BROKEN

I own nothing. Except Mikayla, the plot, and the title.

A/N: This is just something I sort of threw together one night when I was thinking about stuff from a very Jacob-y perspective. In this story, Jacob does not go to school on the rez. He goes to the high school that Bella went to. Enjoy.

It was happening again. I couldn't bear another heartbreak like the one Bella once caused me. Bella still has her Edward, but who do I have? No one, because he took her off to college with him. She actually agreed to go, and I couldn't even bring myself to leave my house for such a long time. Stupid Sam finally got me to leave, but I wasn't happy about it. I had resumed my activities for about a month and was just starting to accept my life when I met her…

I forced my feet to follow the path I took every day to school, then the route to my locker, my homeroom, my classes, the cafeteria. Everything here was normal. My new normal. I ignored Quil and Embry, acted like I didn't know anyone. I pretended, like I know Bella must have that long time ago, that I thought I was acting the same as I always had. I knew everyone saw right through me. Everyone knew how I felt, and most of them knew why. I saw it too, in their eyes, every time they looked at me. School was a different place, now, the same building though my eyes had forgotten it.

It was a Monday when I sat down heavily in math and took out my things, prepared, as usual, and first to class. I expected a long span of time to pass before anyone else arrived, even the teacher, so I let my eyelids cover my eyes, what they constantly longed to do.

"Excuse me?"

My eyes fluttered open and I glanced up wearily. Who would be talking to me? I thought everyone knew that I would ignore them. But I didn't recognize this girl. She had black hair and green eyes, and she was dressed simply. Jeans and a grey-blue t-shirt with the word WHY displayed on the front.

"Jacob," I announced, letting my eyes close again.

"Uhhh… okay. I'm Mikayla," the girl told me, extending her hand. I just ignored it, like everything else in my life. "I'm new," she pressed.

"Then you would do well to go try and become friends with someone a little more willing," I griped.

"And why aren't you willing to befriend anyone?"

I sighed. "Why are you?"

"I'm friendly? I don't want to end up early for all my classes and sitting alone like –"

"Like me. But I've chosen to be the person I am."

"Why?"

"Would you quit asking questions?"

"No. I've heard about you. You're Jacob Black?"

I grunted my assent, curiosity beginning to take shape. I had a reputation?

"I heard you didn't used to be like this. I've heard you don't talk to anyone unless they talk to you first," she began.

"As you've proved," I muttered, my eyes still closed. I couldn't look at her. Her hair reminded me of Bella's.

"Well, uh, I suppose. But I was curious, and when I was told you were in my math class…" Her voice trailed off, and she gazed thoughtfully at me. I could feel it, so I forced myself to swing my head around and open my eyes. She wanted me to look at her, and I knew it.

"Curious about?" I had to force the words. I did not want to speak to this new girl. I could tell that she was seeking friendship, and I worried that I might give it to her. I couldn't get close to anyone, not again. She would have to look elsewhere; I would make her. I frowned when I saw that her face brightened when I looked at her.

"What made you so sad," Mikayla replied, a crease forming then between her eyebrows, a slight frown playing her lips.

"A lot," I replied gruffly. "And it's personal. And I pretend I think I'm pretending that I'm fine. But I know I'm not, and I don't really care all that much, to be perfectly honest with you, and I'm not a liar. So if you would kindly find a seat – far from me – I'll just get back to my thoughts and you can become friends with whomever you sit near. And we'll never speak to one another again."

"I don't think I want that. I think I want to be friends with you, and I think I want to sit near you."

"I think you shouldn't."

"I think I need to. Someone needs to."

Her words were spoken with such finality, as she dropped into the seat across from me, that I could no longer argue. She was right, I needed someone. Maybe that someone could be her.

Over the next few days, I spoke with Mikayla about nothing of importance. She never questioned my sadness again, and I certainly never brought it up. I saw her every now and then in the hallways, but she was always with someone I wanted to ignore, so I never spoke with her outside of math class. I never once wondered what the others in my math class thought of my sudden friendship with Mikayla, but I'm sure they were stunned. Soon, I found myself looking forward to math, simply because that was the only time I had with her.

That Friday, when math was my last class of the day, I found myself watching for her at the door of the classroom.

"Hey Jake," she said brightly, smiling and taking her seat, across from me as usual. I was surprised at her use of my nickname. I noted that Bella was the last person to have called me that.

"Hi," I replied, much later than I knew I should have.

"Something wrong?" Mikayla asked. I frowned. I was getting dangerously close to her if she could tell so quickly by my delayed response that something was troubling me.

"No," I replied smoothly. I was shocked at how easily I could lie to her when I didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't want friends again. Ever.

She looked at me suspiciously but let the subject drop.

By the end of the class, I had put all thoughts of ignoring Mikayla from my mind. I had already spoken with her too much; I couldn't stop now. As soon as the bell rang, I rose in synchrony with Mikayla.

"In a hurry?" she asked, grinning.

"I just don't like this place. Makes me feel… too much, you know?"

Mikayla nodded, smiling sadly at me. "Jake, there's nothing wrong with admitting your feelings, especially to yourself," she cautioned me, sliding the chair under the table.

"I know," I replied as we headed to the door. When we reached the end of the hall, she turned to leave the building. "You don't need to go to your locker?" I asked.

"No; I've got everything I need," she replied, somewhat elusively, in my opinion.

"Oh. Wanna come to my locker, then?"

"I can't."

"Oh, now who's in a hurry?" I teased.

"I, uh, I do have to go, Jacob," Mikayla muttered. "My boyfriend's waiting to drive me home."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Yeah; he's in college, but we're neighbors and I've known him for a long time. He got back today, and we're going to hang out for pretty much the whole weekend. I'll talk to you on Monday, though, okay?"

"Sure sure," I muttered.

She waved, and as I watched her retreating back, my heart was flooded with agony and I was overcome by double my old sadness. In a matter of days, I had done what I never wanted to do - I had gotten close to her - only to find out that she would break my heart as well.

A/N: Well, there you have it. Let me know if you think I should extend it, otherwise it's just going to be a sort of cliff-hanger oneshot thing.