headache / jasper hale

35 | welcome to the cult

Thea

"Hello?" I answer my phone, shoving it between my ear and shoulder as I make my bed.

"Thea?" Bella asks, her voice panicky.

"What's wrong, B?" I ask, the pillow in my hands falling to the floor as I hurriedly grip my phone, pushing it closer to my ear.

"Jake won't return any of my calls," Bella says. I can tell she's biting her fingers, her words are slightly muffled.

"What do you mean?" I ask, closing my bedroom door before sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Ever since we went to the movies, he hasn't returned any of my calls. Billy says it's because he has mono but that doesn't mean he can't pick up his phone and call me, right?"

I furrow my brows - mono? There wasn't a chance that Jake had mono, unless he was fooling around with other girls on the Reservation. But if he was, I'd know about it. Sam and the pack know everything that goes on in La Push so they would know if Jake had a girlfriend.

"Thea, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Sorry." I run my hand through my hair, staring at my closed bedroom door. What was going on with Jake?

"Am I overreacting?" Bella asks me, worry evident in her voice. I didn't blame her for being scared - I would probably be worse if Embry suddenly stopped answering my calls.

"I don't think you are, Bells."

"I can't lose him Thea, it would be like losing Embry for you. He makes me happy and fills that gaping hole in my chest," Bella sniffles. "Do you think Sam got to him?"

"What the hell does that mean?" I snap.

"Thea, I'm sorry! He just, seemed really worried that Sam would get to him. I know he's your family but Jake didn't like them for a reason." Bella rushed. "I can't lose Jake."

"Sam has never done anything wrong. Jake would be lucky to be friends with Sam, regardless of what the town gossip is."

"I hope you're right, Thea." Bella sighs, flopping down into her bed. "Can you try to call him for me, please?"

"Maybe," I said, standing up from my bed. "Look, I have to go."

"Can we hangout tomorrow?" Bella asks.

"Yeah, sure. What do you want to do?" I ask her, rolling my eyes. After that remark, I really didn't want to see Bella but I knew she had no one and deep down, she didn't mean what she said.

"I want to go to the meadow," she whispers.

"Your and Edward's?" I ask her, my eyes slightly widening at her proposal.

"It's time."

Bella and I talk over the plans for a few more minutes - I would drive over to her house then we would take my car as far as we could. After that, we would hike to the meadow.

After plans were finalized, we bid each other goodbye before hanging up. I sigh, throwing myself down onto my bed. I wasn't going to lie - I was apprehensive for tomorrow. I didn't know how Bella would react when seeing her meadow.

My thoughts were cut short when I heard the front door slam open, hollering filling my small house. The Packs back.

I slid myself off my bed, slowly making my way down the hallway and steps. My footsteps are loud, practically announcing my presence in the home.

"Thea!" Paul yells from the kitchen. "Did you go grocery shopping recently?"

"I went yesterday, Paul." I yell back, sticking my head into the kitchen. "It isn't my fault you all eat everything you see."

"Hey Thea," A voice says from my left.

I glance over at the voice, sending them a smile. "Hey Jake," I say before looking back at Paul. "If you're hungry so much then-"

My eyes widen as the sight registers in my head. They shoot back over to the smirking boy, leaning against the island counter. Jake laughs at my facial expression, pushing off the counter to walk over to me.

"Surprised to see me?" Jake says, pulling me into a quick hug. It takes me a minute before I'm able to hug him back.

"I knew it would happen eventually," I say, pulling away from the new wolf to look him once over. "Welcome to the cult, my friend."

Jake smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that . . . I'm sorry for anything I've said about Sam. You were right when you said that I didn't understand - but I do now and I'm sorry."

I wave my hand at him, dismissing his apology before leaving his side to walk over to Embry's. "Don't worry about it, Jake. No harm done."

"Good morning," Embry whispers to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and tugging me into his side. He places a small kiss on my temple.

"Someone's happy today," I whisper to him, taking the muffin out of his hand and taking a small bite.

Embry shrugs, stealing the muffin back. "Just happy Jake doesn't hate me."

"I told you so," I say, poking my tongue out at him.

"You two are sickeningly cute," Jake groans, scrunching his nose at Embry and I. "It makes me want to puke."

"You get used to it," Paul grumbles, lifting his head out of the fridge. "It's even worse when he's phased - all he thinks about is Thea."

"'Thea looked so pretty today'." Jared mocks, laughing.

"'Guys, did you see what Thea was wearing today? Cute, right?'" Paul echoed, slamming the fridge door open before placing his hands over his heart.

I let out a loud laugh, turning to look at a blushing Embry. "Real funny," he says.

"Least you all can escape it, I can't. He's always at my house," Sam teases as he enters the kitchen with a large smile on his face. We all laugh, Embry included, at Sam's sentence.

"Anyways," I say after I control my laughter. I look at Jake. "Why haven't you returned Bella's calls? She thinks you have mono."

Jake glances over at Sam before looking back at me. "I can't be her friend anymore."

"Why?"

"It isn't safe for her or the pack," Jake says.

I furrow my brows, glancing over at Sam who is staring intently at Jake. "Alpha's orders?" I ask.

"Alpha's orders always are followed."

•••

little update my friends :))

-M