California Girl

Thanks for the reviews! And thank you to the people who read this and my other story too, you're all wonderful! :D

Cross Promotion Time: I have another story all about Scarlett and Seth, so if you like Seth/OC stories, check it out :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, but I own the characters of The Bird Family, The Hunter Family and friends. Thanks!

Chapter Song The Clash

16. Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Thanks for reading and reviewing, sorry I didn't reply to reviews a couple of chapters back, but I just didn't have the time. Thanks to readers and reviewers and favoriters and followers :D

Darling you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here til the end of time
So you got to let know
Should I stay or should I go?

Carmen POV

It'd been a month.

A month without Embry.

A month knowing he was a wolf- my wolf.

A month knowing the people down the street were vampires and werewolves.

I couldn't believe it.

I spent my days either at home or at a friend's house in Forks. I didn't go anywhere I could risk running into one of them and made sure to avoid meeting one of them on my way in and out of my house.

I stood at the window, slightly hidden by the drapes, peeking out to see if Quil had moved off of his front porch. He'd been standing there all morning, so it was safe to say that he knew I was avoiding them. I was waiting for him to get bored or something, but no. He stood there for hours, his mom bringing him out food.

My phone vibrated, and as always, my heart rate increased slightly, worrying it was one of them. It was only Edith, wondering where I was. No doubt wondering why I was still so much more jumpy, on edge, and all around more crazy than she had left me at the start of summer vacation.

I had requested so many times to go home that it was child cruelty that I was still here. Apparently I hadn't learned anything- so eager to 'get back to partying and doing drugs and having sex and trying to ruin my life' - my mother's words, not mine. Hell, I don't even do drugs! I just want to go home to get the hell away from them! They were gonna come here. I didn't want that! It was bad enough that Grammy lived in a town with these things, let alone allowing more family who I loved to come here!

Seriously, not okay.

"Why are you hanging out at the window? Go over to Quil's house and see your friends." Grammy mumbled, still watching TV. I found myself glaring at her, but quickly recovered and shook my head.

"No... I don't... I'm going to Edith's in a little while."

"Oh. Well, could you at least take that check over to Jenny. I owe her for bringing over that last bag of groceries."

"No!" I didn't mean to yell, but I was on edge because of this whole thing, plus, I hadn't slept in a long time, and it didn't help that I could hear sad wolf howls all the time.

Ugh.

"Do it now, Carmen." Grammy murmured.

"No!"

"Carmen!" She looked at me, her face hard, commanding me. I thought briefly as to what doing something really bad would be punished with.

I mean, pregnancy was punished with being sent here. If I got pregnant again, would Grammy send me home? Or would it be Grammy's personal punishment? As in, a week with the vampires- no garlic allowed.

"Fine." I took a deep breath, but I could feel tears fighting to the surface. I was scared of them.

I picked the check that Grammy had talked about up off of the coffee table and took another deep breath, before I walked over to the front door, slowly.

"Are you going straight to little Eddie's house afterwards?"

"Edith, Grammy... and... uh... sure..." If I don't get eaten by a wolf or a vampire before then. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweet girl." She smiled at me, before turning back to the TV.

I took another deep breath, before I opened my front door. I took another deep breath, before stepping out, onto my porch.

I nearly ran straight back into my house.

Embry was walking up to Quil's house.

My heart exploded at my luck. My fricken luck, huh?

"Embry! Man!" Quil grinned, extending his arms, not noticing me. Embry did notice, however.

"C-Carmen." His voice sounded kind of breathless, like he couldn't believe that I was really there. I gasped at the sound of my name from him. It'd been so long since I heard it.

The last time was right before I told him I wanted him to leave me alone.

I walked quickly down the steps on my porch to Quil's house and extended my arm, handing him the check, without stepping onto the porch.

"H-Here. This is for, uh, y-your m-mom." I mumbled, before I turned away and tried to walk away, but collided with Embry.

Even through his shirt and my three layers of clothing, I still felt tingles where he touched me. I cleared my throat and considered punching the butterflies in my stomach, before I glanced up.

Worst mistake.

His skin was pale, except for under his eyes, where there were big black bags. His hair seemed dull, and his eyes seemed sad. We matched. My hair and eyes were dull. My skin was pale, with huge dark circles around my eyes.

But still, he was beautiful. And those sad eyes were still perfect, and they still made me want to confess my undying love for him.

But he was a wolf.

A monster.

A lying monster.

Wow, what are you more angry about Carmen? The fact he killed someone, or the fact he lied to you? Hello? Priorities!

Ugh.

"Hi."

I couldn't believe how just that affected me. I didn't reply, only moving away quickly and walking down the sidewalk, intent on getting to the bus stop as quick as possible.

"What's up with you?" Edith asked, breaking the long silence that had fallen in her room. I lay on her pink bed, staring up at the pink ceiling.

"What's up with your room?"

"I've had it since I was twelve, so shut up." She scoffed. "But, okay, so don't... don't 'shut up'. Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't."

"Whatever." She lay next to me. "Is it Embry Call?"

"Shut up."

"So, it is?" I didn't reply. "What? Did he impregnate you or something?"

"What?" I sat up. "Edie!"

"What? It's a reasonable question!"

"Shut up." I lay back down.

"Is it that 'Wolfgang' guy?"

I felt my heart break at the thought of once being so desperately in love with Embry and his wolf-form.

"Are you torn between the two?" She asked, nudging me. "Choose Embry."

"What?"

"Well, I don't know 'Wolfgang', but I do know Embry Call, and I know that he's hopelessly in love with you."

"Edith-"

"He used to just be that quiet guy who hung out with his friends. The entire female population of Washington lined up to date him when he started asking girls out regularly. When you turned up... he just... he stopped caring about any other girl. A guy who loves you that much deserves you."

"Edith, I-"

"Just... just choose him." She sighed. "He totally deserves it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, he doesn't have a dad or anything, and his mom's a total tyrant when she wants to be. Plus, I heard a rumor that Sam Uley's dad is his dad. Could you imagine that? Obviously we can't, because we have our dad's... but... one of his friend's is actually his brother. That's quite the jump."

"I guess..."

"Poor Embry."

"Yeah... poor Embry."

"So, yeah, choose him."

Now I'm even more fricken confused.

I walked home that night, intent on clearing my head... also, I may or may not have missed the last bus...

I just have all the luck, right?

Speaking of luck...

Was that a rustling in the trees beside me?

FRICK.

"Carmen?"

I turned to the woods to see Embry step out, wearing only his shorts.

Don't look at his pecks. If you do then you're a goner.

Damn it, you just looked!

"Um..."

"What are you doing walking by yourself? You could get hurt!"

Was he... angry with me? Sure sounded like it! Jerk!

"I'm not a child, Embry, I can take care of myself."

"Well, clearly you can't, because you're walking alone at night in the pouring rain right next to the woods where anyone could jump out-!"

"What, like a half naked guy who I asked to leave me alone?!" I asked, and he stopped talking, his face falling slightly. "Or maybe a werewolf. Or even a vampire!"

"Don't say that, Carmen!" He stepped closer to me and grabbed my wrist.

"Let go of me!"

"I love you."

I was shocked. I kept remembering him saying it over and over again in my mind, but it was different from actually hearing it.

"Let me go."

"Carmen, I love you."

I felt tears start to fall down my face, and I quickly wiped them away with my free hand.

"I love you."

"Stop saying that."

"I love you."

"Stop saying that."

"I love you."

"Stop it!" I felt myself break into a sob, and covered my mouth with my hand.

I squeezed my eyes shut and cried as quietly as I could. I felt the heat of his body get closer, then felt his hand touch the one covering my mouth, and try to pull it away. I shook my head in response, but he pulled my hand away from my face easily.

When I opened my eyes, he was right in front of me. I closed my eyes again quickly, trying to stop my tears.

"I love you." He whispered, leaning down and kissing my forehead.

"I love you too." I whispered back, opening my eyes to look at him. He wasn't smiling, but his eyes seemed happier.

"You do?" He smiled gently, but I only nodded in response. He leaned in again and kissed my forehead again.

"I love you so much, it hurts to be away from you." I admitted, my words breaking with my tears.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." He moved closer, so that we were pressed together. He released my hands and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me up to his height, and putting his head into my neck.

"You're not a monster."

"I love you."

I smiled a little, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Are you gonna kiss me, or what?" I chuckled, my voice still more feeble than I would've liked. He lifted his head up and looked surprised, but grinned, before leaning in.

It was like a person receiving water after a year without rain. It was like a drug addict getting their fix. It was like people in love being reunited.

It was perfect.

He pulled away, and let my feet touch the ground, but didn't remove his arms.

"Will you come to my house?" I asked, quietly, unsure about what he would answer.

"I-I can't." His face looked pained. "I want to, so badly."

"So come." I didn't hide the hurt in my voice. Surely, if someone loves you, they shouldn't reject you, right?

"I can't."

"Why?"

"You don't want to know."

"Why?" I repeated, extremely pissed off.

"I have to... patrol."

"I don't know what that means."

"I know."

"So tell me."

"I'd rather wait and explain it to you when we have time-"

"I want to know now."

He paused, sighing.

"I have to help the guys patrol the area for rogue vampires."

I gasped.

"They come here? They, like, eat people?!"

"No, we don't let them-!"

"Oh my god!" I moved my hands to cover my mouth as my jaw hung open in shock. "And you, patrol, like, as a wolf?"

"Yes."

I gasped again.

"Wh-Who's a wolf right now? In there?" I pointed to the woods beside us.

"Well, it's supposed to be me and Leah, but right now, it's just her."

"You patrol with Leah?"

I didn't realize how jealous I was until I said that out loud.

"Well, yeah. We used to, then we all switched, but now I'm back with her. Why?"

Because I don't want you two hanging out as wolves.

I decided to just ignore his question.

"Are you always naked when you un-wolf?"

He laughed at my terminology. "Yeah, but we don't 'wolf' and 'un-wolf', we phase."

"Phase. Yes, I'll remember that, I'm sure." I said, sarcastically.

"It took Scarlett two weeks to learn."

"Yeah, but she's ditsy." I thought back to my kinda-friend who I'd not seen for weeks, and gasped. "How is she? Is she okay? Alive?!"

"She's fine!" He laughed at me a little.

I stood for a couple of seconds before I remembered that I was jealous.

"So, you and Leah just hang around together naked?"

"No-!"

"So, you haven't seen her naked?"

"Well, yeah... but-!"

"And she's seen you naked?" I scoffed and stepped back, crossing my arms. He scratched the back of his neck.

"Don't be jealous-"

"I'm not jealous." I scoffed again, trying to convince him I wasn't lying. It was weird for me- I'd never really been jealous.

The only times I've been jealous is when someone thinks another girl is hotter than me, and that doesn't happen a lot- like I said, confidence is everything.

"Right." He chuckled, stepping a little bit closer to me.

"I'm not."

"Right."

"I'm not!"

"Yeah, yeah, I believe you."

"Embry!"

He stepped forward and put his arms around me, kissing my forehead.

"Will you come over later?"

"You'll be asleep."

"No, I won't-"

"Yes, you will." He smiled and then leaned down to kiss me.

"So when are you gonna tell me all about the joys of being a werewolf?"

"I will if you come to the bonfire next Friday."

I thought back to the last bonfire they had.

I was pissed and I hated Embry and I totally alienated everyone.

"Nobody wants me there." I hoped to hide my sadness and embarrassment about that, but I'm sure he could see right through it.

"Trust me, everyone will be glad you're there." He chuckled to himself, like it was a private joke. I ignored my confusion and kissed his jaw. Ah, that jaw.

"Okay... well-"

"Embry!" Leah was at the edge of the trees, dressed in shorts and an old t-shirt.

How is she still hotter than me? Bitch.

"What? Is there a scent?" He asked.

"No, but Jacob's being an ass and phasing randomly to make sure none of us are 'lacking in our duties'." She rolled her eyes.

"He's just trying to be a good new alpha."

Woah, what the hell is going on here? I get Math better than these conversations.

"Well, whatever the hell it is, it's annoying and he better quit it soon or I'm gonna-"

There was a low growl that made me jump slightly in Embry's arms.

"Oh, shut up, Jake, you're scaring her." Leah scoffed, folding her arms. "So, anyway, you have to come back now, or else Jacob's gonna-"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Embry rolled his eyes, then smiled at me. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I glanced back to Leah, who was waiting for Embry, looking as perfect as ever, and made, what I thought, was a smart move, and kissed him as passionately as ever.

"Ew." Leah whined. "I'll meet you in there, soon."

I released Embry, but he kissed me again, lightly.

"I love you."

"Love you too."

I hope you like this chapter- I know it's late to be uploaded, but it's here! Yay! Thanks for reading! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D