"What if I don't want to go to school?" I ask crossing my arms and cocking my head to the side.
"You have to, it's illegal not to." Bella replies. I huff a sigh.
"What if I can't do any of the work because I lived in the woods, since 3rd grade?" Cocky attitude start to surface.
"Then they'll give you easier work."
"What if I can't even do that?"
"You're going to school and that's final." Emmett says. I stand up from my spot on the couch and cock out my hip with my arms crossed in front of my chest. He glares at me only to receive a bitchy one from me.
"I'm a flight risk, even on the second floor. Any open windows, the first chance I get, I'm running." I smirk walking out bumping harshly into Emmett's shoulder letting him know not to piss me off.
***************************************************************************************************************
Carlisle nods at me and I extend my arm. He readies a syringe then I jerk my arm back.
"I can control it, even if it is a full moon. I promise." I state.
"I guess we can try, but if you lose control-" He starts. "I know, back to the vervien." I finish.
"Yes, that goes for tonight and every other full moon for the next year."
"Why a year?"
"So we know that you have control over it for sure."
"Like an experiment?"
"Yes."
"So if I maintain control for one year straight, we're done with the vervien?"
"Correct."
"I can do it. No problem."
***************************************************************************************************************
I stare out the window at the moon watching rain drops as they fall from the sky. My legs against my chest, my hands intertwined with one another around my legs, my head rested sideways on my knees. I have total control. Nothing can change that. The rain starts to fall harder as the clouds begin to shelter the moon, thunder rolls as the lightning cracks. I turn my head and bury it in my knees. I rock back and forth slowly, calming myself. Jake's arm snakes its way across my back and around my waist. He pulls me over to his shoulder and turns on the TV. I release my grip on my legs and let them slide off the couch. I scooch away a little and rest my head on his lap.
"Are you okay?" Jacob asks with a genuine sympathy.
"Yeah, I'm tired. That's all." I whisper taking his hand in mine. His body heat is comforting. The sound of his breathing, soothing. His gentle touch, calming.
"Wanna go to bed?" He says snapping me out if my thought.
"Carry me?" I ask snaking my arms around his neck. He carries me to the room princess style and gently lays me on the bed. I peel of my jacket and curl up to my pillows. Jake takes of his shirt and climbs in bed next to me. I turn to face him and tiredly smile. I turn back to my other side and Jake rests his arm over my torso. He kisses my cheek and whispers a soft 'goodnight' before I drift away.
***************************************************************************************************************
JACOB
I don't know how to feel about this. El's getting better at control, but she's not as energetic anymore. Now she's always in the corner sleeping, or in the bedroom sleeping. I've gotta find a way to get her back. I don't know if I should feel happy, or be worried. She going back to the way we found her in the woods, always tired, barely talks, only thing that's different is she has control. El needs her untamed power when the Volturi show up, which isn't long.
"Jake?" She asks snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah."
"What's wrong?"
"I was wondering the same about you."
"What do you mean?" She cocks her head to the side. I walk over and sit beside her.
"Look." I take her arm in my hand and show her the marks. Black marks shooting up her arms like lighting bolts. Her eyes widen with fear.
"What is it?" Her voice starts to shake.
"I don't know, Carlisle isn't sure about it either." I lace my fingers through hers.
"It's getting worse, isn't it?" El's head drops slowly. I gently squeeze her hands.
"It's gonna be okay, don't worry." I pull her head to my shoulder. She wraps her arms around my neck and starts to cry. I rub her back and hold her closer. "You're gonna be okay."
Her sniffles die down slowly as her arms slide down to my chest. She curls up and slightly rocks. I hold her head in one of my hands and wrap the other around her. Elizabeth slides her hands down and squeezes my sides.
"You okay?" I ask. She doesn't answer. "El?"
"What?" She mutters.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine, I quess. Just a little tired."
"That's not what it is, I know better."
"My stomach hurts a little, but that's it."
El moves her arms and rubs them snuggling closer.
"Are you cold?" I ask. She nods as her teeth start to chatter. I grab my jacket off the floor and wrap it around her. I pull her closer before draping a blanket over her. The corners of her mouth tug up into a small smile as her eyes close.
************************************************Three Days Later********
ELIZABETH
I'm still not getting any better, worse actually. Jacob monitors me closely, like he's afraid that something bad could happen to me at any second. I don't blame him, but it makes me more worried. I mean, I'm scared enough already. When Jake gets scared, I know that something's bad, it isn't normal for him to act like this. Jake normally doesn't leave my side, which isn't really hard, I barely ever leave my spot on the bed. During the day he sits beside me, at night he holds me closer than what he used to. I think I like this Jake better, even though it's the same Jake, just always there instead of leaving for 5 minutes every now and then. I'd probably enjoy it more if I wasn't in my condition, scratch that, I would.
"How bad does it hurt?" Jake asks rubbing my arm.
"It doesn't." Total lie.
"You're lying." He sighs.
"It barely hurts." I shrug.
"Elizabeth." His voice is still soft, just a little more annoyed. I just don't want him to worry that's all.
"Fine, it hurts, but I can handle it."
"Let me see your arm." I hold my arm out, he lets out a sigh when he's sees that the marks have gotten worse.
"Jacob I'm-" Suddenly a sharp pain shoots through my side making me sit up and hunch over clutching my stomach. Jacob holds my hair back with one hand and rubs my back with the other. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and slowly lay back down. He looks at me his eyes filled with worry.
"No you're not." He sighs. I grab a strand of my hair and play with it avoiding eye contact. "You're getting worse by the second."
He pulls the hand play with my hair away and holds it rubbing the pad of his thumb against my knuckles. I start to doze off, but then the sharp pain returns. I sit up clutching my side, the pain starts to be to much. I wince as tears slide down my face. Jake sighs at knowing that there's nothing he can do to help. The pain dies down as I slowly pull my arm away and slide back down to the bed. Jake lies his hand on my stomach and rubs in small circles. I slowly intertwine my hand with his. He forces a smile then kisses my forehead.
"Jacob?"
"I'm right here."
"I love you." I whisper squeezing his hand.
"Try to get some sleep." He pecks my lips. "I love you too."
***************************************************************************************************************
JACOB
Over the Phone: "Carlisle she getting worse by the second, and I can't help her."
"I'm sorry Jacob but there isn't much I can do for her either."
"Do you know how to slow it down at least?" I look over El curled into a ball breathing heavily.
"Possibly, but it's very unlikely."
"There's still a chance."
I walk over and sit at my girlfriend's side. "It hurts." She says through the tears. My heart is literally crushed.
"I know, I know." I swipe hair out of her face and pull her to my lap. "It hurts just seeing you like this."
Suddenly sit shoots up holding her stomach. I instinctly hold her hair back with one hand and rub her back with the other. She coughs, but nothing happens. El stays hunched over for a few minutes until the pain dies down. Her breathing still heavy. She rests her head on my shoulder as a few tears fall. I rub the back of her neck calming her. After a brief moment I feel her tense again. I hold her hand in mine trying to comfort her. She eases, but just as fast as she does she hunches over again. I take the hair tie of her wrist and pull her hair back. El whimpers almost silently, I look at the ceiling and sigh. I continue rubbing her back until she slowly sits up. She looks at me, eyes wet with tears, I wipe one away with my thumb. She purses her lips slowly letting them roll back out. Her lips slowly tug up into a smile.
"I'm sorry." I whisper.
ELIZABETH
"I'm sorry." He whispers.
"For what?" I ask rubbing his bicep.
"Everything."
"Jake, you haven't done anything wrong. It's probably just my body still trying to heal from getting flung down stairs."
"El, that was 8 years ago, I highly doubt that you're still healing."
"Well then, just stop being so hard on yourself because of me. It'll make it a lot easier for me." I wrap my arms around his neck. "Okay?" I ask.
"I'll try." He sighs putting his hands on my waist.
"No. You will." I press my lips against his.
***************************************************************************************************************
"How bad is it?" I ask.
"Worse." Jake mutters like he's pissed off. Quickly, I grab his arm and use what strength I have to pull him to the bed.
"This isn't your fault Jacob." I rub his shoulder.
"Don't say that." He shakes his head.
"Jake please."
"Just stop El, this is all because me." He gets up and walks away.
"Jake! Jake don't!" I call after him. "Jake!" I slam back down on the bed as the tears start to fall. I rake my hand through my hair.
"It'll be alright." Leah says plopping down beside me. She normally comes in when Jake leaves, which is extremely rare. "He'll be back. He's just shook up."
***************************************************************************************************************
"Look, I know I fucked up earlier and I'm sorry. My animal got the best of me." Jacob apologizes sitting in the computer chair at the desk.
"It's fine, Jake. I'm over it." I bite the inside of my cheek and return my gaze at the ceiling. We sit in complete and utter silence for what seems like hours, but only lasts minutes. I start to feel the pain in my stomach but refuse to show it. The paid builds up, beginning to become unbearable, I clutch my stomach and try to fight the pain. I hunch over and bite my lip. The pain becomes to much making me scream.
"El!" Jake exclaims running over. I start coughing up blood as Jake rubs my back. I stop and slowly sit up.
"What's happening to m-me?" I whimper. Jake pulls me to his chest and gently rocks me.
"I don't know." He pulls me back and wipes blood off my lip. "But you're gonna be okay."
I rest my head on his chest, my legs barely hanging off the side of the bed. He rubs the back of my neck with his other hand rubbing my arm. Jake slowly rocks making me want to sleep. He'd make a great Dad. Trust me, if he can get a 17 year old teenager to go from writhing in pain to almost asleep in 3 minutes, he can practically handle anything. I unwittingly bite my lip playing with Jacob's shirt collar. I have no trace of pain other than memory. Jake agreed to stay up all night with me if he had to.
"Jake?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you, and you can't deny that you were almost in tears watching me earlier." A smile cracks on my face. He rolls his eyes before dipping me back and pecking my lips.
"I know. I love you more though."
"I don't care." My hands fly up around his neck and pull him closer. "I know you can't leave me." Our lips lock for a moment.
"Why'd you do that?" He asks.
"Because I love you."
***************************************************************************************************************
I wake up writhing in extreme pain. I clench my side and hunker over. I let out a few gasps trying to cope with the pain. I feel Jake's familiar hand slide under my shirt and rub my back. I suck in a breath and squeeze my stomach tighter. Jake's other hand takes the one squeezing my gut in his. His warm lips press against my cold neck. I close my eyes and slow my breathing. He knows that I'm in pain, he just has some of his own ways of making it more bearable. The pain shoots back making me squeeze Jacob's hand hard. I feel tears make their way down my face.
"It's okay, it's okay." Jake soothes.
"I can't- I can't take it anymore." I cry. His face softens and wipes away a couple tears. His eyes fill with worry when he's sees my face.
"I'm calling Carlisle." He states.
JACOB
Over the Phone: "Carlisle, tell me you found it."
"I'm sorry, but I can't."
"She's dying Carlisle, you gotta help her."
"I already told you that there's isn't much that I can do Jacob."
"Carlisle," I look over at El crying "you know something, that you're not telling me."