25. Present
Leah glided majestically through my window. She looked like an angel as she gracefully
moved towards me. If I hadn't been looking, I wouldn't have even knew that she entered. She
moves so quietly. "Happy Birthday." She hummed out as she handed me a medium sized bag that
was made of loose woven multicolored fabric and was tied together with leather strings.
"How did you know that it's my birthday?" I questioned.
"I took a peek at your form when we were at the doctor's office." She admitted.
"I'm surprised that you still remember it. You didn't have to get me anything." I assured her.
"It's nothing major. Jake helped me make it. He's really good at it. He learned from his dad. I tried my
best, but I'm nowhere near as talented." She assured me as she waited for me to open the bag. I
loosened the strings and pulled out a majestically carved wooden wolf that had been painted gray.
"This is beautiful. Did you really make this yourself? It looks professional."
"Yes, with a little help. I thought it would be something to remind you of me."
"I really love it. Thank you, but I've done nothing but try to forget you ever since you last went out of
that window."
"I'm really sorry about that. I was just worried about your safety."
"I'm still not buying that. What would your boyfriend think of you being here." I said with an accusing
tone.
"Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend. What are you talking about?" She questioned cluelessly.
"I saw you laughing with that guy on the beach a few months ago." I accused. She began laughing
hysterically, but quietly, so she wouldn't wake my sister. "The only guy that I can think of being on the
beach with was Jacob. He made a trip in to check on things. We were going cliff diving with some of
the guys from the pack. Jacob is one of the few pack members that doesn't annoy me, but I could
never like him like that." She laughed out.
"I guess I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. You two just looked so happy."
"We were just catching up. It's been a while since I've seen him. He's having to repeat high school again
with Renesmee and the other Cullens. Like Jake, Renesmee has stopped aging now that she has hit
full maturity. They do this weird thing where they repeat high school over and over again. They do it as
they move from place to place. It keeps people from getting suspicious of their immortality. It's a long
story."
"Immortality or not, there is no way I'd repeat high school again."
"Neither would I. That's why I stay on the reservation and keep to myself. Outsiders don't need to know
that I never age, because I'm a shapeshifter." She assured me. She appeared to be stalling or trying to
knock me off focus.
"So, did you only come here to give me a birthday present, or was there something else that you
wanted to talk to me about?" I questioned.
"I also wanted to apologize about our last conversation."
"Well, you've sort of done that already."
"Can you not understand that I'm just trying to keep you safe. I live in a dangerous world."
"I know that you can protect me. I'm safer with you, than I am with any other human on the planet. Who
else can take down a vampire single handedly?"
"I've had lots of experience and generations of fighting techniques handed down to me. You should
see Jake, he's the best fighter in our pack."
"You're not getting me off topic again. You know what I think the real issue is?" I paused trying to
muster up some courage.
"Please, enlighten me." She fired back sarcastically.
"I think that you're afraid... you're afraid to get close to me, because you think that I'll hurt you like Sam
did. Leah, I know he damaged you, but I won't ever hurt you...I promise. If you truly don't want to be my
friend...if it will make you happy for me to just leave you alone forever... then just say the words. All I
want is your happiness. I'll do anything for it."
"Maybe you don't know me at all. I just came to make things right between us, nothing else. It's not
about me getting hurt. It's about you." She assured me as tears began to well up in her eyes.
"I know you better than you think. I pay attention to every little detail about you when I'm around you. I
know that you feel something for me. I'm not sure how strong those feelings are, but I know that they
are there. The question is... when will you quit lying to yourself?"
"I've got to go. You're sister is coming." She urged as she flew out the window. A few moments later,
my sister opened my door to check on me. I laid on my side wrapped up in the covers pretending to
be asleep. I shot back up and stared at the window as soon as I heard the door shut. I waited
impatiently, but Leah didn't return. My fleeting dream had left me once again. All that I was left with
was the carving of the gray wolf. A constant reminder that Leah was real. It was also a reminder
that she might not be coming back.