The Only Exception

It's been two weeks, and every day that I'd gone to school was all the same. With the adding of worry when the guys saw my hand. I ignored them each stressful day and took it out on the walls when I'd get home. The last day of school was two days ago, and I thankfully didn't have to go just to be bombarded with questions and bothered like any other day I'd gone to school.

But the last day was the worst. Because it was the last day until summer, they'd gone all serious - more serious than before, just because these vampire chasings had gotten worse. And a lot more people would be outside since it was summer, and apparently that was supposed to include me. But I'd probably spend my time either at home with a book and maybe a movie, or I'd spend another weekend with the Cullen's.

Throughout the last week, I was surprised that I'd meet the one and only Bella Swan. She was the awkward type, who wasn't good with new people. But I wasn't either, so I was fair with her. The meet and greet between us was fine, but her and Edward left soon after, leaving me to spend time with Rose and Alice.

Spending time with them got my mind off of Jacob more and more each day. I wasn't using them for their blockage and distractions, I really wasn't. I like these people, or vampires, however you'd like to classify them. They were fun to be around, they matched the same fun description that the pack had. But they weren't as stupid as the pack was.

I had found out about the Cullen's gifts that they'd received while changing. Alice was only upset to figure out that she couldn't see me that much. She'd described that she could see me in a very fuzzy vision. She explained how the picture wasn't clear when she looked for me. Edward could hardly read my mind - he could heard small pieces of my mind, and apparently most of the time he'd catch me thinking about Jacob.

~

It's been a week since summer started, and I mostly spent my time at the Cullen's Oliver's approval was shocking, but at least he'd let me go there and not stay cooped up in the house all day. One good thing - my hand was healed. Other than that - eh hell.

Being without Jacob had it's good and bad turns. On the good side, I'd been able to live again, especially because I'd be home with my father - who was making such an improvement it was incredible. On the bad side, I'd get these pains that throbbed in my chest. They were the worst kind of pain I could go through. The beatings couldn't compare to this.

When I'd get these throbs, I'd stay home, locked myself in either my bedroom or my personal bathroom, and cry for hours. I'd clutch onto my chest, clawing at my skin to get to the inside, just to try and grab at the pain and throw it out the window. But all I was ever lucky with was getting deep scratches on my chest. They'd go away within the next day, but a few that had been deep enough scarred over.

I'd taken this as a sign of Jacob's pain, and no matter how hard I tried to fight it, some days I'd end up on the floor feeling what he felt.

Edward had told me the other day that Bella called Jacob - trying to find out what was going on. It wasn't any of Bella's business to be honest, and Edward actually agreed with me, but still, she called anyone she could to find out what was going on. I found that she was being sweet and did this for me, but I didn't need it. It'd hurt to much to know that after a conversation between Bella and Embry, Jacob had been a huge mess.

Apparently he never got out anymore. He'd go on patrols but never really listened to Sam. He went his own ways now, moping all the time. Embry explained to Bella how Jacob felt. I felt bad that they had to share thoughts all the time, and feeling what other's felt was just as bad.

I'd heard a few howls at night when I was at home, that was when i'd mainly lock myself in my room and cry, scratching at my chest. We were both most vulnerable at this time, when Jacob would never phase. That was his escape. Part of mine was the Cullen's. And I knew that Edward knew about this, he understood when I talked to him about it. He told me that I should go visit Jacob, but I told him it'd be too painful. So he left it at that.

Currently, I was watching Alice and Emmett play a game of chess. It was usually between Edward and Alice, since they both had an advantage with their minds, but he was out with Bella - of course.

Alice had a good advantage now that she was playing against Emmett. To be honest, Emmett sucked at chess and when I'd confessed the truth to him, he gasp in dramatic shock before falling over and feigning a cry of hurt. He was a funny guy and he'd made me laugh... just like the pack could. But now wasn't the time to be worrying over the past, I was over my time I'd spent with the wolves.

I guess I was switching to the vampire side.

I laughed at myself for the thought, the others turned to me, looks of skepticism in each of their eyes. I waved it off and let them continue their game. Of course, Alice won - again, and Emmett stormed out of the house, a large pouty face abroad his face. We waited for him to return, and once he did, I through a chess piece at his face - which resulted in him running out of the house and whining like a baby.

"You're so horrible!" Rosalie laughed at her husband who was outside running back and forth in the backyard.

I grinned, putting away the game with Alice. "I know that." I said simply.

"So what are we doing tonight? Are you staying again?" Alice asked me after we'd say back down on the couch. I sighed and shrugged, I wasn't really sure if I was staying. Alice grumbled and gave me a frown, "You're not staying. Aw, Braylin but you said you would!"

I released a sigh and hugged Alice, "I'm sorry, but Oliver -"

"I know," Alice sighed. She, along with Rosalie and just about everyone else knew about Oliver. But they understood his change and were happy for me. They all wanted to keep me safe if that was ever needed.

"So when are you leaving?" Rosalie spoke up.

Alice gasped, "Rose! Don't be so harsh!"

"I was kidding!" Rosalie scoffed, pulling me into a cold hug. I smiled and hugged her back.

"It's fine, I'm used to your guys' kidding around." I bit my lip, I didn't want to waste anytime driving back. "Will one of you guys -"

"Hop on, little girl!" Alice chimed. She was turned around, and I hopped onto her back with ease. "I'll be back shortly, just have to take this girl to the border again." I sighed, I hated having to live behind an imaginary wall. It was pointless and the Cullen's wouldn't even hurt a fly. Maybe an animal, but a fly was different. And humans, too.

Alice sighed as she ran, "Braylin, stop fighting with yourself in your mind." I gave her a skeptical look. She rolled her eyes, "You get this weird look at your face when you are fighting with yourself. Edward of course, sees it best."

"Oh." I said. I hopped off of Alice's back once she stopped in front of the border line. I really hated having to walk the rest of the way, but at least it wasn't that far.

"Be safe and try not to fall, alright?" Alice hugged me and kissed my cheek.

"Yeah yeah yeah," I laughed. Just to be funny, I leaped over the line and gasped. My hands covered my mouth quickly. Alice look amused. "I just crossed the line. What's gonna happen?!" Alice chuckled and waved me off.

I didn't need to walk too far before I was on the path way to my house. Again it wasn't long 'till I was walking into my house with a small smile on my face. Oliver looked different when I walked in. Nerves went haywire when my eyes found his hand grasped around a beer bottle. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Hi, dad." I feigned a smile. I passed him quickly, but his hard grasp threw me off balance.

"This is too hard." He muttered. He took one huge swig of beer, the same time his grip on my hand got stronger.

"Ow, Dad - you're hurting me!" He didn't let go, I had to pry his fingers off my arm and run upstairs before he could catch me again.

I got into my room and locked the door in one huge rush. I didn't hear his footsteps or any noises and found it to be safe. Once I had changed into more comfortable clothes, I let myself fall into the window sill, watching as the sun went down slowly but at the same time, quickly.

It came fast, too fast. The pain in my chest uprising as the howl got louder. I could hear the pain and strain in his howl and I wanted to just run into the forest and calm him down - tell him I was sorry. But I couldn't. Besides, Oliver had a very small slip up, that didn't mean he'd turn back into what he used to be before he swore he wouldn't do it anymore.

My nails dug into my skin as the throbbing became too much to bear. I let out a whimper as I clawed at my chest. The tears began to fall quickly and in a rushed motion. It wasn't long before I was gasping for air from the large sobs deciding to finally make their way through my lips. The pain got worse and worse within minutes, it never decreased but only increased.

I grasped at my chest, tried to at least. It became a burning feeling now, a burning that never stop even when I prayed to God that it would. I wanted to bang my head against a brick wall a thousand times, it'd be such a better way to endure the pain than have to deal with it this way.

Pain began to subside as I drifted off. It didn't go away though, it never did. Even as I fell asleep, I could feel the pain in my sleep. And it was almost like I could feel myself twitching and grasping at my skin in my sleep. The pain never did stop, though. But it never got better or worse. It stayed the same through my dreams that really occurred to be nightmares.