CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Brian Albe

Erin was sat up on the porch step when I pulled up in front of her house. Her elbows rested on her knees and the head of a tanned man rested in her lap. I didn't recognise it as Jacob so figured it must be one of his friends. I watched her for a moment before I climbed from the car.

This was what Erin looked like normally. Her posture was relaxed and she seemed unconscious of herself for a moment. She wore her hair in a long plate which pulled it back from her face and emphasised her eyes. I was almost certain her bloodline was questionable.

I caught her gaze as I moved from the car fiddling with a cigarette as I walked up the lawn towards her.

The man turned his head at her sudden shift in posture and began to sit upright and I watched uncomfortably as her nails clenched into the skin of her face leaving sharp marks when she released her fingers.

I wanted to scold her but it would have seemed strange instead I glared at her as I lit up.

"Nice day for it" I noted looking up at the clear sky which came from the mornings frost which had been the worst of the season.

"I suppose" she shrugged keeping conversation to a minimal and the man beside her spoke up for her.

"Erin would be happy at the North Pole I think. It'd match her personality" the man joked and she shot him death glare.

"Cold and bleak" she confirmed. "And on that note, shall we get this over with. Quil are you still okay to take me over to see Claire with you to give her the presents I brought?" She questioned her voice gentle as she stood and brushed some imaginary dirt from her skirt.

It was denim and sat high on her waist dropping to her knees with a floral blouse tucked in to it which hinted that she was going somewhere important.

"I'll be here. Sleeping" he noted leaning back against the railing and she nodded in confirmation.

I shifted again feeling uncomfortable with the need to speak to Erin who was shutting down conversation like a ninja.

"The funeral, was it … difficult?" I asked again, my first mention of it had been ignored completely.

"Yes, it was a funeral Brian" she hissed as it shut me up on the topic which I think was what she'd been hoping for.

We drove for another ten minutes and I flinched as she crunched down the gears and revved the engine.

"I get it okay Erin, you lost you Grandad and right now you just want to scream screw the world. I know okay. I know it's not fair. I know it's fucking crap! But you can't just not talk about it. You cant keep it all in" I gasped in frustration turning to look at her desperate for some response but she remained looking dead ahead.

"I took your advice. Over Jacob. I'm going out with him later" she noted turning to look at me as if she'd achieved something massive, and I suppose for her she had.

"Are you telling me this because I need to call the cops if you don't return in the next few hours, or because your happy?" I teased and she remained tense as she tried to analyse what I meant.

"We're going to be friends. I've decided" she stated quickly and I couldn't control my own laughter at her frankness.

"Have you told Jacob that?" I furthered and she looked blankly ahead but I could sense her taking the time to consider an appropriate answer.

"I don't particularly care" she shrugged "what Jacob Black has to say about it. We're friends now" she added.

I glared at her again and she pulled up the handbrake grating it up the notches as she failed to push in the release button. The girl would reck the car before she passed her test in it at this rate.

"He said stuff to me. He told me, he told me I was beautiful and that I was sexy" she added and the car horn sounded behind us as she stalled flustered at the need to move off. I thought I'd lost her then but she kept it together and within a minute she returned to the conversation her voice smooth.

"But I don't care if people think I'm beautiful, and hell I don't even know what it means to look sexy. None of that mattered. Because he called me brave Brian. Jacob Black told me that I was brave and that he loved me. He makes me feel brave, he makes me feel like I can move mountains sometimes. That scares me you know. That feeling" she explained gripping the steering wheel.

"Love does that. It scares you. If it doesn't then you haven't got it right" I smiled and she turned to look at me flustered and her face and arms coming out in red splotches.

"I love him then?" She asked and I chuckled lightly.

"Hey, you tell me" I laughed and she frowned again her eyebrows drawing together.

"I guess I just wanted someone to love me for who I am. I never really thought much about having to reciprocate it" she shrugged like it was nothing, as if falling in love with someone was only a minor detail of a relationship.

Authors Note:

Sorry a bit of a short chapter I'm afraid, but I can't wait to update with the next one! It's cold and raining at the moment and I've the heating on full blast and tucked up on the sofa writting and listening to music. Leave me some reviews and I might update tomorrow for you! And my lovelies I have been keeping my cards pretty close to my chest over a Quil POV chapter but I've had one waiting to spring on you all for a while and it will be coming super soon.

Brookeworm3 thanks for another review! I know she's stupid, trust me if Jacob said what to me I'd jump him! Glad you enjoyed it though. I know they do need to just get themselves together there all over the place! They will soon I promise. Thanks again for a delightful review!

Thank you to the Guest reviewer I'm glad your enjoying the story and I hope you liked the update!

Errendelle thank you for leaving me a review. Glad you enjoyed the chapter, I hope you keep reading as there is LOTS more Jacob and Erin to come.

4plywhenicry thanks for the follow on the story.

Itsjustjas Thank you for the follow and the favourite on the story!

Shadow Ravon Thanks for following my profile.

Emmetts Girls Thanks for the favourite and the follow on my profile I hope you have a look through all my stories!

Noa (Guest) thank you for leaving me a lovely review! Hey you don't need to appologise I appreicate all reviews - especially when people take the time to think about what they want to say and the plot of the story. Trust me it could have been a lot worse, I've had some really mean ones in the past on my other story. I understand things always sound different when your trying to write rather than verbally speak and it's easy for things to be taken out of context. But I've put this up here to be critiqued and for people to enjoy so I expect all sorts of feedback and appreicate it.

Okay well I'm glad I've cleared things up a little for you. I have definitely got some Cullen/Jacob/Erin sciences planned for the future some of which might involve some unplanned encounters! Yes I think it's going to be something that will take a lot of processing from her, she is very thoughtful and will dwell on things for a long time as she tries to process them. I will have to keep a little mystery around the Cullen's though as I have to keep you all inteset until I get to that point in the story ;)

I'm glad you've enjoyed the last two and I've got some more romantic scences coming I promise!

Yes the Pack definitely consider Erin one of there own but this isnt always something that works out well as you will see in the future chapters. I think the Pack are in a difficult place torn between Erin and Jacob's disloyalty to them. I've answered the chapter off Quil's above. Although I was initially reluctant to do a multiple POV story it just grew. It was only supposed to be Erin and Brian, but it's expanded to Jacob and no we have a one off from Quil to come. I love Quil's position stuck between his two best friends - how do you chose between them?

I'm glad you can see the relationship starting to form I know it's been a bit of a slow burn between them but things are really starting to go somewhere. I agree they both need some happiness in their lives! I'm glad you like her personality, I always try to make my characters feel as real as possible and I think her anxiety has something so many people can share in. Anxiety comes in all levels and for some can just be everyday activities. Like my example from today was going into town, I'd been worrying about it for ages before I went in, it's like the irrational paranoia. I know there's nothing scary about going shopping and when I was there I was fine but it really worried me getting there. That's what I like about Erin, she's so relatable. We all have points in are life where we feel alone, isolated, depressed or nervous.

Thank you so much for all your praise and kind words. Yes wherever you are in the world I hope you enjoy your weekend too!xx