Chapter 37
It's graduation day and I'm rudely awakened when Alice comes in to wake me up by placing her hands on my neck. I don't think I've mentioned it before, but the vampires are cold, I mean they're cold, cold.
I was kind of used to Tanya touching me and cuddling with me but she keeps her hands on my clothes that help, a little, with the temperature. She usually waits till I'm awake and coherent to start caressing me and getting my temperature to shoot up.
Lately, we've been getting more physical. Her hands have wondered all over my body making me squirm, and not in a bad way either. And, I'm finally getting over my aversion of touching her back, much to her delight, although, the cast is kind of a downer. I can't wait to get this thing off.
After I yelled at her for waking me up I turn on my back and doze back off again. Tanya is next to me chuckling and starts her ministrations to wake me up completely. She traces one of my ribs causing me to laugh. I'm really ticklish there and I try to move her hand away but to no avail.
"Okay. I'm awake." I laughed.
"Good. Go take a shower and come out for breakfast." Tanya chuckled.
"Man. You guys really want to sit for three hours bored out of your minds, don't you?" I said.
"Yes. We do. Everyone is happy for you Abigail. You've accomplished something very few people have. You should be proud of yourself."
'I am." I replied. And, I was. I never thought I would get through it, especially after Cody and JJ died. I thought I would never step back into school again but something told me to do it and I did. Of course, I had to start over because too much time had passed, but I didn't care.
As I'm making my way to the bathroom, I hear a loud noise coming from somewhere in the house. I want to go take a look but Tanya said it was only the boys' rough housing. They could've picked a better time than six o'clock in the morning.
Shrugging my shoulders I close the door behind me and start the shower. I unwrap the cast and place it on the counter to keep it from getting wet. Carlisle said that I'm close to being done wearing this stupid thing and I can't wait to take it off permanently. The noise seems to be getting louder and more verbal. I can't make out the words, but the tone was evident. I assume that they are doing something that the other didn't like and it escalated to a more violent outburst.
Will and Josie have done that to each other and to Thomas. When one would accidentally punch the other without a block, they would get angry and the "playing" would turn to actual fighting. My aunt would have to come and break it up.
Imagine a five foot five inch woman, with her arms apart, breaking up two boys almost twice her size, as they try to tear the other's head off. It's quite comical to watch. The funny thing is, is that they would listen to her. My aunt can be a force to reckon with when she wants the kids to settle down. That kind of makes me think of Alice at times. I think it runs in the family.
I'm standing under the spray getting my hair wet when the house shakes and I'm tempted to get out and go tell the boys off. If they're this bad, I can't imagine what the house must look like. Jamie did want to do some remodeling. I guess this would be his chance if it were a mess.
Just as I finished that thought, the shower curtain opens and in steps Tanya, completely naked. I stare wide-eyed at her.
I have never seen anyone so beautiful in my life! I now know what perfection is. I rake my eyes up and down and stop at her breasts. They are perfectly proportioned with the rest of her body. Flat toned stomach and well rounded hips. And, moving my eyes lower, I can't help but stare at her most private place.
"Like what you see? I do." She said, as she looks me over.
Before I can say anything, her lips are on mine making all other thoughts disappear. I'm lost in her kiss. She presses herself to me and I feel everything. Her hands are on my hips and slowly making their way up. She stops at my ribs and caresses them making me squirm into her. It's a pleasant feeling.
I go to place my hands on her but she grabs them and puts them against the shower walls. We break the kiss and she kisses along my jaw line until she reaches my ear.
"Don't touch me right now, Abigail. I may have the strength to not hurt you, but if you touch me, I may snap and take you right here, right now. And, I want to hold off on that a little longer." She breathed. Her voice low and husky, making me pant harder.
Who cares if she gives me a couple of bruises? I could live with that.
"The one time I want to touch you and you tell me no." I replied back with my own voice cracking.
"Next time, Abby. You'll get your chance. Today, I want it to be about you."
With that, she continues with her mouth on my shoulder. My breathing becomes labored as she moves her lips down while her hands move back to my ribs and continue a slow climb up.
Every time she kisses her way back up my neck, my breath hitches causing her to chuckle. I go to put my hands on her again but she swats them away. I need something to anchor myself and the walls are not helping.
I squeeze my eyes shuts and out let a loud moan when her thumbs swipe across my nipples. My back arches out to meet her as she does it again. I can't take it. She's driving me crazy with every caress.
"Oh, God!" I cry out when she pinches a nipple.
"You are so beautiful, Abigail. I'm losing my resolve fast."
"Hurry up and lose it already." I pant.
"No. I think that should be all for now. I want to draw this out a little longer." She chuckles and then she's gone.
"You have got to be kidding me?" I muttered still panting.
The water is cold, meaning that all the hot water is gone, so I get out, even more aggravated than I was when I stepped into the shower. She's going to drive me crazy with her teasing. I don't know how much longer I can stand it before I combust with sexual frustration.
"If you wanted to distract me, you could've done it a different way." I muttered knowing that she could hear me. I knew it was a way to keep me from seeing what was going on in the rest of the house. It was timed too perfect, which made me even angrier.
Once I'm dried off I go and get dressed. Of course, Alice left out a nice black dress for me to wear. I have to give her credit for her taste.
One moment, I'm next to the closet inspecting the dress with a towel wrapped around me, the next I'm on my bed with Tanya straddling me.
"Yes, I could have distracted you a different way, but I decided to do that. I've been dying to get in the shower with you for ages and I thought today was a good day for that."
"So, you were distracting me?" I asked.
"Yes!" she answered.
"From what?" I asked, immediately getting worried.
"You were right about Jacob. A couple of his pack came back wanting to talk to you. Alice didn't see your future reappear and her and Jasper stopped them from coming in." Tanya explained.
"Oh." Was all I could say. "Did they say what they wanted to talk to me about?" I asked.
"They didn't say."
I laid there, with her on me, thinking about what this could mean. It wasn't good. I can still remember what momma's assistant told me about people trying to stop me from my task or destiny. Could they be here to stop me?
"Abigail. Don't go there." Tanya whispered.
"Go where?" I asked.
"Thinking about what is going on with all this." She said shaking her head towards the door. "This may have been nothing at all."
"Okay." I answered getting her to quit her worrying.
I can tell Jasper is helping with my mood too. I'm too calm to argue and she knows it.
"Now, get dressed."
She gets off me and sits on the bed again. I sit up and look at the dress picked out for me.
"Abigail. This day if for you."
I look at her and see the love and devotion in them. Something I've never seen before, in anyone.
It's difficult dressing with Tanya watching. I can tell she is mentally undressing me and when I needed help with the zipper she's there to do it. It sends a shiver up my back as her fingers traces the zipper up.
"I can't wait to take this back off." She whispered and nips my ear.
"Quit trying to distract me." I muttered back.
She only chuckles.
We walk out to the living room and I see the dust is still settling as I walk down the hall. Once I reached the living room the sight shocked me.
Debris is everywhere. The coffee table is in pieces along with two dining room chairs. The table itself is leaning precariously against a wall. It looked like the living room chair was upended and set back up in its proper place. I can see the indentions where it used to be.
There are two holes in the dining room wall as well. I can tell that Alice and Jasper had vacuumed already and are just about done with the sweeping. I grimaced when I thought about Jamie seeing this.
"Jamie went with Josiah to get you some breakfast." Alice announced.
"Um. Josie didn't come in, did he?" I asked.
"No." Jasper answered.
I blew out a breath of relief. I hope they come up with a good story for this.
"We're going to tell him that Jamie is remodeling and we decided to get a head start on it." Alice said. I can tell she's upset too.
Is she a mind reader too?
"I saw you were going to ask that." She shrugged.
"Are you guys okay?"
"Yes. Just a little surprised is all. We had no idea what they were going to do and your future never reappeared." Jasper said.
"I've called Edward and Carlisle and explained what happened. Edward is going to call Jacob and see if he can tell what Jacob is doing." Alice said.
I can tell they were trying to hide their fear and anger from me. I know those looks from Thomas. He always looked that way when he missed an opportunity to get to me.
Jamie and Josie walked in and I can tell someone must have alerted Jamie to the mess he was about to walk into. Even though, he's usually pretty good at hiding his surprise, he still has some give a ways that tell he's upset or angry. His jaw twitches and his hands form into fists to keep from doing harm to someone. He was displaying both.
"Damn. What happened here?" Josie asked looking around.
"Uh. I decided to do some remodeling and it looks like they couldn't wait." Jamie answered rocking on the balls of his feet.
"Sorry. But, we love it when someone wants to do something different. Wait till you see what Esme can do." Jasper said smiling.
"Really?" Josie asked. I can tell he notices something happened but he doesn't want to say it. He's that way. He always wants to figure things out on his own.
"Well, we better get going or I'm going to be late for my own graduation." I relayed to everyone and then walked out the door.
XXXXXXX
I'm currently standing in the tunnels under the stadium seats at the World Arena. It's the biggest place to hold our graduation. There are about 800 of us graduating and the ceremony is almost three hours long.
I'm wearing the traditional cap and gown with a sash around my neck indicating I'm a master's degree candidate. The cap and gown are solid black and the sash is white and yellow, the school's colors. Someone is walking up and down the hallway making sure we have the sash on right and explaining what the process is going to be.
I'm nervous about it. More so about falling and tripping on my face in front of the whole arena. Apparently, Alice knows and keeps texting me saying I'm going to be okay.
I'm standing with a few of my fellow Grad school classmates and they are all stoked about finishing school and can't wait to see what life will bring us with our new status of Grad school graduates.
I'm not so happy about that but play along anyway. No need to bring everyone else down with me. I already know what I need to do.
I'm standing there with everyone when a young man I haven't seen before walks up to me. He stands about six feet tall and a little on the heavy side. I can't tell if it's muscle or fat from the gown he's wearing. His dark hair is short with bangs that cover his eyes a little.
He gives me a once over with his piercing hazel eyes and nods. I don't want to know what he's thinking and shrug saying as much.
"May I have a moment Abby?" He asked.
He has a slight accent, one I can't tell and before I can say anything he takes my elbow and walks a few feet away from my classmates.
"Congratulations." He said.
"Who are you and what do you want?" I asked a little too rough.
I've had a crappy morning, apart from the shower, and I'm worried that Jacob and his crew aren't done with me yet.
"I'm someone who can help you out." He replied.
"How?"
"I can give you what you want."
"And, that is?"
"A life different from the one you're living. One that will be better and more successful."
"Really! I have a good life. Why would I want to change that?"
"Because you are still suffering from your childhood. I can make that disappear and give you one that will be better. One where you will know love and happiness."
"How?" I eyed him. This can't be possible.
I don't know what he wants or where he's coming from, but my gut feeling is telling me to be on alert.
"I can do it and help you out, Abby. I know you've been hurting from everyone around you. I can make that all go away. And, it won't cause you any harm at all. Just think about it." He said and hands me a business card.
It's a generic one with only an address on it. When I look up to see him again, he's gone.
Who was that and what was his reason for talking to me?