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That is so annoying. Why is he so tall, anyway?
“Go away, Jaden,” I huffed as I picked up my pace. It was useless—he didn’t even have to try hard to match it. Speed walking was so not a talent of mine. I probably looked like a dork, but I didn’t care. There comes a point when you realize your life is more important than how stupid you look. I was at that point.

“Claire, seriously, I’m really sorry, okay?”

Do not give in. Do not give in.

“You’re right. I acted like a total jerk back there. I’m sorry. Now will you get back in the car?”

“No.”

He sighed but didn’t protest. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and strolled along while I panted next to him.

Just go away. Sheesh.

“So, where are you going, anyway?” He sounded amused, like he thought this was cute or something.

“Anywhere that’s away from you.”

“That’ll be kind of hard,” he had the audacity to point out. “Looks like I’m staying right next to you.”

Ugh.
I nudged him with my elbow. “Go away.”

He chuckled at my attempt, but then answered seriously, “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” I growled at him. “Now leave me alone.”

“Claire, I don’t care how mad you get, I’m not leaving you alone in this neighborhood. So forget it.” He seemed really pleased with himself, like I was supposed to congratulate him for suddenly remembering to be a gentleman.

The dork!

“You know what?” I stopped and put my hands on my hips. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me, okay?” I stomped my foot for good measure.

Jaden looked down at that foot and stifled a grin.

I could’ve cheerfully decked him. “I’m serious!” I snapped. “Go away.”

“Look.” He folded his arms and glanced down the road. His car was about five hundred yards away. “I’m Native American. We stick together.”

“What?” I looked at him again, really hard. “You’re Native American?” It was like he had just punched me in the gut. “Are you serious?”
Why haven’t I noticed before?

“Do you have a problem with that?” He seemed confused.

“What? No, no!” I shook my head. “I have a lot of Navajo and Hopi friends in Farmington. What tribe are you from?” I had to ask, even though I knew the answer before he said it—

“Quileute.”

Oh my gosh. No wonder he was driving like a maniac—not caring about anyone. No wonder he’s so flippin’ tall. No wonder he doesn’t listen to anything I say. And that totally explains why he just grabbed me and kissed me yesterday. Jaden’s a werewolf! Just like Jacob Black in
Twilight.
Holy cow! How did this happen to me? Me!

“What’s wrong, Claire? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Jaden, what’s your last name?”

“Black. Why? What’s—?”

I didn’t hear the rest.

I fell.

***

“What do you mean, Jaden’s a werewolf? What are you talking about? There are no werewolves in the book anyway. What in the world gave you that idea?” Cassidy stopped pacing and turned toward me. “You know what I think? I think you hit your head harder than you thought.”

“I didn’t hit my head. Jaden caught me before I fell all the way down.”

“You are such a weirdo, Claire, you know that? A weirdo.” She continued pacing. “I can’t believe we were even raised in the same family. Look, just do me a favor and don’t tell people we’re related, okay?”

“Cass, I’m serious. He’s a werewolf.”

“He is
not!”
She walked right up to my bed, to which Darlene had sentenced me for the rest of the day, thanks to my collapsing episode. “You get it right out of your mind this instant! Do you hear me? Stop thinking you live in a book, okay?”

“Cassidy, just because you can’t see the possibilities around you, doesn’t mean other people are blind. Jaden Black
is
a werewolf! He is. I’m positive of it. You should’ve seen him—”

“Will you knock it off?” She marched over to the dresser, pulled out
Twilight,
and threw the large black book on my bed. “I read it, okay? I can see where you might’ve thought Tony was a vampire. I can see that.” She raised her hand when she saw my excitement. “It doesn’t mean he is. I can just acknowledge where you caught the idea that he might be one. Sheesh, after reading the book, even I wish he was.” She walked over to her bed and sat down, trying another tactic. “But, honey—” she smiled a brief, sad smile “—there’s nothing in that book to give any evidence that Jacob Black is a werewolf. Nothing. Just because he’s Native American and understands earth and nature a lot more than we do, does not make him a werewolf. Honestly, I don’t know—”

“That’s it!” I threw the covers off and jumped out of bed.

Cassidy gasped. “Where are you going? You can’t get up. You’re not allowed. Darlene said I had to make sure you stayed in bed.”

“Oh, please. I’m not sick.” I walked over to the closet and yanked out my luggage. “So I got a little woozy.” After throwing the suitcase on the floor, I unzipped the front pouch. “There’s no reason for everyone to treat me like a little baby.”
A-ha!
With a sharp tug, I pulled out book two in the Twilight saga—
New Moon,
the book that introduces and describes everything werewolf related. “Here.” I tossed it across the room.

She had to stretch to catch it. “What’s this?”

“Book two. You’ve only read book one.” I grunted a bit as I zipped up the suitcase and shoved it in the closet.

“Are you kidding me? You actually lugged this out here, too?” She turned it over in her hands. “How many books did you bring, anyway?”

“All four.”

“You brought four huge books like this on vacation? You
are
out of your mind.”

“Yep. I had to. It’s the whole series.” I slumped back onto my bed and ordered, “Now read.”

Cassidy groaned.

“You
do
want to know what happens to Bella and Edward, don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes but ran her fingers gently over the red and white flower on the cover.

“Read. And hurry up, because I need your help.”

“Knock knock,” Darlene called through the door.

I quickly jumped under the covers. “Come in.”

She carried in a large tray with a plate of sandwiches on it. “I heard you girls up here talking, so I figured you were awake now.” She smiled at me.

I wasn’t asleep. I hadn’t
been
asleep. And I wasn’t
going
to sleep! “So, is Jaden gone?” I asked sweetly as I sat up and straighten the covers, making way for the food. Then, as an afterthought I added, “Thank you for dinner.”

“No worries.” Darlene clucked. “You poor thing. How are you feeling now? Better?”

Worse.
She still hadn’t answered my question about the lying, two-faced, double-crossing, no good . . . “Is Jaden still here?”

Darlene’s smile slipped as she glanced over at Cassidy. “Well, Cass, would you like a sandwich? I made some for you, too.”

“He
is
here, isn’t he?” If I tried, I could probably smell him,
the . . . the dog. Ugh. If he so much as even tries to come up here, I’ll—

“Yes, dear.” Darlene wouldn’t meet my eyes. In fact, she hadn’t met my eyes since I’d had my huge blow up downstairs, when Jaden carried me into the house.
As if I needed to be carried by such a pompous jerk. I would rather walk barefoot on broken glass than be held by that imbecile.
I still couldn’t believe he had the guts to try and kiss me again, too, right as he was carrying me up the steps to the cottage, telling me I looked so cute and smelled so good that he wasn’t going to be able to help himself. Thank goodness Darlene opened the door when she did—it was the only thing that saved him.

In disgust, I shook my head.
Seriously, if he ever tries that again, I’ll bite his lips off!

Darlene brushed the comforter with her hands. “I know you don’t want to talk to Jaden right now.” She tried to smile again. “But I don’t think he’s leaving until you at least say something to him. He’s pretty worried about you—you gave him quite a fright, falling down in the middle of the street like that.”

At least I should be grateful nobody’s calling it fainting. Not that I did faint—I’m sure I didn’t
.
Okay, so there were a few moments I couldn’t remember, like actually being caught by Jaden. I didn’t remember that at all. I remembered being in his arms on the sidewalk, and I remembered him freaking out, but I don’t remember getting back into the car. I can vaguely recall some of the drive, but I don’t think I fully came to my senses until the moron had the gall to try to kiss me again on that stupid front porch.

Darlene was still talking. “. . . it’s okay, though. He’s on the phone with your parents now, and I’m sure—”

“Excuse me. Who’s on the phone with my parents?”

She gave me a sympathetic look. “Jaden, dear.”

“Jaden? Jaden Black is on the phone with my parents right now?”
What in the world?
“Send him in, please.” I smiled to reassure her, but I don’t think it worked. “I want to talk to him.” That did it. Obviously, Darlene was all about getting us to speak to each other.

“Okay.” She fluttered around the room and tidied a couple of things. “I’ll send him right up.”

“Uh, I’ll go see if Mom wants to talk to me,” Cassidy suggested. I could tell she would rather be anywhere but in here when I let Jaden have it.

“Okay. Great.” Darlene was all smiles now, and her eyes finally met mine. “He’ll be so happy you want to talk to him, I’m sure. He’s been so worried. And he seems like the nicest guy. If I had a daughter, I would—oh, never mind. Let me go get him for you.”

“Thanks.” I thought my smile would crack under the strain as she left.

How dare that little—er, big—weasel worm his way into my friends’ and family’s hearts! How dare he talk to my parents and reassure them. That’s all I need—everyone falling for the werewolf! The reckless, wild, Anger Management Anonymous werewolf! Great. Fabulous. Just back-flippin’ dandy.

I sighed as I heard his heavy footsteps creak up the stairs.

What would Bella have done in my shoes?

Vampires, Werewolves,
and Me . . . Oh My!

“Hey, you.” Jaden peeked his head into the room. “Is it safe now?”

Depends on your definition of “safe.”
“Sure, come in.”
I don’t eat wolf, anyway.

“Darlene says you’re feeling better.” He walked in, and I gasped to see his head almost brushing the slanted ceiling in places.

“How tall are you?”

He shrugged and grinned. “I don’t know. Last time we checked, I was around six three. Why?”

“Just curious.” His smile was pretty cute. It was the same smile he used on me the first time I saw him. “Why aren’t you watching the Mariners game? I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

“Nope. I have some things I needed to sort out with you first.”

Well, that makes two of us, buddy.
I pointed to the stuffed chair across the room. “Have a seat.” After he sat down, I asked, “So, who did you talk to, my mom or my dad?”