more than life / jared cameron

07

Veronica

The loudness of the lunch room made my head pound as I made my way over to the usual table that I sat at with Jacob, Quil, and Embry. But today, it was only Jacob and Quil when I reached the table.

"Where's the third idiot?" I ask, throwing myself into a seat with a small thud.

Jacob and Quil glance at each other in worriment. "We don't know." Jake says.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, taking a bite out of my the apple on my tray.

"He got sick over the weekend and never returned any of our texts or calls." Quil shrugs, concern evident in his voice.

"Tiffany said he had mono but I don't understand how he could have mono - he hasn't gotten with any girls." Jake ponders.

I chuckle. "You don't know what he does on the down low, Jake. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Jake and Quil sigh. "I hope you're right.

•••

The day has been grueling without Embry there to crack a joke and make me smile - he was the only one that was able to do that some days.

So it was safe to say that by the time I trudged up my steps, I was in a fairly bad mood.

I yanked open the front door and immediately threw my bag onto the floor, my shoes following suit quickly there after. I gently closed the front door, not wanting to face Harry's wrath today. Ever since yet another bitch fest between Leah and myself this morning, he'd been in a bitter mood.

I take a step towards the kitchen but the voices inside stop my advance.

"What do you mean, Sam?" My uncle's voice echoes out into the hallway. His tone is strong but hints of concern and worry bleed through.

"Embry turned," Sam's voice is low, as if he's conveying a secret to Harry.

"What - that's impossible! He's not Quileute. Tiffany is Makah." Harry says, the confusion isn't hard to pick up. "How could this be?"

"Unless his father . . ." Sam's voice dips into a whisper, pulling me forward as I try to hear what he's saying.

My hips slams into the end table, pushing it up against the wall with a thud. The voices in the kitchen cease immediately, whatever they were talking about was important.

Mentally cursing myself, I peak my head around the corner and send the two men a tense smile.

"Just got home from school," I say, trying to make my voice sound convincing. "What are y'all talking about?"

"I don't think that's your business, Veronica," Harry says, his eyes narrowing at the sight of me. The cold look in his eyes confirms my beliefs that what they were talking about was a serious matter.

"If it's about my friend then it is my business, Uncle." I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "What has he turned into?"

"Ronnie," Sam speaks up for the first time since my entrance, his voice laced with pleading. "Please, let it go."

"Why?" I question. "If he's in trouble, I want to help."

"He's in no trouble, Ron." My uncle says, moving to meet me in the doorway. His hand finds the small of my back before leading me to the staircase. "Please go to your room."

"But Embry — "

"Don't worry about him, sunshine." Harry says genuinely. "He'll be alright."

The genuineness in his voice and the twinkling look in his eyes is enough to convince me. If Embry was in peril danger, Harry would tell me. And if he was, my uncle wouldn't be worried.

As I advance up the stairs, I can't help but still feel a drop of worry about my friend. He was going through something — and something big — and it was obvious that it was a secret.

But I didn't understand how my uncle and my almost cousin-in-law were involved.

As soon as I closed my bedroom door behind me, it opened again quickly. Turning, I see Leah standing at the door — tears welling up in her brown orbs.

"What's wrong?" I ask quickly as she re-shuts my door and drags herself over to my bed.

Throwing herself on top of the neatly folded duvet, head tears begin dripping down her cheeks. "He's downstairs."

Realization hits me like a truck, guilt pulling at the string of my heart. I didn't even think about how Sam being in the house would effect Leah — I didn't even think that she was home.

"Leah . . . " I say gently, sinking into the spot next to her. She instantly curls into my side, head tucked into my arm.

"I just don't understand why he needs to be here," she cries. "Or why dad seems perfectly okay with him after what he did."

Memories flash through my mind at the mention of the past.

Leah slams the front door, a loud sob echoing through the entry hall. We all peak our heads in, seeing her slide down the door with her head in her hands.

"He left me," she cries loudly, the engagement ring shining in the light. "He's left me for her!"

Sue ran up to Leah, her arms encasing her daughter's shoulders as sobs rip through her.

"Who left you?" Sue asks — even though we all knew the answer — as she looks back at us with a worried glance.

"Sam!" Leah says, another round of tears slipping down her cheeks. "For, of all people, Emily!"

A set of sobs, similar to the ones from my memory, tear me back into the present day. I look down at Leah, her face splotchy and wet, as my fingers lightly dance up and down her back.

"It sounded like council matters," I whisper, hoping that I can help soothe her aching. Even if Leah and I butted heads the majority of the time, seeing the closest thing I had to a sister in pain was enough to make me hurt too.

"What does that have to do with it!?" Leah gasps, hands gripping my arm.

I wince at the pain of her nails digging into my skin. "It means that your dad has to deal with it — not like he wants to be near Sam after he left. Harry was enraged when he found out."

Leah shakes her head, fingers still clinging to my arm as I speak.

"He'd never be near Sam unless he had to be, you know that." I speak, holding Leah closer to me as her sobs begin to weaken. "Your dad loves you so much, Leah. He'd never hurt you like that."

And so the rest of my night ticked by, my arms around Leah as we lay in my bed. My hands rubbing her arms and back as the day turned to night.

I now understood the pain she felt. I wished I could erase it all from her — just like how I hoped I could do the same for myself.

But memories stay forever, and the pain that comes with them never fades.