Hells Angel

Avery walked into her house slowly, the door slamming shut behind her. A sigh escaped her lips as she walked into the living room, sitting down next to her father on the couch. He was watching a show on Biography about someone referred to as the Vegas Vixen—some sort of woman who cheated in Vegas and won a lot of money, she wasn't sure.

“You know, she lives in Kentucky now,” he said, taking a drink of the water in front of him. “How was your day?”

“I met Linley, our neighbor, and hung out with her. I met her brother and his friends, played some basketball,” she said, shrugging. “It was an okay day.”

“Any of them cute?” her father asked, smiling.

Avery rolled her eyes. “All of them, actually. But one of them was a huge jerk.”

“Most men are. Don't trust them,” he told her.

“I don't, no worries,” she said. Avery paused for a minute. “Dad, about this whole homeschooling thing...”

“It's not happening, Aves,” he said. “Don't worry. It was...ridiculous of me to ever think about that. I moved us here so we could have a shot at a normal life. There's no hope for normalcy if you're cooped up in this house, learning about things you've read before. You have to get out there and have a normal, average senior year. Even if 'normal' and 'average' aren't the best words that I could use to describe you.”

Avery laughed. “Thanks, dad,” she said, shaking her head. “So this whole homeschooling suggestion was nothing more than a temporary spark of insanity?”

Jack looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Have I ever been sane?”

“This is true facts,” she said. “Thanks, dad. The thought of homeschooling was...nauseating, to be honest.”

“I”m sorry I just up and moved us so quickly. I gave you a weeks notice, took you away from your friends—“

“I don't mind, dad,” Avery said. “Honestly. I'm too laid back to get upset over this.”

“But you're upset over something right now. I can tell.”

Avery sighed. “I just hate trying to apologize to someone, even when I did nothing wrong, just to be shut down and insulted. I really wanted to punch him in the face.”

“Why didn't you? I wish I could say I raised you to be classy and sophisticated but, unfortunately, I raised you to be an asshole, like myself,” he said. “Sometimes I wonder if I went about parenthood in the wrong way but then I see how happy you are and can't help but think I did the right thing.”

She smiled. “You did the right thing. You taught me to stand up for myself—not be a jerk for no reason. That one is all on me,” she joked. “I just... He's so tall. I thought if I punched him, he'd crush me or something.” She laughed slightly. “Although I know if he hit me, I'd probably rip his face off or something.”

“You are a little scrappy,” her father said, nodding. “Do you want me to make dinner?”

“Nah, I'm just going to turn in early,” she said. “I didn't sleep too well last night—new place and all. So I'm gonna head to bed early.”

Jack leaned over, kissing his daughter's forehead. “Okay, Aves. Sleep well.”

+

“Jacob. What happened?”

Jacob sighed, looking up at Sam, who was standing in the doorway of his room. He shrugged, as best as he could as he lay in his bed. “What do you mean?”

“Avery stormed out of here earlier as if Hell's Hounds were on her heels,” Sam said, crossing his arms. “As the Alpha, I need to—“

“You don't need to know anything as my 'Alpha,' Sam,” Jacob spat. “You just want to know because you want to know everything.”

Sam frowned. “You have to stop acting like this, Jacob.”

“Shut up, Sam,” Jacob said, sitting up. “You don't get to tell me how to act.”

“Stop being such a fool!” Sam shouted. “You are shutting everyone out because of Nessie—“

“Shut up.”

“But this is not your fault! This isn't my fault. It's not Quil's, Embry's, Seth's, Linley's—hell, it's not even Avery's fault yet you are blaming all of us for her death!”

“Shut up.”

Sam shook his head. “It's hard, Jacob, but you have to move on—“

“I said, shut up!” Jacob yelled, jumping off his bed and shoving Sam into the wall. “You have NO right to tell me how to cope with Nessie's death. You have no idea how this has affected me. She was it for me, Sam, she was my imprint and now she's gone and you want to tell me just to move on?” Jacob said. “Not happening. You do not get to tell me how to deal with this.”

“Because you're not dealing with it, Jacob,” Sam said, his voice soft. “You're so content to sit around and think about all the ways you could have saved her. But she's gone, Jacob. She's gone. And yes, things could have ended differently, but this is the hand that you've been dealt. I know this isn't easy for you but you can't be miserable forever.”

“I want to be miserable forever. It's what I deserve. I let her die,” he whispered.

“You nearly died trying to save her, Jacob, or did you forget that? All of us were terrified that we would lose you,” Sam told him. “You couldn't save her. She was just a baby.”'

Jacob turned away from Sam, closing his eyes. “Stop.”

Sam nodded. “Just...think about that, Jake. Would she want you to mourn forever?”

“She was just a baby... She wouldn't even know what to want,” he said, quiet.

“If you really think moping is the way for you to live right now, then do it. But if you think there's another way—and I genuinely think that you do—then that's what you should do,” Sam told him. “We're all going to the cliff for a bonfire. If you want to join us, you're always welcome.”

Jacob kept his eyes closed and listened intently as Sam left the room. He walked over and shut his door, collapsing on his bed. He knew he should move on, and he wanted to, but he didn't know how. He still had nightmares about it, two months after it happened. He had met with Bella, Edward, and Nessie in the clearing between Forks and La Push, as to not break any rules. He just wanted to see Nessie.

He didn't know what happened next—whether the rogue Vampires showed up or they let their guards down. Either way, Jacob wasn't strong enough to protect Nessie, and Edward and Bella couldn't foresee the vicious way they ripped the infant apart, laughing while they did so. His heart broke at the thought and he shook his head. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he had to get out there and try to move on—and apologize for his most recent behavior. Starting with the new girl.

+

“Aves, you have a visitor.”

Avery didn't bother looking up from the book she had been reading as she sat in one of her window seats. She picked up the little remote that came with her laptop and turned down the music (Motley Crue this time) and sighed.

“Wow, your room is amazing.”

Avery looked up. “Hi.”

Linley smiled. “I'm really sorry about Jacob earlier.”

She shrugged. “I'd probably be a bigger asshole if someone close to me died recently.”

“It's still no excuse,” Linley told her. “Look, I know it probably sounds ridiculously unappealing but how about you come to a bonfire with me and the guys tonight? It's Friday and we have one every Friday night.”

“I don't know, Lin,” she said. “I mean, this book is really good...”

“Piss poor excuse and you know it.”

“I really don't want to see Jacob. I'll end up punching him if I do,” Avery said. “How's that for an excuse?”

“There is a ninety five percent chance that he won't even be there. Since Nessie, he just stays in, mostly, wallowing in his own self-misery,” Linley said.

Avery sighed. “It sounds appealing but I really do think I'll skip on this one. Maybe next week.”

Linley nodded. “Okay, if you're sure.”

“I am.”

“Okay. But tomorrow is game night, so are you in?”

Avery rolled her eyes. “Are you making all of this shit up? Friday night is Bonfire Night, Saturday night is Game Night, what's Sunday?”

“Pizza and horror movies.”

Avery stared at her.

“I'm not kidding,” Linley said, smiling. “If I can guarantee that Jacob will either be absent or on his very best behavior tomorrow, will you go?”

“I would consider it,” Avery said.

“Then I will talk to him tonight. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'll get you near three,” Linley said, walking towards the door and leaving before Avery even had a chance to respond.

+

Jacob shoved his hands into the pocket of his sweatshirt. The night was cool, though he didn't notice. He walked the distance up to the cliff and saw the flames from the bonfire hundreds of feet away. His friends were laughing, joking, having fun, and he hated to think that once he showed up, it would stop. They all would look at him the same way they had been since Nessie died—like he had died as well.

And to be honest, he had felt that way for a while.

But he was going to try the whole moving on thing Sam had mentioned. He was sick of the looks. Nessie was gone. He couldn't change it. And he couldn't save her. Part of him wanted to call Bella, Edward, talk to one of them but at the same time, he didn't want to live in the past. He approached the bonfire site and everyone looked at him, instantly shutting shutting up.

“You guys don't have to stop on my account,” he said, grabbing a Coke from the cooler and sitting next to the fire. “What's up?”

Linley looked down at her hands. “We weren't expecting you to come.”

“I know,” Jacob said, nodding. “I'm sorry I've been a dick lately, you guys. You shouldn't have had to put up with me but...you have. So thank you.”

Sam smiled softly, simply nodding.

“Never thought I'd hear the day when you'd apologize,” Quil said, laughing.

Jacob rolled his eyes as they continued on with their conversation. An hour or so passed and he joined in on the conversation every now and then, laughing when required, and roasting marshmallows. Linley sat down next to him, silent for a few minutes, which was rare for her.

“Avery refused to come tonight.”

Jacob sighed. “Yeah, I was wondering where she was.”

“Said she'd end up punching you if she came. Whatever you said to her earlier really pissed her off, Jake,” Linley told him. “Look, I don't know what you're going through. But I do know you can't treat everyone like shit just because you're hurting.”

“I know, Lin,” he said, nodding. “I actually wanted to apologize to her.”

“You can tomorrow. I'm forcing her to come to Game Night.”

Jacob smiled. “What game is on the menu for tomorrow, guys?”

“Apples to Apples!” Quil yelled. Everyone looked at him. “No, we always play some really stupid board game like Life or Monopoly or Uno—“

“That's a card game,” Embry interrupted.

“Whatever, not the point,” Quil said. “It's my turn to pick and I pick Apples to Apples.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Fine, Apples to Apples it is. Now what about food?”

“I'll just make something,” Linley said. “Besides, we don't have money for enough food for all of you tomorrow AND Sunday.”

Jacob smiled. “We're growing boys, Lin, we have to eat as much as we can.”