Chapter 5: Take a Hike, Mike!
The week seemed to never end. I had come to the sad realization that my world had mixed with the fictional realm of Twilight. Yet it puzzled me as to how it was even possible. Unless we're talking something like that film Stranger Than Fiction, then yeah I was at a blank.
Mike tried to have me join Jessica and the crew for lunch for the rest of the week. Sonny helped me bail out of that situation by claiming that I was tutoring her in Chemistry since she "failed" her last test. Mike swallowed it hook, line, and sinker and kept his distance. After Sonny took her next Chemistry test that Friday, I couldn't use the excuse that I was tutoring her at lunch anymore. Instead, I used my recent art project as my new reason. Since I was painting an Impressionist piece with oil paint, I explained that I had to get it finished so it would all dry at about the same time. Dejectedly, Mike slumped his shoulders and said ok.
"I'm sorry that he keeps hounding you," Sonny told me sympathetically as she watched me paint, "But he is so thick-headed! I'm thinking that he can't take a hint."
"Naturally," I remarked as I worked on a dark area, "He's too caught up in his status as a god to let anyone reject him. He's a narcissist." Sonny smiled and agreed on that note. She fiddled with her ribbon, washer-link choker for a while and cleared throat after an elongated silence.
"How long do you think it's going to take for him to leave you alone?" Sonny asked, "I mean, he hasn't left Bella alone entirely and you're heading down that path."
"If my actions can't spell it out for him, then I'll just bring in my stereo and blast Lily Allen's Knock 'Em Out through the lunch hall," I joked brightly as I turned to face Sonny. Sonny started cracking up and I smiled too. Even though no friend could replace Cassandra, Sonny was becoming my Forks BFF. She wasn't into trends and popularity like Mike's crew was. She was eclectic and random at the same time. We both loved Lily Allen and Paramore and hated rap music.
Saturday found me at the same coffee shop across from my hotel. The boy who waited on me the first time, I found out that his name was Jack and he took the liberty of waiting on me all the time. My nickname from him was Hollister girl which I allowed him to call me even though it sounded too preppy for me.
"Hey Hollister girl!" he warmly greeted me, "The usual or something different?"
"I hate to do this to you," I apologized, "But today I could go for a black tea with milk please." Jack smiled and told me it was no problem. As soon as I paid my bill, I picked a table in the corner to set up my laptop. "Please be on right now," I whispered to myself as the Facebook chat room popped open. Jack brought me my tea and patted me on the shoulder before leaving to wait on the rest of the customers. Sure enough, Cassandra was on. I typed to her in a new window quickly in case she was planning to leave.
Lara: Cass! You're on.
Cassandra answered promptly as soon as my comment posted itself.
Cassandra: BFF! I miss you mucho!! Hollister is so empty without you! How's Forks?
Lara: Okay. I met a girl named Sonny-she'd totally fit in with the two of us. I wish you could meet her.
Cassandra: Nice name- I'd love to meet her some day. So what's up?
Lara: I need to ask you for some character descriptions of Twilight people. Some people at my school kind of act like them but I'm not sure. Help?
Cassandra: Definitely! How funny though! Who are you asking about?
"Perfect," I whispered as I typed in Mike, Jessica, Jasper, and Edward to my comment. Cassandra answered in a flash with this: Mike Newton is the mortal who falls in love with Bella but she rejects him. He's a nice guy but extremely clueless. Jessica Stanley is bubbly and popular. She befriends Bella for popularity reasons and tends to gossip a lot. Jasper Hale/Cullen is a vampire that was converted during the Civil War. He used to feed off of human blood until he met Alice and they joined the Cullen family. He struggles with the vegetarian diet of animal blood only. Edward Cullen was turned into a vampire after his mother pleaded Carlisle to save her sick son. He acts cold and smooth yet he is passionate with Bella. I sat back in my chair and sipped my tea. Bingo. I was right about Mike and Jessica. Jessica was safe to avoid and Mike needed to be told to step off. Period. As I was finishing my sip of tea, the door to the coffee shop opened and guess who, Mike walked in. Oh boy.
Lara: Cass, I need to go! Stupid person is stalking me and I need to tell him to step off. Hasta la vista!
Cassandra: Good luck with that! Bye chika!
I closed my laptop and shut it down just as Mike spotted me. I busied myself with my bag as he took the seat next to me.
"Lara!" he said brightly, "I had no idea you hung out here!"
"Yep," I answered briskly. All I just wanted him to do was to get out of my face. Now.
"So uh," he began, "Are you taken for the Homecoming dance yet? 'Cause I was thinking-"
"I'm busy actually," I cut off firmly, "We're moving into our house that week so I'll be busy helping my aunt and uncle out." Mike looked taken aback by my response but he came back with another suggestion.
"You busy Sunday?" he mused, "Because I was thinking that we could-"
I shook my head violently no as I stood up to leave. "Mike," I told him flatly, "You're a junior. I'm a sophomore. Yeah. Bet you didn't know that." I paused to let my words sink in before continuing. "I'm not interested in you. I see you as a nice classmate but that's it. Nothing more."
Mike's mouth opened then he closed it quickly. "But love has no age limit," he persisted, "It could work out. I think-" All of a sudden, a pair of strong, warm arms wrapped themselves around me and pulled me closer. I looked up to see that the strong arms belonged to a tall, tan-skinned boy with short, spiky hair. He had the face of a boy with strong cheekbones and beautiful, rich, chocolate brown eyes.
"Hey!" the boy spoke in a deep voice, "Are you hitting on my girlfriend Mike?" I pretended to go along with the charade but inside I was thinking, Since when did he decide to claim he's my boyfriend? Mike backed up and blinked.
"I had no idea that you two were dating, Jacob," Mike sputtered, "I thought you had some lovesick crush on Bella still." Jacob's eyes hardened at the mention of Bella's name.
"No," he flatly answered, "We're friends. Besides, she's dating him." He added an extra emphasis on the word him. Jacob rested his head on top of my hair and he coolly announced, "Stay away from her okay? If I catch you trying to hit on her again, you're dead meat." Mike scowled and turned to leave. Jacob uncoiled his arms around me and took my hand as he led me out the door of the coffee shop. Unlike Jasper's ice block of a hand, it was the stark opposite: hot, like a fireplace.
Mike was nowhere to be seen as we made it outside. Jacob released my hand and turned to face me.
"Thanks for getting me out of that pickle," I told him gratefully, "He wasn't taking a hint and I considered breaking into a rejection song." Jacob smiled at that and allowed a small chuckle. His smile was warm and welcoming, lighting up the rest of his face. I held my hand out to begin proper introductions, "I'm Claire Tsai but everyone calls me Lara."
Jacob grasped my hand and shook it. "Jacob. Jacob Black."