Golden Hour: A Team Jacob Twilight FanFic

Declared

At long last, you brought the changing of seasons

You are the summer that drove out the cold

You're the summer

Your shining light will lead me steadfastly into winter's cold veins

Your warmth gives me refuge from the frigid air biting my neck

I drown in your radiance

I drown in your radiance

Long since I've felt whole

Long since I've been safe

I feel both in our silence

The days were bleeding into each other—so much so that I was surprised to see on the kitchen calendar that it was the end of August already.

Soon, the warmth would trickle away, and the frigid, rainy days would take over. The sky would hide the sun behind its oppressive overcast, and the winter chill would settle in my bones.

I'd grown to appreciate certain things about Forks, like the way the rain made the plants flourish and how the forest was always abuzz, but I could never get used to the bitter cold or the near-constant rainfall. I must've inherited the seasonal affective disorder from my mother.

I thrived in the heat—this was something I knew very young. It was why I avoided it here when I was younger and had Charlie vacation with me in California instead. The sun made me feel normal. Like I was alive. Meanwhile, the cold made me feel trapped and isolated.

Summer was coming to an end, and it felt symbolic in many ways.

In the past couple of weeks, things have felt calm. Suspiciously calm. Edward had actually left me alone as I requested, and none of the Cullens had reached out to me at all. No new rogue vampires were trying to kill me (that I was aware of), and according to Quil, the only person I hung out with now, there wasn't any new drama with the wolfpack.

Aside from the typical horrific nightmares, aching void in my chest, guilt, utter confusion, and feeling of impending doom, I felt...okay.

Another thing aside from the dreary weather I wasn't looking forward to was having to go back to work. Alice or Edward—I wasn't sure whose idea it was exactly—had quit for me at Newton's before the wedding. Initially, I planned to take 2-3 weeks off for the honeymoon, but I suppose it made more sense to quit, considering the very real possibility that I would've never made it back to Forks alive or as myself.

I cringed the whole time when I'd called Mike about getting my job back, especially after he'd witnessed me run at the altar like a coward. But I needed some money now that I wasn't attending college this year.

Mentally, I couldn't imagine college at this time. Also, it was obvious for anyone to see that I didn't get into Dartmouth on my own. Edward had pulled some strings and likely even paid for my full ride. There was no way I could go under those circumstances—I didn't want to take the spot away from someone else.

When I do eventually go to college, if ever, it'll be a school of my choosing, one that I earned to get into.

Right now, though, I knew not to plan too far ahead.

After locking up the house, I idled in the driveway to soak up the sunshine, taking in every last bit of the summer before it faded away in the upcoming weeks. Begrudgingly, I dragged my feet to the hideous Mercedes' and climbed into its cold, pristine leather driver's seat with a deep sigh.

—-

"One second!" Joy called out from inside her home. My knock on the front door was so weak I was surprised she even heard it.