No Way to Say Goodbye.

“Cookies, really?” He eyed her.

Glaring in defense, Hannah explained, “I’m not really sick. I just,” she gave a small laugh, “you know what…I don’t even know. Now, go get that flour Mr. Tallness.” She winked.

Doing what he was told, he let it slam by her side with a loud thud! With her mouth agape, hands on her hips, and eyes halfway open she opened the bag of flour and instead of throwing it in Jacob’s face she took the scoop and plopped it into the bowl before turning and giving him a maliciously dangerous smile. With his hands leaning on the counter he began to laugh.

“So I was thinking,” He started nervously.

“Oh no, does it hurt?” She smiled still looking at the ingredients.

“Wow,” he couldn’t help but laugh as well. “That’s so old.”

Shaking her head, and stirring she disapprovingly said, “nothing wrong with that,” before turning to face him.

He shrugged his shoulders casually. In truth there was nothing wrong with that and he loved the fact Hannah was able to say what she felt, even if it were corny or just plain outrageous. He also liked that she had just dipped her finger into the cookie batter and gave a seductive groan, making his arms go rigid all the way down to his fingers.

“It tastes so good,” she tried to hid that smile.

Moving so that he was halfway behind her, Jacob announced that he wanted to try some. Taking a huge clump he also smudged some of it across Hannah’s face before shoving it into his mouth to agree that she had made this batter fairly amazingly.

His eyes had been closed from the delightful taste in his mouth when he heard a certain someone clear her throat. He opened an eye and lazily stuck out his tongue. He could see that she hadn’t wiped the mess off of her face yet. Plenty of things had started to run through his mind. Maybe he should get a wet paper towel and help clean it off or he could just lick it off. So, Jacob sighed and grabbed on to her shoulders acting like he was going to apologize to her for what he’d done but in fact what he did had her surprised.

His smiling lips connected to her cheek in attempt to lick it off. Her hands challenged to shove him aside to clean it herself, but with all the laughing she was doing it was damn near impossible. Besides it probably would have been a funny sight to see.

“Ew, dog germs,” she teased when he finally stopped, for a second.

Eyes wide, pretending to be hurt he replied, “dogs have cleaner mouths anyways,” before lightly touching her nose, making her scrunch up her face.

Glaring, she went to turn to face the window and grab out a large spoon. However when she circled, Jacob was standing in front of the bowl that contained the batter. His eyes looked down to hers and she could feel her fingers rub nervously against her palm. He was smiling, but serious at the same time. Very badly did she want to kiss him, yet she didn’t want it to get serious. They were having fun and personally Hannah didn’t ever want it to end, not right now.

Finally Jake got the hint and snatched the spoon from her hands in a playful manner before cupping some mix and placing it on the cookie sheet to the side. Doubled over in laughter, Jacob spun around to see that Hannah’s head was basically in between her legs because she could stop giggling. What she was laughing at he had no idea, but he decided to give a few chuckles.

“Why are we laughing?”

Pointing to the baking sheet Hannah answered trying to calm down, “those are huge balls Jake. They need to be smaller.”

Wavering his eyes shut he displayed a smug smile on his face trying to think of something to say to that but failing. He rubbed up and down his face a couple times and really got to laughing. A few minutes later Hannah was able to stand up correctly and help show him the proper size to make cookies.

“Why, you don’t like ‘em big?”

Wiping away a tear she then rose an eyebrow, “not as big as you apparently.”

By the time they had made a whole plate full of warm cookies, she showed Jacob her room. He marveled at how nice it was. He loved how above her computer there were these square things where one held a little candle, another a small lamp and the one closest to where her desk there was a picture of her and Jeremy. He walked over to it, and picked it up before spinning around to show it to her.

“You still have this?” He was getting upset, but let her explain.

“Well yeah. He was one of my best friends Jake,” she answered honestly getting up from her bed and walking over to him to place a hand on his arm, “but I think I need a new one wouldn’t you say so?”

Nodding big he agreed, “indeed, and I know just the picture.”

Each tree looked the same to her. They were all green, tall and smelled of that perfect winter pine. It especially made her think of when she first arrived into Washington and how the air smells like it is infested with trees and nature. But Hannah liked this very much, so it wasn’t too much of a bother. Her grandmother and grandfather were holding hands as they walked from tree to tree saying that it was either too short or didn’t have enough fullness to it.

By the time it had reached three o’clock, meaning they’d been there for three hours Hannah had stopped to tie her shoe lace and upon her standing up she ran into the perfect one. Calling out to her grandparents they simply agreed that she was right and paid for it. As the nice muscular Tacoma Boys* loaded it inside while her grandparents waited for Hannah to come back from paying—her treat—one of them stopped her.

“Hey,” he said almost too huskily.

Not interested with the twenty six year old she replied, “uh hello.”

“What’s your name?”

Shaking her head from his strangeness she asked, “what for?”

“Cause, I just want to know.” He gave a small laugh.

“It’s Hannah,” she nodded her head a few times before pivoting to head towards the truck.

His hand grabbed her wrist as his eyes searched over her body, “I’m Royce.”

Taken aback by this guys sudden interest in her Hannah asked quite bluntly, “and exactly how old are you?”

He snorted, “I’m only eighteen. Why do I look older?”

“Um, sadly yes. But hey look, nice to meet ya,” she said trying to pull away but he sucked her back towards him.

“Would you wanna hang out sometime?” He asked, finally giving her a sincere and nice smile.

Sighing impatiently, she mentally told herself to just be nice to the poor guy. He couldn’t help his overactive hormones, “sorry, I live far from here.”

“Where?”

This guy just wasn’t giving up was he. Looking over his body now Hannah had to agree that Royce was mighty fine. His personality was a little too forward for her taste but at least he was trying to talk to her whereas most guys wouldn’t even budge or look in her direction. Was she ugly? Or intimidating?

By this time her grandfather had yelled that they were ready to go whenever she was. Looking to her grandfathers face in the side mirror she turned to Royce, “I got to go.”

“Please, just tell me.”

“Forks, I live in Forks,” she sort of snapped.

He let go of her hand and fumbled with his beanie that was now in his hands. He looked nervous, afraid. It was starting to freak Hannah out. When he replaced the nervousness with pure sadness Hannah lowered her tensed shoulders. This guy was sure in your face but he was only trying. Nothing to slap herself later for this she asked if he had a cell phone so they could exchange numbers. She hurriedly gave hers to him and ran off. Afraid to look back, she stopped just before opening the door and paused before getting inside. However, she did look back through the side mirror to see him smiling like a little kid at Christmas time.

Making it home around five thirty, Addison and Hannah told Maggie to go and call everyone who would be coming over for dinner tonight and that they would get the tree settled. When they got it inside Hannah suggested it go on the other side of the recliner incase the fireplace were to spark it wouldn’t catch on fire.

When the clock read six, Addison went to go and help Maggie in preparing dinner. This left Hannah and a huge container of decorating items by themselves. She rubbed her hands together and smiled evilly. This was going to be fun.

With her tongue slightly sticking out, and the foot high stool not helping her place the bright and shiny gold star at the top she felt pleasurably warm hands grasp her sides and give her a boost. Once carefully placed on the ground Hannah turned to thank her helper—Paul.

“No problem little one,” He nudged her lightly. “Looks awesome.”

“Thanks,” she boasted standing next to him to speculate the tree, “did it all by myself.”

“Well, that tree just says Hannah doesn’t it?” A voice was heard behind the two making them turn and see a very sexy looking Jacob, well to Hannah anyway.

He was wearing a longer sleeved black shirt, and dark perfectly fitting jeans. Smirking his way, Hannah jogged over to him and opened her arms desperate for his embrace. His arms circled around her hair and pulled her closer to him, “happy to see me?” He asked laughing.

“Mhmm,” she returned blushing.

Paul had walked by, and patted Jake’s shoulder before saying, “well I basically did the star.”

“Huh?” Jacob asked.

Hitting Paul’s arm as he walked away laughing she turned to Jacob to explain, “oh I was trying to put it on top but we don’t have a tall enough stool, so he lifted me up to reach.”

Examining her body, Jacob soon was swept over with jealousy. He would have wanted to help her do that. He pouted, unaware that he was actually doing it on the outside.

“What’s the matter?”

“I—“

“C’mon you two, it’s time to eat,” Embry and Quil both appeared at the doorway from the dining room.

“Tell me later?” She asked as she pulled Jacob alongside her.

With the numerous families gathered around the two tables that managed to fit superbly in the dining room, Hannah smiled. She was so happy at this point in time. Her parents were probably either working right now or sitting emotionless, lifeless at the table while they sat in silence. Shaking her head from those thoughts were her grandmothers sudden, and loud words, telling everyone that Hannah had picked out the tree after hours of searching. They all laughed, obviously knowing that Hannah’s grandparents did that sort of thing.

“Oh, and Hannah who was that boy?”

Nearly choking on her water she covered her mouth to swallow and then asked, “what boy?”

“You know, the boy who you were talking to?

Looking at her table which consisted of all the younger guys she shook her head and made the ‘cut it out’ signal, “it was no one grandma.”

It was obvious her grandmother had been drinking some wine, because the next thing that came from her mouth made Hannah’s heart beat faster, “then why did you tell him where you lived?”

One of her eyes twitched as she heard a few snorts in the opposite direction. Obviously Paul and Quil found this to be hilarious. Even though she did not.

“Ha grandma. Always the comedian,” she pushed her grandmother lightly.

“Miss Hannah—“

“Maggie, stop.” Addison said giving Hannah a wink.

Turning to see a tight smug expression on Paul’s face, Hannah gave his shin a little present. Covering her face with her free hand, that had once been placed in Jacob’s she knew he was going to make this a big deal. Sam had whispered across the table to mind his temper, but when he couldn’t by Sam’s words Hannah placed her hand on his leg and smoothed in along his thigh a few times telling him to stay calm.

Seth’s face, so innocent and cute looked utterly confused. Tapping his cheek, Hannah told him that her grandmother was giving her a hard time and that the guy was too desperate for Hannah anyways. He soon looked to feel better, but ever so often he’d look over at Hannah who would put on a smile for him. She felt bad doing so, but she always felt bad when it came to stretching the truth because even though Royce was desperate and although she did not like desperation, he was still very attractive and around the same age range as her.

After she’d excused herself to go to the bathroom, and made it halfway up the stairs, that were thankfully on the other side of the house she heard someone yell behind her, “Hannah, do you like me?”