The Only Exception

The next day was a school day, and hell I was not looking forward to it. I knew who I was bound to see and I couldn't even bear to think about what could happen if I ran into one or all of them. So as I said before, I'd have to keep my distance and watch out for any signs of large, tan - muscled boys rampaging around the school.

I combed through my hair and darkened my make-up once again before grabbing my bag and running down the stairs. Again, I was so relieved that Oliver was at work already, but tonight I knew something was going to happen. Because last night when Oliver found me on the ground - asleep after all of that crying, he kicked me twice which was his way of waking me up.

"Guess what I've got for you?" He chuckled and shoved me over.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Well, I got a raise, so I went shopping tonight."

"And?" I asked, but flinched when he smacked me across the face for 'attitude'. "Sorry." I mumbled. Oliver pulled out a long leather fabricated belt that reflected off the light - which showed how thick it really was.

Oliver smirked at me scared face and stepped forward and held his arm up. I flinched as he swung his arm forward, but nothing touched me and I didn't feel a sting anywhere on my skin.

"Gotcha, didn't I sweet cheeks?" He laughed again and shook his head. "I'll wait for a better time to try this out. 'Night, kid." He yelled from the steps that he was now climbing.

"'Night." I whispered. I breathed out a sigh of relief for the beating would not happen tonight, but hopefully another time, when I wasn't in such pain. Emotional pain, that was.

Crawling my way back to a corner that I was pretty used to crying myself to sleep in, I closed my eyes and before I could give one thought to anything that was going through my life, I was desperately asleep.

Flinching away from last night's not so great memory, I walked out the door and ran for the road. Again, walking was not so bad if you got used to it. Of course, I didn't have a car and actually I didn't really need one. Except for the other night, when I could have about died just from taking two steps in front of myself.

I kept my head down and my eyes on my shoes as I walked down the road. I knew where I was going and how close to the road I really was, so I didn't really need to look up at all. Luckily today, Jacob had not come to pick me up on the side of the road... for his third time. And I got to school like any normal teenager would - with the hint of limping from last night's kick to the side.

Once I had gotten into the building - my eyes still on my feet - I began to walk to first period. Once I got into class I found myself staring into his eyes, and I snapped my head back to the ground as I stumbled over to my seat. As Mr. Tamms began his lesson on whatever it was - I was not good at paying attention - I began to fiddle around with my fingers again.

His heated breath ran down the side of my neck and I had to close my eyes to let that feeling sink in. I flinched away and scooted my chair to the opposite side of the desk.

"You know you shouldn't even be in school?" Jacob whispered. I conveniently ignored his question and messed with my hands some more. "Come on, talk to me, Bray." That was close to hitting a nerve. Paul was the only one I was okay with calling me Bray. Why? I had absolutely no damn idea.

Giving Jacob a light shrug I lifted my head and gave him a warning look. "Oh come on, don't go all mute on me!" Jacob half-yelled.

"Mr. Black - eh, do you have something you'd like to share with the class, since you like interrupting it every five seconds?" Mr. Tamms called from the front of the classroom. I could feel eyes on not just Jacob, but me. I could feel the bother that most of them had, and it began to burn into my skin. I wanted to get out, and to just run home, but I knew I couldn't. Oliver would find out I skipped, and oddly enough, he'd care about that rather than the beatings that were almost deadly to me.

"Uh - no. Sorry." Jacob mumbled before letting Mr. Tamms continue on with class.

When the bell finally rang, I grabbed my things and almost flew out of that classroom. I went to the rest of my classes, and of course, kept my attention and distance away from all of the inhumanly large boys. And when lunch came, I found myself in the girl's bathroom, on the stall floor, eating my sandwich - which I could hardly keep down.

Once I heard the bell rang, which signaled the end of lunch, I pulled myself off the ground - wincing in small pain from the bruising of my ribs, and snuck my way out of the bathroom. Looking around I found the hallways to be completely empty, and that's when I decided that maybe I would make an escape... or maybe not.

Grabbing me by the arm, Jacob pulled me into a Janitor's closet. Really? We're going old school now? Jeez.

"What the hell is up with you, Braylin?" He snapped automatically. I gave him a glare and shoved him out of the way. Tough luck, Braylin, he's guarding the damn door.

"Let me out, Jacob Black." I grumbled as I pressed my hands against his chest.

"No, not until you tell me what is going on with you." He protested.

"Nothing!" I retorted and gave him another shove. But boy, was this guy not budging. Surprising me, Jacob pushed me against one of the walls and was inches away from my face.

"Please, Braylin. I need to know what is going on. Just... please." My heart began to hurt as he said this, his voice cracking in whimpering pain at every syllable and word. I swallowed hard, because I wouldn't give in.

"Why do you even care?" I whispered. Jacob sighed and bit his lip.

"Because I do. I just - it's weird to you and it's going to sound weird, but I can't get you out of my head. And just looking at you and your vulnerable self, it breaks my heart and I need to know why you're like this." He swallowed as his face came closer to mine.

What if I let him in? What if I told him everything that was going on in my own home? Would he tell someone, or even use his big macho self to teach Oliver a lesson? No, I wouldn't let him do either of those things for me. But what if he wasn't doing it for me? What if he was doing this for himself, and if he helped poor 'ol little me, he'd become the damn hero of this small pathetic place known as a town?

I shoved him away instantly and shook my head. "I need to go, Jacob."

"No." He said firmly, keeping his grip on me.

"Jacob Black, let me go!" I yelled, this time as I shoved away and swatted at him. "Please, you're hurting me." I cried. Jacob never loosened his grip on my freshly made bruises from last night. Of course, he didn't know what happened, so I couldn't blame him. I was sore and tender, and he was hardly holding me.

I gasped as the closet door swung open and standing there was Paul and Jared, glaring at Jacob. Jared came in and shoved Jacob to the side. I ran into Paul's arms and hid my face from Jacob. I didn't want him to know that this was all my fault and it wasn't his. I knew he'd think it was, but with hardly touching at me, he would think it was him, when really it was my own father.

"God damn, Jake can't you just get a grip?" Jared spat at him.

"But she's my impri -" Jared clasped a hand over Jacob's mouth and told him to keep it down.

"Let's get you to Emily's, okay?" Paul said. I shrugged and held onto Paul as he took me outside. Once we had gotten into the car, Paul pulled out of the school parking lot and began down the road.

"Why do we have to go to Emily's? I asked finally after moments of silence.

Paul shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. "Honestly, I don't really know. I mean, we were all going over there after school anyways and I decided that you should come with."

"Oh." I whispered. "I um - I can't stay long, though."

"Why not?"

"I have um, another family night with my dad." Paul gave me a skeptical look and shook his head.

"Whatever floats your boat." I gave him a weak smile just as we turned into a small driveway. Paul helped me out of his truck and took me into a small cozy looking house. It smelled like something was being cooked, and it smelled delicious.

"Paul? Is that you?" Emily smiled as she came into the room - Sam next to her side and holding her around the waist. "Oh, hello Braylin, it's nice to see you again." She gave me a warm smile and walked over to give me a hug. I reluctantly hugged back before stepping back into Paul's arms.

"Well, why don't you two sit down. I'm sure the others will be here soon." Sam said after a minute. Paul and I sat down on the nearest couch and I found myself getting comfortable with Paul.

"Why are you guys so warm?" I asked quietly. Paul chuckled and gave me a small squeeze.

"It's just our abnormal skin temperature, Bray." I nodded as I followed along with whatever lie could be penetrating in his brain. Suddenly a whole bunch of large boys stumbled into Emily's house and for a second I thought they'd break the doorway with their huge bodies.

"Hey Braylin!" Quil and Embry cheered together. I smiled and gave them a small wave as they found there way on another couch - after grabbing three muffins each from the coffee table. Seth and Leah were next and Seth gave me a smile while Leah gave me an uncertain look, just before they made there way on the floor next to the couch.

"Where is Jared and Jake, Paul?" Sam asked as he looked out the window.

Paul cleared his throat, "Um, they had a little arguement at school."

"They what?!" Sam yelled, wide eyed.

Paul shook his head quickly, "No! Not that kind of argument. Just a verbal one, damn calm yourself - you say i'm the one with a bad temper." I giggled at Paul's attitude but suddenly shut up as Jacob and Jared came through the door laughing and jokinga round.

"Took you two long enough." Sam glared at the both of them. But Jacob wasn't paying attention to Sam and his angered self, he was too busy staring at me with lustful, yet adoring eyes.

"Jacob snap out of it! Jeez, you look like a love sick puppy!" Quil teased, which sent him back with a slap upside the head by Embry, and a warning glance from Sam. "Sorry." He muttered. I knew I was blushing, I could feel the heat on my pale cheeks.

As the others in the room began to talk, I sat awkwardly on the couch, next to Jacob - Paul had left us two alone to talk. Great. So I sat there, staring at Jacob and waiting for him to break the small silence between us.

"Can we go somewhere to talk, Braylin?" He finally asked.

"Don't you always ask that?" I muttered as he pulled me off the couch and took me over to the door.

"We'll be back soon." Jacob yelled over his shoulder as he shut the door behind us.