ON HOLD - Seeing the past (R. Hale)

Fire and Ice

     When I wake up the following morning it is to a soft knock on my door. The alarm next to my bed reads 3:30 am causing me to release a soft groan. Climbing from the safety of my warm duvet I pad over to the door while rubbing my tired eyes. Grasping the cold metal handle a small shiver goes down my spine as I pull the door open revealing a disheveled, exhausted, but always beautiful Leah. "Dimples are you okay?" I pull her into a hug momentarily confused by the intense heat that is radiating from her skin. Was she always this warm.

     The sound of sniffling reaches my ears and my arms wrap more securely around my friend. "They are engaged Thea. The news is all over the rez, but dad told me at dinner." Her sobs wrack through her body with a vengeance. Her arms wrap around my neck and I take the opportunity to lift her up so that I can walk us over to my bed. When I sit her down we lay with her head on my chest and my arms wrapped around her like vices. "They are supposed to get married the day after graduation. He wasn't even going to tell me Thea." She wails the words into my chest broken up by her sobs. "Did I mean anything to him or was it just some long game? Is something wrong with me?" Her words rip into my heart.

     "Nothing is wrong with you," I say vehemently. "You are one of the best people I know Leah. If our parents were not together and you were not straight I would have tried to date you years ago." She laughs into my chest at that. "Seriously though Leah, I do not know why Sam did what he did or why he's still being a distant asshole, but none of it is your fault. He made these decisions based on and for himself. Do you want me to talk to him for you? Or this weekend you and I can take a trip to Seattle. We can leave right after my game on Friday night. We can do anything that you want." Her sobs slow down and I can see the gears turning behind her beautiful eyes.

     She looks up at me with a tentative smile, "you would really reschedule your weekend shifts to go to Seattle with me?"

     "Of course I would do that for you. We have not had a weekend together since last summer. I think we could both use it." Looking towards the window I can see that it is a bit frosty making my eyebrows knit together. "Hey dimples," she looks up at my worried tone, "if it is icy out today would you mind driving my truck. I put snow chains on it yesterday, and I do not trust your tiny car on ice."

     Leah puts her hand in the middle of my chest using it to push herself up causing me to release a small groan of pain. She stares at the window before lowering herself back down tucking her head back under my chin. "You would let me drive your truck on ice to the rez?"

     Nodding I reply, "you have driven my truck a million times before. Just go slow, yeah? I need you and Seth in my life."

     She nods and is quiet for a moment before she sits up quick and looks down at me with wide eyes, "wait, you are not going to let Bella drive you right? No offense to your sister, but she is a walking accident."

     That causes a full blown laugh to escape me, "no Bella will not be driving me, but I feel like I should be offended for her. However, you are right she always finds something to fall on. Rosalie offered to drive me to school today though."

     Her eyebrows lift and a scrutinizing expression crosses her features, "I know that I am from the rez, and don't know a lot of the people in town. However, I am pretty sure that there is only one Rosalie, and it is the cold one not allowed on the reservation." Her finger is jabbed into the center of my chest and her face is hard.

     Grabbing her hand before she leaves a fingertip sized bruise I smile at her, "Lala last time I checked you thought that the legends were bullshit, but yes it is Rosalie Hale. What is the problem?"

     She sighs laying back down, "if you vouch for her nothing. You have always been better at telling when someone should be avoided. It's just that lately I am starting to think the legends may have some truth." She starts to worry her lip between her teeth.