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.
Jacob's POV
I stood outside stunned for several minutes. Until her bedroom light turned on and the downstairs lights turned off.
Syd peeked out from his curtains on the first level glaring at me to go away.
I paced backward then turned for the woods behind me once the curtain closed.
Elated, I could still feel the tingle of her lips on my cheek. I let out a whoop of excitement before shifting deeper into the forest.
Layla's POV
I yanked on my new hiking boots trying my best to tie them high and tight. My plan was to explore Forks for the remainder of the morning, although I had slept in till almost ten am. Most of my morning was shot, but I was going to make the best of things. I'd start by taking a waterfall trek from the brochure Embry's mom gave me. If I was quick I could also pass the skyline on my way back before Syd got off work.
I rushed out the front door and hopped over to my car. Tossing my purse, sweatshirt, and water bottle in the passenger side I was ready to get on the road.
The weather was beautiful. Uncharacteristically sunny and warm enough for shorts and a tank top. At a stop light, I pulled my hair up in a high ponytail attempting to slick back some flyaways. As I began to go again a bunch of boys ran in front of my car making me slam on the breaks.
"Hey!" I yelled at them forgetting my windows were down. One of them turned around "Sorry! Oh hey, Layla!" It was Seth.
I tilted my massive brown cat-eye shades down. "Seth?" "What's up?" He ran up to my window.
I looked behind me to make sure I wasn't holding up traffic. No one yet.
"Just driving around. What about you?" "We're going to the cliffside for jumps," Seth explained.
"What?" "I can show you." Why not see where the day takes me? I unlocked my car for him.
"Sure, get in." I slid my shades back up and touched some tinted Chapstick to my lips. I wasn't really planning on seeing anyone today so I was barefaced.
The girls in LA would be beside themselves on a picturesque day like this. Ashely would have thrown her makeup bag at me, while Brianna would be begging for me to take pictures of her around every turnpike. I smiled to myself. Half missing them and half glad I was on my own.
"Up the road that way towards the skyline. We're going to stop on the left. There's no official parking but the shoulder is wide enough. People stop there all the time."
"You guys aren't the drink the Kool-Aid type of cult are you?" I mumbled concerned. Seth laughed at that.
"No. We're into recreational cliff diving, remember?" "Oh right. You guys mentioned that. Where do you get out of the water after you jump?"
"We swim back up the side there, and run up the dirt bike trail until the tree break over here." Seth pointed to the spot young boys were running up the trail to meet Sam. Some of the others were already waiting a top the taller cliff.
Just looking at that height made me nervous. I pulled off on the shoulder like Seth said and pulled up next to Embry's truck who also seemed to have arrived.
I flipped my sunglasses on top of my head to take in the view of the ocean. "Come on!" Seth hopped out slamming the door so my car shook. "Hey!"
"Sorry!" He ran off to greet Embry and Quil. I left my keys in the ignition because I planned on returning to my original plans shortly.
"Guess who I talked into joining us." Seth thumbed in my direction. "You're jumping today Moon?" Quil seemed impressed.
"Oh, no. I'm just here to watch." My eyes widened and I made a face when Jared flipped through the air from the top.
"No one's forcing yah, but it's the perfect day for it." Embry started removing his shoes and shirt with Quil.
"Can you throw our stuff in the back of Embry's truck? We're gonna try to beat Paul and Brady up the hill."
Before I could agree they tossed their things at me. I clumsily caught everything and my shades slid back onto my face in the jumble.
"You sure you don't want to join?" Seth asked me.
I peeked my head over their hunched backs to check out the steep drop again. "Yeah, so tempting." Sarcasm filled my words.
"Suit yourself." Seth shrugged. "Tell us who has the better jump!" Embry shoved Quil back for a better head start.
I smiled and rolled my eyes at their antics then dumped their things in the back of his truck.
I walked over to a lower ledge to watch their first round of jumps when Brady and Paul sprinted past me at an incredible speed.
"Layla? What are you doing here?" Jacob jogged up to me, shirtless. He was incredibly muscular. So impressive that the male models I knew in our friend group back home would have bent over backward to get his workout plan. And did he have a tattoo? It seemed the other boys had the same one displayed on their right shoulder.
"Um, Oh I ran into Seth on his way up. I gave him a ride," I answered a beat late. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I hoped that my sunglasses hid most of my face.
Jacob looked towards the all-out race up the mountain between the guys. So far it looked like Seth was winning. Brady tripped over Embry who Quil returned the favor on making Paul close in second place.
"Seth, huh? Hm, what, haven't seen shirtless guys before?" Jacob grumbled with a hint of jealousy. Wait, did he think I was checking out his friends instead?
"Not much. Unless they're gay or covered in glitter, or sometimes when Ash and go rollerblading on the boardwalk..." I rambled on, my voice trailed off distracted by his ...well, everything. I walked past him to a ledge to watch everyone's first jumps.
"What?" He asked confused. Oh, his question was rhetorical. How stupid of me. "Um, Glitter. Clubbing? The beach. Nevermind." I muttered under my breath.
Two of the guy's shouts drowned out my voice. The twins tumbled through the air. One more graceful than the other.
"I don't want to hold you up." I confessed. "You're not. Do you want to join?" Jacob asked me.
"I'm good." I stepped out further on the small platform ledge for a better view. "Okay." Jacob stepped away. Then he stopped turning back for me.
"Would you like to grab lunch at Emily's after?" "I'm actually hitting a trail after this first round."
"Then can I join you?" "Um, yeah, I guess you can." I didn't really plan on seeing Jake again this soon. Especially after my spontaneous kiss on his cheek last night.
"Great." His wide toothy grin made me smile back automatically in response. Feeling timid I returned to watching the action flying off the cliffs.
"Layla." "Yes?" Jacob pulled me by my elbow back from the ledge. I didn't notice how close to the edge I was getting.
"Promise you won't jump without me." He urged. "Yeah, that's on the top of my to-do list."
His serious expression didn't budge and his hand didn't lift. He really meant it.
"Of course Jake. I won't jump." I gave him my sincere word.
"Good, wait up." He took off for the larger cliff face. His long legs took up much ground and quickly.
Joseph sprung off the top next. His scream turned into laughter on the way down.
They really liked this. Maybe cliff diving wasn't as scary as it seemed. I giggled watching them enjoy themselves.
It was just Sam and Jacob left. Sam leaped first tucking his large frame into a ball. He spun in the air a couple of times before diving head-first.
"Wow." I stood up on my tip toes.
"How'd we do Moon?" The twins chorused behind me. "Let her watch Jake jump." Seth stepped out ahead of them. All three were dripping wet.
Jacob waved at me and I waved back. He backed up for a running head start behind some trees. Then Jacob sprinted forward for a springboard effect, and like a slingshot he flung himself into the air impressively.
The distance he covered in the air was astonishing as he spiraled into a well-crafted swan dive of his own. The guys behind me cheered jumping up and down.
"That was so cool!" The twins chorused. "Let's practice that next!" "Like you could do it." "Like you could do it either." They argued with each other.
"That was, wow." I looked for his splash zone below. I knew he made it clear of the rocks, but I wanted to see how far he had gone.
"Layla-" Seth called concerned. A weird deep crackling sounded followed by a sudden rumbling groaned from the ground.
"Yes?" I turned sideways to face him when the earth beneath me gave way.
It all happened so fast. My adrenaline kicked in making everything including time seem slower than it actually was.
Gravity pulled me down away from the cliff. Seth's outreached arm was too far away from me to grasp.
I had no choice but to jump from the remaining earth beneath my feet.
A disembodied shriek erupted from my throat as I did. The free fall made my stomach drop.
"Dodge the rocks!" "Legs first!" I heard the twins from above yell.
I waved my arms attempting to do just that. I braced myself for an impact jump. Once in the water, I knew I needed to push away from shore immediately.
Unless I wanted to be crushed by the rubble.
So much for my promise to Jake.
Another short scream erupted from me as a wave of cold sea water assaulted my lungs. The tide thankfully dragged me out to deeper waters whilst tossing my body around.
When I could I flung all my limbs with all my might in an attempt to flee the tide.
Jacob's POV
I surfaced swimming along the shoreline to see Layla if she saw me.
Instead of seeing my beautiful imprint, there were the younger guys screaming at the top. Below them, the cliff gave way to a rock slide.
My blood ran cold at the scene.
A wave crashed over me blocking my vision of the catastrophe. Panic pumped my heart into high gear. I swam forward in a sprint past Sam who pointed in the direction of white caps meeting the sharp rocks.
"Layla!" I cried out underwater. I knew it was useless until I swam closer. Sam followed behind me.
Once I was near, I could see her flailing body fight the tide. It tossed her body like a rag doll. She reached and climbed towards the surface, again and again, only to be dragged back down. And each time she grew more fatigued. Then a second cascade of rocks flew down between us in the water. I had to wait for them to move before I could swim forward.
When I could get visibility on Layla again she floated limply.
Dodging the remaining loose rocks sinking to the bottom I reached out grasping her ankle. I pulled her back towards me into the deeper part of the sea.
Then I passed her off to Sam so he could breach the air with Layla faster. I followed tightly behind gasping for oxygen too.
Sam held her so that her head lifted towards the sky as he swam backward for shore.
"She's alive!" He encouraged me. We double-teamed getting her to land faster, but I could smell blood in the brine.
Once my feet reached the rocky shore I picked Layla up in my arms and ran her out of the water. When we hit the shore I set her down to assess her wounds.
Layla pushed off me and doubled over throwing up gulps of water with the remaining bits of breakfast.
Then she shuttered heaving again. My grip on her shoulders keeping Layla upright slipped. She fell to her hands and knees.
"Where are you hurt?" What a dumb question. She moved one hand to press on her head.
"Jacob?" Layla questioned looking up at me. A delayed gush of blood ran down half her face.
"Oh no, Layla." I felt like I was choking. My hand raced to replace hers on the wound to apply pressure. I tried to force the blood back in without hurting her.
"Get a car down here!" I heard Sam yell at the guys.
"Already on it!" Embry's truck rumbled down the hill off-road towards us. I scooped my imprint up and sprinted along the moving vehicle until I could jump in.
Sam and Seth did the same. "No Seth, I need you to call her grandfather," Sam ordered him.
"He's at work." Layla spat blood out of her mouth that had leaked down from her wound.
"On it!" I heard him leap out of the vehicle as Embry hit the gas harder fishtailing us toward the closest hospital.
"Layla! Can you hear me?" I cradled her in my arms tilting her face towards me.
She squinted her eyes shut and placed her hand over mine covering my sticky hand where the wound was.
"I'm sorry. I broke the promise... You told me not to but-" "Don't worry about that. You did a good job." My voice was shaky.
Her head drooped. "Layla! Layla, look at me." I cried pulling her up closer into my chest. Her eyelids fluttered as if she was trying to open them.
"Please. Stay with me." I begged. Layla was trying hard to focus on my face. Squinting in the process.
"Jake." Her hand lifted up to touch the side of my face. "It will be okay." Layla's voice was so serene it scared me.
"Please," I begged God, the universe, anybody, to save her. I could feel the sobs building in my chest.
"We're almost to the hospital. She's alive." Sam's even voice steadied me. "Don't crush her." He ordered.
The truck lurched and I growled hunching my body to protect her. Embry had popped the curb to park on the sidewalk leading up to the emergency room.
I jumped out gingerly with Layla in my arms. I ran into the back of the ER to the first available room I could find.
Nurses yelled at me, but I didn't care. I'd stitch her head closed myself if I had to.
The guys more coherent than me, explained the situation to Dr. Snow who met us. I was in the middle of wrapping Layla's head with gauze.
Eight stitches, MRI scan, and an hour and a half later we were out of the ER.
The scans indicated no brain damage, but Layla did have a concussion and minor swelling.
Doctor Snow gave us a signs and symptoms sheet and then told us she needed to be woken up every four hours, and monitored over the next twelve.
No doubt I'd be with her. Layla had woken up in the hospital for a while, but she had passed out again on the way back to the village.
For now, she lay on Syd's couch asleep.
"Nice place old man." Embry whistled quietly to himself. "We'll have to invite ourselves over more often," Quil whispered back.
"Ouch." "Hey." Sam must have smacked them upside their heads.
I tucked a blanket around her, but Layla still shivered. She still smelled of iodine, salt, brine, and blood. Emily and Sam waited behind me along with Sue and Seth. My dad would be on his way over from Charlie's according to Sue. Quil and Embry hovered closer.
I sat on the floor with my back pressed against the couch holding Layla's hand.
She stirred and then open her eyes. "Layla." I breathed relieved. She looked more coherent than the past couple of hours.
"Jake, what happened?" I frowned worriedly. She had been responsive and cooperative at the hospital, yet very quiet.
"You fell off a cliff," Seth spoke sounding guilt-ridden.
"Oh, shouldn't you take me to the hospital then?" She tried sitting up but flinched when touching her bandage.
"We already took you." Embry's voice held all the concern we had. The lump in my throat made it hard for me to speak.
"Just worry about resting okay, Layla?" Sue spoke up to assure her she was safe.
I cleared my throat. "I'm here for you when need anything."
"You are?" She leaned back looking less focused. "Yes. I'm not going anywhere." I squeezed her hand gently.
No one would remove me. Syd could try but I wasn't going to leave her side.
"Where's Syd? Does he know?" She asked. "Yes. We called him," Sue informed her.
"What do you need?" I asked when she didn't lift her head. "Water. I feel dizzy, like I'm still underwater." She whispered.
Seth bounded into the kitchen upon her request.
"We'll go so I can prepare some dinner. I'll bring it over later. Get better Layla." Emily left with Sam.
"You can't stay here Jake. Syd will-" Embry started. A growl rumbled low in my chest. Layla almost choked on her water at the sound but continued to drink when Seth helped her.
"Jake. Calm down." Quil uncrossed his arms and lifted his hands in the air to show he meant no harm. "We're just trying to help." Embry stepped forward.
I moved protectively between them and Layla.
"Embry stop," Quil stated sternly, cutting him off from getting any closer.
"Be reasonable when Syd comes. Okay, Jake? Layla may not like it if you take a snap at him."
"Listen-" I was about to growl again when Layla's arm draped over my shoulder hugging me.
"Thanks for everything, Jake. It's okay if you have to go."
"No, Layla. I'm not leaving." "You need to eat, and Syd only has deer jerky or coffee in the pantry." Her words slurred tiredly.
"I don't need anything. I'm fine." I kissed her hand that draped near me.
She whined in pain turning her face into the couch cushion.
"I'll get your pain meds." Seth grabbed them off the counter opening the bottle noisily.
"You should consider-" Quil started. "Would you leave Clare?" His lips tightened into a thin line and his nostrils flared. It took him a moment to control his response.
"Didn't think so," I remarked bitterly.
"I was going to say let one of us stay with you. Just for a bit. Since you're not the most reasonable right now." Quil continued.
"I'll stay." Seth offered. "We'll stay," Sue spoke up. I almost forgot she was there.
"You two might want to retrieve her car." She asked my friends to leave.
"Fine." Embry stated. "We got it." Quil glanced back at me and then gave Seth a knowing look. He nodded in return.
I didn't need their help. Everyone could just leave.
Sue knew what I needed. The fewer people in the room took the edge off. It was so quiet I could hear the dripping sink in the kitchen and the clock overhead tic.
Sue took to the leather armchair in the corner while Seth had a hard time sitting still. I closed my eyes ignoring his footsteps on the hardwood floor.
I focused on Layla instead. Listening to her breath and feeling her heartbeat grounded me. She was alright. I repeated that thought to myself.
Then the door flew open. Layla flinched at the loud noise and turned away removing her arm from me.
Syd burst into the room with Billie and Charlie right behind him.
"Where is she?!" "Sssh! Quiet. Loud noises make her head hurt." Seth was shoved out of the way.
"What he said. She needs rest." I stood up stretching myself tall to face Syd.
"Boy." Syd lowered his voice angrily and narrowed his hawk-like grey eyes to mine. I hardly noticed he was nearly my height until now.
"Let him see his granddaughter Jake." Sue's stern motherly voice cut through the tension between us. "Jacob," Billie warned me.
I begrudgingly took a step to the side, but it was just enough for him to get by.
"Sweetheart. Did they hurt you?" He forcefully turned her over.
"No, Grandpa." She mumbled up at him. "The ground gave way. Jacob saved me." Layla propped herself up on a throw pillow.
"Hmm..." Syd took her temperature with the back of his hand. "I'll get you some ice."
"Please let him stay, if he wants..." Layla called to him in the kitchen.
Syd grumbled smashing the ice cube tray on the counter. Layla whined clutching her ears. I returned to my spot on the floor in front of her to help.
I covered my hands over hers. She pressed her forehead to mine squinting her eyes shut.
"Sorry, Kowlieshkah." Syd apologized.
A few stray tears slid down her cheeks and dripped onto mine.
"It's okay," I whispered soothingly. "I know. It just hurts." She whispered back not opening her eyes.
"Fine. No funny business." He grumbled kicking the back of my foot as he passed us.
I leaned back from her and glared at him. My father gave me a discouraging look and then glanced at Layla worriedly. I could tell he already saw her like a daughter.
"You've got until eight," Syd remarked to me. He sat down on the couch next to her lifting the bag of ice gently to her head.
I ignored him until the time was up. The pain meds had kicked in and Layla was now asleep.
The Clearwater's left as soon as Emily came back with dinner. Naturally more than enough for all of us.
Quil came back to pass off her car keys. Embry must have stayed home.
"Jacob, son. It's time to go. Charlie's giving us a ride." Billie called for us to leave.
I didn't want to go, but keeping in good graces with Syd was my key to her.
"I'll be back Layla," I whispered brushing back her tangled hair.