(Bella)
The ride back to Emily's house was somber, you could practically cut the tension with a knife.
Jake drove mostly in frustrated silence while Leah stared out of the window, her anger pulsating thick in the air.
I felt trapped in my seat, I didn't know how to diffuse the situation, or even what had happened to cause it to begin with.
Jake had promised an explanation, but he'd yet to deliver.
All I could get out of him during our walk back to the car was that 'something pack related' had come up.
I was sick to death of hearing that phrase.
I accepted that I wasn't a part of his strange world, that I never would be, but a small part of me wanted to demand more, to demand better, at least an acknowledgment.
He's my best friend… I'm allowed to care, damn it!
And Leah….
Leah had never thought very much of me and had never bothered hiding the fact, I knew I was nothing to her. Even knowing that… I couldn't help but worry about her.
Whatever's happened… I want to help her through it.
She didn't have to think much of me, I still saw her as family.
Eventually the ride did end as Jake parked Emily's car alongside the curb, seeing two other unfamiliar vehicles already in her driveway.
Slowly I stepped out, having wrapped myself in Paul's white leather jacket and gently shut the door behind me, surveying the sky.
Another sunny day… 'been a lot of those lately. How unusual.
I snapped back from my distraction at the sound of Emily's concerned voice.
She had jogged over to greet us and whisper to Jake, casually I tried to hide my interest as I strained my ears to listen.
"Old Quil showed up about an hour ago…."
"How bad was it…?"
"Bad… multiple… he fears…"
"His medicines…."
"They are working but… it was a lot of…."
"What about Seth? Where's my damn brother?!" Leah interrupted.
Emily turned to her in shock, Jake growled at warning at her.
Suddenly everyone was quiet.
What's going on?
I looked around from face to face, trying to piece together what few clues I'd been given.
I hate feeling like an outsider.
I mean- I 'am' one, but still.
"He's- Sam and Paul-"
"I already know that- tell me something I don't!" Leah demanded.
"Goddamn it settle down Leah!" Jacob commanded. He turned his attention back to Emily. "She's very sorry-"
"She's very not-!" Leah interrupted
"She is, she's just worried, we all are- but right now we have an important job so that they can bring him home safely!"
Leah turned her head in disgust.
"She's your responsibility then- I'll watch over the others." She swung around and grabbed me by my arm- to my surprise.
"Let's go!" Leah exclaimed as she all but dragged me into the house.
"I-uh-I-I-"
"Save it, Bella. We'll be here all day. Don't make this any more of a pain in the ass than it has to be!" She growled over her shoulder.
She led me through the living room and into the kitchen, where an unfamiliar girl stood by the sink, filling a bucket with water and ice.
She had thick, straight hair that flowed like a long ebony waterfall. She had soft curves and full lips, and almond shaped eyes that looked like they held the deepest kind of secrets.
She's beautiful… I'm so jealous.
She had turned her head as Leah had finished dragging me to the kitchen table, her dark eyes lighting up with surprise.
A deep blush colored her russet skin.
At first she stammered then she took a deep breath.
"Hello, you must be Bella, M-my name's Kim."
My own blush deepened and I nodded.
If I try to talk now I'm really going to look like an idiot.
"Yeah, great, now we all know each other." Leah huffed as she sat down in the kitchen chair across from me, slung her leg onto the table top.
I immediately brought my gaze down and Kim returned hers to the bucket she'd been filling. A few painful seconds later she took the filled buck and quickly ran back up the stairs.
It was during the painful silence that followed that I noticed the soft moans of pain coming from the second floor.
Concerned, I turned my head up, trying to listen.
I cleared my mind and assessed my senses, a coping skill I'd learned in therapy, during one of the few appointments I'd kept.
I hear… whispering. Moaning, someone's groaning in pain… two people? I smell- I flinched, the smell was putrid. I couldn't name the odor- but it smelled of corruption. Death. It made every drop of my blood recoil, my heart pound.
I turned my head to Leah.
"D-do y-you sm-smell that?" I asked.
"Smell what? Emily's stupid muffins? Her stupid flower garden?"
I stared at her incredulously.
The smell was horrendous and loud, I wanted to gag.
More than that, I wanted to run.
Where the hell did it come from?
"You okay over there? You're lookin' kind of… puke-y."
"I-I t-t-think I- I need some f-fresh a-air." I finally choked out.
"Not without me you don't, ya gotta hurl go upstairs- unless you plan to do it in my cousin's pretty little garden." She crossed her arms. "Then I wanna watch and cheer."
I barely heard a word as my head began to swim. Every instinct in my being revolted at the idea of going up those stairs- of getting any closer.
No- I'm being stupid.
I stood to my feet.
"Y-you can see me t-through the b-backdoor, I just-"
"Fine. Don't go far, and if you do puke, aim for the expensive purple ones."
I weakly nodded, not actually intending to obey her last order, then slowly walked around her to the back sliding door, gently sliding it out of my way and stepping out into the fresh air.
Once I slid the door closed I took a deep, lungful of fresh air.
At first it stung, the putrid smell felt like it had seared my lungs, but slowly I began to feel better, and the pain subsided.
Relieved, I stumbled over to one of Emily's white iron garden benches and sat down. The gentle breeze caressed the vibrant flowers as it blew by, a pleasant change. I sat in silence, breathing in the sweet fresh scent, willing my head to finally quit spinning.
"So what's going on… I talked to Emily… I'll need to check in… soon…"
I turned my head in the direction of the fence, where I heard Jake's voice drifting behind it.
"The… corruption… always hard… long recovery…." An unfamiliar man's voice, laced with age.
"... save them…?"
"...yes… pain…"
A small pause, I noticed two shadows now filtered through the tall planks of the Uley's fence.
"You've… with the girl… a long time…" The voices crescendo-ed as the shadows drew closer.
Are they going to notice me?
I didn't want to announce myself by standing, and I didn't fancy the idea of belly crawling to the backdoor. Resigned, I chose to stay seated, and to remain as silent as possible.
"What do you know about the Swan family?" The older male asked.
"Everyone's been asking me that since- look, I don't know. I've never asked for their family history, but I doubt they have any Quieute blood. Emily's practically searched their family tree with a fine tooth comb!"
"Hmm… yes, but… she's only been able to trace the maternal bloodline…. She's having trouble finding anything on Charlie Swan's side."
"Respectfully, Elder, why does it even matter? It happened- clearly bloodlines don't really play a factor."
"Perhaps…." A sigh. "There seems to be… many more factors, now."
"What do you mean?"
"The girl- we need to keep her safe. More important than that, we need to learn her family history."
"I don't understand, isn't that basically what we're doing already?"
Another pause.
"Whatever it takes, find out how much she and her father know about their heritage. It may be time for another council meeting…."
The shadows seemed to turn and began to retreat from where they'd come.
"All of this over a stupid imprint?"
"If only it were that simple…."
The shadows continued on and disappeared once the fence ended, their voices drifting away and becoming harder and harder to hear.
What the hell was that all about?
Imprint? What does that mean?
And me and Charlie? Our family history?
I stared after the retreated shadows as the gentle breeze continued to blow.
All this because I'm an outsider?
Is that really worthy of a 'council meeting'?
I couldn't help but feel concerned for Jake.
Is our friendship causing him trouble?
Instinctively I snuggled deeper into Paul's jacket, breathing in the traces of his scent. It helped calm me down.
If I'm causing this much trouble for Jake… does that mean I'm causing trouble for Paul, too?
Slowly my eyes began to well with tears.
In the back of my mind, the monster's voice roared.
I flinched in response and buried my head deeper into the jacket, willing the voice away.
No memories, no memories, no memories…
I took deep breaths and squeezed my eyes shut.
I can't forget… I'm running out of time.
