My Forever Girl

Naira’s P.O.V.

I woke up this morning fully prepared to be making this trip back to California with Mika by my side, that was the only way my father was letting me step foot out of this house. When I arrived at Sam and Emily’s house to pick him up, there was a surprise waiting for me. Embry was sitting on the porch with a small bag right beside him. Mika came out of the house as soon as he heard my father’s truck pull up. I put the truck in park and slammed the door behind me as I got out emphasizing my annoyance of the site before me.

“What the hell is going on Mika,” I glared up at him, fully knowing what he did.
He shrugged his shoulders and with a sly grin replied, “I thought it’d be cool if Embry came along for this little adventure.”

My patience with him was already wearing thin; how would I survive this trip? “Who gave you the right to invite him?” It’s not that I didn’t want Embry around because I did, I just didn’t want there to be any more trouble between him and Jayden. I was going there to apologize, not start anymore drama.

“Listen, I’m not riding all the way to California and back listening to your One Direction or whatever dumb-ass girly music you have in there. I need Embry there to keep me sane, so deal with it.”

I rolled my eyes at his ignorance, “Yeah, great plan genius. I’ll just show up at Jayden’s door with two giant men trailing behind me, one of which almost ripped him apart the other night. There’s no possible way this could end in tragedy,” my lips dripped with sarcasm.

“I don’t give a flying fuck whether or not that psycho approves of us being there. We’re,” he made a hand gesture between Embry and himself, “going to keep you safe. Now shut up and let’s get this over with.” He shoved past me and made his way to the truck.

Embry stood and hooked the bag over his right shoulder. He stopped right beside me to say, “Don’t worry, I won’t interfere with you getting back together with Jayden.” He smiled slightly, but it was forced.

“Embry..”

“I’m ok Naira, really I am! I promise you’ll never see me lose control like that ever again. If you want I’ll even apologize to him and make sure he knows there is absolutely nothing going on between us. I’ll tell him you’re like my little sister or something.”

Ouch, hearing that was more painful than my body being thrashed around in the ocean. Is that really all he thought of me? Keep it together, I told myself. I needed to at least pretend like those words didn’t cut me as deep as they did.

“Come on, let’s go,” Mika screamed from the driver side, beeping the horn like the obnoxious idiot he is. Embry chuckled at his friend, “I guess we better go.”

“I guess so,” I mumbled, doing a horrible job at keeping my emotions in check.

Silence filled the car as we drove out of Forks. If it remained like this the entire trip, it was definitely going to be a long one.

Mika was flipping through the stations trying to find something decent to listen to, Embry stared out the passenger side window, and I sat awkwardly between them trying to find a way to deal with the fact that Embry and I will never be anything more than just friends. I should be happy he still wants to be that, but still I feel unsatisfied. Thank God your heart doesn’t make a noise when it breaks; because if it did I’m sure they both would have heard it crack. The only good that came out of last night is that Jayden stopped me before I made a fool out of myself in front of Embry. The humiliation and rejection; it would have felt like my sixteenth Birthday all over again.

As if on que, all three of our stomachs growled. “Well than, our stomachs seem to agree that it’s time to stop for a bite to eat,” I giggled.

“Great, I’m starving,” Mika said as he flicked on the blinker and began getting on the off ramp. We stopped at a little rinky dink diner in what seemed to be a small town; it felt a lot like home. The waitress seated us and quickly brought us out some fresh coffee.

“Can I take your order or do you still need a few minutes,” she smiled at Mika, and then at Embry.

“I’ll have an order of pancakes, waffles, a plate of bacon, six scrambled eggs, hash browns, and ummm… Throw a couple links of sausage on there too.” The waitress wrote as fast as she could, trying to keep up with everything slipping from Mika’s lips.

“How about you cutie,” she blushed as she turned to take Embry’s order next. I wanted to gag; she looked like she was in her upper 30’s desperately trying to look younger with her tight clothes and caked on makeup.

“I’ll just have a stack of pancakes,” he smiled politely, handing her the menu.

“And you,” she looked at me with pure disgust.

“I’ll have french toast.” She scribbled my order down and without another word she disappeared to the back. What a bitch, she was definitely not getting a tip.

Shortly after, the waitress came back with a small slice of apple pie that she sat down right in front of Embry. “It’s on the house,” she said with a wink before swiftly turning around and heading to the back room once again.

“I hope she’s going back there to get ours,” I said sarcastically, looking at Mika.

“Hey Em, are you going to get her digits before we leave,” Mika said with a rise of his brows just as I was taking a sip of coffee. I coughed up the coffee back into the mug. “You ok,” Embry asked.

I waved it off, “Yea, coffee just went down the wrong tube.”

“Anyways,” Mika went on about Embry and the waitress. I stared out the window and pretended as if I wasn’t even there. I can’t believe Mika would stoop so low and rub this all in my face.
I smiled a little to myself when I heard Embry say he wasn’t interested, but once again Mika had to dig deeper. “Why not, it not like anything’s ever going to happen between you and Naaaaire Bear here,” he dragged out my nickname and nudged me in the side with his elbow.

I was actually happy to see the waitress come back with our food; I didn’t want to hear what Embry was going to say to Mika’s last comment. Our food was consumed in silence, once you put something to eat in front of those boys, it’s just best to let them finish before you try to have a conversation with them.

After we were finished Mika went up to pay for the bill. Embry laid a few bills out on the table for a tip then looked to me, “You ready to head out?”

“Um, I think I’m going to go use the restroom real quick. I’ll meet you guys out by the truck.”
Embry nodded and headed out. I waited until I could no longer see the boys before I grabbed the bills Embry laid out on the table and stuffed them into my pocket making sure the waitress saw me do it. I’d have to find a way to get it back in Embry’s pocket later, but like I said, she was NOT getting a tip.

I walked outside with a grin on my face, leaving Mika to shout out in front of a few people, “Did it all come out ok?” He began laughing hysterically as I quickly walked to the truck; my face bright red.

We drove for 10 hours straight, but as the sun disappeared from the sky for the night Mika turned off the road and found some cheap motel to stop at for the night. Mika went to get a couple rooms while I sat in the car with Embry who was dozing on and off. He looked like he hadn’t slept in years.

Mika came back dangling one key from his hand, “Do you want the bad news or bad news?”

“Hmm, let me think.. I think I’ll take the bad news first then the bad news,” I rolled my eyes.

“Bad news is they only have one room available.”

“What? The parking lot is empty, how can they only have one room available,” I shouted.

He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know.”

I huffed, “Fine, whatever. What’s the other bad news?”

He smiled, “There’s only one bed.”

“Perfect,” I snapped, slamming the door.

“It’s fine,” Embry said, his voice gruff from exhaustion, “Naira gets the bed.”

“No Embry, I couldn’t. You can have it,” I began.

He shook his head, “No, you take it.”

I could see Mika making faces from the corner of my eye, “You know there’s enough room for two, it is a king size bed,” Mika chimed in. “Take the bed Em, I’ll stretch out on the floor,” Mika added.

Embry looked to me, “I don’t mind,” I replied shyly.

He sighed, “Fine.”

Mika flipped on the t.v. and made a little bed out of the extra pillows and blankets he found on the shelf. I went to the bathroom to change into some sweats and a t-shirt. When I came out I nearly fell from Mika grabbing my foot.

“Ahhhhh, what is your problem today Mika,” I said angrily, trying my best to keep my voice low so I wouldn’t wake up Embry who was already passed out on his side of the bed.

Mika chuckled, “Oh quit your whining girl. I’m just having a little fun with you today, that’s all.”

“No, you were being a jerk!”

“How so,” he asked, brows rose as if I had said the most interesting thing.

“Like at the diner!”

“The diner? Oh, you’re still mad about me embarrassing you in front of the people in the parking lot? Come on Naira, you’ll never see any of those people again, who cares what they think.”

“That’s not why I’m upset,” I mumbled.

His face scrunched as he thought back, “I don’t know what else I did then.”

I turned out my nightstand light and got under the covers, “Never mind,” I mumbled.

Mika got up and turned back on the light, “No, tell me what’s wrong,” he almost looked like he cared. I was torn, I did want to confide in a friend I used to know, but he was no longer that person, I didn’t know whether I could trust him.

“Oh come on Naira. You’ve known me since we were in diapers, you can tell me anything,” he added.

I bit my lip nervously as I looked over at Embry. I couldn’t tell whether he was sleeping or not, and I definitely didn’t want him to hear anything I wanted to discuss with an old friend. “Don’t worry, as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light.”

I turned back to face Mika, “I guess I was just jealous when that waitress kept flirting with Embry, and you weren’t helping matters by asking if he was going to ask for her number.”

“Naira you and Embry are not together. What right do you have to keep him from being happy with someone? He’s not stopping you from getting back with Jayden.”

“I’m not going to ask for Jayden’s forgiveness so I can get back with him. I was fully intending on breaking up with him anyways, I just didn’t want him to find out the way he did.”

“What do you mean,” Mika asked.

I peeked over my shoulder once again to truly make sure Embry was sound asleep, “When Jayden arrived I was literally 10 seconds away from telling Embry I’m in love with him,” I whispered.

“Wow, um. I don’t know what to say to that.” It wasn’t often Mika became speechless, and at times I would prefer it, but not now; I needed his advice on what I should do.

“So you’re traveling to California to break this guy’s heart even more?” Wow, thanks for that Mika.

“No, that’s the whole point. I never meant to hurt him, I just don’t want to end things the way that they did that night,” I explained.

“Oh, I see, so we’re traveling all this way just so you can say sorry. Now that you put it that way it makes so much more sense,” he rolled his eyes.

“Just forget it,” I lay back down and pulled the covers over my head.

He laughed, “I’m just kidding Naira. I get it, I really do. I admire you for doing this honestly. It shows me that you have changed.” Yea, a little too late, I thought to myself.