Odd One Out | Jacob Black

14.

"Jeremy?" I sit up.

"Yeah." Jake looks down the hall.

"Why?" I ask.

"I called him yesterday to ask him to help cover if your dad asked where you were. He's under the impression you had a run in with a bear and got a little spooked." His eyes kept jumping from me to down the hall. "You can't tell him anything, Nat. You have to stick with the bear story."

Again, no pet name. I was starting to really hate all of this.

"Okay." I glance down at what I'm wearing instantly knowing Jer is going to flip. Both of us turned to the sound of banging on the front door.

"Fuck." Jake muttered and turned to get the door I assumed.

"Someone's at the door, son." I could hear his dad chuckle.

I stand up and wrap myself in the fuzzy pink blanket hoping that will cover the fact that I'm wearing boxer shorts that aren't mine.

"Where the fuck is she?" I can hear Jeremy's angry voice crystal clear all the way from Jake's room.

"I'm here!" I shout and head out before this escalated. "I'm fine."

Jeremy shoves past Jake who lets him. It was somewhat comical to watch because of the size difference even though Jer was also on the taller side. And didn't turn into a dog. At least, as far as I knew he didn't.

"What the fuck is going on, peanut?" I can see him doing a once over of me trying to look for anything out of place. "You look like hell."

I frown at that. That was rude. Maybe that's why Jake has seemed to take a giant step backwards towards me.

He sighed and rubbed his face. "I didn't mean it like that. Stop staring at me like you're about to cry."

"That was rude." I glance behind him to Jake who was leaning against the wall, watching.

"I'm sorry." Jeremy crossed his arms. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"I'm fine."

He snorts. "Sure. Then why aren't you home?"

"Uh...I don't want to be?" Well that was dumb.

"Does this have something to do with either dad or that little fucker?" That 'little fucker' being Brady, I knew.

"No." I glance down.

"Sit down." He points to the kitchen table behind me. I listen and slide myself, still wrapped like a burrito, into the first chair. He sits across from me and just stares.

"What happened?" He stares me down and I get nervous. I can't tell him anything but at the same time I don't really remember what Jake told me. I glance back and Jake and he must have saw something on my face because he pushes off the wall.

"She got a little too close to a bear." Jake sighs.

Jeremy whipped around with a look that could kill.

"I don't recall talking to you. In fact, why don't you make yourself scarce?"

"Jer. Don't be mean."

"You shush for now." He points a finger at me before glaring back at Jake. "And you can disappear. She's capable of talking for herself."

"You can't tell him to disappear from his own home. And he's right. I was outside sketching and a bear came up. It was...scary. So I came here." I fib.

Jeremy said nothing but leaned back and crossed his arms again. He said nothing and the air quickly turned awkward.

"Well?" I prompt and he just glances over his shoulder to Jake.