My Forever Girl

Naira’s P.O.V.

The ride back home didn’t take nearly as long as I would have liked it to. The light shining through the window of the living room indicated if not both, than at least one parent was home. As Claire came to a stop in my driveway, I began debating whether I made the right choice to come back. I didn’t want to face my father; and I definitely didn’t want to face my mother after our heated argument. I knew facing them was inevitable, but I really wanted to prolong it as long as I could.
“Are you going in”, Claire asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“I don’t want to see them yet”, I confessed.

“You can’t hide from them”, Claire laughed.

“I know; I just don’t want to go in there yet. If you have to get back to Quil I’ll just go hang out on the beach for a while and clear my head”, I told her, reaching for my bags in the back seat.

“Oh no you don’t”, she replied, starting the truck once again and began backing out of my drive. “It’s getting late, and it’s freezing. You’re welcome to come crash at my place for the night”, she offered.

“Is Quil going to be there”?

“Most likely, unless Jacob has him on patrol tonight. Why”?

“Nothing”, I replied back. After what I had said about Embry, Quil was one of the only ones who had chosen not to come by and give me a piece of his mind. Embry was his best friend so I wasn’t expecting him to stay quiet about the situation, just wondered if he’d take full advantage of the chance he was about to get.

The knot in my stomach grew as we pulled up to Claire’s small cottage. The light was also on; Quil was indeed home. It’s not like I could hide from everyone, I chose to come back home fully knowing what I’d be up against. I pushed all my worries aside and decided to suck it up and just get it over with.

Quil was already waiting at the front door for us with a wide goofy smile on his face, which began to loosen the knot in my stomach little by little.
“You’re still here, so I guess that means my planned worked”, Quil said as he took Claire in his arms for a quick hug.

“Plan”, I questioned.

“Yeah, I sent Claire to talk to you after Seth announced to everyone, well everyone that was phased at the time, that you were on your way out”.

Claire turned back and sheepishly grinned, “Sorry Naira, but I knew if I told you Quil had sent me, you wouldn’t have even let me give you a ride”.

“You’re probably right”, I agreed. I can’t even say that I was surprised he’d done it. I knew as soon as she pulled up in his truck that it wasn’t just a coincidence. I guess the reason that it didn’t bother me was because maybe deep down I was hoping someone would come and stop me.

Claire poked out her bottom lip in an attempt at her best pouty face before giving me a quick hug, “Are you mad at me”?

I laughed, “Aw, who could be mad at that face”.

“I know right”, she said with a smile. “Let’s get inside, it’s freezing out here”.

“You know, you got your own personal heater right here”, Quil said.

Claire gave a small smile and rolled her eyes as she made her way into the house. Before Quil could follow I grabbed his arm, “I just want to say thanks”.

“For what”?

“For sending Claire after me”, I said, rubbing my arm nervously as I continued, “and for not giving me hell for what I said about Embry even though you have every right to”.

Quil shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing, “I suck at trying to stay mad at people, besides, I’m sure you’ve heard it from everyone else”.

“Thanks again”.
Quil gave me a quick hug, and then lead me inside the cottage. Claire was already in her pajamas and snuggled up on the couch watching whatever was on t.v. The awkward silence set in the moment an unexpected person walked into the room carrying a tray of hot wings. My breath hitched the moment my eyes met his.

“Oh yeah, I kind of forgot to tell you that I invited Embry over for a boys night”, Quil said rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

“I should go”, Embry finally said, being the first one to break the intense stare between the two of us. The inner flame ignited once again at his words. “We can do this some other time”, he turned to Quil before walking out the door.

“Aww Em, you don’t have to go”, Quil called after him.
Claire looked at me, nodding her head towards the door as she mouthed “go talk to him”. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I didn’t want to see him leave. Claire said I wouldn’t be able to fight these feelings that much longer, but to be honest, I didn’t even want to anymore.

My mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts as I pushed through the screen door and out onto the porch. Embry stood at the top stair, leaning against the railing like he was already expecting me to follow after him.

“You don’t have to leave because of me”, I whispered into the cool night.

“I’m just making things easier for you Naira, like always”, he replied back sarcastically.

I sighed, “Embry I just..”

“Look, if you’re coming out here only because you still feel guilty, spare me”, he replied, with his back still facing me.

“I came out here because…”

He turned around for the first time, but the shadows of the night hid his face; I could only imagine what it looked like by the tone of his voice, “I’m really not in the mood for your fake apologies”.

“Embry please…” I choked, holding back the sob that so desperately wanted out.

“Please what Naira? Forgive you, and just forget about it”?

A tear began rolling down my cheek, “I really am sorry”.

“I’ve learned to ignore the stares and even brush off some of the comments said behind my back. Do you know why I never let it get to me”, he paused. “I didn’t know any of those people, so why should I care what they think? You on the other hand, well I actually valued your opinion until I found out all you see me as is just the rez bastard that you’re tied down to…”

“That’s not true”, I sobbed.

“No”, he questioned. “Weren’t those your exact words; you didn’t want to be tied down to the rez bastard”?

“I-I didn’t mean it”, I stuttered.

I wanted to hug him, to feel his touch, but when I stepped forward he stepped back. Embry began walking down the stairs, “Honestly Naira I don’t care anymore, I’m done”.

I could feel my heart break not only by his rejection of not allowing me to touch him, but also at his words. I could feel the beating of my heart increase as I began to panic, “What do you mean”, I asked as the tears ran down my face.

He didn’t even stop to answer, he just looked over his shoulder, “You’re only here for a week right? I think I can manage to stay out of your way until than”.

Just like that he was gone. I stood there alone in the cool of the night with my arms wrapped around myself trying to make my own heat as I played back the whole conversation in my mind. Why did I think fixing things with him was going to be so easy? I never thought the day would come where Embry would shut me out.

I don’t know how long I sat there crying before I felt the gentle touch of a warm hand on my shoulder, “Are you ok Naira”, Quil asked as he took my hand to help me up off the porch.
I wiped away my tears and decided to ask him the one question that had been burning in my head the second Embry left, “Is it possible for the imprint connection to break”?

I was hoping for a quick no as a response, but Quil actually took a few minutes to think about it before he answered, “I can’t answer that truthfully Naira, because I don’t know. It’s never happened before, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen”. His answer was no comfort to me. What if I’d pushed Embry too far this time?

“What happened”?

“Embry officially hates me”, I sobbed.

“I doubt that. I’ve known Embry for a long time and the only thing he’s ever hated are vampires. You’re not a vampire are you”, Quil asked, chuckling.

“I’m being serious Uncle Quil. He said he’s done”.

The slight smile left Quil’s face, I think this was the first time I’d ever seen him put on a serious face, “Fine, you want to be serious, I can do that. I’m not going to stand here and pretend like I feel bad for you, because I don’t. What you said was fucked up; you can’t expect him to forgive you just like that. “I’m sorry” are just words, they mean nothing. If you really are sorry than you need to show him that”.

“How”?

“That’s for you to figure out”.

I nodded in reply. I will figure it out, I had to. The thought of losing Embry was unbearable. I was going to make things right this time.

“Naira”, Quil called, “If you hurt him again I want you to know I’ll be the first one knocking at your door, understood”?

For once in my life I was actually intimidated by my Uncle Quil, “Yes”, I replied.

“Good”, Quil replied sternly, “Now get inside, you won’t get anywhere with him tonight”.