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Chapter 54
A Very Normal Day
Jake
The evening was really cool.
Jasper had told me a lot about his youth. The times before it came to the American Civil War. He had been quite young when the disputes with the Northern States began and had not understood many things at that time. It was only when things became more drastic and secession drew ever closer that he slowly understood the background issues. It was not solely about the direct liberation of slaves, but also about what slavery caused on a political and economic level. Voting rights within the government were affected, as were the prices of free trade. There were also many in the South who pronounced themselves against slavery, yet they did not accept being patronized by the Northern States and the government. Going to war for the South was therefore a matter of honor. In retrospect, however, he today believed that pride had brought the South to its knees and that the war had been nothing but foolish from the start. On both sides, one had assumed a quick war. Maybe one big battle and then everything would be over. As we know, this was not the case. Viewed in the long term, the North had an advantage due to its existing industrialization, and was thus able to stand up to the South indefinitely. The longer the war lasted, the more the South bled dry.
But he would tell me about the war itself another night. It was already a lot more exciting than the dry, factual presentation in my history book.
Carlisle had x-rayed my hand and was fascinated with how our bodies worked. He had even asked me for a blood sample. He told me that it was his passion to research the physical conditions of vampires, but he was done with that after more than three hundred years and found out nothing new. We wolves, on the other hand, were really exciting.
I kind of felt like a guinea pig, but I was also curious about what Carlisle would find out.
I had messed around a lot with Emmett. Together with Alice, he was eager to see me as a wolf again. While he constantly challenged me combatively, she cuddled me incessantly.
Rosalie gave a tour of the underground garage and her workshop. At the sight of the many expensive cars, I then remembered that I had won a bet against her.
"You bloodsuckers never forget anything, do you?" I asked her with a grin.
"No. Unfortunately, not," she complained.
It sounded like she was pretty far away in her thoughts. Somewhere where there stood no luxury cars around.
"Rose. Everything okay?" I asked cautiously.
She nodded. Then she grinned. For a brief moment appeared bitterly angry and then changed to honey-sweet.
"My most expensive car!" she thus seemed clear on what I was getting at.
She motioned for me to follow her and then showed me a convertible.
Fancy item. Maserati. Dark gray, almost black. Not the new one, but totally awesome. Black sport leather seats. Chrome trim. With all kinds of technical bells and whistles. The roof open.
I slid one hand over the paint and strided along the car. With a most elegant movement possible, I jumped onto the driver's seat. I marveled at the interior, felt the steering wheel between my fingers, reached for the shift knob. I deeply inhaled the incredible smell of the car.
It hadn't driven much yet. And it excited me to drive this!
"The car is great ... but not yours! ", I however noted. I definitely had Edward's list of HIS cars in mind, and he would behead me if I drove it without his permission. Especially since Rosalie had lost the bet, not him.
"Damn it!" I heard Rose swear as she pulled me out of the car with just one hand.
The next I stood in front of a Lamborghini.
Okay, if I had a choice, I would take this one!
She actually let me drive, but I was extremely careful.
If I broke that or even put a small dent in it, it would take me the rest of my life to pay for the damage. If I got away with my life.
And then Rosalie drove. I prayed along the way. All the prayers I could somehow get together. Probably mixed with some song lyrics.
After midnight I fell dead tired into a guest bed in Carlisle's house and was awakened by Esmé at about half past five.
She would have also made me a breakfast, but I waved her off. I wanted to have breakfast at home with my family.
While I washed up a bit with cold water in the adjoining bathroom, I reconsidered the situation with a grin.
I had spent the night in the house of my arch-enemy and I had fallen into bed so exhausted that I would have slept through an attack on me, guaranteed. But I was not afraid. I felt safe. Not just safe, but comfortable. It wasn't my home, but still.
My backpack stood downstairs in a cozy little room where I had been sitting with Jasper.
I made fun of myself for a moment as I tried to SILENTLY go down as not to wake anyone. Laughable. Not only was everyone awake because they were vampires, they were also all there.
I thanked Esmé sincerely for the snack last evening - steak with a baked potato - and for the homemade peanut cookies that she now put in my hand, which were already delicious yesterday.
Alice, on the other hand, had not kept to Mom's warning. In Edward's guest room, the closet was filled with some clothes for Leah and me. She had packed a few things so that I could take them with me.
To us, hardly anything fit properly anymore.
I said goodbye and one made it clear that I was very welcome at any time and kindly should bring Leah and/or Becky with me.
In a good mood, I ran home and it didn't take me ten minutes to get there.
I had paid better attention to the trail yesterday when I had run the last bit with Jasper. As a wolf I would easily be able to find the property again. With the car on the road, I was not quite so sure whether I would find the turnoff into the forest. Jasper and I had not taken it yesterday, we had run here on foot - I as a wolf - and had come from the other side.
At home I immediately started the coffee machine and set the table.
The last few days Edward had always done that, but he should also be able to stay in bed sometimes. I would not like to get up either if Becky was asleep in my arms.
The morning proceeded somewhat curiously.
Leah had a hangover, what I had assumed after Jason's message.
Her own fault! She'd had one drink after another. I had no pity for her! If I had been there, she would have been an earful from me. I wouldn't squeal on her to Mom, but I doubted Edward would brush that aside.
Edward and Mom were then also a little strange this morning. Leah had called me just as I was heading to the shower. I had no idea what was going on.
Mom was being held by Edward. Why not? She looked a little pale and seemed to be swaying slightly. Only when he said something about blood that a light came on for me.
I gasped and moved closer to keep him away from Mom by force if necessary.
We knew that Mom's blood was special to Edward. She had told us in La Push and Edward himself had also said it to us. Was that why she was so pale? Had Edward drunk her blood? And what the hell did the date have to do with it?
My heart was beating up to my throat, and Mom's explanation for her weakness did nothing to mitigate it.
But I considered for myself that Edward had to deal with it. They had been together for a few months in the past and Mom had survived month after month. I just found this whole womanly thing simply disgusting and didn't even want to know that much about it. Especially not if it had to do with Mom. Or with Leah.
After Leah got out of the shower, I walked over to her for a minute.
"How was it with you yesterday then?" she asked me immediately.
"Super. Be prepared to be cuddled to death by Alice when you're there ... I brought you something!" I purred and held out a plastic bag to her.
With skeptical eyes, she viewed it and cautiously looked inside. I was very curious, but I left again.
Sibling openness had limits. I already saw Leah naked far too often when we were out as wolves.
Leah was the last to arrive for breakfast and looked great. I couldn't even deny that as her brother. She was the star of our dining room and all eyes were on her. Over a pair of tight-fitting jeans, she wore a long pink top, which she could certainly also wear as a dress on its own in the summer. It stood out beautifully against her slightly darker skin, gave a deep glimpse of cleavage, and emphasized her perfect feminine curves.
Ben would go crazy, which was certainly Alice's plan.
"Whose head are you trying to turn?" I asked with a grin, but only got a harsh slap on the shoulder.
"Where did you get that?" Mom asked on the other hand.
I told her that Alice had apparently overheard her threat.
Unintentionally. Of course.
She shook her head and let it be.
She knew our closet situation. Very meager since we had surprisingly grown a good bit yet again. The plan was for her to drive with us on Saturday to go shopping. Would have already done last Saturday, but camping had been more important to us.
"We could drive to Portland this afternoon. Jake and Leah don't have practice today, " Edward interjected. "And nobody knows us there..." he mumbled and kissed Mom.
"If you guys feel like it and have time!" mom looked towards us, and Leah and I nodded.
I wasn't allowed to see Becky anyway, and Leah wasn't planning anything either.
We then all drove together in the BMW so we could leave right after school.
Of course, Mom was driven to work first. The farewell dragged on a bit, but then it was on to school.
Becky was already running towards the car. Rather casually, she greeted Leah and Edward when her delicious lips touched mine also already. I pulled her to me as hard as I could without hurting her. Her bosom pressed against my chest and her pelvis just nestled against my middle.
I could not stand to only see her at school much longer.
After the fierce kiss, she wanted to pull me with her to the others. We were still standing by the car, but with my hands on her waist I pulled her back.
I could not go yet.
She looked down at me and recognized the bulge in my jeans. She chuckled, turned around and massaged me lightly with her butt, which today was showcased in a pretty skirt.
"You're mean!" I whispered in her ear and held her so tightly that she couldn't move.
Then she finally had mercy on me and held still of her own accord, so that my excitement slowly but was petering out.
Bleeding once a month was perhaps not such a bad price to pay, if you were spared this public embarrassment in return.
On the way to our friends, I already could see Michael at the doorway. He did not pay attention to us.
Maybe he had finally given up, though I wondered why he felt the need to charge at me anyway. Becky had broken up with him before we were together. Not particularly long before, but still.
A few yards next to our regular spot I saw Ben. He was undressing Leah with his eyes. Again and again he looked over at her, looked away, shook his head and watched her again.
I was first asked by everyone where I was yesterday and casually told them about getting tutored in history.
Brandon was a little more curious after that in our first class. Leah had told him who had tutored me.
"How can Jasper tutor you? He's two grades below us?" he asked, confused.
"But this isn't his first time in high school," I whispered back.
"Then Edward could have helped you, too," he noted.
"He was not a contemporary witness, though."
"Wasn't the Civil War the subject?"
"Yes."
I saw how it worked in Bran's head. One could literally watch how he sorted and evaluated the facts.
"What?" he then vociferously yelled out and the whole class turned to look at us.
I couldn't help but laugh. The teacher looked at us disapprovingly and reminded us to pay more attention. Bran was mentally elsewhere for the rest of the lesson.
I'm guessing in the Civil War.
He kept smiling to himself in disbelief.
Before second period, we were still standing in the hallway with Lisa and Edward. The three of them gabbed about stuff while Becky and I were otherwise occupied.
"I can't stand this any longer. I want you," she whispered in a huff and had placed her hands firmly against my chest.
I was no different.
"You know Edward can hear you?" I asked, quietly though. Maybe she had forgotten that.
"I don't give a shit!" she cursed, narrowing her eyes viciously together and giving Edward a withering gaze.
He just chuckled and walked into the classroom shaking his head as the second bell sounded.
Math and English dragged on a bit, but then I was sitting next to Ben. And diagonally behind Becky.
"How was Leah this morning?" whispered Ben to me from the side.
I was surprised, in a way. Leah had shown me the previous evening while running this morning, so that I knew more details than I really wanted to know.
"How do you think she felt? Headache, dry-mouth, a broken heart," I returned condescendingly.
"I don't see any of that on her anymore, though ... None of it."
"Pain pills, drinking lots of fluids and ... she tried to drown her heart yesterday."
He said nothing more, just looked at his book. He appeared almost sad.
"Thanks for keeping her from continuing to drink," I said at one point.
He smiled faintly.
I was really grateful to him for that. Leah had been her normal Leah yesterday, so maybe he had seen it himself.
"Leah is still the same person. Impulsive, proud, and headstrong," I said when the bell rang.
He just nodded and I walked to the cafeteria with Becky in the arm. We quickly got something to eat again and were on our way out when Edward stopped us briefly.
"About this afternoon. I'll pick up Bella first and then you guys. You'll have a little more time with Becky, then," he began to say.
That was very nice of him, but did he really have to stop me for this now? He could have told me that in class, however.
"Maybe I can talk Bella into dropping your punishment and we'll take Becky with us," he said quickly and then went to our crowded table.
Aha ...
Now it clicked in my head and I finally walked out with Becky.
I immediately told her curious eyes what we were going to do after school.
It was not a secret. I had not yet come to tell her about it between our kisses.
She sat sideways on my lap with the tray next to us and we fed each other again.
"His plan is good in principle, but I don't have time today," she said disappointedly, holding a gummy bear out to me between her lips, which I immediately released from her clutches.
What could we do when we had strawberries in the spring? I could think of a few things, but most of them were not suitable for use in the school's cafeteria. For example, when I drew a sweet trail over her silky skin with the fruit and then followed it with my lips. Or a piece of melon. Or honey. Chocolate sauce. Crap.
I could already feel my jeans getting too tight again.
"Too bad," was all I said, hoping Becky didn't move too much above me. The break wasn't that much longer. "But the rest of the plan might still work," I smiled at her.
The last three hours passed quickly.
Edward didn't jump up from his chair quite as quickly as last week when it rang, but he was still moving very briskly.
'Just take your time!' I yelled after him in my thoughts.
Becky didn't have to go home right away, but definitely had some time.
I met Becky already on the way to the exit. She took my hand and ran with me through the corridors of the emptying school.
No idea where she was going, but I ran with her.
I found myself in a small cubbyhole, in which, apart from some garbage, a table stood yet. When she turned the key stuck in the lock and pulled a small crackling foil package out of her neckline, it was clear to me why she had brought me here. Wildly I kissed her and lifted her onto my hips and her legs immediately wrapped around me. I set her down on the edge of the table and threw my backpack to the end of the desk. Her bag landed on the floor.
Her hands slid under my T-shirt while I struggled with the buttons of her blouse. I had torn off the last one and kissed my way over her skin that tasted like milk and honey. Her deft fingers unzipped my jeans and incredibly massaged over my rapidly growing middle. My jeans fell to the floor of their own accord, my boxers on the other hand she tried to push down my legs with her feet while we were still kissing each other. I helped and immediately put my hands on her thighs and pushed them under her skirt.
"You're amazing!" I teased her. She had no panties on.
We laughed into our frantic kiss.
It was wild, fast and furious, but damn good.
She bit me on the shoulder to keep from crying out and we then lost ourselves in a heartfelt and quiet kiss. Until my cell phone rang. Continuing to kiss, I leaned forward to reach my backpack until my Star was resting with her back on the table. I rummaged without looking until I finally held my cell phone in my hand.
Leah.
"Where are you?" she asked, annoyed.
"I'll come in a second!" was all I said and hung up.
"Not true, you already are!" Becky teased me, pulling me back towards her lips.
Becky put her clothes back in order. I put the condom in a handkerchief and threw it into a trash can that stood in a corner and also got dressed again. I was just opening the door when I briefly flinched in surprise.
Mike.
"Well, did you have fun?" he asked, leaning arrogantly against the wall.
"Yes ... pretty much!" I grinned. He was alone! No matter what he was going to do, he would regret it afterwards.
He came at me and I went to meet him. A hook to the chin brutally hit me and I staggered back two steps from the force of the blow.
Damn, that already hurt again. Exchanging blows with Mike was not one of my favorite things to do.
But his fist had to hurt more. He held it tight and tried to suppress a whine.
"Can you handle the payback?" I asked after shaking myself for a moment.
Mike laughed. Loud.
I grinned, took a swing ... and Mike laid on the floor. I crouched down to him.
"Was that clear enough for you?" I demanded. After all he wasn't unconscious. I had held back a lot with my strength. Had been damn hard for me!
He nodded barely noticeably and contorted his face.
That had to hurt, I thought with satisfaction.
"Be glad I'm in such a good mood right now!" I punctuated again and walked outside with Becky holding my hand.
Edward wasn't back yet, but Leah was sitting on our bench.
"Where have you been for so long?" she asked, uncomprehending.
"Busy," I grinned, kissing Becky while I still could.
"What happened to him then?" asked Leah when Mike came out of the school.
"I happened to him!" I replied with a laugh and gave Mike a friendly wave.
He looked away and went on his way.
"I once discreetly spoke straight to him!" I stated with satisfaction, as Edward drove into the parking lot.
He immediately turned around and got out, while the trunk opened by itself.
Did I already say that this car was totally awesome?
He motioned for me to get behind the car.
"Will you let me drive?" I dared to ask once, while walking towards him. I could have saved myself the trouble. Edward didn't even think it was necessary to answer, but just laughed.
He accepted Leah's school bag, who was already sitting in the back seat greeting Mom, and put it in the trunk. I threw mine in with it.
"Can we still take Becky home?" I asked as Edward was already palpating my jaw joint. Hence probably the trunk! Mom couldn't see us, although I couldn't even tell if my face could give me away. It burned under my skin, but was hardly worth mentioning. No comparison with Monday evening.
"Your jaw is purple!" Edward stated tonelessly, concentrating on further palpation. "And how does he look?" asked Edward inhumanly quietly, and I briefly recalled the scene. He nodded, satisfied. "Of course," Edward then said in normal volume in response to my question.
By the time we got to her house, my face was already like new again, and I brought Becky to the front door.
Whether my sentence would be remitted or not, I would not see her again until tomorrow morning. In that respect, it took a moment before she actually walked through the door.
Then we drove to Portland.
Thanks for reading!
