The Twilight Series belongs to S. Meyer, no copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing with the characters.
AN: Thanks to all the people who've read and reviewed so far. I make an effort to respond to all reviews (as long as you have PM's turned on). For once I have a bank of chaps so I'm thinking I'll post a new one every day or every other. This should be about 20 chaps. So without further ado, R&R (read & review)!
Things progressively got stranger. If the situation in the gym a few weeks ago was anything to go by-this was the new normal. And she wasn't sure she liked it at all.
Sam continued to have odd complaints. His body ached and he complained of fevers and night sweats. But despite all his complaining, he refused to go to the doctor. The few times she had suggested it—well, it became apparently clear that he wasn't going to listen to her advice at all.
Even worse than his physical symptoms was the fact he could barely pay attention when they were together. He was constantly distracted and by what, she didn't know. He refused to share it with her—it was as though he was pulling away from her and she wondered what she had done wrong.
The strangeness didn't just end with Sam either. Paul and Jared got into a fight during lunch period. What they were fighting about, she wasn't sure but through the rumor mill she heard it was over a piece of chocolate cake. Not a single teacher or student even tried to break up their fight.
The two of them rolled together on the ground, punching each other. When they both finally tired; their faces were a mess. Black eyes beginning to form and blood dripping from various cuts. And for some reason the sight of their bloodied forms turned her on.
It was official she was a freak and it was all Sam's fault. He had barely spoken more than a dozen words to her the last time they were together. The small peck he had been giving her on her cheeks made her think of the kisses she received from her great-aunt Edna. That definitely wasn't supposed to be how things worked with your boyfriend.
And for the first time in forever, the three musketeers—better known as Jake, Embry, and Quil were avoiding each other. And not just in school but outside of it too. Their monthly sleepover was cancelled.
Seth was more than disappointed, he was despondent for days. He thought he had done something to make them not like him. She was living in the Twilight Zone; her life had been turned on its end. And she could only hope the changes she saw so far were the only ones she would have to deal with.
Graduation loomed nearer and she was once again trying and failing to have a conversation with Sam. She wasn't trying to map out their entire life together but she wanted to know what his plans were. He had graduated last year but instead of going to college had instead gotten a job doing construction. If that's what he wanted to do with his life—that was fine but he never talked about the future anymore and it worried her.
"Sam...Sam," she called impatiently. "Did you think about what I mentioned the other day?"
He looked at her blankly. Sighing in disgust, she reiterated the same thing she had been telling him for two weeks, "They have that program at Peninsula for criminal justice. Charlie said he'd be more than happy to give you a recommendation."
A look of irritation—no anger crossed his face before it was replaced with a placid coldness, "I don't need you figuring my life out for me. If I wanted to go to school I would. Right now, taking some of the burden from my mom is more important than some degree."
"Sorry—I didn't mean anything by it. I just thought...well, I don't know what I was thinking..." she trailed off knowing she did know what she was thinking. She was going to be starting school in the fall and hoped he would too. That way they could finish at the same time, get married, and start a family.
The more she thought about how he had been the past few weeks, the more irritated she got. Her softly mumbled, "Jerk" shouldn't have been heard by his ears. But it was and he turned to look at her quizzically. She swallowed convulsively, her heart thundering, and breathing shallow. Sure she was going to pass out any moment.
"Maybe I should bring you home," he remarked.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it...you've just been so different lately...distracted and I get the feeling...that you don't want...me-us," she told him honestly.
A look of guilt crossed over his features. She had told him nothing other than the truth. He had been distracted. He wasn't sleeping very well. His bones and muscles ached, his skin burned, and only recently he started having headaches. He was miserable and scared.
He hadn't been honest with her when he told her he didn't want to see a doctor. He couldn't see one. There was something really wrong with him. His temperature the last time he checked was over 105 degrees. Even he knew he should be dead from a fever that high. And it didn't matter the amount of fever-reducing medication he took—it never dropped.
"I'm sorry, Leah," he admitted softly, raking his hands through his hair. "I haven't slept well for the past few days. I know that's a poor excuse but I'm going to try better."
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. He didn't truly understand why he was pushing her away but he needed to make it better. She was one of the best things in his life and he couldn't imagine not having her by his side.
"See this is what I mean. You treat me like I'm your maiden aunt or something."
He laughed at her scowl which only made her more irritated with him. Her hand shot out to hit his side. "Ouch," he teased. "So, you don't like the way I treat you?"
"No."
"Well, I'll have to remedy that." He picked her up so she faced him and was straddling his thighs. He kissed her; it was full of his feelings for her. Her lips met his greedily; her hands tangled in his hair.
His hands pulled her tighter to him before they started to trail along her back. Nimble fingers that soon pulled the hem of her shirt upward. She gasped at the first touch of his bare flesh on hers; his fingers so hot they felt like a brand on her skin.
At her gasp, his lips trailed down her chin and along her neck. Moaning, she turned and tilted her head to allow him better access. Those same fingers found the clasp of her bra; undoing it and causing it to sag forward.
The sensation of the fabric brushing against her nipples made them pebble. The stiff peaks hardened further when his hands reached around to stroke them. Her skin was unbelievably soft. His desire spiked as the scent of her arousal filled the room.
His nose snuffled where her pulse beat furiously in her neck. The scent of wildflowers mixed with the spicy musk of her arousal. He groaned, "Leah, you smell so good."
She stiffened slightly in his arms; confused by his words. But his lips and tongue along her collarbone distracted her. Her fingers tightened their hold on his hair as she leaned back and pulled his head further down.
He was the one to break their contact. Pulling away from her moments after he had started to lift her shirt to remove it. His head tilted to the side as if he heard something she couldn't.
"Sam," she asked hesitantly.
"My mom's home," he answered curtly. Deft fingers re-clasped her bra and pulled her shirt back down.
She scrambled off his lap and finishing straightening her clothing out. She also ran her fingers through her hair. It seemed an eternity had passed and she turned to tell him that he must be mistaken when the door finally opened. His mother Allison calling out his name.
She watched as he winced; the words were spoken in a tone that was just above a normal indoor voice. She swore she heard a soft growl of irritation leave his lips. Frowning, she tried and failed to figure out what was happening before her very eyes. His senses seemed enhanced and as much as she wanted to ask him about it—she knew he would only shut down again.
AN: It won't be too much longer before we'll be introduced to him so don't forget to tell me what you think and weigh in on who you think it might be. ;D
FF_8756144_3 12/3/2012 5:17AM