(Don't) Take Me Over

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight 

Damn him! Damn him for being so incredibly frustrating and sexy and distracting. I should not be thinking about James right now. I should be thinking about how cute and innocent Todd looks sleeping next to me. Instead I’m thinking about how much more adorable James would be in the same position. I love him. Dammit! I don’t even have a choice. This isn’t fair! Why is this my life? 

Todd stirred next to me and kissed my head when his eyes opened. “Hey, Belly. Feelin’ okay?” 

I gulped and nodded plastering a fake smile on my lips. “Yeah, a little better.” Truth was, I’m fine. I faked illness last night because I just couldn’t get James out of my head. He was so...so...so...hot. Todd would kiss me and I’d want to vomit because it was nothing like James. His lips too dry, his tongue too tentative. As I looked Todd in the eye my heart broke. I love him, but in all the wrong ways. How could I possibly tell him that I no longer want to spend the rest of my life with him? How could I tell my sister that she would have to raise her baby by herself? That I was gonna go and...do stuff with my mate. Shit. I don’t even know what would come of James and I if I gave up on Todd. Would I have to move? 

“You sure you okay?” Todd asked, more awake and more concerned now. 

“Yes, I’m fine. Just lost in thought.” 

“Right,” he nodded. “Well, rise and shine. We’re gonna be late for school.” 

Oh, fuck school. Why? “I don’t think I’m well enough to go,” I coughed and smiled up at Todd. 

He raised a brow at me but was smiling, “Of course, you’re right. You could never make it.” He winked at me and pulled on his clothes. “At any rate, I do have to go. I’ll see you later Belly.” He leaned down to my bedside and brushed his lips against my own. 

Ew. Gross. Gross. Dry. Ew. Gross. 

I smiled as best I could through my disgust as he pulled away. “Bye, Todd.” 

He waved and was gone within seconds.

I was instantly flooded with my confusion. I needed to talk to someone and I could only think of one person. Sphinx. Guilt consumed me. I had sent her away in a time when she needed me and now that I was in that time myself I need no one more than I need her. This is how she felt. I ran to my phone and picked it up to dial her. 

Ring. Ring. Ring. 

“Hello? Bella?” Sphinx answered the phone tentatively.

“Yes. Sphinx? Oh, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have kicked you out! I just-”

“Bella, it’s fine!” 

“No, it’s not, Sphinx.” I shook my head and sighed. 

“It really is okay. Rayne and I have been thinking about it and we unloaded everything too quickly on you. We were all mate and baby and really that was too much. I’m sorry.” 

“Maybe you’re right, but it still wasn’t good how I turned you away. I should have sat down with you and talked to you. I didn’t and I’m sorry. Forgive me?” I asked. 

“Of course. I was...I was gonna skip school today and come by actually.”

“Well, you can still come by. I’m faking an illness and at a turning point in my life.” 

“What?”

“I need to talk to you Sphinx.”

“I’m five minutes away,” she said and hung up. 

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“Wow.” 

Sphinx seemed at a loss for words after I had spilled and told her all my disfunctions. 

“I know,” I nodded and bit my lip. 

“I don’t really know what to tell you,” Sphinx told me as her creased in thought. She suddenly got a sad looking smile on her face and took my hands in hers. “I think the best thing to ask right now is not ‘Todd or James’ but more along the lines of, ‘what would Mom say?’”

Those words cut to my core. They were so simple, so naive, yet so wise. They were exactly what I needed to hear. “Sphinx....” 

She let go of my hands and nodded at me, “Do what you need to do.”

I was on my feet within seconds. I leaned down and kissed my sisters cheek. “I’m not sure wether you’ve become a genius over night or not, but one thing is for sure. I think that motherly mentality is kicking in.”

Sphinx grinned at me and started to giggle. 

I smiled and ran to my bedroom, stripping down once I got there and shifting as soon as I jumped out my window. There was only one place I needed to be right now.