Naturally

Naturally (A Jacob Black Fanfic) -23-

(Continued... Jacob's POV)

I snapped out of my trance before I could relive the memory further. I slammed the hood of my truck down and wiped my greased hands onto a towel before escaping the gloomy garage. Doesn’t matter if it was brightly lit to almost a blinding extent, the empty gray room was way too gloomy still.

I would find myself often down there, preoccupying myself with working on cars. Since my Rabbit was long gone, I’ve adopted two other vintage cars. One was a vintage Camaro that I found in Seattle and a rusty pick up that I discovered a year before I bought my new Ford. But even then, I don’t do that much working on my own cars now that I have my own mechanic shop. It’s ironic how a small town has so many cars that need to be fixed. Not that I’m complaining, I make a killing.

I made my way up the stairs only to be welcomed by a blackened living room. I turned the corner into the kitchen and barely saw anything except the silhouette of the island, countertop and table thanks to a small lamp Olivia left on. I opened the fridge and scanned all the items only to shake my head and close it. Usually Olivia only ate her stuff, the organic stuff, so I was far puzzled when my Gatorade was missing. Racking through my brain, I tried to recall where I could’ve put it but all I remember is putting it next to the orange juice with the rest of the groceries yesterday. Not that I needed it but it still irked me to find it missing.

I also noticed the muffin Olivia bought for Merris was gone and a small smile made its way to my face. I suspected she ate it. At least she wasn’t starving herself. She was too skinny and she needed some food ASAP! I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t have time to eat or she just has low self-esteem and desires to be that skinny.

I picked up an apple and bit it, coming close to its core in one bite, and got lost in thought again.

“You and your boys can talk but Andrea and I will continue surveying. I don't care if you have a problem with us cause guess what, the feelings mutual. Leave us alone and let us do the job we came to do. We have a problem to solve cause you failed to do it before so don't dare blame us, got it?”

Those where the first words Marisol said to me since she came back. I remember being pulled back to when we first met as teens and I couldn’t help but compare her voice from those years to now. It was uncanny how little changed, like her face. I couldn’t stop staring at her eyes. It didn’t occur to me she had insulted me, in fact all I saw was her mouth moving and the general tone of her voice, but I didn’t acknowledge the insult. All I was concerned with was her eyes, wide, beautifully lightened brown orbs that glowed like the heavens. Her skin was flawlessly smooth and I resisted cupping her cheeks just to glide my thumb over her perfection. Her lips were curved in a scowl but all I wanted was to kiss them. To forget the present and return to the past, to relive it again, to feel the sparks and warmth I craved so much.

I didn’t though because she skipped the chance and bolted off in the woods. I immediately ran for her, I wasn’t about to let her leave again, because in one second and with one look, she snatched my heart vulnerably in her hands, just like she always had. But I had startled her and as of a result, she hurt her back.

I was so mad when she did. I was partly at fault but I blamed her for running off, both the first time and at that time, I blamed her for ruining my life, not like I did when I thought she was a nuisance in my mission to convince Bella was better with me, but because in one night Merris disappeared and never gave me a second chance, worst of all she ripped my heart apart doing so. I blamed her for refusing me and until now, I never saw the true extent of damage I had inflicted on her. She fought and struggled against me for the whole time I carried her to my house and despite hearing her rants about how she didn’t know me and didn’t want to, I was more concerned with her well-being. That’s when I felt how truly light she was.