Thursday, May 19, 2005 (The day after Leah shifted for the first time.)
(Emily)
Sam's house had a way of feeling too full even when it wasn't crowded.
The walls held voices, laughter, tension, echoes of the pack even when only a few of them were actually present. I was still getting used to that. Getting used to this. To Sam. To the quiet gravity that seemed to follow him everywhere, settling into rooms and people alike.
I had decided to give him a chance.
The decision hadn't been easy. It had taken long conversations, uncomfortable silences, and more honesty than I'd expected to give. But it had been a week now, and so far… Sam had been nothing but attentive. Gentle. Careful in a way that felt intentional, not hesitant.
Today, I was at his house. Just a visit. Nothing more.
At least, that's what I told myself.
The kitchen was warm, the oven humming softly behind me as I pulled out a tray of muffins, the smell of sugar and blueberries filling the air. Steam curled upward as I set the tray down.
They'd be gone in minutes. The boys always gathered here, and feeding them felt like trying to fill a bottomless pit.
Sure enough, Jared appeared at my side almost instantly, hand already reaching out.
I smacked it away without thinking. "They're hot."
He laughed, rubbing his hand dramatically. "Worth a shot."
Paul, of course, didn't bother waiting. He grabbed one straight off the tray and shoved it into his mouth in one reckless motion.
"Doesn't matter," he said around a mouthful, completely unbothered. "Not like we're gonna get burned."
For half a second, a very vivid half second, I imagined hitting him over the head with the tray.
I didn't, but just barely.
While I was still mentally counting to five, Jared took advantage of my distraction and swiped a muffin, retreating before I could react.
I sighed. "You're all impossible."
Sam wasn't there to hear it, or well, maybe he did hear it, wolf hearing... But he was in the other room, phone pressed to his ear, his voice low and serious. I watched him from the corner of my eye as I rearranged the muffins, noting the way his posture had stiffened.
When he finally hung up, his expression had changed.
Jared noticed immediately. "What happened?"
I turned to look at Sam, concern settling in my chest before I even knew why.
"It was Harry," Sam said. His voice was calm, but there was something tight underneath it. "He called to tell me… Leah phased yesterday."
The words hit harder than I expected.
"What?" I asked instantly. "Is she okay? What happened? Did she…"
"She's fine," Sam said quickly, stepping closer, clearly registering the worry on my face. "She's safe."
Jared frowned, still chewing. "Wait. I was shifted all day yesterday. I didn't feel anything. Shouldn't she have joined the pack automatically?"
Sam looked at me first. "Mike was there with her. He helped her through it."
That alone was reassuring.
Then Sam turned back to Jared. "Leah imprinted on Mike. It's safe to assume she joined his pack instead of ours."
There was a beat of silence.
Paul broke it by grabbing another muffin and flopping into a chair, looking entirely too relaxed. "Well," he said casually, "guess we won't be getting the extra help we were hoping for. But you won't hear me complaining. Last thing I need is a girl having access to my thoughts. That would've gotten awkward real fast."
I winced.
"If you feel like that," I said sharply, "imagine how Leah would feel with all of you having access to her thoughts." I shook my head. "I think it's better this way."
Sam nodded slowly. "You're right."
Then, softer, almost to himself, he added, "I'm just glad she's fine."
I looked at him then, really looked at him, and felt something in my chest ease.
For all the complications, all the lines we were still trying to figure out how not to cross… that simple relief told me more about Sam than a thousand apologies ever could.
And for the first time since agreeing to try, I let myself believe I might have made the right choice.
…
Friday, June 10, 2005
(Bella)
It was evening, and I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, when I realized I was thinking about Mike.
Again.
I sighed and rolled onto my side, pulling the blanket closer even though I didn't need it. I hadn't seen him since school break started. A whole week already. It wasn't as if he'd disappeared, we talked on the phone almost every day, but somehow that only made it worse. Hearing his voice wasn't the same as seeing him, laughing with him, being around him.
And that was when the uncomfortable thought crept in.
Is it normal to miss a boy this much when he isn't even my boyfriend?
I frowned into my pillow.
I'd been spending almost every day with Edward. So much so that Charlie had finally complained. Just earlier, over dinner, he'd cleared his throat and said, far too casually, that maybe I should spend a little less time with my boyfriend and go out with my friends or something.
That conversation had followed me straight into bed.
Because when I really thought about it… out of all my friends, the one I missed most was Mike.
Angela came second, but it wasn't even close.
That realization made my chest tighten in a way I didn't quite like.
Before I could overthink it further, I reached for my phone.
I told myself it was harmless. Friends called each other. That was normal.
He picked up on the third ring.
"Bella?"
"Hi, Mike," I said, relief flooding me just from hearing his voice.
There was a pause, then his voice came back slightly muffled. "Wait, Leah, I'm talking to Bella, hey! Don't bite there!"
Heat rushed to my face instantly.
"Oh," I blurted, mortified by the image my brain supplied far too easily. "I'm sorry, I should probably hang up if you're busy…"
"No! No," Mike said quickly. "It's fine. Don't worry. Leah's just messing around, we weren't doing anything."
I stared at my ceiling, trying very hard not to think about what that meant.
"So," he continued, sounding curious now, "what's up? Do you need something?"
"Well…" I hesitated, then decided to be honest. "We haven't seen each other since break started, and I was thinking maybe we could go to the movies or something. Charlie keeps telling me to spend less time with Edward and actually see my friends, so…"
I swallowed. "What do you say?"
There was a brief pause.
"Uh… yeah," Mike said. "Sure."
My heart lifted instantly.
Then he added, "Would it be okay if I brought Leah?"
The answer should've been easy.
"Of course," I said quickly.
An unexpected flare of jealousy sparked in my chest, but I crushed it just as fast. It had no right to be there.
"And," I added, trying to sound casual, "now that I think about it, I haven't met her since La Push, and it's been months."
Mike chuckled. "Yeah… you're right."
Then, "Tomorrow work for you?"
I tried very hard not to sound as excited as I felt. "Yes. That's perfect."
"Great," he said. "I'll pick you up at… four?"
"Four's fine," I replied.
"Awesome. I've gotta go, see you tomorrow!"
The line went dead before I could fully respond.
"Yeah," I murmured to the air. "See you…"
I bit my lip and stared at my phone.
My thoughts drifted back to Mike, uninvited but persistent.
I loved Edward. I knew that. What I felt for him was deep and consuming and intense in a way that scared me sometimes.
But Mike made me feel something different.
He was like the sun: warm, constant, comforting. And no, I wasn't talking about his abnormal body temperature. He made me smile without effort, laugh without thinking. Being with him felt easy in a way Edward never quite was.
Their personalities were just… so different.
I found myself wondering what things would have been like if I'd dated Mike instead of Edward.
I blamed Charlie for that thought. He never missed a chance to mention that he liked Mike. Not that he thought there was anything wrong with Edward, he just understood Mike better. And he never forgot that he had saved me months ago.
I shook my head sharply.
Stop.
There was no point in thinking about what-ifs.
I was with Edward. We loved each other.
Mike was my friend. A very good one.
And tomorrow, I was going to meet him along with his girlfriend.
Things were good like this.
They had to be.
…
(Poor Bella is feeling the sould bond, you can't blame her for it. But don't worry, this won't turn into a love triangle or anything like that, Mike has very clear what he wants. Support with power stones, comments or whatever. 🐢🎶🐧🎶🐖🎶)