The girl with the snake skin

14. Venting

It's Christmas Eve and the Clearwater's wanted to do a big dinner and secret santa with everyone. So here I am deciding on what top to wear. Eventually I just grab my blue flannel to go with my white pants and beige boots. I stick my phone in my pocket and decide on my diamond studded hoop earrings along with some neutral makeup and making sure my curled hair is falling in beach wave curls. I grab my rings sticking them on my fingers and grab the box holding the present and head to the kitchen.

Since Bella's been hanging out with Jacob she's come out of that depressed shell she was in and actually wants to go out to the dinner and I know it's to see Jacob but at least she's getting out. When I get to the kitchen she's putting the food we made into bins so we can take it. Dad walks down the stairs and when I see his outfit I realize we all match. "Dad Bella I love you guys but you have to change." They both stop and examine our outfits before Bella says, "but I was dressed first." Rolling my eyes I say "well I make it look better." She knows I'm joking when I smirk at her. "But at least we got different colors on." When dad says that we all chuckle before we grab the food and presents heading out jumping in dad's patrol car. Since Bella's clumsier I run to the passenger seat and stick my tongue out as she gets in the back knowing she hates sitting in the back.

The ride to the Clearwater's was silent but a nice silent, I watch the snow on the ground as we passed when we pulled up to the drive way. Getting out of the car I could here the laughter and talking coming from the small but cozy house. I grab the presents, dad grabs the food, and Bella grabs and holds onto my arm to steady herself as we walk to the door. We're greeted by an excited Seth. "Hey guys mom said presents go under the tree and food in the kitchen." I can't help it his smile is so contagious. "Oh my God little Seth is taller than me" I squeal as I hand Bella the presents so I can squeeze the boys cheeks who I once use to babysit when I visited my dad.

Dad heads to the kitchen where all the adults are with the food, while Bella and I follow Seth to the living room where everybody else. Paul pulls me into a hug before I can fully set foot into  the room. I stay in Paul's arm and watch Bella go sit with Jacob and Quil in the corner. I quietly watch everyone talking to each other, every once in a while I add in a comment when I'm addressed but otherwise I just soak in the festiveness. Then I notice Leah sitting on the couch on her phone alone. I smile at Paul before I pull away and move towards Leah sitting next to her. "Whatcha doing girly." She shrugs, like she's not use to having people talk to her. "Come on Clearwater, we're bitches you can talk to me." Quietly she mumbles "Alright Swan." She quickly pulls me to her now bare walled room. After she closes the door she pulls me into a hug, I rub her back knowing that she's been holding whatever she's feeling for a while..

After what felt like hours just hugging Leah we eventually move to the little living corner she has in her room where I let her vent. When she's done she sighs with relief. "That was a lot to hold in Leah. Why haven't you told anyone?" She shrugs, "I'm not you Rose, I can't find someone to talk to that easily." Rolling my eyes, I say "Don't you have a diary you write all your feelings in, doesn't that help?" "It's not the same as being able to talk to someone in a way that you get advice back, instead you get silence." Sighing I grab her hand "Leah why didn't you call or text me I would've driven here to sit with you and I don't know but you wouldn't of been alone." "I couldn't look at my phone. All I would see we're messages and calls from Sam and Emily, saying they were sorry and a bunch of other stuff." "Leah I know you and Emily use to be best friends, but you were the closest thing I had to a best friend everytime I came down to visit my dad, you're like a sister to me. You could've even told your mom to call me and I would've come and we could've done a girls weekend." I see her smile, even if it is a small one. "I see progress on your face, I can score us some weed and we can celebrate." I say jokingly, getting a laugh out of her. She pulls me from my chair onto her lap into a hug, "thanks Rose." I get up and observe what she has left in her room. It's not much except her book shelf filled to the brim with books the one thing that didn't change, a dresser, mirror,and her tv that has been updated, next to it small shelves that hold some DVDs and a couple pictures. I observe the pictures finding one from the last time I was here.

"I REMEMBER THIS, why did anyone ever let me cut my bangs." Leah stands up taking the picture from my hand looking at it, "I thought they were cute." We both get quiet before we bust out laughing "Leah you're a fucking liar." We only laugh harder until we're on the ground holding our stomachs. Eventually we calm down and just stare at the ceiling before Leah speaks up, "I don't know how you do it, you manage to bring a light with you where ever you go." "Bish I am the light." We both laugh before we get interrupted by knocking and the door opening to see Harry. "I knew I heard some laughter up here, we could hear Rosie's goofy laugh a mile away." "Heeeyyy you love my goofy laugh." Harry chuckles at my response, "Come on girls were getting ready to serve dinner." We both follow Harry out of her room with our arms linked and smiles on our faces. When we get downstairs we walk into the kitchen where were handed plates and see that everything is set up like a buffet and we start at the beginning getting a little bit of everything before we sit down together and we start small talk before Paul sits next to me greeting Leah with a nod. Eventually Paul joins in on our talk while we wait for everyone to get a spot at the table. When Sue and Harry pass by us I see them give me grateful smile and I nod in understanding.

When we finish dinner everyone moves to the living room to open presents. Since there wasn't enough room Paul and Leah sit next to each other and I sit on their legs so I'm in the middle. Billy speaks up "Alright since the Clearwater's organized this I think they should go first, Sue you're up." I hop up and grab the box I brought handing it to her. With Harry's help I managed to get Sue the perfect present. I got a bunch of old pictures putting the in a digital frame like I did for Bella, since Sue doesn't like to wear perfume I got her a simple necklace with a lava rock diffuser and a bunch of essential oils, for a natural scent like she prefers. A bunch of candles that Seth helped me pick out. And last but not least a new cookbook. She smiles as she pulls me in for a hug saying thank you while hugging the picture frame. We all watch everyone open their presents, Billy got me knowing my dad helped him pick out everything I give Billy a hug and say thanks admiring the dream catcher he hand made and the pack of hoop earrings everyone knows I like to wear. When it's time to go I bid everyone goodnight and tell Leah to call me if she needs anything.