My Forever Girl

Naira’s P.O.V.

The bell rang, waking me from my dream. Though I could go off to college in California to escape Embry, I could not escape him in my dreams; scratch that, more like horrible memories I wish I could forget. That’s what this latest dream was, a memory of a time long ago, my sixteenth birthday to be exact. There I was on the beach with Embry thinking about how much I wanted to kiss him, thinking these feelings all came from just having a crush on a guy that would never be interested in me. I fast forward to the part where my parents told me I no longer had a choice as to who I chose to be with, because those feelings I had for Embry wasn’t just from a simple crush. I was tied to him for life.

“Well, I’m so glad you could wake up just in time for the end of class Ms. Cameron.” An agitated voice called from the front of the class.

“Sorry Mr. Jones.” I called back rubbing my eyes.

“Ms. Cameron this is the third time this week you’ve fallen asleep in my class. I’m not going to continue to tolerate it. I don’t understand what’s keeping you from sleeping at night that forces you to sleep during my class. It’s clearly not because you’re staying up late studying. Your grades are dropping drastically. I suggest you spend your winter break catching up instead of enjoying yourself, or I’ll have to fail you.”

“Yes Mr. Jones.”

“I had high hopes for you. You seemed so passionate about your major when you started. Is something going on?”

“No Mr. Jones. I’ll make up the work.”

He nodded. “Alright, but I’ll have to dock it for being late.”

As soon as Mr. Jones was done with his lecture I raced out of there to find Jayden who was probably waiting outside the classroom for me.

I met Jayden my first semester at Everest College; he immediately caught my eye. There was just something familiar about him that caught my attention. He was tall and slender. His eyes were a deep brown in the shadows, but when the sun would shine directly on him they appeared as a golden brown which left me completely breathless. He kept his hair a bit longer; sometimes it would fall over his face just right; covering part of his right eye leaving him look somewhat mysterious. He was the first friend I made during the first week of school. I was completely lost around campus until he walked me to class, which happened to be the same class as his. We were both in school for Criminal Justice. We had a passion for wanting to help protect the people of the community we lived in; I guess I got that from my father.

Jayden was born in New Jersey, but claims Seattle as his hometown seeing as him and his family moved there when he was still just a baby. We formed a close relationship once I learned he too did not have a good relationship with his family, well, his mom. Jayden confessed his father was not in his life, I guess he left as soon as they moved to Seattle; leaving his mother bitter. She did what she needed to raise him, but being the son of the man who broke her heart, she resented her son for it. I felt bad for complaining about my childhood after hearing Jayden’s story. I had a family that loved me and the only reason we had problems in the first place was because I created them; Jayden on the other hand had no one at all.

Speaking of a family that loved me a little too much, I had yet to tell them about my new boyfriend. They’d be meeting him soon enough. We decided to ride back home together, and hopefully spend the Holiday’s together, if I could get my family to behave. I got a headache just thinking about it. I could honestly do without Jayden ever meeting my overprotective family, but him being the gentleman he is, wanted to formerly introduce himself to my mother and father; little did he know he was being thrown to a pack of wolves.

“Hey Naira! Did you get caught sleeping in Jones’s class again?” A voice called from behind.

“Yeah, he said he’s going to fail me if I don’t catch up.” I replied just as irritated as Mr. Jones sounded before.

“Yikes! I’ll let you borrow my notes if you want.” Jayden replied.

“Yeah, maybe I can catch up on the reading on the long drive back home too.” I replied sourly. I wasn’t planning on going home for the Holiday’s, but after a lot of begging from my mom and a little persuasion from Jayden I finally decided to go. It calmed my nerves a bit knowing I’d have Jayden by my side to help get me through.

The trip back home was relatively quiet as Jayden concentrated on the road, while I caught up on the chapters in my Criminal Investigation book reading about the different kinds of fingerprints, and learning the differences between first, second, and third degree murders.

“What are your plans after college?” Jayden asked, pulling me out of my concentration.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

“Do you ever think about coming back home?”

I thought about it for a moment before answering with, “I guess I never thought about it. I was just hoping I’d know once I graduated. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I just remember you telling me you came from a big family. Don’t you miss them?”
I sighed. “To be honest, yea I do.” I confessed, admitting this out loud to myself for the first time since I left.

“Then why’d you leave?” He glanced at me curiously, before returning his attention to the road.

“It’s complicated, and I rather not talk about it seeing as I’ll be seeing them in less than a half an hour.”

“Ok.” He replied with a smile.

Jayden let a few moments of silence pass between us before saying, “You’re making me a little nervous to meet them.”

“You should be.” I replied teasingly with a giggle.

My heart raced as Jayden turned off onto the dirt road that led up to my house. My stomach twisted in knots knowing in just a few minutes we’d be face to face with my mother and father, and possibly other members of the family. I could feel the bile rising at the thought of him being here along with them to welcome me home.

As the car came to a stop, I looked at Jayden hoping it would bring me some kind of comfort knowing he was by my side; but it didn’t. I knew he wouldn’t be staying long. Although he did not get along with his mother, he was all she had and he felt it was his job to check on her every chance he could.

The screen door opened as my mother rushed out of the house, dad following slowly behind her.
“You ready?” Jayden asked.

I took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled before nodding in his direction. “As ready as I’m ever going to be, I guess.” I replied.

As soon as I took a step out of the car I was almost knocked over by my overexcited mother. “NAIRA BABY, I MISSED YOU!” She shouted at the top of her lungs.

“I missed you too mom.” I replied with a genuine smile.

“Alright Kim, let her breathe.” Dad said prying me from my mother’s death grip just to take her place.

“You know, if you came home more often I wouldn’t have to save you from your mother.” Dad replied with a bear hug of his own.

Shortly after that my aunts and uncles made their way out of the house for their turn to hug me. For a moment it felt nice being home, and being surrounded by those who love me and clearly missed me, but it didn’t take long for someone to ruin the moment.

“Who’s this?” My uncle Jacob asked eyeing Jayden up suspiciously.

I walked to Jayden’s side and took his hand. “This is my boyfriend Jayden.” I replied.

“You got to be kidding me.” Jacob sneered. “He looks like Em…”

“He looks like a very nice young man.” My mom said, cutting Uncle Jake off.

“Please excuse Naira’s rude Uncle Jacob. Welcome to La Push Jayden! I’m Kim, Naira’s mother.” My mom took him in for a quick hug.

“Nice meeting you Mrs. Cameron.” Jayden replied with a sheepish grin.

“Oh please, just call me Kim.” My mom replied smiling. She nudged my father forward. “This is Naira’s father Jared.”

“Nice to meet you Sir.” Jayden said extending his arm out to my dad.

“Uh huh.” My father replied eyeing him over. He shook Jayden’s hand for a brief moment, before letting his own fall back to his side.

After introducing Jayden to the group minus the two bodies I noticed were missing; he helped me carry my bags to the house.

“Will you be staying for dinner Jayden?” My mom asked holding an extra plate in her hands.

“I’d love to Mrs. Cameron, but unfortunately I’m here just to drop Naira off.”

“Oh, maybe next time. It was nice meeting you, and thanks for bringing our Naira home.” My mom called out as I pulled Jayden out the front door with me.

As I walked Jayden to his car I thought about how things went surprisingly well. I mean, I prepared myself for a lot worse. As much as I didn’t want Jayden to leave, I was relieved knowing Jayden wouldn’t have to meet him just yet.

As we reached the car Jayden spun me around so I was facing him. “Are you going to be ok?” He asked, catching on to my nervous behavior.

I sighed knowing I really didn’t have a choice, I was already here. “Yea, I just wish you didn’t have to go.” I said staring up at him with my puppy dog eyes.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. “I’ll be back before you know it.” He slowly leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

Just as he was about to let go I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck pulling him down for another kiss.

“I have.. to… go..” He whispered resting his forehead against mine, eyes still closed.

“Hurry back.” I whispered in his ear, before leaving him with one last peck to the lips. I stood there watching his car back out of the driveway until I could no longer see it.

I finally built up enough strength to turn around and head back to the house when I caught a glimpse of someone walking out of the woods with nothing but cut offs on. He was tall, much taller than what I remembered him being when I left. He definitely packed on the muscle as well, but still had his signature long hair pulled neatly into two braids.

“Mika.” I whispered, still not sure it was him.

“Welcome home Naira.” He replied, flashing me a forced smile.

Mika was Sam and Emily’s son. He was a few months older than me, and he never let me forget it when we were younger. He became my best friend after I distanced myself from Embry after finding out about imprinting. We hung out when I could convince him to leave Leah’s side. I wasn’t the only one to be imprinted on as a baby, Aunt Leah imprinted on Mika. He wasn’t bothered by it when he found out about everything, typical male, what guy wouldn’t mind dating an older woman?

My heart sunk as I put two and two together, he was one of them. “Not you too,” I blurted out.
Every bit of anger he had towards me that he was desperately trying to hold back came out. “Yea, me too,” he sneered. “I don’t know why this is such a shock to you. You knew before me that it was possible one of us, if not both of us could phase.”

“Mika I’m…” I began.

“Don’t feel sorry for me, I am proud of who I am. If you want to feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for Embry. He hasn’t been the same since you left.” Hearing his name cut through me like a dull knife; my heart ached and I couldn’t fathom it. I spent so much time and energy trying to get away from him, and Mika through all my progress out the window with just one name.

“Mika Stop!” I said, with what I had left of a voice.

“What’s the matter can’t stand to hear the truth?” He scoffed.

I shut my eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears.
“Mika honey, that’s enough.” A sweet voice called from behind, Aunt Emily.

Mika was pissed and I knew he wasn’t going to let me off the hook easily, even with his mother stepping in to rescue me. My assumption was confirmed when he threw one last verbal punch, knocking the wind out of me.

He snorted, “Fine, but Naira?” He paused, waiting for me to look at him before he continued, “you can run away from us and La Push all you want, but you’ll always be Embry’s imprint. The quicker you stop fighting that, the better off you’ll be.”

“Mika, I said enough!” Aunt Emily replied, this time with a sharper tone. Mika took one last glance at me, twisting the invisible knife in my gut, making sure his words cut deep.

As Mika finally left disappearing through the front door of my house, Aunt Emily did her best at apologizing for her son. She agreed with him, they all did, but some were less vocal at voicing their opinion and I appreciated that. “I’m sorry about him,” she replied with a smile, gently pushing a strand of my hair behind my ears. “He just missed you, we all did.” She continued, giving me a hug, as if to emphasize the statement she just made. “Come on, let’s get you inside, dinner should be ready.”

When I got inside I was once again greeted by my smiling mother. “Come on, I saved you some food.”

“I think I’m going to skip dinner and just lay down for a while.” I replied pushing through the crowd of my aunts and uncles.

“Naira wait.” I heard my mother call from the kitchen. I figured she was just protesting the fact that I didn’t want to join in on the family dinner; that is until I got to my room and saw that someone else obviously moved in after I left. The bed was messily made, and clothes were scattered out across the floor.

I was only gone just a little over a year and they already moved someone into my room. I somehow got through Mika’s little outburst, but this sent me over the edge. As I stormed back out to the kitchen, the room grew silent. The only thing that could be heard were the scrapes and clatters of the forks and spoons hitting the dinner plates as everyone ate.

“Didn’t take you long to rent out my room, did it?” I spat, looking at my mom and dad.

“Your mom thought it’d be a good idea to let Embry move in after you left.” My dad informed me, with a look of pure disgust; obviously he didn’t approve.

Enraged, I looked at my mom for an answer. “I thought it would help him cope with losing you.” My mother replied sweetly.

“So you moved him into my room?” The rage was taking over, and if I would’ve been one of the “lucky ones” able to phase into a wolf, I knew I’d be on all fours right about now.

“Your scent was the strongest there.” She whispered, realizing she obviously made a mistake. “Honey, If I’d known it would make you so angry I wouldn’t have offered..”

‘It’s fine!” I cut her off walking towards the door. I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to be away from here. As I opened the door, I was suddenly staring back at the one person I knew I was not yet ready to see.

Embry.