Breathe

Opening my eyes, I was dazed. My head was spinning. My vision was blurred, and I had to blink a few times to focus. My whole body ached, especially my neck. Rubbing it gently, I groaned.

Peering around the room, it was pretty obvious I'd been out for a few days. Jacob was asleep on the floor, a couch pillow from downstairs underneath his head. There were cans of soda strewn across the floor; an attempt to stay awake, I was assuming.

Throwing off the blankets that had been piled on me, I slid off of my bed, trying not to wake Jacob. To my distaste, the floor creaked, and he shot up off the floor like a freaking bolt of lighting. It took him a second, and when he realized that I was standing by the door, he let out a heavy breath. "Sit, sit, sit," he said rapidly, taking my hands and leading me back to the bed.

Reluctantly, I obeyed.

"How do you feel?" He asked, kneeling down in front of me. He wrapped his blazing hands around my cold ones. "Does anything hurt?"

"I feel fine, Jake," I said softly. "I'm ok."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Is there something I should be worried about?" I peered over his shoulder, through my bedroom door. The hallway was dark.

"No, I - um, I'm just worried, that's all." I watched his face as he reached for my neck, brushing his fingers along my skin. "Do you know what happened?"

"If a dangerous man in the woods didn't just try to kill me, then no, I don't."

He sighed, and then moved so that he was sitting beside me on the bed. "No, that's exactly what happened."

"Who was that?"

"Hell if I know. I just can't imagine what would've happened if I hadn't been there. You're fine. Lucky, actually. Got away with a few cuts and scratches."

"What about -"

"He's dead." The heaviness of his voice was enough for me to leave it at that. It felt as if it had been weeks since the last time I'd seen him. Everything about him was refreshing - all the way from his smell to the way he took quiet, even breaths.

"I thought it had been a dream," I said softly.

Jacob shook his head. "Unfortunately, it wasn't. Though," he looked at me, "what were you doing out there?"

"Jake, I don't even remember leaving the house. I don't know."

He sighed. "I believe you. It's just, I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't been there."

"You're being a little dramatic," I murmured. It was obvious I'd made him angry, but I was tired, and I wanted to sleep some more.

"Do you realize that you were almost killed, Sarah?" He asked, almost in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm quite aware." I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

"Tell me how I'm being dramatic, then."

"Jake, I've known you for.. almost two months? You made it sound like if I had died you would've jumped off of a cliff."

He ran his hands over his face, and through his dark hair. "Please don't say that."

"What? Don't say what?"

"Just don't say anything, Sarah. You have no idea what kind of - "

"You're right. I don't. You don't tell me anything, Jake!" I stood up, and walked over to the window. It was raining pretty heavily outside.

"Because I can't. I seriously thought you would've figured this out by now! Think about it, Sarah."

I sighed heavily, and clenched my jaw. He was frustrating me, with his stupid secrets and his mysteriousness. Thinking about what had happened, I tried to remember first of all, how I had ended up in the middle of the woods. I drew a blank, and then moved onto seeing Jacob one second, then -

"Oh, my fucking God."

I turned around. He was still sitting on the bed, his back to me. "I knew you'd figure it out if you really thought about it," he said, head in hands.

"You're a werewolf?"

"Yes. I couldn't tell you. You have no idea how tight I'm bound."

I absorbed his words. "Is there anything else you'd like me to know?"

"Not at this moment, no." He stood and moved over to me. "I'll tell you everything eventually. Just - just not right now." He kissed my forehead, and I slumped against him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Where is my dad?" I asked, lifting my head. If he was home, there was no doubt he would've checked on me after my argument with Jacob.

"He couldn't miss any more work. Your mom is out with her friends. It's just me."

"Wow. They really don't care, do they?"

"They just trust me, that's all." He leaned in, brushing his lip against mine like he was afraid of kissing me. My stomach exploded with butterflies, and when I reached to touch his face, he moved away, eyes closed.

"Jake?"

"Hmm?"

"I - wh - what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just thinking."

"And, that prevents you from kissing me?"

"Does that bother you?" He smiled, looking at me.

"I'm a little offended." I shrugged.

Jacob laughed quietly, and then kissed me softly, his hands firmly on my waist. My knees shook a little. Breaking it off, he took a deep breath and said, "I think I'm going to take you to Emily's tomorrow."