This is my first fic ever that has been in progress for quite some time now. The fic is complete, and I plan on posting chapters weekly or so. The fic touches on a past rape, which is not described in explicit detail. I hope you all enjoy it, and as usual all typical disclaimers apply. Don't forget to drop a review if you like it, every word means a lot!

ONE

The room was filled with a cacophonous noise, dragging me violently from my sleep. The thin sheet I had thrown over my body was drenched in sweat and twisted around my shuddering frame. The air was pungent with the smell of fear.

It was then that I realized I was screaming.

Clamping my mouth shut, I attempted to steady my erratic heartbeat. I waited for telltale footsteps outside my door, my mind frantic as I threw together a semi-plausible excuse for my nightmare.

The house remained silent. I sighed in relief - I was alone.

The clock beside me glared red in the comforting darkness of my room, as unwelcome as the time it read. I closed my eyes against it, although the numbers were already burned into the backs of my eyelids. 6:42. Groaning, I got up and stepped along the wall, feeling for the light switch. As I flicked it upwards, the room was flooded with harsh light and I found myself looking into my mirror.

My short hair stood up at random intervals, framing my face in an almost boyish manner. I grabbed a brush from my dresser and attempted to tame it for a few moments before sighing and giving up. Asserting my femininity hadn't exactly been easy since I had Phased. My long limbs had developed sinewy muscles that were too defined, adding unnecessary bulk to my frame. I imagined growing back the long, flowing locks I had chopped off begrudgingly, fingering its now-blunt ends.

I looked over at the clock once more. 6:49. Unwilling to face Sam's wrath, I slipped on a dress and left.

Ten minutes later, I stood at the forest line outside the Little House, tapping my foot impatiently. My overly sensitive ears picked up the sound of the creatures of the night awakening, stirring awake memories that I had tried to bury deep within me. I tried to avert my attention from them, instead listening for the footsteps that would signal the other boys' approach.

Paul showed up first, sauntering up to me leisurely.

"You're late." I snapped impatiently.

He sized me up, smirking. "And I should care because...?"

"My time is valuable. I don't appreciate other people wasting it - especially the likes of you."

"I'm so hurt," he bent double in pretend agony.

I backhanded him across the head, hard.

"Ow!"

"I would say I'm sorry, but we both know that I'm not."

He glared at me, clutching his head. "You're such a bitch."

"And you're an asshole." I shot back, unable to ignore the slight feeling of hurt his words awoke within me.

"Takes one to know one," he muttered, still rubbing the sore spot on his head.

I crossed my arms and continued to give him my most scathing look.

Sam showed up just then, looking agitated. Jake was on his heels. Sam's face was solemn, and we knew the news wasn't good. Ever since one of the leeches had decided to come after the girl - that idiot girl - the pack had been on high alert.

"It was in her bedroom," Jake said, shuddering. He was tense, which was his default state of late. I scowled, thinking of the punishment the pack had had to endure as his thoughts were filled with nothing but the leech-lover. Bella, Bella, Bella - he could pine for hours. It was pathetic, although she would never show it.

"Whose bedroom?" Embry asked as he ran up behind them, slightly out of breath.

"Bella's." Sam said shortly. "Follow its scent and see if you can find anything."

Embry's mouth dropped slightly open. "Like her bedroom where she sleeps?"

"Yes, that kind of bedroom, you idiot." Jake fidgeted impatiently, his eyes shining with fear. His unwavering love for her was sickening.

"And no one knew? Not even the mind-reader?"

"What does this have to do with us? She has an army of those things behind her - I'm sure one isn't that big of a deal." I interjected.

"It has everything to do with me, which indirectly includes you, in case you hadn't noticed." Jacob's temper flared.

What made her so special? "I shouldn't have to be a part of your pathetic love triangle," I said. "And-"

Sam cut me off with a warning look. I rolled my eyes, scowling at Jacob.

Jacob started walking towards the forest line. "I'm guarding her house tonight."

I couldn't stifle the derisive snort that came out at this statement. It was beyond me why he would insist on guarding her, putting himself within listening distance while she cavorted with her blood-sucking cuddle buddy all night.

"Good luck with that,"

"Being a bitter bitch isn't very becoming, Leah," Jacob spat over his shoulder before disappearing into the trees.

All three of our mouths hung open, shocked at his words. Jacob was always the last one to lose his temper.

"Oh no he didn't," said Embry, breaking the silence.

Sam and Paul chuckled, and I scowled.

Daybreak stole through the sky as quickly like the cloak of night had covered us hours earlier.

Faster, I urged my limbs. The powerful, lean muscles of my wolf form responded eagerly as I shot deeper into the trees. I could feel the presence of the two other wolves with me as we fanned out further, searching.

The forest floor was was hard and damp against my paws, the misty morning air cool and comforting as it rolled through my thick fur in waves. My pants came out in little white puffs while I loped through the trees, following yet another fading trail. The scent lingered, sickeningly sweet, but time had consumed the majority of it until it tapered off into the sharp, familiar scents of nature surrounding me.

I slowed to a stop, feeling my haunches get sprinkled with dirt and debris. Stretching out on the forest floor, I felt my limbs grow heavier as exhaustion began clawing at the edges of my consciousness. An inner sigh escaped from my wolf form in a small whimper. We had been patrolling all night, and this was the seventh dead trail that we had followed.

Leah? Embry's voice pierced the silence in my thoughts, his question desperate despite the answer he could see through my wolf eyes.

Nothing. I thought back at him anyway as I began lapping dew off of my paws lazily, feeling the inevitable disappointment flit through his thoughts.

Damn, Embry's voice rang through my head. Mine's dead, too.

Same here, Paul intoned, gathering his frustration into a piercing howl.

As Paul's howl echoed, we felt the familiar ripple of someone phasing as our Beta joined us.

Anything? Jake asked hopefully, weariness evident in his tone.

Sorry, Paul directed his thoughts toward Jacob. False alarm. Another dead one.

I felt myself begin to drift off as the boys' conversation rattled on, letting my head drop onto my paws. The wind swept through the trees like a song, whispering sweet nothings to the leaves as they shivered in its caresses. The forest was bathed in a cloud of gray, distorting the earthy hues surrounding me. The sprawling treetops were invisible, yet I could hear the birds chirping their morning lament as other creatures skittered up and down the bark. Soft vibrations of other, larger animals that gave me a respectfully wide berth could be felt, reverberating from further away.

I vaguely heard Jake telling the other boys to phase and get some sleep as my eyelids began to droop. The world around me faded into sounds and sensations as my vision finally drew into darkness. Mist settled around me, gingerly accepting me into its tranquility. My companions' thoughts of food drifted into non-existence as they phased back to human form and I relished in the fact that I was now blissfully alone.

I sighed again, slowing my breathing to a calm, rhythmic pace as I slipped into my familiar habit of meditation. I allowed my thoughts to trickle away from me, encouraging the bountiful nature around me to overwhelm my senses. I inhaled the earthy tang of the dirt, mingling with the sweet sap leaking from peeling bark. The forest was quiet yet humming with energy as the rest of its creatures continued to stir around me, wary of the overlarge wolf's commanding presence.

A sudden flash of a memory shattered the veil of tranquillity that had descended over me. Me, crouched in agony on my bathroom floor, a towel stuffed hastily into my mouth to quiet my screams...

My entire frame began shuddering, aching as my sanity thrashed around desperately, looking for something - anything - to hold on to. I could feel the memories rising, awakened after months of my forcing them deep within me, and I felt panic constricting my throat, pulling me under, under, under….

It was then that a voice broke through, its words warbled as I struggled to focus.

"Leah," a voice whispered, cradling me gently as the memories buried within surged forward, attempting to break my carefully constructed barriers.

"Leah," it repeated, louder this time. As my mind began to gather itself from the crumbling mess it had become, I realized that I could almost recognize the voice, the whisps of a name hovering on the edges of my memory.

At once, the forest threw itself back into sharp focus around me. What had been my source of contentment moments before had turned sinister, intimidating me. The cool air now had a biting edge, causing me to shiver deep within as it seemed to feel my secret - relishing in my pain.

"LEAH!" A voice boomed through the trees. Somehow, I had phased and lay curled into myself, desperately hugging my knees to my chest. I shivered again, pulling my body even closer together.

The voice drew closer, shouting my name all the while. I sat completely still, unwilling to succumb the the trembles building within me; knowing that the traitorous tears building behind my closed eyelids would follow.

My jumbled mind finally matched a face to the voice seconds before Jacob appeared beside me. I felt something soft cover my body, opening my eyes as steadied my gaze on him as he approached. His tattered cut-offs showed evidence of having been thrown on in his haste to reach me. A thin sheen of sweat coated his bare chest that heaved as he stared back at me, concern twisting his features.

"Leah?" He whispered tentatively, kneeling before me.

I blinked slowly, hyper aware of the tears that continued to fight for release.

"Leah?" He breathed, softer this time, hesitantly reaching forward to brush my hair out of my face. It felt stringy and matted with dirt, fastened to my sweaty cheek.

I choked as a residual sting of panic arose again. "Don't," I tried to shout. "Don't touch me." It came out as more of a gargle, and I felt myself shrink backwards an inch.

He seemed to understand what I was attempting to say, opting to lean back on his haunches instead. It was then that I realized he had thrown a large fleece blanket over me, surrounding my already unnaturally warm body in more heat.

I flicked my gaze downward, then back up at his face questioningly.

"I..." He blushed. "I remembered that your clothes were probably far since you left from home last night, so I brought this for you to cover with instead... I didn't see anything, I swear." He rambled, his eyes wide and innocent, a deviation from the usual dominating Beta stance he maintained. "I'm sorry about what I said last night… I'm just… stressed, is all."

I nodded mutely, my eyes drifting shut. Go away, go away, go away, I chanted inwardly, begging him to hear my silent plea. I looked into his eyes again, giving him as cold of a glare I could muster.

His eyes hardened, and he rearranged his long, muscled limbs until his sat with his legs crossed in front of him. "I'm not leaving you here alone," he said firmly, his eyes glinting in stubborn defiance.

I managed a small huff before twisting my body around under the blanket, silently communicating my anger and frustration at not being able to defy my Beta. I curled my toes experimentally, hoping my limbs would resume responding to my will. They obeyed, and I began twitching my ankles, slowly travelling my movements up my body. Before long, I stretched and sat up, clutching the blanket tightly around myself.

All the while, I could feel Jacob's steady gaze boring into my back, knowing that if I looked into his eyes I would see them brimming with questions I was not ready to answer. Instead, I stood, clutching the blanket to my chest and padded out of his sight before tying it around my ankle and phasing, taking off at a run towards my home.

I felt Jacob join me all too soon. Don't think you can avoid talking about this, Leah. What happened back there?

His obvious concern annoyed me. Drop it, I snapped, shooting him waves of irritation.

You know I won't, he retorted, closing in and running alongside me. His russet brown fur shone deeply in the rays of golden sunlight that pierced the canopy, glinting wildly.

I growled and pushed harder, easily breezing ahead of him. He put on speed as he struggled slightly, trying to keep up with my smaller, more lithe form.

Listen, he started as he fell in beside me once more. I know we haven't been on the best terms since you Phased, but-

I snorted. He was putting it quite lightly. The entire pack treated me like a leper, giving me a wide berth. I was the lone woman in their midst, scattering the male camaraderie they had previously shared and replacing it with a careful apprehension. In return, I had plagued them bitterly with reminders of their deepest fears which I had become privy to. Of all the pack members, Jacob was the only one who didn't treat me with any apprehension. It still didn't make us friends, though.

A sudden realization caused me to skid to an abrupt stop. Jacob followed suit, cocking his head at me in question.

No one can know. I said sternly. No one, Jake.

I'll try, he responded softly.

No, I snapped. Trying isn't good enough. I need you to do it.

He paused, analyzing the desperation I had laced my words with. Okay, he acquiesced after a few moments.

Satisfied, I took off at a run again, leaving Jacob and his questions behind in a cloud of dust.

I stood tentatively in front of Sam and Emily's home, my hand hovering over the dented and tarnished doorknob as I dreaded the imminent pack meeting. I straightened the blue cotton dress I had retrieved from my room and wiped my hand across my face for the umpteenth time, attempting to remove any evidence of the breakdown I had had in the comfort of my bedroom mere minutes earlier. My attempts were futile. I knew my eyes were still swollen and tinged with red, my skin ghostly compared to its usual tanned coloring.

I slowly pushed the door open, stepping into the overcrowded living room. The pack milled about, their loud conversation floating outside before I pulled the door shut behind me.

As I made to move towards a vacant space on the couch, a muffin whizzed past my head and hit the wall behind me, spraying crumbs in my hair. I scowled, reaching up to brush them off. Quil was guffawing loudly beside me, clutching his stomach.

Embry stood across the room, fuming. Raw egg dripped dripped in sticky rivulets down his forehead. "You're not even funny," he spat at Quil as he snatched another muffin from a plate on the table, intent on hitting his target.

"On the contrary - I happen to think I'm hilarious." Quil retorted, ducking as the muffin flew just past his ear.

Embry reached for a third missile as Emily looked over her shoulder from her place in the kitchen, giving him a dark look. "Don't you dare," she warned.

Embry's face reddened for a moment before he retracted his arm, instead opting to stalk over to where Quil stood, bent double in laughter. He sobered as Embry approached, stepping smoothly around me and disappearing out the door. Embry followed in hot pursuit, his trembling form indicating he was about to phase.

Emily turned and moved towards the table, balancing two large plates overflowing with steaming eggs and bacon whilst chiding those who snuck pieces off before she could set them down on the table. The rest of the boys perked up at the sight of the food, scuffling amongst themselves as they scrambled to grab empty seats.

"Paul!" Emily screeched as he bounced into her and made her drop the plates, which landed miraculously upright on the table.

"Sorry," he laughed, bending to give her a quick pat on the head. "Blame Jared - he started it."

A friendly punch from the boy in question sent Paul sprawling to the ground, making the floor creak ominously.

"Not in the house!" Emily's voice floated above the din, surprisingly loud despite her small frame.

The boys all laughed in response before settling at the table, piling their plates high with food.

I continued to hover in the doorway, sighing. No one paid me any mind, as usual. I felt a familiar stab of pain as I watched them interact like family - a family that didn't include me. I sunk down into the now vacated couch, tracing its faded floral pattern before pulling absently at a frayed thread.

I felt eyes watching me from across the room. I looked up, startled that someone had noticed me in the flurry of activity.

It was Jacob. He sat, immobile, food untouched and eyes dark as he analyzed me carefully.

I felt trapped in his eyes, slipping into the depths of his ebony gaze. I took a shuddering breath, trying to move my own eyes away from him completely but settling on his face instead. He had grown sharp features that were complemented by the soft edges of his youth. His eyes were round and slightly almond shaped at the tips that ended in soft laugh lines, reminiscent of the humor that was once a permanent fixture on his face.

Now, his thick, dark lashes usually cast his eyes in shadow, reflecting the stress and anxiety he was constantly faced with. Although they mostly appeared to be solid black, I knew that flecks of gold flashed in his eyes during moments of wanton happiness or irrational anger. His usually full lips were stretched into a thin line as he continued to stare at me, his brow furrowed. His skin was more bronzed than usual from extended exposure to the sun, which contrasted delicately against his dark eyes and hair. Long, untame locks had grown shaggy and unruly, curling where they hit the nape of his neck.

For once, he wore a t-shirt, the dark green cotton pulled taut over his tensed muscles. I couldn't help but acknowledge his impressive physique that had sprouted seemingly overnight. Despite the similar changes we had all gone through as our wolf genes awoke, the boys all towered at least a half dozen inches above me. Jake was no exception. As the natural leader of the pack, his size was only rivaled by Sam. Gone was the giddy, baby faced teen I had seen periodically around the reservation. Here sat a man - a man whose face was alight with the wisdom that only maturity could bring.

A coil of anxiety stretched lazily in the pits of my stomach as I remembered our morning conversation. My mouth felt dry as I swallowed, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to retch.

Quil and Embry returned, looking disheveled but smiling nonetheless. They hastened to the table and began to eat.

"Hey man, wanna pass the ketchup?" asked Quil, spewing the eggs with bits of toast as he chewed open-mouthed, gesturing to the bottle sitting next to Jacob. He didn't acknowledge the question, continuing to stare at me.

"Yeah, I could use some too," Jared chimed in from beside Quil.

Jacob continued to ignore them.

"Jake!" Quil complained, spewing more toast from his full mouth, earning himself a death glare from Emily.

"Jake?" Seth waved his hand in front of Jacob's face, still failing to elicit a response. By then, the rest of the occupants at the table had quieted down, gazing curiously at Jake. Slowly, their eyes all turned and landed on the spot Jacob was focused on.

I shifted awkwardly under the force of their sudden acknowledgement, but glared back, annoyed at the surprise displayed on their faces.

"Leah," Emily spoke nervously after a few tense moments of silence. She twisted her mangled features into a nervous smile. "I didn't notice you come in. Are you hungry?" She gestured at the table, her face dropping into a frown as she noticed that most of the food seemed to have vanished.

I flicked my gaze over my cousin, examining her with disdain. Despite the scars that marred half her face, I had to admit that she was still breathtaking.

I felt another pang in my chest. We stood in such close proximity, yet she had never felt further away. For a moment, I felt vulnerable, wanting to run into her arms and feel her comb her fingers through my hair soothingly as she had done so many times in the past. Then my eyes landed on her scars, and I felt myself harden once again. She was the embodiment of a happiness I would never know; a life I would never know. The room we stood in had no bearing on the size of the ocean of distance that had risen between us.

"No," I finally spoke, my voice steady despite my discomfort. I turned my eyes away from her quickly, not wanting to see the sadness and regret that usually filled them in my presence.

My voice seemed to have snapped the cord of thick tension in the room, and the pack turned back to the table, resuming low conversation. Jake did not move.

I stood, my discomfort growing under the constant heat of his gaze. The aged wooden floorboards creaked as I turned towards the door, intent on making a hasty excuse to exit when it banged open.

Sam stood in the doorway, his expression serious. The room dropped into silence once again, all traces of humor gone as Sam pushed past me and went to stand in front of the table. I shivered as a soft breeze floated in after him, swishing my dress lightly along my thighs.

"We've just had an emergency council meeting. There's been another one." Stress saturated his clipped tone as he began pacing the small space between the living room and kitchen. I puzzled over his announcement. How had so many of them slipped past us?

"We need to have more patrols. Longer ones, with more on duty." Jacob had finally spoken up, looking at Sam for confirmation.

"Exactly," Sam replied, absently walking over to where Emily sat and squeezing her shoulder affectionately. Their love came so naturally, so easily. I watched as his hand slipped down to the small of her back and she shifted her stance nearly imperceptibly, leaning into his touch.

"We need all the time you can spare, starting tonight. Jake and I will organize the shifts tomorrow, and we are going to add more during the daytime." Sam continued.

My heart faltered as I realized that this meant that I would be spending more copious amounts of time with the very people I tried to distance myself from.

"What about school?" Seth blurted, blushing as he realized that he had spoken out of turn. I felt a small, affectionate smile twitch at corner of my lips at my little brother's inability to hold his tongue.

"You'll go when you can," Sam sighed, returning to pacing. "The council has agreed that this is what is best for the tribe."

Sam continued talking, ordering more than half the pack - including myself - to begin patrolling that evening. As usual, his back was to me as he addressed the others, my presence fading into the background. I took the opportunity to slip out the still open front door and out into the perpetual rain that had resumed to drizzle outside. I pretended not to feel a pair of eyes on my retreating back - watching, knowing.

I walked up my front porch, watching the peeling white paint curl under the moisture. The front door was unlocked; a sign of Seth's forgetful habits. Our home, while slightly larger than Sam and Emily's, was still relatively small by normal standards. I creaked open the front door to reveal the small living room, which sat quiet and empty. The two tan couches, worn in from years of use, sat unoccupied, the morning's newspaper tossed haphazardly on one of the cushions. The small, dated television's screen was blank, its antennae held precariously together by strips of duct tape. The small, rickety coffee table had a heavy vase of fresh flowers from the garden sitting atop it, the strain evident from the way that it collapsed slightly inwards.

I walked over to the flowers, fingering a soft, pink petal as my thoughts strayed towards my mother. She had taken up gardening when my father had died as somewhat of a coping mechanism. I bit my lip to stifle the gasp of pain that struggled to make its way out at the memory of my father's death. The death you caused, the darkness whispered.

Flashes of my broken family rushed through me until my mind settled on a memory of her in the first weeks after he passed. I had woken one day to find our home brimming with color, a multitude of flowers adorning every surface. I had found my mother alone in the kitchen, tears flowing over her cheeks as she hurriedly scooped up the dirt from a pot that had broken, attempting to gather the budding seeds that had scattered all over the tile.

In the midst of watching her desperate and jerky movements, I had finally realized that she had been trying to staunch the aura of death around our home by creating these miniature new lives. Each day she had added more, until the endless flow of flowers began to slowly ebb away. On the day that Seth and I had entered the kitchen to find a single vase sitting on the countertop, he had sighed in relief. But I knew better - it wasn't enough; it could never be enough, and my mother had realized that, too.

As I walked past the open kitchen doorway I spied Sue Clearwater herself, preparing dinner. Her silky black hair was pulled into a messy bun, sweat dotting her forehead as the simmering pot before her sent blasts of steam towards her face.

She looked up, sensing my presence. Smiling softly, she dropped the spoon she was stirring with and walked over to me before wrapping me in a tentative hug. I stood, unmoving, for a few moments before raising a hand and placing it on the small of her back. She pulled back, smiling at me again before turning back to the stove.

"Where's your brother?" She asked as she tossed random seasonings into the pot. I wrinkled my nose. Cooking was another thing my father had always done.

"Sam's," I said. "We're on patrol tonight. Don't wait up," I added, although we both knew she would.

She nodded, dipping a spoon into the pot and tasting its contents before making a face and unceremoniously dumping it into the garbage.

"Pizza?" She asked, gesturing towards the phone on the counter.

"Excellent choice," Jacob's deep voice spoke from just over my shoulder. My mother squealed in surprise, knocking the phone off the counter.

I spun around, an angry retort on my lips, when his hand latched onto my arm and he began to drag me toward the stairs.

"Hi, Sue!" He threw over his shoulder as he ignored my protests and attempts to retract my arm, easily overpowering me.

"Good evening to you too, Jacob." Her annoyed voice floated up after us.

He shoved me into my room, slamming the door shut behind us.

"What do you want?" I glared.

He glared back. "The truth."

"The truth about what?" I feigned ignorance.

"Don't play games with me, Leah."

"Then don't meddle in my business, Jacob." I crossed my arms over my chest in indignation.

"You made it my business when you-" He stopped short.

My anger flared, and I took a menacing step forward. "When I what?"

The tension in the room rose as the answer to my question suspended itself in the air above us.

"When you..." he hesitated.

"Remember when I told you to stay out of it?"

"We both knew that wouldn't last long." He reached out as if to touch me comfortingly, then drew back with a sigh.

"Don't pretend like you care." I snapped, stalking over to the window, my scowl deepening when I noticed that it had begun to pour outside.

"I do care," he said, sounding wounded.

"That's rich, coming from the guy who called me a bitch just last night." I looked away from the sad face reflected in the glass. It was a low blow - we'd both known that he'd meant it when he apologized.

He winced. "I'm sorry, I was just...stressed."

"Why can't you just leave it alone?" I said after a moment. "Please."

I felt him approach me from behind. "I don't know... I just..." He went silent. He smelled like fresh summer rain. It permeated my small room.

I looked up at him, my eyes pleading. I cursed myself inwardly, hating how vulnerable I was acting with him. I didn't hate him - not in the least.

"I just... I don't know." he finished.

I slowly turned to face him, studying the look in his eyes. They were filled with remorse, and a hint of something else.

At that moment, my door opened. We looked up, our trance broken.

"Why'd you take off?" Seth asked, eyes trained on his chest as he fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

It's not like anyone would have noticed. "Stomachache." I lied.

It was Jacob's turn to raise an eyebrow.

Seth grumbled as he did the buttons up unevenly. "Sam noticed. He always does."

"Right." Sam was the last person I wanted attention from.

"I happened to notice, too, you know." Jake said. He returned to looking at me, his eyes still swimming with an emotion that I couldn't quite identify.

Seth finally looked up, his eyes widening slightly as he took in Jacob. "Jake? What are you doing here?" he said.

Jacob raised his hand absently in greeting, waving off the question. "Your mom ordered pizza, you know."

Seth disappeared as fast as he had come.

Jacob smiled in satisfaction as the door closed behind him, turning his eyes back on me.

"We will talk about this, you know."

In that moment, I finally identified to emotion on his face. It was pity. My anger rose dangerously as I finally understood why he had been following me, why he had "cared" so much. He found me as pathetic as everyone else did. Pain throbbed deliriously inside of me, throwing itself against one person - Jacob.

"Get out of my room!" I shouted.

He looked at me in confusion before retreating, the look on my face making it clear that our conversation was over.

I slumped down against the now-closed door in defeat.