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If I were to tell you that you look new every time I see you

That your lips are like rosebuds

And your eyes sparkle like fireflies

That's what my heart thinks

If I told you that your face

Is like a piece of the moon

Then what would you say?

I would tell you

Don't even mistakenly call me the moon

It has craters

Don't call me a flower

They wilt

Don't call me a firefly

They drift away

These are old sayings

If you'd said it nicer

With some flowery words

It would have been better

"Did you spit in his face?"

Jenna blinked, slightly frightened by the eagerness in Julie's expression. They were gathered at lunch, huddled together towards the centre of the table. Kim and Julie waited for her answer with bated breath while Quil looked vaguely resentful.

"No, I did not spit in his face." Jenna weighed each word carefully, noting the disappointment on Julie's face with a sort of wonder.

"Oh my god," Quil breathed after a moment. "Did you kill him?"

What was wrong with them!? What did they think she was?

"It's okay if you did," he continued, "Uncle Billy will probably understand - maybe."

"I mean look at his son's personality," Julie muttered, "on some level he had to have been prepared for this."

"We could tie rocks to the body and toss it over the cliffs," Quil suggested, "it'll sink to the bottom."

Julie looked thoughtful. "How do we get Gumby to the cliffs though? It's dead weight."

"I didn't kill him!" Jenna felt ill, glancing between the two of them with horror. "We just argued and he - he left."

'That's it?" Quil sounded disappointed. "Do you want to find him and toss him over now?"

At Julie's impressed look, he sniffed daintily and ran a hand through his hair. "I meant it when I said you guys are my ride or die now."

"No one will be dying," Kim interjected, sending a scolding glance in both of their directions. "That's enough. Now if we want to know what happened, maybe we should let Jenna speak?"

They went silent and stared at her again. Jenna remained quiet for another moment, deliberating on how much she wanted to share - something about the look Jacob had given her was deeply personal. Not just the look, but how the look had made her feel. It was for her alone.

"He… apologized to me." She finally said. It felt odd to recount the words. He had seemed so sincere when he said them. "For… everything."

"That bastard," Julie hissed. "What, his date didn't work out the way he thought it would?"

Jenna flinched, the words seemed harsher when someone else said them. It was odd, she felt the urge to defend Jacob from Julie's obvious censure.

"That's what I said to him," she hedged. "He said it wasn't like that."

Kim gave her a sympathy-laden glance, patting her hand in a gentle gesture. "Maybe it really wasn't."

"Probably wasn't," Quil volunteered with a shrug that Jenna was sure was meant to be lighthearted. "If he hadn't abandoned me, I would be able to tell you."

"Of course it wasn't like that," Julie scoffed, patting Quil's back in a rare moment of gentleness. "Just look at him, he's pathetic looking."

"Not anymore he's not," Kim shook her head. "Not if people are to be believed."

Jenna bit her tongue, barely swallowing the retort that Jacob hadn't really ever been pathetic looking. The three of them looked to her for confirmation and she found herself shifting awkwardly.

"He's… he's huge." She finally managed. "Taller than Paul even, maybe. Bigger than him too."

Quil looked aghast. "Jacob is hot now?!"

Jenna blanched, refusing to make eye contact and glancing away. She could not answer that. She would not answer that. Come hell or high tide, she would never say those words. Were they true? Maybe? Possibly? Probably? Yes? Yes. Yes, they were. There was no point in lying about it, not to herself at any rate.

"It's interesting that you came to that conclusion independently," Julie muttered, all traces of her earlier affection for Quil having disappeared.

"Sometimes you have to call a spade a spade, Jules," Quil retorted, looking more stressed out by this revelation than Jenna had expected. "No matter how much you want to hit him with one."

"Anyways," Kim pressed on, fixing Julie and Quil with another displeased glance, "you argued over his apology and he just… left?"

"Yeah," Jenna sighed, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Just took off towards the woods."

Kim frowned. "Like Paul and Jared sometimes do?"

Jenna wanted to say yes, she really did. In fact, Jacob's behaviour was eerily similar to that of Paul and Jared's. The link couldn't be more obvious. Something about it felt private. It was one thing to discuss Jared not knowing her name, or Jacob and his stupid apology - but another to talk about something that seemed to be outside of their control.

"I can't say," she finally decided. It wasn't a lie. It was an evasion. Besides, could Jenna really say with certainty that Jacob's dramatic escape into the woods was like Paul and Jared? No, she could not. Not with any sort of internal validity. It would be speculation. A half-truth… conjecture!

"Well, Paul's not running off towards the woods right now," Quil muttered, his eyes fixed on a point behind Jenna's head. "In fact, he's coming over here."

Jenna stiffened, resisting the urge to glance behind her and see how far Paul was. Julie's sudden frantic attempts to inconspicuously adjust any aspect of her appearance told her that he couldn't be far off. Her heart was thundering in her chest, she could feel her palms beginning to sweat. Jenna swore under her breath, rubbing them against her jeans with a sigh. This was the worst. What could Paul possibly want from her that he would seek her out independently?

Silence descended over their table as he finally arrived. Jenna was surprised at how quietly Paul moved despite his size. She hadn't even heard his footsteps approaching. The hairs on the back of her neck standing on end had been the only indication that she was in the presence of someone so far out of her league that he could run circles around her.

"Jenna, how are you?"

She chanced a glance down at him, her heart clenching when she realized he was already looking down at her. How was it possible that some people came out looking like him and others like her? That didn't seem at all fair.

"Paul," she finally said. "I'm… alive."

He watched her for a moment before shrugging. "Can't ask for much more, I suppose. Can I have a word with you?"

Jenna could feel Julie's stare burning holes in the side of her head. She wished she could refuse, but it didn't seem as if she had a choice. At 6'6, Paul was not someone Jenna, at 5'1, wanted to cross. It was almost as if her vocal cords had crystallized, Jenna couldn't make herself speak. This was the worst - all she wanted was to fly under the radar, and stupid Jacob Black had put her firmly on the radar.

"Jenna," Julie hissed. "Answer him."

The words caught Paul's attention and his sharp gaze shifted from Jenna to Julie. Finally, Jenna could breathe. Good, he could stare at Julie now. Which he was doing. Quite intently for that matter. She couldn't say she'd ever seen Paul Lahote look at anyone with any sort of softness or positivity - but if his face could ever do that, he was doing it right now. Unlike Jenna, Julie seemed to bask in his razor-sharp regard, staring back at him just intently. Beside her, Quil looked distinctly uncomfortable to be caught between them. Paul's face reminded her of Jacob's arrested stare from earlier, where he'd looked at her like he was Rosalind Franklin and she was DNA sequencing. Was this how horrifyingly awkward it had looked for anyone on the outside?

Paul moved away from Jenna's side, taking a step closer to Julie and Quil's side of the table. Quil shifted slightly as he approached, pushing closer to Julie in an effort to get away from Paul. Paul's eyes shifted to Quil then, and Jenna was shocked to see the regard in them immediately vanish.

"Move."

Quil spluttered, looking at Jenna and Kim for support. Both of them shrugged, and Quil looked back at Paul, struggling to form a response.

"I said," Paul leaned down until he was at eye level with Quil, and Jenna felt a pang of real fear, "move."

Apparently, self-preservation beat pride. Quil gathered his belongings with a baleful look before standing and shuffling towards Jenna and Kim.

Paul slid into his empty spot, angling his ridiculously large body to face Julie.

"How you doin', Jules?" He asked in a smooth voice.

Jenna stared across the table in open-mouthed shock while Julie's face flushed. What on earth had just taken place? She tried not to be insulted by the way both Paul and Julie seemed to have forgotten the rest of their existences as Julie prattled on about who knew what and Paul listened in transfixed silence.

Kim rubbed her face, sighing deeply. "God," she muttered, "I see what you do for others."

"Paul," Jenna interrupted, flinching slightly when Julie threw her a poisonous stare for the transgression. "Didn't you need to speak to me?"

Paul was slow to respond, his eyes still stuck on Julie who was glaring at Jenna. Finally, he turned his head slightly to look at Jenna, looking vaguely annoyed by her interruption.

"No," he said simply. "I mean yes, but it doesn't matter. It can wait."

And just like that, she didn't exist anymore. It was Julie's world, the rest of them were just living in it. Jenna felt a tug on her sleeve and glanced down at Quil who had taken up a new position on the floor beside her after being kicked out of his seat.

"He just came over here and started bullying me!"

"He's hot, Quil," Jenna lamented, "he's allowed to."

The bell rang and Jenna, Kim, and Quil gathered their belongings.

"Aren't you coming, Jules?" Quil asked, half hiding between Jenna when Paul's irritated gaze snapped towards him.

"She'll come when she's ready, Ateara."

By this point, Jenna was sure she had wrinkles on her forehead from the amount of time she'd spent with her eyebrows raised this past hour.

"I do have to go," Julie sighed and Jenna barely stifled a shriek when Paul seemed to visibly deflate at the words. "In fact, so do you if you plan to make it to class."

Her voice was gently chiding and if Jenna wasn't as afraid as she was of being Paul's next bullying victim, she would've called her out on it.

Paul sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "I can't. Maybe you can help me get caught up."

Jenna wished she could turn away, wished she could make herself look away from the horrifyingly uncomfortable scene she was witnessing. It was like a car accident, she couldn't tear her eyes away. Beside her, she could feel the envy radiating off of Kim.

"I would be happy to," Julie agreed, standing and taking the backpack that Paul had picked up for her with a shy smile.

Jenna had a sneaking suspicion that Julie would be happy to do any number of things for Paul. Disgusting. This was also unprecedented. Julie was beautiful, Jenna would die on that hill. But Paul was… he was different. An otherworldly presence that had accidentally been born in this world. For him to interact with them was… unheard of. Jenna knew that this Twilight Zone-esque lunch hour would be the talk of the school for weeks. She hated that. It meant attention, it meant questions, it meant people wanting to talk to her. The only people Jenna wanted to talk to were Julie and Kim - and now Quil, there was no way she could leave him out now after he'd offered to throw Jacob's dead body over a cliff for her.

Paul made for the doors before pausing and turning back to call Jenna's name. "Oh fuck, yeah I had to talk to you about Jacob."

Jenna froze like a deer in headlights. She honestly would have preferred that Paul and Julie kept flirting Maybe they could just start doing that again.

"I guess he'll just have to figure it out on his own then," Paul shrugged when Jenna continued to wordlessly open and close her mouth, struggling to respond. "Tough shit for him."

Then he was gone. As mysteriously and frighteningly as he'd arrived.

"He's so mean," Quil muttered, shuddering as he took up an easy walk beside Jenna and Kim.

The trio listened in silence to Julie's rapid breakdown of what was probably the highlight of her life till date.

This was going to be a long day.

Jenna had never been more relieved to be finished school. She loved her friends, she really did, but if she had to suffer through one more description of Paul's charms, she would lose her lunch. She'd never looked forward to the silence of her walk home more than she was currently.

Which was exactly why it was snatched from her. That was just how the universe liked to treat Jennifer Coleman. Despite the fact that she had never hurt anyone in her life, Quil didn't count, the world seemed to have it out for her.

Personally, if she had dramatically run off into the woods in front of someone, she would have never shown them her face again. Definitely not on the same day. Jacob Black was made of different stuff though, apparently, cause there he was. In all his ridiculously sized glory. Jenna still wasn't used to it, despite the fact that she'd spent the better part of the day thinking about his new appearance. His hair - the hair she'd spent so much time thinking about was gone. She'd never know what the strands felt like. She definitely didn't plan on touching it now. He was wearing a t-shirt that must have been designed for Calvin Klein campaigns, it was too tight to serve any covering function. Where she'd wondered about whether he was filling out before, his new physique was embarrassingly obvious to her now.

Her first thought would've been anabolic steroids. This change was too sudden, and anabolic steroids wouldn't have made him shoot up a whole foot either. This looked like he'd lived in a gym for the last 2 years. Jenna didn't think she'd ever felt more painfully aware of her own… fluffiness. She was thankful she had a large sweater thrown over her t-shirt. While it made her appear shapeless and like one large lump, at least nothing was discernible.

She realized she'd made a colossal assumption in thinking that he was here for her. Maybe he was here to pick up missed work or to chat with someone else - he was probably embarrassed by his behaviour too, why would he want to speak with her? Really, her own self-absorption took her by surprise sometimes.

"Jennifer!"

No, apparently, she'd been right the first time. Jacob Black really just did not have any shame. Jenna began to speed walk towards the sidewalk, wondering whether she could pretend she didn't hear him. Maybe she could reach the sidewalk before he could catch up.

"You're really trying to avoid me, huh?"

So he'd caught up. And fast, too. Jenna supposed she couldn't really be surprised. She was, after all, a miniature pony. If Jacob had been a regular pony before, he was a full-fledged stallion now. There was no way she out….galloping him.

"I'm not," she said stiffly. "I just have somewhere to be."

Jacob laughed, a short burst that didn't sound entirely humorous. "Really? And where is that?"

Jenna continued to face forwards, refusing to look at him. "I don't think that's any of your business."

"I disagree."

She had to stop for that one. She turned towards him, surprised to see how close he was when she bumped into his chest. His broad, firm chest. She flushed, taking a few quick steps backwards so she could angle her head back to look at him. He was so stupidly tall.

"Why the hell would you disagree with that?"

He looked at her for a moment, his dark eyes taking on some of the softness from that morning. "Because we're... friends," he grinned.

Jenna made a squawking noise, her mouth dropping open. Her hands flew to her hips, outraged by the audacity. "We are not!"

"We are," Jacob quipped, shoving his hands into his pockets and continuing to watch her with that warmth. "You accepted my apology."

"Because I don't care-" she began to protest.

"-about my past wrongdoings. You're ready for a fresh start. Me too, Jennifer. I've always admired that about you." He finished with a nod.

Jenna deflated, throwing a resentful look in his direction. She sighed, rubbing a weary hand over her face.

"Why are you so hot by the way?" she snapped, gesturing to his chest where she'd felt the heat emanating off of him.

"Why, thank you, Jennifer. I've always had a feeling you felt that way."

Jenna knew her face was on fire even as her lip curled in derision. Let him avoid the question then. For his part, Jacob looked amused, smiling at her like she'd given him a lovely compliment.

"You look amazing yourself, by the way." He didn't look like he was joking anymore. "That colour is… great on you."

Jenna spluttered for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Suddenly, she wished she could wrench off her red sweater and throw it at him. How dare he make her second guess herself like this - it was a comfortable sweater! She didn't dress to impress him or anyone else - she dressed to be comfortable and apparently even an oversized sweater wasn't enough to do that.

"What, isn't there an Oompa Loompa joke hidden in there somewhere?" she muttered bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. She began to walk away from him, stopping when he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, locking her in place.

"No, there's no joke hidden anywhere."

Jacob gently pulled her around to face him. Jenna was surprised to see the harsh frown on his face.

"I mean what I said. That colour is beautiful on you. You're beautiful. I'm sorry for ever even joking otherwise."

Well. This had gotten intense. Jenna was unsure of how to respond. It was clear from his voice, his stance, his expression that he was serious. Possibly more serious than he'd ever been with her. She had also never been called beautiful by someone she wasn't related to before. A day of many firsts then.

"This is - this is not like usual," she finally managed. "You're different."

His face softened, his hand on her shoulder gentling until it was almost a soft caress.

"I know. Lots of things are different now," he said. He sounded sad, frustrated. Jenna knew the sound, it was the same she heard when she spoke to Embry or when she'd spoken to Jared or Paul.

Jacob looked like he was going to say something else but was interrupted by a rustling in the background. Jenna leaned around him to see Sam Uley standing at the treeline, watching them with an impassive expression.

"Jacob," he called. "I need to speak with you."

Jacob stiffened, his hands clenched into fists at his side as he turned to look back at Sam. After a brief, charged moment he nodded and looked back at Jenna. She was surprised to see the anger leech out of him, his hands relaxed and a small smile crossed his face again.

"Lots of things have changed, Jennifer," he said softly. "But you're just as beautiful as ever. Trust me on that."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, not that Jenna thought she'd be able to muster up a response to that. Jacob met Sam at the treeline who was watching him with a half disapproving, half impressed expression. Jenna forced her expression into one of disinterest when Jacob looked back at her over his shoulder before he disappeared into the trees. He must have seen right through her because she heard him laughing even as she lost sight of him.

Idiot man-boy.

The rest of her walk home was almost too quiet after that, and Jenna spent the majority of it replaying the interaction in her head. When she got home, she found herself standing in front of her bathroom mirror, running her fingers gently over the hem of her sweater. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to see what Jacob claimed to have seen, to be able to believe the words he'd thrown out so casually.

She supposed she didn't look terrible in red.

But that was a start.