The Special Two

"So, you're a werewolf."

In the past hour, I learned more about Jacob Black than I have about anyone I have ever met. I could write a series on his life without ever having to ask him for another detail. It was pretty cool, his whole wolf situation. I learned that he was into rebuilding cars, he built one three or four years ago from scratch, but now he prefers his motor cycle. That story made my palms sweat and a curl into fists. Bella Cullen, previously Swan, had given him that motor cycle to rebuild together after some tragic breakup with her now husband. The tone of his voice was enough to fill in all the blanks he had strategically placed. He had loved her--a lot--and she didn't feel the same. She led him on. He loved her. She was his ideal girl. I had no idea I could hate a person that much without ever really meeting them.

The fact that Jacob trusted me enough to tell me all of that shocked me slightly. I don't trust him enough to tell him I thought he was somewhat attractive, and his was a huge secret. Then again, I apparently had one of my own.

"You aren't going to scream and run are you?" He asked, in joking manner. But I could tell he was concerned about my reaction.

"Why would I? You turn into a giant wolf on command and you don't age, big deal." I waved my hand as if to prove my point further.

Jacob laughed something that made butterflies erupt in my stomach. God, I've got it bad.

We suddenly found ourselves in a lighter topic of conversation. He lived with Billy and his house wasn’t very far from mine. He's nineteen and he'll turn twenty in four months. Unfortunately, I also learned more about Isabella Cullen whom I quickly decided I loathe. Fortunately, she's a vampire. A real blood sucking immortal. So I have an appropriate reason to hate her existence. The fact that she won Jake's heart in a matter of days made me uneasy even if he was 'completely over it'. This crush of mine has been blown seriously out of proportion.

"Shit, it's one." He got up from his place on the couch and I followed carrying our plates of what was left of burnt Chinese food.

"I have patrol duty." He slid his shoes on, "A blood sucker is after Bella for murdering Victoria."

I heard him go to the front door and open it. The smell of rain flooded in and he sprinted outside, "Thanks for tonight Clara."

"Sure, sure." I smiled from the sink until I heard the door fit back into the frame, and then I frowned.

"Hey Jake? I just thought you should know that I think I'm falling for you. I'm never like this, and it's scaring the hell out of me. But it's okay because you love Bella and the pain from that could just kill me. I think I need hospitalized." I rambled.

I leaned against the counter and rested my head in my hands. Maybe if I covered my face, this would all just go away.

I groaned and pushed off the counter towards the stairs to take a long hot shower. The warm water eased my muscles and washed away the jealousy. My skin was a light pink when I got out from the steam of my shower and started to get ready for bed.

"Get over yourself Clara." I scolded and snuggled deep into the massive pile of blankets and pillows that made up my bed. "He didn't imprint on you anyways."

xxx

You know that scene in Mean Girls, where Lindsey Lohan walks into the room filled with girls talking about her, and all the sudden they just sort of stare? Well, welcome to my first day of high school on the reservation. Starting mid-year was horrible. The fact that I had been deemed the 'lost child of La Push' didn't help much either. The school was small and simple, which is one of the reasons why I liked the building. Florida’s schools were too large, although I will miss eating outside.

After I had managed to walk down and enter every room besides the one I was supposed to go to, I walked into my homeroom and slid into one of the open desks. It was near the back by the window, and I could tell by the way people avoided it that the seat was in exile. My curly hair tickled the back of my neck and I reached to adjust my loose ponytail; several chunks of curls had already escaped. Before the class started, I did a quick accident check and made sure my bright patterned skirt was tucked under my legs and my yellow V-neck wasn’t exposing part of my bra. My belt was facing forward and it wasn’t twisted. I took a deep breath. It's just another high school Clara.

The shrill, vibrating sound came over the loudspeaker to announce the beginning of first period. I reached for my yellow bag beside my feet, which were covered by red boots, and pulled out my day planner.

"Clara Robins?" The teacher called, but it was obvious that I was present. The reservation didn't get many new students; I stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Here." I called out anyway.

The students peered at me from the corner of their eye, like I was a new exhibit at the zoo. A version of a smile played across my red lips and I looked back at them. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

A lot of stares, several awkward questions and heartless remarks later, the school day was finished. It didn’t go without snags, but I didn’t feel like I was running away from the gates of Hell either. It was just another high school.

It was actually warm today, which was abnormal for La Push. The heat hit my bare legs and warmed the bones, which lifted my mood. I didn't miss a lot about Florida, but it was familiar and easy. Part of me wanted to drive back there, but that part was small and easy to push back. A slight breeze blew my hair into my face and I grinned as the humidity hit me fully in the parking lot.

I walked towards my blue SUV and fiddled with the key to get the run down car to unlock. When the door finally budged, I tossed my bag across the seat. The car seemed to groan at the weight.

"Hey Clara, can we talk?"

I turned to see Seth, and I narrowed my gaze. "What do you want?"

The sun highlighted his features like he was in a comic.

"I need to talk to you," He managed through a locked jaw.

Students were running to their cars or their friend’s cars, in big groups and small clusters. They drove off laughing and talking. I looked up at the clouds and back to the school. If this turned into a full-blown fight, I could be kicked out of school. I didn’t want to go through that again. Luckily, he waited until everyone was gone.

I shut the door of my car and leaned against it, “I’m listening."

"You are a monster," Seth seemed like he was clarifying a misunderstood fact.

It didn’t hit me as hard as it had last time. I didn’t want to grab my keys and gauge his eyes out, because somewhere underneath all hard exterior and crazy thoughts was the kid that bought me a chocolate heart ring.

"How am I a monster Seth? Tell me, because I sure as hell don't know."

"Your people killed..." He said and shook from anger.

"What people Seth?" I asked incredulously.

As hard as I tried to think of a collection of murders I had associated myself with in the past, I couldn’t think of anyone. I carefully walked up and placed my hand lightly on his shoulder. He tensed up immediately, like I had burned him, and I heard a growl rumble deep in his chest. My boots skidded against the pavement from my sudden withdraw.

"Shape-shifters." The word itself seemed to physically affect him, "Pure bred, of course." Seth added in a vile tone.

I stared at him blankly, "Aren't you a shape-shifter Seth?"

I kneeled by my car and grabbed my head in my hands. "Isn't there a whole pack of you on this reservation?"

My brain struggled to make a negative correlation.

"Not like you."

Seth gave me a glance that could cut through marble and walked away. I saw him run into the forest behind the school, and I knew that even if I tried to follow him I wouldn’t find him. I stared after him for a minute and shook my head.

"Freaking temperamental shape-shifter."

My foot pressed down hard on the right pedal and the parking lot became a blur of colors.

"I'm a shape-shifter. He's a shape-shifter. We're all freaking shape-shifters." I growled and kept a death grip on my wheel.

I didn't know what was wrong with me; I had no idea who I was anymore. Jake said I was different from everyone else, but Seth says I'm the same thing as they are. They all phased before they turned sixteen, and I’ve always just been Clara. Plain, anti-social, hot-tempered Clara.

I pulled onto the next street. It was cluttered with a variety of shops and restaurants. I took a deep breath in and released it through my nose. I felt my anger drift away slowly. I just needed to breathe.

My phone buzzed next to me and I pulled it out of its place in my pocket, careful to keep my eyes on the road.

GO HOME NOW

I reread the message. Go home? I threw my phone to the passenger’s seat and approached the bridge. A ghost stood in middle of the road.

My foot switched to the break.

I laid on the horn.

They didn’t move.

My heart was beating faster, faster.

I felt myself turn and scream.

It was cold. My eyes burned from the salt water. The glass window of my car was too strong as I beat my fists against it uselessly. Something hit the windshield and I screamed. The water rushed into my lungs and I coughed, gasping for air. I struggled against the pull of water on my car and yanked at my seatbelt. My elbow slammed against the window, silently begging for it to release me. But the steel monster kept its jaws shut. The pain in my chest become unbearable and my arms weren’t strong enough to lift themselves any longer. The last thing I saw was a flash of white swim over my windshield. Those eyes…

Were they red?