Begin Again ▷ Jared Cameron

FOUR

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FOUR; KISSES & MISSES

     "EVERYTHING LOOKS ALRIGHT, Penelope."

     Carlisle Cullen examined the medical scan of Penelope's brain, ignoring the rigid glares coming from the men of her family. Penelope swung her legs back and forth as she sat on the hospital bed.

     "Do you feel any signs of throbbing pain or memory loss?" The vampire questioned. He kept his focus on Penelope, even if Billy was staring him down like a hawk. She shook her head, feeling a shiver run up her spine. She didn't enjoy her medical visits to the hospital. Billy insisted it was necessary to ensure Penelope would be okay.

     "Nope," she murmured. "Is it alright if I go now? I'm late for my tutoring session with Jared."

     "He should definitely not be your main priority right now," Jake glared at her. She shrugged.

     "Last time I was late, Jared called Charlie Swan because he thought I went missing," Penelope raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to go through that again?"

     Carlisle chuckled. "I'm sure Chief Swan wouldn't enjoy that whole ordeal. You're free to go, Penelope."

     "Thanks, doctor," she smiled softly. She bid goodbye to her father and brother before leaving the room. Billy turned to the man he was supposed to call his mortal enemy.

     "Is she really okay?"

     "Perfectly healthy. She shows no physical signs of the events of the car crash, and her mind seems to be progressing. Whatever Jared Cameron is teaching her must be working," Carlisle said.

     Jake scoffed. "I don't want you to ever say that in front of her. She already thinks too highly of him."

     "She's his imprint, Jacob," Billy reminded. Jake rolled his eyes.

     "Imprint or not, we're still following through with the plan, right?"

     Billy sighed, folding his hands together. This was not the life him and Sarah envisioned for their daughter.

     "I guess we have to."

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     "Jared!"

     The shapeshifter saw a blur of brown hair before he stumbled backwards, feeling Penelope's body colliding with his own. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her body as she kept a steady hold around his neck. "Hi, Pen."

     "I apologize for being late," she said. Jared closed the front door behind her. "I had my checkup with Doctor Cullen."

     Jared bit his tongue. The surname was enough to anger the wolf inside of him. "Is everything good?"

     "Great, actually. There aren't any dangerous scares that my father and Jake were expecting. I suppose they're waiting for my skin to fall off or something morbid like that."

     Jared's mother came around the corner. Her laugh echoed throughout the house, and Jared scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. His mother always tended to point out the obvious in Jared and Penelope's relationship, but he thanked the heavens that Penelope was too oblivious to understand any of it.

     "Hello, Penelope! It's so lovely to see you around here again!" She praised, enveloping the girl in a hug.

     Penelope grinned. "Nice to see you as well, Mrs. Cameron. How are you doing?"