AN: Pretty much all the vampires and a bit of the wolf-pack belong to SM.
I don't even own Trisha, Ethan, David, Taylor, or any of the other wolf kids. They belong to yay4shanghai. She's just letting me borrow them for a little while because she's cool like that!
I do, however, own the following statement made by one of my students, as we watched the movie Little Women and it comes to the part where Beth dies:
*Joe: "One down, two more to go before it's Oscar worthy."
Thank you to all of you who continue to read and review! I can't believe I have passed the 100 mark! You guys are awesome! It literally makes my day to see reviews!
Don't forget to show some love to yay4shanghai, as well as another of my faves KupKakes09!
*The cheesecake in this chapter is for yay4shanghai!
Other AN notes: I know I originally said this chapter would be "Librarians Don't Lie," but I've decided that will be the next chapter. This chapter, BTW, was my favorite so far to write! Enjoy!
****************************************************************************
Chapter 8: "Birthdays and Wolf Dates"
Trisha's POV
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Ugh!" I yelled, throwing my hand to turn off the alarm clock. I rolled over to look at the calendar on my closet door: Thursday, February 11th. "Great. Wonderful. Grand," I muttered to myself.
My door swung open, as Mom ran in, holding a donut with a candle in the middle. "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday my dear Trisha-bug! Happy Birthday to you! Blow out the candle!"
I blew out the candle, as she kissed my forehead. "Happy 15th Birthday, my precious one," she whispered.
Today was my birthday. My 15th Birthday. And it was going to suck, just like everyday had since the night I had decided to distance myself from Ethan and wait for him to come to me.
Things had lightened within the pack, so to say. Emily, Kim, and Mom reconciled after the Wahalla's were nearly exiled from the reservation, following with the "Great Wolf-Momma Fight," as it was being called now. There were a few of the new wolves that actually thought it should be included in the legends that were told every bonfire. Sam vetoed that request.
I wasn't the only one with broken bones after that night either. Mark's assault on Taylor left him with three cracked ribs and a great story about how he took on one of the biggest of the wolves and lived to tell about it.
Taylor forgave him though and they became a rather close unit that I became a part of. Not long after, Anna (the only actual girl wolf besides Leah) gave birth to triplets and Taylor imprinted on the baby girl named Melody. I didn't see it happen, but from what Anna told Dad, it truly was the real-deal. It wasn't like my imprint, where the girl ran off screaming the name of another wolf. It was how it was supposed to be, just filled with love and admiration, and Taylor's dedication to be whatever little Melody needed for her whole life. Damn, babies! It's always easy for them!
"You know, you don't have to go to school today?" Mom said. We had a tradition that my birthday worked like a major holiday. I could do whatever I wanted on that day, including not going to school. But school was actually one of the few things that kept me sane nowadays. Little else interested me, and sometimes I even felt myself just going through the motions of life, not really feeling anything. If I stayed numb then I didn't have to cope with the fact that my life truly was shit.
"I want to go, Mom. It'll be fine, besides I have a major American history test," I slid off the bed, grabbing my robe and slippers.
She grabbed my wrist, pulling me to her, and hugging me to her chest. I could feel her breathing get ragged and she stroked my hair. I knew what she was thinking. She was thinking the same thing she's said everyday since the night of the fight. "I'm sorry."
I was sick of the "I'm sorrys" and the "poor things." I had become a cynical teenager filled with angst.
I pulled myself away from my Mom, and headed for the door. "Trisha…"
"Yeah, Mom," I said shortly.
"When's the last time you smiled?"
I turned to her and put the fakest smile I could on my face and then walked out.
When it was time to leave for school, I grabbed my usual apple for breakfast and headed for the door.
"Just a minute, Trisha. Uncle Jake and Aunt Nessie are on the phone," Mom said from the kitchen.
"Their not having sex again, are they?" I said quietly, under my breath. I could hear Dad chuckle a little from outside. Damn wolf hearing!
I tried to make my voice sound happy as I picked up the phone, "Hello."
"Happy Birthday!" Nessie and Jake said together.
"Thanks," I mumbled.
"Can you believe it? Fifteen?" Jake asked.
Nessie asked, "You know what, Trisha?"
"What?" I asked.
"I was 15 once!" She sounded so proud of herself.
So, like the angry teenager I am, I again said under my breath, "And you still look it."
Dad laughed again from the backyard.
"That's not very nice, Trisha," Nessie said.
Oh, no! Here come the tears, again! This was a habit of mine. Crying. It hadn't been, before the fight, now it happened at least once a day, in addition to the fact that I cried myself to sleep every night.
I started to sniffle a little.
"Jake, give me the damn phone. It's time for some girl talk," Nessie said.
"Fine, honey-bunches," Jake mumbled. I pretended to gag on the other end.
I took the phone from the kitchen to the den and flopped down on the couch.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Nessie. I didn't mean to say that."
I heard her sigh. "Trisha, you've got to snap out of this. Is this what you want out of life now? Nothing?"
"No, I just…I don't know what anything is anymore. Why can't life be like Math, huh? Why can't it all just be black and white, no grey area, always definite?" I choked back tears.
"Because then it wouldn't be any fun!" She said. "Look, I grew up in a house full of vampires. Things could always change at the drop of a hat, and there seemed to be only grey areas. And at times I could think of nothing more than escaping it, but then I realized I had my imprint to love me and keep me safe."
Shit! I knew where this was going.
"Trisha, does David still follow you?"
"Yes, everywhere. The other day at Borders I went to the restroom and I swear he would have gone in after me if he could have. Most of the time I just ignore him."
"Maybe, have you ever thought, you owe it to yourself, to see what would come of it?"
"Of me and David? Fuck, no, not gonna happen, no way, no how," I said.
"Watch your mouth, young lady!"
"Yes, Aunt Nessie," I said in a sing-song voice.
"Just think about it, okay? And try to have a good day! It's your birthday and each day is precious," Nessie said.
And then I added, "Unless you're a vampire and then each day is just another day to an immortal existence."
She giggled, "Go to school and be good. But not too good. I love you!"
"I love you, too, and that lug of a husband of your's," I said as I hung up the phone.
I took a deep breath, pursing my lips together, thinking really hard about what Nessie's insight to the imprint business.
"Don't hurt yourself thinking so hard," Dad chuckled, as he threw me my coat. "Ready to go?"
"Yep," I said, popping the 'p.'
This time in the car, in the morning, was really the only time Dad talked to me. Our relationship was slowly repairing itself, but it was nowhere near it had been pre-Ethan. I knew he loved me and he knew I loved him. We just both had funny ways of showing it.
My mind went back to my conversation with Nessie. I had to think of it as a possibility. Ethan wasn't beating down my door, so I might as well see what the universe had picked out for me, right?
DAVID'S POV
"Dude, today's her birthday, you know that right?" I said to Mark.
"David, please do not ask her out again. Maybe you should make that your birthday present to her, a day without harassment," Mark said.
"But where's the fun in that?"
I saw her get out of her car and kiss Paul on the cheek. I wondered what it would be like to be Paul's cheek right now. I bet her kisses were like mangos, sweet and juicy. Hmm, when's lunch again?
"How do I look?" I said to Mark, who laughed at me, again.
"The same as you did five minutes ago when you asked then," Mark said.
I swear she just looked at me. Did she? Oh, no, she totally did.
"Shit, bro, she's coming over here," I said elbowing Mark.
"I think that's probably your imagination getting the better of you," Mark chuckled and then got quiet. "Damn, she really is coming over here."
Trisha stopped in front me. She was scrunching up her lips. She looked a little like I do when I'm thinking really hard. It's a look I get during Spanish class when the teacher asks me a question and I don't understand a fucking word she said. (Which is most of the time, because of all the languages in the world, I'm pretty sure Spanish is the hardest to learn.) Hmm, Mexican food sounds really good right now.
"David, may I speak to you for a second?" Trisha said.
Holy Shit! She said my name! The most gorgeous creature in the history of creatures said my name. Okay, I totally have to play this cool…deep breath.
"Yeah, babe, whatever you want," I say, moving my head a little from side to side.
"My God," Mark gasps next to me, shaking his head.
She looked at me and spoke. "Okay, first off, I am not your 'babe,' so you can never call me that again, okay? Okay. Secondly, I was wondering if you had plans tomorrow evening. I know there's a really cool werewolf movie on in Port Angeles and I thought you might like to go. With me. If that's okay."
"Holy Mother," I whispered.
"Say something," Mark said quietly.
I couldn't say anything. I just looked at her. My tongue was paralyzed, wouldn't move.
"He would love to go. Did you want to do dinner and a movie or just the movie?" Mark asked.
"Both, I suppose. He does know he'll actually have to talk for himself, though, right?" She asked.
Mark chuckled and my eyes stayed on her. Her beautiful eyes, her beautiful hair, her beautiful red sweater, her beautiful cleavage…
"I think he should be able to manage some sort of conversation. Shall he pick you up at six?" Great, my brother was mackin' on my girl.
"That would be great. So, I guess it's a date." She looked at me, raising her eyebrows.
"I like movies," I managed to mumble, as Mark went from chuckling to full out laughing.
"That's good," she smiled and giggled, at me. "So, tomorrow night? Six, right?"
I nodded. She started to walk towards the school and I watched her before shouting out, "Happy Birthday, Trisha! I love you!"
Her eyes widened and she ran in the school. Students started laughing until I gave them the evil eye and they know not to mess with me.
"You did not just do that?" Mark asked as he shook his head, again.
"Huh?"
Trisha's POV
I cannot believe I did that. I cannot believe I just walked up to him and asked him out. What the hell was I thinking? And then he said he loved me! How is a girl supposed to respond to that? And in front of the whole school! The whole school!
Just add that to the joys of being a sophomore at La Push High School. I dreaded the mornings. My classes weren't that hard, they just always seemed so long. Lunch was spent with the other pack-kids, watching the new pups fight each other for the last French fry or pickle. I sat on the opposite end as David and Mark. Ethan didn't sit with us anymore. I don't even know if he came to school anymore. My favorite classes, my afternoon classes of Spanish and P.E. hardly made up for the shitty morning I had. At least I had P.E. at the end of the day, and didn't have to worry about changing back into my school clothes. I generally kept my "Property of La Push Wolves" T-shirt and shorts on. It was actually really ironic that our mascot was the wolf. If people only knew!
Today was no different. Mom picked me up after school to take me for a little mother-daughter bonding time. We met several other wolf-girls for pedicures and coffee. Then it was off to Grandpa Billy's for a special family birthday dinner.
Sue Clearwater cooked for us. (She wasn't technically family, but she and Grandpa were friends, and Charlie was coming, so it was a give-in Sue would be there.) She made my favorites, chicken parmesan and garlic bread, and for dessert…cheesecake! It was delicious!
Opening presents at the Black house was always fun, because you really never knew what you might get. This year was quite the surprise. I got one box. One box from the whole family. Great! I ripped the purple wrapping paper slowly, opening the box to find a beautiful silver keychain with delicately engraved with my initials.
"What's this?" I asked.
Grandpa Billy laughed. "That, my dear, is for the keys to your new car. Well, not new. Technically, I don't think you can call a 1965 Ford Mustang new, but you get the drift."
"But I'm not sixteen, yet," I said.
"Well, you haven't seen the car yet, or should I say, car frame. It will take us at least a year to get it ready!" Dad chuckled.
"It was actually Uncle Jake's idea. He said when he was going through a particularly difficult time, working on project like this helped to keep him going," Mom said, kissing my cheek.
I sat for a second looking around at my family staring at me.
"I don't know what to say."
"Oh, for heaven's sake, just say thanks and help us pick out a paint color!" Sue said.
Everyone laughed, including me. It was the first good laugh I had had in a long time.
"Thank you," I said, and the tears started again.
"No, honey, please don't cry," Mom said, pulling me to her side.
"It's just so nice. And I don't deserve it. And I just have the most wonderful family. I love you all so much and I can't help it." I sounded like a blubbering idiot, but I was so thankful to feel normal for even just the slight bit of time that I couldn't help but cry.
I wiped the tears, as Sue passed out cheesecake to everyone.
"Oh, sorry to change the subject, but Anna called and she needs a babysitter tomorrow night. She wondered if you might be interested, Trisha. She said she'd pay you," Mom said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Well, this should go smoothly.
"I actually can't. I have a date," I blurted out, really fast, hoping no one would hear.
Everyone, including myself, dropped their forks. They all stared back at me until Charlie was the only one with enough courage to say anything.
"With who?" he asked.
"Umh, funny thing, actually," I said.
"You're stalling," Dad said, looking like he was about to pop a vein. I knew he thought it was with Ethan, though I'm not sure why. He knew I hadn't seen him lately.
"David Uley." I blurted out, really fast, again hoping no one would hear.
There was a collective gasp from the audience, as Dad's face softened and turned into a smile.
"You finally took him up on all those offers?" He asked.
"No, actually, I asked him. Well, I kinda asked David and Mark translated for him. I don't know, though. I think I might actually have a date with both of the Uleys."
Each of the family's faces had different emotions. Mom smiled, Dad looked like he had just won the lottery, but Grandpa Billy, his face was not happy. He stared at me, shaking his head. He didn't say anything else to me until we were leaving.
"Rach, can I steal Trisha for sec?" He asked as we were walking out the door.
"Um, sure, Dad. Is everything okay?" Mom asked.
"Yeah, just need her help with something," he said looking up at me.
Mom walked to the car and Dad opened her door for her. It was funny to see him suddenly act gentlemanly, but I knew his behavior was all due to my date with David.
"What do you need help with, Grandpappy?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Is this what you want? Is David who you want?"
What? Throughout this whole imprinting ordeal, Grandpa Billy hadn't said much of anything, not to me, not to anyone. Why all of the sudden, when I decided to give in does he question me?
"I don't know what I want anymore. I just know that I'm tired. I'm tired of worrying and fighting and crying and everything else I've been for the past months. I just need to see, see what's out there," I said, trying to act more grownup than I am.
"Look at me, Trisha," he pulled my hand into his. I turned to him. "You damn well better be doing this for yourself and not that jackass father of yours. Do you hear me?"
I had to admit that a big part of me was doing it for Dad. He was huge part of what was making life so hard right now. I needed him to be my Dad again. But, I assured Billy this was for me. I was doing this to test the waters.
"I actually do have another gift for you," Grandpa Billy said. He waved his hand for me to come closer and pulled a small velvet bag out of his jacket pocket. "Put out your hand."
I opened my hand, palm up, waiting to see what would come out of the bag. He shook it a little and then poured the contents into my waiting hand. It was a necklace, a beautiful silver necklace with a small heart pendant. It had the name "Sarah" engraved on it.
I held it between my fingers like a precious gem, as Grandpa cleared his throat.
"It was your Grandmother's. I've been saving it for you since the day you were born," he smiled at me. "I know Sarah's only your middle name but I thought you might like it anyway."
I turned it over and the back read "All My Love, Billy."
"Grandpa, I don't know what to say," I sat on his lap, just like when I was little.
He stroked my cheek. "You remind me a lot of her. Strong, independent, vivacious, and so full of life. I know you will be a great wife and mother someday, just like you have always been a great daughter, granddaughter, niece, and friend." He pulled my chin to meet his eyes, slipping the necklace on me and fastening it. "Looks like it was made for you."
I could see the tears in his eyes and I hugged him close. I kissed his cheek and Mom walked in.
She smiled when she saw the necklace. "He's been itching to give that to you since before you left the hospital fifteen years ago today. It's beautiful, sweetheart."
Dad rushed through the door. "What the freakin' hell is taken so long?"
"Zip it, Paul!" Mom snapped.
"Yes, dear," Dad said, kissing her hair.
I waved good bye to Grandpa Billy as I climbed into the backseat. As I sat there, rubbing the heart pendant between my fingers, I realized that what I had thought would be the worst birthday of my life, had become the best.
DAVID'S POV
"Superbad black leather jacket, check. Kickass black converse shoes, check. Seductive cologne, check and check," I said to myself checking myself out in the mirror.
I fixed a few wild hairs and practiced my "hello" for when I picked Trisha up.
"Do you have your keys?" Mark asked. Always the thinker that one. Of course I had my keys, they're right here in my pock…shit, where are those keys? "You don't have them, because I have them."
"Thanks, little bro."
"You know I'm half tempted to go with you just to see how everything goes and to fill in conversation when you tongue does the paralysis thing again," Mark said, helping me fix the bow on Trisha's birthday present.
"Yeah, that wouldn't be weird. 'Hello, love of my life, hope you don't mind if my gay brother goes with us on our date.' Awkward, dude, awkward." I did wonder sometimes what exactly he was thinking but I usually thought it was a good idea not to ask. Mark used big words that no one understood. Sometimes he would even stump the teachers at school. That's why he was in all the Honors classes and I was lucky I had him to do my homework.
"David Uley," Dad said from the kitchen.
"Samuel Uley," I said back to him.
Dad walked in, cocking his eyebrow. "Are you excited, son?"
"Uh, hell yeah!" I said.
"Good. I have something for you, and for your brother. Listen to me, David, you are in NO WAY to use this tonight, do you hear me? Your mother and I just want you to be prepared when the time does come."
"Is that a command?" Mark asked, elbowing me.
"If it needs to be, yes," Dad said, fiddling with a box on the table in the doorway.
Holy shit! Was he freakin' serious?! Condoms?
"Now, here's one for you and one for Mark," Dad said handing them to us.
"You make it sound like Halloween candy, Dad. I feel like I should be wearing a mask," Mark said.
"All I know is they better be Extra-Extra Large, if you know what I'm saying," I elbowed Mark back.
"Just put it in your wallet and shut up," Dad said.
I was too busy trying to put the condom in my wallet without it sticking out. How weird would that be? "Uh, Trisha, I'm gonna pay for the popcorn", and boom! A condom falls out.
"Sorry, Dad," I said, finally putting my wallet in my pocket.
"Please be on your best behavior tonight. It's not just the wrath of Paul you have to fear."
"I know, Jacob Black's niece, Billy Black's granddaughter, related to the Cullens by marriage, yeah, yeah, I get it."
Time to go trust fate, I thought as I walked out the door.
TRISHA'S POV
I heard his truck coming from down the road and put on extra lip gloss, waiting for him to come to the door. I had no idea what tonight held, I just needed to try. I heard the doorbell ring and Dad invite David in. I stayed hidden until Dad called my name. I put a smile on my face and walked out. There David Uley stood with a basket of apples and a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon on his face. I smiled back, grabbing my purse.
"These are for you. For your birthday," David said shoving the apples into my hands. "I wanted to get you something and Mom said you eat apples like all day long. I don't want you to run out."
It really was a sweet gesture. "Thank you, David."
I put the apples in the kitchen, while Dad went over "groundrules" for taking his daughter out. The normal: home by midnight, no kissing at all, and then a threat that he would see everything the first time David phased.
David truly was a gentleman, opening doors, being very careful with me. Dinner was an adventure as he inhaled spaghetti, while I daintily ate my lasagna. I had taken two bites and he was completely finished.
"Sorry," he said, shyly. I giggled at him. He was patient while I ate and I let him finish my plate when I was full.
During perhaps the most ridiculous werewolf movie ever made, when the rest of the audience cowered and screamed in fear, David and I laughed at how unrealistic the wolves were.
"You've seen me phased. Please tell me I don't look that dumb," he asked.
"No, you look more like a puppy dog," I said.
"Geez! Thanks," he said.
I actually didn't have a horrible time, but…
Being with David like that, being close to him, laughing with him, only made me realize how much I loved Ethan and how that hadn't really changed. I had done everything in my power to push my love for him away and I only now realized no matter how much I try, I can't shake him. Ethan is my soulmate, and though I might flatter David by going out with him, I knew where my heart truly lie. I felt like Ethan was with me, always, even though I knew he wasn't, I could sense him.
Dropping me off at the house after the date, David gave me a friendly hug.
"Thank you for going out with me tonight," he said.
"Thank you for taking me," I said.
He started to walk away and then turned to me. "I'll still be patient. You have to know I'm not really that bad a guy, right?"
I nodded to him. He wasn't really that bad a guy. But, for me, he just wasn't my Ethan.
I cried myself to sleep again that night, feeling like Ethan was near, I felt that periodically now, which might have been a product of my imagination, which wanted him around so desperately it would do anything to soothe me. The feeling of his presence lulled me to sleep and like a final birthday present from the gods I had good dreams. I dreamt of Ethan.
*NEXT CHAPTER: "Librarians Don't Lie"
****************************************************************************
Another AN: Sorry guys, but I wanted to share a couple things about this chapter. First, a lot of the birthday stuff is actually things my family does for our birthdays. All birthdays are guaranteed calls from all family members singing Happy Birthday. The donut thing has been known to happen, too. Plus, the "I was 15 once" thing comes from my dad, who like me is a teacher, and loves to let his students know he was their age once.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! R & R