Better Than Revenge

"Emily's cat is out of control. They're sending it to obedience school."

My mother continued to stare horridly at my face.

"Mom?" I actually had to coax her to yell at me.

"Where did...how did you get stitches?"

"Seth asked Dr. Cullen to stop by, he didn't mind." I felt around in the air behind me for Seth's hand.

"Oh, my god." Mom gasped again, still physically stunned by my face. "Why didn't you call me? You didn't even say you were leaving."

"I'm sorry." I muttered.

"What kind of cat is it?"

Seth cleared his throat. "It's a, uh, it's a rescue from the city. But don't worry, it has all it's shots."

"They named it Walter." I added with a giggle I couldn't contain. Seth chuckled too. 

"Val, it's not funny." Mom took my chin in her fingers. "Do you realize how badly it will scar?"

I dropped the smile. "It won't be that bad."

"It will fade over time." Seth repeated for my mom's ears.

She clicked her tongue in disapproval just as the phone rang. "Don't move." She ordered, watching us closely as she reached for the phone.

I waited to see who was calling, and based on Mom's fake happy voice, it was someone she would talk to for a while.

I pressed a finger to my lips and led Seth sneakily down the hall to my room.

"Nice save with the rescued cat thing." I mentioned, tugging my hair out of the ponytail.

"Nice save with the Wilbur thing."

I laughed, even though it hurt my lip. "Walter."

"I like Wilbur better." He smiled at me from a comfortable place on my bed.

"I guess Wilbur works." I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and a frown consumed my face.

I paused to stare at myself, flipping my hair away to get a better look. Seth watched me through the mirror from behind.

I sighed. "Do you think it will really be that bad?" I turned my chin to check every angle.

He didn't answer right away. "It'll be okay."

The more I stared, the worse I felt. I saw the pointy and jagged line of stitches and couldn't absorb it right away. Once I realized it was my face, and understood that everything that just happened was real, I felt sick.

Seth recognized the worry in my eyes and raised himself from the bed. 

"I mean, I know there will be a mark, but will it be really noticeable?"

He curled his arms around me from behind, his forehead pressed into the back of my neck. He didn't speak, but I felt an apology seep through my skin.

I took in a breath that cut itself off. "It isn't your fault."

He acted like he was angry with me for believing that. "It shouldn't have happened. If we made somebody stay back -"

"You didn't have to stay back." I said, placing my hands over his around my waist. "They needed all of you, Jake needed you so he could be there for Bella. There's nothing you could have done."

"Don't be stupid." He mumbled, breaking away from me.

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"It's all my fault! I'm supposed to be here to protect you every second of every day, and I haven't been doing that at all."

It occured to me then. I felt selfish for not asking before. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He grumbled quickly, like it didn't matter.

He touched the back of his hand to his nose, indicating a big fat lie. "I hate it when you lie to me."

"I'm not lying!" He shouted. It was definitely loud enough for my mom to hear.

Now I was angry too, but only because Mom would ask a million questions later. "Elena bit me, and when she bit me, I nearly died just from the anticipation of what was coming. You don't know what it's like, Seth. I knew my blood would boil and I wouldn't be able to stop it, but before that happened, she saved me."

He made a face, like I used the wrong word and it was funny.

"Would you listen to me?" I slapped his arm for real. It didn't hurt him much, though.

"I'm listening." He insisted.

"No you're not!"

"Go on, please continue." There was some kind of mischevious smirk on his lips and I absolutely hated it. I wanted to slap it off.

"Forget it." I spat, falling sloppily onto my bed. I rested my head on the pillow stitches side up.

I heard his long and heavy sigh, but didn't budge. "Val,"

"I just want to go to bed now." I said quietly.

There was a short pause. "I'll see you."

I bit my tongue to fight tears. "Bye."

. . . . . . . . 

Jacob’s POV: (surprise!)

The muscles in my legs and shoulders were burning ; and not because I’d been straining them running a marathon or lifting 150 on each side. I was tense.

I assumed everyone else was too. Their shoulders were straight and stiff, which hurts after a while. Sam didn’t have much to say.

“It was a good call,” He had said, “I wouldn’t regret it.”

That’s it. I knew it was because he wanted us to learn to lead ourselves. Why did we need to learn that, anyway? It’s not like he’ll let us kick him around anytime soon. We’ll always be followers.

That’s all I was - a follower. That’s all we all were. We didn’t think for ourselves anymore. Every move, every thought was shared with 8 other people. Soon it was hard to tell who thought what or who wanted to do what. There wasn’t a distinct line between us. We were one. And usually, that would sound like a good thing.

It’s not good when you screw up.

It wouldn’t feel as terrible if there was a chance Val could have been protected. But nobody was even close enough to realize what was happening. We had to depend on a bloodsucker.

Sam probably would have done the same thing over again. He doesn’t trust the leeches any more than the next guy. As long as the next guy isn’t Seth.

I feel bad for the kid. He takes these long walks, no destination in mind. Every time I go over Sue says he’s out or that he’s just left. I didn’t used to wait around for him to return, but one time I decided to sit on the stairs outside until he showed up.

“Hey, Forrest Gump.” I greeted. His steps were slow and heavy. He didn’t respond much. Just a faker than fake smile.

He took a seat next to me, sighing as he allowed his body to rest for more than 30 seconds. “What are you doing here?”

I shrugged. It’s been a while since it all happened, a few days over a week. “I thought you might talk to me, if you weren’t too busy.”

“I talk.”

“One word answers don’t count.”

I made sure not to look directly at him. I was afraid he’d run away.

Of course he tried. But I yanked his shirt back down.

“I don’t want to talk.” He informed me.

“And I understand that. Neither do I.”

“Then why are you making me?”

“Because nothing will get better if you don’t.”

He was uncomfortable now. Not the kind of guy to just lay his feelings out on a table in front of you for your viewing pleasure. “Talking will make it worse.”

“Will it really?”

He ignored me. "Have you seen her lately?"

I nodded, absently observing the big pine tree infront of his house. "This morning."

I made him prompt me to continue. "Is she okay?"

I nodded again. "She looks good."

Seth leaned forward, his head in his hands and stayed there. “You love her, right?”

I pursed my lips sideways. “Uh,”

“Just say yes.”

“…yeah…”

“So what would you do, if you were me?”

I knew how to answer, but I wasn’t sure if it would help him in the right way. “Why does it matter what I would do? I’m not you.”

“It’s a hypothetical question, Jacob.”

“A what?”

He sat up and shoved my shoulder, trying to hold back a smile. “You’re an ass.”

I grinned, proud of the label.

His smile dropped as he shook his head.

“You really wanna know what I would do?”

Seth turned his head slightly towards me, not wanting to appear so desperate for my answer.

“Honestly,” I picked off a leaf from the branch of the plant that stuck through the railing on the stairs. “I would ask you.”