A/N: Err... long time, no write, right? I'm sorry, but I've deleted some of the chapters and re-started NF from a point I know I can work from. Once again, so sorry for putting this on hiatus for awhile. Anyways, I know this is short - too short - but I've got three projects due on Monday. Life's a bitch. Deal with it.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight.

13

A Predictable Ending

"Here you go," Mrs Thatcher handed me my late slip with a disapproving glance, but then she went back to her work on the computer and I walked out of the school's reception area. It was about 9:30, school had started over an hour ago and I was terribly late - all because of Embry Call. It seems that after visiting his family I didn't actually get home to around 1 in the morning and now I was sleepy and cranky. The worse mixture of moods I can ever be in.

I grumbled curses at my stalker before trudging down the hallway to Social Studies.

Then a question hit me, if I hated this place so much why was I even bothering to go to school if I was already late? I even wondered if Embry was going to school today, because that would be a first in my books. But, really, I got up and scowled at my alarm clock for crying out loud. Maybe I don't hate school as much as I thought...hahahahahahahaha!

I couldn't help but snort at the very idea.

I didn't bother to knock on the classroom door, so I just pushed it open, consequently disrupting the lecture. Our teacher, mr Ransom, glared at me but continued with his babble. As I shuffled down the aisles to my seat at the back, I didn't bother to try and listen to what he was saying. Nicole shot me a grin as I sat down noisily next to her, I hadn't properly hung out with her since I'd moved to Forks, but still I felt closer to her than anyone back in Los Angeles.

Maybe it was because she was the first friend I'd made here.

But then again, maybe it was because she was the only one here willingly to put up with me for more than half an hour (cough - Chelsea - cough).

"Traffic?" Nic teased, knowing that I didn't even drive to school.

I rolled my eyes at her, pulling out my dog-eared note book that I barely ever used in class. Most of the pages were just full of a handful of rushed facts and litters of doodles, but that was really unsurprising. And as per usual, I just used the next page to doodle. I'd read in a magazine once that according to what shapes or images you drew when you were just passing boredom, your personality and emotions differed. Well, embarrassingly enough, I found myself doodling a heart... and an angry monkey. I wonder what that would mean?

Supposing the heart was for someone...? No. Just... no. I was supposed to be angry at Embry, he'd... he had... hmm... he'd made me late for school. Yes, that was a good, justified reason to be angry.

"Tons, I think Forks had more cars then people this morning..." I retorted, not even bothering to make a decent comment, I was even too tired to be cynical.

Nicole continued to grin as she wrote something down, "It's completely possible."

I repressed a laugh and simply ignored mr Ransom for the rest of the lesson.

When the bell rang, I gathered my stuff and piled it back into my tote, completely ignoring Nicole's whims to get to English quickly. I was in no mood to join in with her as she skipped out of the classroom, in fact I actually joined in with the people giving her weird looks. I'm such a fucking great friend, aren't I.

History was boring as usual, however all the lessons today were.

I faked smiles and laughs at lunch, only waiting for the bell to ring announcing the end of torture. Thankfully it rang on time at 2:30 and I mumbled a 'bye' to Chelsea before propelling myself out of the science room, down the hallways and out the main entrance. The rain was practically beating and soaking me before I had even taken seven steps outside, but I repressed a shiver, knowing that I would need to get some proper winter clothes soon.

Fumbling in my pockets for my cell, I hoped mom would be home still. Then it registered in my mind that she wouldn't be home, she was picking Mickey up from Port Angeles. My heart slightly sank, it had completely slipped my mind that he was arriving today, I'd wanted to be there too. Oh well, maybe I could make some use of the pocket diary I'd bought from Embry's mom's store, you know, write in the dates that I was supposed to hand in my unfinished homeworks.

It took me a minute to notice the shadow looming over me, but when I felt the heat the person was emitting I instantly looked up from the screen of my phone.

"Hey," Embry breathed, smiling that contagious smile down at me, I almost dropped the phone as I felt my hands clam up. Wait. I was supposed to be angry at him, not weak for him. I shook my head, trying to form a sentence that wouldn't sound like 'hi... hehehe...heeeey...'.

I was a mixture of shocked, overjoyed and suspicious. For one, he was actually bothering to put up with my bitter company, no one honestly enjoyed hanging out with me day-in and day-out unless I was on a drinking-binge. And two, I was actually happy that he was here. When I'd woken up, I had wanted nothing more than to hit him in the face with a soup ladel, now that thought barely even crossed my mind.

"Visiting your friend again?" His smile contorted into a confused frown, obviously not knowing to which excuses I was referring to. Then he seemed to catch on.

"Oh! Err...no, I came to see you," I felt myself smirk, all traces of sleepiness or crankiness leaving me.

"As I once told Nicole, there is a line between friend and stalker an-" He cut me off with a hug, well, it didn't really interrupt me, but how could a girl form a sentence whilst being hugged by an Adonis? Seriously. I tried to hug him back, however the way his arms were wrapped around me I couldn't move my upper limbs at all. So I just stood there, melting into the embrace whilst trying to ignore the weird looks I was getting from my peers.

Then I remembered we were standing in front of the school, surrounded by people who were all staring at us.

Embry reluctantly released me and I snorted, which only caused him to grow confused again. "You're sooo clingy!" I joked and he hugged me again, which wasn't an awkward action at all.

"And you're sooo arrogant, now come on," He grabbed my hand and slowed his strides so that he wouldn't be physically dragging me to his pick-up. However, I actually walked faster, causing him to roll his beautiful brown eyes.

He did the usual and helped me into the passenger seat, his hands brushing my thigh slightly. I couldn't stop the major blush I hated from working it's way up onto my cheeks and all I could do was scowl at the dashboard. I was good at scowling, or so my family said. Actually, it was mainly my dad who thought I could get a gold medal in morbid facial expressions. But he couldn't make comments now, that bloody dr Cullen was making sure that dad was heavily sedated (which was pointless because he was in coma anyway).

Mom had told me about last night at the hospital, she'd apparently talked to - or more or less talked at - my father, informing his unconscious mind about Embry and dad's heartbeat had picked up. It would be comical, thinking that a dad is protective even in a a coma, but it really wasn't funny.

Nicole's Lamborghini raced past us before Embry had even started the truck and I felt my scowl relax, but then I repaired it. If I had known Nic was going to be driving to school more often then I would ask for a lift in the mornings.

"You know, if the wind changes your face will stay that way," My thoughts were broken by Embry's remark and I turned to him.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

He laughed as he pulled into the street, reving his engine three times was the only response he seemed willing to give.

We arrived at my house quicker than I would've liked, much quicker.

Mr Call seemed at ease though, taking the time to properly park up in front of my residence, as if he was wanting to stay for a bit. I repressed the urge to do the mandatory happy dance that came with that thought, because then I would look beyond retarded. I hadn't happy danced since I was twelve and I was not about to start again now.

"Well," Embry started as we walked up the rain-battered path to my front door, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

I rolled my eyes and complied, fishing in my pockets for my house keys, "If you don't have to get back to La Push any time soon, then fine."

He just continued to grin widely as I opened the door, revealing the shadowed place that was unfortunately what I'd come to call my home/prison. See? I've come quite far, far enough, I actually call the place 'home'. That's good enough for me, for now.

I took my soaked jacket off, hung it up on the back of the front door and then I flipped the light switch on. I turned around and gasped, walking straight into Embry. He chuckled and wrapped his boiling arms around me again. The little golden hairs on the back of my neck pricked up and I tried not to smile.

He didn't let me go for a good five minutes, not that I cared, and then I went into the living room to put a film on. I wasn't sure what Embry wanted to watch, if anything considering the last time he was round my house. Still, I put Don't Mess With The Zohan on and slumped onto the sofa.

"Why did you pick me up from school again?" I managed to ask just as the film was starting.

Embry first frowned at me, but then answered, "Actually, this is the first time I've picked you up from school. I never took you to school yesterday."

I rolled my eyes and mumbled that he was not answering the question, which he wasn't.

"I..." He trailed off, staring at me intently as he usually did, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Now this, this confused me. Embry was slightly timid, but that was normal right? Even I got shy, however I thought I trusted him - which is odd to admit because I've only known him for a week - and I'd thought he trusted me. I can honestly say that I would believe anything he told me, so maybe... he really didn't trust me. I gave him a look and he let a deflated sigh, his eyes never leaving me. And to my utter surprise, he continued, "Honestly? I'm drawn to you. It's something I... I'll explain it all, I will, just not now." And with that tone of finality, the conversation was over and he was silent.

I tried to let what little he'd told me register in my mind. He was drawn to me, was that insinuating that he seriously has been stalking me all this time? Or maybe he's been sent by Jeanelle to assassinate me or something. Calm down, Lucy, the voice in my head told me and I tried to comply.

The film passed quickly, Embry never moved an inch from the place next to me and I felt slightly terrified to do so. There was something about his rigid posture that told me he was hiding something. Something big.

I tried to ignore the feeling in my gut.

"Such a predictable ending," His husky voice rang as the credits began to role, I glanced up at him to find him looking back down at me, but even though he'd been caught he didn't look away.

"Why? You don't like it when the guy gets the girl?" I questioned him and a smirk slid onto his face.

"No. Those are my favorite endings," He told me, stretching his arms out and then letting one of them land round me, on the back of the sofa.

"Really?" I asked, my voice much more confident than I really was,

"Really."

I felt his hand brush my shoulder, inconspicuously pulling me closer to him. I didn't object and instead I actually slipped my arms round as far round his muscled, unclothed, boiling torso as I could. I'd been angry at him, overjoyed to see him and then anxious of being in the same room as him, but still, nothing could stop my heartbeat from racing as I found myself staring at his lips.

I'd only known him a week. We were just friends. He was drawn to me. Perhaps it was mutual. I was still technically dating Bradley though.

Part of me wanted to scream, but another part - the more dominant part - was still making me stare at his prominent, dark lips.

"Lu..." He started, his voice barely above a whisper, the sound of my name just mixed in with the rest of the echos I could only just hear. The music from the credits, the thud of my heart, the opening of the front door.

Wait.

"Lucy? We're home!"