Blinded

When I got out of Jacob’s car I smelled the salty air and the smoke coming from the distant crackling of the fire. I didn’t expect to feel him pulling me closer to him after I shivered and, though I was confused, I liked the warm feeling that came over me from his touch. Even through his clothes I felt the extreme heat that usually radiated off of his skin.

Someone howled, another laughed as yet another person greeted us when we came closer. “Hey, hey, hey Mariabella!” Embry shouted, and I was suddenly pulled into a tight hug. Despite the crushing of my spine, I was at least warm and toasty. “Glad you could come! Jacob was worried you wouldn‘t ‘cause he always seems so distant.”

“It didn‘t help when you told him that you sometimes wonder if you‘re friends or not,” Quil added. He cleared his throat and made an impression of Jacob: “I thought I made it obvious that we were friends. I mean, I made her grilled cheese, didn‘t I?”

The two boys laughed, and I heard a couple more laughs from farther away, near the crackling of the fire. I was yanked away from Embry and, from the tension and tight grip on my shoulder, I could tell it was Jacob who had retrieved me. He said something rather vulgar to his friends and they just snickered. I tried to hide mine. Yes, I found it completely hilariomazing how Jacob thought about me that way and how good of an impression of him Quil made.

I ran into something hard and felt splinters through my jeans. Before I could either fall face first into the sand or into the fire pit Jacob grabbed me and pulled me toward him. As he pulled me back up he chuckled a throaty laugh. He pushed me down onto what felt like a log and I could feel the heat not only from the fire but from Jacob as he took a seat next to me.

“So why are you guys having a bonfire?” I asked anyone. “Is it just for the heck of it?”

“We need a break,” Seth answered. “And a bonfire is just the way to do it. Plus, I figured it would be the perfect atmosphere for you to tell me how you became . . . blind.”

He hesitated, but it didn’t bother me that much. “Oh, well, okay,” I said, clearing my throat. I was about to speak when I was interrupted.

“Uh, you know Seth, there‘s a thing we have to do,” Embry said. “So we have to go now. Sam‘s orders.”

“What thing? There is no thing,” Jacob protested. I could sense the panic in his voice.

“Yes, there is, you just missed it,” Quil said. I heard a couple snickers. “We‘d love to stay and chat but we have to take care of that thing, maybe we‘ll be back later, I don‘t know.”

“See you Mariabella,” Seth chimed happily as I heard a few footsteps walking farther and farther away.

Jacob grunted and I heard the crackling of the fire get louder, the heat getting more intense, and I heard wood hitting each other. I guessed he fueled the fire and I imagined him pretending the log he threw in to be one of his friends. I just laughed.

“You too?!” he snapped, but then he took a deep sigh. “I‘m sorry.”

“You should just learn to take a joke, Jacob,” I giggled. “And don‘t be embarrassed. I don‘t care if you think about me. I think about you too.” Now I was getting embarrassed.

Despite my embarrassment, Jacob seemed to calm down and he sat next to me with a sigh. A gust of cold wind came out of nowhere. I shivered and hugged myself. Soon another pair of arms was hugging me as well and my heart skipped a beat. Jacob was just full of surprises tonight.

“Why didn‘t you bring a heavier jacket? I told you yesterday that you were going to need a big jacket,” he said, a bit of annoyance in his tone. “You just don‘t listen to me.”

For some reason his last statement sounded oddly familiar, like I have heard it before, just in a different and angrier tone. I did not respond to him because I did not know what else to say. I would agree with him but I had a feeling he would get a little angrier. We stayed silent in each other’s embrace, his arms holding me close to his body, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

“I remember when you came over for the first time,” I said, “you wouldn‘t sit this close to me. Every time you did, you would freak out and move as quickly as possible, like I was diseased.”

I’m beginning to notice that Jacob brings out a different part of me, one that speaks unwillingly at times and talks a bit more. Sometimes it was a good thing, other times it was bad, like now. I didn’t want to admit how observant of him I actually was when I didn’t even realize it myself. However my worry was unnecessary because he just chuckled and moved his arms. For some reason I ached for his arms to be back around me after he removed them.

“I promised you a scary story that day too, didn‘t I?” he added. I wondered if he was trying to change the subject as well. “You still wanna hear it?”

I nodded fervently and he told me the tale of the Quileutes, how they were supposedly decedents of an ancient tribe that were spirit walkers. When a chief was stuck as a spirit warrior he had taken over a wolf, and since human emotions were too much for the wolf, it turned into a man - the chief. Of course, that was the short version. It was long, and the only thing I really remember, the one thing that sparked my interest, was the fact that Quileutes were basically werewolves, men who could change into wolves when their anger and tempers were at their peaks. These wolves defeated the cold ones, the bloodsuckers, or vampires. The cold ones made me nervous only because of the one time I felt something cold grip my arm in my dream and in reality.

I was chilled to the bone and had goose bumps not only from his spooky tale but from the cold. I was sitting on the sand, my back against the log, to get closer to the fire by the end of the story.

“You got goose bumps?” he asked me when he was done telling me the story.

I held up my arm. “You‘re a good story teller,” I told him as I jumped at his touch. He was stroking my arm. He was so touchy tonight.

“’S exactly what she said,” he mumbled. I didn’t think I was supposed to hear that so I didn’t respond. My voice was gone because I was admiring how good his warm fingers felt against my arm as he stroked it. His hand reached mine and for a second he held it as he said, “Your turn.”

I pulled my arm away and smiled. ”Mine doesn‘t have vampires or werewolves, though. Is that okay?”

“What does it have then?” he asked curiously, and I felt the log move as he adjusted himself.

I decided to sit back on the log. His knee was touching mine and some guilty part of me liked it too much. “Ghost,” I answered before I got carried away with the feel of his touch.

“Well, tell me the story,” he said, and I could hear that he was actually interested and wanted to hear it.

“My parents had just gotten married here in Forks and were honeymooning in Italy. They had gotten a room in an old hotel, one that was actually known for having suicide victims coming and saying their last goodbyes to the world there. Despite that, it had a restaurant, dancing, and honeymoon suites - my parents couldn‘t resist.

“The first night they stayed there my dad kept on hearing noises, like someone calling for help, and another saying they couldn’t take it any longer before screams were heard. Mom said she didn’t hear anything and told him to go back to sleep, but soon after he heard various other voices telling him that they didn’t want to live anymore. He swears he heard a scream just outside his window before a gust of wind blew it open. The scream came and went like someone was falling in front of it.

“The second night was worse; this time Mom noticed it. She had just finished brushing her teeth and putting everything away in her little bag of bathroom necessities. She turned off the bathroom light and went back to the bedroom, only to hear a scream. She asked Dad if he heard it and was scared when he said he did. Not even a minute after she went back into the bathroom to do her business, and when she opened the door she found her little bag on the floor, her bathroom necessities strewn across the floor and in the bathtub. The razor was in the sink and the water was running. Dad came to see why she yelped, and after he saw it they went back to the bedroom only to find the pillows on opposite sides of the room, blankets on the floor, and their suitcases unpacked.

Jacob seemed unimpressed at first, but when I got to the razor part, he became a little more engaged. I admit that I did feel smug and I continued the story: “Their last night there was the worse one: Everything that happened the first couple days happened again, only this time they figured out that whatever was moving their stuff was now not afraid to do it in front of them. When Dad was shaving, the razor was yanked from his hand and scratched his cheek as it flew into the wall behind him. Mom was almost hit by the lamps as they flew across the room into walls and out the window. Her suitcase was flung across the room and it did smash her into the wall. She wasn’t badly hurt, but she was in the way of the curtains that were ripped at the seams followed by screams and a man shouting that he didn‘t want to live anymore, and neither should they.

“They began packing their things when everything seemed to be calming down. As they began putting their clothes in their suitcases the door slowly opened, but no one was there. Then it slammed shut. Dad locked it, but it unlocked right in front of him and he was almost hit by the door as it swung open, then closed, and then opened again. Voice after voice, another scream, and the lights above Mom’s head exploded as the door shut and locked itself. When Mom screamed, the door unlocked and a bellboy came in to see what was wrong.

“The bellboy knew what was going on because another couple had stayed in that same room and experienced the same thing, and when the lights exploded in their room a family down the hall had just left because they were experiencing the same things. The bellboy helped them with their bags, telling them to have a safe trip home, and Mom and Dad left that hotel without a second glance.”

I finished and Jacob was silent. I smirked and folded my arms across my chest. “Well? That was a true story, you know,” I said, emphasizing its creeptasticness.

“I know,” he said, trying to hide his shock. “That was just . . . whoa. You‘re a good storyteller yourself.” I heard the slight sound of fabric rubbing against fabric, and he was silent for a moment. “I‘m holding my arm up for you to feel my goose bumps.”

I hesitantly reached my hand up to feel his arm and gently ran my fingers against his warm arm. I hated how much I was actually enjoying it and I felt him shiver beneath my hand.

“Yep,” I said, pulling my hand away again. “Definitely goose bumps.”

“I‘m surprised that got to me so much,” he said. “And I‘m someone who deals with that kind of stuff all the time.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, but I got no answer.

The two of us were silent for a while and I had the strange feeling someone was watching me. It could have been him, or it could have been something else lurking in the shadows watching the both of us, something that was walking closer and closer to us.

“Hey Jacob,” a deep voice said and I jumped. “Hi Mariabella.”

“It‘s just Sam,” Jacob explained to me. “Don‘t be so jumpy. Did you scare yourself with your own story?”

“Stop teasing me,” I muttered to him as I leaned in closer to him. I straightened up and smiled in the direction I thought Sam was in. “Hi there Sam.”

“So what were the two of you doing out here?” he asked. “I hope Jacob has finally told you -”

“Sam, shush,” Jacob hissed.

“Told me what?” I asked, becoming panicked and curious. But I got no answer. “Tell me what?” I repeated, becoming more worried than nervous when the two went silent.

“I can‘t tell her yet, Sam,” Jacob answered him, ignoring me. “I would really like it if we could talk about this later.”

“Why not now since it‘s already brought up?” Sam suggests, and I heard Jacob sigh in exasperation. “You have to tell her before we get into this war. You know what‘s happening tomorrow, Jacob. I doubt you‘ll get hurt, but what if there isn‘t a later?”

My heart stopped and I felt Jacob’s hand engulf mine, squeeze it, and let go. He grunted and I felt him get up. “Sam, I can‘t now.”

“Stop talking about me like I‘m not sitting right here,” I said with a slight bitterness in my voice. “What are you guys talking about? Tell me. Tell me now.”

“It‘s difficult to explain,” Jacob explained to me, grabbing my arms. “I don‘t think I can tell you right now.”

“You‘re going to have to,” Sam tells him. “I‘m not going to make you tell her. Take your time. It just has to be tonight.”

“Jacob this is worrying me,” I admit.

“It shouldn‘t,” he whispers. “Sam, I‘m telling you I can‘t. I still have to figure out what’s going on with me and Bella.” He tsked and I scowled. He grabbed both of my arms. “Mariabella I‘m going to have to take you home.”

“What, are you going to go see Bella?” I asked him. I hate how I get so angry over that, especially when I can’t figure out why. It couldn’t be just jealousy because I happen to like Bella.

“No, that‘s not it,” he said, the anger in his voice clear as day. “Damn it, why do I get like this?!” He let go of one arm and pulled the other while he dragged me away from the warmth of the fire. I heard Sam calling, but Jacob ignored.

“I‘m taking you home,” Jacob said as he continued to drag me.

“Why? What is going on?!” I shouted and fought against his grip.

“Bella, please stop -”

“Why do you call me Bella?” I asked him as I yanked my arm from him. He stopped so suddenly and, since I was still walking, I ran into him. “You called me Bella when we first met. You sometimes hesitate when saying the Bella in my name.” He didn’t respond when I waited for him to. “I understand that you love her. I just wish you would see me for me once in a while.”

“I do see you,” he answered, pulling me towards him for a hug. It was too tight; however some part of me wanted him to hold me even tighter, closer. “All I want to see is you.” He sighed in satisfaction and I felt his breath hit the top of my head. We were so close, I wondered if he felt my heart beating. I wanted him to.

“Just tell me whatever it is Sam wants you to tell me,” I said softly. I felt so warm in his embrace that not even the gust of chilly wind that went by affected me.

“I can‘t,” he said, and then he tensed. “I really have to get you home.”

“What? Why? We were just having a moment!” I shouted, and I covered my mouth. Gosh darn it all! Why does he have to make me blab anything and everything?

“I know, and I‘m sorry, but she‘s after you,” he explains in a rush, the panic clear in his voice.

I was asking a lot of questions and I figured I would just keep quiet. I doubt he would answer it anyway. I just followed along and thought of the possible shes that could be after me. I thought of no one so I distracted myself from his obviously flustered appearance and listened to his feet shuffling through the sand and tap cement. I didn’t process that there was a curb and blacktop until I tripped over the curb and scraped my knees against the hard and bumpy blacktop.

“Crap, ouch,” I muttered as I got up. I hissed when I touched my knee. “I think I cut myself.”

I heard a low growl, then another deeper one, and Jacob hauled me up. “Sam!” he shouted. “Bloodsucker on our trail. Distract her while I get Mariabella out of here!”

“On it!” Sam shouted, and seconds later I heard a howl, growling, and something making trees fall over nearby.

“Holy - ah!” I shouted when I felt something pick me up and throw me over. I fell against the blacktop once more and scraped up my shoulder this time. Not even a millisecond later I felt the rumble of something fall next to me and the cracking of branches, the shuffling of leaves, and I tried to connect two and two together. It wasn’t making sense, but I had a feeling Jacob just pushed me out of the way of a falling tree. Jacob cursed and he got me up and began shoving me somewhere. I didn’t know where until I heard a car door open and I was pushed into it.

“Sam,” Jacob growled. “I can‘t do anything with her here! I‘ll hurt her!”

Hurt me? Hurt me?! It goes without saying but I was scared out of my brains. I strapped myself in and listened to the sounds of growling, hissing, trees breaking, and wolves. Lots of wolves. Jacob had gotten into the car, revved the engine, and floored it. I was getting whiplash from all the screeching and sharp turning Jacob was doing as he took me home. My heart was going to explode from all this intensity and without any explanation for any of it I was going to crack and go insane in the membrane all over Jacob until he told me what was going on.

Suddenly the car stopped and my head hit the dashboard. “Ow, any other way you want o hurt me tonight?” I asked him as I unbuckled. Even when I was buckled I hit my forehead. It shows how crazy Jacob was actually driving.

He ignored my remark and became serious. “When you get inside the house you stay inside. Don‘t come outside for a little while. I‘m serious. You better listen to me this time.” He got out of the car and I heard my door open next to me. He pulled me out and began walking me to my door. “Watch the steps. I‘ll come by in a couple days.”

“A couple days?” I asked in disappointment. “Jacob I‘m serious, you have to tell me what is going on! What in the world happened back there?”

“Later, okay? I promise. Just not right now. I have things to do.”

“Like what?”

He sighed and kissed me on the cheek. “Like protect you. Now get inside.”

I opened the door and he gave me a light shove to get me inside. He closed both doors and I heard him tell me to lock it from the other side. I did just that and I was surprised to see no one home. I was sure someone would be home. When I went to the back door I heard the soft rustle of paper coming from the table when I passed it and found a note. Great. I wished Jacob stayed for a few more minutes so he could tell me what it said. I could only assume it was from Cara or Steve telling me they had to work late again. It was the first time in a while.

I went upstairs when I heard Romeo freaking out and barking at something. I walked into my room, cordless phone in my hand, and figured out that Romeo was barking at the window. I listened closely and heard howling, growling, and rock hitting rock. I sat in my bed and called Romeo to my side. He sat there growling lowly at the noises emanating from outside my window.

Suddenly the phone rang and I jumped at the sound of it. I fumbled to answer it and said a shaky hello.

“Hey Mariabella, it‘s Tyler,” he greeted and I was relieved to hear a familiar voice. “You okay? You sound flummoxed.”

I giggled at the funny word. “No, no, I‘m fine,” I answered him. I did lie a bit. “I‘m just a bit scared because of the crazy noises coming from outside. Do you hear that too?”

“If it‘s a bunch of wolves and a potential rock slide, then yeah,” he answered. I let out a shallow breath of relief - relief that I wasn’t crazy. Those noises were actually happening and it wasn’t just my imagination. Good news bad news moment.

“So what‘s up?” I question.

“Well, Maria, Maria,” he sang, and when I chuckled he continued talking. “Tomorrow and Friday are supposed to be sunny so I was wondering if you would want to join me and my twin on a couple hiking trips.” I smiled. “Would you?”

“I would have to ask my aunt, but yeah, that actually sounds great!” I answered rather happily. “I‘ll call them now and get back to you, okay?”

“Sure, talk to you in a few,” he said, and I heard a click and the dialer tone.

I was about to call Cara until I realized what I was agreeing to. Jacob warned me not to come outside for a little while and that I had to really listen to him when he said not to go outside. Things could not be that bad, whatever those things were. And did a little while mean the rest of the night or a couple of days? Even if I almost did get hit by a falling tree - not proven yet, but I think the feel of the rumble and leaves and branches was proof enough - and hurt myself in various ways tonight doesn’t mean I can’t go out tomorrow with my friends. Jacob was probably panicking about something else. It shouldn’t interrupt my time with friends. Hiking also gave me a chance to see if what I was dreaming about was really the forest just outside my window. I doubt I would meet the wolf boy I always had in my dreams.