Now That We're The Same, We're Together Forever

Rory, Jacob, wake up!

“Five more minutes, Quil!”

Guys, wake up, now. Embry thought. Who’s driving?

I guess I will.

“Ror, honey, wake up.”

“No.”

“We have to go to school.”

“I don’t care.”

“If you don’t go to school, you’re not allowed to go on that date with me tonight.”

“You’re the one that really wanted to go. I could care less.”

“Please, get up.” I opened my eyes. They flicked, adjusting to the light.

“Happy?”

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Why are you so happy?”

“Because I woke up to you.”

“No, you woke up to Quil’s annoying thoughts.”

“But I saw you first thing, when I woke up.”

“You’re so cute.” I said, poking his nose.

“You’re one to talk. Come on, get up, out of bed.”

“But I’m tired!” I whined.

“So take a nap in History.”

“No, I can’t. That’s my worst class. I really can’t.”

“You know you’re going to anyway.”

“You’ve only met me six days ago and you know everything about me.”

“Probably. You’re mind was racing when you were passed out for those five days.”

“What was I thinking?”

“Nothing important. You just thought random stuff. The werewolf situation didn’t seem to even be part of your problems.”

“What exactly was I thinking?”

“You were thinking about me. You were deciding whether or not you should tell me that you loved me yet.”

“Oh!” I felt my face flush.

“Don’t be embarrassed. I was thinking the same thing.” He looked over at the clock on his nightstand. “We need to get up now. We’ve got to get Embry and Quil.”

“I don’t want to!”

“Whatever you say.” He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I laughed.

“Jake! What are you doing!?”

“Taking you to the car.” He walked out of his bedroom.

“Jacob Black, put me down!” I said half-laughing.

“I will put you down…once we’re outside.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. I really hate you.”

“How will I live without your love, Rory?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think you will.” Once he was outside the front door, he put me down. “Where’s your dad?”

“Probably sleeping.”

“Does he usually sleep in this late?”

“No, but Calvin called him last night, so he was waiting up for us. Calvin told Billy what he knew which was that we’ve imprinted, you’re a werewolf, and you were supposedly staying with me. But I think Sam told him that.”

“My father is such a freak.” He led me to the car, opened the door for me, and ran to his side.

“No, he’s not.”

“At least your father doesn’t care as much. He understands, doesn’t he?” he sighed.

“Yeah, he does.” I looked out the window while Jacob pulled out of the driveway and started for my house.

Quil, are you home?

Yeah, what’s up, Rory?

Can you bring out my bag? It should be on my desk.

Yeah.

Thanks.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you wondered what would have happened it you had never met me?”

“I try not to. I don’t know what I’d be doing or where I’d be right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was planning on leaving La Push. You know, going full out wolf.”

“Why?”

“Bella.”

“Ah…”

“She broke my heart so badly, but she acts like I’m her most favorite person in the world.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve got you now.” He smiled. I scooted over in the seat and curled up to his side. He wrapped his right arm tight around me and drove with his left.

“You’re not gonna go now, are you?”

“You sound worried.”

“I am.”

“Of course not. I love you and I always will.” He pulled up into the driveway to my house.

Quil, get down here.

“When would you have left?”

“Actually, I was planning on the night we met. They guys thought I’d already gone a week before. I knew nothing was ever going to make me feel whole against here, so I’d just go.”

“So, you almost didn’t meet me?”

“Sounds about right.” Quil came out of the house, and closed the door behind him. He hopped in the back seat of the car, and handed me my bag.

“You guys are a pain to try to wake up.” Jacob backed out of the driveway and went back the way we came.

“Yeah. It was me.” I sounded a little off, and I knew Jacob was wondering why.

“What?” he asked.

“It’s scary in a way.”

“What is?”

“Knowing that I probably never would have been happy. Here especially.”

“Please, Lorelei Ateara? Never happy again? I can’t picture it al all.” Quil chirped in.

“Please. You didn’t see me the day when Dad and I were on the plane.” I opened my bag and took out my mirror. “I look horrible.”

“Not everything is about looks.” I took my brush out and ran it through my hair, putting it in a side ponytail. I put my brush back and pulled out my eyeliner. I quickly and skillfully put it on and looked at Jacob. He was shaking his head.

“What?”

“You don’t need that.”

“I know, but I want it. It doesn’t look like me when I don’t have it on.”

“You look perfect without it.”

“You’d think I’m perfect if my face was all contorted.”

“Would I?”

“Oh my gosh! Yes, you would, Jacob.” Quil grunted. “Okay, let’s get this straight. He thinks you’re beautiful, perfect, blah, blah, blah. You know you’re beautiful, perfect, blah, blah, blah. He loves you, you love him. End of story. So can we please keep the nasty thoughts out of my head?”

I looked at Jacob and smiled. I curled up against him again, but tighter this time.

“Oh for the love of—”

Quil, just stop bickering. You know they can’t stop. Embry thought. Where are you guys?

In front of your house. Get your butt down here.

Coming, Jacob. Just then, Embry came out of his house, backpack over one shoulder.

“Do we need to get anybody else?” I asked.

“No.” Jacob answered.

“Thank God. I want to get this day over with.”

“Oh, I forgot, we have to go get Seth.”

“Ha, ha you’re so funny. How far away is the school?”

“Just a few minutes. Are you that excited?”

“No, I just wanna walk around. I hate sitting for long periods of time.”

“It’s only been like twenty minutes.”

“That’s like forever in girl time.”

“Well, it’s two seconds in wolf time.” I looked at him strangely. “You don’t need to worry about that now. Right now, you need to think school, and later tonight, date.”

“Just as long as it’s not some big huge thing that you’ve been planning since that day we met.”

“I haven’t planned it at all.”

“Really?”

“Can’t you tell?” he smiled. “It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, and I’m just going with the flow.”

“You’re not getting all hippie on me are you?”

“Absolutely not. I’m just saying I don’t even know what’s going to happen on out date, except for the fact that I will be with you. And I am very happy about that.”

“I bet you are.” I watched him as he pulled up into a parking spot; in front of what I figured was the school. Quil and Embry got out and walked towards the school. It didn’t look like a school, compared to Jacksonville anyway. In Jacksonville it was multiple big buildings and terraces, even at the middle school. Here, it was a building. The parking lot didn’t even have many spots. People really do just walk to school around here.

“It’s a way to get physical activity.” Jacob said.

“What?”

“People walk to school as exercise. And because it’s so close they have an excuse not to spend their money on gas.”

“And you don’t care about spending money on gas?”

“I do. But today since it’s your first day, I figured we’d just drive. Next week, is when we start walking.”

“Oh, joy.”

“What’s wrong with walking?”

“Nothing’s wrong with walking. Your house seemed really far away. We’d have to get up earlier than we did today and I’m not a morning person.”

“I love being a wolf.” He smiled.

“We can run to school?”

“Yeah, why not? it’s faster. We can sleep in. And if we didn’t get breakfast we could always hunt it.”

“Eww…that sounds disgusting.”

“It’s actually not so bad. If I had to choose between eating pig ears and eating freshly caught raw deer, I’d choose deer.”

“Jacob Black that is disgusting. Exactly how many raw animals have you eaten?”

“I’ve lost count.”

“Oh my god. I’m going to be sick.”

“I didn’t mean to freak you out. I was just saying…”

“Yeah, Jake, I know. Come on. Let’s get this day over with.” I pulled the handle and pushed open the door. Jacob did, too. He jogged around the car and took my hand in his.

“Ready?”

“No.”

“Then, let’s go.” He smiled. He pulled me into the school. I knew he knew I didn’t want to go.