Enchanted

I drove down the roads back to Phoenix not really paying attention to my driving. Sure I was aware of what was going on, but my mind was somewhere else. Not necessarily the safest thing, but I’m sure everyone’s done it. The radio was playing as I drove with the windows down.

My thoughts were focused on what had happened when I left, when I left Jacob. I pursed my lips remembering the kiss on the cheek I had given him. Was that the right thing? At the time it sure felt like the right thing. I blushed even though I was all alone.

I couldn’t believe I was having these thoughts. It was absolutely ridiculous. I didn’t even know the guy. And what I did know absolutely scared me. I was glad I had left them. I was glad they were far from where I was. Then what was that feeling? my conscious spoke.

I shook my head trying to dispel the thought but it was stuck. And so I found myself exploring it a bit farther. Curiosity was a great weakness of mine. If I had to put a name on the feeling, I would say it was something like regret. Almost like I didn’t want to leave and it wasn’t right for me to see him driving away. I’d probably never see him again.

Suddenly the piece of paper in my pocket seemed to radiate heat and I felt immediately guilty for having it. I knew he had been flirting with me a bit. But I figured that once he found out I lived so far away from him, he’d back off. But that didn’t happen at all. He still stayed the same. And then I kissed his cheek. I had probably let him think that I was responding to his advances.

In reality I had no intention of ever calling him. The last person I’d ever want to talk to was someone who was partly wolf. I groaned in frustration at myself. I felt like banging my head on the steering wheel but figured that’d be very dangerous at sixty miles per hour.

Even just thinking that thought made me feel guilty. Was it, could it, be possible that I had feelings for this guy? Granted he was good looking. And he smelled absolutely wonderful, partially like the woods, but all man. And when I had leant in and kissed his cheek, I had wanted more. His smell combined with the feel of his skin on my lips had almost driven me crazy.

My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I groaned in frustration. I could not be having these thoughts at all. I was definitely not a long distance relationship girl, if I even wanted a relationship that is. He was a wolf for crying out loud! There was no way I could ever be comfortable with him. There was no way I’d ever want to be around him. But the simple fact was that I sort of did.

I shook my head trying to erase the thoughts of Jacob Black. I turned the music on the stereo up louder and made myself begin singing along. With the words flowing from my throat and the wind whipping my hair, Jacob Black quickly got put to the back of my mind. At least for now.



I parked my car near the entrance to my apartment building. It wasn’t the nicest apartment, but it wasn’t horrible. I had two bedrooms, a kitchen/dining room, and a nice living room space. That wasn’t bad at all in my opinion. It was plenty of space for me. Sometimes it could feel like too much.

I grabbed my bags before walking up the door and using my key to enter the building. Taking the elevator up to the second floor, I walked down the hallway to my room. Getting out my key, I put it into the keyhole and heard the click of the lock.

I put my hand on the doorknob and hesitated. That sixth sense that you have tingled in the back of my mind that something was off. I quickly shoved it aside though. I was tired after the long drive. All I wanted to do was lie in my bed and sleep. Hopefully I’d forget the existence of the supernatural along the way.

As I opened up the door I flicked the light switch on the wall. “Welcome home!” came a chorus of cheers. My head immediately snapped up from the ground to gaze at my surroundings. I felt my eyes grow wide as I saw my friends inside of my apartment.

“Welcome back, Ally,” said Jessica. She came forward and wrapped me up in a huge hug. I dropped my bags and immediately hugged her back. I closed my eyes as I did and welcomed the comfort of her hug. Right then I immediately wanted to burst out in tears. I wanted to tell her everything. But I couldn’t and that caused a few tears to slip down my cheek.

“Oh, Ally,” I heard Emily say and soon enough I was cocooned by my friends in a group hug. A few more tears slipped through before I was able to overcome the sadness. I still wanted to crawl in my bed and sleep but I was grateful my friends were here.

Soon enough we all disbanded. “Here let me get those,” said Mandy and took the bags to my bedroom.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “How’d you guys get in here?” I asked looking at Jessica, Emily, and Lily.

“You’re mother gave me a key,” said Emily grinning. I rolled my eyes knowing that of course my mother would. She loved Emily and would probably adopt her if she could. I gazed around at the balloons they had brought. They were currently sitting on my ceiling.

“Was this really necessary?” I asked them. “I was gone three days.” Although it seemed like much longer after everything I had gone through.

“Oh, it is completely,” said Jessica. “We weren’t the same without you.”

“I’m sure you were just fine for three days.” Mandy came back into the room and looked around at us curiously.

“Why are you all still just standing here? C’mon let’s eat!” She walked over to the kitchen area of the room.

“You guys have food?” I asked.

“Cake,” Lily said smiling devilishly.

“I love you guys,” I said. I came up and put my arms around the shoulders of Emily and Lily. Jessica got a knife out of the drawer in one of the cabinets and began to slice up the small chocolate cake. We each ended up getting a decent size piece of cake and then relaxed in my living room area watching the television.

Soon after it ended up being a competition with the Wii. It was a pretty intense tennis match between all of us. We were all pretty competitive but we were good sports about it, at least as much as one could be. That’s what brought us together I would imagine. We had all been on the track team at our school and had gotten really close.



As the day turned into night the girls eventually said goodbye and left. I fell onto my couch with a loud sigh. I let my head fall back against the cushion and closed my eyes. It felt really quiet after they had all left. I groaned as I realized I had to go to my mother’s yet and pick up Sita.

Grudgingly I moved from my position on the couch and grabbed my keys. Darkness had settled as I pulled out of my driveway and drove towards my mother’s. I had my windows down letting the breeze ruffle my hair. As I pulled up to my mother’s nice and extravagant home I saw that a few lights were on.

Getting out of the car I immediately knocked on the door and was met by the sound of pawed feet on the hardwood floor. They were soon followed by the sound of footsteps and then my father was opening up the door.

“Alyssa, come on in,” he said opening the door wide for me. I came in and was Sita immediately came next to me, wagging her tail in happiness. “She’s missed you horribly,” my father said as he closed the door.

“I hope she wasn’t too much trouble,” I said as my mother came around from the kitchen.

“Oh, nonsense,” said my mother. She came over and immediately hugged me tightly. “She was a complete angel.”

“I’m sure she was,” I said looking down at her adoringly. She gazed up at me, pleased to have my attention.

“Are you going to stay for a bit?” my mother asked me. “I was just finishing a new recipe I’m trying.” I could see the eagerness on my mother’s face. She wanted me to stay and for her to be able to dote on me like she used to. My mother kept me close to her, constantly asking me to come over whenever she found time off from work. I imagined she didn’t want to see her youngest child disappear from her life.

“I would love to, but I’m tired from the drive and everything still. Plus the girls kept me going. Here’s the key from Emily.” I took the key out of my pocket and gave it to her. She took it before clutching it in her fist.

“Well, it is best you get some rest,” said my mother who was obviously upset that I couldn’t stay longer than she wanted me to. I leant down and put the leash onto Sita who licked my hand gently.

Standing up again I turned to both my parents. My father had a comforting arm around my mother who looked upset. “When will be able to come over next?” my mother asked. “I have off in a couple days.”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to get back to you on that.” I came forward and hugged my mother tightly in a farewell. “I love you guys,” I said honestly. I leant forward and pecked my father on the cheek. I had to stand on my tip toes because he was tall.

“We love you too,” said my mother.

“Drive home safely,” warned my father.

“I will,” I promised with a smile. A year after I had left them and still it was like I was seventeen again. What I had taken for granted before was nice now. Letting myself out of the house I got in the car and let Sita climb into the passenger seat beside me. My father watched from the door until I had pulled out of the driveway before shutting it.

Getting back to my apartment I quickly led Sita up and into my room. “Welcome home, girl,” I said to her smiling. I yawned quietly, stretching my arms above my head. Sita simply watched me, waiting for me to do something, to direct her in some way. “Bed,” I said. Sita blinked at me before moving off to the bedroom where her dog bed lay.

I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth before going into my room and changing into a tank top and sweatpants. I stroked Sita a few times before I climbed into my own bed. Shutting of the light I quickly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.