A/N: ….*slowly comes out from a corner* …hi guys…so, who hates me? Who completely abandoned this story since I haven't updated in so long? What the hell is wrong with me? Oh my god I'm so sorry, I really am. I can't express how stupid I am. After I got back over the summer I was working on my new teen wolf story like crazy and literally, that's all I was updating on. Please I hope you guys forgive me! I'm trying to update this story more often, I swear I'll do better. Please review, but I'll understand if you don't, it's like punishment :/ Anyways, this story will be done in about 5 or more chapters from now. Crazy, isn't it? But I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have a sequal, because you guys are gonna freak at the ending of this :] Well, if you still stuck with me over all these months lol
Chapter Thirty-Seven:
What You Don't Know Won't Kill You
Chapter Song: Over My Head (Cable Cars) by: The Fray
There was a soft knocking on my door and then it slowly creaked open. Though I was turned to the opposite side, wrapped in my warm and comfortable blanket staring at the wall, I could sense who it was by the way they came in.
"Morning, sweetheart." Emily's syrupy voice greeted. Morning? More like afternoon, it was almost two thirty.
"Morning." I unemotionally replied.
"School just called, they were wondering when you were going to be back. Should I tell them to give it another week?" I hadn't been in school for I don't know how long. Sam had informed them I had gotten into a car accident and got pretty wrecked, Doctor Cullen being a witness. Although the idea of a daily Sex and The City marathon over some Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream sounded very appealing since I've been doing it for the past few weeks, I hadn't seen or talked to any my friends. And truth be told, I kind of missed their bitching.
"No," I sighed, "tomorrow."
"Really? Are—are you sure?" I rolled over, the covers entangling with me.
"I don't remember the last time I was in school. I think it's about time."
"If you're sure honey." There was a pause of silence.
"Is Jake here yet?"
"He was. He came up here and you were sleeping, him and Sam just left for the Cullens."
"Is there something going on?" I asked, kicking off my covers and swinging my legs over the bed. A tingling sensation sparked from my feet to my knees.
"No, not at all," Emily watched me get up from the bed and begin taking some clothes out from my drawer, "where are you going?"
"For a swim."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I've never been so sure of something in my life." I quickly grabbed a long sleeved shirt and a pair of black leggings and headed to the bathroom to change. In record time, I shredded my clothes—only to replace them with my fresh ones—and headed out of the house, walking at a comfortable pace to the beach. A sense of comfort washed over me as I walked. There was no more worrying about vampires trying to kill me—Victoria was dead, Charlotte was never coming back, and the Cullen's were on our side. Everything was right with the world once again. Well, almost. Jacob and Sam continued to be overly protective. This was my first time out of the house in God knows how many weeks. That afternoon I left the Cullen's and came home, I had laid in bed and sulked in my room for days on end. I had fallen into this deep depression that I couldn't seem to shake. I wasn't allowed to swim since my wounds weren't completely healed up, and Sam was so paranoid about me leaving his sight he watched me like a hawk. It got so annoying Emily and I had to force him out of the house. I'd sit in that house everyday, eating ice cream and watching television with Jacob by my side. Of course, that wasn't something to complain about, but it got boring after the seventh time, so I usually would fall asleep in Jacob's arms. Sure it was romantic, but it wasn't fun. Jacob considered me to be a china doll, he was treating me so fragile that he'd barely kiss me. Every time our lips touched, he wasn't passionate. He was afraid of breaking me. Now me, being all healed up and slightly less depressed, was sick and tired of the overdose of perfection. My converses stepped on the damp, murky sand. The water was a dark blue, highlighted by white caps. A month ago this sight wouldn't faze me as I've seen the most beautiful beaches in the world in Australia, but being out of commission for the past few weeks has changed my perspective. I never knew how much I could miss something like this. A joyful smile lifted up my lips as I watched the waves crash to shore. Smiling, I missed that too. I hadn't done it in weeks. I quickly jogged towards the ocean. First, I felt the salty water seep through the canvas of my shoes. Then the water hit my ankles and so on. Finally, when it was deep enough, I dove in and submerged myself. Cold waves wrapped around me as my body shimmered blue and my legs morphed into a beautiful golden tail. Oh how I've missed it. There was no way to describe how being back in the ocean felt. It was like a little kid being out with a broken leg for the whole season of soccer and finally being back in the game, or finally seeing someone you love after years of being split apart. It was this rush of love that overwhelmed me as I looked at my tail. Everything that was broken had been fixed, I finally felt myself again. My head broke the surface, a smile still played on my lips. As my eyes blinked, clearing the salt water from them, I could see a figure standing on the beach. His tan complexion looked paler next to his black shirt and cut offs. He had a smile on his face. And the he, was Jacob. I smiled back to him and he trotted towards the ocean and finally jumped in. He dove under and so did I, I met him half way. Under the cold water, I cupped one of his cheeks with my hand and kissed him passionately. Maybe he got the point I wasn't so broken anymore. Ten seconds later our heads popped above the surface.
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed? Resting?"
"Aren't you supposed to be at the Cullens?"
"Em told me you were coming here. And why exactly would you be here? I don't want you hurting yourself."
"Jacob," I grabbed his face, "I promise you. I'm fine. This is exactly what I needed."
"Please be careful."
"Stop acting like Sam," I rolled my eyes dramatically.
"I'm just looking out for you." He sternly replied.
"And I love that you are, really, but right now, surprisingly, I'm okay." When I smiled, Jacob's face brightened up. He was happy to see me happy for the first time in weeks. Maybe it had to do with me being his imprint.
"So? What are you waiting for? Go swim, you deserve it." He urged. I found his hand under the murky water and we both dove down together. I had let go of Jacob soon enough and began swimming on my own. I flipped around, swam backwards, and did everything I could as my body screamed out in joy. For once, everything seemed okay.
The next day I stuck to my word and got up for school. I had been up previous to my alarm, as I had awoke from a nightmare of red eyes staring at me. It was the nightly routine. The nightmare occurred every night at around the same time, and I'd never fall back to sleep.
"She's gone." I whispered in relief to myself. I sat, staring at the ceiling for most of the morning, but eventually I got ready. After a long bath, I pulled on a red long sleeved V-neck, black yoga pants, and a pair of grey cable knit Uggs. Sitting at the table munching on a bowl of Reese's Puffs and milk, Sam studied every action I made. It was making me uncomfortable. I looked down to my cereal, pushing the deliciously flavored puffs around the brown colored milk. From the corner of my eye, I could see Sam staring at me…still.
"Sam, take a picture, it'll last longer." I told him.
"You shouldn't be going to school."
"I kind of have to, it's a law."
"No, it's to early."
"You sound like a mom before she drops off her kid at pre-school." Emily got a kick out of that.
"Sam, if she says she's ready, trust her." Sam reluctantly agreed. Ten minutes later, Jacob had picked me up in his old beat up pick up. He was proud of me for going to school, for trying my hardest. No one got that I was perfectly okay now. I decided not to tell anyone, even Jacob, about the nightmares. He'd get to worried, and I knew deep in my mind that they'd eventually go away. Besides, when I awoke I was safe in my bed—neither Victoria nor Charlotte's devious, blazing blood red eyes met mine when I opened my eyes. I was always greeted to a dark room. So, keeping this one thing from Jacob didn't seem to bad.
"Call me when you're out of school. I'll pick you up." Jacob told me.
"Yea—shoot. I would if I had a phone." I groaned. Charlotte had thrown it to the ground and it shattered when she had taken me.
"Isn't it your lucky day then?" he smiled, opening the center consul and handing me a white iPhone box wrapped in a red ribbon. "It's all set up. Same number and everything." I smiled widely as I unwrapped the ribbon and took off the top. A shiny new iPhone waited for me.
"Jake, thank you so much."
"Hey, I needed to get ahold of you someway." I grinned and leaned over until our lips met. After however many seconds, we broke apart.
"I will now call you later." I got out of the car and slung my bag over my shoulder. The school day awaited me.
The shrill last bell of the day echoed through the school. Thank God, I mentally chanted to myself. The day had been exhausting. In those few weeks I was gone I forgot what school was actually like—how boring the classes were, how dull the teachers lectures were, and how what my friends believed to be drama was all so minute. Seeing Angela, Jessica, Mike, and Eric was nice. They were concerned about me after they heard about my 'car accident' and they tried calling, except I had told them my phone got crushed in the accident.
"My dads here, I'll call you later. Okay, Ari?" Jessica told me as we walked out of the school together. She tightly hugged me and demanded me to call her if I needed anything. I had agreed and watched her run off to her dad's car. Tons of people were walking out of the school, laughing and enjoying the usually overcast day. My phone, planted in the palm of my hand, began buzzing. I lifted it up to eye level and looked at the screen, and unknown number calling. As much as my mind was trying to decline the call, my fingers pressed the green answer button. I had stopped walking.
"Hello?" I answered, speaking above the loudness around me.
"Good afternoon, sweetheart." The voice greeted. My heart sped up as soon as I recognized it.
"Mom?" My eyes widened.
"Has it really been that long that you don't recognize my voice?"
"No-no," I stuttered, "it's just, I didn't expect you calling for a while."
"I know. But I've got to talk to you, do you have a minute?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Okay, I don't know how to tell you this, but...wow this is hard." She laughed at the other end. Was she pregnant? What if she got remarried? Oh my God, what did she do?
"Mom, spit it out!"
"I've been transferred back to Australia!" She announced. Time stopped at that second, at least for me it did. I didn't feel any heartbeat or hear a thought in my head. I didn't even hear anything around me, all the loud noises of obnoxious laughter and sick students coughing stopped. They were all moving at a slow speed and so was I. Usually, hearing this would be a good thing. I was supposed to be ecstatic, jumping around in joy.
"Honey? Did you hear me? I don't think we're getting a great connection, I said we're—" Everything sped up again.
"I heard you." I blankly stated.
"Aren't you excited? We're moving back!" She squealed.
"We're?"
"Of course we're! This is what you wanted! I convinced my boss to give me a job over there, it's great. Same pay and everything.
"We're?" I repeated, going into some type of shock.
"Are you already calling the girls? They're going to freak out."
"Mom, I don't think you understand." As much as I wanted to go to Australia, I couldn't leave everyone here. I couldn't leave Sam, or Emily, and most importantly Jacob.
"Not understanding what? This is going to be great, I finish—"
"I'm not going." I blurted out.
"You're what? But Ariana, you said you wanted to go back to the girls and your real home."
"I did, I do, but Forks has become my home too. I can't just leave Sam."
"He'll understand! Sweetie, he'll understand. Are you sure there isn't other people you don't want to leave? How about you give your decision some time. I don't finish up this job for another two or three weeks, I've got to look at the calendar."
"Okay." My voice cracked.
"I'll call you soon, Ariana. Love you, baby." She hung up. I stood there with a shocked expression on my face as my hand slid down to my side and stared at the blank screen. Australia, she wanted to move back now. Why couldn't she have done this months and months ago, when I first wanted to move back? A loud honk caught my attention and my head jerked up. Jacob's truck was sitting on the curb, his eyes were on me with a confused smile on his face. I rushed towards him and got myself in the car.
"You okay? Who was on the phone?"
"My mom." I didn't even think about lying about who it was until now.
"Really? What's going on, you look sick."
"Nothing, I'm fine. She was just checking in." I lied. Okay, maybe keeping another thing from Jacob wouldn't kill him.