Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Twlight or the characters.
"Colin, I need to speak with you," Sam spoke sternly when we came back. I felt Collin tense next to me, but he looked calm. He squeezed my hand in assurance before slipping it out of my grasp. I instantly felt cold and alone. But, I could still feel his lips on mine, and smell his cologne. I felt slightly dizzy, realizing how much he intoxicated me. I walked inside the house, dripping wet. When Emily saw me, she threw her hands up in defeat.
"Why is it that you are always cold and wet?" she exclaimed. When I just smiled in response, she huffed. "Go! Shower, now!"
I nodded back, still dazed.
"Wait a second," Kim said slowly, coming up to me. She grabbed my chin in her hand and examined my face. I hardly noticed.
"Swollen lips?" Leah asked.
"Check." Kim replied.
"Glazed over eyes?" Rachel wondered.
"Check."
"Dreamy expression?" Leah said.
"And check." Kim concluded, backing away.
"A kiss in the rain," Rachel sighed. "How romantic!"
"Oh shut up!" I groaned, walking towards the bathroom. After my shower, I slipped on jeans and a hoodie, with converses until my clothes dried. Emily said that once I was redressed, we would go out to eat for my birthday. But, as Sam walked in with Colin, we saw a woman in a suit and tight bun walk in behind them. Colin immediately came to my side.
"What's up?" I asked him.
"Social service person, coming for the monthly check up" he whispered in my ear. I took his hand in mine, but he unhooked it, wrapping his arm around my waist. I was about to struggle when I remembered that we had no need to hide anything.
"Sammy," Sam said. "This is Miss. Delaney. She's doing the check up this month."
"Hello," I said, smiling softly, almost hiding into Collin. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure is all mine." she smiled back. It looked almost fake.
Emily walked into the room then. She stopped suddenly when she saw Miss. Delaney. "Sam?"
"This is the social services lady," I spoke up. "She's doing this month's check up. Miss. Delaney, this is my brother's fiancé, Emily Young."
"Nice to meet you," Emily said, offering her hand. Miss. Delaney shook it.
"And who is this?" She asked, sizing up Collin. He turned on his charm and grinned casually.
"I'm Collin Grey," he informed her.
"My boyfriend," I added. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Sam.
"You let her date someone so much older than her?" she asked.
"Actually, Collin is only fifteem." Sam said. "And Samantha just turned fifteen today."
"I see," she nodded, smiling slightly at Collin. "Do you have an ID?"
"My school one, right here," he said, fishing it out of his pocket. Miss. Delaney nodded once when she saw it, as if in approval.
"Please, sit down," Emily said, gesturing towards the living room.
And so the day went.
)-(
"I am so glad she's gone," Emily said as we waved Mrs. Delaney away. "I mean, Jesus, she was uptight!"
"Tell me about it." I agreed, watching the little black car drive off. "But, my birthday shall not be ruined!"
"Of course not!" Embry cheered, walking up behind us. I saw the rest of the pack come in.
"God, I thought we would have to sit out there all freaking night," Paul stretched. "I couldn't stand listening to her talk anymore."
"Did anyone else notice how nasally she sounded?" Brady asked.
"Dude, everyone did." Colin said, his arms still wrapped around me. I think he lost contact with me all of….zero times while that woman was here.
"So, what are we doing to celebrate the princess's birthday?" Jared asked, grinning at Colin.
Colin rolled his eyes. "That's completely up to the birthday girl."
"You mean the Princess birthday girl," Jared reminded.
"Zip it, guys," Sam ordered, but smiling slightly. "Seriously, Sammy. What do you want to do?"
"I want Paul and Brady to play guitar while Rachel sings with Paul," I said. "I want it to be like a regular get together."
"Well, then a regular get together it will be!" Emily said authoritatively. And so it was. An hour later, we all crowded into Emily's house and were singing songs like "Hey Jude" by the Eagles, along with other modern songs like "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. "If I Die Young" was by far my favorite, especially hearing Paul and Rachel sing together.
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
oh oh oh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand
There's a boy here in town says he'll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done
A penny for my thoughts, oh no I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
oh oh
The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when your really gonna need 'em oh
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
Everyone was silent in the end and Emily had slight tears in her eyes. She actually got up and left the room, Sam quickly in tow. I was going to go after her, but Colin shook his head in warning so I stayed. I kept looking after where she went but Rachel suggested we sing some different songs, happier ones, so I listened and pretty soon the mood was lifted. After everyone left, Colin held me in his arms while we sat on the couch. I had my head on his chest, leaning into his side. I felt like I could stay there forever.
Being with Collin was different than what I saw in my old friend's boyfriends. The guys did like contact and kissing, but in a different way. When Collin kissed me, he held my face gingerly in his hands, and it was always sweet, not like a full make out session. When guys kissed a girl in my school, they were always groping her and sucking her face off. Colin was also more mature, but I guess that comes from being a werewolf and knowing the kind of world you live in.
And he acted as if everything was resolved for forever; I had thoughts about being with him forever. It just sometimes seemed like we were moving faster with each other and not taking careful steps to make sure being with each other was what we wanted for good. I wasn't exactly being smart about it. My mind told me to be careful and put up my guard, while my heart told me to go with it, because you know you love him, whether or not it's been a short amount of time. Then there was the whole thing with the fact that I might not be able to stay with him, and Sam and Emily. They could still take me….
"Hey, I've got to go," Collin said, bring me back to earth. I stood up with him and leaned into him again when he wrapped his arms around me in a goodbye. I breathed him in, savoring the scent for the night. It made me feel dizzy, and my other worries flew out the door in second.
"I don't want you to go," I said, snuggling closer, and his grip tightened.
"I don't want to leave, but I have to tuck my sister in to bed," he murmured. "She gets into a fuss if I don't."
"I guess I can spare you…" I sighed. He took my face in his hands and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine. As usual, I got even more dizzy, and began feeling warmed inside. My lips formed into his, making it seemed like two puzzles pieces finally finding each other. I pulled away though.
"Little sister," I reminded breathlessly, smiling up at him. He kissed my forehead and let his lips sit there for a second before leaving. I stood in the living room, smiling like the idiot I was before I decided to go talk to Emily.
"Emily?" I knocked on the bedroom door softly.
"Come in!" she called. I gently opened the door to see her sitting on the bed with a phone in her hand. "Mm-hmm. Alright sweetheart. I love you too. Bye." when she hung up and turned to me, she patted the bed next to her. "Sit down, Sammy."
"Can I talk to you?" I asked.
"Of course honey," she nodded and I sat on the bed coming closer to her. "What's wrong?"
"Well, when we sang, If I Die Young, you got sort of upset," I said. "And I was wondering why you acted like that."
She sighed. "It's my niece, Claire."
"What about her?" I wondered.
"Well, she's your age, for one." She said, leaning against the head board of the bed. "And last year, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Her favorite song is If I Die Young, because she said that if she were to die anytime soon, she'd want to do it that way. Quote on quote 'sink me in the river at dawn. I also want you to put my Emily Dickenson book in my arms, with the bookmark a piece of paper with any love song you like on it. And I want you to lay roses in the canoe I'll be in.' Just hearing the song made me cry, and I've been a little emotional lately, so that didn't help." her eyes were teared up, and oddly enough, I wrapped my arms around her first. She hugged me back, and we were quiet for a moment before we pulled apart simultaneously.
"She's going to visit," Emily said softly. "The day after Thanksgiving. And then, she'll stay with us until New Years."
"What about school?" I asked curiously. "For her, I mean."
"She was taken out of school when she had to go through chemotherapy." Emily explained. "So, she's home schooled, and I can home school you both."
"I can't wait to meet her." I said, smiling sincerely. "I'm sure we'll get along great."
She smiled back. "We can only hope."