More Than This

With much convincing from my father and Jacob, I had agreed to the move. All of our belongings were packed up in no time in a small U-haul truck and now it was just time to say goodbye to this house and the life I led here.

My dad said he would give me all day if I needed it to come to terms with everything. So right now I was in the backyard, lying in the tall grass. Giselle and my dad were playing on the ancient swing set that had been there since the last occupants of the house lived here.

I could feel an immense heat resonating from beside me, so I assumed that Jacob had taken a spot beside me. I didn’t bother to open my eyes and just let my mind wander.

“So how old are you?” Jacob questioned conversationally.

“Nineteen,” I responded quietly. “How ‘bout you?” I asked politely, not really wanting to start a conversation with him. I mean yes, I did feel this odd compulsion toward him, but I mean come on. I had a hard enough time trusting guys as it is, I didn’t need some mythical man saying I was his undying love. Pfff…

“I’m seventeen,” he replied. “You know, you’re kind of tiny for a nineteen year old. I could have sworn you were younger.”

“Well, you’re kind of huge for a seventeen year old and I could have sworn you were older,” I mimicked cynically.

“Alright, I deserved that,” he said with a chuckle and then we stayed in silence for a while. But then Mr. Inevershutup decided he’d keep on talking. “How old is Giselle?”

“Four,” I replied curtly.

“And I’m guessing you’re not still with her father?” Jacob questioned trying to make it sound like he wasn’t extremely curious, but he failed epically at that.

“Look, Jacob. That’s personal, but if you think about it why would I agree to move if I had a happy family here?” I shot back with venom cascading over every word. I then got up and marched over to Giselle and my father.

My dad looked at me questioningly and then looked behind me, presumably Jacob. I let my eyes linger on Giselle’s tiny form, swinging back and forth. My eyes began to burn than, so I quickly turned away and looked at the grass being pushed down by my converse.

“Peanut,” my dad said softly. I looked up at him and he had a look of realization on his face. I jolted my head away knowing what he was about to say. “You have to tell him everything. He’ll understand, that’s what imprints do. They understand each other completely and accept each other completely.”

“I’m not doing that dad. What if he feels disgusted after I tell him and then just leaves? I don’t think I can handle anyone else leaving me,” I said. My sentence began strong, but then dwindled back down to my quiet voice, breaking and wavering.

“He’ll never leave,” he replied while pulling me into a hug. “Come in Giselle, let’s head inside and make some EasyMac,” my dad said after letting me out of the hug. In no time Giselle bounded off the swing, pulling my dad’s arm, and made her way inside the house. I took her seat on the swing and gently rocked back and forth.

The swing beside me was soon occupied and I turned to him. Jacob looked at me with great sorrow in his eyes and in his eyes I could see truth behind his words of imprinting. With knowing him for only a day, I already felt safe when I was in his presence.

“I’m sorry,” Jacob whispered quietly with a heartbreaking look overtaking his handsome face.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s just, my past is a touchy subject. I don’t want to burden you with my troubles though,” I said.

“You’re burden is my burden,” he said with a small smile lighting up his strong features.

I guess it’s time to tell someone.