Morgan sighed through her nose as she pushed open the driver's side door. She had to remind herself—sometimes, multiple times a drive—that she only had two months before she could take the test and be rid of co-pilots. Though, she really only had much to complain about on the fateful days when it was Edward's turn. He acted as if he'd spun a wheel of torture and this was the penance for his perceived crimes.

As she climbed out from behind the wheel, large droplets spattered atop her head, and she looked up instinctively. It'd been overcast since they returned from their trip to Denali. Morgan felt a particularly sad shade of disappointment when she realized the snow had all but melted completely, and all they were left with was water. On the ground, in the trees, from the sky. So much water. "You good, small fry?" Emmett's voice pulled her gaze back down, landing on his broad frame.

He stood beside the Jeep as Alice and Rosalie walked quickly toward the stairs, at the edge of the parking lot, to avoid the rain. Despite his jovial demeanor, the loose smirk he'd seemed to trademark, she could tell he was watching her. Scrutinizing. Searching for the smallest thing out of place. Morgan nodded, promptly reaching to shut the driver's side door. It was then she noticed Edward over Emmett's shoulder, walking past the Jeep to aim for the stairs, without so much as a glance in their directions.

"Dick," the word slipped out, half-mumbled beneath her breath as she shoved the door closed a little harder than she should've.

Her eyes followed him with venom, and Emmett took steps toward her. "I know it's hard, but just ignore him, okay?" he told her, coming to stand two feet away. "Don't let his dumbassery ruin your day. Come on, let's get out of the rain."

Morgan exhaled heavily, but nodded, and Emmett grinned as he moved to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Side by side, she was like the perfect armrest—and that was often the inside joke. Though, she didn't find it very funny today. The pair climbed the stairs at the corner of the parking lot and their other siblings' backs could be seen up ahead as they filed into the school. It was unusual the way they'd split up so voluntarily. Morgan couldn't help but furrow her brow at it.

They'd all been different since their Denali trip. As far as she knew, nothing out of the ordinary had taken place during or after. But, then again, she was the only one of them that slept. Just what had transpired during those dark hours? What had Alice told them? Typically, sudden mood changes were brought on by her unprompted revelations, and the idea of that possible cause warmed Morgan's blood. Once again, Morgan was being left out of the loop.

As they finally reached the door themselves, Emmett held open the glass as she slipped inside onto the tile, and it hit her—this is what happened before Carlisle announced they were leaving Denali. The proclamation was abrupt, and no one questioned it but her. Because everyone else already knew. Could they be planning to relocate again? So soon? Or, was it something else entirely? Morgan's spine felt stiff as her mouth instinctively curved downward, and she hugged her jacket over her chest as she walked straight to her locker.

Did it have something to do with Edward's disdain for her? Was he demanding they leave and start over, because he knew she was truly settling in? Her mind was racing, fingers gripping the cold metal locker handle, pulling it open all but absentmindedly. There was a gentle spin to the edge of her vision now. She was working herself up over something inconsequential, she told herself. If it was important, they would tell her, as they always had.

It was in times like these that her trust in Carlisle needed to be strong enough to outweigh any anxious fear, any doubt—no matter how big. Though, if she was being honest with herself, she would admit that trust felt less like a stone bridge and more like a tightrope the older she became. The more she knew about the world and the people in it. Emmett had disappeared now, gone to find the others, most likely. It was for the best. The last thing she needed was to be forced to pretend. No, she was not okay, and she hadn't been for quite some time.

With a deep inhale, she pushed the locker door shut, history book in hand for her first class. The hellish shriek and thud mixture of the metal connecting was sharp in her ears, the sound traveling straight to her spine in a rush of tension. Morgan grimaced at the dull ache it left in her temples and started walking to escape the echo. However, it did nothing to block out the barrage of similar sounds as other teens opened and closed their own lockers, put down their things carelessly, spoke loudly and laughed obnoxiously.

Every minute sound was grating at her like nails on a chalkboard, only worsening her previous frustration. All she could hear was the sound of her own blood in her ears, pounding just as furiously, until movement caught her eye at the end of the hall. It was Eric. He waved her down almost timidly. Most likely from her outward appearance, Morgan knew. "Sorry, did you say something?" she asked, before exhaling in an attempt to relieve her stress.

"Uh, yeah, sorry- I just wanted to introduce you to the new girl," he answered her with a smile, nervous on his heels as he gestured to the girl standing beside him.

Morgan blinked. She hadn't even seen her standing there. The girl looked to be Morgan's height with a thin frame, fair skin, and dark chocolate hair that rested just off her shoulders. "Um, hi," Morgan cleared her throat and held out her hand to the girl, rummaging up a polite and somewhat casual smile to pave over the glum of her features. "Welcome to Forks. I'm Morgan."

The girl didn't hesitate to clasp Morgan's hand with her own, awkwardly shaking it. "Thanks. Bella."

Suddenly, it clicked. She clicked. "Oh, Bella Swan?" Morgan asked, rhetorically, and Bella gave a nod. Though, there was a hint of uncomfortability in Bella's eyes, and Morgan was quick to explain herself, "Sorry—that felt weird. I'm friends with Jacob Black, he told me he was working on your truck."

Bella's shoulders relaxed a little as she exhaled a chuckle, and she bobbed her head casually. "Yeah, that did seem a little weird. It's okay, though. I'm getting used to that," she commented. Morgan knew she must mean Eric. He was a kind and agreeable teenage boy, a bit unique in that way, especially here—but he tended to get ahead of himself when he was excited.

Morgan nodded in understanding. It was almost overwhelming when she first attempted to get her bearings at school. Being in a different grade than all her siblings, she was relatively alone for most of the day, and it was difficult to feel confident enough to branch out. But she still had her siblings if she really needed them. Bella was, to Morgan's knowledge, completely alone. "Well, I'm a sophomore, but if you need a lunch buddy, my friends and I would be happy to have you," Morgan offered.

Eric spoke up then, dramatizing a serious tone, "Don't do it, it's a trap. She just wants another naive soul to brainwash into thinking sea shanties are cool."

"Hey! Just admit you have no vocal range and move on, Yorkie," Morgan pointed a finger at him, sarcastically threatening. "Our cafeteria sing-alongs are fun and you know it."

"Girl, they're embarrassing," he deadpanned at her.

Morgan's jaw fell, brow knitting in disbelief. "You said in the paper that they were 'unique and fun for the whole school'!"

"I was lying!"

It was then that the bell rang. The sound pierced Morgan's ears with a sharp stab to the drum and she winced, muscles jolting gently in a small startle, and her nose wrinkled. "I have to get to class—but fuck you," she pointed again at Eric, holding her finger steady as she walked past him, staring eyes of sarcastic betrayal.

Eric leaned aside on his sneakers to see around the end of the lockers, smiling sickeningly sweet at her back as she moved away from them both. "I love you, too, Morgan!" he called after her in sing-song.

Bella huffed a chuckle, but the interaction left her more than a little confused, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted it explained. Though, she asked anyway. "I'm sorry, did she say 'sing-alongs'?"

"Yeah, she's friends with the band kids—and she's a nerd for the ocean and fish and stuff—so she got them into sea shanties," Eric explained. As he spoke, he urged her to follow him down the hall, and they resumed their original journey to Bella's first class. "Now they randomly start playing one in the cafeteria, and it's kinda become a thing. Don't worry, though, she's not as weird as that sounds."

I wasn't worried, she wanted to reply, but instead settled for a polite chuckle and a small nod.


The table at the back of the cafeteria was empty. She tried not to notice—but how could she ignore it after the weird behavioral shift and less than enjoyable car ride this morning? Exhaling through her nose, she sat back against the plastic of her chair, and tried to focus her attention on the container of tuna salad on the table in front of her. She'd poked at it with her fork in an attempt to gather a bite-full, but her stomach felt disinterested now.

A voice at the base of her skull was sure that she was simply being overdramatic. That there was nothing to scrutinize, to dissect. And she wondered if it was right. Was she truly looking too deeply into it? Was she upset by something that didn't exist? The discourse in her mind was almost nauseating. It started to taint her tongue, souring the taste, and she found herself getting up from her seat. "I'm gonna get water," she said, snagging her plastic water bottle off the table before turning away.

The others in the group didn't seem to think much of it—giving small nods of acknowledgement after a quick glance in her direction, if anything at all—but Liz's eyes lifted from her phone and stayed risen, eyeing Morgan's back as it drifted away, to the water fountain on the other side of the salad bar. Her brow raised, but her lips remained in a relaxed line. It was odd behavior she took mental note of. After all, Morgan's bottle was still more than halfway full.

It was unusual for her to get up from the table much at all during lunch, but for something as unnecessary as filling her water bottle? Liz made another note, this time to ask her about it when they got a moment alone. There was no sense questioning her while with the group—they would only impede Liz's ability to get honest answers to her questions. Though, Morgan didn't think anyone had really noticed her behavior today.

Still, she tried to force her shoulders to relax, filling up at the water fountain. Once the bottle was full once more, she twisted the lid on securely, and turned to walk back to the table. Movement caught her eye then, tugging her head to the left to look. Emmett and Rosalie were passing along the windows, just outside, and Jasper accompanied Alice only a few strides behind them. Finally, Morgan thought, refraining from rolling her eyes.

Emmett opened the door to the cafeteria and Rosalie entered, but she wasn't alone for long. He was swift in relinquishing his hold on the door and joining her side once again on their way to the empty table by the back wall. Rosalie's smile was hard to miss even from the salad bar. Morgan leaned against it as she eyed them entering, looking for any sign her suspicions might be true. However, unlike Morgan, the vampire siblings were rather expert liars.

They knew just how to shift public perception with perfectly timed facial expressions, gestures, and posture. Every action had an explanation that made almost too much sense. It was dizzying trying to keep up with it all—and that was precisely the goal. So, the Cullens entered in pairs, jovial and unbothered on their way to their table. Jasper looked stiff coming in. Though, he usually did. It brought a pang of sympathy to Morgan's chest every time.

It was when Jasper and Alice walked by that movement caused Morgan to blink, repositioning her gaze to the table just before their path, and there she was. Jessica Stanley. Her mouth was moving as her eyes flickered a bit, clearing attempting to hide whatever it was she was saying as she leaned toward Bella in the chair next to her. Something ugly shoved itself into her throat, and Morgan's nostrils flared. High school gossip was to be expected.

Morgan had heard and seen plenty of it herself before and, usually, it was a laughable comment she could easily overlook. Sometimes, she and her siblings would even chuckle about it later. However, today was already off to a less than desirable start and Jessica was the perfect excuse to realign the chaos in her gut. Morgan rounded the salad bar and walked to their table. The only people sitting at it were Angela, Jessica, and Bella respectively.

Though it was a bit odd for their company to be so small, the thought didn't cross her mind for more than a blink. Jessica was mid-sentence, the words rolling out of her mouth too quickly to stop even if she'd seen Morgan coming sooner, "-is Alice, and she's really weird-"

As Morgan's weight fell into the chair at Bella's left, the bottom of her water bottle connecting with the tabletop, the water-filled container bumped the table enough to rattle the other girls' trays. It resulted in a group startle, Bella lurching slightly to the right as her head snapped in Morgan's direction, and Jessica's eyes filled with realization. Yet Morgan forced her lips up into a patronizingly casual smile, as though she were oblivious—but wanted them to know exactly what she'd heard.

"Hey, guys," she announced herself. Her eyes remained primarily on Jessica, who squirmed ever so slightly in her seat, but flickered left or right to maintain innocence. "So, what are we gossiping about today?"

Yes, it was direct. Though, Morgan's tone was sickeningly upbeat, scrunching her shoulders up in a gesture at the word gossiping as she folded her arms atop the table. It was something out of a movie, the way they subtly stammered for a response, and it felt all too fulfilling to watch. "We were just debating on what the feature should be. For the paper," Bella was a saving grace, speaking up in the shocked silence the others left behind.

Morgan leaned back in her seat, instead folding her arms over her chest as she looked to Bella beside her, "Oh, cool—what are the options?"

"Teen drinking, eating disorders, and…speedo padding," Bella recounted.

"You'd probably have more fun with the rest of the Brady bunch, huh?" Jessica spoke up then, drawing both Morgan's and Bella's eyes. Jessica scrunched up her nose as she bobbed her head slightly in a gesture, her own attempt at being patronizing. "Don't you need to go put some lotion on or something?"

Bella was visibly confused, glancing between them both. Angela's eyes were wide now, though her head was down, and she inwardly grimaced at the insinuated venom in Jessica's response. Morgan simply smiled. She could feel eyes on her, burning holes into her skin through the fabric of her sweater, and she knew they belonged to her siblings across the cafeteria. No doubt, Edward was most likely filling them in on what she was about to say as they listened intently to the inflammatory conversation. Even still, she didn't stop.

"Don't worry, Jessy, we all know it still stings that Edward rejected you—twice. It must really suck, not getting what you want. I know you're not used to that," then, she stood as she swiped a hand out, grabbing her water bottle off the table. Morgan smiled down at Bella before looking at the rest of the table, "I've gotta hit up my locker before class, but it was great catching up with you."

Jessica simply stared, blinking incredulously as Morgan turned her back to the table. When they couldn't see her, the corners of her mouth curved downward into a mild scowl, any faux positivity drained from her features almost instantaneously. Her feet carried her back to her table where she packed up her uneaten lunch, shoving the plastic container into her insulated lunch bag, before excusing herself from the cafeteria entirely.

As she pushed through the doors, the familiar chime of her cell phone sounded and her left pants pocket vibrated. She was hesitant to look. Being graded on her performance by her siblings was not something she could digest properly. But, what if it was one of her parents? Or something important? Morgan sighed heavily as she begrudgingly dug a hand into her pocket. There was one new text message. Though, it was the dip her stomach took when her eyes landed on the contact's name that gently dizzied her. Jacob.

J: Are you as bored as I am?

A corner of her mouth threatened to curve upward.

M: To tears. Got any ideas?

J: How do you feel about ditching?

Morgan paused at her locker. If she was being honest, she could admit that ditching school was quite the terrifying endeavor to think about. After all, she'd never done it—what would happen if she got caught? What would her parents say when she got home? But, then again, they might be planning on relocating her soon anyway. What would it actually hurt if she missed the rest of the day of school? Alice would make sure she has her homework and stays up to date. She always did.

M: Where are we ditching to?

J: I know a place, you're gonna love it.
M:
How do you know that?
J:
Because I know you.

Morgan exhaled. Her eyes lifted from her phone only to look both ways, scanning the hall for signs of her siblings. It was clear. And if anyone else asked, she could simply lie and say she'd forgotten something in her car.

M: Okay, let's do it. Where are you?

J: Come outside.

The text sent her heart into her ears with a small jolt of adrenaline and the corners of her mouth pulled wide. She pulled her bag from her locker and shoved the door closed before turning on her heels, walking quickly but discreetly toward the parking lot exit. When she made it to the door, she didn't hesitate to push through, and at the top of the stairs she could see them—Jacob and Quil sitting in the station wagon at the edge of the lot.

Jacob hung out of the passenger window from his shoulders, arms hanging along the door as he waited in anticipation. When he spotted her, each arm gave a wave to playfully flag her down, and small chuckles bubbled up through Morgan's throat. She took the stairs quickly—partly out of fear. It wouldn't be long before one of her siblings came to find her, to reprimand for confronting Jessica, and she would be dragged back into the building like a dog on a leash.

Just the thought of it heated the blood pulsing through her veins, heart pumping a little faster than it should already. All day, every day, she was simply doing as told. Whatever they wanted, whatever they thought was best, whatever they needed. There was no room for discussion because every decision was already decided. This was something she could decide for herself. And it was terrifying and liberating and heartbreaking all at once.

"If I had said no-" Morgan began, approaching the vehicle. "-you'd just be out all the gas you wasted driving all the way over here."

Jacob gave a sarcastically boastful huff as he pulled his arms back through the window. "Don't flatter yourself, Em—we were buying parts."

"In the middle of a school day?"

Morgan tilted her head in an expression, pausing briefly as she pulled open the back door, and Quil made a sound from the driver's seat. "Almost had that one," he commented. Jacob gave Quil's shoulder a shove and Morgan rolled her eyes despite the smile still remaining. She slid onto the backseat and pulled the car door closed, and it was then she noticed the extra face in the seat next to hers.

"Hey," Morgan introduced herself somewhat timidly, unprepared. "I'm Morgan."

He was leaned toward his door just a little, demeanor twice as timid, and he carefully lifted a hand to give a single wave. The boy looked about the same age as Jacob, but his hair was quite a bit longer and slightly thinner. It was like a curtain, a safety net, and he peered around it at her like she might actually bite him. Though, Morgan didn't blame him. "Embry," he replied, quietly.

"Are you guys coming on this adventure, too?" Morgan asked, looking between the seats at Quil as she pulled her seat belt across her torso.

Quil began driving from the parking lot as he responded. "We're just the chauffeurs today," he shook his head. Then, he glanced up at Morgan in the rear view mirror. "You've seriously never ditched? Ever?"

"Why does that surprise you?" she asked, raising a brow.

"You have one of the richest families in the area. Rich people do whatever they want."

Jacob sighed heavily, but Morgan spoke up before he could reprimand Quil for the insinuation. "Do most rich people make their kids get jobs to pay their own way? I'm putting myself through art classes," she countered him lightheartedly, rhetorically. "My dad says it builds character."

Despite the easy-going atmosphere inside the vehicle, Morgan couldn't help but glance over her shoulder as they left the parking lot. They had to know. How could they not? Alice would see she'd gone, she would tell the others, and they would probably call Carlisle to ask what to do. Wait and see would be the answer. As long as she wasn't in danger, why should they risk making a scene? It wouldn't be enough for Edward. Knowing that only drove Morgan to want to leave all the more.

It felt a bit like running away. Her skin was jittering with the implications and she looked closely at the shadow of every tree they drove past on their way out of town. But that was the sad part, wasn't it? Looking over your shoulder everywhere you go was supposed to be a bad thing. Now, it was simply second nature. Instinct. They arrived at a pull-out off the highway, a small parking space for a trailhead. Morgan glanced down at her sneakers and cringed.

"If you told me we were hiking somewhere, I would've tried to find better shoes," she quipped dryly. Jacob huffed a chuckle and pushed his door open, climbed out and shoved it closed, before coming to open Morgan's door next.

"Don't worry, it's an easy walk," he told her, and offered a hand. "It'll be worth it."

Morgan screwed up her lips in a sarcastic expression and took his outstretched hand, easing her way out of the car onto the gravel of the parking space. He moved back a half step to account for her proximity, but standing brought them close enough to notice. Morgan shuffled away rather quickly, dropping his hand without hesitation, though she gave a small smile. A gentle acknowledgement. Jacob returned the smile as he shut the door and it suddenly clicked.

They were going to whatever place Jacob was convinced she would adore, and they were going there alone. The adrenaline and terror from ditching school swiftly twisted into warm anxiety that was almost nauseating. It was like a cold rush of water down her back that took its time, only paced as quickly as gravity would allow, and she found herself fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I'll text you when we need a ride," Jacob said, leaning on the passenger side door's window sill.

Quil quipped, "You know, real drivers get paid to be on call."

"Like you have anything else to do."

"I could!"

Jacob tilted his head through the window in an expression and Quil put the car in drive with a sigh. "Thanks, man," Jacob pushed off the car to step away.

"Yeah, yeah," Quil waved a hand dismissively before pulling away from the parking area.

Morgan stood rigid, one hand on her bag strap and the other in a pocket in an attempt to seem at ease, but she tugged a hand free to wave at the back of the station wagon as it rejoined the highway. When she turned her head to look at Jacob, he was already taking steps backward toward the trailhead entrance, a boyish grin on his face. "You ready?" he asked.

She chuckled, but nodded. "As ready as I can be for this mystery destination."

"Come on, surprises are fun," he playfully defended.

Jacob waited by the start of the trail as she caught up, walking a half step faster as not to lag behind. "Can you give me a hint?" she tried, scrunching her nose in a hopeful expression, but he shook his head.

He turned to walk ahead of her, leading the way. "It's wet. But that's all you're getting out of me, so don't even bother trying."

"Okay, but you know I'm going to try."

"You could tell me about your day instead?"

Morgan exhaled a heavy breath. "I don't really wanna think about it."

"Whoa. That bad, huh?" Jacob made a face over his shoulder, the epitome of a visual 'yikes'. "I mean, you don't have to talk about it if you really don't want to—but maybe you wanna vent about it? If there's one thing I'm good at, it's listening."

Yeah, you are. You've done nothing but listen to me. The problem is that no one else does. Morgan wanted to put a voice to the thoughts coursing through her mind, but she thought better of it. It would be difficult to talk about her frustrations without the key details that made them frustrating. Though, perhaps she could blur the truth just enough that it still might make sense? No. No matter how much she wanted to—needed to—she couldn't do that to him. Not him.

"Thanks, Jake. I really do appreciate the offer, I just…wanna enjoy the scenery, you know? Airing out my issues will make that impossible," she tried to sound as casual as possible, but her voice fluctuated with the uneven ground.

The path lead into the woods, curving at the edge of the coastline before inclining over the hill, and the dirt was soft and slick with fresh rain. Though the trees overhead provided cover, it wasn't enough to stop the rainfall completely. They were careful to watch their footing on the incline. Once at the top, the ground flattened out and the foliage seemed to become more dense. Then, she could hear it—the sound of rushing water touched the shell of her ear like the crash of thunder.

Her eyebrows quirked up in intrigue instinctually. It was different from the echo of the ocean that gently reverberated through the trees. Jacob spared a glance over his shoulder as the sound reached his ears, and vindication soared through him. He knew he had her attention now and her excitement was warming. There was a confident part of him that was adamant from the beginning that she would love this.

Though, it was all too easy to doubt. To second-guess. What if he was completely wrong and this just wasted her time? But she was smiling, eager eyes looking closely through glass lenses for any sign of their destination approaching, and it was the purest relief. Even still, anxiousness lingered as the trail shifted, cutting through the side of a hill—and he knew it was close. The unmistakable roar was far too loud for it not to be. Trees were closer together, clustered along the right side before opening up completely to an expansive view.

Below, dirt and rock were carved out like a large tunnel to the pool of water filling the basin at the bottom as water leapt over the edge of the rocks from the river not too far above it. A waterfall. It appeared to glisten even in the shadow of the overcast sky, the spray drifting up and away in the wind like a fine mist. Morgan's jaw fell slack. "Oh my god," a mixture of surprise and awe escaped her throat in an airy chuckle as she stepped close to the edge of the trail. "It's beautiful."

It couldn't have been more than ten or fifteen feet from the trail to the surface of the water, but it appeared much higher from above. Jacob stuffed his hands into the pockets on his jacket as he came to stand beside her, a proud smirk lingering on his lips. "Told you it'd be worth it," he said, smug.

Though, her eyes were far too focused on the water below to notice. On the way it shimmered and swirled, bubbled and tossed about from the river to the basin. It flowed to the right, and her gaze followed the direction—right to the open space between the coastal hills. Even from here she could see it lead out to the ocean. Absent-mindedly, her shoulders fell, yet she couldn't bring herself to look anywhere else.

It almost felt like it was looking back at her. She could feel its eyes in the salty air that clung to her exposed skin and it felt cold. But the temperature wasn't gentle like a cold wind, it was the harsh and stale cold that escaped an ice box. It traveled down her spine in a rush that gave her the urge to swallow and she could feel the sensation reach the base of her skull, branching out into the depth of her mind like tendrils. There was no comprehension of fear or uncomfortability—no, instead, the intrusion felt oddly familiar.

The cold was almost like the tranquility of the basement pool in the way it hugged her from behind her shoulders, wrapping its tendril arms around her as a loved one would. And she could feel it all. The weight of each and every lie built up like a cinder block wall atop her shoulders that burned the muscles, the sharp twist to her gut Edward tightened with his own two hands, and the utter emptiness of longing in her chest. Longing for comfort. For anything better than this.

"Em? Hey, are you okay? We can go back if-"

Jacob's voice caused her to blink hard, sending droplets of warmth over her cheekbones, and the cold receded as quickly as it had let itself in. Morgan chuckled, making a show while she lifted a hand to swipe at her cheeks as though it were funny—the reason why she was crying—in an attempt to be dismissive of herself. "Wow…didn't mean to do that," she sniffled, but chuckled a bit more. I've never done that.

As she forced herself to exhale despite the tremble of her lungs, Jacob's head tilted as he leaned forward to better see around the wall of blonde hair and swiping hands—and his features knitted with concern. "Morgan," he said her name gently but pointedly. "You can tell me anything."

In her delirium, she laughed. Oh, how she wished she could tell him how ridiculous that sounded, knowing all that she knew. Though, the humor was only a quick pinch compared to the hurt that followed, and she covered her face with her hands to hide the small surge of tears that forced their way from her eyes, glasses propped up on her knuckles. The truth burned at the back of her throat like some kind of virus and she knew there was no cure, the thought adding itself on top of her pile of misery.

Jacob didn't hesitate—his arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her against him unreservedly, personal space and insinuation damned. This was more important than any teenage crush anxiety. She was more important. He could hear her struggling to keep it in, to stay quiet and unbothered, and it left an ache in his chest. "Hey, shh, it's okay," his embrace tightened ever so slightly as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"Nothing is okay, Jake," Morgan mumbled. She let her hands fall, but only to grip at the fabric of his jacket, desperate for something to feel grounding enough to gather herself again. "Everyone shuts me out, I feel like I'm just waiting for the rug to get pulled out from under me again, and my brother hates me—they say he doesn't, but I can feel it, and I just…I feel so fucking selfish for even complaining."

"That's not selfish. If your brother is being a dick, no amount of family wealth is gonna make it not hurt."

She sniffled. "You don't understand…they've done so much for me. All of them. And I love them so much, but I still feel suffocated. Sometimes it's like I'm a part of the family and then they all start pulling away from me and it's like I'm a stranger in my own house."

"Have you talked to your parents about it, told them how you feel?" Jacob asked, though he had a strong hunch he already knew the answer. Of course she would've told them. He'd seen how close they all appeared, but her mother was especially doting. It would be hard to believe she couldn't share just about anything with her. Whether she would find the answers she needed from that conversation was a different discussion.

It was then that Morgan pulled away. Her head hung, eyes downcast and tired looking as she sniffled once more and again wiped at her cheeks, adjusting her glasses, but she angled herself slightly away in an attempt to feel less seen. Jacob let her go, though he was more than willing to do it all again. "Sort of," she replied, after a quiet beat. "Things have always been complicated with all of us. God, I don't even know why I'm so emotional today. Edward's bullshit is just getting to me, I guess."

Jacob's eyebrows raised briefly in an expression, before his features settled knowingly. "Ah. So the dick brother is Edward, then?"

Morgan's eyes lifted in a quizzical pause. Though, the humor in the expression and irony in how obvious it had apparently been was enough to unfreeze her, pulling an airy huff of a chuckle from her throat. "That obvious?" her voice was rhetorical, tired in her sadness. She shook her head at the irony.

"Well, it wasn't hard to guess," Jacob shrugged, hands slipping into his jacket pockets. "I saw him skulking around during the Christmas party. He just looks like a total douche. No offense."

"None taken."

She held back a scoff, the hurt and sadness tainted with a drop of anger. Of course he'd been watching. How could he keep himself away? Odds were, at any given moment, one of them was watching. It would stand to reason that she was simply used to it now and, therefore, didn't notice it at the Christmas party. Though, it did make her suspicious of the trees as her eyes swept over them to the left and to the right.

To seem unsuspecting, Morgan turned to step closer to the trail's grassy edge with a heavy sigh—and her chest burned. Lies, on lies, on lies. Lying to Jacob didn't feel like any normal wrongdoing. It felt like a kind of unforgivable sin. The punishment was an insatiable guilt that gnawed at her gut as though it were an apple, carving its way right to her core, until there was nothing else left. It was at the halfway point now—she could feel it—and the idea of simply jumping off the edge was looking better by the second.

So, instead, she sat. The grass was damp but it most likely wouldn't stain her jeans, and she had no real care either way anyway. This was just a distraction, keeping her mind off of the inevitable. "I kinda wanna stay as long as possible," she admitted, her legs dangling from her perch. "Call me a psycho—but I want to piss them off. What the hell, you know?"

Jacob raised a brow, but grinned as he stepped toward her at the edge. "This isn't your 'rebellious teenager' phase, is it?"

He lowered himself to sit to her left, legs over the edge, and he pressed his palms to the grass at either side of his seat. Morgan shrugged her shoulders up, holding them there as her face contorted into a humorously faux expression of cluelessness. "Maybe it is? Maybe it isn't? We'll see if this has the desired effect. As it is, they're not gonna be happy I'm out here with you," she replied.

"Me, specifically?" Jacob was smirking now, all but thrusting a fist in the air in triumph, and Morgan's lips dug into her cheeks as the bones dusted rose.

"A boy," she clarified, to still the slosh in her stomach. "You're a boy, aren't you?"

Anxious chuckles bubbled up from her throat as his smile was unwavering, undefeated by the attempt to walk it back. In a way, it was an achievement—though, it was derived from choosing to see it positively. Did they not want her hanging out with him because they knew she had feelings for him? The possibility was exhilarating. "It kinda sounds like I'm a bad boy now," he teased.

"Well, you better hope they get fucking pissed, because I'm taking that status back if they don't."

He laughed then, shaking his head at the sarcasm in her voice as he looked away, toward the waterfall. Her under eyes were puffy and her cheeks stained, but Morgan was smiling again. And, more than that, she genuinely felt better enough to notice. It wasn't from the prison break, the venting, or the therapeutic cry session—it was him. He radiated comfort and she wagered it would be near impossible not to feel safe, valued, heard.

She leaned left then, tilting her head to rest it on the shoulder of his jacket. The foreign weight pulled his eyes back to the right, but only enough to see out of his peripheral—he didn't dare look directly at her. It would be like looking into the sun, he knew, and there was no recovery from that kind of blinding light. Though, a sparkle caught his attention, a single reflection of sunlight on a silver chain as it hung from her neck, tucked beneath her jacket. The corner of his mouth curved up as his stomach dropped, and he exhaled.