Waking up to Embry snor could of easily been the most annoying thing in the world, but it wasn't. It wasn't loud or obnoxious, but it was there. I glanced up to his slumbering face, he looked at peace, the corners of his lips were slightly curled up into a whisper of a smile. Slowly I got up and started looking for clothes. Today I was getting a job. I glanced back at Embry hearing him whimper, and instantly I was by his side. "Embry." Nothing. "Embry wake up." I said a little louder, and still nothing. "Come on babe wake up." I reached out shaking him gently, but he only whimpered more. Sitting on the bed I tried again. "Embry, Em, honey wake up." I whispered in his ear rubbing his arm. "Wh-what time is it?" His eyes weren't even open but his almost smile was back, making me feel better. "It's about eight." I told him, making him groan. "It's to early..." He rolled over facing me. "Come back to bed." I smiled down at him. "I can't, my brother will be here sometime today... And if that goes... Well I need a job so I can move out of here, stop crowding Sam and Emily." I explained knowing I was going to stay anyway. "Emily loves having you here Hale... You don't need to move out." Apparently he didn't understand what I was trying to imply. "Embry they are newly weds, who can't go on a honeymoon. I need to move along." I could see his light click on. "Yeah you're right..."
Emerging from the bathroom, hair still damp from the shower, I was dressed and ready for whatever came my way today. My hoodie half zipped like usual with my iPod, and headphones in one pocket, and my phone in the other. I was wearing boots today, not those ugly ass uggs that everyone loved, but cowboy, in my case cowgirl boots, a nice brown color, with a tiny heal that wouldn't kill me, with the toes that pointed. The shoes I wore when I was planning on kicking ass and taking names. My long dark hair pulled back away from my face, no piercings, no band t either, I was wearing a normal blue t-shirt, my band spirit was on my belt and it's buckle, Asking Alexandria, and blood on the dance floor. If I was honest with myself, I hated how I looked today. My piercings were a part of me, I didn't feel like they made me pretty, they were me, and my band shirts had that same effect. I hated being "normal" as I called it. The only part I liked were my boots today. I stomped downstairs, and flopped onto the couch trying not to fidget. "He's here." Paul almost yelled coming in from the back door. Scrambling to my feet I rushed out the door, determined to be the first to see Caleb. He was pulling in as I stood in the driveway, arms crossed, feet planted on the ground. I felt Paul and Embry behind me, and heard Seth coming out of the door mumbling something. I noticed Caleb's eyes grow wide as he got out of the car, and couldn't help but smirk. It was then I noticed he himself brought reinforcements himself. Paul, had started growling causing me to put arm out holding him back. "Wait Paul, let's see what happens." I told him quietly, turning to my brother. "Look Haley, I don't want to fight with you, but mom needs you back home. You know once she comes off her high it'll be better." The three men behind me started growling and I could feel Embry step closer to me. "But if you want a fight, fine. I'll take you back to Arizona kicking and screaming if I have to, but you are going back." "THE HELL SHE IS!" Paul yelled, yanking me behind the three of them. "You have to go through us to get to her." Embry stepped up shaking. "It's okay Haley, we got you." Seth whispered to me pulling me to him. "Ha! Looks like my little sister has grown up, entertaining three men are we Hales?" He raised an eyebrow at me, but as soon as the words left his mouth Seth had began shaking, Paul looked to be on the verge of phasing, and Embry had Caleb pinned down on the ground. "You. Do. Not. Talk. To. Her. Like. That." He seethed wrapping a hand around his neck. "She's MY sister. I will do as I please." Caleb choked out trying to break free. "Haley go inside. You don't need to see or hear any of this." Seth pushed me towards the door. "But-" "Haley just go."
I had been pacing for what seemed like hours, when the guys came in looking smug. I rushed to Embry, hugging him. "Your brother is a fucking tool! You know after you went inside his mouth just got worse... How are you related to him?" Seth asked causing me to gasp. I've never heard him cuss before. Now I know I'm no angle, but I certainly thought Seth was. "Seth are you okay? I've never heard you use that kind of language before." But Paul answered. "We're all... Surprised you didn't turn out... Well different Haley. Your brother kept going on and eventually Embry had to calm everyone down, only for Caleb to take a cheap shot." They all laughed. "Only for him to break his hand, and all of us to scare him off..." He continued. "Please tell me no one phased." I sighed pulling away. "No one phased... But uh... Sam did show up in wolf form." Embry laughed causing me to groan. "I thought no outsiders could know about the wolves?" I asked but no one seemed to hear me. "Are you okay Haley?" Sam came in and asked. "Yeah I'm fine Sam." I smiled slightly mentally adding 'I've been through worse.' "That's good to hear, Emily will be home soon, she'll be glad your still here... Despite your voiced concerns, she doesn't want you to feel like you're crowding us, neither do I. We've all grown rather fond of you in the past few days." He smiled for the first time that I've notice. "Not many girls can out power the younger guys like you have, and it's helped... Now I know you'll leave anyway, but please don't feel like you're not welcome here. It will always be open to you." "Awh thank you Sam." I couldn't but smile, this was the most he's talked to me. "But you're right, once I get a job I'll be leaving, but it means a lot to me for you to say that." I smiled back at him for a moment, when Seth spoke up. "What do you mean voiced concerns? Haley why would you think you needed to leave? Did Collin say something?" "Calm down Seth, no one said anything to make me think this... I just don't want to be a bother to anyone." I had spoken the real truth. "Haley, you couldn't bother any of us if you tried... Well maybe Collin, but he doesn't count here." Paul said glancing at Embry, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Is there something I should know?" I asked the both of them. "It would seem... You're the talk of the pack." Sam interjected. "Okay...?" I was confused, why would this cause Paul to look at Embry like he better say something? And why was Embry seeming to grow more pissed off? "Collin has a crush... On you." Seth finally said, sounding fairly disturbed. "I highly doubt that, specially after I humiliated him." This couldn't be the truth. "Embry?" I turned to him hoping he'd back me up here. "No. He likes you." He made it sound like a curse, a damnation, for anyone to like me. "He doesn't mean it like that! Right?" Seth asked clearly picking up the tone in Embrys voice he stood up. "No I ment it... I don't want this... Didn't want it... This imprint... I know what I told you... But that was the imprint taking over... I do not-" "You asshole! You're going to kill her!" Paul jumped up pinning him down. "You can say whatever the fuck else you want! But if you ever say that-" "Embry you'll kill the both of you." Sam finished looking... Unimpressed? I don't know him well enough to say pissed off, but I was knocked back, trying to breath... The whole thing... Was a lie? God damn it! I'm so... Pathetic and naive. I couldn't stand here any more. I ran for it. Out the door and past my truck. Never stopping once, in spite of the people calling me to stop... How could I of fallen for him that fast? Thanks to me, I was now crying, and I hated this new habit forming. Running into something I fell back onto my ass. Great not only am I crying but my clumsiness has to make an apearance too. I should of gone to Arizona when I had the chance. "Are you okay?" A voice brought me out of my self loathing. I glanced up to see a heartbreakly handsome guy. Just my god damn luck. "Yeah." I grumbled not even wanting to get up. I was going to sit here and pout, or wallow, whatever worked for me. "You don't look okay." I glanced back up to see him squatting looking me over, but I just recoiled away from him. "I'm peachy." I responded with sarcasm dripping from my voice. He reached out to touch my cheek but I flinched away. No one gets to touch me ever again. "Hey I'm not going to hurt you." I scoffed to myself. I've heard that to many times. "Can you stand? Or do you need assistance?" He asked drawing back his hand. "I can stand on my own thanks." I snapped, instantly wishing I didn't. I might be pissy but I could hide it better. I stood up slowly, looking around, I was close to the beach. Good. I'm far enough away from- I shook the thought away before I could well up again. "Sorry for running into you." "Leo." The guy said. "Please call me Leo." I wanted to roll my eyes at him, I didn't want his name. I wanted to go right on over to ocean and let the cool water lick at my feet. "Well I'm sorry Leo." I couldn't help but notice how much he looked like... Like Loki I wanted to laugh at myself. Tom Hiddleston, with long hair I ment, but Leo didn't have brunette hair, it was black and he had no facial hair. I pushed past him though. I've enough of guys today.
I had been sitting here for an hour, headphones in listening to Framing Hanley alone. Or so I would of been led to believe. I glanced over to my side only to all but jump out of my skin when I seen Leo there. Just sitting, looking out over the ocean, it was then I noticed he was crying, or had been. Slowly I took out my ear phone closest to him and listened for moment before asking. "How long have you been there?" He didn't even jump, just responded. "About an hour, I didn't think it wise to leave a grieving woman alone." He shrugged slightly. "...Thank you." I muttered. He glanced over at me, and I see that he too, is crying. No one truly ever wants to be alone when they're sad, they just won't admit it, even if they just sit in silence. "It's no problem..." And he looked back out to the ocean. "No one should suffer alone." He spoke my thoughts exactly, but I just nodded. "I'm Haley by the way." I told him several minutes later... I owed him a name, my name. "Nice to meet you, Haley." He said simply, nodding at me. Another hour passed by, when I heard someone run up. I turned to see Seth running up. "Haley I'm so sorry please-" "Seth don't. I'm... " I had to hide all these shit feelings. "...I'm fine." I finished earning a look from Leo but I slightly shook my head. Seth is not why I was crying."Haley we were all so worried... Emily wants Embry banned from the house." I just shook my head more. "He's your guys family... You can't do that cause of me. I'll just go back to Arizona..." I was welling up again. "No! You can't do that Haley! Please don't... We all need you here... Think about Paul! He can't lose a sister cause of Embry... Haley please... What about me?We're friends... You can't leave me..." He had sank to his knees, and I was ready to cry again. "Seth... You're probably my best friend... But I can't stay here..." "If it's cause he'll be there then you can move in with Paul or even me! My mom wants to meet you." He was pleading with me, but I couldn't give in. If I stayed here, I risked seeing him everyday, facing my stupidity as well. "Seth I really can't stay-" "Please Haley! You'll break my heart, and Pauls if you leave!" I glanced back to Leo to see he wasn't paying attention to the scene that had came up, and I finally took in air. "Seth I-" "Seth? Just let the woman be. Can't you see she's hurt?" I looked at Leo surprised he even said anything. "I... I... Who are you?" Seth stammered, causing me to mentally facepalm myself. "I'm Leo Klein." He stated like it was obvious. "I'll make sure she gets back to?" "Emily's." Seth interjected. "Yes Emily's house." As Leo finished I snapped my head around to glare at him. I was not going back there. "No. I'm not going. Absolutely not. No. I want nothing to do with this... Place." I couldn't say world without getting looks from Leo. "Haley... Please don't...Don't leave." Seth picked up on what I ment right away, and the pained look I got from him made me give in. "I won't leave... But I'm not staying at Sam and Emily's anymore..." "Really? You're not going to leave?" Seth was smiling again, as I agreed. "Then... Then you can live with me and my family. I promise Embry won't be around like he would at Paul's, and Leah likes you well enough!" Oh god he's not going to shut up now. "And mom will love you!" Oh my lord. "Seth..." "And we can play video games together." "Seth." "Oh I have a new movie you'd love!" Jesus help me. "Seth, I should meet your mom first, before you start getting excited. Let's just get through today, please." "Yeah, your right... Hey you can have dinner with us tonight." I just shook my head at him. "Seth come on just let me be today." I didn't want to meet any one today, and I already ran into Leo. "Okay... I'll see at Sam and Emily's though right?" "Yeah I'll be there later." He didn't look convinced, but left anyway. "He's a good friend, worried about you clearly." Leo spoke up. "Yeah he is." I nodded in agreement, and turned back to the ocean. "I don't deserve friends like that though." I muttered, but Leo didn't say anything, we just sat there in silence again, with my music faintly being heard. "Everyone needs a friend... Even if nothing is said Haley." He finally spoke a hour later. "No matter what their past is." I had a feeling he was referring to himself just now, but I wouldn't press the issue.
The sun was setting, and Leo hadn't left, I knew he was waiting for me to go back to the house, but I just wasn't ready I'd never really be ready. Sucking in a breath I stood up and brushed the sand off of me. "Ready?" Leo asked standing up doing the same. "As ready as I'll ever be." I responded not sure what else to say. I was glad Leo didn't talk much though. I did wonder though... "Leo you do know you look like a Norse god right?" He just chuckled. "Loki isn't a Norse god. He's a frost giant, but I know. My- uh ex had brought it up often enough, that I even act to much like the trickster for my own good, but I assure you, I'm not like him." "So if I call you Loki it'd be... I don't know... Frowned upon?" I tried to find the proper wording trying to sound my respective age. "Yeah pretty much." Was all I got back. "I don't... Look to much like him do I?" He sounded a little worried. I glanced up at him taking in his features. He had dark blue eyes, and his hair wasn't slicked back or appeared to have gel in it. "Not to much." I responded hoping it'd help. "Good." And it was silent again, no one said anything till we were walking down the drive way. "You seem tense." I had a couple dozen smart ass remarks to that comment, but instead I gave a shrug. Leo stepped closer and took my hand placing it in the crook of his arm, much like a man would in the days of great balls and such. "You have no reason, Seth will be here I'm sure." He muttered between us, and as we got closer to the door Seth bursted out beaming, along with Paul. "We were all worried you wouldn't come back..." "Who is it Paul? Seth who's here?" I could hear Emily walking through the house coming closer. "Oh! Haley!" She got out of behind them and ran for me, hugging me tight. "I'm so sorry... I wasn't there." She pulled away slowly and gasped when she saw Leo. "And who is this?" "This is... My friend Leo." He raised an eyebrow at me clearly surprised to my revelation. "Oh well come on in!" And she pulled us inside.