Revelation

I don't know how long I've been awake. It seems like an eternity. The cool, ocean air that blew through my window and the luminous moonlight that seeped from the curtains were unable to lull me.

Sam. Sam. Sam. That was all my brain was thinking of. It's been hours that he's been running in my head. Somehow, I was weary of it, and somehow, I wanted to go on and on. Thankfully, the quiet of the night soon took shape and pressed in on me.

The dark blue of early dawn filled my whole room—a sign that I was supposed to be taking a bath. I obviously lacked hours and hours of sleep, but in a snap, I stood up and my speed while running to the bathroom overwhelmed me. After taking a fast shower, I combed my hair and looked into the bathroom mirror; there were deep, dark circles under my eyes, but why didn't I act like I was tired? Maybe it's Sam's fault. Slowly, he became my personal ecstasy.

As I swung my cabinet open, something happened for the first time. I was actually choosing my clothes. I'd usually just pick-up the first ones I see but now, I was actually mixing and matching them. After I tossed my favourite brown shirt and my favourite kaki on the bed, I froze at the sudden realization. I was starting to be a slut. Why was I dressing up for a guy? I despised people who do that, but now I'm becoming one of them. Quickly, I threw my shirt and kaki back to the cabinet and picked-up random clothes, like how I usually would. I wore them and rushed out of my room and down the stairs before I even change my mind.

"Good morning, Leah!" Seth's cheerful greeting was muffled because his mouth was full of cereals.

"Morning, Seth!" I ruffled his hair and took my usual seat. My bowl of cereal was already prepared and I ate them quickly.

"Leah, are you mad?" My mother barged into the dining room.

"Huh?"

"You're wearing a red shirt with purple shorts and yellow sneakers! Are you a clown?"

"Tss. Don't mind it."

"I know you just pick up the first things you see but, why this? You're a walking joke! Come here, I'll dress you up." I don't like it when my mother dresses me up because she was good at it, and wearing good clothes was against my reputation. I know it was rude of me, but I stood up and ran as fast as I could to my bathroom to grab my toothbrush and toothpaste. I placed them in my pocket and braced myself for another fast run out of the house.

"Sorry, mom."

"Leah, you come back here!" My mother's scream of authority trailed off as I sped farther and farther from the house.

I finally reached Quileute High and made my way past the main hallway. Everybody was looking at me. They would look away if I catch them, but I could still feel their stares on my back and from the corner of my eyes. Finally, I reached the bathroom door. I went in the deserted room that was decked with vandalism everywhere and I started to brush my teeth.

The piercing lunch bell filled the school and summoned us out of our seats.

"Leah…" Taylor said reluctantly as she caught up with my pacing.

"Yes?"

"You tell her, Gina."

"No, you." Gina looked down at the floor.

"Well, Leah, you look weird."

"I've heard."

"We just had to say it. Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. I know I look weird, and thanks for being honest."

The hallway was quite cramped with students, but there was a big clog of them by the water fountain.

"What's up with the crowd?"

"Maybe it's Samuel." Taylor said as she stood on her toes to see what was going on. I stood on my toes too, but I was too small to look beyond all the heads.

"Why are you looking for Sam? I thought you hated him?"
"Who says I like him? I just wanna confirm if he's really the one causing the block."

"Okay, chill. No need to be so feisty!" Gina's comment caught me off guard. I was being obvious.

Not so long after that, the three of us were already beside the clog by the water fountain. Taylor was right; it was Sam who was causing the clog, rather, his fans were.

It wasn't the Sam I knew who was standing at the center, it was the Sam I hated, the famous commercial model, the smiley-smiley Sam as he once put it. His cheeks probably hurt by now.

My heart was pounding fast as I saw him turn his head away from the older girls surrounding him. He was looking at my direction, and I didn't know what I was praying for. A part of me was praying that he'd snob me, so that Gina and Taylor wouldn't know, but a part of me was praying that he wouldn't

He smiled and waved at my direction, and I looked around to see if he was pertaining to me.

"Yeah, you." He chuckled. "Hi, Leah!" My smile came naturally.

"Hey!" As much as I hated it, I thwarted myself from him and moved along.

"Samuel knows you?!" Gina asked. It was more of an exclamation rather than a question. Gina slapped my ass and Taylor shook me by the shoulders.

"Yeah. He's a family friend."

"So you don't hate him now?"

"Hell no!"

"Yeah, right, Leah! You looked like you just won the lottery!"

"It's called acting." I knew that there were more questions that will lead to my revelation, so I quickly thought of an excuse to go away.

"Woops. I have to go to the library, guys. I have to research on heartburn for my dad. Bye!" I knew they didn't buy it, but I ran, anyway. The library was at the end of the hallway, so I was counter flowing the crowd.

Our library was just the size of two classroom put together. It wasn't big, but it had an ample supply of significant books and it was so quiet. The first thing you'd see is the borrowing desk with the librarian behind it. At the back, there are several pink couches and beanbags with coffee tables near them, and far beyond that is the maze the book shelves formed. All the couches and beanbags were occupied, so I entered 'the maze', grabbed a battered book about cooking and sat on the farthest and darkest corner.

I was soon disturbed by some noise from the other end of the bookshelf that hid me. The book beside me was taken away, letting a thick string of light land on the cooking book's pages. This irked me because I liked being in the dark.

"Leah?" His deep voice asked. I looked at the gap that was covered by the book a while ago, and Sam's face was what I saw on the other side.

Before I was given time to react, he was suddenly in front of me.

"What are you doing here? You were just with the crowd a while ago."

"I'm good at escapades." He smiled crookedly. He sank and sat with me on the floor, and flipped through the pages of Hardy Boys. The way he was so absorbed into the book made him look so serious.

"I never thought I'd find a person like you in a library."

"Why do you say so?"

"You look like you're a café person."

"Don't judge a book by its cover." He laughed. I didn't know what was so funny, and then it sank in on me after a few seconds. We were in a library.

"Oh."

"Late reaction." He clucked his tongue. "I like it here. Everything's so quiet, I'm not someone famous here."

"I don't really like it here. I just come here from time to time."

"Really? I go here everyday. You're actually on my spot."

"Well, sorry." I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"What's so wrong with it?"

"It looks weird. I spotted you a while ago because of the colours."

"Then deal with the weirdness. Weirdness comes with the Leah Clearwater package."

"That's what I like about you." Did I just hear what he said? My stomach abruptly lurched so wildly, and my heart was palpitating.

"Sorry. That wasn't so smooth." His russet cheeks, although red with sunburn turned even redder with embarrassment.

"Nah, it's okay." The blood rushed up to my cheeks. Maybe I was just as red as he was.

"Shit. I suck." He banged his head so hard against the bookshelf. "You didn't hear anything, okay?"

"I did hear something." I smiled manically, like I was torturing him mentally.

"Never mind. I can't take it back anymore."

"Why me, of all people? There are so many pretty cheerleaders who like you, why not them?" I fished for the answer.

"Don't you think you're pretty?"

"I'm not. Only my family thinks so."

"Well, you are. I think you're the prettiest girl in La Push."

"So you like me just because I'm pretty? That's superficial."

"You caught my attention because you're pretty. I was so intrigued about you, then the way you wouldn't come near me like everyone else really baffled me. You aren't normal. Then, I figured you were the kind of girl I wanted-- pretty, and someone who doesn't look only at the outside. You were unlike any other girl I met, and that made me like you, I was sure of it. And I hated that of all the girls that liked me, you weren't one of them, the one I wanted the most. It was like having a thousand spoons, when all I needed was one fork. The way you're so different attracts me, and the way you despised me served as a challenge. I like being challenged."

"So, you're telling me I've lost my touch?" I was flummoxed right after I realized what I just said. It was hard talking to Sam; he was so lucid that you don't watch what you're saying anymore. At that moment, I wished for a time machine to fall right out of the sky so that I could go back to five seconds ago.

"You like me?"

"I never said I did." I backed-up.

"It's pretty much the same." This time, he was the one smiling manically.

"I only like your breath. It smells like cinnamons, my favourite."

"Yeah, right." His face was in a smug. I have never seen him so happy before. In fact, he looked so much better that way.

"You're being unfair, Leah. I admitted. Now it's your turn."

"Fine, maybe I do. But it's not because you're so handsome and famous and all that crap."

"You're really pretty when you scowl. Just a random thought."

"Sure."

"Then why do you like me?" I hate it when I lose. I wasn't used to losing, but there's no turning back now.

"It was when you were carrying Seth yesterday. You looked like a good father. A handsome one. And then you treated all of us to McDonald's, just like a father would have. I have this weird taste for older guys who I think will make good dads. Weird, huh?"

"Wow. I didn't know I look old."

"It's not that. You just act so mature."

"Good dad." He rubbed his chin. "I remember what you're talking about. That was when we were crossing the street, right?"

"Yeah."

"I bet we looked like a family. I'm the dad, you're the mom and Collin Brady and Seth are our kids."

"Don't get all started, Uley. Just because I like you, doesn't mean we're gonna get married."

"I'd like that." He said with a grin.

"You're creeping me out." I lied. I sort of liked the idea too.

"Liar. I know you like the idea too." A shiver went down my spine. Did he just read my mind?

"So we like each other."

"So?" I snapped.

"We should go on a date."

"For someone handsome, you're not that smooth."

"I know." He smiled. I know it's a flaw, but the way he wasn't fluid about these things made me like him more. It was funny watching him.

"No, thank you. It's not me if I said yes."

"Why?"

"Because I'm fourteen. I'm still a kid."

"Fourteen." He stressed the word teen.

"It's just too early, okay?"

"There are a lot of people your age who are getting laid already."

"So you're telling me to lose my virginity?"

"No. I'm just telling you that dating at this time is normal. Stop playing hard to get."

"I am not playing!"

"Yes you are. So it's settled then. I'll pick you up at six tonight." I grunted. "You better ask my mom first." I suddenly burst into laughter as I saw the picture. My mother would dissect him.

"Sure. What's her number?" I took my phone from my pocket and showed him my mother's contact details. He took his phone and punched her numbers in, and he put it on loudspeaker.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Clearwater. This is Samuel Uley."

"Samuel! What a pleasant surprise! How can I help you?" I rolled my eyes.

"Could I take your daughter out tonight in Seattle? I promise I'll have her home before ten."

"Oh, you could have her all night!" My mother laughed.

"Mom!"

"Is that Leah?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Tell her I said hi. Oh, Samuel! I never thought a guy would ask someone as aggressive as she is out! You're a miracle!"

"Thank you, ma'am." He chuckled.

"Oh, I have to go now. Thank you so much, Samuel!" My mother's voice was so exuberant.

"You're welcome." Samuel folded his phone, and my eyes were widened in horror.

"Your mom said yes. I'll see you tonight."

"No! I-" It was too late. Sam stood up and walked away while whistling.