Smile When Your Heart Breaks

Leah frowned, circling around with Seth on patrol. It was a few hours after Delia had gone to sleep, but she was somewhat worried anyway. Delia wasn’t the most rational thinker. However, Leah was still quite surprised by what she saw when she peered through the window. She witnessed 10 rapid jumping jacks, 50 fast crunches, a blur as Delia whipped out a jump-rope, then 20 push-ups. Leah parked her tail end on the ground as Delia kicked up into a hand-stand in the air, catching her breath in the middle of the room.

Well, it’s good to know she has some healthy outlets aside from drinking and partying, Leah thought wearily before returning to her half of the patrol grounds. Seth was apparently too distracted with singing Katy Perry to notice Leah’s thoughts, so Delia’s privacy was intact.

That kid really must have been dropped on his head one too many times as a baby, Leah mused.

.*&%$#@!

I went to the kitchen after a quick shower. My plan to grab a few beers to calm down was quickly spoiled by the obvious-but-not-so-obvious-to-me fact that Uncle Billy wouldn’t have beer lying around with Jacob and his friends over all the time. However, upon thoroughly searching my car, I found 6 Red Bulls. I shrugged and chugged.

If anyone asked me why I ran through the forest in a neon dress, rubber boots and a bag of red confetti shouting, “I am a vampire- HEAR ME ROAR!”, I would not have been able to answer. I was angry, sleep-deprived, and hyper.

I skidded to a halt in front of a muscle-y, jock-looking brunette standing over a dead bear. His eyes were golden and his skin was white. I ceased my hyperactive screaming at “I AM A-” and muttered “-shit. It’s a vampire.”

I wondered briefly if I was gonna die before the creature burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard that the floor was shaking. Seriously? I threw the last few handfuls of red confetti into his face, but he streaked out of the way without stopping the guffawing. I glared, then frowned at the poor, dead woodland animal on the ground. “Poor thing. R.I.P.” I told it, before shooting death glares at the cold one again, which/who still hadn’t stopped chortling.

I picked up a rock to throw at it/him, as I saw Bella’s boytoy pop up. A few things happened then. He flew at me, teeth bared and claws out, and there was a WHOOSH from behind me, a flash of brown, and a blur. Something collided loudly with Boytoy and after a moment, Boytoy was facing off with a big red-brown wolf.

Did somebody lace my Redbull? I wondered. Could they lace my Redbull, then re-seal the can? I couldn’t remember anything after that.

.*&%$#@!

“You knocked her out?!” Jacob…?

“It’s your fault. I panicked!” …sounds like Leah…

“Yeah, I set a leech on her. That explains everything. All my fault.”

My my, my cousin has developed his sense of sarcasm. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, finding myself in bed with the others outside in the living room, bickering.

“What happened?” Someone busted in the front door. Paul. I felt like such an idiot for stressing out because of that shallow asshole. I pulled on flip-flops, tip-toed to the window, and slid it open.

SILENCE.

It was somewhat unnerving, but I grabbed my keys and credit card and hopped out. Only to find Jacob, Leah, Paul, and oddly enough, Sam, staring at me. “Um…” I contemplated jumping back into the window, but it was too high and would definitely be more embarrassing.

“Why are you sneaking out of your window?” asked Paul tactlessly.

“Why are you all here watching me do so?” I shot back coldly, and the others shrank back a little. Not Sam though- he babysat me, so that’s not too surprising.

“You shouldn’t go into the forest anymore.” Sam stated. I stared. It was no secret that I detested being told what to do- is that why this quartet was here staring at me? To tell me to stay out of the forest? And how the hell did they move from the living room to outside my window in a matter of seconds?

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?” I felt cornered. I was cornered.

“It’s not safe,” my cousin told me. Um…BULLSHIT! I grew up in that forest!

“For me, but not for you.” I stated, finishing his thoughts. “What makes it so safe for all of you?” I stared at all four of them, all of whom looked like they wanted to say something but were holding back.

“What are you hiding?” I demanded.