I do not own Twilight. Everything you recognize is the work of the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.
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The first two days after I dropped off Alyssa were pure hell. When Sam wasn't forcing me to focus on patrols, or I was talking to her on the phone I was utterly useless. The guys tried to cheer me up but it didn't seem to be working. I would mope around the house aimlessly or sit out on our rock just staring at the ocean. Nothing seemed right without Alyssa around to share it with me.
I would be starting my junior year that Monday, whether I remained in a foul mood or not. My dad kept saying 'you're an upper classman now, Jake. This will be the best year yet.' I knew that he would be right under normal circumstances but I wasn't exactly the normal teenager.
I already knew what I would probably end up doing with my life. I knew that I would end up staying on the reservation and marrying Alyssa—God willing—someday. I was only staying in school for two primary reasons.
1. I promised my dad I would finish out my senior year, and
2. I had to 'set a good example for the tribe'; Sam was all about using us as role models.
I never thought it would be possible, especially since I wasn't in the best of dispositions but I was actually kind of looking forward to school by the night before. I decided that any distraction would be better than simply sitting around wishing I was with Alyssa. School would take up at least six hours out of my day and give me something to focus on. Who knows it may just be for the best.
- - -
On the first day of school I woke up and hopped into the shower in an optimistic mood. I wanted find a way to be happy, or as close to happy as a person missing part of their soul can be, even in the moments when I wasn't in close contact with Alyssa. I'm sure she was finding ways and I wanted to do the same. After my shower, which I could never get hot enough these days, I got dressed and headed out to the garage to grab my bike. I made school in record time and met up with Quil and Jared, whose lockers were next to mine.
"Hey guys, excited for yet another joyous year at QTS?" I asked the guys when I walked up.
"I'm not quite as jazzed about as you seem to be but I'm sure it will be okay." Jared said with a chuckle. Quil just shook his head at my fake enthusiasm. It was about that time that Seth, Paul, and Embry came strolling down the hall.
From the cocky smile on Seth's face you could tell thought pretty highly of himself for a freshman. To be honest if I started high school already in a group of older friends I would probably be thinking pretty highly of myself too, though. It was pretty funny if you ask me. "Hey guys how's it goin'?"
"Pretty good but I'm sorry we just can't associate with lesser beings that are freshmen." Quil said with a smug smile.
Seth's face fell in mock sadness. "I'm hurt Quil. All this time I thought we were brothers." He playfully punched him in the arm and we all started to laugh.
Our laughter came to an abrupt halt when Melissa Dunken walked into our circle. Last year Quil had asked her out, nearly getting beat up by her senior boyfriend in the process. From the flirtatious smile plastered on her face and the gooey looks she was sending to Quil I would guess that she was no longer connected to the same guy from the last year.
"Hi, Quil, guys," It was obvious she was more interested in talking to him than the rest of us. "How was your summer?"
It was obvious that Quil wasn't interested in the attention. Dating was tricky enough being a werewolf but imprinting made it an even more complex situation, especially for Quil. He had decided not to date after he imprinted on Claire. It was a decision I didn't really understand until I met Alyssa. He never really saw girls now-a-days. Claire was his life and he was more than happy to wait for her.
"My summer was good. How about you Seth; did you have good summer?"
"Ummmm . . . y-yeah great summer." Seth stammered, unsure what exactly was going on.
"That's nice." It was more than obvious that Melissa wasn't going to be deterred that easily. "Well I better get going. I'll see you around sometime Quil." She smiled and ran her hand down his arm suggestively while walking away.
Once she was out of earshot we all burst into hysterical laughter, except for Quil and Seth, who was still trying to figure out what was going on.
"It's not funny guys. What the hell am I supposed to do?" shaking his head Quil started mumbling to himself. "Of course she likes me now . . . after I almost died last year."
Kim walked into our circle at this point wrapping her arm around Jared as best she could. Looking around the group she got a weird look on her face and looked up to Jared. "Did I miss something?"
"Oh nothing to big, Quil's just got an unwanted admirer. He'd rather stick to Barney and The Wiggles for now." Jared informed her setting everyone off laughing again.
"Don't laugh at him." She said as she slapped his arm. "I think its sweet Quil. Claire, will appreciate it when she's older." He just shrugged in response and then our little party was broken up by the warning bell.
We split up to head to our individual classes. My schedule for that semester was particularly brutal. Thanks to Billy enrolling me when I was gone I was taking Algebra II, Junior English, Quileute III-which wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't already fluent in the language. Then I would break for lunch and end the day with Gym, Chemistry, and Study Hall. I would definitely need that. I didn't think I would make it through with such an academic schedule. Had my dad never heard the word shop?
Since there was nothing I could do about my schedule at that point I decided to suck it up and deal. I took a deep breath and walked into my first class. I seized a seat in the back row and prayed I could make it through the day without starting to mope again.
By lunch I was ready for a break. My first three classes didn't seem too bad. Math was going to be tough but what's new there? English didn't seem like it was going to cause me that big of a problem. It was mostly reading and cliff notes were around for a reason. Quileute was going to be a more interesting class than I had previously assumed. As we sat down to lunch I started talking to the guys, and Kim, about it.
"So are any of you guys taking Quileute?" I asked the table.
"No, why would we. We kind of already know it." Seth said from the opposite side of the table.
"Well, I am. Not all of us have Sam's built in knowledge to go off of and I needed a language." Kim told him from her seat next to Jared
"What level are you at?"
"Two. Why?"
"Billy signed me up for my classes while I was gone. I was put in Quileute III. I didn't think it would be that bad. Easy A, right? No such luck, in this class we are going to go into more than just language. We are going into legends too." I rolled my eyes at this point I was less than thrilled at this idea.
The guys seemed to understand my apprehension to this idea but Kim was still clueless. "I don't get it. What's wrong with that? Nobody knows them better than you guys."
Jared took the liberty to explain for me. "Yeah, but now he's gonna have to sit there for forty-five minutes a day and listen to how wolves are silly stories that people made up. Nobody believes in us anymore."
"Oh" Kim seemed to get it but she didn't really know what to say.
"It's alright. I'll just see if I can transfer into shop or something."
The table grew quiet after that and everyone was devouring our crappy cafeteria food. It only took a few minutes for all of the food in sight to be gone and for conversation to start back up. I wasn't really listening to what was going on around me. I was to busy thinking about Alyssa. What she was doing now, where she was, if she was safe. I just couldn't get it out of my head. Jared nudged me to get my attention.
"Miss her don't you?"
"mmhmm. Is it that obvious?" Apparently my optimism from that morning had slowly started to wear off and I was becoming the sulking mess I had been the day before again.
"Oh, only to people with eyes. Here" he handed me a small black phone "call her. It will make you feel better."
"Thanks bro." I got up from my spot at the table, threw my tray away and headed for the hall so I could talk in private.
Once in the hall I dialed the number I had memorized during the past few days and waited for my angel to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hi beautiful, miss me?"
"Jake! Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"I am its lunch. I missed you and Jared took pity on me so he leant me his phone."
"Remind me to hug Jared when I come back. Of course I missed you. I didn't even have classes to distract me. You're lucky."
"Lucky, to be in school? I think I might have fallen for a nerd." I smiled and could here her laughing from the other end. "You start classes tomorrow. Then we'll both be lucky." I'm pretty sure anyone within a five mile radius could feel the sarcasm dripping from my words.
"Yeah, I'm scared to start though. What if I'm not any good this college thing?"
"Are you kidding me? You're going to do great. You're dating me, which already proves that you're a genius." I could only hope that my stupid humor could make her feel better because it wasn't physically possible for me to give her the big hug that I wanted to.
Her small laugh made me feel slightly better, though I still could tell she had some reservations. "You're right; you have a huge ego but your right. I'm worrying for no reason. So how are your classes?"
"Good, I'm thinking I might switch a couple but I'm not sure yet." The first warning bell rang and I knew I had to hang up.
Alyssa could hear it on her end of the phone too. "Sounds like its time for you to go."
The hall was becoming crowded with students making their ways to fourth period so I had to talk excessively loud so Alyssa could hear me. "Yeah, I have to go. I'll call you the minute I get home. I love you." I was practically shouting by the end of my conversation and a couple of girls turned their heads to my loud declaration.
"Love you too, bye." The phone disconnected and I started to walk in the direction of the gym.
The mid-day phone call to Alyssa was just what I needed to get me through the rest of my classes. Turns out I had gym with Jared and Paul, Chemistry with Kim, and Study Hall with Quil and Embry—that one had the potential to get us all in trouble—but I was alright with that.
When the final bell rang at quarter after two I couldn't have been more relieved. I didn't even wait for the guys to pack up their stuff. My only thought was getting home so I could call Alyssa again. I made it to the front entrance quicker than most of the other restless students but I was stopped before I could make it all the way to the parking lot where my bike was awaiting me.
Seth's smiling figure raced up on my left side. "Hey Jake, how was your first day."
Even if I didn't particularly want to be there talking to him at that moment I couldn't find it in me to be annoyed with Seth. He was just too happy of a person to get sincerely mad at. "Pretty good, how did you enjoy being a freshman finally?"
"It's pretty much amazing. . ." his smile spread out even further. "A sophomore asked me out. I'm pretty sure she thought I was older but who cares?"
"Big man on campus! What a stud. Looks like you're going to have to give our man Paul over there some tips." Seth turned around just in time to catch a glimpse of Paul stomping straight past a crowd of girls who were obviously interested in him. I swear the guy was clueless sometimes.
Still shaking his head at Paul Seth looked over to me. "Everyone's going over to Sam and Emily's house. You coming?"
"Nah, I'm gonna go call Alyssa."
"Hmmm figures. Well, I'll see ya later man." With that Seth walked off in the direction of Jared's jeep and I headed toward my bike.
- - -
When I finally made it home I went straight for the phone. I didn't want to do anything but talk to my angel. My dad saw me storm through the house and straight into the kitchen where the phone was mounted on the wall. I saw him shaking his head and laughing at me but at that point in time I really didn't care.
I dialed the familiar number and waited for someone to pick up. It rang and rang until it was eventually picked up by voicemail. "Hey, this is Alyssa's phone. I wasn't able to answer your call so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. BEEP "
I hung up the phone without bothering to leave a message. Why didn't she answer? Was she okay, or hurt, or sad? I had to know. I was starting to hyperventilate when I heard the wheels of my dad's chair squeaking on the linoleum floor.
"Calm down, Jake. What happened?"
"Umm, uh," I was having trouble forming a coherent thought. "S-she didn't answer." I was still panicking
"I'm sure its nothing. She probably didn't hear it ring or was busy doing something. Give her a little time and call her back."
"Alright" I resigned with a sigh. Since I got home from Canada I had been trying to listen to my dad's advice a little more. He didn't try to 'parent' me necessarily but he was a smart guy and usually knew what the right thing to do was.
I waited twenty minutes before I called again. There was still no answer. I was about to go off the deep end after an hour and a half and four unanswered phone calls. I was far to worried just to stand around and not do anything so I decided that I would go to Seattle.
I started to run through the house and to the front door. As the screen door slammed behind me I could faintly hear Billy yelling from the living room "remember it's a school night Jake!" Like I cared, my imprint wasn't answering her phone and I was concerned.
No more than a minute after leaving my house I was stripped, phased and running in the direction of Seattle. Once I was in wolf form I could tell that almost everyone else was too. Evidently Paul and Quil got into an argument over who was faster so they were racing to find out. Normally I would have been right there in the middle of the action but my frantic thoughts of about Alyssa were overwhelming me at the moment.
Calm down Jake. I'm sure she's fine. Sam tried to comfort me. Embry, why don't you go with him, that way if anything happens he's not alone.
I don't need a babysitter Sam. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself and Alyssa thank you very much. I was well aware that I was sounding like a petulant five year old but I didn't really care at that point in time.
Embry go, now! Sam had used his 'alpha voice' and Embry started to run after me. It wasn't long before he caught up to me and we were running side by side. I wasn't really thinking about anything except Alyssa until long after Paul had beaten Quil and everyone had phased back to get some dinner. It seemed peaceful to only have one extra person in my head.
Listen Jake, I'm sorry Sam made me come with you.
No, it's okay. It's not like you asked to come.
True. Thanks in large part to our heightened speed and my determination we had made a four hour car ride in about an hour and a half. We were coming up to the point in our trip when we would have to phase back. Once both Embry and I were dressed we headed out of the last shred of nature between La Push and Alyssa's building.
I could see my rabbit still parked where I had left it when I dropped Alyssa off. I started sprinting toward her door. Barely caring that it was slightly faster than most humans would be able to accomplish. All I cared about in that moment was making sure my beautiful angel was alright.
I had made it all the way to her door before Embry caught up. I balled my hand into a fist and rapped on the door with three sharp blasts. There was no answer so I tried again this time I followed the knocks with me calling Alyssa's name at the top of my lungs. There was still no answer.
Embry came up behind me and clapped his hand onto my right shoulder. "We'll just sit here and wait. I'm sure she's fine. She'll be back soon."
That's exactly what I intended to do too. I sat down on the walkway outside her apartment, my back leaning against the wall and my knees pulled near my chest, and steadied myself to wait as long as it took.
- - -
So here is my pitifully weak attempt at a cliffhanger. Where do you think our Alyssa West is? Please review. They mean the world to me and encourage me to update faster.