Her Knight In Shiny Armor

C9

" Billy, this is Charlene, my and Arlene's daughter. Charlene this is Billy Black, my friend since childhood."

Charlene looked at the russet skinned man sitting in a wheelchair, in their living room with Charlie, who sat on a nearby couch.

She waved shyly at him while  wondering why he was stuck in a wheelchair.

The man smiled at her, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners as he did. " It's a pleasure to meet you , Charlene. I'm sorry about your mother."

Charlene nodded. She didn't know what to say to him. She hadn't told anyone how her mother had died in a car crash while driving from the hospital where she'd worked as a nurse.

Charlene was at home making dinner when it happened.

She'd always made dinner when her mother worked late. The social worker probably told Charlie everything because he never asked about Arlene's death. Maybe she also told him that her mother was going to die anyway in a few years because of that illness she had that no doctor could actually cure. It hadn't been cancer, though. It was something very rare that only one in a million people got. There had been only eight cases ever reported. The car crash had probably been a blessing. It saved her mother from becoming an invalid and dying slowly in some years time.

" Jacob, Billy's son are here too. He's in the kitchen with Bella if you want to go greet him," Charlie brought her out of her pain-filled musings.

She didn't know what to do with that information. She might go to the kitchen because Bella's there, but for a stranger she didn't know from Adam? No way José.

" What're you watching?," she asked, moving to sit by Charlie.

" A basketball game," Billy answered for both of them. It didn't look like Charlie minded much about it.

" Oh." Charlene wasn't big on sports. Maybe swimming and athletics, but basketball and other similar sports weren't her favourite.

She decided to go bother Bella and Jacob, who she didn't know, rather than sit around listening to old guys gush over basketball....

On second thought, she'd rather go back to her room and not meet this Jacob Black.

Her feet automatically lead her back to the stairs. She didn't want to socialize with a stranger today, even if her sister was in the room.
             __________
The blonde haired boy looked down at the sleeping girl that lay in her bed in her attic room.

He held his breath to not take in her sweet scent of white chocolate and almonds.

To him the girl is absolutely beautiful, but she is so young. Too young for him and yet ever since she walked into Forks High, she captured his attention.

A pained look appeared on his face. Just like his brother Edward, he didn't want to bring a human into their lives. A human should not be exposed to a life where everyday would be a danger to them.

Life is precious. It shouldn't be harmed in anyway possible.

But then again, why did he feel for this girl like Loyd felt for Alice and Carlisle felt for Esme? It was something incredible. Something he could not fathom that would ever happen to him.

A soft smile replaced the pained expression. He loved the feelings he had for her and yet still, she was a young teenager that had still a long way to grow and he couldn't ruin that.

By the time she would be old enough, he and his family will have left this tiny town behind and he'd have to leave her also. That thought brought back the pained look.  He didn't want to leave her behind.

He sighed. If he didn't want her to feel creeped out by him watching her sleep, even when she didn't know that he was doing it, he should leave now while she was still fast asleep. He had the restraint in that department, unlike Edward. Yes quite hypocritical of him, but it was true all the same.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. " Goodnight, Darlin'," he whispered softly," I'll see you in the morn' ."

Then with a rush of air he was gone without knowing that Charlene woke up with a confused look upon her face, her eyes searching the room frantically.

" I could've sworn," she thought to herself. Then she shrugged, dismissing her own silly sleepy notions.

She lay down , fumbling with her pillow before getting it just right for a comfortable place to lay her head on. It wasn't even minutes later that she fell asleep again with a strange feeling bubbling in her heart.
             _________
" I swear ,Sara, I had the most weirdest dream last night," Charlene said as she and Sara walked to find a great spot to sunbath in their lunchtime.

It was a warm sunny day; something that was a rate occurrence in rainy old Forks, Washington.

She heard from Joslynn earlier that none of the Cullens would be in school today and it felt like a blessing to her. No more Jasper staring at her in the hallways; for now at least.

" Was it a naughty dream?," Sara asked, wagging her eyebrows at Charlene.

Charlene scoffed. " No! I dreamed that someone was watching me while I slept."

" Oooh, was it a certain Hale we do not name?," Sara asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

Charlene smiled at her friend's antics. " Yeah, I guess," she admitted," but it was just a dream. He won't ever come to my room to watch me sleep." She waved her hand dismissively to get that message across.

They walked past Bella and Jessica Stanley, sunbathing on a picnic table. " Hey, Bella!," she greeted her sister.

Bella smiled at her and waved. They continued to an open picnic table.

" Well, that's a bummer," Sara said pouting.

" No, it's actually great. I don't want a boy in my room. Especially not one that state at me as if I'm some dirty spot on the carpet."

" You're exaggerating, Charlene. Come on, he adores you. It's the same way with your sister and Edward Cullen. I really don't know what you Swans have that the rest of us don't."

Charlene scrunched up her nose, but didn't say anything. Sara was probably right and she didn't want to talk any further about boys.

She sat down on the bench by the table, smiling at the thought of the upcoming weekend. She'd just have to suffer through the rest of the day. It was Friday afterall.

" Ugh, look there's our resident bully," Sara grumbled looking behind Charlene at something.

Charlene frowned. " Oh, please don't tell me that he's coming here?," she begged ," I don't want anything to spoil our sunny day."

" He isn't. He's laughing with Norah Simmons. I used to have a crush on him. Until he started bullying me. I just hate him now."

Sara sounded so sad and bitter that Charlene felt sort of bad for her. Gordon Newton wasn't even a catch, to be honest, but some girls thought that the sun shines out of his rear-end, which was ridiculous, to say the least. Come on, Kyle Yorkie are way better looking.....and so is Jasper Hale , of course.

" Sara, don't look at them! It'll make them come over here, and I really have no time for stupid Barbie doll Simmons and her fake hair colour and eyelashes."

Sara giggled at that, which for once didn't irritate Charlene. It actually made her day seem way better.
           ____________
Sorry it's a filler. Next chapter we see more of Jasper Hale.