Disclaimer: This story is rated T+/ M (Mature) Content may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Will most likely contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and strong language. (Especially in upcoming chapters)
Layla's Pov
I was up late, standing on furniture to hang posters from my favorite bands.
I trying to keep busy not to think about Jacob and our conversation on the porch.
Like why did he waste his question on asking me about my ex? Was he worried about how much sentimental value was in the picture he tore?
Had I shared too much? Or worse, would he tell anyone else?
My phone rang, and I picked it up to distract myself. The ID was unrecognizable, but I would take a chance on a solicitor to separate my racing thoughts.
"Hello?" I placed the phone on my shoulder.
"Hey Layla-" "Jake?!" I accidentally dropped the push pin I was using as a nail. I didn't exactly ask Syd to redecorate.
"Guess who has a new phone?" I could hear the smile in his voice. "Rachel's not going to get anything done. What is she thinking?" I mused teasingly.
Jacob had complained before about how his sister hogged the home line, so he had reminded me that if I wanted to call, I should try twice.
Of course, I've been too much of a coward too. "Funny. No, it's mine." Jacob clarified anyway.
"That's great, Jake. Ow!" I jumped off the desk to see if the posters I hung were even, but I landed wrong.
"You okay?" "Yeah, just hanging up stuff. If I had your height, this wouldn't be an issue." I grunted, getting back up to fix a corner that had fallen.
"I could head over now." Jacob offered. "It's late. I'm sure Syd won't let you in, and besides, I'm almost done."
I balanced on the rolling desk chair to reach over my dresser and failed to post the last one.
"I could try the window." Jacob offered again. I laughed. "Like you could fit."
"We could see." There was a tap at the window, then another.
"Look outside." He muttered impatiently into the phone.
I jumped over to my bed, yanking back the curtain. Then I fell to my knees, bouncing on my mattress.
"Jake! What are you doing?" I cracked open the window. It groaned, defying my pull.
I left it where it wanted to stop. He grinned up at me and hung up the phone in his hand.
"It sounded like you needed help."
"Like I said, you won't fit, and now it's stuck." I tugged again. The window wouldn't go up or down now.
Jacob pulled himself up on the landing in one swift movement to sit on the portico.
"And Like I said, we'll see." Jacob tugged the window slab up and down. The catch in the sill freed so I could move it smoothly.
"Thanks, Jake. I would've been freezing all night. It's already cold because of the poor insulation, but um..." I rambled nervously.
A habit I only seemed to have around him.
"Can I come in?" Jacob asked. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea." I sat down next to him along the side of the window, pulling my knees up.
"Why not? You want help hanging stuff, right?" "It can wait." He seemed content to hang out with me.
"How was the Auto shop?" I asked, curious about Jacob's evening. He told me all about his apprenticeship. Bob, who owned the place, seemed easygoing while his co-owner Allen ran a tighter ship. Dean, Bob's nephew, seemed to be there due to necessity rather than desire. While Darrel was the only other student genuinely interested in becoming a mechanic like Jacob.
"So what made you get into fixing cars? Has it always been an interest of yours?" I probed attentively.
He was quiet for a moment, deep in thought as if no one had asked him that before.
"I guess it feels good to put something back together. When it all works out, it's exciting to see." He rested his arms on his knees when he looked over at me.
"Cool." My comment was for him, but the clouds parted for the stars again. He looked in the direction I did.
"The stars? You can see them well up the mountain behind the skyline turnpike." Jacob shared.
"Really?" I stuck my head back inside. "I'll have to take you on a clear night." Jacob offered.
"That would be nice." I yawned, uncommitted.
"You're always apprehensive to make plans with me, but when we hang out, you seem to have a good time," Jacob was more observant than I gave him credit for.
A cold breeze blew in, making me shiver. "I-I" I stammered, pulling up my quilt. He waited for me to respond.
"I just haven't hung out with a guy, alone, this much before," I spoke slowly, thinking through my confession, making sure the statement was true, and it was.
"What do you mean? You had a boyfriend." Jacob scoffed. I shook my head.
"We were never alone much. I told you. It was a superficial, frivolous thing." I suppressed another yawn.
I didn't want to talk about Liam anymore. He wasn't important. I sunk down in my bed to keep warm. Sleep wasn't far away from me either.
"Oh." That was all Jacob could say. Although, I felt like he had more burning questions for me.
My own question seemed to escape my tired mind and through my lips without warning.
"Have you ever been alone, much, with another girl?" I might as well asked him if he's dated anyone, let alone have a girlfriend.
It was too late to take it back now. Jacob was obscenely still.
The gesture sobered me up a bit. He was also quiet for way too long, at least to me.
"I think I hear Syd coming up the stairs. You should get some rest." He turned away from my window and jumped down with a low thud.
My heart dropped with his descent, stunned and stung by his reaction.
I didn't know when I gave myself permission to become optimistic about Jacob Black.
Maybe it was because I was too vulnerable with him earlier that I expected something in return.
"Layla-" I heard Jacob call my name from the dark. I shut my window and drew back the curtain quickly.
Just as he had said, Syd opened my door to check on me.
"Get some sleep, Kowlieshkah. You need your rest." Syd reached out and flipped the overhead light switch.
"You're right; good night Grandpa." I buried down in my sheets, facing away from my window, trying to swallow a swell of disappointment.
Jacob's Pov
I felt like a total ass since leaving Layla last night. Her question threw me off.
I was so caught up in getting to know my imprint... I didn't expect the topic of Bella to come up.
It was my intention to move on like nothing ever happened, but could I really do that? I didn't want to lie to Layla, but omission seems the best option.
Bella is so intertwined with my past around the time of becoming a werewolf too.
I needed to start thinking of ways and when I could tell Layla the pack's secret.
Embry had been out running with me last night. So he knew what I was struggling with this morning.
"Tough break, man. I wouldn't know where to start with that." He patted my shoulder, walking off with Quil, who said. "You'd be better off telling her you're a wolf first."
"Thanks, that's helpful," I grumbled sarcastically.
"I'm sure she'll understand someday," Seth was overly supportive. I let out an aggravated sigh with myself.
I perked up, watching Layla cross the parking lot. As she approached, I stood up from leaning off the back of Embry's truck.
And... she walked right by me to greet Tiffany instead.
I caught up to them. "Need help?" I asked, holding out my hand so Layla didn't have to limp across the lot.
"I'm good, Jake. See you in class." Layla linked arms with Tiffany instead, who glanced between us.
"I thought you guys were, you know, 'getting along,'" Tiffany whispered in a hush when she thought I was out of hearing range.
"It's whatever. Here I have the CD you wanted to borrow. Also, didn't you say you wanted to" So Layla was blowing me off? I thought, a bit miffed.
Wait, if Layla was upset with me, maybe she was jealous? I perked up again at the thought, tailing her to class.
"What's up?" Layla asked as she pulled out the crutch.
"Nothing. I know you were having trouble extending it yesterday-" "I got it." She stretched it out without a clicking sound and placed it on the ground.
I crossed my arms, waiting for it to collapse. Two steps in, it folded on her.
Several students around laughed at her demise. I caught the back of her backpack so she didn't completely eat tile.
"Thanks," Layla muttered. I collected the crutch from the ground and adjusted it with a clicking sound.
"You're welcome." I handed it back to her. "Are we good now, or what?" I asked.
"We're fine." She went ahead of me, not sounding fine.
In classes, Layla continued to keep her distance.
From catching up with Camille to giving Elu the time of day when he rallied for her attention.
Toward the end of History, I caught her attention again.
"Hey, Layla. I'm sorry about how I left things. It wasn't cool."
"It's okay." She didn't look at me. "Really?"
"You don't owe me anything, Jacob." She collected her books into her bag to finally glance up at me.
"I was the only one obligated to answer your questions. I see that now." Layla stood up, heading for the door to get a jump start on the bell.
I wanted to say. 'You can ask me anything, Layla.' But that wasn't true. I could answer about anything but about Bella and being a wolf.
Instead, all I could do was wait out her mood. It did gradually ease up as the day stretched on.
It was good to know that Layla wasn't one to stay mad for that long.
When lunch hour came around, I thought I'd catch her again and invite her to our table. I waited for Layla at the top of the stairs she still had difficulty with.
As all our classmates passed, she still didn't arrive. Wondering if Layla went ahead, I went down to check the cafeteria... but she wasn't there either.
Layla's Pov
After class, I sought refuge in the bathroom, splashing my face with cold water.
That should snap me out of imagining things between Jacob and me.
I peeked out of the girl's room to see him chatting with his friends on their way into the cafeteria. I couldn't face him again so soon.
My stomach twisted again. Knots of nerves or butterflies?
I knew I was overreacting and that I needed to reel it in. He didn't deserve my attitude.
Pacing back towards the line of sinks for a second rinse, I caught sight of an old metal fire escape exit door wedged in the back corner.
It was assumably cracked open for vinylation. I took advantage of this opportunity to step out for some fresh air.
The atmosphere outside was humid, and the clouds were creeping over the seascape's direction, yearning to initiate more weather on the land.
The semi-sun had illuminated the greenway path nicely, so I hurried along before anyone could spot me limping off into the woods.
Once behind the tree line, I took it slower. The scent of moss and wet dogwood was exactly what I needed to clear my head.
My cell phone disrupted my momentary peace with its vibration in my pocket.
I took a seat on the closest thing available. The carved-out log I recognized from my first week when Jacob took me here.
"Hello?" I answered without looking at the caller ID. I figured it would be Ashely calling about this weekend's plans.
"Layla, honey?" My mom's voice was rough, like she had been sick.
"Mom! Thank goodness you're alright. Did you get any of my messages?" I spoke eagerly.
"I haven't checked them yet. Please, listen to me. Anything you need or want, don't hesitate to contact Bethany. She will help you, and she knows how to reach me."
"But I don't want to talk to her! I want my own mother. Why won't you tell me what's going on?" I pleaded, not masking the pain I felt.
"Layla." My mother used the stern voice she reserved for the few times I got in trouble.
"I need you to put aside your childish vendetta with Bethany. She's not the one you should be upset with." Lily's cough was chest deep.
"Mom?" "I'm limited on time, but I wanted you to know that I love you and am proud of you." The way she said this scared me. So full of love and sorrow, as if she was saying goodbye.
"I love you too, but when will I see you again?" I questioned desperately. This was the longest I'd been without her; she must have known that.
"It won't be for a while." Her voice became garbled. "When? Mom! Can you hear me?" The line cut back in. I must have missed something.
"You're a strong girl... more than you know. Take care, sweetheart." My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach when the line disconnected.
Tears sprung to my eyes. "Mom? You can't do this to me." I held the cell phone in my lap.
A sudden burst of tears built up and spilled over. I cried because I missed her, and she didn't seem to care.
And I continued to sit here because I was furious that she had chosen to leave me in the dark.
After all, I'd been through, and moving here in this dump of a town in blind obedience. I felt robbed of the answers I deserved.
What was the result of that night, my sweet sixteen? On the adult side of the party, was the drug bust really for real?
Were we being investigated? Was that the real reason I was sent away to stay with my dad? Technically Syd, but still.
I could have stayed with Ashely until the revised divorce settlement was complete.
When my fit of emotion was over, I sniffed, wiping away the residue of my outburst with my sleeves. I didn't want to return to school like this, but I had to.
Trudging through the damp earth, I encouraged myself that I would have answers tonight when I met my dad in Seattle.
Jacob's Pov
"If she doesn't come to class, I'll cover you," Embry whispered lowly behind me.
When my imprint trudged in, I was about to take him up on his offer.
She apologized to the teacher before heading to her seat next to me.
Fresh mud from the outside caked her shoes. No wonder I couldn't find her; she wasn't in school.
Layla sat down without glancing in my direction. Her nose was red, and her eyes were glassy like she'd been crying or something.
Guilt settled in. When Mr. Moore was consumed with the lesson, I whispered to Layla.
"Where were you at lunch?" She shrugged and sniffed, wiping her nose with the end of her sleeve.
Something wasn't right. I undeniably smelt her tears. "Hey, you okay?" I whispered softer.
Layla looked up at me then and gave me a brief half smile. "Yeah, thanks, Jake."
I took her hand under the table, and she didn't pull away. Layla gave me a light squeeze.
I rubbed my thumb over the top of her chilled hand, warming it.
"Sorry," I murmured. "It's not you." She whispered back.
"Really," Layla assured me. That was a relief, but I wanted to know what was wrong.
Layla's Pov
"Hey, Jake." I didn't expect to see him waiting on the steps.
I had almost forgotten about the hour-long theater tryouts end of the day. Mandatory for the club that I joined, in place of dance, to suffice my father's academic requirements.
"When I said I'd like to talk later, I didn't mean that you had to wait for me."
"It's fine, I got some homework done." Jacob escorted me across the lot.
"I wanted to apologize about this morning. I was being too...much." I stopped to pull the keys from my pocket.
"There's nothing to worry about." Jacob reached out, tucking a stray piece of my hair behind one ear.
"Okay, can I offer you a ride?" I asked, smiling instinctively up at him. "Nah, I'm heading to Port Angeles after this." Jacob shook his head.
"I'm already headed in that direction." I tried to sound persuasive. "You are? Then how can I refuse." He mused.
"I'm visiting my dad in Seattle this weekend. My suitcase is already in the back." I gestured.
Jacob adjusted the passenger seat to fit his long legs in my Ford Escape.
"When will you be back?" He inquired, sounding a bit disappointed now.
"Sunday," I stated, casually turning on the techno playlist Brianna burned for me. Jacob made a face.
"No?" I laughed. "You listen to this stuff?"
"I listen to whatever I can dance to." I proceeded to switch playlists until we settled on a mutual rock band. After a few good songs, Jacob spoke up.
"Not to put a damper on things, but what happened earlier..." He turned the volume down, and I subconsciously accelerated the gas pedal.
"I had to step out for a phone call. It took longer than expected." I replied, knowing exactly what he was asking about.
"Who called you?" He pressed. I sucked in a breath, not wanting to talk about those things. Not when I've already shared too much as it is, and not when I wanted to know more about him.
"Things have been complicated...with my family lately. I hope this trip will clear some stuff up for me, so things can start returning to normal." I reached for the volume dial again.
"What's wrong?" Jacob asked, blocking me from using music as a buffer.
"Enough of my complaining. Tell me what you like to do for fun around here." I intentionally made my voice lighter, hoping he'd indulge my topic change.
"Slow, small town, slow small town activities. Sometimes we have to get creative," Jacob admitted with a shrug. He wasn't fooled but at least he was going along with it.
"By creative, do you mean get in trouble? What's the worst you've been in for?" I asked inquisitively.
"Billie doesn't care much for what I do. I'd say Quil is our troublemaker champion." Then he indulged me in a story of Quil asking out a senior's steady girlfriend this past spring.
"What about you?" He countered. "Everything I like to do requires more mobility than I have to offer,"
"Right. I don't mind helping you hike or something." Jacob offered. I laughed.
"I thought you'd be sick of me by now. But you'd be willing to carry me as your dead-weight adventure pack?"
"Of course not; you're not dead weight. I bet I could run miles with you." Jacob snorted a laugh. I thought he was exaggerating, but it sounded like he meant it.
"Sure." I rolled my eyes.
The spritzes of rain gradually increased as we exited Forks and inched towards the coast.
"Do you have a favorite holiday?" I asked randomly, deviating from the plan-making. "What are we playing, twenty questions?" He asked with a smirk.
"Maybe. Is that okay?" I kept my eyes on the road. "Sure, I'd say Thanksgiving. Everyone's home, and there's plenty of food."
I should have guessed. "And you?" He duplicated my question. "You don't have to ask the same thing." I encouraged. "I know."
"Hm. It's a tie between the Fourth of July and Halloween. I love fireworks, but I think my sweet tooth has me overruled to Halloween."
"Huh," Jacob sat back, absorbing what I said. "Why? Were you expecting Christmas?"
"Yeah, sort of," He admitted.
"Well, There's more to life than presents, lights, and commercialism... Maybe it's unfair for me to judge since I've actually never had a real Christmas. Not since I was small."
"What do you mean?" Jacob asked. "I've never been anywhere cold enough to snow, for starters..."
"You've never seen snow? Living in California, you've never been skiing or snowboarding?" The tone in his voice sounded dubious.
"No. My mom always ensured we'd always spent it somewhere warm instead." I made a sour face.
"Where have you traveled?" He carried on with our game. I listed the warm places south of the equator, then two abroad spring break trips. The South of France for one, and Austria was the other.
"Which one was your favorite?" "No, It's my turn. Where would you like to go? Anywhere in the world."
Jacob just stared at me for a long moment. I almost forgot I was driving. Then he cleared his throat.
"Maybe Hawaii, to visit my sister, Rebecca," "I didn't know you had another sister"
"Yeah, Rebecca is Rachel's identical twin. Becca married a Samoan surfer; now they live in Kauai."
"Wow, and you guys haven't visited since?" I questioned, "No, we haven't seen her in almost three years." He counted the time in his head to make sure.
"Plane tickets are pricy." I nodded to myself. "She hasn't really asked for us to come either. I assumed Rebecca just wanted to escape." Jacob thought aloud.
"Escape the small town?" I asked. "Something like that." He directed me to where to drop him off. I pulled over to the curb, parking illegally.
"We'll have to do something 'normal' when you get back." He stepped one leg onto the curb.
"Hey, can you do me a favor?" "Sure." I committed without knowing the requirement or repercussions.
"Call me when you get to your dad's place." Jacob continued. "Okay, why?" I blinked, confused.
"I want to know you made it safe." He leaned in unexpectantly, pecking a kiss on my cheek before slipping out into the rain.
His warm lips burned a memory into me, turning me pink.
"See you Sunday." Jacob lit up, exposing his beautiful white toothy smile. That only made me blush harder.
"Bye, Jake," I mumbled with my windows rolled up. I bet he couldn't hear me, so I just waved shyly.
A horn honked behind me, jolting my heart and waking the adrenaline I needed for this lengthy road trip at dusk.
Jacob's Pov
I walked down an alley between the beaten-down warehouses and then passed the small junkyard where cops like to pull repossessed cars.
Where the rough parts began to bleed into downtown Bob's Auto Shop emerged in bold neon yellow letters.
"Good to see you, Black," Bob was chowing down on a sub in his cramped closet of an office. The bottom half of his sandwich fell out on the documents on his desk.
"Shit! I'll be right over." He smeared more of it when he tried to pick up the affected papers.
"Hey, Bob. Don't worry about it." I signed in, heading to the garage with Bob's other apprentices and employees.
AL seemed to be leaving for the night, locking up the main building. Meanwhile, Dean and Darrell made themselves comfortable at a side table in the back.
There they were playing a hand of cards. By the looks of it, Darrel was teaching young Dean blackjack.
"Alright, I have a few customers' cars for you to learn from." Bob gestured for us to follow.
After an hour into the session, he trusted me to work independently.
I was working on fixing the brakes on an old ram dodge charger. Usually, working on cars was the place to use my hands and not think, but I couldn't help replaying Layla, and I's conversations like when I was bored.
Would telling Layla I was a wolf like Quil said, be easier? Or did Embry have a point in asking her out first?
I wondered how Layla would respond to me shifting. Would she take it as well as Bella did... but then again, she was already down with the vampires.
On the other hand, Layla is my imprint, so I could trust the bond.
I finished up the front brakes and moved on to the back ones. Four-wheel drive is a bitch when it comes to this.
I tried to picture Layla's reaction. I could only imagine her horrified expression in the woods when she first caught me in wolf form, hunting behind her house.
I winced at the memory. The old brake pad I had just removed crumbled in my grasp..
"Everything all good?" Darrell bent down to watch me work. "Yeah, why?"
"You've got the front ones in backward." He pointed out. "Crap."
"I got it." Darrell offered to help.
When I got up to wash my hands, I had just finished patching up another car's coolant leak.
The shop guys gathered around the break zone, a corner table pushed up against the wall. They were all staring up at the tiny tv mounted above.
"Did they find another one?" Bob asked. "Try five more." Dean pointed up at the news playing.
"Shit. I thought all that was over and done with." Darrell whistled. "Five more what?" I asked, wiping residue on my jeans.
"More bodies were uncovered in Seattle." Dean half turned in his seat.
"Do you think it's gang activity again?" Bob leaned against the door frame and adjusted his belt around his pot belly.
"Doubt it. I call serial killer." Darrel denied the claim. My blood ran cold, then hot.
"Mind if I step out to use the phone?" I asked Bob. "Go ahead kid."
I stepped out back and dialed Layla's number. It took two rings, but she answered, to my relief.
"Hello?" She inquired cautiously. "Layla, have you arrived in Seattle yet?"
"Yeah, I'm almost at the restaurant to meet my dad. Why?" It was too late to ask her to turn around.
"Can you call me when you get back to his apartment?" I pleaded.
"Okay, are you alright, Jake? Did something happen?" She sounded skeptical. "I've just seen the news and..."
"Oh, Don't worry, Jake. I don't plan on going anywhere alone." Layla was placating me now.
"Okay, but-," "I'm sorry, Jake, but I have to go. Talk to you later." She hung up.
"Girlfriend?" Bob hovered in the doorway.
"Something like that. She's headed to Seattle for the weekend." I sighed begrudgingly.
He nodded. Probably heard everything too.
"Why don't you give yourself a break? Go grab something to eat on the main strip."
"Thanks, Bob, but I'd rather keep working," I mumbled, heading back inside to finish the last project.