Cause Baby, You're My Better Half

Three days after I got sick, my declared me to be much better. I was relived to finally get out of bed and took that to my advantage and decided to go for a walk at First Beach. It was a cold day so I wore baby blue skinny jeans, a blue and white long sleeved shirt with a hood and black uggs.

“Where are you going?” my mom called from the kitchen where she was just finishing up her breakfast before going to work.

“I’m going to take a walk on the beach, you know, clear my head,” I replied smiling at her. I was still a bit tired from being sick, seeing as I’d had almost no sleep thanks to the dreams I’d been having about Mathew the psychopath and Embry the creepy.

“Just don’t stay out to long, or you might get sick again,” she warned taking a sip of coffee.

“Okay, later,” I called waving over my shoulder. I stepped out the front door and shut it behind me. I breathed in a breath of fresh air and smiled. It felt great to be back outside, I thought taking carful steps down the wet stairs, hoping my clumsiness wouldn’t bug me right then. When I made it safely to the bottom, I started the three minute walk to First Beach.

It didn’t surprise me that there was no one on the beach when I got there, it being the end of summer and all. I made my way to the shore line and stood just out of reach of the waves. I smiled out onto the big, blue ocean and smelled the wonderful aroma of the salt water picked with seaweed.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a somewhat familiar voice asked from beside me. I looked up and saw Quil Alteara gazing out upon the sea, a sad look on his face and was looked to be tear stains on his cheeks.

“Yeah, it is,” I sighed contently, closing my eyes. “So, what brings you here?” I wondered glancing up at him from under my eye lashes.

“Best friend trouble,” was his response.

I nodded. “I know how that it. My best friend betrayed me and made out with my brother who she supposedly hates.” I scoffed. I hadn’t talked to Beth since the incident and ignored her calls, trying my very best to forget about her.

“My best friends abandoned me,” he whispered. “First Embry, than Jake.”

“Wait, Embry Call?” I asked, outraged.

“Yeah,” he nodded, looking at me. “You know him?”

“Oh do I ever, he’s one of my brothers friends,” I growled.

“Wait, woes your brother?”

“Paul Cooper,” I spat the name like it was poison.

“He’s an asshole. No offence,” he added, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

“I think the same thing bud.” After that there was silence, not an awkward silence that follows when you tell your best friend you love him, but a nice, calming silence.

“Well, I should be getting home; mom wanted some help with supper. I guess I’ll see you around?” He asked a little hesitative.

“Yeah, same place tomorrow,” I joked. He cracked a smile, waved goodbye and left. I stayed where I was, thinking about Beth. I loved her to death; she’d been my best friend sine we were in dippers. I knew I didn’t want our friendship to end over a-somewhat-stupid make out session with my ass of a brother. I sighed and decided that I’d go and make amends.

I left the beach and made the five minute walk to the small white house that housed my best friend, her parents and baby brother. I walked up to the door, took a deep breath and knocked. A moment later Beth’s mom, Sherry answered the door.

“Roni, it’s good to see you,” she smiled pulling me into a hug. “Your mom told me you’ve been sick, I hope you’re feeling better?”

“Yeah, much,” I smiled back. “I was wondering if Beth was home.”

“She’s up in her room. Go on up,” Sherry told me stepping away from the door. I stepped inside, smiled my thanks and stepped up the stairs that were just by the door. I walked down the short hallway until I stopped at Beth’s blue and black stripped door. I brought my hand up to knock, but stopped. There was someone in Beth’s room. I pressed my ear against the door and listened intently.

“Paul, you should be here,” Beth whispered in a loud voice.

“I had to see you,” my brothers’ raspy voice said back. “I’ve missed you so much Beth.” There was a sound like something bumping into a wall.

“No Paul, I can’t hurt Roni, not again,” Beth whined, but there was longing in her squeaky voice. I scowled. She wanted him.

“Who cares about what she thinks?” Paul asked, his voice muffled. What the heck? Beth gave me the answer by moaning. He was sucking at her neck! Gr-oss. “Roni doesn’t even have to know about this.” That was the last straw. I gripped the door knob and flung the door open. Standing just by the window was an out of breath Beth and a Paul with his hands up her shirt and I shocked look on his face.

“What, didn’t expect me to be here?” I growled suddenly feeling hot with anger. “You’re a real asshole Paul Jonathan Cooper and you’re just as bad Beth!” I screamed, turned around and ran out of the house and into the woods. I ignored Sherry asking me what was wrong and ran. It was just like before, me running away from Paul and Beth. Man, I gotta find something new to run away from.

I stopped running sooner than I had last time, though and this time I stopped in the middle of the forest, no clearing where a loony can say I smell good this time. I plopped down on the wet soil and pulled my arms around myself. I couldn’t believe Paul, my own brother. He was choosing my best friend over me, over his own flesh and blood!

“God, I hate my life,” I screamed, my voice echoing through the forest. There was a snap of a stick to my left and I quickly shot my head up, ready to scream again. Standing there was a wolf, but not just any wolf; it was the small white one with black splotches from the clearing. “Holy fuck,” I muttered, standing up slowly.

The wolf looked up as soon as I spoke, its brown eyes staring at me with a look I’d seen before, but I didn’t remember where. He lifted up one of his white paws and took a step toured me. I quickly scurried back and, with my luck, was pinned against a huge tree. Just lovely.

“St-stay away from me you monster,” I shouted in a feeble voice.

The wolf looked hurt, but for no reason I was aware of. It suddenly looked annoyed, like it really wanted to pounce of someone and I was the closest living thing other than a tree. Just my luck. It turned its head to the side and looked like it was having a conversation, probably on which way was best to attack me. Man, I didn’t like the thought of dying, it sucked.

“Would you just hurry up and eat me already?” I barked at the wolf. Hah, barked at the wolf and the wolfs’ a kind of-never mind.

The wolf looked at me with amusement, rolled its eyes, turned and ran. Wait, so it didn’t eat me? I’m still alive and hating my brother? Sweet!