Chapter 31
It's been some weeks since I was taken down by my cold, I'm feeling good now even though I still have a cough. The school is somewhat back to normal. I had to walk all around the school just to see where the Casey and the other girl who I found out is named Amanda lockers was. They had flowers and pictures hanging on them.
I shake my head playing with my bottle of tea while walking the school halls. I bring bottles of tea to school now to help me stay healthy and energized. I'm a tea lover now and I'mma start buying tea. Those different types of teas that Mr. Howard brought me opened my eyes and mouth to drinking different kinds instead of green tea. Jacob once again had that childish attitude.
I need to stop feeding into his crap and let him soak. He forgets that he did me wrong on so many levels but I guess boys are like that but I have no time to be stressed out. This pregnancy is going well and I'm in my third month plus Halloween is today. So, I have to shop for some candy in case kids wanna knock on my door. It'll be kind of weird with the curfew still in act.
I heard it's only for two hours. The police is going to be on alert for when it comes to Halloween parties and plus people like to act like crazy. I wish someone would knock on my door and try to scare me. I didn't like that stunt that Jacob and his friends pulled on me. I shake my head walking up to the nurse's office. See how Nurse Miller is doing. I bet she'll be happy that I'm doing good and got over my cold.
I walk into the nurse's office to see's not in the office. "She must be gone." I say to myself while walking in even more and checking behind the curtains of the bed. I check the back office where another nurse is sitting at a desk. "Can I help you with something?" She asks me. "I'm looking for Nurse Miller." "She's not here. She took off for a couple of days." She say.
"Do you know where she might had went?" I asks her. She took off? "She went to Seattle. She's emotional drained because of everything that has happened in school and plus personal problems." She say. "I understand. How long has she been gone?" "A couple of days now." She say. "Okay, I just wanted to tell her if you get in contact with her because I have her number and I don't think she'll want to talk to me. Just tell her that I'm over my cold and only have a cough now." I say holding up the tea bottle.
"I'll let her know." She say. "Okay, Thanks." I say walking out of the back office and out of the nurse's office. Seattle? I hope she know it's kind of dangerous with people going missing left and right. I hope she's on the safe part. I make me towards the exit. They haven't found none of the missing people and I heard it's almost thirty of them missing. So, yeah.
I walk till I pass Mr. Howard class and see him folding up papers. I back up a little bit. "Hey, Mr. Howard." I say waving at him. "How you doing, Ms. Thorne?" He asks me. "I'm doing fine. My cold is gone and I'm drinking the tea that you got me up." I say holding up the bottle while walking into the classroom. "That's good to hear." He say going through the papers.
"So, how you been?" I ask sitting at a desk in front of his desk. "I'm doing good." He answers. I nod my head looking out of the window. It's a little bit misty but the weather is feeling good. "I didn't open your can of soup yet but I'm going too when it gets real cold." I say playing with the bottle. He nods his head. "Is something wrong, Mr. Howard? You're not as talkative as you was before." I say sensing that he's in some type of mood.
"I'm alright. I have things on my mind." He say. I nod my head. "Oh, Nurse Miller went to Seattle." "She told me. Just hope that she's safe." "Yeah, I do too. The news been reporting about missing people and it's just ridiculous up there. I was going to tell her that I'm healthy but found out she won't here and it kind of ruined my mood." I say looking at him cleaning the chalkboard.
"Curfew is about to start. You should get home. You don't want to ride the bus late." He say dismissing me. Oh, yeah. He's in a mood."Yeah, I'mma go." I say getting up from the desk. "Be safe, Ms. Thorne." He say as I'm walking out of the classroom and I nod my head heading towards the exit. I breathe out before walking out of the classroom. I'll call Jacob to come get me.
Jacob took me to the store to buy some candy for Halloween. So, I'll be passing out candy. He can hang with Bella or his friends but he's not coming into my house. I really mean it this time. I needed him for the week because I was sick and couldn't get anything done being like a sack of potatoes not doing nothing plus he needed to be here for his baby.
I cough in my hand and open the one of the bags of lollipops dumping them into a Halloween decorated bowl. I toss the bag along with the other pile of candies. I got mini chocolate bars. Lollipops. I should've gotten small bag of chips but I haven't seen no children on this neighborhood or I wasn't paying attention but they'll be out. I sigh looking around at the trash from the bags of candies.
I wonder what was up with Mr. Howard. I hope it's not nothing concerning his wife or something I mean he was wearing his wedding ring but I wouldn't know. I know he was probably visiting her in the hospital that Saturday and he didn't seem to be in a bad mood. Maybe, it's Nurse Miller. It's kind of crazy to head to the Seattle with the danger that's there.
I just pray Nurse Miller is okay in Seattle. Don't need no more killings especially seeing how Victoria is still around. So, yeah. God, I wanna know what's going on but Jacob is so tight lip. I should look in but those Cullens are blinding me. I get up from off the couch and grab the bowl putting it on top of the TV. That should keep me from digging into it. I don't wanna end up being a fatty.
I rub on my stomach then lift it up and rub on my stomach. I'm in my third month and no baby bump yet. Nurse Miller said around the fourth month. I wonder if it's going to be a baby bump or not. I breathe out pulling my shirt down then grabbing a couple of pieces of candies and sitting back on the couch.
I look at my cellphone on the coffee table. Jacob haven't called me and he told me that he'll be over today with maybe the guys. I missed hanging with the guys but school, relationships, and Sam get in the way. I look at the big can of soup that's still sitting on the counter. I hope everything is okay with Mrs. Howard. It'll be sad from that car accident.
Jacob is so nasty and he should be lucky to have someone like me. Just sitting here thinking about all of the wrongs that Jacob did to me and for him to walk around like he did nothing then bring up that attitude again once Mr. Howard shows up. It's just goes to show how childish that little boy is and he did a complete 180 from learning that I was pregnant to other things.
So, I can't be going back and forth with him. His actions tell me different but something else tells me to keep with him. After all, he's the father of my baby and we been through so much and I know for sure that I am his one but I do not know. It was on me for getting sick but you didn't come pick me up till later that night. You tell me no about so many other things.
Yeah, you ruined me from learning about my baby and so many other things. Yeah, he worry about Bella and his other problems. I'll worry about mine and move on in life. I hear a knock on the back door. That must be Embry and Quil. I get up from the couch and walk to the backdoor. "Who is it?" I ask. Always got to ask. "Quil and Embry, Lacie." Embry say.
I unlock the door and open it up to them. "I don't see no movies or anything." I say hugging Embry. He hugs me back. "We just came from working and took the backway." Quil say holding his arms out. I hug him too. "No Jacob?" I ask looking out of the door and around the backyard. "He's busy with something." Embry say. I nod my head closing the back door and locking it.
"Or someone." I say turning around to them. "It's only you and Sarah, Lacie." "You mean it might be Sarah or a boy. He said he want a boy now." I say walking past them and into the living room. "We seen that." He say following behind me with Quil. "You seen that? Did you see Casey?" I ask sitting on the couch. "Yeah, we seen her too. It's kind of sad." He say sitting down too.
It get quiet as I look at Quil sitting on the floor. They both looks at me. "It's kind of tough dealing with jealous Jacob because he's hurting my feelings and I guess it's just regular relationship problems. It's a first for me." I explain to them. "He's just jealous because you're always hanging around Mr. Howard and he's always doing things for you." Embry say.
"I don't see how. He's a married man. He's my teacher and I set this up because I missed months in his class till he finally found me. It wasn't a problem when he was over for dinner with us and now it's a problem." "He's helping with your pregnancy." He say. I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know what to say because at the end of the day, he's my teacher and an adult. He always be here to help and plus he is a grown man. I am not stopping the way I live just because Jacob is jealous or something. It is in his hands and don't try to sit and justify his actions. He's wrong. He's wrong." I say.
Quil nod his head at Embry. He just shake his head. "Our best friend. We have to, Lacie." Quil say. "Yeah, I guess so. He give me in the stomach when he pulled that stunt with Casey at the clinic where we was going to learn about our baby. That's what messed me up the most. You don't do that and I meant what I said. He come and go because I may not be his and he may not be mine. So, what?" I ask both of them.
"Nothing." They both say. "That's what I thought. I'm not the one who is like you all. I can be someone else's and he's still running around acting like that is not the biggest issue in this relationship. He called me cruel when I may not be his and he threw that in my face. So, it's no relationship between us because I cry over that. Who wants that?" I ask them.
Quil just shake his head. "Nobody." Embry say. "Yeah, Let's just move on. The trick or treaters should be coming and whether Jacob come or not. He will not be missed." I say getting up from the couch and grabbing the bowl from the top of the TV. "Candy?" I ask both of them. "No." They both say at the same time. I nod my head sitting back on the couch.
"He's just real jealous of your relationship with Mr. Howard, Lacie. Give him a break." Quil say. Embry looks at me. "Give him a break?" I ask both of them while mixing the candy up in the bowl. "Give him a break. He's there for you during everything." "But who fault is that, Quil. I am not welcomed back on the tribe. He doesn't take me to his house or anything. He doesn't get no break." I say shaking my head at Quil.
"He's fighting for your safety and the baby's." "Quil, I live on the street as Bella. It's walking distance. He made no attempt for weeks to let me see his father or took me on the tribe. How do you explain that?" I ask him. Embry looks at Quil. "I don't know. That's on Jacob." He say shaking his head and turning back to the TV.
"Right, it's on him. So, by time he comes around with his senses. He'll see that I am waiting for him. Bella and the rest of them can be his girlfriend. I am not changing my relationship with Mr. Howard over him. Jacob is not worth it and he proved it so many times when he left me high and dry. So, It's a no and it's final. We have nothing but our child and hope he'll always be there to take me to places and take care of me when I am sick. Run and tell him that." I say getting mad and in my feelings.
"Sorry, Lacie. Sam said it." He sadly say making me stop playing in the bowl. "What makes me so mad and sad at the same time? It's Bella's and Paul's relationship and he told me that I was not welcomed no more to his house. I didn't see none of the girls try to contact me or anything. I still get calls from Leah but none of the other girls. So, what is that?" I ask him.
"I don't know." "Nor do I. I'm not worried about it because I thought we was friends. I didn't see them cut with Bella and she did all of this crap. Let's not bring up Paul's relationship. You know what. I am not getting into that because they'll still be that way. What about you two?" I ask them. "Been busy." Quil answers and he looks at Embry. "Embry, what about you?" I ask him.
"Been busy too." He say. I sense something more from that answer. "Long as you both are safe and doing well. It's all that matter and maybe we'll get our old friendship back. I do miss the tribe and hanging out with Leah. I know she hate the Cullens and everything." I say looking at him. Quil looks at him too. I open up a piece a chocolate bar and offer it to him.
"No, I'm okay." He say. Silence fill the room as we listen to the TV. "It does have me wonder if I am or not Jacob's imprint." "Can we not bring that up?" Quil asks reaching for the remote. I hand it to him. He flips through the channel. "I was just going to say about me. We still got the future and I don't think Jacob is in it no more." I say wanting to cry.
"He's real sorry, Lacie." Embry say. I wipe a tear away. "Is he really?" "It's all about Mr. Howard." Quil say. "He is married. How many times do I have to tell you all?" I ask passing him the bowl. He takes a few pieces of candies and pass it back. "Doesn't mean anything? He's jealous. What's with your relationship with him?" Embry asks me.
I look out the window. It's getting almost dark. Trick and treating about to start. "He's my teacher who thinks I'm a bad student and he's trying to turn my life around plus my grades are all F's. I guess he doesn't like students failing his class." I say eating a piece of candy. "He got you tea." Quil say making me laugh. "I had a craving for tea in which Jacob got me plus tea is good. He has a wife like I said before. He's trying to help me turn my life around and help out when Jacob had dumped me." I say slowly.
"You think back at all of the times he was around it was after Jacob had turned me down. The food, shopping, and other things. I have a life. Jacob is sixteen year old man. Stop making excuses for him because he's your best friend. He messed it up and it's no way this relationship will ever be like how it was. It's been a month since he did me wrong and still doing me wrong. So, drop it." I say.
Quil shake his head. "He knows what did wrong and he show up tonight. We're still in a relationship. It's not over yet." I say turning my words around and making Quil shake his head harder. "What's not?" He asks me. "Our relationship. It doesn't end like that." I say snapping my fingers. "We'll work it out. This whole Mr. Howard, Victoria, pregnancy, and everything. It's just getting too much on us. We'll just have to sit down one day talk about what's going on between us but I still love him very much." I say nodding my head. He nods too going back to watching TV.
People been trick or treating all night long. I got a couple of people coming to my house for candy. Embry and Quil passed it out but I wasn't up to it. I was just so tired. I'm still feeling the effects of the cold. I wasn't going to take that chance of coughing in my hand and sticking it in the bowl of candy to spread my germs. So, I'll pass even it's my house.
"Almost out of candy." Quil say holding up the nearly empty bowl. "It's almost over in a couple of minutes. It's almost eight o' clock." I say looking at the clock. He shake his head closing the door. I turn my head back to the TV. Horror movies all night on all channels. I'm sick of it. "Where is Jacob?" I ask Embry. "Still busy." He say shaking his head.
"Can't believe it's a curfew." Quil say sitting down near the couch. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I don't know no more." I say resting my head on my hand when someone else knock on the door. Quil gets back up to answer it. I breathe out tired. "Sorry, I didn't have no food. I thought you all was bringing food and movies but I guess no." I say to both of them.
"When you're busy protecting the tribe, you can't do nothing else. So, yeah." Embry say with an attitude. "Are you okay?" I ask him. He nods his head. "No, tell me what's wrong." I say turning to him in the couch. "Can't believe you'll risk Sarah after you fought for her and she's a miracle." He say as Quil closes the door and looks me right in the face.
It suddenly get quiet. "I understand why Jacob would be treating you like this. You're not taking care of Sarah and is always risking her. We don't know you no more." He say. "Is that why I was banned from Sam's house and everything else?" I ask as Quil throw the bowl on the floor shattering it. Embry looks at him. Me too. That's my good bowl.
"I can't take it no more. You was stupid and immature for what you did." He say to me. Embry looks back at me. "You could've lost Sarah and it would've been all of your fault then you sit like you did nothing wrong." "Because she doesn't care. Like how Jacob told us." Quil say before I can open my mouth to defend myself. "It was my mistake but you was not there to see what happened nor you know my story."
"Why should we listen? You put Sarah at risk sleeping on a bench outside." He say. I stay quiet not being able to say another word. They both look in my face. "I am so sorry but I didn't see myself falling asleep on a bench and sleeping for hours. I don't get sick nor cold." "But, why would you take that chance?" "I didn't see myself falling asleep and I apologize." I say to both of them.
"You can't talk about Jacob after what you pulled and I don't blame him for treating you like crap after risking his daughter like the way you did." Quil say as Embry stares in my face. "I don't blame him either because I deserve it. I didn't know I could sick and I know he'll never forgive me for bringing harm to his baby." "Nor us." Quil say picking up the pieces of the bowl.
Embry just stare in my face. I keep my mouth closed. I can't say nothing. I turn back to the TV. "It's not just you no more." He say. I nod my head at what he's saying. "Do you think Jacob is coming over?" I ask him. Quil shake his head grinning. "Why don't you ask me that?" Jacob say from behind me. I turn around in the couch to face him.
"I'm sorry." Is all I can say to him. He just keep walking towards the kitchen taking a seat at the table. I just stay looking at the stairs. "You can't face me?" "I can face you, Jacob. I'm sure you're not trying to hear me out again after you tore into me over the week and had me crying none stop." I say turning towards the TV and feeling his eyes on me.
"You could've killed my baby." He say. Both Embry and Quil shake his head. "Don't say that word after everything. I was checked out and everything is okay. The baby is fine. Strong heartbeat and everything. Growing healthy." I say watching the horror movie."Nothing?" Jacob asks me. "It was a mistake doing what I did I'll forever apologize for what I did. I never thought I'll get sick."
"But, you had to see it. You're turning human, Lacie." Embry say looking at my hair. I shake my head. "I hope you never do what you did again." Jacob say. "I'll never do it again. What did Sam say?" I ask him. "She's never welcomed into my house again." Quil say with a deep voice sounding like Sam. "Right. Let's just move on for tonight and enjoy ourselves. Never get another chance like this." I sadly say.
"Whatever, Lacie." Jacob say making me breathe out. I shake my head when someone else knocks on the door again. Only a few more minutes and no one knocking on my door again.
We're laying in bed watching the ceiling in the dark. Embry and Quil called it a night after trick or treat was over. Police cars drove down the street making sure everybody was off the streets and was at home. You gotta protect the neighborhood. I should know. I check the windows and doors so many times before I head to bed. So did Jacob.
Me and him been quiet since everything has happened. I understand where he's coming from on the being mad part plus this is the second time that I put the baby at risk. First dehydration then being terribly sick. I guess that was the last straw for everything. I don't want to lose him.
"I don't want to lose you nor our Sarah." I say looking at him. He doesn't say anything. "I never meant to hurt you nor our baby but when the doctor old me that it was not high risk no more then it was over. I knew it was all too real and the being a mother came in and learning this pregnancy will be crazy. I am so sorry." I say resting my head on his chest.
I guess he's thinking or something. I play with his shirt letting him think. "What's going on between you and Mr. Howard?" He asks me. I knew he was going to ask that question. I sit up in the bed. "Nothing is going on between me and my teacher. He is treating me like any student who was sick and in need of help. I'm starting to see him as a cool teacher. Nothing is wrong with him. He has a wife. He is married and he wears his wedding ring on his finger." I say pointing to my ring finger.
He sits up too. I roll my eyes hoping he did not see it but know he did see that. "It's something more to it for him to always be there for you." "I told to him in school. He's my teacher and I was sick. He knows what's going on in my life and is offering help. You turned me down from taking me to the store and he was there. You tell him what the problem is but you remember that he is a grown man and you is the teenager. You tell him the problem. I am done." I say laying back down and turning on my side.
He stays silent. I turn around facing him and look at him in the face. He looks at me. "I want you to understand that it's nothing going on between us too. You're a sixteen year old boy with situations that you have to handle and while you're doing that with your friends and protecting Bella. I am here alone and he's my teacher. I am sick of having the same conversations with you because you don't see no wrong in what you do, Jacob. So, yeah. Again." I say shaking my head.
He breathes out laying back down in bed. "I see it's more going on between you two, Lacie." He say. "What more do you see? I'm starting to warm up to him being around as my teacher. He's here to guide his students to doing right and not wrong. How can you see when you're not around and only shows up during certain parts?" I ask him. I'm confused on that part.
"It's something more." He say again. "It's nothing more because he won't be my teacher no more and your words mean nothing from how you cut me off along with Sam and the other guys. So, what more is there? I haven't seen none of you grown men coming to visit me or any of that. Only Embry and Quil when they have time other than that your words about Mr. Howard means nothing. So, you keep wasting your breath. I am done. Don't bring Mr. Howard up if you can't see no wrong in how you cut me off." I say shaking my head.
Yeah, he can't say nothing. "You tell Quil and Embry that they'll show me respect in my house and don't dare try to save you when they know you're wrong in so many things that you did. It's been a month and YOUR PACK of friends are not mine. Keep Mr. Howard out of your mouth." I say and pull the blanket over me. He can't say nothing again.
"Night, Jacob." I say. He doesn't stare up at the ceiling. He discuss me so many times. Baby daddy mean nothing and trying to save a relationship that's not worth saving. You don't put blame on me and bring up Mr. Howard when you don't bring up what you and your friends been doing to me for a month. They cut me off and I don't see you doing nothing about it. "Don't bring up Mr. Howard again. He's there when you are not." I say fluffing the pillow loudly. Better man than you are.