Chapter four. Fresh. Claire Young.
Ever since my birthday, Quil and I had been inseparable. Now that I was in on the secret I felt more included. To think, that they really were out there, it fascinated me.
I always knew, deep down, that there was more to Quil and I, but I never thought it would follow through, or for that matter, that Quil truly felt the same way.
What worried me, was this whole no aging business. Quil had not aged at all for almost fourteen years. He would, eventually of course, when he chose to stop morphing. Like Sam had when Emily grew older. And Jared had for Kim. Quil had explained this to me, and how he had only been waiting for me.
Jacob, Quil, Leah, Seth and Paul were the only ones who still morphed. Leah had never imprinted and neither had Seth. Paul was in a process of waiting for his girl, as she was only five at this point in time. And Jacob, refused to stop.
It was the first day of the Summer holidays, there was a slight breeze drifting through my wide open window, that hit me every so often as I sat cross legged on my bed reading Dragons Sphere. The sun was out and glowing, proud, over La Push. I had the house to myself for the day, so I sat in deathly silence.
After an hour or so of reading I set the book down, sighing loudly.
"Finally!" The gruff voice said, exasperated. Startled by the unexpected company, my head shot up, only to see Quil, sitting on my window sill. A wide grin spread across his bronzed face.
"How long have you been here?!" I cried, shocked that I hadn't heard him.
"Awhile." Quil said, taking two long strides over to where I sat. He took my chin in his thumb and finger, pulling my face up, and he planted a kiss onto my lips. Warmth radiated from him, as Quil sat next to me on the bed. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap.
"So.." I said, biting back my tingling lower lip "Whats on the agenda today?"
Quil was silent for all of two seconds "Well, I was wondering, my sweet, swee..."
"What do you want?" I interrupted, knowing this was going somewhere. He chuckled.
"You know me too well." Quil murmured, dropping a light kiss on my head.
"That I do, now, spill. Out with it, Quil."
"Well, Leah.. Is a little... difficult? at the moment, and well.." He shot me a pleading glance.
"..and you'd like me to talk to her?" I suggested.
"Oh, Claire! You're great!" Quil almost yelled into my ear, he kissed me hard "Take her out shopping or something!"
I sighed again. Leah Clearwater was great and everything. But she really wasn't good to hangout with when she was moping. She drove the rest of the 'morphers' nuts with her constant, depressing thoughts on the runs the gang had.
"I'll make it up to you, Claire, Promise!" Quil said noticing my glare in his direction.
"I'm sure." I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Along with all the other times you have to make it up to me."
Quil thought for a minute. "How about.." He started, pulling me to my feet, winding his big arms around my waist "I take you out tomorrow night, to a movie and dinner?"
It had been awhile since me and Quil had gone out, since before we became an item, to be exact. I agreed to this proposition and Quil left soon after. The boys were going out for a run in peace while I took care of Leah.
I skipped down the staircase and grabbed the phone off the hook. I found my phone book and punched in the number for the Clearwater's. Leah answered on the sixth ring as I was about to hand up.
"Hello, Leah speaking.." She said, putting on her happy voice.
"Leah, its Claire, you can drop the act."
"Oh, hey Claire." Leah said, this time with a little less enthusiasm.
"Gee, thanks." I said chuckling. She snorted over the phone.
"Whats up?" Leah asked, I could hear a smile in her voice, maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
"I was wondering, if you wanted to do something today." I gushed, sounding as excited as possible to try amp Leah up.
"Like what?"
"Oh, um, I don't knooow.." I twirled a lock of hair around my finger. "How about some shopping? and lunch?"
"Kay! That sounds nice, I need some new clothes anyway. I'll swing by and pick you up in an hour?"
I looked t the clock on the oven. It read eleven am.
"Thats great, See you then!"
I hung up.
* * *
Quil Ateara
We tore through the scrub and bush. I could hear the twigs, on the damp forest floor, break and snap as each of my four paws hit the earth beneath them.
The clouds above us poured with rain, soaking my fur so that it stuck to me. Our heads were silent, enjoying the peace at last.
Jake was in lead, I was getting a full view of his huge wolf butt in my face and his hind legs kicking up at me were forcing me to fall back into step with Seth, who's tongue had lolled out and he was taking deep staggering breaths.
"Jeez, why didn't someone think of this earlier, its great!" Seth thought as his paws pounded the ground. I heard a rumble erupt from Jake's chest as he agreed.
"Yeah, It'd be better if you shut up though." Paul snarled from beside Jacob. Seth took a snap at his tail, playfully, but even Seth, the youngest of the pack, should know that this was a bad idea. Paul reeled back, and Seth, me and Jake all skidded to a halt.
"Take it easy, Paul, he didn't mean nuthin' by it.." I warned.
"Boy needs to learn his place." Paul snapped, bearing his teeth and growling.
"Don't be a baby, Paul." Jake moaned, "Lets just make the most of this." and he started off again. Paul howled, long and loud, then took one last ripping snap at Seth before he took off running.
I followed, as did Seth and I could just hear him think...
"Whats up his arse?"
"Shut it, idiot." I retorted, not wanting to start another row, but Paul carried on.
The wind rushed through me as we dodged through the trees. I was moving so fast I couldn't even see the green moss covering most of the floor under my feet.
Seth howled, the boy had been waiting for a run, for god knows how long, without his sister nagging in his head.
"Cool it, big shot." Paul growled.
"I'm just... so.... Happy!" Seth almost squealed in my mind.
I barked with laughter, and Seth did a wee skip in between steps, stopping though, when he started to fall behind.
Thats when I caught it. That burning, sickly sweet smell, tearing at the lining in my nostrils.
"Oh, crap!" Jake groaned. It was silent till I caught up to him. He sat, perched, looking over the edge of a cliff face. Jake was stiff and ridged. I sauntered over to his side, leaning over the edge to get a good look. Three of the filthy leeches were circling a small black bear. Their scent was strong, like acid.
Seth hurtled to a stop, skidding, and almost going straight over the edge. But instead he caused small rocks and bits of rubble to fly over the cliff. One of the bloodsuckers looked up, annoyed, by the disturbance.
"Way to go.. Seth." I moaned.
"Sorry."
It as silent, nothing was happening, they just stared. The bear had run for it. All the Leeches attention was on us.
Then, Jake let loose.
"Bella, Bella, please god, don't let it be Bella!" An image of Bella Swan swam into my mind, my stomach rolled, as I realized what this would do to Jake. What this would do to everyone.
There were two males and one female. The female had long, loose curls of auburn hair, she was frail and skinny. One of the males was fair haired, the other, bulkier, one was dark.
All of them, though, had the same pale skin, the same golden eyes. The same disgusting stench.
One of the males snarled viciously, but stopped abruptly, his mouth dropping open in shock.
Jacob drew in a sharp breath.
* * *
Claire Young
Leah beeped the horn of her ochre Cortina impatiently. I stepped outside, into the now drizzling rain, and sprinted to the front passenger seat. I wrenched open the car door and it groaned in protest. Leah turned down the girly, bouncy music that screeched out of the speakers, as I slammed the door, shaking out my hair.
"Where to?" Leah asked, flicking on her indicator.
"I was thinking, Port Angeles?" I suggested "But wherever suits is fine.."
"Port Angeles sounds perfect!" Leah said, with a little much enthusiasm than necessary. We sat in silence for awhile, I didn't know why Quil had suggested that I talk to Leah. Seeing as we had one; nothing in common and two; I was probably the worst person alive to go to when it came to girl problems. I had never really many, boys had never been a big deal and I rarely got selfconcious about my appearance.
But, something told me that this could be a little more serious. As I sat thinking of a way to press her into talking, Leah opened her mouth.
Quil put you up to this didn't he, Claire?" She asked, her full lips pressed into a hard line.
"Well, I would have anyway." I rambled, the words coming out too fast for there own good. "I've needed to go shopping for ages!"
I glanced at Leah quickly, thinking I'd covered myself pretty well, but then, Leah did something I'd never seen her do.
She started crying.
"Oh, Jeez," I was bad with criers, it made me uncomfortable, but I hated to see Leah like this, "pull over, Leah, com'on honey."
She obeyed, sliding into an empty park just outside of Port Angeles.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned over, wrapping my arms around Leah's slight shoulders. We sat in that awkward position for awhile. Until Leah's heaving sobs turned to silent tears. I sat back, still facing her, and she pulled out a tissue form a box that sat lodged in with the gearstick, then blew her nose loudly and wiped her eyes.
"Want to talk, Leah? I asked gently, putting my hand on her leg and giving it a tight squeeze.
Her forehead creased slightly, and Leah's eyebrows drew together.
"Yes.." She admitted, "but, I'm famished, lets go get food. Then I'd really like to talk."
I wrenched my seatbelt back on and clicked it into place. Leah pulled out into the bust traffic leading into Port Angeles, turning up the sickly sweet music I despised, and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel in time to the beat. She drove into the first food place she saw, cheap and greasy, Mc Donalds. The golden arches were like a haven to the almost drooling Leah, so it was quick, she sped into the empty drive through.
"Whadya want?" She demanded.
"Whatever you're having."
Leah gave me a cheeky grin, flashing her white, straight teeth at me. "Kay." I was so shocked by her sudden mood swing that I didn't even listen to the order she spoke into the little speaker box.
When we went to pick up the food, there were four bags of takeaways and two extra large chocolate milkshakes. Leah laughed at me as I looked into the two bags she chucked at me and gasped. There had to be enough food in here to feed a family for a week.
"That'll be twenty seven dollars, Miss." The gawky boy at the counter window said, flashing Leah what was meant to be, I suppose, a charming smile.
We took the food into a near by park and both sat on the table top of a picnic bench. Leah grabbed a handful of French fries and stuffed them into her mouth, she then continued to un-wrap a Big Mac and chomp her way through half of the burger, while, I nibbled on the bun of an extra cheese burger.
"Ready to talk yet?" I asked, my patience wearing slightly thin.
Leah stared into the distance for awhile, before she answered.
"Claire.. I've imprinted.." She sighed, taking another bite of the Big Mac.
"Really?!" I cried, beaming at Leah, "Thats great! Isn't it?"
She sighed again. "Yes, and no.."
My face must have given away how confused I was, as she began to explain.
"I think, It might be harder for me, because I am the only girl in the pack, and what man would want a werewolf as a girlfriend, let alone a soul mate!"
"But imprinting isn't like that, he will love you no matter what! You're made for each other, you are soul mates!"
Leah thought for awhile, playing with a loose thread on her white wash jeans.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Claire.." Leah sighed again, shaking her head miserably, "I still have feelings for Sam, I always will! I didn't want to Imprint!" She began to sob again, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders again and rested my chin on top of her head.
"Once, you truly feel for the imprinted, you will realise no one else matters, just you... them... and the moment.." I said, surprised by how true the words I talked were, "You didn't answer my question, though."
Leah went quiet, staring at me with wide eyes. I held my breath, waiting for her answer.
"You... you remember Jared and Kim? right?" She said in a hoarse voice, wiping her running nose on the sleeve of her shirt.
"Yes, of course." It had been awhile since I last saw the now happily married couple, they now had twin boys that would be the age of three almost. After Kim reached the age of twenty, Jared stopped the change and the two of them left the reservation and settled down in a small town around two hours away from Forks.
"Well, I went for a visit the other day, to see how they were going.. and it just so happened that Kim's brother was down.." I snapped, the light bulb flashing above my head.
"Oh, jeez! Kim's brother?!" I exclaimed, covering my gaping mouth with my hands.
Leah looked away. "Not exactly.." I gave her a puzzled look and she explained, "Joel, has two sons. One is fifthteen... the other... Flin... is ten."
I felt my mouth drop open to a wider state, which sent Leah into a fresh flood of tears.
"Ten.." I breathed, then began to try and calm Leah down. I suppose, it wasn't such a big deal. She was being very over dramatic, seeing as she wasn't the only one to imprint on a child; Paul, Quil and Embry had as well. Paul was still waiting for Samantha to be of age. Quil had imprinted on me when I was only three, and Embry and Jaime were still on their honeymoon.
So, I didn't quite understand why it would be so much more devastating for Leah to imprint on someone of a younger age, though, it was probably best not to question her reasons. Leah tended to fly into absolutely foul tempers.
As I comforted her, I pondered on ways to murder Quil, for making me go through with this, depressing task.