"Can't get your smile out of my mind, I think about your eyes all the time. You're beautiful but you don't even try. Modesty is just so hard to find. Now I'm speechless, over the edge, I'm just breathless. I never thought that I'd catch this lovebug again. Hopeless, head over heels in the moment. I never thought that I'd get hit by this lovebug again." - Jonas Brothers, "Lovebug"
Imprint
I had been able to escape to La Push quite easily. Jacob would pick me up from a friend's house and either Dan or Jade would take me home. I hoped that my werewolf stench wouldn't be too noticable in my future luxury car that I would be getting for my sixteenth birthday. I used one of my friend's showers after my enjoyable visits with Jake, knowing that my family would find out I had been with the other kind if I just washed at home. They still did not know of my journeys to La Push, and I had no immediante intentions of telling them, knowing that if I did it would result badly. My werewolf and I hung out nearly every weekend, sometimes even on Friday nights. We were truly soulmates, it was easy to tell. Our visits mainly consisted of sitting in Jacob's tiny garage while listening to his fuzzy, out-dated radio. Another thing we would do was walk or chill at First Beach and in the green forest if it wasn't pouring down the wet rain. Jacob refused to let me attend any werewolf meetings, much to my disappointment. Apparently, there were still some wolves who did not approve of our relationship.
"I can't tell them. My family, I mean."
Jacob was driving us to La Push in his rundown Volkswagen, his way too warm right hand grasped in mine. His russet lips were twisted up, making a sour grimace.
"I know," sighed Jake, sadly. "That's why I avoided my feelings for you for the longest time."
"It was way too long," I teased, trying to break off this converstation I started up. I gave his huge hand a squeeze.
"What was I supposed to do?" Jacob suddenly snapped, surprising me with the immediante anguish in his voice. "You were going out with that Middleton bloodsucker. I didn't have the balls to end your relationship with him, I knew it would make you feel bad. I couldn't do that. You'd hate me if I did that. I don't understand why you liked him so much, Cee. You freakin' loved that thing even though he treated you like useless shit---"
Quickly, I pecked Jake on the cheek to shut him up. This talk about Ryan Middleton was making me feel uneasy. Besides, Jacob didn't need to lose his self control when in the car. What if he got so angry that the steering wheel he was holding onto broke into tiny bits? Not good at all.
"I never loved Ryan," I confessed, telling the truth. "Well," I amended, thinking about what I just said. "Maybe before I met you." I kissed his russet cheek again lightly. "Please don't get angry, Jake. You're driving."
Jacob rolled his dark eyes and snorted.
"Sorry," he apologized. "That leech just makes me really mad. He was no good for you, Cecilia."
"I know, I know," I spoke, quickly. "Ryan Middleton is totally forgotten. Nobody knows where he is anyway. Alice had been looking for him with her visions. But I told her to stop, that I didn't care anymore." I emphazied the last bit of my sentence, making my werewolf grin. Good, my work was finally done.
"I'm sorry," Jacob repeated, still smiling. "I won't mention him ever again. I just had to get all that stuff out. It's been stuck inside of me for months."
"Atta boy," I cooed, squeezing his big hand again. "So, will you do something for me?"
"What's up, boss?" asked Jacob, sounding content now.
I felt silly asking this of my new boyfriend, but I was honestly curious. Part of me though felt nervous about asking him this question.
"What is it?" continued Jake, glancing over to my gaze. "Come on. Spit it out."
So I did, very quickly.
"Will you get your hair cut short for me? I want to see what it would look like."
Jake gave out a husky laugh, a grin spreading across his russet lips. A flow of relief sped down my system, a tiny, embarrassed grin appearing on my pale face.
"Sure, sure. You're hilarious, you know that? Whatever you'd like is fine with me, Cecilia."
I laughed a bit with him as we approached the red house. Once Jake parked the car, he came around to my side and opened the door for me. I grabbed the plasic grocery bag that sat next to my feet as I swung my skinny jean covered legs out of the vintage Volkswagen. Jake helped me out of the car, holding my hand as we made our way to the front door.
"I wanna take you somewhere tonight," said Jacob as I prepared some strawberry lemonade in a big, old pitcher. I had been stirring the pink liquid while Jake stuck by my side like a watch dog in the small compacted kitchen.
I gave a smile to my werewolf.
"Really? Where to, lover?"
"It's a surprise. Let's take the food to go."
I kept my eyes closed tight as Jacob led the way to the mystery destination. I was so afraid that I would trip or fall or somehow manage to kill slash hurt myself while Jake made me shut my eyes, blocking off all my good vision. I held his soft hand very tightly as he warned me if a branch in the ground was sticking up or if a tree was coming up near me.
"Are we nearly there yet?" I complained, feeling utterly terrified. We had been at this for about fifteen minutes or so. Fifteen frightened minutes.
"Almost," answered Jacob, cheerfully. Of course he was fine, he could see where he was heading. "You're doing fine, Cee. I got you. You're safe with me."
It was another five minutes until Jake told me that we finally there. I gave out a sigh of happiness, praising and thanking the dear Lord above. Jacob snorted at this as he covered his large hands on top of my already blind eyes.
"Say when."
"When."
Then, Jacob's hands freed from my face. I opened my tired eyes, beholding an amazing sight before me. My wolf and I were standing on a hard cliff top that was overlooking the huge gray sea on First Beach. Pelicans and seagulls were letting out evening cries as they flew into the weak sunset. The sound of waves slashing on the colorful rocky shore filled my ears as I searched with my eyes around the setting of the cliff. There were some old looking driftwood logs in a pile, burnt from old usages. Other pieces of large wood surrounded it, probably used for places to sit down. Visions and rememberence of my mother's old stories clouded my mind. Was this where I thought we were? The Quileute wolf society bonfire hang out?
I saw Mother staring with disbelief at the hungry wolf boys as they gobbled down hot dogs and brand name, crispy chips. I saw Jake resting against the fronts of my mom's legs while they both laughed and joked about him eating a cow whole. Kim was nodding off against Jared's chest, her plain features becoming brillant each second. The Quileute consul leaders were in a deep discusion about something. Leah Clearwater's lovely face was staring expressionless into the bright driftwood fire. She was trying her hardest to ignore her favorite cousin and former boyfriend as they sat next to each other, watching at one another as they showed off their deep affection without a thought about the others around them. Billy Black was powerfully telling the old Quileute stories; Taha Aki, Yut, Utlapa, Kaheleha, the Makahs, Taha Wi, Yaha Uta, the Cold One and Woman, and my favorite, the third wife. Imaginary pictures of these characters and tales were dancing across my mind. I was watching them lick their way across the orange fire around the interested and eager young and old Quileute descents...
A grin glowed on my face as I turned to gaze up at Jake, who was looking down at me with total satisfaction in his native eyes. I thought that he could tell easily about what I was thinking. He bent down to kiss my forehead sweetly.
"Oh...this...this is so beautiful, Jake! The walk was worth it," I sputtered as he wrapped his arms around my waist.
"This is just the beginning, too, Cecilia," said Jacob, content.
The two of us placed a vintage blanket near the center of the cliff. Jacob managed to start a small driftwood fire, the colors beautiful and bright. Another part of the surprise was that Jake made us fish biscuits as a joke. I laughed so hard for what seemed like forever as he pulled them out of basket we brought. I took a bite, not being able to stop giggling. I was chewing the fish meat and bread, covering my mouth because of my uncontrolable hysteria. As Jacob and I predicted, they were absoulutely, positively horrid. No wonder Harp loved them so much.
"These are really disgusting!" I cackled, hysterically.
Jacob grinned his Jacob-y grin at me and snorted.
"I know! They're so gross!"
The later it got, the happier I got. I laid on my back on the blanket, my stomach feeling extremely full with junk food as my left hand perched on top of it. Jacob sat beside me, our hands clasped together. He was looking up into the darkened night sky, calm and collected as the water below us rushed and flowed against the rocky cliff.
"You know, the pack doesn't really come here much anymore."
"Why is that?"
Jake shrugged.
"I dunno, we just don't. We're still as close as ever," he explained, softly.
"Let's plan a get-together sometime, then," I suggested. "Audrey could come...did Seth really imprint on her?"
Sighing, Jacob nodded a yes.
"Yeah, he did. Leah is so pissed off about this, of course." Jacob paused to roll his dark eyes. "Their mom is thrilled, though. She likes Audrey a whole lot, thinks she's a perfect match for Seth. He's gonna ask her to be his girlfriend soon, probably the next time they visit together."
A little squeal escaped from me unintentionally. Seth would be Audrey's first boyfriend if she said yes to his sweet question.
"We gotta tell her sometime about...about what we really are. There's no way around it. Old Quil told me that recently after he found out about Seth imprinting on Audrey. How do you think she'll take it? I mean, you guys are best friends, right? You know Audrey well enough to know her reaction."
I mused about this for a moment, biting my bottom lip with hesitation. I actually was not absoulutely positive about how Audrey would take this supernatural truth; she was very fainthearted. The news might scare her. Who knew? Audrey just might think it was fine...if she really liked Seth, then she wouldn't care, would she? Though, she was quite timid...
"Let's not worry about that now," Jacob quickly amended, sensing my slight worry and woe. "Tonight is about us," he added, very quietly, looking me straight in the eye.
I looked away for a moment, embarrassed warmth rising up to the apples of my ivory cheekbones.
"That's true," I said, softly, still not being able to look at Jake.
By this time, the magical diftwood fire was dying away to mere crumpled ashes, causing me to get a little chilled. I was wearing my most favorite pink Juicy Couture sweatshirt that just happened to be made of thin fabric, which did not really help me in the cold weather. I rubbed my arms with lots of fierce, trying to create some friction. Jacob noticed me shivering immediantely. He laid down beside me, streching out his arms toward me. Jake froze his arms a few seconds before they touched me, biting his lip with his white, top front teeth.
"Is this okay?" he asked, hesitantly.
I smiled at his gentleman-like action.
"Sure, sure," I responded, smiling.
I pressed my face into Jacob's t-shirt covered chest as he wound his arms around my fragile back. Jake's laid his chin on the crown of my brunette hair. The radiation that was his unnatural wolf body heat made me tremble at first, taking in the relief from the slightly bitter cold weather that I had encountered not very long ago. I touched Jacob's front lightly, taking in his woodsy scent. It fit well with the scenery.
After a few moments of lying happily in each other's grasps, I felt myself kind of nodding off. It was just so comfortable...
"Sleepy, Cee?" questioned Jacob, so quietly that it was kind of hard to hear him.
"Yes," I said, silently but slightly seductively. "But, I think I know what'll keep me awake."
"What?"
I streched my head up, searching for Jake's mouth. I lightly pressed my lips to his surprised ones. Quickly, I was feeling him peck me back whole heartedly. Our kiss slowly but gradually deepened as I parted my lips eagerly, feeling Jacob's hot breath make it's way into my mouth. I had never experienced a kiss like this before, it was interesting and not surprisingly delightful. Gently, I rolled onto my back, Jake hovering over me. His hands carefully placed themselves on my hips, touching them as if they were the most breakable thing on earth. This didn't last very long to my dismay as Jake pulled himself away from me. I felt my face go sour with disappointment; Jacob snorted at my expression.
"I almost forgot," Jake said, happily. "I made something for you."
Before I could say anything, Jacob pulled something out of his right jean pocket. Once it was safe in his grips, he took my left hand. Before I could count to three, a wooden band that fit my finger to perfection was bearing my not so naked anymore ring finger. I flexed my fingers up to my face, examining the gift my wolf created just for me. Carefully, I pulled it off of my nimble finger. Inside the ring read the words I Will Wait For My Beloved and True Love Waits. My jaw slowly dropped, feeling truly blessed and loved. I could almost feel the waterworks starting up in my green orbs.
"Oh, Jacob," I crooned, quietly as I stared at the purity ring he made for me.
Gah, I sounded so lovesick! I never thought I'd fall more in love with Jake, but I was proven wrong. I was so touched that he made me a chastity band.
"You know what time it is?" asked Jacob. It sounded like a retourical question, so I waited for him to continue to speak again. Anyway, I was still in awe.
"Midnight," he went on. "A brand new day, the first minute of a new day. You should start it off right, you know? But if not, I guess that's okay, so if you screw on something, you could fix it quickly, I suppose. That's my take on it, anyway. Right now, being here with you in my arms, I wish I could freeze time so it would be forever midnight. This is where I truly belong, I think. With you and only you, Cecilia."