Excuse all grammar mistakes. I'm in a hurry, again, so if you tell me I'll fix them later. This chapter is short, but it tells you what you need to know.
Playlist: Death Cab for Cutie
Chapter Twenty Six – Turkey Sandwiches:
Pinnacle – (noun) highest point, mountain peak, pointed ornament
It was raining today. Jared was leaning on the porch railing with his arms crossed. The shoulders of his sweater shirt were damp and his hair dripped because he didn't have a hood. He watched me struggle to get my raincoat with an impassive expression. After a minute, though, he pushed off the railing and came over to help me, guiding my arm back to reach the arm hole. He then, flipped my hood up for me, concealing my hair and half my face. He didn't say a word, but the way his lip lifted slightly I knew he found it funny.
I flushed, slightly embarrassed about my flustered state. My nervous had grown significantly since that morning when I'd called Jared. I was hoping never to have to talk to Sam directly, but I seemed plans changed and I would be forced to confront him about his lack of stealth in his plan. Jenny wouldn't only became sad and lonely, she'd become irritated and more motivated to strike down Sam Uley and his clan of beasts. It was a lose-lose situation.
Jared closed the front door from me and then suddenly pulled me to him to kiss me on the temple, lingering slightly before letting his hand slide down to my hand. I grasped it, giving him a smile before letting him pull me down the street. He didn't return it, but squeezed my hand, staring forward.
I sighed, watching my shoes pass over the street below. I didn't understand why Jared was being so distant and dramatic about the situation. I knew he understood that Jenny was the one that needed my attention at that moment, but that didn't make him any less important to me. I was always backing both of them and giving most of my energy to Jenny didn't change that. At this point in time, she was the one that needed it – especially if Sam was going to squish her into the ground.
It was also unfair that Jared automatically assumed I would side with Jenny. He should have known that I was conscious of the fact that we were tangled together now, not just Kim and Jared, but Kim and Jared. What happened to one, happened to another.
Breaking his heart would break mine. Didn't he know that?
After a minute, I grew uncomfortable with the silence. "Thank you for doing this, Jared."
"It's no problem, Kim," he croaked, turning to look at me. He frowned slightly, a crease forming on his brow. "I don't mind."
"I know," I said, swinging our hands slightly. I took a deep breath, relinquishing in the heat of his hand. It was a signal of safety. "I just… I know it's silly… Sam's nice and all, but…"
"Kim," Jared said, a smile catching on his face. "He scares you, I get that."
"Not that much…" I mumbled, blushing. I was intimated by the pack, no matter how friendly they were. I figured in time, this would change, but for the time being I had to suck up my guts and be brave.
Jared wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He relaxed out of his bad mood just enough to allow a small chuckle to escape. He pulled me close to him, slightly pushing off my hood so he could nuzzle his nose into my neck, placing small kisses below my ear. My breathing picked up and the world swam slightly in and out of focus. The cooling rain kissing my face was a nice contrast to the overwhelming heat that wanted to devour me in that moment. I gasped, giggling slightly, at how close I was to Jared – how far he let me in sometimes. It was scary how open we became to each other, but most times I smiled at the chance to be consumed.
The walk to Sam Uley's was fairly quick. The house bordered the forest, next to an old beach trail that led down to a rocky shore that had tide pools when the tide was high enough. Most of the time, people stuck to the sandier beaches, flat enough that you could walk on them without your shoes. They usually led to the lighthouses that tourist liked to visit when they came into town.
Sam didn't have many neighbors. The closes one was a block down, hidden mostly by big evergreens. He was in the part of the town that was still developing, where all the new houses were being built for the almost-nothing-rise in population. Every couple years or so, the town would need a new house if it wanted to keep people there.
I squinted at the yellow house, surprised and confused. "I thought you said it was little?"
"No, I said we call it the Little House – not that it was actually little." Jared raised an eyebrow at me, chuckling when I rolled my eyes at him.
The Little House was in fact large. It was two stories with a big lawn and wide drive. Although, the vehicles seemed to spill out onto the grass, leaving tread marks in the green lawn. There were two trucks, one blue and Jared's black one, a silver Honda, and a van that I'd seen at the barbeque, belonging to Emily.
We cut across the yard, stepping over the small garden Emily had growing next to the path up to the front door. She also had three flower boxes hanging under the big windows on the front of the house, filled with tulips and small flowers like pansies.
Jared squeezed my hand one more time before lifting his hand to knock. Before he could, though, Emily opened the wooden door. She was holding a kitchen towel, drying her hands on it. "Hello! It's about time. We've been waiting for you!"
She let us pass into the house, closing the door behind Jared with a whine from the wood. She quickly pushed his aside and pulled me into a motherly hug. She smelled like vanilla. "It's so nice to see you again, Kim," she said, grinning at me with a one-sided grin.
I smiled at her, letting her take my hand and pull me into the living room. I glanced over my shoulder, relieved when I saw Jared trailing us. He gave me a small smile when he say me looking.
There were three boys watching TV, Embry, Quil, and another I didn't recognize, who all looked up simultaneously when we walked past. Quil and the other boy smiled nicely, but Embry smirked, winking suggestively at me. I heard Jared growl quietly under his breath and I giggled, glancing behind me to see him shoot a glare at Embry.
The kitchen was white with dark countertops and an old stove in front of a window overlooking the backyard. There was an island as you walked in the door where Paul and Sam were sitting, eating sandwiches that Emily had no doubt just made.
"Would you like one?" Emily asked, walking over to the counter. She gestured to the loaf of bread and cut up tomatoes still on the cutting board.
"Still have turkey?" Jared asked, sitting next to Paul. They bumped fist without exchanging a word.
"I'm fine," I answered quietly, sitting on the last barstool next to Jared. He placed a hand on my knee, knowing I was stressing. I sighed, gripping his arm to comfort myself.
"You sure, Kim?" Paul asked, wolfing down the rest of his half. "Emily makes the best."
I nodded, flashing a weak smile to the left. I kept my eyes down casted, a fresh bout of nerves rising in my throat.
The boy from the living room strolled in, bulky in the chest area with thick dark hair. He kept it longer than the rest of the pack, letting it fall into his shadowy face. He was handsome, lean and tall. However, something chilled me when he walked and leaned on the counter top. He seemed more impulsive and wild compared to Jared and Paul. It was unsettling. I stared at him for a moment, something familiar in his stance, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.
"Kim, this is Jacob Black," Jared said quietly, nodding his head to the boy.
The light went off in my head, but I didn't say anything. I'd seen him once or twice in the grocery store with his dad, around town looking for car parts, and even in school, down the lower classmen hallways.
Jacob turned his head to flash a lazy grin, but his eyes didn't stay on me. They flickered to Sam, waiting from something.
"He wasn't at the barbeque," Jared continued, talking only to me. Emily handed him his sandwich and he smiled at her in thanks. "But, he's Sam's beta."
"Beta?" I asked quietly, feeling stupid again. I wished I remembered to ask Jared these questions when we were alone, so I wouldn't feel like a fool when I asked them around the pack.
"Second in command," Jared said patiently. One hand returned to my thigh, the other stuffed sandwich in his face.
I crossed my arms and placed them on the counter top, resting my head on them. I suddenly felt overwhelmed, that there was too much going on within the pack that I would never understand and be able to keep up with.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the way Jared's hand rested hot on my thigh, giving me silent comfort and strength. He would always be there, to hold me up. He would always be willing to walk paths that I led him down that he didn't necessarily want to go. He would always be there, for me, like I was always there for him.
Suddenly, I snapped my head up. I blinked my eyes open and took a deep breath, feeling the courage to speak my mind blossom in my chest. I acted on impulse, afraid if I stopped and thought about it, I would chicken out again.
"Sam," I said. He finished chewing, took a slow sip of his Coke, before turning his head towards me. He looked me right in the eye, knowing exactly what I was going to say. "Sam, I don't think your plan will work. It's not smart and thoughtful. It'll cause more problems that solving them."
His eyes flickered slightly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, before his face went blank. "Yeah, it might. Why do you think so?"
"You can't hurt Jenny," I said, slouching slightly in my seat. I picked at a hole in my jeans. "She's not trying to do anything wrong. She knows that so hurting her would only make her more determined to be right… because she knows she's right."
"Does she?" He glanced down at his plate, sliding it up towards Emily who took it and placed it in the sink. Jared wasn't looking at me, his grip on my thigh tight. Paul was staring right at me, an eyebrow quirked higher than the other. "What makes you think she's right?"
"I'm…" The words died on my tongue. I only knew her to be right because I knew the truth, but if Jenny was looking for confirmation, she didn't necessarily know if she was right or not. She was working off a hunch.
"Kim, my plan is to teach her a lesson about sticking her nose into other people's business. Your friend…"
"Jenny," I supplied, a frown forming on my face. My chest stung slightly at the knowledge they didn't even know the name of the life they were planning to ruin.
"Yes, Jenny, She –, " He paused, shifting in his seat so he faced me. "She's walking where she doesn't belong. I don't know how else to discourage her from exposing secrets she has no right to share."
"If you showed her somehow…" I tried faintly. Sam watched me, the answer already on his face. Tears prickled my eyes.
"I think we should tell her the truth," Jared stated suddenly. He was watching his empty plate, his hand still tight on my leg. "She's looking for proof, not the actual truth. Would she really believe us if we told her it was true and that we protected the town from those leeches living up in Forks?"
"You know that's not –"
"No," Jared interrupted quickly. "I know we're not supposed to, but since she already knows, what could it hurt? She's not going to go to the police saying, 'Oh, yeah. Sam Uley told me he transformed into a big wolf.'"
"She might," I said quietly.
Jared shook his head. "Jenny's smart. She knows that would only make her an idiot."
Paul gave a barking laugh, slapping the counter with his hand. He shook his head before nodding towards Jared. "I like it."
Jacob didn't say anything. He seemed hesitant, wanting to be older than he really was. He didn't seem that much younger than me, maybe only by a year or too. I wondered why he had become higher on the totem pole than Jared or Paul. I wondered if this upset them at all.
"The bonfire is this Thursday," Sam muttered quietly. "She can't attend. But, if I spoke to her privately… I'm not sure how this would work. Why wouldn't she go to the police if I told her all that she needed to know?"
"Oh…" I said, smiling. "I get it. You don't think she wants proof to be right, but to be wrong."
Jared nodded. "She already has evidence against us. What more does she want? Plus, you said that she's already gone to the Elders. Maybe she's trying to convince herself that it isn't true."
"So by telling her everything, what good would that do?" Jacob asked. His forehead wrinkled and he crossed his arms, tilting his head towards Jared.
"Telling her would shock her," I answered before Jared could. "She doesn't want to believe it – it's like saying aliens are real and this is the proof… it's scary. You don't want to believe stuff that isn't… possible because it's not possible!"
"She knows that if we were going to hurt someone, we would have already done it because as far as she knows, vampires and werewolves have been around a long time without any deaths," Jared concluded. He glanced at me, holding my gaze for a moment. "She's just looking out for Kim."
---
I walked next to Jenny, holding her hand as I led her to Sam's. After our meeting, Jared drove me home so I could call Jenny and explain that Sam Uley had found out that she had a theory about him. She panicked for a moment, questioning me if I'd told anyone anything, but I denied it and told her that maybe the Elders had told him after she'd gone to them. I said that Sam just wanted to set the record straight and have a chat with her about it. It took some convinced and a promise that I'd be with her the whole time before she agree. I met her down at the corner where 7-Eleven was.
"You have nothing to worry about," I said again, tugging her hand to cross the street. I could just make out the Little House through the tall trees. "It'll all be okay. Sam's a nice guy. He won't hurt you."
Jenny's hand had a death grip on mine. She looked over her shoulder every once in awhile, as thought she was afraid someone or something was going to jump out at her. Her breathing wasn't regular and she had a fine layer of sweat on her brow, despite it being cold and rainy.
"If you're sure…" she mumbled, swallowing thickly.
I saw Jared leaning on his truck in the drive, waiting for us. I thought it would be a good idea if it were just Jenny and I walking to the Little House. I thought too much strange men would push her over the edge. She had to relax and trust me before listening to anything Sam had to say. I was the one she was going to look at for denial, but if she didn't trust me, she wouldn't trust Sam and therefore, this plan would never work.
"Hey Jenny," Jared said politely when we were close enough. He pushed off the truck and came to stand at the end of the drive with his hands in his pockets.
Jenny nodded stiffly, keeping her eyes on her shoes. I smiled slightly at Jared, nodding my head that she was as ready as she'd ever be.
Sam sat on a reclined chair, reading the paper when we walked into the living room. He was wearing a shirt and new jeans, completely with a pair of socks. He looked normal.
I stifled a giggle.
"Jenny," he said when we entered. He smiled kindly, gesturing to the old leather couch. "Have a seat."
Jared went into the kitchen to keep Jenny and me the majority in this conversation. I got comfortable, knowing this would be a long and difficult talk. Jenny, however, stood rigid and ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
"I'm Sam Uley," Sam said, introducing himself. "I heard that you think I'm some kind of beast with a clan of wolves."
Jenny nodded awkwardly. Her eyes darted to the side and then back again, afraid of him. A tinge of guilt tasted on my tongue, but I sighed, knowing this was what had to be done. It was better that socially destroying her.
Sam nodded at her nod, leaning back in his chair. "Well," he sighed, rubbing his shaved head. "There isn't an easy way to say this. Your right, Jenny."
I don't know what I was expecting, but silence wasn't it. I peeked over at her, but she looked as though he'd just told her his favorite color.
Sam started to explain, slowly outlining the legends and explaining why werewolves existed. When he got to the part about vampires, Jenny turned white, but didn't say a word. Sam's explanation was mostly what Jared told me when he was explaining himself all those weeks ago. I could tell the wheels were turning in her head because Jenny's expression would shift slightly to different variations of shock, but it always stayed frozen in surprise. Sometimes she looked horrified and like she was going to be sick.
After Sam finished, he waited. We both stared at Jenny.
It took a moment, but she finally sucked in a breath, turning to the left. I thought she was going to throw up, but she sighed instead, wiping her eyes. A couple tears fell into her jeans, creating a small drops of wetness.
"It's true?" she asked hoarsely. She looked to me, hoping to get a shake of the head. She got a nod instead.
"It can't be," she said, shaking her head. "It can't – it's not possible."
Sam and I didn't say anything. I fiddled with the zipper of my raincoat, guilt eating away at my stomach. I'd forgotten what a burden the secret was at first, how heavy it was on your chest. I had Jared to pull me through it, forcing me to accept it, but who would Jenny have? I didn't know what to say to her to help her. There wasn't anything I could say. Acceptance was something she'd have to do alone.
"Why are you telling me this?" Jenny asked quietly. She stared at the floor, dazed and white as a sheet.
"I don't want you to tell anyone. It's not a secret that everyone needs to know," Sam answered gently. "I think you can understand that."
Jenny started to cry silently. "I can't tell anyone. They won't believe me."
"They won't hurt anyone," I mumbled, putting my arm around her. I was hesitant, wondering if she'd push me off, but she leaned into me.
"I know," she choked out, sniffling. "I didn't want it to be true…"
---
Jenny spent the night at my house, lying next to me in my bed. I knew she wasn't sleeping either, but we didn't say anything. I held her hand, trying to silently give her strength the way Jared did for me.
Around midnight, she rolled towards me on her side. "Kim," she whispered. "Kim, I'm sorry."
I rolled to my side, facing her, confused. "For what? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I should have just let it go like you told me," she said. She sniffled in the darkness and I knew then she was crying again.
"I'm proud of you, actually," I admitted. "I didn't think you'd figure it out and you did."
I paused, taking a deep breath. This past week seemed like a dream, a very bad dream. Now that it was over, it was hard to remember why it was such a nightmare. Everything ended smoothly – no one got hurt. It was almost too good to be true.
I exhaled heavily. "I was… scared about what you were getting yourself into," I continued quietly.
"I don't know what to do…" she mumbled, her voice cracking. Her hand tightened on mine.
"You don't do anything," I said softly. I squeezed her hand back. "Don't worry, I freaked out when Jared told me, too. But, I realized that I rather live with him than without him. He and the pack are doing a good thing, too. They're the ones in danger…"
"Do you worry about him?"
I didn't expect that question from Jenny, but answered it nonetheless. "All the time."
"I still feel like I should tell someone to… stop it. But, there isn't anything to stop, is there?" Jenny shifted closer to me, lowering her voice. "It's not… illegal and they're not hurting anyone."
"Exactly," I said, smiling. The pressure in my chest finally let go and I could breathe freely.
Jenny was quiet for a moment, her breathing loud next to me. She wasn't sniffling anymore. "Kim," she said. "Kim, I still don't like Jared."
I laughed, quickly pushing my face into my pillow to stifle the sound. I heard Jenny chuckle quietly next to me.
Some things wouldn't change.
author's note: Sorry… I've been graduating, having parties, enjoying the sun, and sleeping. This chapter was really, really hard to write. I'm sorry if I sucks. I wrote it four times and this was the best way it came out.
I have a couple of announcements:
- There are only two chapters left – including the epilogue. I've planned it all out and have started writing the ending. I think it's time to end this.
- I was nominated for the Best Alternate Pairing on the Immortal Cookie Awards. I can't tell you how wonderful I feel and how flattered I am. So, to anyone that has read this story and liked it, thank you.
- I'm writing two stories right now. One is for Collin – a story that was never given the proper attention it needed. It's completely different than Brighter Than Sunshine and will be taking that story down once I put the new one up. The other is for Edward and Bella – AU. I'm still in the planning process and my new beta (Bronzehairedgirl720) is helping me greatly, so you could be seeing it soon.
Please leave a review. I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks, Little Black Dresses
Btw – last chapter we played a game. Thanks to all those you participated. It was fun hearing your guesses. The answer is that all of the names, actually, are real towns in Washington State. haha.
