Going Wilde

Empty Park

It was around sundown when Jacob finally came through the front door. I was on the couch reading, and I set my book down as he came in and closed the door.

"Hey, where's Billy?" I asked him, not too keen on finding out where he was himself.

Jacob sighed and said, "I don't know, probably got picked up by Charlie."

The name triggered a memory, and the bushy moustache of the Forks police chief came to mind. He was Bella's father, and Billy's best friend. I nodded in understanding and sat back, picking my book back up.

"What did you do all day?" Jake asked before I opened my book. I looked up at him, noticing how suspicious he looked. Like he knew what I did.

"Nothing. Sat around here."

I gave him a blank stare, and his grin grew wider as he said sarcastically, "Okay, sure."

I scoffed and added, "Well, what else is a guy supposed to do when his cousin leaves him home alone?"

"Uh, go out," he answered with a smirk, "Which is exactly what you did."

I quickly denied it with, "I stand by my word. Believe what you want." I didn't want to tell him about my experience with Seth, since I'd get excited and end up spilling everything.

"Mm-hm," he mumbled, "Tell that to the empty tank in the other dirt bike and the soda cans sitting in my garage." I flushed red as he walked down the hall to his room, calling, "Goodnight."

I silently slapped myself on the forehead, wondering how I didn't clean it up with all that time. Why didn't I refill the tank, either? I sighed and put the book down on the coffee table, no longer in the mood to read. I started thinking about Seth again (which is what drove me to read in the first place; it had to end), and I couldn't help but start to get excited for our... date? Was it a date? Where would we go? What would we do? How long would he be willing to spend time with me?

My only hope was that it'd last forever.

****

My eyes snapped open after feeling a slight change of temperature. I could sense it was morning. Sunrise, no less. When did I become so hypersensitive?

I slowly slid out of the covers, the normal feeling of drowsiness absent. My toes grazed the hardwood floor, and my body reacted quickly, jumping at the unpleasant cold. I felt... off. Like everything was turned up a few notches: color, touch, the scent of morning dew on the grass in the front of the house. I even heard the birds outside with my window closed. It wasn't normal, but I didn't want to focus on that. I was going to see Seth. I had to get ready.

I showered quickly—the scalding hot water extremely uncomfortable—and I quickly put on some comfortable clothes for moderate weather. By the time I was done, it was seven in the morning.

I walked out of my room, and prepared myself for the empty house I encountered yesterday, but instead found both Jacob and Billy awake and eating at the circular table by the kitchen.

"Hey, kid," Jacob greeted me, getting up and nudging me into a hug.

"Good morning," I said, prying myself from his grip as I walked over to Billy. I knelt down and gave him a hug as he said, "Hello, Alex. Long time, no see." I smiled and nodded, and he gestured for me to sit down.

Jacob rushed through his words as he said,"The usual fix: bacon, eggs, biscuits, sausage. Help yourself."

I took a seat and scoped the food spread out on the table. I grabbed a bit of everything and placed it on my plate before eating quickly.