'✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
Jacob Black, despite having trouble accepting his newly found nature, finds himself easily adjusting to the frequent transitioning and the midnight patrols that became the sole reason behind his unhealthy body clock. Now he understands why Sam Uley looked at him with such expectance and he may not admit it but he was guilty of judging the older man too quickly. He was easily accepted into the pack with open arms and was the one who slowly helped him adjust.
There was one who stood out in particular, a certain raven-haired girl.
It was like any other day inside the Uley and Young household, wherein the pack spend their day off resting and lounging around without worrying about anything else other than enjoying each other's presence. It was fascinating how they were so comfortable with each other that they can go from wrestling one another to having one of their deepest talks regarding their plans for the future.
Madelline stands up from her seat, a chuckle escaping her lips upon hearing Embry and Jared's small banter once again. She bumped hips with Emily upon entering the kitchen before helping her with the dishes. She quickly glanced at the boys in the living room who were surrounded by tons of papers, too preoccupied with their studies to mind their surroundings. Yes, the boys continued their studies, courtesy of Emily and Madelline who in return helped Sam arrange their schedules so they could have time to rest, and do their responsibility in the pack while still being a student.
She exited the kitchen and went straight to their front porch, hugging the navy hoodie she had stolen from Paul's closet. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, the loud pitter patters of the rain filled her ears as the cold breeze flew past her body. It was pouring once again, however, unlike before she had grown to love the weather. There was a comfort within the gloomy skies and the petrichor that always comes after the rain.
She crossed her legs underneath her as she took a seat by the swing outside, softly rocking herself back and forth as she took in the view in front of her.
"Hey."
She looked up at the sudden voice just to see Paul standing by the entrance. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight of him wearing a hoodie which Paul immediately noticed, causing his eyes to roll playfully before he takes a seat beside her.
"You alright?" he asks.
Madelline hums as she continued rocking themself back and forth. "Still alive. Well, technically, I'm dead but yeah. Still deadly alive."
Paul chuckles and shakes his head. It will never be a dull day with Madelline's remarks which always makes his day. Silence envelops them comfortably, their eyes remained anywhere but them. The only thing that would often break the silence was the voices inside the household.
"Can I ask you something?"
"That's already a question but go for it."
"Do you miss him?"
The soft rocking of the swing slowly ceased. The more it slowed down to a stop, the more Paul grew worried that it was the right decision to ask her.
"Why so sudden?" Madelline chuckles, hiding the fact that she was taken aback by his question.
Paul only shrugs as he leans his back against the wooden bench behind him. "Well, if my best friend loves the enemy, then I suppose I can try to get to know him and all, you know?"
Madelline smiles softly at his remark, looking down at her lap. "I do miss him. The soulmates part is really not helping the more that he is far away from me."
"Like an imprint?" he asks.
"Yup, like an imprint."
A sigh escapes his lips before he softly swayed the swing and had now tucked his legs closer to his chest. "You know," he started. "I'm yet to imprint on someone but the idea now scares me upon seeing the situation you are in with Jasper. I can't imagine how painful it would be if he or she is far away from me or even rejected the idea of imprinting."
He glanced at the girl beside him who had now copied his position, looking smaller than ever with his oversized jacket engulfing her entire body.
"Jasper Cullen should know how lucky he is to have such a woman waiting all the way here, asking nothing but for him to come back."
A soft smile tugs the corners of her lips as she looked at the boy beside her who had now looked far away from her but before she could even reply, the sound of the engine interrupted their talk, earning their attention. She looked back in front of her just to see a familiar beat-up red truck which made her sit up straight right away.
"Paul? Maddy? The guys wanted to check around the perimeter. Do you want to co—"
Jacob halted as soon as he looks up, finding a familiar face exiting an all too familiar truck. He watched how a certain girl he'd been trying to ignore the past few weeks stormed her way over to them, ignoring how the rain fell down harshly on her. He heaved a deep breath when he met Madelline's eyes, a brief nod that silently tells him to not run from the girl anymore and probably provide ease to the girl's worries.
The two watched how Jacob walked out to the rain to meet Bella Swan while Jared, Sam, and Embry stood by the entrance upon sensing a different scent. The five of them watched and listened closely, preparing themselves in case something happens.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Bella tries to muster, growing nervous under her best friend's intense stare.
"You know exactly what I am talking about, Bella," Jacob scoffed in disbelief. "You have been lying to everyone—to Charlie! But not me, Bella. Not anymore."
Madelline turns away from the two and sat back on the bench, the rest doing the same besides Sam who remained focused on the two. There's a certain rule that the pack established and that involves their true identity not being revealed to the humans, no matter what.
"I know Bella is still your friend but don't you think she's a bit of a hypocrite?" Paul speaks up, his eyes still trained on the two.
Madelline felt sympathy, seeing how Bella tries her very best to not fall apart when Jacob turned away from her. She was fully aware of how Jacob had been filling the gaps that Edward had left. He became the only thing she has been constantly relying on, someone who kept her sane, and how he walked away from her was like a replay of how Edward left her alone and cold inside the woods.
"She sees us as monsters even though we are not the ones who drain blood from both humans and animals, no offense," Paul held his hands up as he faces the girl beside him.
"She loves Edward, that is for sure but it's too much to the point that it's clouding her judgment. It's to that point she is leaving nothing for herself and that shouldn't be love," she said. "I may be a hypocrite with this one but she should put herself first. Her world should not revolve around Edward only."
Paul nodded, silently agreeing with her. It was frustrating to see how Jacob is treated as a rebound but some part of him sees how confused the girl may have been, particularly in her state.
♡
Three loud knocks echoed around the Swan residence. Charlie looks up from the shotgun he was previously cleaning. His eyebrows furrow in confusion upon remembering that he didn't invite anyone to their home, specifically at that hour. He stood up from his seat, the wooden chair being dragged back by the force.
Swinging the door open revealed Madelline, swaying herself back and forth as she waits patiently for the door to be opened.
"Hey, kid," Charlie says and pulls her into a small hug.
"Hey, Charlie."
The older Swan beckoned her inside, softly closing the door behind her. He nods his head in the direction of her room. "She's upstairs," he tells her, a small smile painted on his lips. Madelline silently thanked him before ascending the stairs, heading straight to Bella's room.
The moment she held her fist up against the wooden door, she hesitated for a bit upon remembering their last interaction. After a few seconds of thinking and nibbling of lips in nervousness, she gently knocked against her door.
"Come in."
She twisted the door knob, opening the door gently. Bella was drying her hair with her eyes staring out her window absentmindedly with bloodshot, puffy eyes and reddened nose, a sign of long hours of crying.
"Oh, Bella," she breathes out before walking closer to the girl with her arms wide open.
The towel fell from her grasp as soon as she was enveloped in her arms. Bella couldn't believe she still had tears to cry yet found herself silently crying as she laid her head against her shoulder. "How do you do it?" she choked out. Madelline only rubs her back softly and softly swayed the two of them side-by-side.
"I keep myself busy. Too busy so that I don't have time for unnecessary thoughts and emotions," a bitter smile appears on her lips.
She pulls away from her just enough to gently wipe away her tears with the pad of her thumb. "I won't sugarcoat anything, Bells but if Edward's love is genuine just as he claims for it to be then he will come back. If not then maybe it's time to focus on yourself, babe."
Bella gazes at the girl in front of her. The latter doesn't fail to amaze her every time and how it still surprises her how she continues to forgive her for her shortcomings as her friend. She couldn't help but feel disappointed with herself at how she continued acting as if she was the only one hurting between them.
The love Madelline shares with Jasper truly astounds her. She trusted time with all her heart, knowing that forever is nothing now for someone like them.
As soon as Bella had calmed down, Madelline tucked her inside her comforter and stayed beside her, rubbing small circles against the back of her hand until she is deep in slumber. She began picking up the trash around her room and even the towel that slipped her grasp from earlier, lightly tidying the room up for the girl.
When she was satisfied with how clean her room was, she walked to her door and was about to close it behind her when she looked back at her sleeping figure. A soft smile crept up to her lips upon remembering Bella's sleepy mumbles before she had fallen into her slumber.
"Hey, Maddy?"
The aforementioned girl hums in response as she looks down at her.
"I may not be sure whether Edward is coming back but I can bargain with my whole life that you and Jasper will find your way back to one another."
"I sure hope so," Madelline thought to herself, deciding against replying.
"And I'm sorry for always pushing you away. I never meant to do so," Bella groggily opens her eyes to look at her best friend who sat beside her, patiently listening to her mumbles. "I miss you, Maddy. Everyone is lucky to have you as their friend."
Madelline sent the girl one last look before she gently closes her door, walking downstairs with a light heart. Much to her surprise, Charlie was leaning against the door frame as if he's been listening to them the entire time.
"You're still not sleepy, Charlie?" she asks as soon as she reached the last stair.
The older Swan looks up from his feet and allowed Madelline to see how bloodshot his eyes were from how he strongly fights back the urge to cry.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop but... thank you for your patience with my daughter and for being a great friend, sweetheart. Bella is lucky to have you as her friend."
"I'm sure Elijah is proud to have such a wonderful and strong woman as his daughter."
And as Madelline Smith exit their house, she felt her heart for once feeling at peace—as if everything will eventually fall back into its rightful place.
♡
OK SO HI WE HIT 1K!! THANK U SO MUCH :( I DONT DESERVE Y'ALL :( this book literally came out of nowhere & i continued it, not expecting what outcome this book would have bUT NONETHELESS, THANK U GUYS SO MUCH