Turning Tables (Paul LaHote)

Eleven

"Can we get drunk?" Jazmine asked. She was sitting on a kitchen chair, leaned back enough that she'd probably fall. She had shown up there after the beach and said nothing until now.

"Are you asking my permission or do you need someone to join?" Sam asked and Jazmine rolled her eyes.

"I'm asking if we actually have the ability to get drunk?" She elaborated and Sam pursed his lips.

"I'm not sure, I haven't really had reason to drink. I don't think it would affect us the same." He looked to Emily who shrugged.

"Why do you want to get drunk?" Emily asked.

"To celebrate of course." Jazmine was wondering if she had any sarcasm left after that.

"You look like you're in the mood for celebrating." Sam snorted.

"Why wouldn't I? I just got a free ride to UCLA." Jazmine's chair tipped back and even though she could have caught herself she just hit the floor with a thump and stared at the ceiling.

"Oh, Jaz." Emily sighed. Jazmine could feel the tears and she wiped at them harshly.

"Also Paul got his free ride so he's gonna have to phase before he leaves or we'll have to interfere." Jazmine accepted Sam's hand and let him pull her up.

"Maybe you should go home." Sam sighed and Jazmine nodded and wiped her face. Sam pulled her into a hug and she began to cry harder.

"I imprinted on him." She whispered and Sam only shushed her.

"You've had a lot to deal with today. We'll talk about that tomorrow."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Jazmine hadn't worn a tight dress in a long time. She'd grown considerably since she'd last worn this one, it used to be just above her knee, not anymore.

She was watching herself in the mirror while she waited for some guy from Forks to come pick her up. She was angry and broken hearted which made her desperate enough to dig up some guys number from the cafe.

He used to be a waiter there before he got a better job in Forks but they were friendly enough once, he wanted to be friendlier and tonight, if she could get drunk, she'd probably let him.

He pulled up in a beat-up car and honked the horn which made her roll her eyes before calling a goodbye for her father.

"Will you be late?" He called. He hadn't seen how she was dressed and probably presumed she had patrol.

"I'll stay at Sam's." She yelled back and left, getting into the car.

"How does Port Angeles sound?" He asked and Jazmine nodded slowly. She had Rebecca's ID, one she'd swiped almost a year ago.

"Perfect."

The club wasn't anything big but it was busy enough to keep her happy. The music was maybe a little loud but she coped with it because she didn't have the concentration to think.

"Four of your strongest shots." She yelled at the bartender who watched in awe as she downed all four of them in succession. It stayed that way most the night, Jazmine found if she kept herself topped up she could stay drunk.

But when she started to sober up it happened quickly. The guy she had come with had disappeared into the crowd and she couldn't bring herself to go looking for him.

Instead, there was a new guy, taller than her. He introduced himself but Jazmine missed his name and felt it rude to tell him so she continued to dance.

He stayed close, buying most of her drinks and she knew what he wanted from her, the way he was looking, he might just get it.

When he kissed her she ignored the way she wanted it to be Paul and kissed him back. By the time the night had ended Jazmine had a thumping headache and every joint she had hurt.

She knew why, it went against every cell in her body to want someone that wasn't Paul.

Outside the club she watched her boy call a cab before deciding it wasn't worth the pain she'd feel after.

"I'm just gonna go home." She sighed and he turned with a frown.

"I don't live too far babe." He smiled and Jazmine knew that if she didn't love Paul with everything she had then she would have gone with him.

"I can't, I need to get home." She ignored him swearing and walked a little further down from the club and sat in an empty window sill before pulling her phone out.

Jacob and her father were ignoring her calls and Sam simply huffed when she answered. When she said she needed a ride he told her to run and hung up. She figured she had woken him up.

She tried the last number she could think of and sighed in relief when he answered.

"Come pick me up?"

"Jaz, it's two thirty."

"Please."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

"So can I ask why you were in a club this late?" Embry asked and Jazmine sighed and pulled down her dress again.

"Getting over Paul." She shrugged.

"Did it work?" He asked and she shook her head before fiddling with the radio.

"Didn't think so, well now you know." Embry tapped his fingers against the wheel of the car and she nodded.

"I didn't think it would if I'm being honest but we were talking today and it just made me mad. He's been with Rebekah, you know that?" She asked and Embry shook his head.

"I mean, I presumed because of that day I found you."

"Yeah, we both got scholarships to UCLA too." Jazmine sighed and Embry whistled.

"You just aren't having a good day." Embry laughed and Jazmine rolled her eyes.

"You're such a dick head."

"You called me at two-thirty in the morning. My nice side doesn't operate during those hours." The drive home took well over an hour and Jazmine dozed for most of it but Embry nudged her whenever she fell asleep because if he had to stay awake then so did she.

By the time they arrived home Jazmine was lying on Embry's shoulder and he decided to let her snooze. When they pulled up at her house he woke her gently and watched her blink.

"You're home Jaz." Jazmine looked at her house then back to Embry.

"Thanks for coming to get me Em." She whispered and smiled at him.

"Anytime Jaz." His smile made Jazmine happy so she didn't think when she leant forward and kissed Embry slowly.

She regretted it instantly, her stomach churned and her headache came back with a vengeance as if her body was fighting her.

She pulled back and stared at Embry before scrambling from the car and into her house. She sat with her back against the door and put her head in her hands.