I do not own the Twilight Saga.
Embry sent me home after a couple of minutes of questioning me.
He even let me keep the key chain, as long as I promised to forget everything I heard. That was an easy promise to make...
He told me to be back at the store at ten the next morning, promising that Paul wouldn't be there.
So, I went home, the wolf still clutched in my hand. For some weird reason, it gave me comfort. In a weird sort of way.
The second I walked in the door, I set my alarm clock for eight thirty and left a reminder for myself that I had work.
I smiled. I had a job.
"Mom?" I walked down the hall and knocked on the door. She didn't answer.
I sighed and turned the door knob. It didn't open. Since when could her door lock?
I jiggled the knob some more, praying that it was just suck or something. No such luck.
"Mom!" Nothing. Now I was starting to panic.
There was no keyhole in the door and there was no way I would be able to break it down.
"Kells?" I looked at the front door. Harry had just walked in and he looked worried.
"Harry, did you know this door could lock?" He closed the front door and frowned at me.
"Well yeah, I put the lock in. Kells, I okayed this with you before. Is something wrong?" I nodded.
"It's locked and mom won't answer..." I took a step away from the door as Harry came closer.
"Ma?" He frowned when she didn't answer. Then he braced his shoulder against the door preparing to bust in down.
I took a step back.
The door came down after three hits and Harry and I burst into the room.
Mom was on the floor, barely breathing.
"Mom?" I stood by the door helplessly as Harry ran to her side.
"Kelly, call 911. Now." I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the three numbers, hastily telling them the details while trying to keep myself together.
Once I hung up, I joined Harry on the floor.
Together we lifted her onto her bed and started checking her breathing.
"One one thousandth, two one thousandth, three one thou - breath." I continued counting shakily as Harry hovered impatiently behind.
"Well?" He questioned the second I stood up.
"She's breathing." I reassured him. "She's breathing." We seemed to relax a bit as we waited for the ambulance.
I told him about my new job and then about Paul and Embry when he questioned me about the wolf charm I was still holding on to.
"Do I need to beat him up?" I laughed and shook my head.
"No. But thank you Harry." He smiled. The doorbell rang and I ran to answer it.
We brought mom back home at around nine that night.
She had rolled off her bed after passing out from dehydration.
Because of her age, they had to do something different to get the fluids back into her body.
But she was fine.
I woke up extremely groggy the next morning. I knew my alarm had woken me up and then when I read my note to myself, I knew why.
I groaned as I got out of bed.
Harry had already gone to school and if I left, mom would be left alone.
But she insisted I leave, claiming that she would be fine for a couple of hours.
So after leaving mom some breakfast and a jug of water, I left for work.
"Morning Kelly!" I smiled at Embry.
"Morning." He smiled, getting out from behind the counter and handing me an apron.
"I like your necklace." He winked and I blushed. I had turned the wolf key chain into a necklace last night when I had looped it through a silver chain my dad had left...
When I had noticed it this morning in the mirror, I had automatically thought of Paul.
"I forgot to say thanks Embry, for the job." He smiled again.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be back if you need anything." He smiled reassuringly when my eyes widened. "Don't worry, we never get customers." He chuckled before disappearing into the back room.
I took a deep breath, surveying the store.
It was small, but quaint. The store was cute. I think I would enjoy working here.
"Embry?" My head popped up from behind a display of seashells before I could stop myself.
We glared at each other for a long time before he spoke.
"I didn't think you'd come back." I shrugged, glancing at the floor before looking back at him. He winced, his fist clenching.
"It would be wrong for me not to show up to the first day of work." He scoffed, his eyes zeroing in on my necklace.
"Where'd you get that?" He growled and I shrunk back, clutching the charm.
"Embry gave it to me..." He growled again, louder this time.
"He what?" Embry emerged from the back room then.
"You're not supposed to be here." Now Paul was shaking, badly. Embry pulled me behind him, but that only made Paul angrier.
"What are you trying to do? Why are you doing this to me?" Paul's voice shook in anger.
"It's working, isn't it?" Embry whispered. "Besides, if you're not going to protect her, I will. I won't let you hurt her." Paul growled again.
"What makes you think I would care if I hurt her?" My hand dropped from my neck.
"I know you Paul. I know you're just being stupid, so quit acting already." I took a step back and Paul's eyes flashed to mine, detecting my movement.
"Kelly." I didn't answer him.
"Paul, I think you should go." Paul started shaking again as he glared at Embry, advancing towards us.
"You have no right to-" I whimpered and Embry pulled me into his side.
Paul froze and just stared at us.
"Go." Paul turned, and with one last glance at me, left the store.
My hand went up to my neck, tightly clutching onto the wolf chain.
Embry let go of me.
"Are you okay?" I nodded, looking away. "I'm really sorry Kelly. I want to say that he's usually not like this, but..."
"What's an imprint?" Embry's eyes narrowed at me.
"Why?"
"You and Paul were talking about imprints. What's an imprint?" Embry shook his head.
"I can't tell you that." Embry started to walk away and my heart lurched.
"Do you honestly think Paul will?" I called after him, making him stop.
"You never know, he might. One day." Then he disappeared into the back room.
I ended up working a double shift when Paul didn't show up.
And for some stupid reason, when I left a part of me really wanted Paul to show up.
I shook my head at myself. I would probably never see him again.
I opened the front door slowly and was immediately pounced on by Harry.
"Kells! How was work? That's a cool necklace. Is there anyone I get to beat up today?" I laughed at my brother.
There were times like these when I honestly loved being his older sister.
No one could ask for a better brother.
"It was fine Harry. And it's from the shop. Kind of. And no, you cannot beat anyone up." He pouted and I laughed. "Have you had dinner yet?" He nodded.
"Ma made lasagna." I raised an eyebrow at him skeptically.
But when I walked into the kitchen, there she was, warming me a plate of lasagna.
"Mom?" She smiled, handing me the plate.
"Hello Kelly, how was work?" I took the plate from her.
"Fine. How was your day?" For the first time in three years, the three of us actually had a real discussion.
Then as I was finishing my dinner, someone knocked.
"I'll get it." It had started raining at some point, so I guess I should have expected for him to be soaking wet.
What I didn't expect, was for him to be shirtless.
"Paul?" He only stared at me, not saying anything. "What are you doing here? How do you know where I live?"
"I'm..." He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "I'm sorry." Now I stared at him silently.
He sighed again, reaching forward. I leaned back, watching him wearily.
He frowned.
"I won't hurt you." He reached forward again and unclasped my necklace.
I watched him as he unhooked the wolf key chain and pulled another one out if his pocket.
He smiled slightly at me.
"This one is authentic. Made it myself." He hooked the new wolf onto the chain and held it out to me.
I examined the new wolf. It was much more detailed than the other one. Its "fur" was grey, a stark contrast to the old brown one.
"Put it on for me," I whispered. Paul stared at me, not moving.
I pulled my hair to one side, and he reached over slowly to re-clasp the necklace around my neck.
It felt warm where it touched my skin, even though it had been out in the pouring rain.
"Thank you."
He nodded as he started backing away, looking slightly embarrassed.
"See you at work." And then he was gone.
Review ?(:
