smitten [s. clearwater]

how quickly can things change?

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-CHAPTER THIRTEEN: HOW QUICKLY CAN THINGS CHANGE?-

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For the next week and a half, Delilah spent her nights doing homework on the floor of the Cullen's living room while Bella drank blood and commented on how she wished she could've gone to a private school at some point. Delilah made it a habit to bring Leah food since she wouldn't eat Esme's and Esme made it a habit to send home plenty of leftovers with Delilah since she was aware that neither her or Jillian cooked.

And in that week and a half, all was well. Thursday came around and Delilah had an upcoming test, so she opted to stay home that night. Jillian was watching a movie with the volume turned down low and Delilah was at the kitchen table with her textbook and extensive notes spread out around her.

Jillian came into the kitchen. "I know Esme gave us all that food, but I'm craving Chinese."

"If you get some, bring me back egg rolls," Delilah answered.

"Come on, Dee. You've been studying all afternoon and I'm hungry and the Chinese place is about to close."

The teenage girl looked up at her mom. "I already had some of Esme's food," she answered. "But if you want to go get some, I'll take an egg roll. I really need to get through this unit of notes because I'm afraid it's all going to leak out of my ear or something."

Jillian kissed Delilah's head. "I'm gonna go grab dinner with Harley then. Are you sure you'll be okay here by yourself?" Delilah nodded, her eyes refocusing on her work. "Well, don't start any fires or anything and don't open the door for strangers."

As Jillian walked towards the door Delilah called after her, reminding her to get her an egg roll. It was silent in the house after that. She didn't want to distract herself by calling Seth, so he was texting her once every few hours to assure her that everything was still fine. Delilah was so wrapped up in her schoolwork that she didn't realize Seth hadn't texted her since she was working through the logical fallacies part of her studying.

Delilah checked her phone and refreshed her messages. As the girl was debating on whether or not to call him, there was a knock at the back door. She turned around and saw Embry waiting there.

"What do you want?" She asked, the door still closed. She was mad at him and hadn't talked to him since shortly after the wedding since she found out that he hadn't sided with Jacob and Seth despite knowing that they were right.

He looked at her through the sheer floral curtain as rain pounded on his head and shoulders. "To come in, for starters."

Delilah sighed. "Just go home. I really don't want to see you right now. Not until Bella has the baby and proves that you guys are wrong."

"Just let me in."

"No, Embry."

It was Embry's turn to sigh. He knew how much Delilah cared about Bella and how their futures were entangled with one another. He wanted to tell her where if she needed to, she could have someone to comfort her. "Bella had the baby. It killed her, so Sam and the rest of the pack are going to kill it."

A single tear slipped from her eye. "Go home, Embry. I mean it."

"I can't go home," he said. "Sam said to come here and make sure that you were home. He said if you were home that I wasn't to leave until he gave me the go ahead. Alpha's orders have to be obeyed." He shrugged.

Begrudgingly, Delilah opened the door to give him an escape from the rain. Despite his body temperature and supernatural genes, she knew the rain was still bothersome for him and Seth. Embry walked into the kitchen, grateful to be out of the rain.

He rocked back and forth on his feet and Delilah rolled her eyes. "If you can't tell, I'm studying for a test. Don't expect me to want to play Monopoly or something after everything you've done," Delilah spat at him. "Or everything you haven't done."

She sat back down at the table and continued her work as Embry stayed exactly where he was. Ten minutes later, Delilah was done with the feeling of Embry's eyes on the back of her head. "Can you at least go sit in the living room or something?" The girl asked frustratedly. "You're being incredibly distracting and since Mom is out to dinner, I'm supposed to have peace and quiet. You aren't giving me peace, Embry!"

Embry sighed. "Look, I don't expect you to play Monopoly with me," he said. "All I want to do is explain this thing from our point of view. Seth and Jacob are acting all righteous about it, but do you know how terrifying it is to not know anything that's happening?"

Delilah closed her textbook and gathered her notes into a neat pile. "I do know what it's like to not know or understand a single thing happening around me," she said pointedly. "Like when you guys fought that stupid newborn army and I didn't know if all of you would make it. Or with this whole thing where for the last week I've been hoping that Bella and the baby would make it only to find out that she died and your brothers are going to kill the baby."

"Dee-"

Delilah put her hand up. "I know what it's like because now, I'm one of the handful of humans that is involved in all this supernatural shit. I bet that Kim and Emily are totally okay with you guys killing Bella's baby because they don't like the Cullens, but I do. And you don't understand what it's like everyday wondering if this is the day your best friend, your boyfriend will be attacked by his brothers. By his own family."

"It's my turn now," Embry said. "First off, congrats. Second off, Bella's baby isn't like them. I don't mind the Cullens. I think it's kind of shitty that they made us turn into wolves, but I don't mind them being here or turning Bella. The baby, though, it's not like them. It's less like them than you are because it's not supposed to exist."

"Well, technically I wasn't supposed to exist either."

Embry sighed and put a hand on his temple. "Not like that, Dee. The baby literally isn't supposed to exist. It'll go on a rampage and destroy the town. You could get hurt, Emily and Kim could get hurt. We're doing what we have to do in order to save the greater good. Do you get that?"

"I get that you've been so completely brainwashed by Sam after having your nose shoved up his ass for the last two weeks." Delilah put her things in her backpack and took it to the front door where she would grab it the next morning. "Is it alright with you if I go up to my room to see if my uniform is clean?"

"I can't let you out of my sight."

For the next forty-five minutes, silence hung between Delilah and Embry as the pair were forced together by Sam's orders. Finally, Embry let out a sigh. "The fight is over. Jacob imprinted."

"I- he imprinted?" Delilah asked and Embry nodded. "Like on the baby?" He nodded again. "That is just... wrong."

With a short laugh, Embry looked at his friend, sincerity in his features. "I really hope you'll be able to forgive me someday."

"If no one got hurt and Jacob isn't creepy with the baby, I already forgive you."

"I don't think he'll be creepy with the baby," Embry answered.

Delilah chuckled and hugged Embry. "Well, that's a positive."