Perspicuous (J.HALE)

07

There was some tension in him as he led me around the side of the house.

He seemed excited yet apprehensive; a little jumpy, even. I followed him without a word, under the impression that questioning him would simply drag out the whole ordeal and keep me from calling Emily for longer. But then he stopped.

"I don't need to be here," he said, clearing his throat and pointing to the corner of the house. "Go round there."

I blinked at him. "What?"

"Just do it." He gave me a gentle shove.

My feet started moving, but I looked at him over my shoulder in a mixture of panic and bewilderment until I reached the end of the wall and stepped round onto the lawn.

Jacob Black was stood a few metres from me.

He looked a little dishevelled. His hair was longer and a little shaggy, stubble speckled his chin, and he looked a little dirty, but he looked okay. Less tired. His eyes were brighter.

"Hey, Im," he said, a lopsided smile on his face.

"You took your damn time," I breathed, unable to keep the grin from my lips.

He shrugged. "I like to keep people waiting."

I practically threw myself at him, not sparing a thought to my dress or my shoes despite the churned-up soil. He was like a wall of solid heat.

"How are you?" he mumbled into my shoulder.

"Okay," I said, clinging to him. "Ethan's grown a lot since you last saw him."

He gave me a squeeze. "I'll have to come and see him soon, then."

I leaned back, arms still resting on his shoulders, to meet his eyes. "How about you?"

"Better," he said, breath tumbling from his lips in a huff. "I just think I needed to...get away for a bit."

I nodded, studying his face for a moment. "Where did you go?"

"Canada," he replied, tilting his head. "To be honest, I wasn't really keeping track most of the time."

I smiled. "I missed you."

He looked strained. "I missed you too."

There was another bout of silence.

"Are you staying?"

His jaw set. "I don't know."

His face had always been a little bit childlike before. Even despite the harshness of the hyper-puberty lycanthropy had forced upon him. But now his face was sharp and angular and rigid. No round cheeks or soft brow.

"Jacob?"

We both turned. Bella and Edward were standing a little away from us, the brunette's face a mixture of shock and delight. I stepped back just in time for her to hurtle past me and into Jake's arms.

"This is kind of you," Edward said, smiling at Jacob.

"Kind is my middle name," Jake replied.

I slipped away back round the side of the building, finding Jasper unmoved from the position that I'd left him—leaned against the wall, hands in his trouser pockets. He lifted his head as he heard me approach, a soft smile on his lips.

"It was good to see him," I said quietly.

He nodded. "Good."

I came to a standstill in front of him, hesitating. I wasn't sure if I wanted to head back to the party yet. His brow crinkled and his eyes scoured my face.