SENSELESS : Jacob Black

04

I've discovered that I can just lie on my resume. It should have occurred to me before, but as long as no one asks for any references, I should be alright.

We go handing out the stack of papers all day. There aren't many places in Forks that offer work, but Embry promises to drive me in whenever I have a shift. He says his hours at his job are really flexible, whatever he does for a living. He says that he, Jacob and Quil are all involved in a family business.

After hours of walking, Embry brings us back to Jacob's house. Quil has finished making dinner, and we sit down at the table all three of us together.

"Any luck?" Quil asks.

I shake my head. "I gave them Embry's phone number and my email. Hopefully, they will email rather than call."

Quil's eyes go wide. "You don't have a cellphone?"

I shake my head, looking down. No one ever allowed me to have one. Besides, my phone would be blowing up with calls constantly if I did. It's probably for the best.

"So, you guys live here?" I ask, looking at the pair of them. "What about Jacob's sisters and parents?"

"Parents died," Quil answers, quickly, digging into his food. "Rebecca lives far away with some boyfriend. Rachel lives with Paul, who's Sam's friend. It's just us, really. He didn't want this whole empty house to himself."

"Jacob's okay though," Embry says. "Really. His Dad died like, a year ago."

"I mean, I wouldn't call him okay," Quil argues back, digging into his food.

I try to eat, and though I have been hungry the last few days, I can't picture a world where I shovel down food now. The atmosphere is uncomfortable. I feel like a phantom. Unfortunately, there are no such things as ghosts. The only thing phantasmic here is my presence.

"Quil," Embry warns.

"I mean, the guy is clearly panicked," Quil says. "A lot has changed recently."

He tries not to look at me (I say tries because I catch him glimpsing at me). Embry just leans back in his seat.

"I really don't mean to make Jacob uncomfortable," I tell them. I stand up from the table and begin to move upstairs. "Really, I can go."

"No," the two boys say in unison. They rush over to me, both of them trailing after me on the stairs.

I stop to look at them. "I really don't want to be a bother."

"We hurt you, you're not a bother," Embry insists.

"Correction," Quil laughs. "You hurt her. I didn't do anything."

"So you're admitting you didn't save her from getting hit by a car?" Embry rolls his eyes. He turns back to me. "Fawn, it's okay. We want to help you."

I'm still getting weird culty vibes from the others, but Quil and Embry seem to be somewhat on the level. Still bizarre, but less bizarre than the others.

"Okay," I say. Mostly because I have no other options.

They head back to the table and I follow after them, glancing at my stuff. I resolve to hide my emergency documents in the house, in a difficult enough space that they won't find them with ease, but not so complicated that I can't grab them and run.

Where would I run though? I'm in the middle of a reservation. Aren't white people technically not allowed to live here? I mean, I'm just spending a few nights. It should be fine. Right?