DISClaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer. I make no profit from this. Same with KIGH and Easy Tiger.
Hope you enjoy this.
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"Yeah. Maybe I should."
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Evan's POV
I hated storming out of places. It made me feel so weak… so useless and a little bit upset - like I couldn't handle the situation.
I sat on the bed, looked around the room and let my gaze settle on my guitar case. I figured I should see the damage the baggage handlers had done to it, to try to take my mind off the argument that still seemed to be going on downstairs.
By the time I had it on the bed, unlocking the hinges, I knew it was alright, that nothing bad had happened to it. I pulled it from the case and tested the strings, to make sure it was still in a satisfactory state, fixed the high-E and lay back, strumming absent-mindedly, albeit uncomfortably.
Within two minutes, I was sat back up, nearly dropping the poor thing as I realised Leah had been standing there, watching me for god knows how long, and holding out a plate of pizza.
"I brought you some dinner," She said softly, "I didn't know you played."
"Seems like nobody knows anything about me around here." I sighed tiredly. "But yeah, I play." She smiled and sat down beside me on the bedcovers; I looked sideways at her and grinned. "Do you play anything?"
"No." She laughed lightly, "Well, I used to play the Saxophone, but that died when I was about thirteen."
"Oh…" I stopped and looked sideways at her again, "Well… you can sing, right?"
"Howling only, I'm afraid." She laughed.
"Oh, come on. Anyone can sing-"
"I can't-" I protested mildly
"Course you can." I smiled at her and she laughed, shaking her head. "Believe me." She shook her head again, "Oh… come on." I laughed again, taking one of the slices of pizza and stuffing it in my mouth. "Wuat? I'h un'ryyy!" I managed to cough through the dough.
"Swallow, then speak, idiot." I choked through the food and laughed.
"Aah, shut up, Leah!"
"Never!" She laughed and I discarded the guitar in favour of attempting to grab her and tickle her to death. She laughed louder and staggered heavily, taking two loud steps before she managed to regain her balance. There was a loud shout from downstairs and the pair of us froze for a long moment, looking at each other nervously and laughing quietly. I collapsed to the bed again, suddenly feeling shattered.
"I-uh… maybe I should go down there and do-"
"No, don't!" I yelped, determined to keep her out of this. "I think they'll bite your head off if you interrupt them."
"Ah, touché." She grinned and sat down beside me, putting her arms around my shoulders. "Then I'll stay here, and…" She paused and kissed my cheek gently.
"Leah…" I warned gently, but she paid no heed and continued to press her lips against my neck. I laughed and pushed her away. "Leah. I've said it once and I'll say it again, pace yourself," She frowned but nodded again and sat back against the pillows, still smiling.
I picked up the guitar again and started strumming random intros to songs I barely remembered. There were only three I'd cared about enough to learn off by heart - everyone knew the basic songs about three years ago, so I went a little mad and started learning different, random songs I'd picked up from internet searches and stealing other people's Mp3 players. I loved listening to Kids in Glass Houses, so I had settled on a couple of their songs.
I realised I was watching Leah's reaction as I started playing my favourite song at the moment - Easy Tiger. She was grinning as her foot picked up the beat, I attempted to sing and failed miserably, but she wasn't angry.
"I like your voice, Evan," She said as soon as I closed my mouth, embarrassed. "You can sing, you know."
"Uhh… No." I grinned, still playing, my hands stuck on repeat, happy to keep playing the same songs forever as long as she liked them.
"I think you can," She teased gently, "Go on. There's nobody else here… just us."
"Fine." I relented and sang for her. She kept smiling the whole way through; I just loved the way her pretty mouth curled up in a smile as I set about with the chorus. As soon as the song was finished, though, I fell silent and went bright red, looking down at the jeans I had decided to put on this morning. "I don't usually put on a free gig for just anyone," I smiled to myself, looking over at the floor, avoiding her eye.
"I can tell." She smiled and squeezed my knee. "It was really good though.
"You don't have to say that, you know." She gave me a look that told me if she hadn't liked it; she would have told me so. "Well, then, thank you."
"You're welcome," She smiled and I looked up as there was a knock on the door.
"Yes?" Leah asked softly.
"Is Evan in there?" Mac's voice made the humiliation and fury bubble up once more. "I wanted to apologise."
"For what?" I found myself speaking before I could stop it. "Come in, Mac." She pushed the door open, blushing fiercely and looking tearful. I pulled a face, something more than concern but less than actual hatred. "Sit down."
"I'm just gonna go shower." Leah said from somewhere to my left, I nodded and looked over at her. "Won't be long, alright?"
"Yeah, cool." She passed behind me and gently slid her hand across my shoulders. It was weird, but a very pleasant weird. "See you in a bit."
"Cool."
She closed the door behind her and I was left alone with Mac. As soon as she was sure nobody was listening, I was subjected to the weirdest apology I have ever experienced.
She threw herself at me, wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight, then kissed me gently on the lips and pulled away.
"Tease." I muttered.
"Man-whore." She laughed.
"Slag." I put on my best cockney accent.
"I'm really sorry for fucking you around… and expecting you to just… accept it." I kept my arms folded and raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"And I acted completely stupidly by running away and not telling you what was going on, and then calling you out here - using the fact that you loved me to use you to get you out here… and then sort of break your heart?"
"And…?"
"And I'm really sorry? And I'll stop being a complete prat for the rest of my life and think before I act?"
"And?" I was only really looking for one more thing, something to make her feel so much better, and something that had been burning at me for the past few hours.
"And what?"
"And you know you're not forgiven, but I can't stay mad at you. You'll have to work for… you'll have to work to gain my trust again, but I do still love you, Mackenzie." I paused and looked at her, taking a deep breath and sighing, "But I guess we can only be friends from now on." I held out my hand, almost reluctantly, but desperate to get back to a level, fair playing field. She took it and I pulled her into a tight, England-laden hug.
Seth's POV
I sat in the kitchen, waiting for Max to come back downstairs or waiting for Evan and Leah to return or something interesting to happen. I sucked a deep breath in as I heard Max laughing and the soft sound of the guitar I assumed Evan had brought with him.
My shoulders dropped and I smiled at the sound. She was happy, and I suppose he was too. It was nice to think that I had had a small part in that - trying to make her apologise and make her see sense was all I could do, but at least I had done some good.
I finished my tea and got up, determined to go and make my own peace with Evan - I really had no reason to dislike the guy, and I felt bad because he was getting on so well with my sister, and I had been quite rude to him all day.
I crossed to the stairs and heard Leah shout my name from the bathroom.
"Seth?!" I was up the stairs in a flash, worried - Leah had never shouted for me in such a nervous tone before. Usually she just shouted at me.
"Leah?" I knocked twice on the door and pushed it open. "You alright?" She looked pale and in a little bit of pain.
"Close the door behind you." She whispered, drawing the towel around her tighter. She sounded so hurt, so afraid, that I did it straight away, and sat down beside her on the edge of the bathtub.
"What is it?" I murmured, putting my arm around her gently, still slightly afraid she might take my head off. "Leah, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." She murmured. "Nothing's wrong." She started to smile.
Leah was smiling.
"Leah… what aren't you telling me? I mean… you smiling is like a sign that the world's gonna end." She laughed and looked at me, her eyes wide and bright, shiny, slightly unnerving. She glanced down for a second and I looked at her again. "Leah?" I made the it's gone right over my head gesture. "Whoosh!" ah, the joys of onomatopoeia.
"What would you say…?" She paused, bright red shining in her cheeks. "If…"
"If…?" She blushed for longer and bit her bottom lip.
"If I wasn't menopausal any more?" I looked at her, confused.
"Sorry?"
"You remember… when we first…" she shuddered slightly, "changed, and what happened to me?" A pause, "To… my body?"
She gestured and it hit me like a train.
"You got your period back?" I yelped excitedly, so pleased for her. She slapped her head into her hands and sighed.
"Yes, you dumbshit. But I was trying to be… calm about it." She sighed. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. "Get off me." She laughed, punching me on the arm, and half rose, then caught herself and sat back down, hugging me tight.
It was odd. I sat thinking, as she hugged me, then rose and went to dress again, smiling wildly all the time. It was odd, and she would have to discuss it with Jake, Evan and Carlisle, because I didn't have a clue why it was happening. Still, I was happy for her.
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A/N: Please review and let me know how I did... :P
See, in this chapter, you got to see Leah *Facepalm* and see her happy again because everything's going right – just curious, but why do you think it is she got her period back? I know why, but I wonder if you're thinking the same thing...
I hope you enjoyed it, and liked Evan and his favourite song – I thought i'd let him have some quality time with his guitar!!
I've frozen my butt off on trains around london today (on a RUBBISH, stupid geography trip,) so please review and warm me up!!!
I'm really glad you all like it... so i'd appreciate more feedback...
And i'm really, really happy that you keep reading :)
Love you guys
xxx