"It's…" Daniel struggled for the right words, "cute?"
I pressed my forehead against the truck window, stray blonde hairs sticking to my forehead, "I like it dad." I declared hopping out of the car. Looking at the house, you could see the charm to it. There was a little white picket fence, surrounding the small cottage-like home, the bricks pointed butter cream yellow with tan shutters and colorful little flowers decorating the sides of the house.
"Come get your young self over here and grab some boxes." Daniel complained, tugging a cardboard box from the back. I stuck out my tongue.
"I'm going to take my young self, and get dibs on the bedroom!" I cackled jumping over the picket fence, and shoving open the door.
"Hey!" he protested, hobbling after me, "I'm old. Be nice." Flashing a grin backwards, I stomped up the stairs and skidded around the corner, revealing a small but well lit hall way. There were three doors, two bedrooms and one bathroom. I grimaced. Sharing a bathroom with Daniel was not exactly ideal. Maybe I could get him to take the downstairs one. Daniel huffed up the stairs, glaring wickedly at me.
"Not funny." He chastised shaking his legs, "Arthritis." I giggled and walked into the first bedroom. "Our beds, dressers, and desks are arriving tomorrow, so in the mean time, the neighbors across lent us a futon and air mattress. Actually Tess," I was already walking downstairs with a soccer ball, to practice outside, "Actually," he called, struggling to gain my attention, "You might actually know the people, their son is the same age…"
I closed the door softly and walked over to our relatively large lawn. It was wet and vibrantly green, like sour green apples. And the sun was shining softly, pulsating rays of warmth. I smiled peaceably and threw the soccer ball in the air, bouncing it up and down with my knees. Soccer was the one thing I could lose myself in. Not feel self conscious. I was gone. This already made me optimistic about the town. It's possible La Push couldn't be that bad. I could possibly make new friends. Maybe there were some nice guys here. HE was probably long gone by now. What were the chances that all this time-
"Hey."
The simple one syllable completely threw me out of sync, and I stumbled backwards, the ball bouncing off in some direction.
A boy stood off on the side walk, grinning mischievously. "Sorry." He apologized, though he didn't sound that sorry.
"S'okay." I said suspiciously, studying him. He didn't SEEM dangerous. In fact he was quite cute, he was tall, easily over six feet, with bronze skin with white teeth that contrasted. His black hair was on the longer side, and messed up as if he had been running through bushes. His black eyes were twinkling and he stood in just pair of jeans.
"You must be our new neighbors, I live across the street." He said, motioning to a red brick house on the other side of the street.
"Oh." I said breathlessly, "You gave us the futon right? Thanks, the floor didn't seem that appealing."
He chuckled and stopped to study me, "You have really pretty eyes." He commented. I blushed. I had heard that one enough. My eyes were about the only interesting thing about me. Violet with gold flecks in them.
"Thanks," I mumbled flicking my eyes up and down his body, looking for something to compliment him on. It was hard to ignore his ripped body, shining in the sunlight, "Nice…err…feet."
He laughed and lifted his foot up, "Yeah I've been told that I should be a foot model." His mouth curved into a grin and I couldn't help but grin back. He was easy to talk to. Very non- awkward.
"Oh! Sorry, I'm Jacob Black by the way." He held out his hand.
I looked at him stunned and stepped back, immedietly repulsed, "Jacob…Black?" I croaked taking another step back.
"Yeah." He said slowly, his face crinkling in confusion. My fear changed to anger and I glared hatefully at him.
"Stay away from me. Don't you come here ever again." I yelled slamming the door.
"Who was that sweety?" my dad called from his room.
"Girl scouts." I said tiredly walking up the stairs into my bedroom.
"Ahh yes," he replied wisely, "Never know when to stop selling cookies do they?"
Closing the door without a response, I dug a faded paper book, dog eared and torn from it being open so many times. I knew exactly what page I wanted to turn to. I could have done it blind folded. My finger traced the pictures of little first graders, until it stopped on a little boy, with a cocky smile. Underneath it the name read, Jacob Black.
"Having fun?" a cold voice asked, a seemingly innocent question that made me shiver.
I slowly stopped pumping my legs and the swing slowed down.
"Jacob." I said as politely as a fourth grader could.
"Fatty." The little boy responded gleefully, egged on by his friends laughing, "I'm surprised the swing can move." I self-consciously pinched my thighs, which sent the boys into a fit of laughter.
"And what did Ms.Hayes say about sharing? It's not nice to keep all that ugly to yourself." His friends howled. My stomach churned as I stood motionlessly in front of them.
"Where does your mom buy your clothes?" he sneered, knowing full well what my answer would be.
"I don't have a mom." I said softly, tears threatening to spill onto my quivering lips
"Oh THAT'S right," he said thoughtfully, "She couldn't deal with having a FAILURE as a daughter."
I no longer hid the tears. He had hit my sore spot, "Just, stop it!" I cried darting past them. But I tripped on his outstretched foot.
"Why you so DOWN tesser?" he grinned, kneeling down
I wiped my leaking nose and ran over to Ms. Hayes.
"Dear!" she cried, alarmed, "What happened?"
I glanced backwards at Jacob who was glaring at me. I knew I couldn't tell the truth.
"I fell." I sighed
"Again?" she asked doubtfully, "Well let's get you some Band-Aids." She lead me back inside the school.
The last thing I heard was Jacob's cruel laugh.
I involuntarily stiffened at the memory and my finger trailed down to another picture. A little girl smiled innocently back at me. Her blonde hair in stubby pigtails. The name underneath read: Tess Lake. I sighed, feeling pity for her. The next year, I moved to Arizona. But Jacob's words clung to me. So I exercised every day taking up running and soccer. Soon, all my fat was gone and by freshmen year I was a size two, beach blonde, violet eyed exercise freak. I blame Jacob. But now I'm back for junior year, and he was still here.
"Tess?" My dad's voice interrupted my thoughts, "I'm ordering Chinese. Want anything?"
I sucked in a breath, "Uhh I'm cool with whatever you get Dad." I quickly closed the book and threw it in the closet.
Stupid Jacob Black.
I pushed myself up from the cherry hardwood floors, slowly walking over to the window. Jacob was still outside but this time he wasn't alone. This boy looked almost identical, with dark skin, black hair, and just a pair of jeans. Jacob looked agitated and confused as he waved his hands around frantically at himself, and then at my house. I froze as his eyes stopped on the window, his black pupils sucking me in. I couldn't look away. And I didn't know why. I started to shake, until the other boy said something and Jacob glanced away. As soon as he looked away I stepped away from the window, sucking in a breath. That was so weird. I needed to get away. The best way I knew how was losing myself in running.
I quickly shut off the light and stepped out of the room, tiptoeing down the stairs as quietly as possible. "I'm going out for a run." I called to my father, who was order Chinese food on the phone. I swiped my ipod from atop a cardboard box and silently opened the side door.
His back was to me but he was speaking loudly, so I crept behind a large tree and peeked from behind it.
"Yes I'm sure it's imprintment!" he exploded, " Do you want me to EXPLAIN it Quil."
"Please." Quil said softly, "I might be able to help you."
Jacob looked down at the ground, struggling with the words. Then they came out in a rapid tumble, "When I saw her, I don't even remember how I got there. I don't know if I skipped, walked, or did cartwheels. All I knew was that I was in front of her. And when I looked at her, she was crystal clear, and everything around her blurry. Her smile made me want to get down and propose to her. How weird is that?! I'd known her for a minute Quil! When she looked disgusted at me, like I was some monster, I wanted to kill myself. Just to see her happy. Like I didn't want anything unpleasant in her life, even if it turned out to be me. When I saw her in her bedroom, I couldn't look away. Her beauty stunned me as much as it did the first time, and I could've stayed out here all night just staring into her eyes." The next words he spoke were so soft, I had to strain to hear them, "And she hates me. That's the worst part." It was silent until Quill nodded.
"I should go tell Sam." He ran off swiftly and was gone in a minute.
I tiptoed backwards and made a run back to my house. He saw me.
"Hey!" he yelled
I turned around and jogged backwards holding up a hand, "No. Don't. Just. Don't"
He closed his eyes, "Why do you hate me?"
"You'll find out tomorrow." I put in the headphones and passed him, turning my head slightly away, so he couldn't catch my gaze.
Stupid Jacob Black.