The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter LXXXVI

I didn't get any sleep without Jake by my side. Dad had made coffee the next morning, the entire pot steaming as I made my way down the stairs. If I couldn't sleep, this was going to be the next best thing. When I had managed to fall asleep for half an hour yesterday, I had woken up drenched in my own sweat. Rather than make it worse, I'd stripped out of my clothing and laid down in bed with a bra and underwear on. It was funny that this place was no longer my home. The room that I was lying in was nothing like it used to be. All of my things were now housed at Jake's. And if sleeping without Jake wasn't hard enough, sleeping without Sarah's dreamcatcher and chair made it nearly impossible.

When I'd decided that it was late enough for me to leave my room, I had only pulled on a pair of sweatpants and walked down the stairs. I wore less clothes with Jake around. My parents shouldn't care. I was rubbing my eyes and trying to think of things to keep myself away when I heard my mother's squeaky of a yawn.

"Ryanne!" she exclaimed. I winced before turning around with a plastered on smile.

"Oh sweetheart, it's been so long!" I guess this was one reason I should be thankful for Bella's wedding. Mom had agreed that I could stay in Forks this summer because she would be staying at the house for a week after Bella's wedding. And, unfortunately, that time was to be completely devoted to hanging out with me.

Mom wrapped her arms around me with a tight squeeze.

"Where were you last night? I thought we were going to have a chance to do girl things last night?" I had told her that I was going to the bonfire. Okay, well I had told Dad that I was going to the bonfire and that I would be home late. Well, not home; this place was not home.

"I was at a bonfire down at La Push, Mom," I said with a polite smile.

"Coffee?" Couldn't we talk about something else? What was with this sudden interest in my life. Okay, interest was the wrong word. I just didn't want to talk about me.

"So that was Jacob Black who brought you home last night?" I just nodded and handed her a coffee mug. "Well he's certainly grown up. He was the boyfriend that your father was telling me about last night?" I wanted to snort at the thought of my dad having to tell my mother that I was dating. I just nodded with a brighter smile. Thinking about Jake could make me happy no matter where I was.

"When did that come about?"

"I don't know Mom," I said. "It's been a long time coming I guess." And that would be the truth... if Jake hadn't imprinted. That was what allowed me to believe that Jake really did love me more than just as an imprint. Because the reality that had taken me so long to figure out was that Jake and I would have ended up this way whether he was a wolf or not. We would have become a couple. I had known that I loved Jake for ages now. He would've figured it out. The imprint just showed him that he did.

"Well, that's nice," she said dismissively. "Now, do I get to see your bridesmaid's dress? Alice has kept those under lock and key."

There was a little part of me that thought that I should text Jake and tell him I loved him and maybe say a little prayer before I said this next sentence to my mother.

"Mom, I chose not to be a bridesmaid."

Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell upon with a little squeak.

"But you're sisters, Ryanne. You can't just not be in her wedding. How could you do that to your sister? I'm sure that she really wants you to be a prat of this with her."

"And I will be a part of it, Mom. Just as a guest," I said.

"But you are her sister. You are supposed to be there for her!"