Clinginess is Unbecoming

"I really wanna love somebody
I really wanna dance the night away
I know we're only halfway there
But you take me all the way, you take me all the way
I really wanna touch somebody
I think about you every single day
I know we're only halfway there
But you take me all the way, you take me all the way"

"AARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!" I screech as I pick my phone up and throw it across the room where it lands harmlessly on my pillow.

"STOP CALLING ME!" I yell at it.

I never thought I would ever see the day when the soothing voice of one: Adam Levine, would make me want to throw something against the wall. Of course, that was before Jacob Black made the decision to call me thirty freaking times today! I still have things to sort out! How can I do that with him calling me every fifteen minutes?! I pick up the book that I've been reading, and the notepad full of similarities between the stories in the various books beside of me. I glare down at the pad and my realization from yesterday begins to swim in my brain.

I doubt he will tell me what I need to know so I'm going to have to trick him...

It only takes another half hour, one I wasted sitting there and glaring at the phone, for him to call yet again. This time when the voice of Adam Levine comes blasting through my speaker I grabbed the phone, with unnecessary force, I promise, and answer it.

"Hello."

"Uhh... Zoey?"

"Why do you sound confused? I would hope that you would know the person whose number you have called," I pause and turn to the note pad holding my tallies on the nightstand, "thirty-five times."

"Sorry... I just really need to talk to you."

"I'm aware..."

"Right... well would you like to get lunch or something?"

"Why?"

"To talk?"

"Why do you still sound confused?"

"I don't know..." he says this carefully as if afraid to say the wrong thing.

I roll my eyes, "You have spent the better part of the last 24 hours trying to talk to me and yet when you do get the chance you sound as though you aren't sure what to do."

"I wasn't expecting you to answer, I guess."

I could practically see him scratching the back of his head as he admitted that. I frown as I continue to sit in silence. I'm curious as to why suddenly I'm so important, other than the fact that I now know their big bad secret.

"Uhh... Zoey?"

"Is this because I know your secret? Are you going to kill me now?"

"What?! NO!"

"How do I know you're telling the truth? I don't really even know you and now I know something that I'm quite sure you don't want anyone else knowing. Why wouldn't you want me dead?"

"Because we don't kill people! Look just give me a chance to explain! Get to know me!"

"And why is that so important?"

"Why is what so important?"

"Getting to know you... All you would really need to do is threaten me or something to ensure I won't talk... something such as blackmail or promises of death or harm...to me... my family... my friends..."

"Because we don't do that. We don't kill people."

"You must kill something... You are descended from 'Spirit Guardians' aren't you?"

"How do you know that?"

"I do my homework. I've read four books on Quileute legends and there have been a select few stories that are consistent. They may vary slightly, but that's to be expected since stories passed down by word of mouth often have slight variations."

"You've read four books in a day?!"

"That's all you got from that?" I question in slight exasperation.

"How smart are you?!" he exclaims incrediously.

I paused, "What? I'm just as smart as the next person...why?"

"Uh... No reason..."

"Well... I have no need to talk to you, or any of your friends, so I would appreciate it if you would stop calling me."

"But!"

"No."

"Come on... just give me a chance to explain everything to you!"

"Do I look like little red to you?"

"We aren't the ones you have to be afraid of!" He yells in desperation.

"Oh?"

"Huh? Wait... no... I mean..."

"Be here in an hour... we have a lot to discuss," I quip with a cheshire cat smile.

I then hang up the phone, a smirk playing on my lips.

So... I was right... there are other creatures...

Jacob is at my house in precisely forty five minutes, and by the frantic pounding on the door he is very eager to see me. I pick up my purse as I stand from putting on my shoes. I make my way downstairs yelling a good-bye to my parents as I do so. I open the door and step out, almost on top of him, before sidestepping him and heading down the porch stairs toward his car.

"Are you coming?" I yell behind me, not missing a step.

I hear the tell tale sound of pounding feet before he falls into step beside of me.

"I thought you would want to talk here..."

"Of course not... My parents aren't going to give me an ounce of privacy with a guy in the house. Especially one who is..." I pause and look him up and down pointedly and neglect to finish my statement.

"You think I'm hot," He says as he opens the door for me, a cocky smirk playing on his lips.

Before getting in I look him dead in the eye, "I said no such thing."

He looks bewildered as I sit down and shut the door behind me. Quickly, he rushes to the other side of the car and gets in.

"How about we go to First Beach?"

"No. It's cold and far away."

"Then where would you like to go?" he asks unperturbed by the fact that I shot his idea down, rather rudely.

I just shrug and say, "You pick."

He chuckles and rolls his eyes but starts up the car and begins to back out of the driveway.

The sound of gravel alerts me to the fact that we are pulling off the road. I look around to see trees all around me. I glance back to see the road getting smaller and smaller behind me.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see..."

I just nod and sit back in the seat and watch as the trees pass by. It isn't long until a small house in the distance is visible and I'm quite sure if I squint hard enough... I can recognize that tree...

"We're going to... what's her name?"

"Emily."

"Right... Emily's house?"

He just nods in response and sit back in my seat grumbling. Its going to be harder to trick more of them... I pout to myself as I resign myself to my fate.

"Sooo..." he starts off.

"Sooo?" I question prompting him.

"Who was that guy that picked you up yesterday?" I can he's trying to be casual and yet there is a tension. A smirk plays upon my lips as I answer.

I shrug noncommittally, "He's kinda my boyfriend... I guess..."

"Kinda?" He questions with annoyance in his voice.

"Yeah... It's not exactly official but it's kinda common knowledge that we are crazy about one another..."

"...crazy about one another?" He questions hesitantly.

"Yeah... its kinda one of those from the sandbox kinda loves..." I murmur with a sigh.

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?" I question as I get out of his car.

"No reason..." He says as he looks down.

I roll my eyes as I follow him into the house. When we walk in there are several of the guys from yesterday and a couple that I've never met before. I just realized that I didn't know any of their names, but even if I did I highly doubt that I would get them right anyway... After all one overly tall and muscular and generally handsome Quileute is just like the next right? Except that one... with the temper... Gotta keep an eye on him...

"Oh you came back!" exclaims Emily as she rushes over to me and wraps me in a hug like we are long lost besties... Have I mentioned I'm not touchy feely?

When I'm finally released from the hug I glance up and over her shoulder, "Dear God woman!"

The Alpha guy stands up in anger and glares at me and I can sense the tension in the room grow as Jacob tenses behind me.

"Do you ever stop cooking?! There is enough to feed a small army here!"

The tension in the room immediately dissipates and the Alpha sits back down as Emily laughs a musical laugh.

"Nope I don't think I ever stop cooking!"

I turn and smile at her, "I bet it's awesome too! Look at those cookies! They are the size of my head!" I exclaim as I rush over to the counter where indeed cookies easily rivaling the size of my head are cooling on the cookie sheet.

"When they are cool you can have one."

"Aww thanks!" I say happily as I continue to inspect the various goodies lying haphazardly around the kitchen.

"We're really glad you decided to talk to Jacob...He's been really worried about you..." Says Emily as she begins to fill me up a plate with various goodies. When I am happily munching on a cookie Jacob comes and sits down next to me at the kitchen table and looks at me with an intensity that I'm not used to.

"Soo..." I begin.

He shakes his head as if he's trying to clear it before he gives me a smile and murmurs 'sorry.'

At this point the room has mysteriously emptied and it's just Jake and me left. He looks nervous which is odd on his overly large frame.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" I question as I pop a bit of chocolate chip into my mouth before offering him a cookie. He gives me a smile and takes it but just holds it in his hand as he contemplates what it is he wants to say.

"So you know the legends?"

"I suppose so... I mean perfect accuracy is impossible but..."

"Zoey..."

"Sorry... I just really like legends..."

He chuckles before he continues, "Well they are all real... our ancestors are descendants from the Spirit Warriors and they protected our people from the Cold Ones."

"Cold Ones? Like what? Yetis? Ghosts? Demons?"

"Vampires."

"Whoa... what? Vampires?!"

"Yep vampires... and the reason Bella wasn't as freaked out about us as you were well...the Cullens are Vampires."

"B-but that would mean..."

"Edward is a Vampire... yeah..."

"No! That she is even crazier than I thought! Seriously who does that?! What is this a bad supernatural soap opera?! Furthermore... How did I get into the middle of this?" I exclaim in outrage.

"She ugh... claims that she loves him..."

"No... I'm very aware of that part... You should try sitting next to her in Bio for the past seven months... It's like sitting next to a lovesick zombie..."

Jacob barks with laughter but quickly tries to cover his mouth with his hand, "You don't seem to like her very much... why are you even friends?"

I heave a sigh, "Dude I didn't make that decision... she did... Plus I kinda feel bad for her I guess... Even if her boyfriend wanted to freakin eat her she's still hurting... I don't like how she refuses to get over the jerk and makes like no effort to try to put her life back together and don't even get me started on the way she treats you!"

"The way she treats me?"

"Uhh... yeah... have you not noticed that she just keeps you around as a distraction? I mean seriously... It's not cool... You seem like a really great guy..."

"I am a really great guy."

I laugh, "Yeah I can tell..."

He's giving me one of those serious looks again.

"There is something you aren't telling me..." I murmur as I look into his eyes.

He gives me a charming smile, "Can't tell you all of my secrets or I would lose my mystery!"

He winks and I roll my eyes in exasperation before I get up and head towards the door, "Come on Casanova I need to get home..."

"Already? You don't want to talk a little bit more?" He asks me as rubs his neck, a habit of his when he is nervous.

I scrunch up my nose, "I can't I have plans with Zack later..." I say with a frown. He merely nods his mouth tightening into a hard line.

"Alright, let's go," He mutters gruffly as he shoves past me and makes his way outside.

Well somebody's touchy...

Merry Christmas my lovely readers! Consider this my present to each and every one of you! I know it's not the best present I could give you but it's all I could do as such short notice! I hope that you all enjoyed it and you will leave me a nice present in the form of a Review! Aww.. now I sound selfish... ehh review anyway please!

BTW Still looking for a beta! Anyone interested?