ten: decided

Leah woke up the next morning feeling a million times better. The only remainder of yesterday's meltdown that Leah could notice was one hell of a headache. She tossed an Advil before going to see what she could scrounge up for breakfast.

She munched on cold ramen noodles and, after finishing, unwrapped a Ho-Ho. As she swallowed the snack cake deliciousness, she closed her eyes. Unwanted images of Keenan flooded her brain, danced and swam behind her eyes. Leah smacked herself in the temple, trying to rid herself of his face. It was worth the intensified headache. She threw out the rest of the Ho-Ho, suddenly lacking in appetite.

When she'd practically eaten everything out of her poorly stocked fridge, she ambled back to her bed. It was really just a pull-out couch with ratty sheets and a moth-eaten blanket. Leah collapsed on top of the itchy blanket, wondering what she'd be doing with her day.

The ringing phone scared the crap out of Leah. She jumped a mile, before she calmed herself down and reached for it. "Hello?" she said, the first time she'd spoken since Jacob had left the previous night.

"Leah?" It was Jacob.

"Hey, Jake." Leah pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"Are you okay?" Jacob's concern seemed genuine. "I feel like I should have you on suicide watch or something.

Leah rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Jake. Chill out. Is that why you called, to be sure I hadn't slashed my wrists open and was lying in my bed, writing morbid poetry with my blood?"

"Damn, Leah, dark much?" But Jacob chuckled, so Leah figured she was off the hook. "Well, anyway, glad you're okay. Have you figured out what you're going to do about Keenan?"

The sound of his name made Leah finch slightly. "No," she finally answered. And she decided to leave it at that.

After she and Jacob got off the phone, Leah considered what to do about Keenan. She knew that she could either pursue him, ignore him, or sit on her pull-out stewing about it. She decided option C was out, and carefully considered the pros and cons of the first two.

If she tried to see him again, she knew she could control the pain in her sides—and maybe her headache from hell too. She could finally have a happy life with somebody who she loved. But he had a gorgeous girlfriend. She knew Tori was not the kind of girl who would just get dumped for another girl, and Leah was definitely not the type that people dumped others for. And then, just everything about him was so wrong. The hair, the rings, the clothes...Leah just couldn't handle it. That's why he had Tori, right?

If she ignored him, her life might go back to normal. She could forget about the imprinting shit—because she knew she couldn't imprint twice. She could live her like the way she could have if she'd never gone to buy Ho-Hos at the Thriftway. She could fall in love, get married, have little werewolf children without having to think of Keenan or imprinting ever again. But she knew that the pain in her sides would never go away. And she also realized that she would never fully be able to forget the bizarre, beautiful boy she'd imprinted on. She was just kidding herself hoping.

Leah got dressed methodically, taking extra time to button, then unbutton her sweater and make sure her jeans were hanging just right on her hips. And that was when Leah decided. She was sick of games and sick of pretending. Sick of crying and sick of her best friend having her on suicide watch.

Leah decided to find Keenan.

pretty short but it's also pretty good i think. hey if anyone's familiar with the people of Paramore, you have to check out Taylor's new hair cut. he's a hot one. http:// www. paramore. net/ photoView?album=mobilestream&value=&photo=16146&albumPageid=1&secAlbumPageid=1&photoSerial=3 minus all the spaces. he didn't used to be this hot but DAMN he is now. review after gazing at Taylor for ten minutes straight. then read "Meteor," my MI fics, and my oneshots.

speaking of my oneshots...i have a favor to ask y'all. if anyone knows the song "Much Like Falling" by Flyleaf and are willing to collaborate on a songfic, let me know in the review. i'm stuck and i could use a cowrite. thanks!