Sarah Black Pov

*The Next Day*

"So tell me once again why we skipped last period, rogue princess?" Hazel says and I stared out at the cold blue water of La Push.

"I don't think I can stand another after school conversation with Embry." I admitted.

"Well you wouldn't have to if you rejoined the softball team. You know we need you."

"No. You don't, besides it isn't fun anymore."

Hazel laughed. "So what. Who cares if your family isn't there cheering you on. Do it for me."

I rolled my eyes. "You just don't understand."

"Yes I do. You're being a brat." She snaps.

"Ugh. I really wish I could talk to you, you know." I yell at her, getting to my feet.

"Oh, stop being dramatic." She laughed amused, and I glared over towards the parking lot just in time to see Embry's police cruiser.

Hazel followed my glare. "That dude seriously has you lo-jacked."

"I have no peace in these woods." I yelled to the air and Hazel laughed again. "Shut-up, Hazel."

"It's not my fault you're a loser. Go talk to your Embry." She joked and I shook my head.

"No way. I'm out of here." Already leaving everything I took to school this morning in my locker. I dusted my hands off. Running through the trees as fast as I could, I could still hear Hazel stupid laugh behind me.

"Call me when you get home!" She called out and I didn't bother to respond.

The wind blew by and I felt like I was flying as my feet were now the lightest as if I was on the field running for a home-base.

Knowing these woods pretty well I knew the closest house was Sam Uley.

He's not home but my brother Joshua used to go to school with his kids Amy, Levi and Ethan.

Ethan is the youngest of the three, twenty years old to be exact and he used to work at my parent's cafe before he got fired for being late too many times.

I ran until I got to the yellow house with flower beds all around. The last time I remember being at this house was when I was seven years old. I'm pretty sure it was someone's birthday party but I don't recall who.

There was no car in sight to clarify if anyone was home, but I jumped up on the porch and started knocking on the door.

After five knocks it swung open fast.

A short, skinny russet skin boy eating a bagel glared at me amused. His dark sandy brown hair had grown.

"Sarah Black. A face I never in a million years would think of at my door."

"Can I come in?" I asked Ethan completely out of breath.

"Maybe."

"Please." I practically begged, hearing the sound of car tires on the dirt road.

"Come on in." He said and I rushed past him into the house.

The first room was a kitchen and it smelt like burnt bread.

"You burnt something?" I ask, turning to face him as he shut the door.

"Yeah actually I could invite Embry in and have him cook me some of his famous tacos." He said, faking a smile and I rolled my eyes.

"So what did your boyfriend do?" He asks, walking across the room towards the living room.

"He's not my boyfriend." I clarified, following behind him.

He flopped down on a huge brown leather couch that was in the center of the room. "Right, sorry your imprintor, or whatever."

"I just … can't be around him right now." I said looking around the house, still out of breath.

It seemed much smaller than I remembered.

"Oh relationship drama. Details." He said too interested.

"I'm not talking about my life with you. I barely know you."

"Then why are you here?"

"Your house was the closest I could run to."

"Hmm, lucky me." He said sarcastically.

"Can you stop with the wit remarks? It's annoying."

"Sure, Sarah. Whatever you like. How old are you anyway? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"School is out." I said and there was a knock on the door.

"It's your boyfriend." He said and I gave him an evil glare.

He laughed. "Sorry. Imprintor. Whatever."

There was another knock.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" He asked.

"What? No."

He laughed. "Teenagers, and your naughty minds. I was just asking so we won't have to stand here and listen to him knock."

I sighed.

I didn't want to face Embry and I didn't want to go anywhere else in this house.

"No, he'll leave eventually."

"Sure about that?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm safe here." I said, then looked around for any sharp objects that could kill me.

I didn't know Ethan that much, he could be a sicko.

"Well I'm going upstairs to play my game, stay as long as you like." He said standing from the couch with his half eaten bagel in his hand. "And you know… he's only chasing after you because you want him to."

"What does that mean?" I muttered.

"Embry Call, even though he has imprinted on you- it doesn't necessarily mean he cannot suffer."

"What are you talking about?" I said I was lost. "Suffering how?"

"The magical forces of love at first sight aren't so set in stone. In my dad's case, he felt horrible breaking your mother's heart after imprinting on my mom." Ethan said and I remember growing up hearing stories on how my mom and Sam Uley were high school sweethearts.

"I know." I nodded.

"It's not fair to keep Embry in his pain. The suffering will be too much for him. All shape-shifting wolves have to be very careful, if they're angry...If Embry gets too emotional, especially if he's standing so close to you and phases- it could be too late. You should think about that before continuing to upset him." He stated.

"Embry would never hurt me." I said then flashed back to yesterday on the dirt road with him.

Then remembering my dream from yesterday in class.. Where Embry was so upset.

"He could kill or scar you for life." Ethan continued. I bit my bottom lip wondering if Embry was to ever get so upset at me, could I stop him from hurting me. "When my dad first saw my mom after his first phase, he instantly felt compelled to truly make it better. Every step he took away from her was physically painful but getting back to her was a physical relief for him. You have no idea what they go through."

"Embry loves me, he would never hurt me. In fact he constantly needs to be around me as much as possible. I've been the one pulling away. That's why he chased after me, because he can't take seeing me upset." I replied.

"Is that right?" Ethan said with a smug look on his face.

"Yes." I almost yelled. Clearly he could see right through my lie.

"You know, he has waited forever for you.. but you're still too young for him to date."

"Yeah, so?" I say.

"So… that's funny because I could have sworn I saw him the other day with a nice lady cop in his cruiser." He said and I instantly smelt the scent of vanilla.

"What?" I whispered.

"Yep, there was a music concert in Forks so I phased and ran down there. It was awesome until a fight broke out."

"You're mistaken. Embry drives alone. He doesn't have a partner. He actually just got promoted to another job in Seattle." I say.

"Oh really." He said amused. "Embry Call is moving to another city?"

"Well…" Oh no, I said too much. "He's thinking about it."

"And here I thought wolves constantly needed to be around their soulmates." Ethan mocked. "Wouldn't the distance make you two unbelievably upset?"

I sighed, feeling dizzy. The anxiety of no longer seeing Embry any longer was taking its toll.

Who was this new lady cop?

What was she doing in his car -smelling like vanilla?

Could that be the real reason why he rather not have feelings for me, so he could be with something his age?

Embry moving away is unbelievably upsetting.. clearly, only to me.

"You don't look so good." Ethan stated.

"I'm fine." I said. "It's just a headache coming on or something. Anyway- It's not like that with all imprint-relationships, Daniel has gone three months without Hazel."

"You know.. I was told of what happened after my dad broke up with your mom prior to having imprinted on my mom. Whenever she told him to leave, he would do as she asked but would always return to her to try to explain how much he needed to be with her even though he just broke up with her cousin. Maybe if you did the same to Embry then you would find out what's really going on between him… and his cop friend." He stated.

To think about his parents Emily and Sam… them in a triangle with my mom, is odd. "Emily wanted Sam to work out his problems with my mom? Sam refused?" I asked.

Maybe if I tell Embry to go be happy with someone else, he'll eventually realize that there's nothing better than him and me.

"That is correct. It's called reverse psychology. They say rejection is highly unlikely, it would be mighty hard to resist the levels of commitment, compatibility and adoration." Ethan says amused. "If Embry leaves he'll only feel incomplete without you nearby. If he indeed has feelings for you. Though, If you instead choose someone else over him… that may be different."

"Wait, so then what would happen.. if I was to pretend to tell him the opposite of what I want?" I ask.

"He will be in deep emotional pain, though he will still respect your choice. The day my mom told my dad that he was just like his father by refusing to take responsibility for the decisions he made in hurting Leah... things turned ugly."

"Is that how she got her scar?" I ask. Everyone knew the story, just not the words that were said.

"Yep. My dad hated his father for abandoning him, and he was standing too close to my mom when he phased into his wolf form."

Emily still teaches Math class at my school, the effects of the slash remain on the right side of her face and arm. Yet, she was still pretty.

"That's horrifying." I shuddered to think of that being me.

I hope to never intentionally make Embry that angry, I would have to do the reverse psychology thing gently.

"He was so distraught and guilt-ridden that when he visited her in the hospital, he told her to tell him to kill himself."

"What? He didn't do that?" I said not knowing that part of the story, it certainly wasn't in my mothers book.

"Yeah, crazy huh." He nodded. "And you know...In addition to imprinting, the sense of duty toward the pack and the tribe is probably the only other important element around them. Say Embry's job for instance… How can he love something they'll keep you two apart?"

"It's not like that." I defended.

"But isn't it? One of the hardships, of balancing wolfy- duties of the pack and tribe against time spent with their better half. I don't know about you, but have you seen Embry involved with the council since your mom left? I know I haven't."

He was right. My mom was the only one making sure Embry did all he had to do right by the council and right by me. Ever since she left months ago, everything has fallen apart.

"Ethan, it's not Embry's job to take care of everything." I stated.

"You two are aging on two different tempos. Usually for a wolf all other commitments in his life - even his pack- become secondary, so it's obvious that if you want Embry to quit his job and be with you.. so you guys can live peacefully together ..he would without any hesitation, that is if he really loved you."

"He would because he does, but I would never ask him to." I pressed.

"But you will." He smirked.

I shook my head in disagreement.

"I bet, on the day you tell Embry your true feelings and beg him to stay… he'll get so mad that he'll want to rip your face off."

"Shut up." I said, shaking my head. "You don't know him. You don't even know me."

"Maybe you're right." He said nonchalantly.

"Besides, Embry doesn't phase anymore. He hasn't in a year or two." I clarified.

"Young Sarah, even after a wolf stops phasing and lives a so-called 'normal' life, he could still phase if he's angry enough."

"No!" I snapped. "He loves being human. So unless someone he loves is threatened, then there's no reason for him to be angry or upset. So he won't explode out of emotional overload. Got it?"

Ethan burst out laughing. "Right, right. I know. I know. Calm down." He said continuing to laugh and I exhaled feeling stupid that I even came in here. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm just saying, don't break your own heart here. If he really loves you. You'll know." He said in a much nicer tone and I knew he was saying it out of a pure heart… in his own little way.

"Uh oh…" He suddenly muttered looking past me towards the front door.

I followed his gaze and heard the front door unlock.

My eyes grew in panic.

Stepping back slowly the door opened. "Ethan?" Sam Uley called out and his eyes rested on me unsurprisingly. "Hello, Sarah. Ethan."

"Hey, Dad." Ethan said, flopping back down on the couch. "I just invited Sarah over for dinner." He lied.

"Actually, Sarah has dinner plans at home." Sam said and the sound of boots entered the house.

Embry took two steps and stood there, eyes all on me.

In his police uniform it was clear he was on duty.

Who was I kidding, he wasn't going to leave me here alone. I turned half way to Ethan, "Thanks anyway."

"Come anytime, imprintee." He winked at me and I almost smirked amused. He's a complete nut.

Walking through the kitchen I said no word to Sam and the thought hit me, why wasn't he at softball practice?

He may have rescheduled practice for some reason.

Embry said nothing as we walked to his cruiser.

When we both got in the car and drove halfway to my house, we still said nothing.

It was silent the whole way there, and it surprised me because Embry always had something to say to me. But things have changed.

Things are different.

I'm in love with him but he doesn't even care to know.

"I don't want you to leave." I said calmly, looking at him.

He sighed but didn't say anything back.

"Maybe I have been caught up in my own little world but...you can't leave me." I said, trying not to sound like a spoiled brat.

The car stopped moving and I knew we were at my house but I kept my eyes on him.

"You should go in, do your homework or something. I won't tell Jacob about you skipping your last class of the day." He said, which made me angry.

"So you're not going to say anything else to me?" I say.

"You need to focus on school and getting back on the team before Leah finishes her book tour."

"Ugh! Do you know who you sound like right now? An idiot." I yelled frustrated and Embry turned his head, looking me dead in the eyes.

"Stop being a child. The world does not revolve around you, Sarah. Go in, do your homework. Caleb will be here soon." He practically whispered.

He had no care in the world about my feelings.

He was too calm.

"I hate you. If you leave I will hate you even more." I say completely un-gentle-like.

"Go." He almost yelled and I shoved open the car door.

Not saying a word as I slammed the door shut, then I practically ran to my front porch.

Slamming my book bag against the small mailbox, remembering how I gave my house key to Hazel yesterday to hold. She never gave them back to me.

Leaning my back against the door, I slide down to sit.

This. sucks. balls.

I'm failing math.

I'm the only sixteen year old I know without a driver's permit.

I quit the softball team.

My mother is out of the country.

I'm locked out of my house, and worse of all, the guy I'm in love with… isn't that into me. What a great life.

"Sarah?" I heard and looked up.

Embry was standing at the end of the porch steps with a worried look on his face. For a second I thought he had left.

I looked down at my hands not wanting to make eye contact with him. "I'm fine. Hazel has my key, you can leave, I'll just wait for Caleb."

It was so quiet that I thought he walked away and I looked up as he started to sit beside me.

I scooted to the right but it was a chair nailed down there. "I'm sorry about yesterday, that's not how I wanted to tell you." He stated.

"Whatever." I said and pictured Ethan Uley's face in my mind.

"All I want is for you to be happy. You know that right?" He says.

"I'm not three years old anymore. I know how the world works." I say.

"Then you know that this is a good job opportunity for me."

"You're a cop. What other opportunities are there?"

"I need this, Sarah." He said and all I could hear was 'I need to get away from you.'

"Fine, whatever. I'm sure Ethan will be cool with picking me up from school on the days that Caleb can't." I say still not bothering to look at him.

"Have you ever actually had a conversation with him aside from today? He's a tool. You need to stay away from him." Embry says.

"He's fine."

"Sarah, look at me." He said and I felt my heart breaking into a million pieces once again. If I was to look at him I would cry.

"You're like a brother to me Embry, I don't want you to go but if that's what you want then whatever."

"Stop!" He yelled and I jumped looking at him. "Stop saying whatever. I can see how much this is bothering you." He sighed, glancing down then back in my eyes. "Can you do me a favor?"

I snorted once again, angry. "No." I stood to my feet. "I'm not your girlfriend, I don't even want to be your imprint. I'm not doing any stupid favors for you."

"You're such a child." He muttered getting to his feet.

I was curious about what it was that he wanted me to do though, but it hurt my feelings for him to think of me as 'such a child.'

"I need you to take it easy on me." He says, and I wasn't sure what it meant.

"Fine. I'll try not to be… angry." I muttered hoping that that's what he meant.

"Thank you." He nodded, giving me a small smile.

It warmed my insides.

"Do you mind helping me drive?" I wanted to change all the negativity in the air that we were bouncing off each other.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I have to get my permit since you're leaving. Can you help me practice driving?" I asked.

"Ahh. Yeah, sure." He said and I smiled, feeling happy that he didn't say no. "When?"

"Right now." I say.

"Oh. I don't know. I'm too tired and we'll have to drive to my house to grab my car." He said, running his hand over his face.

"Please?" I asked, wanting to beg. "It will be nice to spend more time with you before you move away." I said honestly.

Embry face expression turned pained. "Of course. Yeah, come on." He said, faking a smile, and I grinned happily, feeling hopeful.

I hope that if I persuade him into spending more time with me then he'll see how much I really need him here with me. Then he'll think twice about going.

*Sometime Later*

"You can accelerate just a little." He encouraged me from the passenger seat.

I can't believe he was allowing me to drive his car.

This is pretty cool.

"People are constantly distracted on the road. So you have to pay attention. You can't blast the music, put on eyeliner, or eat." He says.

"I know." I mumbled.

"Most definitely I don't want you to ever drink and drive, I've arrested too many eggheads that have. Most of them die on scene before I get to them. You're too young to drive but even when you get old enough, be responsible." He said, shaking his head. "Now, put your signal on and pull over." He said and I did so without saying a word.

Taking off my seat belt to switch seats with him. It was actually nice spending this hour with him alone.

After a ten minute lecture Embry allows me to drive than he wants back behind the wheel.

I don't argue, out of fear he'll get mad and take me back home.

As soon as we were back in the car with our seat-belts on, he continued talking while driving. "When stopping at a light or stop sign behind a large truck, stop so that you will not be in a blind spot and that you can see the driver and his side mirror." Embry said, lifting his foot off the gas so that the car is slowing down as a huge oil truck on the left side of our car is speeding up to pass us.

"So when it took mom five years to move back to La Push, How was your relationship? Did you teach her to drive? I read in her book that you picked her up from the airport." I ask.

"Are you paying attention?" He said ignoring my question moving into the left lane, which happens to be in the middle of the highway.

"Yes." I answered.

"What did I just explain?" He asks, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

I sigh, rolling my eyes looking away from him and out the windshield. "Don't drive so close to the truck or he'll squish me and I'll die."

"No. Incorrect."

"Embry, I get it. Alright." I say quickly.

"You asked me for help, remember?"

"Yeah well I didn't think you would go all Robocop on me, Jeez."

Embry cleared his throat. "Look, what people don't realize is that a car is a deadly weapon. I remember when I first learned to drive, I accidentally killed a deer crashing my moms wagon and had to repair it before she returned from her business trip. It's not as easy as it looks."

"I got it." I say, and already knowing that the first car he ever had of his own was two years after my mom left for college. "In mom's book Ixc read that you lost your virginity to a girl you met at a 'U2 concert in Port Angeles, in the back of her pickup-truck." I say, and the car jerked so fast, I held tightly to my seat, leaning my head back so it wouldn't jerk along with the car.

The loudness of a car horn beside us startled me and I squinted my eyes shut waiting for impact.

"Jeez." Embry said low, driving the car into the right lane heading onto the bypass towards Forks, Washington. "You shouldn't have read that."

"What the hell." I said looking at him. "You could have killed us!"

"See? That's what happens when you are busy running your mouth instead of paying attention." He snapped.

"More like when you're flabbergasted by something that makes you uncomfortable." I stated.

Letting out a huge huff without looking in my direction, he shook his head. "Let's just finish another time."

I sighed.

"Fine." I haven't truly thought about losing my virginity yet.

Though I deeply know that Embry is my one and only true love, who I hope can only be the one.

I glared out the window, on to the town of Forks towards La Push quietly.

I waited for him to speak but he said nothing.

I wondered what it was that he was thinking of, probably Seattle.

"So I had this strange dream last night..." I said then waited for him to respond, however his gaze appeared he was too deep in thought that he didn't seem to have heard me. "I was swimming in that green purple alligator swimming pool that you bought me when I was seven, Do you remember?" I asked.

"No." He said quickly as if he didn't hear the question but wanted me to shut up. "Maybe." He added.

"I wasn't wearing the Black and pink one piece bathing suit that you bought, though I was wearing jeans and a nice shirt. Suddenly I was drowning. I called out for you but you were too far away. Then there was Sam Uley, he came and saved me but I could tell that even though you were so far away... you wanted it to be you. You finally made it to me before I woke and you hugged me." I stated.

Without blanking Embry cleared his throat, still not responding.

The significance of the dream I imagine was the setting of a moment that actually happened.

Two days before my thirteenth birthday Embry brought me a one piece bathing suit but little did he know I had asked my mom if I could use the money that I saved from Girl Scouts to buy a two-piece bathing suit everyone knew and felt was too grown for me. However, my mom decided that if the two-piece was stitched together unnoticeable, I could wear it.

At the time I fully understood what it was to be an imprint, and even though they say girls mature faster than guys I knew I was too young to want to impress a guy.

As a young child I was determined to do something to get the person who meant so much to me to smile proudly at me. However, Embry's reaction was merely of disgust rather than impressed.

I hadn't noticed that we were already in La Push when the car came to a stop and I looked around and noticed we were sitting in front of my house one again.

I signed at the fact that my time was up.

I love spending time with Embry, even though I've been avoiding him a bit.

He works a lot at the sheriff's office with my uncle Seth, sometimes he has to relocate to Port Angeles when they're short of officers down there.

In the past, when I knew he wouldn't be home... I would go to his house and wait for him. Sleep on his couch in front of the fireplace, for hours. He'd always hate it when I did that. I haven't done it in a long time.

"Sarah." Embry said in an asking tone and I shifted my body towards him, wondering what he wanted to say.

"Yeah?" Embry never looked in my direction, his eyes stayed glaring straight ahead. "If it's about me passing the driving test, don't worry. I'll read up tonight and tomorrow, get Caleb to quiz me then you can take me on the road again in three days. I promise, you'll be impressed." I said trying to ease his worries, even though what he must be thinking has nothing to do with me driving or passing my test.

He turned his head to the house then back straight through the windshield as if there was something he was searching for.

"No that's not…. that's not what I was thinking of, though that's great. I'm not too worried about that, I have faith you'll ace the test even though you rarely paid attention." He said, sounding extremely tired.

"Alright..." I said as he then held his eyes to mine and I instantly felt something was very wrong.

"Look I know you're getting older... you're growing up. I mean you're sixteen and you're learning... how to drive, among other things." He exhaled heavily, glancing down at my wrist. At the bracelet he gave me for my fifteenth birthday that I rarely-ever took off.

"You have to stop trying to get a rise out of me. The whole inappropriate topic bothers me. You don't have to know every single thing about the past. I'm actually not too keen on it and it's not something I care to live with over and over again. I barely even had the guts to read Leah's book." He confessed.

What was so bad in his past that makes him so sad?

"Sometimes I wish…." He drifted off, not able to form more words close enough to whatever he was trying to say but I knew, I knew what he wanted me to stop going on about. "I get that you're curious, but I'm tired of the past. Moving forward is all I want to do, Do you get that?"

I nod slowly. "Yeah, got it. Sorry. I'll stop." I say. "Embry, I just want to understand what you've been through more. I want to know you."

"You already know me, there's nothing else needed." He says, but I disagree.

"My feelings are growing." I say, slowly and he glared at the steering wheel. "I love spending time with you. I know how hard it is for you to.. see me and I'm growing too fast for you, but I would like it if you can try and understand my ..emotions. Well, my needs." I said with an exhaling feeling as if a huge rock had lifted off my shoulders.

"Sorry, what?" He said, turning his head to face my direction.

"My needs." I replied.

Instantly he let out a huge amused laugh.

Shocked on what he could possibly be laughing at, I scratched the back of my head as if it itches.

"Sarah, you're sixteen. Your need is to stay in school and get good grades." He said looking at me in pity.

I shook my head angry. "No. I mean I know, but it's more. My feelings.. It's more than that."

He laughed again shaking his head.

"Sarah, I know you're afraid I'll be gone forever, but I won't be. Trust me. No pressure into telling me your… needs." He laughed again.

"Why are you laughing at me? I'm trying to be honest. You make me feel like a kid, you know." I said glaring at him.

"You are one."

"No. Embry. I'm not."

"You have a Barbie doll theme bathroom." He stated.

I turned my head. "It's Hello Kitty." I said angry.

"Same thing."

"No, it's not. Stop being a jerk."

"Sarah."

"Stop saying my name like that!" I snapped and he stared at me surprised. "You can use the kid-thing against me all you want, but we both know how much I'm really maturing."

"Oh yeah? How?" He said in a more serious tone.

I grinned. "My body. My boobs to be exact. Boys can't keep their eyes off me. Especially Ethan, and another reason why softball wasn't working out for me was because the jockheads on the basketball team kept asking me out and commenting on my cup-size." I stated, opening the car door to get out. "I'm ready to start dating and if you rather continue being friends then feel free to move to Seattle so I can do what I need to. Have a goodnight." I said slamming his car door shut.

Walking up the yard, I skipped across my way to the porch not looking back.

Looking over on the driveway was Caleb's blue Sedan, and I was so happy that someone was home so I didn't have to be stuck sitting outside.

If Embry would rather not acknowledge my growth then I have to show him I can move on.

Maybe he should be more afraid of losing me. I'm the prize. I'm the imprint.

It will be me that people will talk about and worry about, not him. I have to keep that in mind.