B is for Ball
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters nor do I profit from these stories. It'd be sweet if I did. LOL.
Ball (n): a round or roundish body or mass as a spherical or ovoid body used in a game or sport.
Leah sits on the steps outside of school waiting on her brother, to pick her up and walk her home. She sits with her knees knocked together, an old metal Strawberry Shortcake lunch pail in her lap and a faded old Hello Kitty umbrella over her. The heavier rains have let up and she hums a tune to keep herself occupied until Seth's arrival. Occasionally, she sticks her hand out from underneath her umbrella to feel the cool droplets hit her hand, staining her skin, making it seem darker than its usual olive-colored complexion.
Her ears perk up as she hears a rhythmic beat coming towards her. The sound makes her heart beat faster, her stomach flutter and breathing shallow. She's grateful that she has her umbrella over her to hide her excitement at the person coming along with the beating. Biting down on her bottom lip she tries to force back the blush that she feels creeping across her face; it tickles her nose and that causes her to scrunch it up. The sound seems to echo off the wall of the old building and her heart begins to beat along with it. Sometimes the beat is slow, steady and constant and other times it picks up a fast-pace tempo.
"Leah," Seth calls out and she looks up to see her brother waving at her. Standing next to him is her brother's best friend, Jacob Black. Leah feels her heart swell with admiration and excitement over seeing Jacob, standing next to her brother, looking at her with that huge contagious smile upon his face while spinning his basketball on his index finger.
In her excitement, Leah jumps up from the step and her lunch pail tumbles to the ground. The metal on concrete makes a loud noise and falls open. Embarrassment overwhelms Leah as she hears Seth groaning under his breath and she quickly dives down to snatch up the spinning orange and stuff her colored pencils back in.
"Here, I'll help you." Leah looks up, her cheeks flushed and eyes filled with unshed tears as Jacob smiles at her and helps her gather her belongings. She gives a soft and bashful 'thanks' and watches under the veil of her hair as Jacob's smile never falls and deposits her pencils back in her pail before offering his hand to help her up.
She walks home in between Seth and Jacob not saying a word while, secretly, stealing glances at Jacob along the way. She can't help but think how pretty Jacob is with his long, silky black hair that is tied up in a ponytail today. How bright, white and healthy his teeth look and how beautiful his skin is. She wishes her skin was a warm russet like his instead of the light olive-color. Neither boy talks to her but just being there; walking with them is enough for her.
The walk is over all too soon as home is now before them and Seth says good bye to Jacob with a quick wave. Leah finds herself torn between rushing inside the house, to run upstairs to her room to watch Jacob walk away or just stand there hoping that he'll remember she's there and will acknowledge her presence.
"Yea, see ya, Seth." Jacob says with a short nod and turns to smile down at Leah.
"See ya, Cutie." Jacob says with a wink and walks off dribbling the basketball.
Taking a deep breath Leah turns and runs up the driveway, passing Seth and practically knocks the door off the hinges. There is no greeting to her father as she bolts up the stairs, into her room, shutting the door and begins to squeal and giggle, fanning her hands as if her fingernails were wet. The blush and the tingling sensation sticks with her for the rest of the afternoon, all through dinner, in the bath that night and even into the next day.
He called me 'Cutie'.
In Leah's eyes the three years that separate her and Jacob don't seem so daunting when her own parents are separated by six. The highlight of her school day is walking home with Jacob Black and when he tells her good bye with the same pet name, 'Cutie'.
"Quit calling her that." Seth grumbles one day as he hangs outside to talk to Jacob a little bit longer after telling Leah to go inside and get started on her homework.
"What? You mean, Cutie?" Jacob asks and Leah can feel Jacob's eyes on her back as she slowly walks up the driveway. "No way, that's what she is." Leah doesn't get to hear the rest as a truck speeds by and drowns out the next part of the conversation and then Seth rushes her inside. She's filled with a sense of smugness as Jacob continues to calls her, 'Cutie', no matter who is around.
Jacob loves to play basketball and made varsity his sophomore year in tribal school. Leah is surprised that he has no dreams or aspirations of going 'pro', at least that's what Daddy is always saying whenever Jacob isn't around. He does hope to get a scholarship and then go on to college. He's always impressed by her drawings and asks her to show him her sketches. Bashfully she declines saying, 'they aren't that good' all the while loving the attention that he showers upon her one day as the two of them walk home after school, Seth had detention.
Her first year in high school fills her with excitement as it means seeing Jacob more during the day. She feels like she's in heaven when she learns that they have art together. He sits right next to her where he leans over and whispers jokes in her ear during videos, he'll smear paint on her forearm or cheek and when she is just sketching intensely he'll reach over and gently tuck a stray hair behind her ear.
Everything seems perfect until one day she's walking down the hall heading back from the bathroom, her arms wrapped around her stomach trying, vainly, to ease the cramps in her stomach. Hearing a few girls giggle she rolls her eyes and continues on back towards Geometry. Rounding the corner she freezes as she sees Jacob kissing some girl as a few of the other upper classmen hang out in the hallway. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she presses forward because there is no other way back to her class and walks pass Jacob. She ignores the greeting Paul gives her as he looks up from his own kissing partner.
The rest of the day is nothing but a dark, heavy cloud of anger, frustration and sadness. As the final bell rings, she stuffs her books into her bag and begins the walk home from school. The pouring rain doesn't bother her and it at least hides the tears that she's not even sure are falling and cools her heated skin. Once home she takes a shower and climbs under her blanket letting sleep take her, but not before cursing to herself for being so stupid to think that a guy like Jacob Black would ever be interested in her – she was just some little kid.
She's rudely awaken by a heavy banging but she fights the awakening world until she hears a loud, demanding and booming voice calling her name. Grudgingly she opens her eyes and sees Seth standing in her room; there is a deep frown on his face, brow furrowed but there's some other kind of emotion in his eyes – worry, fear, relief? The cramps and her mood make it impossible for her to discern or even feign interest.
"Leah, where the hell have you been?" Seth asks kneeling down beside Leah's bed and forcing her to sit up. "Lee, answer me." Seth demands shaking her a little as Leah doesn't answer and instead sits, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"I came home." Leah answers coldly before lying back down and pulling her blanket up to her chin.
Under the curtain of her black hair she can see her father and Jacob both standing in the hallway looking in at her. With a huge yawn she buries her face into her pillow and lets fatigue drown out the noises of their conversation.
She no longer waits for her brother or his best friend to walk home with after school. Her mother has explained it that 'she's only exerting her independence. She doesn't want to always be around her big brother and besides you'll be going away soon'. She's no longer receptive to Jacob's playful antics during art class and always keeps her hair in a tight ponytail not giving him any reason to touch her hair. They still talk but she's more formal with him as the blushing and giggles are gone, and more nonchalant – she can hide her crush or maybe it's been crushed?
She berates herself one day as she's standing outside in her backyard dribbling a basketball. The sound still excites or calms her and she hates herself for letting such a childish crush go on for so long. She's made the girls' basketball team. She only tried out so that she'd have a reason to stay behind on the same days that Jacob does. All the years of watching him, imitating him and trying to impress him have paid off – athletically, only.
"Hey," She freezes as she hears his voice cutting through the heavy silence that seems to have fallen all around her. Looking back at him she gives the same 'hey' response back before turning back around to the hoop.
She expects him to go inside in search of her brother, she's tired of coming up with excuses to avoid him when she's at home. There's no need to go to the store, the library, a friend's house and a walk doesn't interest her either. The screen door opens and closes signaling that someone has gone in, preferably, or come out. Not hearing any further noise she looks up and shoots the ball towards the hoop and lets a curse slip past her lips as it only hits the backboard – hard.
"You need to relax – you're shooting too hard." Looking back over her shoulder she fixes him with a deep frown before sighing and dribbling the ball while trying to calm down. After all, he does know what he's talking about.
Jacob stands to the side watching her shoot a couple of free throws and his eyes widen as she even makes some threes. It must be different – odd, even – being on the sideline watching someone else play with a basketball. Even at fifteen Leah is already 5'7" and this added height makes doing a lay-up seem easy – that and the backboard is only seven feet off the ground.
"Seth was really worried about you that day." Jacob says finally touching the ball and breaking the silence between them.
"That was weeks ago and, yea, I already know. He told me." Leah says with a huff putting her hands on her hips. "He looked all over the rez for me; never once thinking to check at home." She adds as Jacob passes the ball to her.
"You're always where you're supposed to be." Jacob says watching Leah make another free throw that misses.
"I'm not some little girl anymore. I can walk home perfectly fine on my own without my brother – or his friend." The last part is mumbled so low that Jacob doesn't hear it but it doesn't change the worried frown on his face.
"We didn't know where you were – if you'd been kidnapped, picked up by some random guy or worst lying somewhere hurt." Jacob says retrieving the stray ball and tucking it under his arm. Leah stands frozen, her brows furrowing listening to Jacob talk about the day their relationship changed.
"I checked the gym, the library, the art room and even had some sophomore check the girls' bathroom. I went into the girls' locker room and didn't find you. No one around knew where you were or when you left." Jacob's eyes darken thinking back on that day. "As time went by I started to panic because you hadn't been to the store, you weren't at the beach, the rec center, the cliffs or…or," Jacob trails off and looks up at Leah, their eyes locking and there's sadness in them that immediately makes Leah feel guilty. Seth had only mentioned that he was looking and nothing about Jacob.
"Leah, are you mad at me?" Jacob asks walking forward and closing the huge gap in between them.
"Why would I be mad at you?" Leah asks looking away with a frown trying to put up the front she's had for the last two weeks.
Truth is why should she be mad at him? He was her brother's best friend, an older guy who would, of course, be more interested in a girl more his own age. Letting out a sigh, she reaches out and lightly strokes his hand, ignoring the electricity that she always feels whenever they touch – it's probably in her head or one-sided anyway – and offers him up a reassuring smile.
"I've just been in a foul mood, that's all. Wanna play one-on-one?" Leah asks and feels her own smile widen when Jacob nods his head.
The two start a game of one-on-one that soon has the backyard filled with their laughter, trash-talking and the dribbling of a ball. Jacob uses his height and size to his advantage easily bowling Leah over while she uses her speed and agility to slip by him. During his showboating Jacob attempts a one-handed Hail Mary shot that completely misses the hoop and sails over the garage.
"Great, you lost my ball." Leah grumbles shoving Jacob roughly as he stands with a sheepish smile.
"Yea, sorry about that," He chuckles lightly. "Bet I beat you back there to get it." Jacob challenges and the two exchange quick glances before they take off running as fast as they can. They shove and push one another, laughing along the way. With one final shove, Leah is able to knock Jacob past the ball and snatch it up into her arms quickly, hugging it tightly.
Leah's head swims with delirious joy as Jacob reaches around her trying to get back the ball. Her laughter only increases as Jacob picks her up, twirling her around and her squeals and peals of laughter is carried off in the rush of wind. Slowly she comes down from her high as Jacob holds her close and she realizes how close they are pressed to one another.
"It was my first kiss," Jacob states out of the blue cutting her dying laughter short.
"Paul, Kim and the others were – well, teasing me because I had never kissed a girl. It wound up being a dare."
"Why are you telling me this?" Leah asks looking back at him.
"Because – because I know you saw," Jacob says his voice sounding serious and somber. "As soon as Paul said your name I looked up and before I could stop you, you were already in your class." Jacob lets out a heavy sigh releasing Leah from his hold.
Leah leans up against the back of the garage, the ball resting against her stomach being hugged tightly. She only raises an eyebrow as Jacob's hand gently strokes her arm before his body falls forward, his shoulder resting against the wall behind her and his chest seeming to shield half of her body.
"I'm sorry," He breathes out, his breath fanning Leah's hair. "For not thinking, for being weak. The fact that you saw had already made me feel guilty and it only worsened when I couldn't find you." Jacob continues on leaning down closer to Leah.
"I'm sorry that I hurt you, Cutie."
In surprise at an apology that seems so unnecessary Leah looks up to tell Jacob that she should be the one apologizing when she's silenced by his lips. The kiss is soft, sweet and that same electricity that she feels whenever they touch is still on her lips. Closing her eyes, she leans into the kiss and feels her chest swell like it always did whenever he was around.
"That is what I've been waiting for." Jacob breathes out after they part. Leah looks up at Jacob and is relieved to see that he is breathing as heavily as she is after the kiss; almost as if his heart is ready jump out of his chest. "Don't be mad at me anymore, please?" Jacob asks placing a light chaste kiss on Leah's lips.
Leah never gets to answer as her mother calls out her name to come in for lunch. Biting down on her bottom lip she tries to fight back the blush that is blooming across her face as Jacob takes her hand and walks her back around the garage. Her heart begins to pick up as she hears the all too familiar beating of a basketball as Jacob dribbles. Looking up at him, she smiles warmly as he winks down at her before leaning in, kissing her forehead and calling her 'my Cutie'.
A/N: Well here goes 'Ball'. Meant to post this up sooner but something kept coming up and couldn't get it out. I'd catch you all up to date about what's been going on but I'm tired and Family Guy is on. You all know what to do and thanks for the reviews.