Memory Lapse

Sometimes I seriously hate my friends. I spent all of lunch nibbling on nasty carrots while the rest of them enjoyed Emma's homemade lasagna. Let me tell you, this whole being pregnant thing SUCKS.
"Lizzy, eat your food."
"I am, Leah," I snapped.
She rolled her eyes. "You've been chewing on the same stick for the past ten minutes. Now stop acting like a kid and do what you're supposed to."
"Bite me." I was glad I could use my catch phrase without the risk of anyone taking me up on that offer.
Quil sighed. "Liz, you're being more immature than Claire. She at least eats her vegetables."
"Well I'm not your five-year-old girlfriend you sicko pedophile. I don't do what I'm told." He rolled his eyes. I could tell that I was fighting a losing battle because nothing I said about his imprint on Claire was going to get to him. But, being me, I had to try anyway. "I'm surprised she hasn't dumped you for someone closer to her age yet. Isn't kindergarten the age when they get married at recess despite cooties?"
Quil merely smiled and let me have my tantrum. You could tell by his patience that he was used to dealing with little kids.
Embry was the one to speak up. "Aw, Liz, don't be a hating on Quil just 'cause you're jealous."
I shot him a glare. Embry might have been only joking but his words couldn't have been truer. I glanced quickly at Jacob and gingerly touched my swelling belly.
Thank god for Leah. She noticed my sudden silence and changed the subject to a different, more manageable part of my life. "So is it driving you crazy that everyone's keeping such a close eye on you?" She winked at me.
"Yes!" I replied immediately. "I don't get to do nothing. Bella and Dad are the absolute worst."
Blaike laughed. "Even worse than us and our carrots?"
I let out a giggle. "You guys are a very close second. At home, my dad watches me like a hawk and whenever Bella or Rosalie are around I might as well be in a plastic bubble. I used to like going over to the Cullens’ because Emmett would sneak me some real food other than the crap Rose was making me eat but she caught him and banned him from the kitchen. I think they’re all scared of Rose and Bells because no one lets me do anything fun anymore."
"Well," Leah said cautiously, "Rose is the baby expert. The whole making sure you eat healthy was her idea."
I rolled my eyes and threw one of the orange veggies at her. “Well that fucking figures.”
"She's just looking out for you," Leah, defended. I had to smile at myself- there was a time when Leah and Rosalie would rather kill each other than anything else.
"So is your overprotective family the worst thing about having a bun in the oven?" Emma asked as she rubbed my little bump.
"No, having lunatics touching my stomach all the time is. I went to the grocery store with Esme a couple days ago and like seven different people came up and did the same thing you're doing now. Two of them were Jessica and Lauren."
Leah snorted but quickly covered her mouth with her hand. It was no secret that Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley were the two people I hated most in the world behind Jane and Daphney. Actually Jane and Daphney didn't really could as people- they were more like bitches- so Jessica and Lauren were at the top of my hate list. Stupid sluts.
"What did you do?" Emma asked between giggles.
"I would've torn their arms out of their sockets if it weren't for Esme. Bless her, she's such a saint."
Blaike started chewing on her lip. I could see that she was trying not to say anything against the Cullens but she was new to the pack and didn't know them as well as the others so I could forgive her for not liking them. At least she was trying. Back before my ex had kidnapped me and taken me to Italy, before Leah and Rosalie had become friends because of my disappearance, she would have given me a ton of shit for saying that Esme was a saint. The rivalry between them went deep but if Leah could look past it then I was sure that anyone could.
It wasn’t long before I discarded the rest of the rabbit food and made my way back into the living room to watch the game. The TV showed a sea of gold and I wished that I could be doing something fun like going to an ASU game. I sat cross-legged on the couch watching the action unfold on the screen when Jacob walked in. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“Down by seven with less than two minutes left,” I mumbled impatiently. Sure, I liked hanging out with Jake but he should know better than to bug me in the middle of Devils football- oh, wait, he didn’t.
“That’s not exactly what I meant but okay.”
I glanced sideways at him. The last time we’d been this awkward around each other was before I knew he was a wolf and had imprinted on me and he was trying to get me to go out with him. “Well what did you mean by it?”
He shrugged. “It just seemed like you were getting a little on edge in there.”
I arched one perfectly plucked brow. “So you noticed?”
“Just a little, ya know?” he teased. “Anything I can help you with?”
Yes! I wanted to scream. You can remember me! “No,” I said instead. “Everyone’s just worried about the little human with the psycho vampire enemies. Leah, Rose, Bella, Emma, they just need to have someone to baby and since I’m the most… unstable at the moment I fit into the helpless category for them. Erica’s the only one that’s supposed to be my shadow but she’s the least annoying. I’m glad that she’s getting along with Seth so well, though.”
“Yeah, he really likes her,” he agreed. “Hey, listen, I’m sure that you’re hungry and want to get away from the fun police so I was wondering if you wanted me to take you home? We can stop somewhere and grab a bit if you’re interested.”
I smiled sheepishly. “I’d love that,” I answered honestly.