking on.
"Yea, that would be great. Thanks." Quinn said to him, walking around the front of the car and slid into the front seat next to him and slammed the passenger door shut. She brushed her hair back from her face and turned to look at him. "Why did you drive up here? I don't think it was just to offer me a ride."
"I didn't actually plan to come up this way, but it just sort of happened and then there you were." Jacob replied, smiling as he put the car back into drive and started back down the road again. "Obviously I wasn't going to just leave without looking for you."
"Well that's very sweet." Quinn observed, leaning against the window with her eyes focused on the road. He glanced at her for a second, wishing he could see her smile. He hadn't seen it yet and he was beginning to wonder if it would ever happen.
"I try to be." He joked, taking another look at her. Man, she was beautiful. Just utterly breath-taking, despite the sadness in her face. He hoped eventually he could make her feel better. It pained him to see her in such pain. He had to do something about it. "So listen, there was actually something I wanted to ask you."
"What's that?" Quinn turned her head to look at him with her blue eyes and he was momentarily stunned and he struggled to regain composure enough to act normal.
"I don't know if your brother told you or not..." Jacob started to say but she interrupted him at the small mention of her brother.
"Sam doesn't tell me anything. He doesn't actually talk to me." She snapped harshly, crossing her arms tight across her body and sent a disgruntled look at the dirt road he was driving on.
"Never mind, my point was that the reservation is having this bonfire night party tonight down on the beach and I wanted to invite you to come with me." Jacob told her, waiting for her answer with stomach doing cartwheels inside of him. He didn't know what she would say to him asking her on their first technical date. She may have been his Imprint, but she could still say no and shut him down.
"You want me to go as your date? Really?" She asked, sounding like she couldn't believe he was asking her that.
"Yes, really." He laughed at the absurdity of the situation. "Why would think I didn't?"
"Because I'm a mess and I wouldn't be that much fun to be around." She shrugged, sighing heavily and rubbed her face with her small hands. "So if you want a date that you will enjoy then maybe you should ask someone else."
"There will never be anyone else. And I don't care how much of a mess you are, every moment I spend with you is fun and I enjoy it a lot." He told her with absolute certainty. It was the truth after all. There was never a time when he was around her that he wasn't happy. "I wouldn't want to have anyone else by my side except for you."
"Alright, you are going to make me cry." Quinn covered her face with her hands as she spoke. "Ok, I'll go. Just don't leave me alone unless I say so. I don't know anyone else out here."
"That's partially the point of going to bonfire night, so you can get to know other people." Jacob told her, turning into the empty space in front of her house. He was relieve to see that Sam was not home. The last thing he needed was to bring on a fight.
"What if I just want to spend time with you?" Quinn's pretty face flushed red and she looked away shyly which only made Jacob like her more. He reached over and touched her hand to get her attention and smiled.
"We can arrange that."
A few hours later...
"I can't believe I agreed to this." Quinn whispered to herself as she sat on the porch and waited for Jacob to show up. He was supposed to arrive any minute and the nerves were starting to set in. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt anything other then sadness in the last couple of months. But with Jacob asking her out on their first date, she had been bombarded by this tidal wave of emotion. It took her by surprise because it felt unfamiliar. She couldn't remember what it felt like to feel nervous when waiting for a boy to pick her up. Not that she ever did much dating before all this, but she did have the occasional boyfriend. But still, it had been so long since she had done something as carefree as go on a date. And here she was, about to do just that. Could she handle it?
"Penny for your thoughts?" A husky sounding voice as from out in the yard and Quinn broke free from her thoughts and lifted her head to lock eyes with Jacob as he started walking away from his car and over to the porch. He was dressed simply in jeans and a long sleeved black shirt but the way he moved and the way he looked just made the air freeze in her throat and her stomach turned over in a flutter. She felt her face shift as she stared at him as he came up the steps and paused in front of her with his mouth hanging open as if out of shock.
"What?" Quinn immediately brought her hands up to her face and hair, thinking she looked like a mess and that's why he was looking at her weird. "Do I look that bad?"
"No, not at all." Jacob shook his head quickly. He sat down next to her and reached out to bring her hands down from her face. "You look as beautiful as you always do."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, not confused that she looked fine. He still had that look on his face, an expression of disbelief.
"You don't know?" He frowned when he questioned her and when she shook her head he started laughing. He released her hands and sat back with his arms crossed. "Quinn, you're smiling. For the first time."
"No." Quinn whispered, jumping up from her chair and rushing down the steps and over to Jacob's car. She skid to a stop in front of the window and stared at her reflection in the glass. She brought her fingers up to her lips and gasped. "Oh my god I am smiling."
"Yes you are." Jacob said, sounding pleased as he came up behind her. "I'm so glad I was able to be here to see you smile for the first time."
"Wow. This is weird." Quinn mumbled, staring at herself, almost not recognizing the girl looking back at her. It didn't even seem real. She hadn't smiled since before her mom had died, it was like she had forgotten how to do it. And then Jacob shows up and out of nowhere, it suddenly happens. It truly took her by surprise. "You're a miracle worker, you know that?"
"I wouldn't go that far, but whatever." Jacob shrugged off the compliment. "It's not that big of a deal."
"Actually it kind of is. I never thought I would smile again." Quinn pointed out, unable to look away from herself. "It's kind of nice."
"It's more then nice. It's great." Jacob grinned over her shoulder and then motioned to the door. "Shall we?"
"Yes." She nodded quickly and allowed him to open the door for her and she climbed into the car while he walked around the front and also got in. Once they were in that enclosed space together, Quinn found that she couldn't stop grinning. Jacob was definitely the reason for that. It was nice to be around someone who could do that for her.
"You'll have fun tonight. I promise." Jacob started the car and began backing down the dirt driveway towards the road. "And we will have fun because I know for a fact that your brother is not going to be there. Emily made him take her out so we have no chance of running into him."
"You and her planned this, didn't you?" Quinn asked shaking her head. It sounded exactly like something Emily would do. And it couldn't have been more perfect.
"We might have schemed just a little bit..."
Down at La Push beach...
"Now just as a warning, some of the guys are a little outspoken and they don't always keep their mouths shut." Jacob told Quinn as they got out of his car and began making their way towards the beach. "So don't feel offended if they say something embarrassing."
"I'm sure they have more dirt to embarrass you with then me." Quinn replied with a shrug, smiling to herself as she walked beside him. "After all, you guys are all wolves. They're your friends right?"
"True, but we are no longer part of the same pack and that sometimes makes things tense. Even with being friends." He explained, looking ahead to where there was a small crowd gathered by the bonfire set in the middle of the sand. He could see some of his friends standing off to the side talking to each other and he just hoped they would behave themselves. "It will be fine. They are all good guys, just a little nuts sometimes."
"Sounds dangerous." She said with a slight laugh. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about being around this many wolves."
"Then it's a good thing I'm here to protect you." Jacob smirked and then before he could stop himself, he reached across the empty space between them and took her hand. He could feel the surprise reaction when their skin touched but she visibly relaxed after a moment and squeezed his hand back. She ended up walking closer to him which he liked a lot. "Don't be nervous."
"And why is that?" She asked, but he never got a chance to answer, because at that moment his friends caught sight of him and they all charged over to where he and Quinn were standing.
"Yo Jake you finally decided to show your face." Paul was the first one to say something which wasn't a total surprise. He always had to be the one to speak for the others. "Looks like you brought some fresh meat to the party."
"Dude, shut up that's Sam's sister." Seth Clearwater said from the back of the group and Jacob shot him a grateful grin.
"Wait, you're Sam's sister?" Quil asked Quinn with a surprised look on his face. "You don't look all that much alike."
"Thanks. I think." Quinn laughed, stretching out her arm to Quil, who shook her hand. "Quinn."
"Quil."
"Paul."
"Jared."
"Embry."
"I'm Seth, nice to meet you."
"So you guys must be the pack members, right?" Quinn asked, a slight tinge of nervousness attached to her voice as she spoke. Jacob took that moment to slip his arm around her waist and she smiled at him gratefully.
"Well, not all of us are in the same pack anymore." Embry answered with a shrug. "But we used to be."
"And I'm sure Jacob explained all that." Paul snicked evilly in that infuriating way of his.
"Not everything. But most of it." Jacob sent Paul a look that basically said to shut up. He hadn't told Quinn the real reason why he wasn't still apart of Sam's pack. Just like he hadn't told her anything about Bella. He couldn't explain one without telling her about the other. He was waiting for a better time.
"So you know about us huh?" Jared questioned thoughtfully. "The whole story?"
"I know that you all are wolves, if that's what you're getting at." Quinn said, tightening her arm around his waist. This action made him grin even wider.
"Great." Paul said jokingly, throwing his hand in the air. "Another chick who knows our secrets."
"Well, it's not really a secret if she is his Imprint." Seth pointed out logically. "So she is allowed to be in on it."
"And I'm sure Sam is happy about that." Paul huffed, trying to cause trouble. "What does he think about this?"
"I don't know. I don't really care what Sam thinks to be perfectly honest." Quinn replied, looking up at him with a small curve on her lips. Jacob almost wanted to laugh, but he held back. Sure it was a little tense, but it seemed to be ok. At least for now. Who knew what the rest of the night may bring? And with Paul looking to stir things up, he couldn't be quite sure how the night would end.
"Interesting."
A few hours later...
"Hey. I remember you." A hesitant voice spoke from behind her as she watched Jacob horse around with his friends. He had left her here on this sand dune at her request while he hung out with the guys. And she had no problem with that. She like having alone time. Quinn turned her head and spotted a taller girl with short black hair standing not too far away. She almost didn't know who she was until the girl came closer and it hit her.
"I remember you too. You're Leah, right?" Quinn asked, just to be sure. It had been a while since she had spoken to Leah on the day she had run out on Sam when they had argued.
"Yea, Leah Clearwater." She nodded, walking over to stand beside Quinn and looked over to where the boys were wrestling in the sand. "So you came with Jacob."
"Yea, he wanted me to meet his friends and all." Quinn answered, turning to the older girl. "He recently told me some personal stuff and thought it would be good for me to get out and meet other people."
"I figured it was only a matter of time before Jake caved in and told you about us." Leah laughed and visibly rolled her eyes. "But I have to say I am surprised he brought you here."
"Why is that?"
"Well, considering that you're Sam's little sister and Jacob's Imprint, and the fact that those two hate each other, I would have thought he wouldn't have wanted to risk being seen with you." Leah said, pursing her lips. "No offense or anything."
"Oh I am not offended." Quinn replied with a wave of her hand. "I know Sam and Jacob can't stand each other."
"Did either of them tell you exactly why?" Leah asked curiously, like she knew something big. And she probably did.
"I don't talk to Sam unless I have to. And Jacob mentioned earlier that he didn't explain everything, but he didn't elaborate on it. So I'm still kind of in the dark." Quinn explained, wondering what the real story was behind Sam and Jacob's hatred for each other. Something bad to have happened to pull them apart, especially since people said they were friends at one point. "I don't suppose you could tell me why they can't stand each other."
"I normally would love any chance to trash Sam, but since it involves Jacob and he is my friend, I will have to resist." Leah told her with a grimace. "Jacob would kill me if I told you the whole story before he could."
"I guess that is fair enough." Quinn agreed, smiling at Leah who, while she wasn't smiling back, had at least stop scowling. "So is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"That you are the only female wolf on the reservation?"
"Try, the only one known in existence. I'm the odd one out in this group. I'm the weird one." Leah glared at the ground as if it were the one saying that she was weird and abnormal.
"Trust me, you're not the only one who is weird around here."
At the end of the night...
"So did you have fun?" Jacob asked, taking Quinn's hand after helping her out of the car. The ride back to her house had been a quiet one and the entire time he had been itching to touch her again, and it was only now that he was getting the chance. They walked towards the dark house together and once again Jacob was glad to see that Sam wasn't home. He was going to have to thank Emily for getting him out of the house and keeping him out.
"I did actually." Quinn told him, brushing her hair out of her eyes and looked at him. "Despite the fact that your friends are a little nuts and a bit too much."
"I did warn you about them." He reminded her as they ascended the wooden steps and took a seat on the bench set against the side of the house. "But I think the more interesting thing is that I saw you talking to Leah for a while."
"Yea, she's actually pretty cool, once you get past the tough exterior." She said, leaning back and set her feet up on the railing.
"What did you talk about?" He wanted to know. It honestly made him pause for a second or two to think about Leah having a conversation with someone that lasted more then 5 seconds. Leah didn't have the best track record when it came to relating to people.
"Just about the stuff you told me about, her little brother, and then...we talked about Sam." Quinn finished quietly, pulling her loose hair over one shoulder. "He really messed her up big time, didn't he?"
"Yea he did. And to this day I don't think either of them has gotten over it." Jacob reflected on all the times he had to listen to Leah's pain, it was torture. "Why do you bring that up?"
"I don't know. I guess it's just always been a fear of mine that something like that could happen to me. And it's hard for me to open up to people in the first place." Quinn said, tilting her head back against his shoulder. "Promise you won't hurt me like that."
"I wouldn't even dream of it." He assured her with a squeeze of his arm and then nodded towards the door. "I guess I have to let you go inside now huh?"
"I suppose so. Sam and Emily could be back soon and I don't want him to ruin this night. Because I did have fun." She told him, smiling as they both stood up and walked across the porch towards the door. She stopped with one hand on the knob and turned to look at him with a questioning look on her face. "Am I going to see you tomorrow?"
"If you want to then yes." He nodded, bringing his hand up to cup her face and he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Good night Quinn."
"Good night Jacob." She called out to him, as he began walking down the steps and towards his car. He heard her open the door and then it slammed shut as she disappeared inside. He climbed behind the wheel of his car and was about to put the keys in the ignition when he stopped. He looked through the windshield up at the house and saw lights being turned on downstairs. He watched Quinn pass by a window and glance outside over at him. She looked at his face for a moment and smiled before turning away. That look was enough to spur Jacob to get back out of the car and dart across the grass and up the steps to her door. He didn't know why he was doing this, but he had a sudden urge to be near her again. She must have seen him coming, because she met him out on the porch with a confused look on his face. "What's wrong?"
"I forgot something." He said without thinking. The thought of what he was about to do hadn't entered his mind all night until he saw her just now. And when he thought hard about it, he realized he had been waiting to do it since the day he met her all those weeks ago. And it was only now that he had the courage to do it.
"What did you forget?" She asked, stepping away from the door and over to the spot in front of him.
"This." He said simply. He then closed the gap between them and took her face between his hands and before he could lose his nerves, he lowered his face and pressed his lips against hers.
