The stars are burning bright [jacob black story]

The stars are burning bright [jacob black story 05]

I kicked off the covers that were burning me up and turned on my side. I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't sleep. My leg throbbed so I moved the ice pack a little. "This sucks..." I muttered, picking up the remote the table beside my bed and turning on the television. I settled on watching a re-run of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and let out a sigh.

It had been an extremely long day--even though I'd gotten to miss school, I hadn't been able to do anything remotely fun, at all.

I picked up my cell phone and looked at it again.

I'd gotten yet another text from Stephen. I shut my eyes tight and pressed delete without reading it. It hurt too much. It even hurt to think about him.

I scanned the rest of my text messages and realized I'd also gotten a new text from Tasha. I pressed open and let a smile creep along my face.

Teg! Call me! My mom said I could come up for spring break!

I felt my heart race.

Was she kidding?!

This was amazing! I'd finally get to see someone I could relate to. Someone I could talk to.

An image of Jacob appeared in my mind suddenly. I quickly shook it away. Jacob was anything but a good friend. And what happened last night...I don't know what came over me. I was just...scared?

I bit my lip and dialed Tasha's number.

I had lost all sense of logic last night. I'm not sure what I was feeling-but it wasn't good. I couldn't do that to myself again.

Especially not with Jacob.

I barely even knew him-not to mention he was a complete and total asshole.

I let the phone ring a few times before her voice mail picked up and and I clicked the end call button. I'd call her later.

I was so excited--spring break was only a few months away. I could wait.

Hopefully.

I returned to watching Fresh Prince about an hour when I felt restless. My mom had told me to stay in bed all day--but she should have guessed I wouldn't. I looked over at the clock resting on my night stand, 12:30.

Are you kidding me?

It had to be later than this.

Shouldn't I still be asleep?

I groaned slightly as I pushed myself out the bed.

"Ow, ow ow!" I shrieked in pain as I brought my hurt leg across the bed and onto the floor. I knew that it wasn't broken--it was just sprained, badly.

I limped down the stairs--with much pain and discomfort--and entered the kitchen. I needed something to eat, I was starving.

I rummaged through the cabinets, and I finally decided on a cheese pizza. I put it in the oven and turned around, my hands on the counter. I wished that I was still in my old town, Stephen would have come over and...

I shut my eyes.

Stop it... I warned myself. Don't think about him.

"Teg?" Yelled a deep voice from the living room. I quickly spun around. Was Lee home already?

"I'm in here, Lee!" I yelled, not wanting to move, my foot hurt entirely too much.

I let my eyebrows raise when Embry walked in. "What are you doing here?" I asked surprised.

He laughed skeptically, "Sorry. The door was..erm..open. I just wanted to see if-um-are you okay?"

I let a small smile creep onto my face as I nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine, thanks."

He smiled, "Good. A bunch of the guys saw you fall last night-they were..worried."

I felt the color run to my cheeks, "Are you serious?!"

He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled, "Yeah. Don't worry about it, they do dumb stuff like that all the time."

I lowered my eyebrows, "Dumb stuff like that?"

"Oh! I mean-you know! It wasn't dumb!"

I started laughing, "Embry. Kidding. Chill."

He let out a breath, "Jesus woman! Don't do that to me!"

I giggled. The oven timer went off right then and I turned around to face the oven.

"Ugh. I don't feel like moving," I groaned.

Embry laughed, "Fine. I'll get it."

"Thanks, slave." I laughed. Taking a seat on a stool next to the counter.

I watched him open the oven door, "Um-aren't you supposed to be at school?" I pondered aloud.

He looked back and smiled, "I skipped."

I gave him a dirty look, "You're going to be counted as truant, douche."

He laughed, "Nah-our school doesn't really care about that. It's so easy to skip here."

I still crossed my arms, "You should be at school."

He chuckled, "Okay, mom."

I frowned, "I'm not trying to be your mom. I just think that it's dumb to skip the second day of this semester."

He sighed, placing his arm into the oven and pulling out the pizza with his bare hand. I let my mouth hang open and I let out a little yelp.

"Embry! Oh my God! What are you doing!?"

He looked at me strangely, as if nothing were wrong, then he glanced back at the pizza. His face looked like he was working out a puzzle. He quickly threw the pizza down on the counter and ran to the sink.

"Oh my God!" I still yelled. "Are you okay?"

He looked back at me, his face red. "Um. Yeah. I'm fine...it just..stings."

"What were you thinking?" I yelled.

He quickly shook his head, "I don't know. Well. I probably should go get this looked at. See you."

He shouldered his way past me and sprinted out the front door.

I stared back at him. What the hell was that? How did he just hold on to that pan without him yelling out in pain?

It didn't even look like it hurt him.

I shook my head and attempted to get back on my feet. I know that I didn't understand everything that was going on here--but one thing was certain. Something was up with this town.