Chapter 18

I was almost shaking when I stepped out onto the front porch, closing the door behind me. It was slightly darker out here – only the light from the windows was seeping out, and it was quiet. Really quiet.

I saw him leaning against the railing, arms crossed over his chest. His head was facing the floor, but he snapped it up as soon as he saw me.

"Hey." He said, pushing himself off the railing, and taking a few steps closer to me.

"Hi." I said back. My voice was a tiny squeak, and I'm sure any normal person might not have heard me. But he was a werewolf.

"You… look really nice." He said. "I've never seen you in a dress before."

I felt my heart beat slow down a little.

"Um thanks. Kim forced me into it." I said, my voice shaking.

"Yeah, I figured. You wouldn't get into a dress willingly."

Commence the awkward silence. There was a few seconds when I was debating with myself whether or not I should speak, but Embry beat me to it.

"I'm sorry." He said. And the worst part was, he sounded so genuine. I could hear in those two words just how hurt he was, and how much he regretted. "All those things I said yesterday… I wish I could take it back, Cherry. I didn't mean most of it."

"I think you did, Embry." I replied. Not rudely. At least, I hope it didn't sound rude. That was the last thing I needed right now. "I think you meant most of it, but I don't blame you."

"Yeah, I… I guess I did mean it. I just wish I hadn't said it the way I did. I lost my temper, and… I lost control of myself. I'm sorry. It's just that all the feelings I had built up, and… I let them all out at once. At you."

He sounded so ashamed of himself, that I started feeling really guilty. He didn't deserve to be so hurt. I couldn't bear seeing him torn up like this, knowing that it was my fault.

"Embry, it's… it's not your fault. I shouldn't have demanded you to tell me about imprinting. I should have known that you had a reason for keeping it from me, and I should have trusted you more than I did."

"But that's the worst part." He muttered. "I know that I never should have kept it from you."

"Why did you?" I asked.

He lowered his head even more, looking further ashamed.

"I was just… I was so glad that you didn't start freaking out when you found out I was a wolf. You were okay with it in the end, and you still looked at me the same way. You don't know how afraid I was that you wouldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to tell you something that would probably freak you out even more." He admitted.

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel. Not that it matters or anything, but…"

"Of course it matters! Embry, imprinting or not, you're my best friend, and you always have been. You're the one that I can always count on to make me feel better, because you just… you have that effect on me. That confidence that I can tell you anything."

I saw the corner of his lips turn up slightly in the faint light.

"I always prided myself on that." He said.

"What?"

"The fact that you trusted me more than Jacob. Even back in middle school, I'd always feel good when you told me about something." He admitted.

"In middle school?"

"Yeah. You'd tell me all about everything that happened to you… Even that time you got an F in math, I was the first one you trusted to tell."

"You remember that? That time I was damn afraid to tell my mom so I asked you to do it for me?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course I remember it."

"But… I thought… I mean, it was the imprinting thing that…"

"Imprinting only shows you what's already there, Cherry." Embry said. "I liked you even before I imprinted on you. Way before that."

"What? When?"

"That time you got rid of your glasses and started using contacts in the 7th grade."

"What did my glasses have to do with it?"

"It was the first time I really noticed how beautiful your eyes were. And, well, I started noticing other things after that. I didn't really know it, but…. I've been feeling this way for a long time." He said.

And that's when I felt the first tear start to form. Because quite frankly, who could stop themselves from crying in a situation like this? A guy, an amazingguy has been in love with me since the 7th grade. And I was too stupid to notice. I can't believe I though Jacob was blind.

"Cherry, are you okay?" Embry asked, sounding worried.

"I-'m f-fine." I choked out, making it very clear that I was not okay. I tried turning my face away from him, but he reached out and turned it right back, putting a really hot hand on my cheek.

"Crap, Cherry, I'm sorry." He apologized, sounding horrified at the fact that I was crying. Because, you know, I really don't cry. "I… I didn't mean to upset you!"

"I feel so stupid." I blurted out. "And so dumb, I… god, this is so embarrassing."

And that's when he pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me, pressing my face into his chest. And it felt so good. So comforting, because I knew he was there. He cared about me, and he loved me. I didn't let go even when the tears stopped, because I didn't want to. I didn't bother thinking about why I didn't want to let go of Embry. I just knew that I didn't. And we stood there like that, for god knows how long.

Until something hard slammed into my arm, and I jumped back, realizing that someone had tried to push open the front door, except me and Embry had been in the way.

"Oh… my….god!" I heard Kim squeak, when she saw me and Embry, you know, in each other's arms. Even though we'd jumped apart by then, it still looked like we'd been… you know. Kissing.

"Um…" was all I managed to let out, while Kim turned a bright shade of red.

"I… am… so…. Sorry!" she cried, looking mortified. "I can't believe I- Jared, I'm going to murder you! Why didn't you tell me they were out there?" she cried, going back into the house.

There was a small silence after she left, closing the door behind her. And all I could think about, was how much I missed the warmth of Embry's body now that we weren't hugging any more.

"That was awkward." Embry said, and I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Yeah." I agreed.

"Cherry, are you… are you still upset?"

"Not at you, Embry." I assured him. "I just feel stupid because, well, all the time I thought Jacob was blind… I was doing the same thing to you. And I feel really embarrassed. And guilty."

"Cherry, you don't need to feel guilty about anything." Embry assured me.

"Thanks, Embry. God, I'm really lucky to have you."

"Really?"

"Yeah." I said, smiling at him. "We're good now, right?"

"We were always good, Cherry."

I smiled. I had my best friend back, but somehow I wasn't completely satisfied. Something was incomplete and I knew exactly what it was.

Because I was now getting butterflies in my stomach around Embry.

Talk about clichéd.

I wanna thank everyone for those awesome reviews! I swear, they make me feel so good! And if anyone has any suggestions, they're welcome!

I realized after I finished writing the chapter that front doors usually open inwards and not out… Oops!

I know most of us expected Embry and Cherry to get together in this chapter. So did I. But somehow I couldn't bring myself to do it! It's just that the entire story was leading up to the one moment when they say the three magic words to each other, and I love this story so much that I don't want to end it! Gosh, I'm too emotional for my own good.

Anyway guys, keep reviewing please, it's what makes me love writing!