"So how was work Haley?" Sue asked as we sat down for dinner, Leah and Charlie were joining us tonight. "Work was okay. A usual gave me some helpful advice though." That got everyone's attention rather fast. "Oh really?" Sue asked looking over at Charlie. I had a feeling that she had put him up to it. "Yeah, they brought up that Collin is a good guy, and I should at least consider him." "So is that why when I saw Collin picking up his mom today, he had a painful looking smile?" I shrugged at her question, honestly I didn't know if what happened today was the cause of his smile, but the thought that it might made me smile a little. "So are you two dating?" Leah asked. "I don't know actually." That was the truth. He hadn't said anything, to make me answer yes to her question, and neither had I in my mind. "Have you two kissed?" "No." I looked to Seth for help but he just shrugged and smiled. "So how's Chase, Leah?" I asked turning the subject away from me. "He's good actually." The queen of silence over there. "That's good." I looked around at the happy family, glad to fit in somewhat. "I'll be at the hospital all weekend, so I'm trusting you three not to burn down my house." Sue said standing up from the table bringing her plate over so I could wash it. "Mom I won't be here, I'm going over to Chases' house for the weekend." "Okay, then Seth, Haley, no parties." I chuckled shaking my head. "Okay we won't mom, but a few people will be here Sunday." "For movie Sunday?" Sue asked Seth as he nodded. "That's fine, just don't trash the place." She kissed his forehead, and said goodnight to Charlie, then she vanished into her room. "How'd you get such an awesome mom? I'm so jealous!" He just shrugged and vanished into the living room. "Well... I'm going to go pack a bag for my weekend." Leah hugged me and she too disappeared, leaving me alone for the first time in months. Digging into my pockets I pulled out my earbuds and began washing dishes to a skylit drive.
"Geez Seth! Why you gotta sneak up on me like that?" I pulled out the ear buds resisting the urge to yell because his mom was asleep. "It's not hard to do when you have those on." He pointed to my earbuds smirking. "Come on there's a bonfire down on third beach." I didn't have the chance to react, before I knew it I was pulled out the door, and down the road. In no time really we were at the beach, surrounded by the pack, and their imprints, or in Embrys case, his girlfriend Kate. "Haley!" Collin ran up smiling. "I was hoping you'd come." He pulled me into a hug. "I know it might be awkward seeing him here, but I won't leave your side. Promise." I smiled up at him. "Okay." Was all I could manage. "Come on let's go say hi to the group." He took my hand, and instead of dragging me, he walked beside me rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. "Hey Hales!" Emily smiled waving at me. "Just the woman I wanted to see." I smile breaking away from Collin. "You and I need to talk." I whisper knowing full well everyone can hear. I link arms with her, and lead her down the beach, far enough away so no could hear what I was going to ask. "Alright, so why did I hear from Charlie that you and Sam are trying for kids?" She looked surprised. "We are not!... Well okay maybe ... Hell I don't know Hales ... We both want kids... But not right now." She was shifting around like there was something I should know, or someone should. "Haley I'm scared that it'll hurt." "Em! Of course it's going to hurt! You'd be having a baby." Images of the tv show friends popped into my mind, leaving me to my devices of avoiding quoting them to her. "Sam will be there with you the whole way though... That's good right?" She looked up at me on the verge of crying. "Haley... After... After what he... Embry did to you... I'm scared it'll happen to me..." Oh god damn it... "Em... Look at me. Embry is nothing like Sam and you know it. Sam loves you with all his heart... So much infact he almost wouldn't let me leave your house, because of how happy you were with me there. Now, does that sound like a guy who'd just dump you cause he has another woman?" She just sniffed shaking her head. "I'm glad you agree with me." I smiled at her trying to show her it's all okay. "All of us will be there for you, and that's hard for me to say, cause I don't like kids..." She smiled me. "Thank you." "Anytime Em, it's what friends are for right?" "Right." She laughed and started pulling me back to the group. "Are you and Collin dating?" I glanced at her kind of confused. "Cause he wouldn't shut up about you the whole time he was here, more then usual." Her smile quickly faded. "Haley, what about Embry?" I stopped dead in my tracks, I don't know where she was going with this, but I was sure I wasn't going to like it. "What about him? He's happy with Kate... And I thought you'd be okay with whatever is, or isn't going on with Collin?" "It's just... A little to much like the Jake, Bella, and Edward triangle..." I probably looked like I could breathe fire cause she quickly continued. "Not that you're like Bella, but... Oh come on! Embry leaves you like day old bread, and three months later you're moved on." "Okay Em, listen. Edward, as much as I hate to stick up for him, he left Bella cause he thought it was best, he thought wrong but whatever. There was no other girl in that, and! I did not spend three or four months being a damn zombie, I got a job, spent time laughing with everyone. If anything Em! This mess I'm in, is a square, and that's even assuming I like Embry anymore, in truth he's just some guy now, andI'm not using Collin, I'm not stringing him along! It's very simple here. Embry loves Kate, and that's great! He should be happy, but what about me? Am I not aloud to move on? Because of the damn imprint thing? Well I think it's bullshit!" "Haley I didn't mean..." "No, you just compare me to... People I don't like, suggest I'm using people, then try to chalk it up to a miss understanding. Honestly Emily, I thought I'd get this treatment from Paul, not you." My second wind was over leaving me breathless and pissed off. "I'm sorry Haley." "No you're not. You know how much I dislike Bella for what she did to Jake." "Yeah I do." "Then why'd you bring it up? Did you want to ruin my otherwise good day?" "I don't know..." "Well congratulations, you succeeded." I stalked off ignoring everyone. "Haley you okay?" "Fine Seth." I mumbled knowing is voice from anywhere but kept walking. "Haley?" Collin asked, but I shook my head, she's not in right now, in truth if I didn't get as far as away from Embry as possible right now I'd break my hand. "Haley talk to me." Collin pleaded, but I just shook my head again, my anger was going to find a new way out if I didn't punch something soon, and I could feel myself welling up. I walked up to the first tree and punched it, as hard as I could, again and again and again till I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I was tired of everyone telling me I was wrong, or no, or I shouldn't do that. I heard it all my life and now I just took it out on a tree, with tears streaming down my face. "Haley? Oh baby what'd you do?" Collin scooped me into his arms cradling me into his chest. "Let's go get you cleaned up okay?" I just nodded laying my head on his shoulder. A few minutes later we were in his house in the bathroom, he was washing my hands under the sink with great care from what I could see, but was still numb. "You didn't break anything thank god." He said just barely loud enough for me to hear. "Haley why'd you beat the shit out of a tree?" He sat me down and began wrapping my knuckles. "Because if I didn't... It would of been Embry..." He looked up at me confused. "Why hun?" "Because... Emily said I was just like Bella... And it pissed me off cause I'm scared she's right somehow... So I wanted to punch him. For making me this way." I avoided his eyes the best I could. "Haley... Hun look at me." So I did. "You're nothing like her, she led on Jake for months, you never have with me, besides today. Besides, this is between you and me, not anyone else." He kissed my wrists pulling me to him hugging me. "Come on let's go find a movie to watch." "But what what about the bonfire?" "Do you really want to go back Haley?" "No... Not after... Well this." I lifted up my bandaged hands following him into the living room. "Wanna watch the hunger games?" I nodded looking around the room, discovering that he is an only child, and his mom wasn't in any pictures past what looked like third grade. "Take a seat Haley." He guestured around the room, and I sat down on the bigger couch. After Collin put in the dvd he sat next to me. "I can take you home after the movie if you want." He said laying his arm across the back of the couch. "Yeah, I'd hate for Sue to worry about me if I wasn't there in the morning, or Seth. Oh! Seth! He's going to wonder what happened." "Haley it's okay, he knows your with me, let's just watch the movie okay?" "Alright, you're right." I pulled my legs up under me trying to get comfy, when Collin pulled me closer to him, gently grabbing my left hand and kissed my fingers. "Haley... Thank you for giving me a chance." I smiled slightly and kissed his cheek. "Your welcome."
"Do you need a jacket Hales?" I just shook my head rubbing my arms. "Haley I know you're cold, you're shivering. Wait right here, and I'll get you a hoodie." Before I had the chance to object, he was gone. "Damn it's cold." I shivered more waiting for him to return. Several minutes later, he came back draping a sweater over my shoulders, and I immediately put my arms through the arm holes, and zipped it, noticing how good it smelt, like cinnamon and mint. "Thank you... For everything." I whispered. "Hun I should be the one thanking you." I could hear the smile in his voice as he pulled me to him. "Can I ask you something Hales?" I looked up at him. "Of course." "Are we... Official? I mean like are we-" "Yeah I think we are." He looked down at me smiling. "Really?" "Yeah." I mean really, after what he did for me tonight I couldn't really just say 'nah I wanna wait till a real date' cause tonight was pretty much a date, also if I was to be honest with myself, I did like Collin... A lot. He tucked me into his side holding me closer, and we enjoyed the walk home, in silence, completely enjoyable silence. "Good night Haley." Collin whispered. I smiled and stood on my toes, kissing his cheek. "Goodnight Collin." I whispered back and slipped through the door, closing it behind me. I went through the house unnoticed and crawled into bed, not taking off the hoodie that drowned me, but instead I pulled the hood up, so I could breath in Collin all night. Falling asleep with a smile on my face, forgetting my anger from earlier, forgetting my pain, and couldn't help my mind from wondering over to Collin and if he is happy too.