"I would love to pick you up tonight. If you need me sooner than I am here, call me." Sam's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"I don't want to be a burden. Just come and get me whenever you are done with Charlie's -" My words were stopped.
Sam's lips crushed down on mine, possessively controlling the kiss, as if I am the air he needs to breath. I grabbed Sam's hair, pulling him impossibly closer to me. My fingers started to intertwine with his hair, I could be pulling it out, yet I didn't care. This kiss is worth it, I would proudly declare why he has a bald spot. If only to continue this world tilting shift.
"You are my world. Never could you be a burden." Sam growled against my lips.
Chapter 29: Outcasts and Jedi Mind Tricks
As Always Happy Reading
The party was in full spin by the time I convinced myself to leave Sam's embrace. Well, not so much me convincing myself, as Leah pulling me away and into the throng of the festivities.
Now, hours later I had met each important woman to ever step foot into Charlie or Sue's life. The vibes of the guests when meeting me drastically changed depending on which side of the marriage they where associated with. I received a lot of warmish welcomes from Charlie's female relatives. Most had a main concern with me choosing to stay with Charlie after the wedding.
Stating cliches such as 'It gets warmer here in the summer, just wait and see', or 'Charlie has seemed so happy this week, have you thought about staying?'
It made my heart hurt, that these family members that I couldn't pick out of a line up, seemed to be able to picture me staying here. For a fraction of a second, I wished I could go back on my decision. If it wasn't for an instinctual need to protect my mother, I might have.
Sue's family and friends were easier for me to create small talk with. They kept a respectful distance away from living arrangements, and my crazy mom. They seemed to understand the social cues slightly better than Charlie's side. Then again, Charlie had always been the parent to see too much, notice more than he let on. Maybe it was a family trait the Swans had.
My head began to spin, looking at the clock I was three hours in. Just introductions alone, three hours. I felt submerged amongst these familiar strangers, scanning the crowd desperately I tried to find a comfortable presence.
My eyes landed on Rachel, her back to me. I had worried that she would not be feeling good enough to attend the party tonight. She seemed fine as I made my way across the party to her. Holding a smile to my lips like a secret, I tried to weave through the cluster of people without attracting anyones attention. After three hours I would have assumed that Charlies missing daughter would have become old news.
Yet in the eyes of people that, had I grew up here, would have meant something to me, I was anything but old news. During the first few introductions, I had realized that the gathering of people actually cared what I said. I began to stress over my use of language, not wanting to expose anything unintentionally.
In Phoenix, the only people who listened to me that intensely where paid to do so. Often, I would tell half truths to cover up for Renee's shortcomings. These paid people often only had one goal - to cause my life to flip upside down.
I did not want to associate the people at this happy celebration, with the desire to discredit my mothers lack of parenting. Even if she was, admittedly, not an appropriate mother, or one capable of exhibiting actions even close to that of a mother.
The people in this room genuinely cared about me. My heart beat faster as I thought about that. Before this trip, I could count on one hand how many people actually gave a shit about me. The number decreased when I took ulterior motives out of the equation. The school cared about me, because I boosted their average, thus gaining them funding each year. Coach cared about me, because without me, there was no way the team would make nationals this year. Charlie cared about me because he was genetically tied to me, he also didn't know how fucked up I was. If he did, that caring might change.
I side stepped around a lady in a blue dress, she seemed too eager to start a conversation. I kept my eyes on the hallway to the bathroom, hoping that she would notice where I was looking, and assume I was heading to the washroom. I did not want to be considered rude, I just did not want to be considered anything at all.
It made me wish I could return to my street kid ways - jumping from shadow to shadow, jumping the line at the soup kitchen so they didn't write my name in the book. Even if they promised it was confidential, I wanted no physical proof that I was a starving child. No documented proof that I was not being taken care of.
Finally I reached Rachel, and I let out a silent sigh of relief as I stood next to her. I waited as patiently as I could for her to fill up a glass of wine. I needed Rachel right now. Leah had been buzzing around the party like an energy bunny on a heavy dose of steroids. Even now, I spotted her popping from one group to the next. Acting as a perfect host, no wonder she was chosen to be the Chief's mate. Watching her now, it appeared obvious, like she was made for the role.
Rachel turned, bringing the glass of wine to her lips as she watched the crowd. Turning, I held her wrist, stoping the flow of alcohol from reaching her mouth. Was she crazy? She had just found out she was expecting. Not even her brother encouraging her to drink had let her raise liquor to her lips. What the hell was she doing now?
I felt a strange wave of authority wash over my skin. Keeping hold of her wrist I pulled her from the room. Most likely trying and failing to be inconspicuous, not that I cared in this moment. There was no way Rachel was going to drink alcohol in front of me. I had seen the impacts on my mom's friend's children.
It wasn't fair to knowingly allow the behaviour without at least attempting to stop it. I continued to pull her outside, the moment the cold touched my skin I wished I had worn more layers.
Once I felt we were out of earshot I turned to face her. I was ready to unleash a list of very choice words, each word falling off my tongue as I looked into my friends face. Something was off. I had only known Rachel for a short time, yet she looked different tonight.
I tried to mentally picture this Rachel in front of me next to Paul. It felt off. Like this girl that I pulled from the party was not a member of the pack. How could that be? Rachel was as intricately wound to the pack as Leah was. The pack without Rachel would cease to exist the way it currently was. Yet, the Rachel in front of me was definitely not a part of the pack.
Not-Rachel smirked at my obviously confused expression. Shocked, I dropped my hand from her wrist, distracted by studying her face. Same eyes, lips, complexion, I tried to find the similarities to my memory of her. Nose, cheek bones, ears, hair length, all seemed off. She also seemed taller than I remembered Rachel being.
Not-Rachel raised the wine glass to her lips, this time I didn't stop her. Maybe I was going crazy. Maybe I was so exhausted by my decision to leave, and the three hours of introductions, that I had truly lost my mind. Not-Rachel standing in front of me could simply be a projection of my mind.
Looking around, I focused on 5 things I could see - trees, grass, twinkle lights, porch, house. 4 things I could hear - birds, soft music, clinking of glasses, people laughing. 3 things I could smell - grass, perfume, and wet trees. 2 things I could touch - my jeans, and my sweater. 1 thing I knew to be undeniably true - Sam loves me.
Feeling myself becoming more centred, I really looked at the woman standing in front of me. She did look terribly similar to Rachel, yet, held a different essence about her. Whereas Rachel was content and confident, this Not-Rachel seemed to have a mischievous presence, almost like she was here without permission.
"I was hoping to meet the famous Bella Swan tonight. Though after watching you bounce from person to person like a beach ball, I decided to not try to take a whack at you. Had I known you had an aversion to wine, I would have popped the bottle sooner. Truthfully I was waiting for one of the elders to open the wine. Typically, I get judgemental looks when I am the one to open any forms of alcohol. Most of the people in that party remember me from when I was a child, none of them seem remotely ready to accept that I am of the age to drink legally now" Not-Rachel smiled.
"Why would you get judge looks?" I asked without thinking.
"Did my sister not tell you her good news?" Not-Rachel asked.
"Your sister?"
"Yeah, Rachel, my sister. Mated and claimed by the wolf gang." Not Rachel looked around like she was checking if anyone was in earshot.
"Rachel is your sister?" I asked stupidly
"Yes. Jacob is also my brother." Not-Rachel smiled.
I could see it now that Not-Rachel and Jacob shared the same cheekbones. I never realized before this moment how feminine his cheekbones were. I choked on a laugh. Man, I must be tired if thinking about Jacob Black, future Chief with feminine cheekbones, caused a laugh. Without need for reason, Not-Rachel joined me in my uncontrolled, and frankly crazed, laughing.
"I'm sorry. You must think I am crazy. It has, well, it has been a long day" I admitted to her as I wiped tears out of the corner of my eyes. I hadn't laughed so hard I cried in a while. I forgot how manic the action felt.
"I do not think you are crazy. You wouldn't think so either if you met my best friend. Now that girl is crazy" Not-Rachel smiled.
"So if you are not, Rachel, what is your name?" I asked her.
"Rebecca, but you can call me Beck" Beck smiled at me.
"Nice to meet you Beck" I held my hand out to her, she shook mine.
We both stood in the grass not talking for a long moment. Our eyes darted back to the party, neither of us seemed to want to join the throng again.
"So, Beck, what brings you to this party?" I asked, knowing the answer, yet it was the only ice breaker I could think of.
"Truthfully?" Beck asked.
My heart jumped for a moment. I loved secrets. It was a weakness of mine, when someone had a secret I worked hard until I knew the answer.
"Truthfully" I answered.
"Well Bella, I am here without permission. So If my Dad asks-" She paused. "You have never met me before tomorrow"
"Why would Billy ask if I met you before tomorrow?" I asked.
"Um… I am kinda crashing this party. In turn, also the wedding tomorrow. As long as they don't have wolfie guards at each entrance to the Rez tomorrow." Beck chewed her lip nervously.
"Were you not invited?" I couldn't help but ask.
"No. I was personally invited by Sue. Gosh I love Sue, the shit disturber that she is." Beck smirked.
"Then who would stop you from coming to the wedding?"
"My Dad, the Chief" Her voice flattened as she spoke of Billy.
I felt my world tilt as I thought of why Billy wouldn't want his daughter at the wedding. Confusion had me drop the block that I had unintentionally put between my emotions and Sam. In the same moment I felt his decision to come to me. Would Beck be okay if Sam knew she was here? He wasn't Chief, but, did he work under the same orders?
"Why?" I asked slightly panicked.
I felt a loyalty to Beck, being unwanted was something I knew very well. If she was truly unwanted, I had a deep desire to be a person that showed her how much she mattered. I wanted to be for her, the person I needed but never met in Phoenix.
"I stood up for friends that my father viewed as less than human" Beck spoke softly.
Beck had her eyes on the trees. Almost as if she could also sense that Sam was on his way here.
"Well, Miss Swan, this was fun. I will see you tomorrow" Beck smiled downing her wine glass in one quick swallow she started walking around the house.
"Where are you going?" I asked, following her around the side of the house. Tripping slightly over roots that were not illuminated in the darkness of the evening. Beck paused when I took a bigger stumble, holding her hands out she kept me upright.
"I am going to get out of here before my presence becomes a problem." She stated matter-of-factly.
"Why would it be a problem?" I begged her for the answer. Trying to keep pace with her as she took confident strides to the front of the house.
Like on cue a car pulled up to the entrance of the path. Beck seemed to be on a mission to get to the car. A small smiling figure popped their head out of the sunroof.
"What did I ask you to do?" Beck asked the figure.
"Stay off the Rez unless an emergency happened" the figures feminine singsong voice responded to Beck.
"I thought that was a simple direction to follow" Beck sounded only slightly annoyed.
"Well, if I had followed your directions, you would still be walking to this car that was parked a mile down the road. News flash, wolves are faster than human feet." I could hear a justified tone from the figure.
The tone of the figure sounded very sisterly, almost like the figure had been worried about Beck coming to the party. It made me pause my approach. If the figure in the car was worried about wolves, would they make a move to harm me? I was very clearly on team wolf, and I was not sure of what team Beck represented.
"You don't have to worry about me, Bella. I would never hurt you." The figure called out to me.
"Shut up. This is why you scare humans." Beck scolded
"Shit, okay, I fucked up. Random lady following Beck, be not afraid." The figure giggled "Beck, I have been watching too many reruns of Clone Wars, that was straight up Jedi mind tricks" the figure laughed.
"Sit down in the car, and stop talking." Beck scolded. She turned to me, clearly seeing the hesitancy in my eyes "Bella, don't be afraid of me or my lunatic nerd in the car. Just because the council doesn't want to recognize facts, does not mean that she is evil." Beck looked into the forest one last time before climbing into the car.
The figure raised their hand out the sunroof and waved goodbye to me. Until Beck forced their hand back into the car. I stood at the side of the house dumbfounded until warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me protectively into his side.
Authors Note: Finally, a chapter written that didn't feel like it was pulling apart my soul in the process. Please let me know what you think in the comments. If you feel like this is coming at you from left field, there are bread crumbs all over this story. If you have any theories drop them in the reviews. I love hearing from you. As always let me know what you think about the newest chapter.