(Author's Note) A.N: Hullo everyone! I'm truly sorry this chapter took so long, but school swallowed me up like a huge homework infested fish, and I had no time for anything at all. And then I had aa dance competition to compete in, and Backpacking trips, and such and such. When I read over this, I was really surprised at how much my writing sucks...I promise I've improved! The next chapter will be much better, and more interesting. This is sort of a fill-in if you know what I mean. Also, I've begun another story, Gift of Life, so my time spent on Starry Skies might be cut down a bit. But I swear I won't disappear like I did again. Love my watchers and commenters! Sarah.

Chapter 11 - Glee

Charlotte's POV.

I woke up that morning feeling to the absolute highest degree. I was utterly confident that I'd keep my powers in check, Jake wasn't mad at me anymore, and I had plans with him this afternoon to catch up and hang out. I woke my ipod up, and mentally turned the dials so that the Beatles, I feel fine began playing, combining with the cheery atmosphere, and literally brightening the room. I slipped my favorite cotton dress over a long sleeved shirt, swirls of white, blue, and green blending together on the material. Breakfast was delicious, and by the time I had skipped to school, I was grinning ear to ear.

My classes were a breeze, calculus couldn't lower my mood lower even one degree. The bell for lunch rang after fourth period, and I stood up, simultaneously hoisting my bag over my shoulder. It wasn't until I reached my locker and began to spin the dial that I noticed Jacob standing next to me.

"Still a bit distracted are we?" he whispered, warm breath tickling my ear and making me jump.

"Jacob?!? I–!! Don't scare me like that!!" I slapped him teasingly, blushing slightly when the muscles in his arm tensed reflexively under my hand. " I'm just having a really good day is all." A smile turned the corners of my mouth up before I could stop it, ruining my stern face.

"Well I'm glad you're back Lottie, " he smiled back at me. "It got awful quiet around when you weren't being all happy-go-lucky y'know."

My heart skipped a beat at my old nick name. Somehow, it sounded so nice coming from his mouth. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through my veins, leaving every square inch of me tingling. Strange. I must've been going delusional.

" It's good to be back." I enthused gratuitously, before opening my locker, and swapping notebooks. " I'm also really happy you forgave me. I honestly am sorry about these past few days you know."

I slammed the locker door shut, and looked up to see him grinning down at me. I was immediately self conscious. "What are you looking at?"

He smiled crookedly, at me for a moment, and then began breezing down the hall without me. "Hey wait up!!" I yelled after him. He payed me no notice, and I had to run to catch up.

Finally I reached his side, out of breath from running with a weighted down bag. "Is– This– A hobby– Of yours–??" I panted. "Making me chase you around everywhere??"

His smirk grew visibly larger. "You're going to have to shape up if you want to get anywhere in life, Lots. Where's your drive?"

I laughed breathlessly. "Gee, maybe I left it in my locker, I'd better go back."

He chuckled. "Like a rundown car..Slow, and stalls a lot."

We reached the cafeteria cracking teasing jokes at each other, each more ridiculous than the latter. It was so easy to be myself with Jacob. He was to intensely happy, so wonderfully adept to everything; he made me feel like I knew everything and nothing at the same time. And all the while he was putting out that big warm aura of content. It was impossible not to take the same positive attitude he emitted so vibrantly. We kept up the incessant ribbing until we reached our table, and only stopped because I noticed that for some reason everyone was staring at me. Had I said something they weren't meant to hear while I was speaking to Jacob..?

"Uhm..guys? Hi..So, uh..what's up?"

Simultaneously, the group of overgrown boys shifted their gaze meaningfully from me to Jacob, and then back to me again, as huge grins began forming on their faces. They looked almost..smug? Jacob and I sat next to each other, I all the while trying to decipher the expressions his werewolf friends had suddenly attained. After a few minutes of watching them eat, I realized that their perverse smiling was only growing only more pronounced, and threw up my hands in defeat.

"Okay, will someone please tell me what is so funny here??" I forfeited angrily.

" It's nothing," Quil laughed under his breath. " You just seem a whole lot... happier after getting all cute and cuddly with Jacob."

My heart began pumping furiously, and I could feel a slight blush creeping up in my cheeks. It was always so strange how I blushed so easily, and yet no color came to my cheeks whenever I did. The only time it was ever apparent that the blood boiled under my skin, was either when I was out in the cold a long time, or after running continuously. So whenever I felt my face heat up, I called it blushing to appease myself. I'd always thought thee was something weird with me. All the other girls looked so pretty with their rosy cheeks and cheery smiles. Why couldn't I look that way? I snapped at Quil, sounding a bit more icy as I'd meant to.

" Shut it Ateara. I could say the same thing to you with all your little boy toys. It seems that Jared is your playmate at the moment." I eyes his arm thrown carelessly over Jared's shoulder and had to hold back a grin when he quickly dropped it to his side.

I smiled cruelly to myself as his cheeks puffed up and his face grew wonderfully red. I giggled a little under my breath at his incredulous expression. The rest of the period passed without so much as a peep from Quil, though he did break out of his ruffled silence once he got a taste, or should I say, heaping mouthful, of one of Emily's muffins.

Lunch was listless again, and thanks to my divine skills in sarcasm, the rest of the boys kept quiet about my transfigured attitude. The school day whizzed by, my brain soaking up every little tidbit of information offered, finally getting back on track after missing so much the days I was..not myself. I stacked my books into a neat pile at the end of seventh period, and headed for the door; my surroundings slightly blurred at the speed I moved. Of course, I couldn't feel my feet touch the ground, it was like I was floating on air. I knew I was a little bit overly gleeful, but this was as close as I'd ever come to a perfect day, and I simply couldn't stand to ruin it.

I was startled by a tall, brooding figure at the door, but as soon as he saw me, his face lit up into a dazzling smile.

"Scared you did I?" Jacob offered to take my books, but I held them tight to my chest. I didn't know what it was about being treated like a girl, but I just couldn't stand it when boys tried to help me with things. It made me seem so..delicate. A term that definitely did not describe me.

I couldn't help but take a hit on my feminist side, because although I dressed and looked the part, I rarely ever felt like a girl. More like 'a person in the whole'; a worm I suppose, as they're neither male nor female. Poor things, they must feel awfully moronic flirting with themselves. That is, if worms could speak. Always wondered how the things reproduced. But then again, I didn't really want to know.

"Helloooo. Anyone home?" Jacob waved a hand in front of my face, stirring the air with his heady scent. I smacked myself in the side of my head, scolding myself half because of what I let his smell do to me, half because I'd gotten myself lost in dream land again, completely ignoring whoever I was talking to. Half because....well, I was getting all weird over Jake again. There was something strange about that boy..I couldn't fathom why it was so difficult to stay away from him.

I smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Overactive imagination."

His teeth glistened white against his full lips. "No problem. You looked like you were grossing out over worms or something. It was pretty funny. "

I stared up at him incredulously. " How did you know?"

He looked surprised at his accuracy for a moment before getting arrogant. "I observed your pitiful expression which quickly shifted to one of disgust, and concluded that worms must be the dominant topic of thought."

I thought over my little worm sex speech. "Uh.....Suuuure, lets go with that."

We made our way down the hall towards the beckoning light pouring in from the mauve double doors at the end of the hall. The crisp aroma of fresh, rain perfumed air filled my nostrils and crackled briskly in my throat. I inhaled deeply, pausing for a moment at the top of the concrete steps to shut my eyes and take in my very favorite smell. So clean and fresh and new.

Jacob's POV.

She stood enraptured at the edge of the first stair, leading down to the sidewalk from the school. I was about to tell her to tell her we'd never make it to my house so we'd make it to my house before dark at the rate we were going. But when I looked down, her sea green eyes were not dazed nor distanced as they were in the hallway. She looked out at the street scene in front of us, eyes raking over every single detail, every gold and red and orange tarnished leaf, every fissure in the veins of the avid passerby.

In a moment she closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply, the air around her caught up in her lungs, to be exhaled slowly, as though she were hesitant to let go of the oxygen, the moment. A slight smile spread easily over her silken lips, easily as butter across bread. It was much more gentle, more thoughtful and soft than her usual bright facade. Whenever I saw her smile before, she always looked as though she were secretly laughing inside, as though someone had told an irresistibly funny joke, and that she couldn't help but laugh, though no sound ever came out of her mouth resembling the snarky noises the other girls made. This smile was reserved, peaceful, and as I watched the light glint subtly off her heart shaped lips, I couldn't help but smile too, and the strain on the ends of my mouth was too strong to restrain.

Then she opened her eyes, and the grassy green irises I had grown so accustomed to re-announced themselves. She looked up at me, her expression almost ribbing.

"Sorry. Got a little wrapped up in myself again. Once an old car, always an old car, right?"

Suddenly she started down the steps, bag slung over her shoulder as though it were a jacket on the runway, books clasped to her side in the other hand. At the bottoms of the stairwell she turned back to look over her shoulder a moment.

"What are you waiting for?" She laughed. "Lets go."

I just stared after her retreating figure a moment, before feeling myself smile, and following her retreating form down the school steps. The whole way there we chatted about this and that. Which bands we liked and disliked, how mystery books were always too long, and you never could stop yourself from reading the ending and spoiling it, how a lot of brown haired people were just as stupid as the blondes and vice versa. Talking with this girl was so enjoyable. I wondered why..