Dying Doesn't Seem So Cruel

"Thanks, Alice," I said as I got out of her car; she reached over and touched my arm.

"Don't kill her."

"I won't."

"She's in her room," Jannette told me once she'd answered the door.

"Thanks. Christie, can I come in?"

"I'm so sorry about earlier on the phone. I didn't mean any of it. Kyle was here."

"Maybe he's not the nice guy we thought he was."

"He's been spending a lot of time down on the rez."

"Is he there now?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Can I borrow your keys? Oh, and your car?"

"Bring it back in one piece. Wait. Where - don't do this, Dahlia!"

"I need to talk to Jacob."

"I'm coming with you."

"Fine."

I sped down the winding road, hands clenched on the steering wheel. Christie's face was etched with fear.

"I'm not going to crash."

"Um, are - are the Cullens really vampires?"

"Ask them yourself. Maybe you'll believe them," spat I.

"Dahlia -" Her voice broke off into a scream as I turned a sharp corner swiftly. "Please slow down!"

I slammed on the brakes at the entrance of the reservation. She slid out of the car shakily whereas my feet touched the ground with steady determination. I could hear her footsteps behind me as I strode toward shadows by a bonfire.

"Where's Jacob Black?"

The Quileute boys all faced me. "Jake's not here," one said.

"Then where is he?"

"At home. What's it matter?"

"You can make this easy by telling me where his house is, or I can knock on every single door and wake up everybody till I find him."

"That one right there."

"Thanks. That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Christie still followed me, even up to the door. I knocked three times and waited for an answer. An elderly man with a leathery face, sitting in a wheelchair, opened the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Is Jacob here?"

"'Yeah, come on in."

Both Jacob and Kyle stared at me, rising to their feet simultaneously. I glanced at Christie's boyfriend before my gaze snapped back to the other boy.

"I need to talk to you. Alone."

Jacob pushed past me and walked outside. "What?"

"You shouldn't have told Kyle about those legends."

"Why?"

"My best friend's changed, that's why. He's filling her head with lies. He's prohibiting her from coming to my wedding."

"I don't blame him."

"She has been my friend than he's known she's existed."

"Your friendship is destroyed?"

"Yes. All because you broke the treaty by telling Kyle about the legends."

"I'm sorry. I'll talk to Christie."

"Drop Kyle."

"He worries me," he murmured, biting his lip thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"He's pretending to be Quileute now, or whatever. There's something about him that isn't normal."

"Do what you have to. Just get rid of him."

"We can't kill him."

"You don't have to."

"Then get rid of him how?"

"Tell your dad about how you broke the treaty. There's gotta be some punishment."

"Yeah, on me."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll think of something. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you like Christie?"

"It's a bit complicated."

"I've got time."