GIRLS BREATHE FIRE - Paul Lahote

Chapter 9

Song: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (The Platters)

EMILY'S POV

"Hey, Gorgeous!" Rory called out to me as she approached the gate of the preschool.

"Hey, Rory!" I smiled back and gave her a big hug. "I feel like we haven't seen each other in forever." we laughed as she went to lean against the fence.

"Well, I've been busy with my job at Ray's teaching that Martial Arts class. Of course, I guess you would know with that little spy of yours. Jared was it?" She teased back making me giggle.

He actually was there to keep an eye on her because of Paul and his hint of paranoia that no one understood but Jared seemed ecstatic to have a new friend outside of the pack. However, he wasn't always too happy coming home with a girl like Rory teaching him.

"Ya, he told me about how shocked he was when you destroyed him in a sparring match." I voiced making Rory giggle at the memory.

"Ya, he's a plenty strong guy and he's big but there's a lot of ways I can easily use those against him. And I've told him multiple times but that ego of his keeps getting in the way." She elaborated, though it was easy to tell that she really liked having him as a friend.

"Don't worry I'll use my motherly touch to beat it into him for you." With that, we couldn't help burst out laughing as our nieces came out running at us.

They had made a habit of no longer using the gate but rather letting Rory superman them over the fence. In a way, she was a lot like having one of the pack boys around. Even the newest member Embry who was extremely nice could get a little aggressive and could make anyone feel small.

Rory, although small in her own right, had that same effect on people. She could use any part of herself from her body language to the tone of her voice to make you feel loved or scared in seconds. And the scariest part was that I don't think she actually knew that she could do that. She was extremely confident in her fighting skills but She was completely oblivious to her own aura.

We walked from the school to a park nearby where the girls could play and had planned to spend the afternoon together since we hadn't really hung out officially. So, as the girls ran off to the playground, Rory and I took a seat in the grass.

"How are things at home with Bella?" I asked from my spot.

"They've actually been really good. She's been spending A lot of time with Jacob and because of him I think she's finally getting over that Edward guy."

"That's great to hear, I've never really liked the Cullen's they were always a little too mysterious for me. They had these strange habits and stuff like that too. I don't know they just... didn't seem like the type of company you'd willingly keep around." I explained trying not to out their secret to her. The vampires were far from my friends. Hell as far as they were concerned, I was the wolf girl. But a secret was still a secret and not mine to tell, much like the pack's secret. However, as I told Rory about the Cullens I couldn't help but grimace at the idea of Bella losing Jacob. And as much as I hated to admit it, He definitely would be shifting soon and if he didn't imprint on Bella, then he wouldn't be allowed to hang around her anymore.

As pack rules state, only pack members, and imprints could know the Quileute secret.

"Emily, what's up?" Rory asked from beside me. "You look conflicted." She pointed out as our eyes met. She was serious which in itself was uncommon and I knew she wouldn't drop this so I decided to at least warn her.

"Maybe you should try getting Bella to branch out a little more besides Jacob."

"Why though? I mean, he's got this crazy crush on her anyway. I doubt I could tell her to find other friends and have her actually listen."

"I just." I stopped to think of a way to put it as normally as possible. "I worry that Jacob and Bella might not always be this close. And if it's Jacob who decides to distance himself, what will happen to Bella. I would just hate for Jacob to feel like his friendship is more of an obligation than a choice, y'know?"

"Ya, I think I know what you mean. I'll talk to her about it." Rory decided but her eyes were telling me that this was not the end of that conversation.

We sat like that in Comfortable silence for the next hour or so, eventually getting up to check on and play with the girls. We made some sandcastles, told jokes, and Rory even gave us a full comedy performance on the monkey bars.  

It was nice, finally having a friend outside of the pack to whom I knew I'd never have to explain my scar to or anything. And yet I still felt like I could tell her anything, even if it was supernatural. I wouldn't but I just knew that she wouldn't judge me for it, because I felt like she had her own baggage to carry, One that was potentially just as serious as my own.

"You should come over to my house one of these days. I know my fiance had been dying to meet you." I looked over at her as she rolled in the grass. upon hearing my words she got up and popped a squat beside me before speaking.

"Right because your husband to be, wants to meet the girl who tried to ask out his fiance."

"Actually he found that pretty funny." My comment caused the squatting girl to fall forward in shock before looking back at me.

"You told him that!?" She put her hands up to cover her face before whining. "I'll never be able to show my face at your house now that he knows that. I mean seriously, I asked out the woman he loves. That's like... so fucked up."

Without much thought, I tackled her to the ground as we laughed together and I scolded her for swearing.

"Besides, all the boys want to meet you because of that. They all sort of just assumed you're a good person because you didn't focus on my scar." I smiled down at her from my spot across her torso. But before she could respond, her phone rang and when she answered her face went from its usual relaxed one to furious. She hung up and stood calling over Maxi as she helped me get up.

"Remember how I told you about Bella trying those motorcycles out today?" she sighed before continuing. "Well, she didn't wear a helmet and decided to do a speed test on it. She hit her head and now I need to go home and take care of her." She looked at me apologetically before picking up Maxi as we headed back to our cars.

"Ok, well I still want you to come over soon, so shoot me a call. ok?" I hugged her goodbye as she got her things in the car.

"See you later Gorgeous." And with her nickname for me and a wave, she was gone.