14) Too Many Secrets
The first full week of school flew by and mine and Embry's little show worked so well that Anthony and Josh don't even look at me anymore. My classes are really easy since we already covered most the stuff in my old school. This was a good thing because I spent most of my time day dreaming about Embry.
We feel into a nice little routine quickly. He would drop me off and pick me up from school everyday. After school him and Jake would hang out at our house, usually stuffing their faces, while Brook and I did our homework. When we were done we would go down to first beach until dinner, enjoying what little warm weather was left. I kept bugging Embry to go cliff diving but he said it wasn't warm enough anymore and I would have to wait til summer. Patience isn't exactly my strong point, but for Embry I was trying.
Anyways I got used to the routine so much that I wasn't expecting the change so soon. It was the end of the day on Monday and I was walking, practically running, out of the school doors to see Embry, only he wasn't there. At first I thought the boys were just late but then I saw Jake sitting in the car waiting. Which was also werid cause he usually waits leaning against the car.
As soon as we got in the car, I noticed why the sudden change. Jake had on old ratty cut-off sweatpants and no shoes or shirt. If it was Embry I wouldn't have been able to tear my eyes away from the statue of muscles but it was Jake. So all I really noticed was the cut on his lower abs. It was more of a scar though, a thin pink line that looked weeks old yet all around it was dry crusted blood.
"Jake what happened to you." Brook jumped out of the heated embrace Jake had her in, obviously she forgot they weren't alone.
"Oh umm there was a little problem at work today. I thought I was going to be late picking you girls up so I didn't bother to clean up." I nodded meekly to him but my mind was else where. There was no way that scar happened today, no one heals that fast, rather there was blood or not it still seemed impossible.
There was a million questions racing through my head, so I asked the most important on. Well, the most important one to me anyways. "Jake, where is Embry?" It was so unlike him not to pick me up and with Jake looking the way he did, I was worried.
Apparently he could hear the fear in my voice. "Don't worry Ash, he is fine. Sam needed him to stay behind and um fix the problem."
"I didn't know Sam worked with you guys. Oh and by the way, do you always work on cars with no shoes or shirt?" The more he tried to explain it the weirder it got.
"Cars, why would I be working on cars today." Just then Brook tried to slyly glare at Jake but I saw it. There was definitely something they were not telling me. "Oh I mean we were working for Sam today."
I was starting to get annoyed with all the secrecy. "Ok and what exactly is it that Sam does that requires you to get hurt and run around in only shorts?"
Him and Brook exchanged glances and just shrugged their shoulders. What the crap, were they really not going to answer me? "He just helps out around La Push whenever he is needed, you know cleaning up unwanted things." Thanks Jake that wasn't the most vague answer ever, grr.
"Fine I'll just ask Embry, he will tell me." Although with the way these two were acting I wasn't so sure he would. I sat back in the seat, crossed my arms and started to pout. Then I heard Jake mumble something that sounded like 'He is gonna kill me.' It's offical this was going to be the longest 5 minute car ride ever.
We got home and I instantly escaped to my room to write, that right there is a sure thing something is bothering me. I sat at my laptop willing my fingers to move but they wouldn't. All that came to my mind were thoughts of my dad.
**
I remember it like it was yesterday, I was 12 and we were at the beach picking up shells like we did every Sunday. We were walking along with our feet in the water when he finally asked me why I was being so quiet.
I wasn't going to tell him but I hated keeping secrets, especially from my dad. "Jackie is keeping a secret from me everyone else at school knows but she won't tell me. When I ask her about it she just acts like she doesn't know what I am talking about. I know she does though, she is always whispering, I thought we were best friends, why won't she tell me?"
My dad was quiet for a long time and he has a sad look in his eyes. At the time I had no idea why something so small would upset him so much. Finally he stopped walking and sat down, burying his feet in the sand and motioned for me to do the same, then he spoke.
"Sweetie I know how frustrating secrets can be but they are not always bad. Sometimes people keep secrets because there is a surprise or they are afraid to tell you. Other times people simply keep secrets because they are trying to protect the people they love and care about. No matter what though, if the secret is something that is bothering you, you have a right to know." He then got a far away look on his face and we just sat there watching the waves until it was time to leave.
**
I was so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't even noticed that someone had entered my room. That was until that person removed my headphones and whisperd, "I missed you baby!" I jumped causing Embry to start laughing.
"That's not funny, you almost gave me a heart attack." I started screeching at him but stopped as soon as I turned around to look at him. My perfect Greek statue carved out of Bronze was standing in front of me with no shirt on. His arms were huge, his chest muscles, so defined, and his chiseled abs were undeniable. My eyes started to wonder down to where his shorts were resting dangerously low on his hips. If I ever wondered what true perfection was there was no doubt in my mind, he was standing in front of me.
Just then a smirk crept across his face, obviously aware of what I was thinking. This brought me back to earth, gosh he can be so cocky sometimes. "Where the hell were you today? With the way Jake looked I was worried sick about you but he wouldn't tell me anything. He just kept rambling cryptic things and was making no sense at all." That quickly wiped the smirk off his face. "Well... I'm waiting."
"Jake already told you, I was helping Sam." Embry actually sounded mad, why though I had no idea.
"Yeah I know that but what were you doing and why are you only wearing shorts? Don't give me bull crap answers either, I want the truth." He was really mad now, pacing back and fourth, refusing to look me in the eye.
"Ash, you don't know what you are asking of me. Fine I can tell you are not going to drop this, Sam is like the head of security of La Push. As you know we don't have our own police force so all the council members got together and talked to the chief of police in Forks. They got permission to start their own form of law enforcement, hence they all agreed on Sam." Something in his eyes told me he wasn't exactly telling the truth but he was trying.
"Embry please, I have been here for almost 3 weeks and not once have I seen or heard of anything that could even be considered a crime. La Push is like the safest place on earth. Besides even if that were true how do you explain the no shirt or shoes?" He stopped pacing then, with his back to me and spoke, trying hard to keep his voice calm.
"There is a lot going on in La Push that on one knows about. The reason they don't know is cause we try our damnedest to protect them. Ashlynn I am not one of the bad guys, why can't you just trust me." Finally he turned around and instantly my anger was washed away when my eyes met his. Embry's eyes were full of far too many emotions for any person to have all at once. From fear to anger to sadness to worry. He was fighting an internal battle and I wasn't sure which emotion was winning, until I saw him start shaking.
Quickly I ran over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Calm down Embry, I believe you! I know you are one of the good guys." For the first time since this whole thing started, I really did. The rational part of me knew that there was more but my heart saw the pain in his eyes and wouldn't push it any farther. "Just promise me you will tell me when you are ready. You can trust me too you know." His shaking instantly stopped as he wrapped his arms around me.
"I promise I will tell you and I do trust you. I trust you with all that I have. You have to promise me something too. Promise me you won't leave when I tell you." Is that what he was worried about? Little did he know that I could never leave him. Besides the secret can't be that bad if Brook knows and still thinks he is perfect for me.
"Embry I promise there is nothing you could tell me that would make me leave you." As soon as I spoke those words out loud I realized the undeniable truth. I was absolutely, with out a doubt, irrationally in love with Embry Call. So without thinking, I let slip my new discovery. "I am in love with you." Oh crap, did I really just say that? I felt my face grow hot, I hardly ever blush.
His eyes grew wide and my first thoughts were, uh-oh I went too far. Before I could say anything though he pressed his lips gently to mine. My heart started beating at an absurd rate as I kissed him back. Resulting in him pulling me closer until our bodies were intertwined as one. From there the kiss turned into one of passion, rough and firm, as we explored all of each others mouth. It was the most amazing feeling I have ever experienced. It was like getting struck by lighting, only I wanted this to happen over and over again. Slowly I let out a soft moan and Embry quickly pulled away panting.
"Wow, that was... amazing! Baby, just in case you didn't get the message, I love you! In fact I have loved you from the moment I first laid my eyes on you. It was you from the start Ashlynn."
In that moment I was absolutely positive that it made no difference what his secret was or when he told me. All the doubts were erased, Embry was my exsistance now. People might call me a love sick teenager but this was way more than that and my heart knew it too.
Quickly I flung myself into his arms as I wrapped mine around his neck and my legs around his waist. I nuzzled my head into his neck and started whispering into his ear. "Oh Embry!" There was so much I wanted to say but the tears welling up in my eyes wouldn't allow it. "I love you more than anything so please don't worry me like that again." I whispered this in between the little kisses I was giving his neck.
He softly pulled my face away so he could stare into my eyes. "I will never purposely do anything to upset you ever again." I easily picked up on his choice of words but I was too ecstatic to care. "Now we better head into the kitchen. Your Aunt told Jake and Brook they had to wait for us to eat dinner." I just nodded my head as he made his way into the kitchen with me still attached to him.
"Is everything ok Ash? You look upset and it took you and awfully long time to come in here." My Aunt's face was so full of concern as she looked from me to Embry.
"Yeah you know just your typical teenage problems." I kissed Embry's cheek then unwound myself from him and went to sit at the table. Everyone let out a small chuckle at my response. Apparently they knew just as much as I did, that what me and Embry were discussing was anything but typical.