Chapter I

I could hear hurried footsteps behind me, and for a moment a rush of panic took hold of my body.
“Nessie, wait up!”
I rolled my eyes. Just Jacob

, I thought to myself, groaning. Does the guy ever give up?

“Where are you rushing off to?” He asked, punching me lightly on the arm. “Mind if I tag along?”
“Yeah I do mind, actually,” I snapped back at him, gritting my teeth. “I've been hanging out with you all day, can't I just have a little space?”
Jacob looked wounded, but I didn't feel any remorse. The guy was really getting on my nerves. Despite the fact we looked the same age, he was actually seventeen years older than me; a thought which made me shudder. It was creepy, but for some reason no-one in my family thought it was odd.
“Are you okay, Ness? You're acting so strange.”
“I'm fine,” I relented, trying my best to sound pleasant. “I just like to... Just be by myself sometimes. Alone.”
“You're so much like Bella,” Jacob said, with a faraway look in his eye.
I blinked at him in confusion, not wanting to know about his past with my mother AT ALL

.
“I'll see you around, okay Jacob?” I said, holding my breath. I was praying to God he'd get the hint already.
“Sure, maybe I'll drop by for dinner?”
I smiled, but inside I was dying.
What is up with that guy

? I fretted to myself as I walked away. I could feel his eyes burning a hole in my back, and it took all my restraint to not turn around and scream at him to get a life. What a stalker!
I was seventeen and had only recently moved to Forks from Alaska. I'd begged my parents to stay, but they were adamant.
Forks was small, lonely and desolate. At least in Alaska I had friends; in Forks I was completely alone.
The first day we moved back to Forks, my Mom introduced me to Jacob.
“I'm sure you'll really like him,” she'd said with a wink, pushing me forward by my shoulders.
But I didn't.
It wasn't the fact that he was a werewolf (believe me, I've met stranger) it was just... Him. His age, mainly. Every time he looked at me I couldn't help but imagine him as a wrinkly old man. And he just could not

leave me alone. He walked me to school, got a job there as a librarian assistant so he could spend lunch with me, walked me home and then usually spent most of the evening with us. I tried telling my Mom how I was feeling, but she just ignored me.
“You two are made for each-other,” she'd smiled, holding my father's hand and looking lovingly into his eyes. “It's fate.”
Ugh, she can be so annoying sometimes.

***

It was raining, as usual.
My Aunt Alice was sprawled on the balcony, sighing in contentment as the light drizzle coated her marble skin.
Alice had always been able to understand me better than anyone else; she was open to everything. Rosalie was always trying to force me into acting like a vampire, and Jasper and Emmett just wanted to play football. Alice was the one I went to when I needed to talk.
“Alice?” I began, tip-toeing onto the patio. “Can we talk?”
She opened one eye and peered at me through her dark lashes.
“What's up, kiddo?”
“It's Jacob,” I admitted, planting myself on the deck chair next to her and knotting my fingers together. “I just don't like him.”
“Why not?” She asked, genuinely surprised.
“He's just so... Creepy,” I said, looking at the floor. “Stalkrish. He's always trying to kiss me and hold my hand... And I don't feel the same way. But he just can't get the hint.”
Alice sprung up in her chair, her movements fluid and lightning-fast. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees.
“So you're not attracted to him at all? Not even just a little bit?”
I grimaced. “No!”
“Have you told him how you feel?”
“Only every single day since I got here,” I groaned, chewing on my bottom lip. “But he seems to act like we're meant to be together... Like there's nothing I can do about it because he owns

me.”
Alice gasped, and in a blink of an eye she was by my side, burying me in her arms.
“I think we need to tell Bella – I mean your Mom. She needs to know.”
“I've tried talking to her,” I whispered, tears forcing their way over my eyelashes and down my cheeks. “She never listens; she's just as bad as Jacob!”
“I'll talk to her,” Alice promised, running a ice-cold hand through my hair. “She won't ignore it when it's coming from me.”

***

The next day at school, I desperately tried to avoid Jacob. Instead of meeting in the cafeteria like we'd arranged, I disappeared into the gymnasium and perched on the edge of a wooden bench. I pulled my lunch out of my bag and bit into my sandwich, my eyes fixated on the doorway. If he came looking for me, I'd hide under the bleachers until he left.
“Tasty?” The voice came from behind me, and made me jump. My heart beat wildly in my chest, sure I'd been found out.
I turned, and sighed in relief when I came face to face with the Newton boy. We shared English together, and had talked a few times. Until now we'd never been alone just the two of us.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, swallowing my mouthful of bread and ham.
“Coach sends me here to fine-tune my basketball skills, but I always bunk off,” he admitted, looking sheepish. “To be honest it's nice to have some company. What are you

doing here?”
I sighed. “Seeking refuge.”
“From that Jacob Black kid?”
“How did you know?”
“I've seen the way he follows you around like a lost little puppy,” he laughed. “You don't need to be a detective to know you're not interested.”
“Yes

!” I cried out, perhaps with too much excitement. “I was afraid I wasn't making it obvious enough.”
“Oh believe me, your disinterest would probably be visible from space.”
I smiled, taking a moment to truly see Luke Newton. He was blonde, but it was a very dark blonde, almost brunette. His blue eyes had an incredible depth to them, and I found myself getting lost in him. I was just tip-toeing my gaze down the ridge of his sharp nose when he broke the silence once more.
“Hey, do you want to get out of here?”
“Like, skip school?”
“Yes,” he laughed, his azure eyes sparkling. “I can be your prince in shining armour and rescue you from Jacob.”
“That doesn't sound half bad,” I beamed, shoving my half-eaten sandwich back in my bag. “Let's go.”

Chapter II

I paused, a lump forming in my throat.
Should I really get in this guy's car?

I asked myself, picturing my Dad's reaction if he ever found out.
"Are you coming or not, Nez?"
Nez. No-one had ever called me that before.Hell, live a little,

I smiled, opening the passenger door of Luke's 1969 Mustang and sliding into the leather seat.
"Nice ride," I said, admiring the revamped interior.
"Yeah, cost me a fortune," Luke laughed, patting the dashboard. "And I only paid for half of it!"
"Who paid for the other half?"
"My Dad, of course."
"Of course."
"So, where to m'lady?" Luke asked, putting on an atrociously bad English accent.
I stifled a giggle. "Wherever my knight desires."
He grinned, his eyes ablaze with mischief.
He gunned the ignition, and the car roared into life with a low growl. Luke held down the hand-brake, making the car skid on the wet road. Plumes of smoke enveloped us both, and with a burst of laugher, Luke let the hand-brake up and we went speeding down the road.
A rush of adrenaline surged in my veins, making me beam uncontrollably.
"You liked that, did you?"
I nodded enthusiastically.
"Ha, I wouldn't have taken you for a daredevil at all.

"
Luke put his food down the accelerator, and the speed increased drastically. He slammed the hand-brake down yet again as we approached a corner, and we fluidly drifted around the bend on the rain-slicked tar.
I clung to the sides of the seat, my knuckles white. My heart was beating in my ears, but I couldn't help the wave of excitement that rushed through my body.
"Where did you learn to drive like that?" I breathed, admiring Luke's face that was set with concentration.
"I taught myself, mainly," he said, grinning. "With the help of watching Fast and Furious over and over again."
"What the Hell is, 'Fast and Furious'?" I asked, cynicism lacing my words.
"You don't know?"
I shook my head.
"I 'spose it's a pretty old movie, but still. It's a classic

!"
I blinked at him in confusion.
"You Alaskans, wouldn't know what a good movie was if it hit you in the face. C'mon, let's go watch it now."
Luke gunned the car again, and we sped off down the road towards his house.

***

Luke lived in your typical, brick and mortar suburban home. He took my hand in his as he lead me inside, sliding his key in the lock and pushing the door open.
I could hear some commotion coming from the kitchen, and I pulled my hand from Luke's grasp.
"Luke, is that you?" A woman's voice called, muffled and distant.
"Yeah, just me."
A pixie face poked around the corner, and her eyes sparkled brightly as she caught sight of me.
"And who's this?" She asked, walking into the hallway to greet me.
She was tiny, much shorter than me and I wasn't what you'd typically consider to be tall. She had a head of wild dark curls that were pulled back into a loose pony-tail at the nape of her neck.
"Mom, this is Nez."
"Nez? That's an interesting name," she giggled, taking my hand to shake it. "I'm Jessica."
"Rénesmée

," I clarified. "Rénesmée Cullen."
Her face morphed from that of delight to horror. She dropped my hand and backed against the wall, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Cullen?!"
I narrowed my eyes at her, taken aback by her odd reaction.
"That was my name last time I checked."
She seemed to regain her composure, and straightened herself once more.
"I went to school with some Cullens when I was your age, are they any relations of yours?"
"Well I don't know, did you know a Bella?"
Her face paled.
"You wouldn't by any chance --"
Luke cut his mother off. "Mom, stop grilling her, would you?"
She seemed to snap back to reality. "What are you doing home from school anyway, Luke?"
"The fire alarm was playing up and wouldn't shut off," Luke lied, smiling. "It was so much of a distraction that they let us all off early."
She nodded, but didn't seem like she believed him.
"Well we're going to watch a movie, Mom," Luke said, walking down the hallway and beckoning for me to follow.
I flashed her one last polite smile before running after Luke, my stomach knotting with nerves.
Luke lead me into a lounge, dominated by two black leather couches that were, to be honest, a bit of an eye-sore. I stood awkwardly in the corner as Luke took a disc from a plastic case and pushed it into the DR player.
The TV surged into life, blaring loud music from the speakers that made my ears ring. Three-dimensional cars screamed out of the 3-D TV, making me jump.
Luke flopped onto one of the couches with the remote clasped in his hand, and I sank into the other one, pulling my knees up to my chest.
"Come sit over here," Luke smiled, patting the empty seat beside him.

Chapter III

Mom looked mad. Like, really mad. Dad was standing next to her, his arms draped across her immobile shoulders.
"Where have you been?" She said, trying to sound soft but her tone harboured traces of anger. "We've been worried sick."
"You mean Jacob's

been worried sick," I retorted, crossing my arms
over my chest.
My Dad shot Mom an anxious glance, and she heaved a loud sigh.
"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about Jabob."
"Did Alice..."
"Yes."
"Edward, would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?" She asked, turning to face my father and wrapping her arms affectionately around his waist.
Despite the fact the two had been a couple for almost two decades, there was no hint that the love was beginning to fade between them. They acted like love-struck teenagers all the time, not to mention they even looked

like love-struck teenagers. I'd never been able to introduce my Mom as my mother; she always had to be my sister, whereas Carlisle and Esmé were my parents. It was weird, but I understood its necessity - no-one would understand why my parents looked like they were the same age as me.
My father planted a tender kiss on my mother's cheek, before shooting me a wink. "Sure, love."
The door closed with a click behind him, but I didn't see the point. The entire family would be listening-in on this conversation with their super-tuned ears. We only had the façade of privacy.
"So what's all this about Jacob?"
I bit my lip, slowly disentangling my arms and letting them fall by my sides. "How much did Alice tell you?"
"Everything, I'd imagine," she said, elegantly settling into a seat and beckoning for me to do the same.
"I like him, I do," I said, feeling awkward having this conversation with my mother. "But I like him as a friend, a brother

; but he seems to want to take things further."
"What has Jacob told you?"
"What do you mean?"
I was gripped by a pang of curiosity, and I could tell my Mom regretted saying what she had.
"Has he mentioned... Imprinting, at all?"
My face paled. "No..."
Mom inhaled a sharp intake of breath, something she didn't need to do but I could tell it braced her for what was to come next.
"You and Jacob are soul-mates; he imprinted on you when you were very young."
"What does that even mean?"
"Jacob's bound to you - spiritually. You two have a connection that exists much beyond the physical plane."
"Is that a werewolf thing?"
"Shape-shifter."
"Whatever!"
Mom smiled, the delicate petals of her lips blooming with amusement. "Yes, it is. I knew it was a bad idea to take you away..."
"Mom, still a little slow on the up-take here."
"When you were born, we were all living in Forks."
"Yeah, I know that."
"But as the years went by, people here started to notice that we weren't... Ageing. We had to leave or else face getting found out."
"So why didn't Jacob come?"
"He wanted to, oh honey, he wanted to so much. But he couldn't leave his pack, especially not after the most recent spate of vampire attacks."
I blinked at her in confusion.
"We promised Jacob we'd return once the suspicion about us had died down, but we didn't anticipate the effect leaving would have on you both."
"I... Don't even remember any of this."
"I'm not surprised; you were both in so much physical and emotional pain that living a normal life didn't seem like a possibility. You were so young, not even ten, but you seemed to be fading away, withering. We heard from Jacob's pack that things weren't much better for him, either, but our hands were tied. We couldn't return, and he couldn't leave. It was a Catch-22."
I nodded, my lips quivering.
"Eventually you began to recover, but you were never the same. You seemed much more human afterwards than you ever were before. You stopped showing people images with your gift, and you stopped craving blood altogether. It was heart-breaking to watch."
"Are you saying that a piece of me... Died? From being away from Jacob?"
"I suppose you could put it that way. We hoped things would return to normal once we returned, and while they have for Jacob..."
"They haven't for me," I breathed, my eyes wide.
I always knew I wasn't human, but I always felt like I was. Now I knew why. A surge of shock racked my entire body, leaving my head spinning. It was all too much to take in, to even contemplate. Jacob was my soul-mate, and yet it seemed as though the connection tethering us to the other was broken irrevocably.
"Promise you won't be so hard on Jacob, Nessie. He just wants to protect you."
I nodded, tears stinging my eyes.

***

The next day at school, I drifted through the corridors like a ghost, barely even registering the stares I elicited from fellow classmates.
"Hey stranger!"
I jumped with fright, expecting to see Jacob was instead being confronted by Luke's smiling mug.
"Oh... Hey," I replied, mustering a half-hearted smile.
"I had fun last night," he said, leaning against a locker, his eyes sparkling. "We should do it again."
His words made my stomach write with excitement, a feeling I couldn't repress. Luke actually wanted to be around me? I couldn't understand why.
"Yeah, me too," I beamed, smiling genuinely for the first time in days. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, are you free tonight?"
"I'm always

free," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Until I manage to land myself a job, that is."
Luke jolted, his eyes growing wide. "You can come work for me!"
"Come again?"
"At my Dad's store, at least. We've got a position for a cashier free. Interested?"
"Oh but of course."
"Well then," he grinned. "Now we can be classmates AND workmates."
"I'd like that."
"And maybe..." Luke began, trailing off.
"What?"
"Maybe we could be a little more than mates some day."
He looked sheepish, and I could almost detect the hint of a blush beneath his cheeks.
I bit my lip, elation flooding through me. Suddenly, all my Jacob woes washed away. Luke seemed to have that effect on me.
"Anyway, tonight," he went on, quickly salvaging a situation that could easily have slipped into awkwardness. "Dinner? Diner? Eight?"
"Meet you there."
And with that, Luke sauntered off to class, leaving me reeling with anticipation.

Impressum

Texte: © 2011 Jay Mirano
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 18.05.2011

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