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Inspirational Song: Lighthouse – First Time

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We walked in silence down the road. A light mist of rain had started the closer we got to the house.

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat, trying not to think of the rain as a bad omen.

Finally, Jake broke the silence, "You know, his imprint is really strong."

"Great." I whispered sarcastically to myself. If the silence was awkward, this conversation was even more so.

"No, not like that. It's strong in the fact that it is so selfless." Jake said, digging his hands into his short's pockets, "It's stronger than Sam's, Jared's, and Quil's."

I looked to him, waiting for him to explain.

"See, Brady doesn't care who you are with, he trusts your judgement. He just wants you to be happy, Bella. Happy and safe. And we all want that for you, but that is his only goal in life. He thinks of it as his job now." Jake said making me blush as he came to stop in front of a small two-story house, "Well, here we are."

My eyes looked over the structure. The house was a very soft beige with a dark brown trim and a wraparound porch to match. There were a few rose bushes in front, large red and white flowers blooming upon them.

I took in a shaky breath and started towards the brown door, expecting Jake to follow.

My hand froze just as I was about to knock, and it took a few tries before I actually could knock.

"Jacob—" I turned around and saw no one, "Jacob?" At first, I was worried, but then my eyes narrowed as it dawned on me, "Why that little sneaky—"

"Um...hello?"

I jumped at the voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." A woman with a soft face smiled at me. Her long black hair flowed around her like rippling water to her waste, while her hazel eyes gazed at me in curiously, "Can I help you?"

I opened my mouth but then quickly closed it. Biting down on my lower lip, I looked over my shoulder once more to see if Jacob was anywhere around.

"Are you lost?" The woman asked, her eyebrows knitted together in worry.

I looked up to her gentle eyes and smiled, "I…I'm actually here—here to see Brady."

"Oh," She looked away as if confused by what I had said, but a second later her eyes returned to me with a new brightness in them, "Well, come on in then. Any friend of Brady's is always welcomed!" She stepped aside and nodded for me to come in. I gave a closed mouth smile and stepped inside.

"I'm Ella, Brady's Mom." The woman smiled brightly at me as she offered her hand.

I took it and gave a quick shake, "I'm Bella, Bella Swan."

"Oh, Charlie's daughter." Ella smiled in recognition, "Well, Bella, it's nice to meet you. Would you like something to drink?"

I shook my head, "No...no thank you, I'm alright."

The smile didn't once leave her face, "Alright, well, make yourself at home. I'll go get Brady." She walked up the stairs that were next to the door and disappeared from sight.

Nervously, I started to look around the room. It was sort of like a living room. The walls were a light aqua and the floor was a dark wood.

An old beat up red-velvet couch sat in the middle of the room; a hand-crafted coffee table rested atop some kind of animal skin rug with magazines scattered all across it. A TV with rabbit ears sat against the wall in front of the couch while a large window just above it made a nature TV of sorts.

A desk was against the far wall, with a floor to ceiling bookshelf next to it. A door was next to the case, but it was closed.

Next, there was a small cut out in the wall beside the front door with a fish tank, full of pet store goldfish and trinkets, fitted into it. The doorway next to the cut out revealed a small kitchen, where you could see the other side of the tank.

"Bella?"

I jumped as if I had just been caught stealing.

"I'm guessing you get scared easily?" Ella smiled as she walked over to the coat rack and pulled on her jacket, I blushed a vibrant red, "Brady will be down in a minute, I'm heading out to do some grocery shopping. I hope to see you again soon, Bella."

I gave another smile and nodded as she waved before walking out the door, closing it behind her.

Now my nerves grew even worse.

This was it. I would meet the wolf from last night that had imprinted on me.

Before I had a chance to black out, I sat down in the middle of the couch and took a few deep breaths.

"Are you alright?"

For the third time I jumped at a voice. This house must have something against me.

My hand settled over my heart as I closed my eyes.

"Sorry-sorry-sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" A young, but very tall, boy rushed over.

I didn't key into one part of him, I was just simply mesmerized by all of him.

From the rich, unique copper tone of his skin to the amber-brown of his eyes. He had to be at least a foot taller than me, and his simple tan cut off shorts and black shirt seemed to be something he was going to outgrow soon.

His face had the soft features of his mother's and her smile rested upon his lips as well.

Brady tilted his head a bit to the left as he looked at me. He reached his long arm up and ran a hand through his tousled raven-black hair, his bangs moving back and forth as his head did.

I snapped my mouth shut once I realized it had fallen open. Quickly I turned away, a blush already starting to warm my face. Curse my pale features.

"Would...would you like to sit down?" Brady said, acting a whole lot calmer then I was.

I nodded and retook my place on the couch, moving over so that there was enough room for Brady's lengthy frame.

"I-I'm Bella." I said, fidgeting with my hands instead of looking at the boy next to me.

I saw a smile light up his face from the corner of my eye. So, he was a smiler like his mom.

"I know." He said in a sweet tone. I could feel his eyes on me, watching me, studying me.

Finally, I plucked up enough courage to look at him. My breath caught as his eyes met mine. The connection was just as strong as last night.

My courage faltered and I looked away, searching the floor as if it would tell me what to say next, "I...I met your mom...she...she is really...well, really nice." I smiled at the floor, thankful that his mom had been so nice to me.

"She likes you." Brady said, relaxing against the couch.

I nodded, not sure what to say.

"Can—can I ask you something?" I breathed a sigh of relief as Brady spoke.

I looked up to Brady, whose beautiful copper skin was tinted a slight red, and nodded.

"What is your favorite color?" Brady asked in all seriousness. I looked to him, a slight grin pulling at my lips.

"Brown." I said, studying him for a reaction.

He gave a slight nod.

I turned my head slightly as my grin turned into a real smile, "Why do you ask?"

Brady just shrugged, turning to the TV which was off, "I'm just curious what you like and what you don't."

I nodded and turned to look at the TV as well. Was that normal for a guy to want to know? It was a nice change up if nothing else. All I'd ever been asked when with a guy was either if I wanted to go out with them or what was on my mind. That last one being Edward, of course.

"Well, what is yours?" I said, staring at the black screen. I smiled as my muscles relaxed a bit and I leaned back into the couch.

"Green, like the forest." He replied instantly.

I gave another nod.

"What is your favorite book?" He asked, turning to look at me. An honest curiosity in his eyes.

"Wuthering Heights, yours?" I countered.

"Lord of the Flies."

I turned to him, my eyebrows up in surprise, "Why?"

He turned to me with a playful smile, "Well, why do you like Wuthering Heights?"

"Touché." I said with a smile. So far, so good. I was relaxing and he was, well, I don't really know how he was taking it.

I sighed, might as well just get it out and over with, "So...how are we...well...how are we..."

"Going to deal with the imprint?" Brady said, giving a soft smile. Him being so relaxed was making me relaxed, and for that I was extremely grateful. I smiled, playing with the sleeve of my brown jacket. Jake was right, the imprinter knew exactly what the imprint needed and wanted.

Brady sighed, moving his feet onto the coffee table, "Well, can we be friends?"

I looked to him, confusion etching across my face. Was that all he really wanted? To be friends?

Wasn't the whole point of this imprint thing to...well...for that?

I blushed and turned away, Edward's over the top chivalry was getting to me. I was perfectly alright with respect and boundaries, but not even being able to say the word...even in my thoughts...was a bit too much.

"Friends?" I tried it out, looking down at the floor as I thought it over. I pursed my lips, that could work. Was it possible for an imprint and her imprinter to be just friends? Maybe it was.

I smiled. That might just work then, it would put Edward at easy, Jacob at ease, and I could be friends with Brady so he wouldn't go crazy. Jake had told me that wolves could get so depressed that all they would want to do is die if they were rejected by their imprint or if she were to die.

I bit down on my lower lip as I looked to the boy next to me, whose eyes were looking out the window now.

I didn't want that to happen to Brady.

Friends. I liked that idea. I could always use another friend, and, plus, his mom seemed to like me already. I'm sure the rest of his family would as well.

This might just work.

Brady looked at me with confused eyes, like I was reading too much into something. Well, maybe I was.

I nodded, giving a smile, "Friends then."

Silence overtook us, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable.

But knowing that the silence wasn't uncomfortable was making me uncomfortable because I shouldn't be this comfortable with a complete stranger.

I especially shouldn't be this comfortable with a stranger who just asked to be my friend because of an imprint that was meant for...mating…reasons.

I shouldn't be comfortable. Yet I was.

And that was making me uncomfortable.

I stood up so abruptly I scared myself, "I should get going. Jake might...might get worried."

Brady, who had just been looking at me from where he sat, stood up with a small smile, "Alright."

He started to walk me to the door without another word, but there was still an air of happiness around him.

Brady pulled open the door but lifted his hand up, asking me to wait, "They, well the pack, is holding a bonfire tonight, would you like to come?"

I looked into the depths of his amber-brown eyes; the honesty that seeped through them made my heart melt. He was like me; he just didn't want to be alone anymore.

My breath caught so all I could do was nod.

The smile lit up his face, "Great! It starts at seven, which is pretty late but it's a Saturday and, well, it's summer and all…Oh! Jake said you already graduated so never mind...yeah, it's at the beach. The one by the water. Oh, you probably knew that…well, Jake can either pick you up or I can, or you can drive yourself. Then one of us can take you back. Or you can drive yourself home if you drive yourself down. And it's not a date, it's just friends hanging out...well, the other imprints, Emily and Kim, will be there but it's not a date, it's more of a get together. So, it's not a date, just friends getting together…"

It was the first time I'd gotten to see a hint of his nerves, and I was relieved to find I wasn't alone. I had started to laugh as he continued to ramble. Without thinking I placed a hand on his forearm which silenced him immediately.

"It's alright, Brady, I'll be there." I smiled. Edward was still away hunting in Montana or Idaho, so it's not like I had anything else to do. And, even if he was here, I think I might have wanted to go anyways. Things had been sort of strange since Volterra.

I shook my head and looked up to Brady, whose eyes lingered on my hand on his arm.

I looked down at my hand and quickly pulled it back, "Sorry...just, sorry."

Brady shook his head, breaking himself from the trance, and let his mother's smile appear once more, "It's cool. So, is the bracelet something all of your friends get to add too?"

I looked down at the small diamond heart and the carved wolf. I gave a closed-mouth smile as I spun it around my wrist, "I guess you could say that."

"Well, I hope someday you will let me add something to it then." Brady's innocent eyes shone as he looked at me. In that moment, he sincerely looked like the young thirteen-year-old that he was.

I smiled and gave a nod, "Someday...so, tonight?"

Brady nodded, his whole frame filling the doorway as I walked out, "Tonight."

I stood with my hands in my jacket's pockets for a few seconds before nodding and moving to the stairs, pulling my hood up over my long hair as I stepped down them.

"Bella?"

I stopped and turned back around.

Brady just smiled, "Thanks for stopping by."

I nodded, "Yeah, maybe next time you could come over to my house."

His face lit up, which made me smile even more. I liked making him smile.

And with that I turned and walked back to Jake's, feeling like, for the first time, I had done something right. Sincerely right.

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