"Good morning, Brady," she said as she settled down next time, quite gracefully now that she'd gotten more used to her cast. I still cringed and went to help her whenever she tried to move, but I could tell it was starting to irritate her a bit so I'm trying to back off slightly.
Trying being the operative word in that sentence.
"Erm, hey," I said, eyeing her. Something was up. She was acting too nice, I could tell already.
"How are you?" Zoë asked, staring into my eyes captivatingly and playing with my hands. Uh oh. She was most definitely up to something.
"Good."
"How's your day been today?"
"Okay."
"Nothing you want to talk about?"
"Zoë," I said, drawing out her name. "What are you up to?"
"What?" she tried to say innocently.
Innocent my ass.
"I just wanted to see if you were okay," she told me. "I always ask you how your day has been."
"I know that, but I also know how you act when you're up to something."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated, brushing her hair out of her face, not looking into my eyes anymore.
I stared at her but she still tried to portray the picture of innocence.
"Right."
She smiled but it slowly drained from her face when I just continued to stare at her.
"I was going to butter you up a bit first," she said with a sigh but continued nonetheless when my stare didn't deter. "I want to speak to the Cullens."
"… is that a joke or something?" I asked and she pulled a face and shuffled a bit closer, pulling my hands back when I'd pulled them away.
"Hear me out, Brady," she said softly and my frown deepened and I moved away form her, putting my hands up.
"No, Zoë. Why the hell would you even ask that?"
"Please don't get angry," she said, staring at the floor. She bit her lower lip and it went white before the blood rushed back to it when it slowly escaped from her teeth. She tucked her hair behind her ear before looking up at me. "I want to ask them to change Nick into a vampire."
"Are you fucking insane?" I shouted, rising to my feet and taking a few strides away from her. I don't like being close to her when I get angry.
She groaned and sat on the edge of the couch, looking up at me. "Please listen to me and let me explain!"
"No!" I roared. "No I fucking will not because you are being crazy. Do you even know what you're asking?"
"Yes!" she shouted back, seemingly angry all of a sudden. Why the fuck she is angry, I have no idea. She's the one who just asked to spend quality time with blood-sucking monsters.
"Yes I know what I'm asking. I've been thinking about it quite a lot lately. You think I'd ask you without having thought it through quite a fucking lot?"
I angled my body away from her and pressed my thumb and middle finger into either temple, taking long, deep, controlled breaths.
Control. I needed complete and total control whenever I am with her. Sam only just let his control slip for a couple seconds and… well, I couldn't forgive myself if I ever hurt her.
She just doesn't know what it does to me to think of her being near a vampire. One is my life and the other my natural sworn enemy. The two of them just don't belong together.
"Why would you want Nick to be vampire?" I asked slowly in a strained voice.
"Brady, she's going to die! And there's nothing anyone can do – but, but this, they can. They can change her and then – then she –"
"She will be dead!" I shouted. "You thinking being a – a leech – is any better than being a normal corpse? Not only are they dead, but they feed off of human beings!"
"But she won't be dead-dead!"
"No, it'll be a million times worse!"
Her nostrils flared a little and she crossed her arms.
"You wouldn't be able to spend time with her, you realise?" I asked. "She couldn't spend time with you without wanting to rip you to pieces and suck the life out of you."
"So? This isn't about me! This is about her!"
"No it's not, Zoë! She wouldn't be able to spend time with anybody that she cares about because all she'd want to do is fucking eat them. What sort of life is that? I can't understand how you could want that for someone you care for."
"It's better her having to move on than being a body in the ground!"
I took a deep breath and then sat next to her. "I'm sorry, baby, you know I really am. But I can't. Plus, the moment a Cullen sinks their teeth into flesh we're tearing all their asses apart – which would mean we'd have to do the same to her too. She wouldn't be in control and we can't take that risk."
Her mouth fell open.
"I'm sorry, but we couldn't let her go out there and possibly kill our people. I can't believe you'd even suggest this after –"
"After Harvey?" she supplied crudely when my voice trailed off and I realised what I was about to say.
"Baby, come on…"
"Don't call me baby! And stop looking at me like that!"
I let out a breath and tried to slip my hand into hers but she huffed and pulled away.
"I know this is hard for you. I couldn't even begin to understand what this must feel like – if anything happened to one of the pack… I don't know what I would do. But the Cullens wouldn't even do it. Plus, I am not having you anywhere near them, let alone in the same room!"
"Why wouldn't they? You said that they all only got changed because they were about to die. How is this any different?"
"It just is. They wouldn't take the risk of killing a human with us at the ready to kill them and especially not Nicola considering she's Quileute."
"Yeah but if we tell them that you won't hurt them and you're okay with it then surely…"
I tucked her hair back behind her ear and she pursed her lips but didn't pull away.
"We can't, Zo. I'm like this to stop our people from being attacked; we can't turn around and volunteer La Push people up to be bitten. And what are you going to do? Ask them to change every single person you care about whenever they're going to die, eh? No, Zoë. I can't let you do this. I don't know Nicks that well but even I know that she wouldn't want this. She'd completely change."
Her bottom lip wobbled. "What would you do if it were me, Brady?"
I think she realised that was a bit of a low blow but she didn't look apologetic. I pulled her into my chest and leaned back, pressing my face against the top of her curly mane of hair. I loved the feeling of her unruly hair against my face.
"You wouldn't be you if you were one of them."
"So you'd rather I was dead?"
"Don't." I squeezed her tight in my arms.
"What if something did happen, and I got bitten?" she asked softly. "Would you rip me to pieces?"
I closed my eyes and my hands curled into fists.
"You can't ask me that."
"But what if…?"
"There is no what if," I said angrily. "This is why I'm not letting you near the Cullens – you are not going anywhere near a fucking vampire. I'm not gonna let anything hurt you."
We stayed in the half sitting, half laying position for a while in silence.
"Sorry," she mumbled against my skin and I rubbed her back.
"I thought you hated Bella because she's trying to get them to turn her and because of everything she's putting Jacob through?"
"I do!" she exclaimed vehemently. "I hate her so much, even though I've never met her, and I think she's so selfish and I was telling Moose all about it and she agrees with me so completely and were all for going down there and kicking her ass for picking anyone over Jacob because he's so sweet and he looks like complete crap at the moment because of all that but…" She took a breath. "Nicks is going to die."
"Everyone dies, Zoë."
"Not when they're fifteen – not when they haven't even seen the world or lived their life. She could die and she's spent most of her life cooped up either at the hospital or at school."
I stroked her hair and helf her tightly. "I'm sorry baby. But there's just nothing we can do."
I sighed and looked at Seth, who gave me the same look back, but I think his was a little bit more patient.
She's the love of my life and all that shit but Jesus Christ.
The snickering hadn't stopped all day. All through school, all the way home – where they'd warned us to not go anywhere near the woods, wearing matching red pull over rain coats, which they'd apparently found on the Internet when they bought my 'hilarious' t-shirt. They had their hoods up because it was starting to drizzle. While I was the one who was busy making sure Zoë's cast was covered up completely and wouldn't get wet, she and Moose were making stupid little remarks about Seth and I, being big bad wolves.
Little Red Riding Hood. Get it?
Hilarious.
And then Zoë called Moose on her cell, and they both started giggling hysterically as the howling from Moose's ring tone rang out. They'd set it to Li'l Red Riding Hood by some stupid little group.
Wow. My girl sure is a comedian.
And then we went to Moose's house.
"Do you two want some food?" she offered as Zoë giggled behind her, hobbling as she followed into the kitchen. "I think we got some for Paul… ah yes, here. Is lamb in gravy all right?"
They stuck their heads round the door and Moose showed us a can of dog food, before the two of them started laughing like it was hilarious, Zoë very nearly falling over.
Ever since Tuesday they'd just been coming up with more and more of this hilarious material. It started when Annie had walked up to them when I think they'd been discussing us and they immediately went quite. Always a little bit suspicious, that one, Annie asked them what was going on and Moose had quickly replied that Zoë was telling her about how to 'train her new pet', even though Annie knew she didn't have an animal and had just made her even more suspicious.
Zoë and Moose seemed to think it was hilarious though, and henceforth we have had to endure the constant stupid little dog and wolf jokes. We were hoping it would have died by now but no such luck. It seemed to just get funnier with time.
"No?" Zoë asked with a laugh. "Just a drink then? I'll get you some water."
She actually returned with a dog bowl full of water.
And then they fell over with laughter.
"You should be more careful with your leg," I told her as I was picking her up. She just continued to giggle and cling to me, wiping the corners of her eyes.
Did I mention Zoë got me another present from her and Moose yesterday?
It was a dog collar. And on it had a tag. It had 'Brady' on the front and 'If found, please return to his loving owner', with Zoë's house phone number on the back.
I repeat: hilarious.
"I'm sorry, Brady," Zoë said, her giggling finally thawing out. "I love you."
Moose just smiled and poked Seth's side. But he's like putty in her hand and so he pretty much just rolled onto his back, smiling at her in that dorky little pathetic way.
Moose and Seth aren't into the 'love' part of their relationship. But I don't have to share a mind with Seth to know that there's a little something in those looks that they're always giving each other.
Zoë placed a very loud kiss on my cheek and I looked down at her with unamused eyes and she hid her face in my chest.
"You two should just be happy that we've now welcomed what you are so openly," Zoë told me and I rolled my eyes.
"Emily and Kim seem to handle it just fine without acting like immature five year olds."
She stuck her tongue out at me.
"Point proven."
"Are you going to Liam's party?" Moose asked Zo, pointedly trying to change the subject and I tried not to growl. God knows if I did it would start off a whole new round of jokes.
"Yeah, Ava's making me. She's making all of us, by the way, so you're not getting out of it either."
Moose groaned and leaned her head back against Seth's shoulder naturally.
"Why are you pulling that face?" Zo asked as she tapped my jaw lightly. "You're invited too, I forgot to say. Liam told me to ask you ages ago. You're both invited – and Collin of course."
Okay that sort of made me feel better. As long as she wasn't alone with him.
"You don't still dislike him, do you?" she asked with a sigh. "I really don't get why. Liam's lovely. And you two even used to be friends!"
"That was before he tried to steal you away."
Moose rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up. He wants Ava, not Zoë. It's so obvious. No offence, Zorro."
"None taken."
Zoë smiled up at me and then pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "Come on, it'll be fun. And it will be nice to do something relatively normal." Damn girl. "When was the last time you two did something that normal people our age does?" she directed that to Seth and I and we folded.
"Fine," I sighed and her smile widened.
You know what I said about how Seth rolls onto his back so easily? I'm exactly the same. These girls have us wrapped round their little fingers.
And I'm pretty sure that I don't even really care that I'm whipped.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
She kissed me again, smiled and then curled into my side, content. But then I realised what the time was and I literally had to drag myself away from her.
"Sorry, I've gotta patrol now," I said, kissing her forehead. Zoë looked up at me with those eyes that makes me want to stay by her side forever, and never go patrol because I know that's what she wants. But I have to go let Collin off, and he won't be very happy if I don't turn up. "Don't walk home by yourself," I told her but she just rolled her eyes. She was so gonna walk by herself.
"God, I hate you," I told her and she grinned at me. "Wait till I've finished and I'll walk you home. Or get Seth to – or Paul, I think Paul's now coming off patrol too."
She smiled but it wasn't her usual smile. Her usual smile seems to light up the room. This smile doesn't reach her eyes. This is what she's like every time I have to patrol – ever since I told her about the whole Victora/Bella/Edward shit she just really doesn't like it, even if that's all over now. I guess it's the fact that Jake got hurt.
"I love you," she said and I ran my hand through her hair before saying goodbye to the others and leaving.
It's weird to think that when the whole war thing went down I hadn't imprinted on her. Or that just a year ago she wasn't a part of my life. Obviously I've always known who she was but I'd never of had the guts to go up to her and talk to her. It's strange to know that she was my soul mate all along; that I'd grown up with her in the same school and town and she was my soul mate. Very, very strange. I can't imagine her not being in my life now.
I striped off and changed. I really dread the day where someone finds us all stripping off in the woods together. Luckily we can hear so we could tell if someone was walking past, but that would be terrible. There are already enough rumours about us still going round the school, if someone found us all naked in the woods then they would increase tenfold. You'd have thought that by now people would have just gotten over the fact that all the guys are a bit different, but oh no, they keep going. I suppose that's probably just from living in such a small place, there isn't exactly shit loads of drama happening when you think about it from outside of our little world. Because it is a completely different world to the people we go to school with – they've all got no idea of the sorts of beasts there are out there, or that they go to school with some.
"You're such a fucking girl sometimes, Brady."
I love having the guys in my head.
I love you, Collin.
"Bite me," he growled and I lunged at him, making sure the bite would be hard enough to hurt.
"Son of a bitch!" he squealed mentally before tackling me down.
"Oh, please stop it. You two fight like girls," Paul groaned. We barked at him but he wasn't close enough for us to turn on him.
"You couldn't even put a scratch on this, pups."
"Dick," Collin thought before he phased out and Paul did a mental eye roll before phasing back – after I talked to him about making sure Zoë didn't try and walk home alone all the way to her house when it will probably rain again soon.
Collin and Zoë are friends again now, I think. I'm not quite sure.
She went up to him at school, hoisted her cast-covered leg up on the table and smiled at him, holding out a marker pen. He was second (after me, of course) and for some reason that seemed to symbolise something for them. He wrote 'I hate you, you bitch' and then wrote his name in massive letters along the side of it and ever since they've been as right as rain. I don't really get it but as long as they're not arguing then I'm happy as can be.
Col is still a bit… gutted. But he knows that Paul would never have let him get it on with his sister when there is a chance that he could pull a Sam on her and break her heart, so I think that makes it just a tad bit better.
Although I think the whole episode sort of brought to the front the dilemma the rest of the guys have. When do they start dating people? Can they have a long-term relationship without telling them the secret? At what point would it be okay to tell them the secret? Should they even get in a long-term relationship when there is a chance that they could imprint?
Even though I knew if I dated when I imprinted on Zoë I would have felt shit guilty and it would be difficult, I don't think that all of the guys are going to imprint and they can't exactly stay alone or single forever. We had a… heated discussion the other day, with everyone. Because this is all new to everyone, even the elders. Imprinting is supposed to be rare. Which means that we're now faced with even more problems. I know Paul is fine with no strings attached sex but what about when they're like in their thirties and they want to marry a woman? It's a big commitment to make when you know that if you just look at another female and all of a sudden, someone else is your life. Would you be able to marry someone whilst knowing that? I suppose if they do it after they stop phasing then that will solve that problem, but I don't know when I'll strop phasing.
In the end we all decided and agreed that telling anyone other than an imprint is a bad idea, but after at least five years then they'd start to think about letting the other person know about the secrets. It seems so extreme but if you think about it, how many girlfriends does a person have in their life? It is supposed to be a very strict secret and each wolf can't tell someone whenever they start to get serious.
When I take that, and all the shit that Jacob's going through now, then I thank god I have Zoë.
If anything she's someone for me to talk to about this.
"Do you talk to Kim about stuff?" I asked Jared and he scoffed, but with happy, lovey dovey, adoration filled thoughts.
"God, yeah. Kim wants to talk about everything."
"How does she feel about you being this?"
He thought about it. "Umm. To be honest I don't know. She accepts it. She's still a bit weary from time to time but I wouldn't say it freaks her out."
"No, I don't think that it freaks Zoë out, or Moose, for that matter."
"Moose took it really well," Jared thought. "Even Kim freaked out quite a bit initially."
"I suppose it helps that Paul's her brother – she's probably more than used to fucked up freaky shit." We both had internal snickers at Paul's expense. "And Zo helped, I suppose."
"Yeah. Considering she's got the same genes as Paul, I was expecting her to go ape shit on Seth's ass."
"I think that's what everyone was expecting."
"Girls are strange."
There were a couple excited knocks but I could already feel the happiness radiating off of my little lady without having to open the door. But I did so anyway and, although I was expecting that exact joyous expression, I was not expecting her to be standing on one leg, whilst she stuck the other one out, lifting her pant leg up to show me her leg. Her bare leg.
I stared at her as I tried to comprehend what the hell she'd just done.
"Tell me you didn't just saw it off or something," I said and she laughed, dropping her leg back down and then skipping up to my side.,
"Dick. No, I had my check up today and they took another x-ray to see if it was completely healed to see if I needed it on any longer but I didn't and it was all healed so they took it off and it's all great, Brady!"
"Yaay." I tried to be excited with her, I really did.
"Oh, come on," she said, smiling as she ran her hands up and down my arms, able to balance now on her own two feet and not have to cling onto my arms. "You should be happier than I am – you no longer have to cart me around or fuss over me getting the cast wet or me hurting myself even more. I expected you to be ecstatic."
"I am," I said, smiling.
"Uh huh. You know I know when you're lying, right?" she said as she bounced past me, hoping up the stairs as if it was the most fun in the world. I nearly had a heart attack as I quickly followed her up, arms at the ready in case she slipped again.
"Zoë! Be a bit more careful! You don't want to break the other leg the second after this one's healed!"
She laughed as she walked backwards into my room, smiling away. "This feels so weird."
I had to grin at her then. She's so cute.
"You have no idea how freaking strange it was when they first took the cast off! It was like my leg was half the weight of my other one. I couldn't even really walk to begin with."
I sat on my bed and she placed herself on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck, her fingers lightly running through my hair.
"You're upset with me because I didn't take you with me?"
I nodded.
"Brady," she said, tugging at my hair so I'd look into her eyes. "Do you honestly believe you would have been able to sit outside while they x-rayed my leg? Or when they were cutting the cast off?"
The pout was on my lips before I could even realise. "You wouldn't have. You would have been panicking that I'd get leukaemia, or that they'd accidentally cut my skin. Plus, someone told me when they had like dead skin and really rank stuff when they took it off and I did not want you seeing that."
I sighed and looked into her eyes. "You could have at least said."
She shook her head, her gorgeous curly mess of hair flicking about. "Do not lie and pretend that you would have let me go alone because we both know you wouldn't!"
My lips turned up and she tugged at my hair tighter. I wrapped my arms around her.
"You're just trying to make me feel guilty, aren't you, you little shit?"
I laughed and she smacked me hard in the chest. Well, I assume she tried to do it hard.
"Anyway," I said, kissing the corner of her mouth. "Does your leg hurt?" I didn't want to touch it just in case.
"Nope," she said, smiling. "It still feels a bit weak but that's what's to be expected."
I nodded and her smile morphed into a smirk. Uh oh.
"You know what this means?" she asked, that devilish look in her eyes. Her fingers moved down my neck and chest and stomach, where they curled around the bottom of my t-shirt. I shook my head as she started to pull it over my head. "It means we can have sex. Lots and lots and lots of sex."
I grinned as I pushed her onto the bed, crawling over you. "Zoë, considering you just got it out, we probably shouldn't. Wouldn't want to damage it. Best to just rest it."
"If you actually mean that then you're not the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with, Bradykins," she said, giggling as I nuzzled her neck, lightly nibbling on her skin.
"Oh really?"
"There's caring about my safety and then just making excuses."
I grinned and pushed her hair off her face, resting on my elbows to look at her.
"You're beautiful."
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah, and you're really sexy. And I had that cast on for eight weeks!"
I laughed. "I love you."
"Stop talking, I don't like procrastinators!"
"You get moody when you're horny, don't you?" I asked, still laughing at her expense.
"Yes I fucking do!"
What a strange, horny little girl.
"There is not a chance in hell I'm getting into that."
"Oh, come on, don't be a spoil sport."
"I won't wear it."
"Please? For me? For us?"
"No. I won't even fit into that."
"Yes you will."
"It looks way too small. My tits aren't fitting into something that is any smaller than a size sixteen top."
"You can tuck them in!"
There was then a loud ringing of girl laughter.
Sometimes, being a werewolf, you hear things that you could sometimes live without hearing.
Like at school the other day, when I heard to girls talking about… lady stuff. I shuddered just remembering. Ew. Ew. Ew.
Me, Col and Seth got bored and as we knew the girls were gonna be at Paul's, we decided that we might as well go round, considering we're going to Liam's (grr) party. But they're getting ready… it's not for like two hours. We don't get it.
"This is fucking ridiculous," my baby announced upstairs. "I look like a hooker."
"You look hot!" Kat tried to sound convincing.
"Yeah right."
"Go ask Brady."
"No!"
"Go ask Brady."
"Nobody is seeing me in this. I look like a whore."
"Go show Brady."
"He'll dump me because I look like a slag."
"Brady!" Kat then bellowed down the stairs.
Paul snorted as he flicked through the channels of the remote to his TV, clearly as bored as we all were. "Good luck."
"I don't wanna go up there."
"Brady!" Kat called again, and I looked to Seth for help, he just smiled away happily as I gave up and traipsed up the stairs. "There you are!" she said happily before grabbing my arm and pulling me along. "Now, come tell your girlfriend how hot she is."
Zo was right. Her boobs most definitely did not fit in that dress. If it even was a dress.
I started to grin but I seemed to just lose the control of my mouth.
"Hot. Definitely hot."
Zoë doesn't really wear cleavage-showing clothes. Her tops are always very high so she doesn't fall out. It makes quite a delightful change.
She glared, putting her hands on her hips. I grinned. Zoë's not like a tiny, petite girl and I freaking love it.
"No, Brady."
I pouted and she glared harder. "All I have to do is bend over and my boobs will just pop out." I grinned again. "For everyone to see."
I turned to Kat and shook my head. I like that I'm the only guy who has ever seen her breasts, and will ever see them. I don't want anyone gawking.
"Oh you're so boring!" she exclaimed as I sidled up Zoë and stood behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. It was a very tight dress. It felt very nice.
"I can't believe you actually wore this, Kat," Zoë said as she fidgeted about, pulling it down as I continued to run my hands up and down her sides. "This barely covers my bum."
I checked.
She was right.
"You are quite a bit taller than me…"
Moose coughed politely and Kat shot her glare.
"Right, I'm taking this off because I cannot breathe," Zoë said and I grinned as I started to pull her to the bathroom down the hall.
"I'll help you."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, you're so very helpful, Brady."
I winked as I heard Paul groan downstairs. "God. Have fun at your stupid little freshman party." I heard a thump and then another, which must have been Collin hitting Paul and then him getting one back – Seth would never have the balls to do something like that. Seth is on his best behaviour at all times. Paul likes to remind him that Seth is very lucky to even be let in the house, and that he didn't have his junk removed the minute Paul found out he imprinted on his baby sister. Plus, since the whole 'lonely wolf' and 'I hate that he imprinted on Moose' things that they have in common, Paul loves Collin (almost as much as he loves me).
Everyone loves Collin. Everyone was walking on eggshells to begin with because he was so angry to begin with, but Col doesn't really seem that bothered anymore. I think that he just accepted that it wasn't meant to be, and I think the prospect of having to almost 'settle down' at this age really freaks him out, so he's fine with going solo for a while. He's an optimistic guy so I never really expected him to dwell on it too much.
"I'm not a freshman, I'm a sophomore, you dick," Collin grumbled and Paul snorted again.
"Oooh, big difference. Anyway, I'm going to Jake's."
The door closed in front of me and my mouth fell open. "Zoë!"
"No!"
I pouted and then sat down on the floor, crossing my arms and legs. After she'd finished getting changed, she opened the door, clad now in her usual jeans and t-shirt.
She let out a loud laugh then tried to cover it. "You are such a baby. Come on, you have to help me sneak downstairs."
Grinning, I stood up quickly and pulled her onto my back, using my super ninja powers to get across the hallway and down the stairs quietly. Zo hid her laughter as she wrapped her arms and legs tightly around me, dropping the dress delicately on the floor outside the closed door of Moose's bedroom.
I dropped her lightly on the sofa and she grinned at the guys before thanking me.
"Kat is gonna be so angry with you," Collin said, laughing.
She rolled her eyes as she pulled my arm around her shoulders, leaning into my side. "Can you warn me if they're gonna come downstairs so I can find somewhere to hide?" she asked.
"You're a bad friend," he told her and she just told him to shut up before resting her head against me. I leant down and kissed her head.
Zoë's POV
Brady's finger had been lightly tracing up and down my arm, but suddenly they stilled and the boys all tensed up.
"What is it?" I pulled away to look up at him worriedly. He bit his lip.
"Err… Nick is crying."
"Oh."
He squeezed my arm and I hurried away, up the stairs. I gently pried the door open.
"… the fucking point? I'm not going." Nicks sat with her hands in her lap, tears staining her face. "I look shit.
"You're beautiful, Nick," Kat said, stroking her cheek. I stepped in and shut the door behind me quietly.
"No. No, I'm not," she started to cry harder. "You're beautiful. You don't know how utterly ugly I feel sitting here as you all get ready. What's the point? I'm not ever gonna look better." She stuck out her arm. "Look at that! I look like a stick insect. And look at the state of my skin – it looks horrible. I'm not even going to get started on my face. I already look dead."
Annie sat next to her. "You are beautiful, Nicola. Even if you don't feel it right now, you are."
Nick pursed her lips and turned to Angharad. She pulled the beanie from her head as a fresh set of tears cascaded down her face. "How is this beautiful! How the hell can you even say that when I don't even have any fucking hair left?"
She started to cry hysterically, her hands shaking.
Annie wrapped her arms securely around Nicks' frail frame. "Losing your hair doesn't make you any less beautiful."
"That's easy for you to say! You have hair! I'm not going out to this freaking party bald. Everyone will stare."
It had taken a lot of persuading to get her to come out tonight. She hasn't had a lot of energy, but she needs to get out.
"Nobody will stare," Kat said and Nick scoffed, gently prying herself from Annie's arms.
"Hell they won't! How many bald girls are there in La Push?"
Moose huffed and we all turned to her. She unfolded her arms and walked to her desk, picking up some scissors.
She picked up a lock of hair, and as the rest of us stared, frozen to the spot, she unceremoniously snipped her hair off.
"Moose!" Nick exclaimed. She turned round.
"What?"
"What the hell are you doing?" Nick screeched.
"Cutting my hair off."
"Why?"
"I want some attention," she shrugged, cutting away at more of her hair.
Nick carried on look horrified. "Stop it! Stop it now, Moose!"
"Why?" Moose asked casually, hacking at a large chunk of hair.
"Stop it! Please, I didn't mean that this is what I wanted! Please. You'll regret it."
"No I won't."
She carried on and we all just stood there in total fucking awe as she cut off all her hair without a care in the world.
Kat stood up abruptly and Nick turned to her, wide eyed. She walked towards Moose and held her hand out. Moose nodded and gave her the scissors.
Before Nick could even shout out to get her to stop, she reached behind her head and cut off her ponytail.
"Kat!"
She was the last person I'd expect to do that. Kat is obsessed with her hair.
Annie held her hand out, smiling.
"Put your hair in a hair band, first," Kat told her. "If your hair is longer than ten inches then we can send it off to this place my aunt volunteers at. They use it to make hair pieces for kids that lose their hair from illnesses." Annie nodded and Moose threw some hair bands at her.
"What…" Nick was pretty much speechless.
"I've been thinking about it ever since you started to lose your hair a couple months ago," Kat explained, shrugging her shoulders as if it meant nothing.
This is why I love my friends. I walked over to Moose's desk and picked up some hair bands, trying to put my frizz ball into sections.
"Would they even be able to use this mess?" I asked and they laughed as Annie started to cut her hair off. Ava got up and got Kat to put her hair into bunches.
My last thoughts as I chopped my hair off was 'Brady's going to fucking kill me'.
But it was awfully freeing. It was an amazing feeling. Knowing that it would go to people that want it so much more than me. And that it would make Nick feel a little better, knowing she wasn't the only who just lost all their hair. Usually after a hair cut you always worrying about what it looks like or what people are going to think, but I couldn't care less right now.
We turned to Nick, grinning and she just sat there. She still looked as horrified although now there seemed to be some bewilderment and happiness.
"You're all mental."
We piled on top of her and the tears started again.
"You're so freaking mental," she repeated. We grinned some more.
I love my friends so much.
"As much as this is lovely, I need to go and freaking wash my head. I've got little bits of hair everywhere."
They all nodded their agreement and we all got up, traipsing towards the bathroom, but I heard footsteps on the stairs and felt a tugging in my tummy so I hung back.
Brady walked towards me and then stopped, right in front, staring at my hair with the most heart-broken expression.
"You cut all your hair off."
I ran my hand over it.
Oh god! It felt so weird!
"There's still some left..."
His bottom lip jutted out as his hand reached up to touch my head. "But I loved your hair."
"It'll grow back."
"I already miss your curls," he said sadly and I smiled 'sympathetically', wrapping my arms around his waist. He doesn't half overreact sometimes.
"It was for a good cause."
He still continued to pout. "I loved your hair," he repeated and I smiled again, leaning up onto my toes to kiss him.
"And it will grow back," I repeated. "You never know, it might grow back even curlier than it was before."
Brady smiled happily at that and squeezed his arms round shoulders.
"Oh my god, Brady," I sighed, trying to hold in the laughter at his sudden change of demeanour. I leaned my head against his chest. "It really is like dating a small child sometimes."
His hands slid down my back and he pushed his face against the top of my head, smiling.
"What? – Urgh. Oh god. That feels so weird," he pulled his head back and rubbed at his face where the short strands of hair had tickled him. "That's like hugging a dude."
I smiled and shoved him. "Shut up, you idiot."
He grinned and caught my lips with his before I could pull away. "I love you, you know that right? I love you so much. Even if you feel like a dude, I'm proud to call you my girl."
"I love you too, you stupid little softy." I kissed him again. "Right, I have to go to the bathroom, I'm pretty sure there's hair all down my top."
His eyes lit up and his mouth opened but I cut him off. "No, Brady. You're not gonna help. Go back downstairs. We'll be ready soon."
He pretended to glare at me and walked down the stairs. I just smiled at him and went off the bathroom.
Nick stood by the door frame, watching as the others either washed their newly cut hair or brushed themselves off. I grinned and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
She turned to me, looking a little emotionally drained. "I still can't believe you lot did that."
I smiled down at her and squeezed my arm around her shoulders a little bit tighter. "We told you we were gonna be here for you throughout this all, Nicks."
"I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you lot," she whispered softly.
"Well, you'll never have to find out."
She turned and smiled just as Ava lent over and splashed me with freezing cold water. My eyes widened and I turned to her, glaring. She did it again and I jumped on top of her.
I think in my heart I know that Nick will be okay.
She seemed a bit more confident once we all had our hair hacked off, although when we actually got to Liam's, she was pretty much shaking like a leaf because she was so nervous. We never told anyone what she had, although I think it's been pretty obvious for the past couple of years that she's been ill, and for the past couple of months I think everyone has worked out that it's some form of cancer, due to the hair loss. So I think she was really nervous that everyone would be talking about her and looking at her. It was like that when we first got there, but I think everyone else was also look at the other five of us that had also cut our hair off. It took the attention off of her, you know? I think it made it easier.
I think she should be proud to walk around without her hair. I think it's a symbol of her courage as she's been through some tough shit, and she's brave to go through all the chemo, considering her parents couldn't even stick around. But I also know that right now she has absolutely zero levels of self-confidence. One day I hope she'll get her confidence back.
My highlight of the night though, I have to say, was when Quil burst in, hobbling over to Moose, barely able to keep himself upright due to his insane laughter.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, trying to shove him off as he draped his arms over her, giggling.
"I have some news to tell you!"
Seth was just smiling away at Moose, even when she was trying so desperately to get him to help her push Quil off. He just smiled innocently and cutely. She narrowed her eyes at him and then looked to Quil.
"What is it?"
"Your brother!" he started laughing. "Your brothers only gone and imprinted!"
He turned to Brady and Seth. "Paul! Paul's imprinted!"
Our mouths all dropped open. Brady and Seth started to grin.
"On who?" I asked and Quil almost squealed with delight.
"This is the best bit!" he grinned and hugged Moose tightly. "Get this, Paul imprinted on Jacob's sister!"
Seth looked ecstatic at the idea that know Paul would have to lay off on him, considering they were now in the same boat, and Brady was pretty much rolling around on the floor.
"You're kidding?" Moose said softly and Quil tried to catch his breath and stop laughing but he couldn't.
"Nope. She's called Rachel. She only got here today. Jacob literally went metal on his ass and Billy keeps running over Paul's toes in his wheelchair! It's so funny. Rachel doesn't have a freaking clue what's going on – she only came down for a quick, one week visit! Now she has to put up with Paul for the rest of her life!"
Brady and Seth were lapping it up, laughing in happiness like Quil. I rolled my eyes at them and leaned into Brady's side. He continued to grin like the cat that got the cream and wrapped his arms around me.
"I'm so glad he imprinted," Quil said and they others nodded. "After all the shit he's given us for being 'whipped', I can't wait to see what he's like, even by tomorrow. You should meet Rachel. She's freaking badass. Started telling Paul off for looking at her like a hungry puppy and he nearly wet himself! Oh my god. This is too good!"
So, there we have it, I hope you guys like it. This was just a few small scene's that I've had playing on my mind for quite a while and I decided that now was probably as good as any to have them because I've decided that this is the last chapter of Love Is Strange. I only originally planned this to be a 12 chapter story but I just got too in love with this and I have so many other ideas for them, more action based stuff, but I didn't want to turn this into another 'Unsuspecting' (which was a 66 chap story), so although this may seem like a bizarre point to stop for some of you, it's been 21 chapters, and I've come up with a really great idea for the epilogue. It's going to be a bit different, but I plan for it to be relatively long, so you have that to look forward to. I'm completely in love with Brady and Zoe but I didn't want to ruin it by writing too much.
Sorry I've been so late with the updates, but this chapter was a little bit longer, so I hope you really like. I would really appreciate any feedback you guys are willing to give :)
Oh and the song Brady mentioned at the begining is by a band called Bowling For Soup. I heard it a couple of weeks back and I just had to put it in here somewhere!
And I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who's reading this, and to those who've reviewed or favourited, it really means a lot to me!
To my one unsigned reviewer...
Emily - Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to review! :)