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For the rest of the week, I just slept, and slept, and… slept. Completely strung out on pain medication, I had no insane dreams, and for the first time since getting into the rush of schooling, I felt completely calm and unstressed. I knew I’d have about a million pounds of make-up work to attend to once I finally went back, but I didn’t care. I got to relax, and it felt wonderful.

Plus, there were only about three weeks left until Christmas break, where I could kick back and forget school for three glorious, wintry, cookie-filled weeks (not to mention party at the Winter Formal La Push High was hosting on December twenty-first and hang at the seasonal get-together the Atereas held every New Years’); Without a doubt, it was going to be the funnest winter vacation I’d ever experienced, in my entire life.

Getting back up for school was difficult when Monday rolled around, but I was able to force myself awake when I realized that I hadn’t seen any of my friends since the Tuesday before. Fully recovered but still hazy with the sensation of oversleeping a bit too much, I rolled out of bed and dressed myself simply, packing my bag with many pencils suitable for tackling even the most challenging of worksheets and assignments.

I ate a late breakfast and trudged out the door, shivering as the wind caught me by surprise. The end of autumn had crept up on the town and now the chill of winter had the upper hand, requiring the addition of jackets and scarves to my wardrobe. Eagerly awaiting the rush of warm air, I climbed into the Hummer and flicked on the heat.

Then I pulled out of our driveway and began the trip to school.

When I arrived, there were fewer students outside than usual. Most, presumably, were in the cafeteria, where the atmosphere was altogether less frigid and stifling. I clamored up the sidewalk, searching for familiar faces hopefully. As I reached the benches outside the school, I realized that the people braving the cold were (non-surprisingly) my insane friends who seemed to be immune to the cold. Leah was wearing a summery V-necked sweater, Embry was wearing shorts, and Jacob had on a thin, sleeveless cotton shirt. Amazed, I wondered if perhaps they were all going to get frostbite by the end of the school day.

As I drew closer, Kristina (dressed normally, as she isn’t one of the freaky Quileutes) alerted the group to my presence. At once, Jacob sprang up and pulled me into a hug, overwhelming me with the warmth of his body.

Well, at least he’s not going to get sick.

“Hello to you too,” I giggled as he pulled away from me. He blushed slightly, before rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

“It’s just, I thought you’d died or something,” He glanced at me warily, as if daring me to announce I’d turned into a zombie, “And that’s creepy, you know?”

“Mhmm, sure, sure, Jakey.”

He kinked an eyebrow at me, remarking, “Now you’re just using my phrase to get me annoyed, aren’t you?”

I began to walk over to Leah and called nonchalantly over my shoulder, “You’ll never know.”

j a c o b

Just as I thought, by the end of the day I was swamped with homework from all of my teachers, even Coach Briar! Apparently, over break I’m supposed to make myself able to run a mile under ten minutes.

Please, like I’m going to do something physical on vacation?
As if, sucker.

Not paying attention, I suddenly bumped into someone. I looked up to find the curiously sparkling brown eyes of Jeremy Carrow directed at me.

“Sorry about the collision,” I laughed embarrassedly as I gathered the books I’d dropped as a result of slamming into him, “Although I think you might be used to that from me by now.”

He laughed too, before helping me pick up my stuff.
I smiled, thankful for his assistance.

“So, Heather -- ”

Before he could finish, my cell phone vibrated violently.

“Sorry -- again, heh -- about that, just let me find my phone and check it; It’s probably just my mom freaking about something random…”

I rummaged in my bag before the phone revealed itself to be lodged between my Biology book and my hairbrush. I grabbed it to find one new text message glittering on the screen.
It was from Jacob.

Yo, heath. Meet me @ my house tonite, yeh?

One of my eyebrows shot up while the other lowered, partly in confusion (as to why Jake wanted me to go to his house tonight), and partly in revulsion (to his terrible lack of grammar in the act of texting).

I sent back a quick “Sure” and turned back to Jeremy, who (amazingly) was still waiting to speak to me. Curious and quite flattered that he wanted to still converse with me, I asked him to continue.

“Uhm, so… I’m not too good at stuff like this, so I’m just gonna ask you… Erm, you know that dance coming up right?”

I nodded, a sinking feeling coming over me.

“You wanna… go?”

I titled my head at him, my eyes just slightly teasing.

Quickly, he saw his error. “I mean with me, you know…”

I sighed, a brief smile skirting across my lips, before I let my face become neutral once more. Honestly, Jeremy was not my first pick as a date. Or, really, my second. Or third.

He reminded me scarily of a more mature Chester, which was why I couldn’t quite imagine going on a date with him, even if it was just a school dance. But, on the other hand, I really don’t think I’ve got much of a chance with Jake, so, what the heck? It’d be better to have a date than going alone, wouldn’t it?

“Sure, Jeremy,” I noticed the sudden widening of his smile, and my heart plunged sadly. I would try my very best not to lead him on.

No hearts would break on my watch.

As I walked away from Jeremy, his face terrifyingly resembling that of a lovesick puppy, my phone buzzed once more. I pulled it out to find yet another text message from Jacob flitting across the tiny screen.

Ok. @ 7 pm. B ther, lamo. :P

And once again, he managed to butcher a perfectly good text with his exclusion of vowels and proper spelling and usage of the insult ‘lame-o’.

Oh, how I’ve missed this boy.

A few hours later, my Hummer purred as it wove down the familiar path to Jacob’s house, passing similarly tiny buildings before coming upon a reddish farm-like cottage thing, the place that the two Black men called home. I parked and started to make my way up to the front door, but was interrupted.

“Hey blondie! You’re going the wrong way!”

I twisted around to find the boy of my affections (despite my better judgment) sitting atop my car, his massive legs trundling down onto the hood and even passing over, reaching toward the ground. It bewildered me how unbelievably tall he was, although I’d both noticed the fact when we first met and have been reminded of it many times after, especially when he decides to taunt me and steal one of my possessions.

It’s quite easy for him to hold things high out of my reach, unfortunately.

“No cracking anything about my hair color, Black. Blonde is a remarkably respectable shade and, in New York, is quite coveted and often duplicated unnaturally. I think my hair is unbelievably gorgeous, I do.”

His face broke into a mischievous grin. “How’d you even get hair like that with Janice having such dark hair? Are you sure you’re not one of those New Yorkers who ‘covet and often duplicate the shade unnaturally’?”

“For your information, Jacob, my hair was a gift from my father. He bestowed it upon all… th-three of his children.” I held my head high in defiance towards his harmless teasing, wishing nothing but to drop the subject and move on to a much lighter topic.

Jake looked like he was going to press for more information, but before he could even open his mouth, I snapped, “So whaddya want me here for?” and crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance. I resorted to bringing the conversation to a playful banter because I didn’t want to have to confide in him; I wasn’t ready to ‘confess my feelings’ just yet.

Confess my feelings about anything.

“Well,” began Jacob, hopping off the top of the car like it was something he did every day, “I called you here to talk to you, about… things.”

Curiosity overtaking my animosity, I let a grin hop onto my lips.
“What kind of… things?”

“Well -- ”

But, providing the second interruption of the day, my phone buzzed at that precise moment. Growling at its impeccably annoying timing, I pulled it out of my back pocket and realized that Kristina was calling me. Completely forgetting Jacob’s existence for once, I answered the call and was greeted by an overly ecstatic girl semi-hyperventilating excitedly.

“Whoa, whoa there, girl,” I cautioned to her, laughing at the ridiculous display of behavior, “What’s got you all riled up, eh?”

“EMBRY ASKED ME TO THE DANCE AND I SAID YES!”

Well, that leaves no need for interpretation.

I laughed more solidly then, replying, “I take it you’re happy?”

“Just a little,” said she, before inquiring about my partner situation. I then explained to her my encounter with Jeremy, of course editing out the part where I wished Jacob had asked me. Thinking about him reminded me that he was standing beside me, and I brought my gaze to his face just as I said, “Yeah, I’m going to the dance with Jeremy.”

And from the corner of my eye I could have sworn I saw his face fall.

I finished my short conversation with Kristina, in which we picked out a time and place to go dress shopping (an event we were going to have to drag Leah to) and discussed various hairstyle and accessory options. Then I left her to gush over her newfound adoration of Embry Call.

Finally, I turned back to Jacob, who had left to go ponder at the edge of the woods when I had announced my date with Jeremy. Jogging, I caught up with him and tapped him on the small of the back.

“I know that was a really crappy move to pull, answering my phone while you were talking, so I’m sorry for it,” I tried to mend what damage I might have caused with my indecency. “You forgive me though, right, Jakers?” I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows. “You still love me, don’t you?”

I meant it with much more implied meaning than I think he realized, although his oddly pained response of “Sure, sure” was pretty unreadable.

“So, what was it you were talking about?”

“Oh, nothing,” he said, brandishing his familiar grin. “Unimportant.”

“Okay,” I sighed, looking up at the sky, somewhat disappointed. “Whatever you say.”