Hello everyone! As promised here is the next chapter which starts in New Moon. Thanks for your reviews, favorites and follows. Enjoy! Oh and please leave a review =)

CHAPTER EIGHT

A little after five the next morning I finally fell asleep curled up beside Jacob as Quill and Embry were on Bella's bed. When I finally woke up I yawned and stretched and upon bumping into a warm body next to me I turned and snuggled into whoever it was ready to sleep some more. I was just drifting off again when I heard one of the boards outside of our bedroom creak and immediately my eyes shot open although I stayed still waiting to see what would happen next. I kept my breathing even and calm as I strained my ears to see if the person moved again, I was rewarded with the sound of our bedroom door unlatching.

I smoothly slid out of my bed and onto the floor crouching beside my bed, my right hand grasping the handle of the machete that I had hidden underneath of my bed when the door opened and I saw Charlie. I pushed the machete that I had slid out a little bit back into its hiding spot while standing up and pressing my finger to my lips. He nodded and after glancing at the three still sleeping boys he closed the door and went back downstairs. I sighed in relief before popping out the dvd that was scrolling through the names of the people who had played or in the movie and put it away.

I then checked the time on my laptop and found it to be a little after three in the afternoon. Surprised I checked how long the dvd time was and upon seeing that it was a little over an hour surmised that it must have automatically continued to replay itself until I shut it off. "That explains those funky dreams." I muttered to myself as I rubbed my eyes trying to wake up. Deciding that nothing else really mattered I grabbed my iPod and headphones and tennis shoes before heading downstairs, after greeting Charlie and grabbing an orange and a bottle of water I went outside and started to walk one of the forest trails.

After finishing my orange I put my headphones over my ears and turned on my iPod playing my one playlist that was purely instrumental club music and I began to run holding my water bottle. I found myself following a difficult trail and soon found the reason being that it was a deer trail and not a human one, upon finding that out I was determined to see where it went and pressed on even as my calves began to burn and sweat began to bead my body. I was rewarded when the trail came out in a clearing that had a large waterfall that gathered into a pool that became a stream that ran down the mountain. I walked around the clearing and then went through my normal exercise's and stretching's I was surprised when my iPod suddenly cut off. Immediately I took it out of my shorts pocket and found that the battery was dead.

"How long have I been running?" I asked myself out-loud in amazement before deciding that I should head back home as the boy's could wake up at any time and since I had no way to keep track of time getting back should be a priority. I wrapped my headphones around my iPod and put it into my pocket before turning and starting back down the trail I had followed up. Since I was no longer zoned out with music I took in all the amazing sights around me as I jogged down the mountain, slowing down and speeding up as the terrain varied. Finally I came down to the main trail that I knew was only ten minute walk out from home so I put on the speed and was at the front door with three minutes.

I took my shoes off at the doorway and headed upstairs quietly entering our bedroom I grabbed a pair of cut off grey sweatpants and a white sweater that fell off of my shoulders and had several snowflakes that formed a skull with coal for its eyes and underwear and a bra before slipping out of our bedroom and into the bathroom. Only just remembering to lock the door after I was about to get into the shower, "That could have been bad." I thought snickering at what Charlie would probably do if one of the boy's had walked in on me showering. I hurried through my shower and got dressed, deciding to brush my teeth and making sure to floss and rinse as well.

"You Gemma Renee, are ready for the day!" I declared before a yawn overtook me. "What a long day it's gonna be." I thought. I gathered up my dirty clothes and tossed them in the dirty clothes hamper before deciding to clean up downstairs and maybe make a jello cake as I was suddenly having the craving for one. "So Charlie how did fishing go?" I asked sitting down on the couch as Charlie sat at his desk going over what looked like the bills. Charlie looked up, his face showing his relief at being able to wait to do the bills as he replied, "Pretty good. We caught enough for lunch, Billy made them at his house and I told him that he could have the leftovers as I'm always getting home cooked meals."

I smiled at that, "Speaking of which anything in particular you want for supper tonight?" I asked pulling my knees up to my chin and wrapping my arms around them locking them into place while I looked at Charlie. "Why don't you call and ask Billy? He'll be coming to pick up the boy's so if you don't mind he could stay for supper first." Charlie said after giving it some thought. "That's cool with me." I said giving him a smile, we sat in comfortable silence for a little bit before I finally got up off the couch and left him to do the bills while I began to make a Jello cake. I preheated the oven before calling Billy and asking him about dinner which he was extremely thrilled to hear about.

It took him only a few seconds to decided that he wanted pork chops with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and my home made rolls. I chuckled at how quickly he had answered before agreeing and then asking him if he wanted anything in particular for desert. "Your peach and blueberry cobbler if you don't mind." He replied. I laughed and agreed before saying goodbye and hanging up the house phone and heading into the kitchen. I finished making the Jello cake and put it in the pre-heated oven and set the timer before making some scrambled eggs with hot peppers, chopped tomatoes, crumpled up bits of bacon and potatoes that I had already softened a bit by boiling using stick butter instead of spray or oil.

The guy's came down all together their stomach's announcing their presence and I gave them all a smile as I put down three full plates on the table and motioned for them to dig in. As they ate I began to check the cupboards to make sure that I had everything for supper that night and seeing that we needed more milk I decided to run into town. I asked the guy's if they wanted to join me and Embry agreed but Jacob and Quill decided to stay and play some more Xbox. We left about ten minutes later and headed into the nearest store in town where I picked up some milk and a pack of cigarettes. I didn't even think about it as I bought the pack and milk until we were back in the truck and Embry asked me if I smoked.

"Yeah, it's a bad habit I got introduced to when Bell's and I lived in Arizona. Don't tell Charlie though please?" I asked as we pulled on our seatbelts and I got ready to leave the parking lot. Embry laughed and wiggled his eyebrows, "So she does have a weakness." He said in a nasally tone reminding me of the villain in one of the horror movies we had watched the night before. I snickered and played along speaking in a high pitched valley girl voice, "Only like you my beloved." We laughed and I started to pull out onto the road when I caught sight of Jasper standing at the corner his hands full of grocery bags, Esme was putting some grocery bags into the trunk of a car but Jasper was staring right at me and Embry.

Deciding to ignore him and the whole situation with the Cullen's for now I passed off the pain in my chest for heartburn from eating only an orange and drove home joking with Embry the whole way.

TWO DAYS LATER:

I tossed and turned before giving up on sleeping anymore and grabbed my cell-phone to check the time. After finding out that it was only three twenty seven in the morning I wanted nothing more than to scream into my pillow. However I held it in not wanting to wake Bella up I silently left the room taking my iPod and headphones with me as I headed towards the attic where I was taking out my reasonless anger and pain out. Some of my work surprised me as it had a depth to it that I had never before achieved in a painting however it did little to get rid of the crushing feeling that was pressing down on my chest and threatening to suffocate me with each breath I took.

I lost myself in my painting and it wasn't until I felt a touch on my shoulder that I realized someone else was in the attic with me. I lifted my paintbrush off of the canvas before turning my attention to the person who had touched me and was surprised to see it was Charlie, he normally stayed out of the attic and Bella. They must have read my surprise and confusion on my face because they both gave me a huge smile and held out a nicely wrapped looking package's. Charlie's was a rectangular looking one and Bella's was a smaller square package that matched the first one's wrapping. "Happy Birthday, Gemma." They said in unison.

I was surprised as I had forgotten about my birthday which was the day before Bella's because we had been born two hours apart putting our birth's on separate days. "Dad, Bells, you guys didn't have to get me anything." I said as I set down my paintbrush. "Yeah, because you totally didn't get me anything for my birthday." Bella said with a knowing look causing me to grin and shrug my shoulders. "I love to spoil my baby sister." I said smiling. Bella shook her head as though in exasperation although the smile on her face gave her away.

I opened dad's gift first and was surprised to find a blue and purple lava lamp, "Thanks dad this is awesome!" I said happily giving him a hug which surprised him but he returned it then Bella handed me her gift. "I knew it was for you the moment I saw it." She said, I gave her a curious look before opening the gift to see a group set of earrings that had all the phases of the moon just like my back tattoo. "Bells!" I exclaimed happily before carefully setting them down and then attacking her with a hug which she laughed and returned. Then we all headed downstairs to a breakfast that the two of them had prepared especially for me. Then Charlie had to leave for work so I waved him goodbye from the porch, as soon as he was out of eyesight I went inside and closed the door before heading upstairs to shower and get ready for the day. I plugged my lava lamp in immediately but didn't turn it on as it was suppose to set for a few hours first.

I brushed my teeth, flossed and rinsed before realizing that I had not taken any clothes into the shower with me I just had one of the extra large towels wrapped around me like a wrap mini dress as I walked over to our bedroom and after pulling on my underclothes I decided on what I was going to wear for the day. I chose a deep blue tank-top that matched my eye color and a pair of black leather pants with a silver metal square chain looking belt the buckle looking like a snarling wolf it laid over top of my pants just clinging to my hips as an accessory. I put in the earrings Bella had gotten me and pulled on the set of dog tags that I had gotten from an old lover. He had died for my sake on my birthday five years ago so to honor him and his memory every year I wore his dog-tags, and didn't flirt with anyone. When we had lived in Arizona I went to his grave and sat down and talked to him and as was the Japanese custom I shared some sake which I had to buy special order, with him and when I was done I would put a single white rose on his headstone.

Shaking my head to bring myself out of thoughts of my past I touched his dog-tags softly before running a comb through my hair and grabbed my black leather ankle boots out of my closet before heading downstairs. The combined weight of my past memories and the strange heaviness that had been pressing down on me for days now made it impossible for me to eat more than a few bites of the breakfast that Bella and Charlie had made just for me. Luckily however they didn't notice as Bella would have said something to me after Charlie left if she had. I grabbed a bottle of water and drank it before getting into the cabinet under the sink and grabbing the unopened bottle of vodka I had bought several weeks ago. I poured it into the water bottle and recapped the water bottle before putting it on the counter then I took a swig of the vodka before recapping it and putting it back. I shut the counter and grabbed the water bottle and took it over and stuffed it inside my backpack along with everything else that was shoved in there.

The day went by agonizingly slow until my first class with Jasper and Alice came, I had already drunk my entire bottle of 'water' *cough* vodka *cough* and wasn't getting any relief. I had my head down on our shared desk using my arms as pillows, my hair covering my face from curious looks on either side. I knew the second Jasper entered the classroom, the pressure begin to lift and what I was beginning to believe was an actual second heart began to beat faster than the sluggish one beat per minute that it had been going at. I felt him sit down beside me and tilted my head towards him, my hair parting so my right eye could see him. His dark blue eyes stared into mine and without thinking about it I raised my head so I could see him with both of my eyes. We stared at each other in silence, the pressure on my chest floating away.

The bell ringing signaling that class was about to start pulled me back to reality with a start and I looked down grabbing my Spanish notebook out of my backpack along with a pen. I tried to concentrate on what Mrs. Goff was saying but I was hyper aware of Jasper sitting next to me. I nearly jumped in surprise when I felt a cold hand grasp my right hand as I being ambidextrous was taking notes with my left hand. I turned my head slightly to see what Jasper wanted but was left at a loss for words as he simply laced his hand with mine while looking like he was paying complete attention to Mrs. Goff. When the bell rang Jasper stayed for a minute while Alice left the classroom first and the other kids began to filter out as well. I wanted to ask him what he was doing and so many other things but before I could latch onto a single question he let go of my hand and left the classroom leaving me bewildered.

I didn't see him or any of the other Cullen's for the rest of the day after that which left me confused, slightly happy, and ticked off. I drove us home quicker then I normally would as all of my emotions began to mix together and boil over. I didn't want to take my growing rage out on Bella so after we got home I changed into a pair of sweatpants that I had cut into knee length shorts and a black tank-top and pulled on my tennis shoes along with a pair of ankle length black and green stripped socks. In order to keep time but not wanting to take my cell-phone or iPod I put on the wristwatch that Phil and Renee had sent me for my birthday and I ran. I didn't want to ruin the beauty of the place the deer trail had led me to so I ran the trail that took me to the reservation switching paths just five minutes away from the reservation and taking a trail that lead to the right across the road and up away from any life.

By the time I got home I was breathing hard and covered in sweat the sun almost completely set which had led to me falling several times making my knees and butt dirty as well as twisting my ankle which was now throbbing. I took off my tennis shoes and headed upstairs grabbing a matching pair of silver silk pajama's that covered me from neck to the tip of my toes. I took another shower and afterward wrapped my ankle before pulling on my pajamas and crawling straight into bed. I groaned at the realization that my cell-phone sitting where I had left it downstairs in my backpack, "I should go grab it." Was my last thought before sleep claimed me.