AURORA ☾ Leah Clearwater ✔

Chapter 11... Believe

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Emily

Each one of my steps dragged slow and methodically across the ground, like this was the first time I had walked upright in my whole life. But no matter how slow I walked, I knew there was no avoiding it. Each footstep took me close to exactly where I didn't want to be.

Home.

Even though it was after school and I had nowhere else to go, I didn't want to go home... Because I knew he would be there, waiting for me. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. Dawdling was my only choice as I racked my brain for some way to push him away for good.

I remembered that he had said that if I ordered him—like a dog—to stay away, that he would obey. But what weight could I put in that? Would that be enough? Would he actually obey my order? I couldn't be sure, so I needed to have a backup. My mind tangled up on itself as I tried to come up with another plan.

But any fragments of a plan was wiped from my mind as soon as I came into view of my house and my eyes fell on him.

Sam was there, just as I expected, sitting on the steps to my front door, waiting patiently. I debated just turning around and running, but just as I began to inch away, his head snapped up and his dark eyes fixed on me. It was like he had heard me coming even though I was still yards away.

He stood up from the steps, smiled widely, and waved at me.

I groaned. There was no escaping now so I went over to him. "Why are you here?" I asked, even though I was sure I already knew.

"I came to see you," he confirmed, without even an ounce of shame.

"I thought I told you to stay away from me," I growled back, trying to sound intimidating. "Do I need to get a restraining order?"

He didn't even flinch. "You never ordered me to," he replied simply, though his smile faltered. "But I will if you want. Give me the order and I'm gone. For good."

It was true that I hadn't given him the order. Why hadn't I? I wondered. I should've. I should do it right now. But I couldn't make my mouth form the words. Instead, I spat out, "You're an idiot."

"I never said I wasn't," he said and just smirked at me, calm as could be. "I just want to talk, Emily. Please?"

"Well, I don't," I snapped, but then I remembered my half-plan from earlier. "Unless..."

His eyes brightened with hope. "Unless?" he repeated, his voice eager.

"Unless you tell me why you left Leah," I demanded. I hoped that by demanding the information he had refused to share with Leah, he would be forced to retreat.

His smile fell away completely, and his deep, dark eyes wavered in the light. "I already told you... Because we weren't meant to be."

"I know there's more to it than that," I replied. "Tell me, or—" I stopped mid-sentence as my heart gave a twinge, but I pushed on, fighting against it, "—or you're not allowed to ever speak to me again. That's an order. Tell me right now, or this is the last time you'll ever see me, Sam Uley!"

Sam's face tightened like it was painful for him to process the words I had said. "Fine," he breathed at last. "But it's a long story."

I rolled my eyes. "Then I guess you better get on with it."

He just sighed but continued. "Do you remember the legends of the Quileute? The ones about the wolves?"

I gave him a weird look. "Of course," I said. Uncle Harry used to tell them to me and Leah when we were children. "But what does that have to do with anything?"