taciturn / paul lahote

"it's happening"

Jacob's head pops through Daisy's open bedroom door. He sees her laying on her bed, eyes staring up at the ceiling as soft piano plays from her phone.

Jake knocks on the door, clearing his throat to gain his cousin's attention. Daisy glances at the door, pushing herself up onto her elbows when she sees Jake.

"What are you doing tonight?" Jake asks as he walks in, glancing around his cousin's room. Her room isn't very decorated, just a few pictures of her family here and there. The girl hadn't gotten around to decorate since her arrival.

Nothing, why? Daisy flips her board around to Jake, raising her eyebrows to him with a bored expression on her face. When did she ever have plans?

"Want to come to the movies tonight with some of the pale faces from Forks?"

Bella and who else?

"A couple of her friends," Jake shrugs, by knowing the names of all Bella's friends.

I'm guessing I'll have to drive, Daisy smirks at Jake, knowing that he'll want to go.

"Please, Daisy? Pretty please?" Jake pouts, sitting on the edge of Daisy's bed. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Daisy rolls her eyes, nodding her head before shooing Jake out of her room so she could get ready.

"Oh, and by the way," Jake says, sticking his head back into the bedroom like he did earlier. "We have to leave in an hour."

•••

"Daisy, you look fine. Stop worrying," Jake said, slapping his cousin's hand before she goes to adjust her hand again.

Daisy takes her eyes off the road to glare at Jacob - she was nervous that she would embarrass herself and Jacob around the 'pale faces'. She had just put the car in park when Jacob launched himself out, shouting Bella's name to get the oblivious girl's attention.

Daisy rolled her eyes, following her overly excited cousin. Her white board was tucked into her purse, which bumped up against her leg with each step.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought Daisy," Jake says, his smile never leaving his face as he stared down at Bella.

"The more the merrier," the blonde at Bella's side - who Daisy had just how noticed - said. "I'm Mike Newton."

"Jacob and Daisy Black," Jacob said and Daisy could detect the sliver of hardness in his voice. Competition.

Mike ignored Jacob, his eyes looking past the Quiluete boy to the Quiluete girl. Bella had gone to go get Daisy and Jacob's tickets as well as hers, since the Blacks aren't eighteen yet.

"Why, hello there," Mike slides around to Daisy's side, a charming smile on his face. "You are a sight for sore eyes."

Daisy furrows her brows at Mike, watching as he babbles away - not noticing Daisy's lack of response.

"Dude, she doesn't talk," Jacob says, his hand finding her lower back, pulling her away from Mike. "So stop trying."

"Why not?"

"She's a mute."

Jacob and Mike are having a stare down when Bella returns with tickets in her hands, looking back and forth between the two boys. Her eyes then find Daisy, who shrugs and pulls Jacob into the theater.

"What a dweeb," Jacob mumbles as he lets Daisy drag him into a theater sit. Bella is on his other side, with Mike on the other side of her.

Daisy glances down the row at the three other teens, a chuckle leaving her lips at the sight. Both Jake and Mike have their hands resting palm up on the armrests closest to Bella, letting her decide which hand she wants to hold.

Mike gave up first. About halfway through the movie, he pulled his arm back, and leaned forward to put his head in his hands. At first Daisy thought he was reacting to something on the screen, but then he moaned.

"Mike, are you okay?" Bella whispered.

The couple in front of the four turned to look at him as he groaned again.

Daisy and Bella could see the sheen of sweat across his face in the light from the screen.

Mike groaned again, and bolted for the door. Bella got up to follow him, and Jacob copied her immediately.

"No, stay," Bella whispered. "I'll make sure he's okay."

Jacob and Daisy followed her anyways, out the theater and to the concession stand area. Receiving one look from Jacob, Daisy knew to stay back and that she did.

Daisy watched as Jake and Bella sat down on the stairs, holding their contrasting hands between them as they whispered quietly to one another.

Soon, Mike wondered out of the bathroom - looking paler than Bella. Daisy's eyes widen, running after Mike as he approaches the other two.

"Well," Mike says, grabbing onto the railing. "I need to go home. I was feeling sick before the movie . . ."

Mike notices Jake's glare. "What is your problem?"

"Right now, you're my problem." Jake practically growls, standing from his seat on the stairs. "If you're feeling sick, then maybe you should go to a hospital. Want me to put you in one?"

"Jake, Jake, Jake," Bella says, standing and grabbing into the angry teen's hand. "The movies over."

Bella's hand rests on his chest but soon, she pulls her hand back, looking between it and Jake. "Jake, you're hot."

Mike rolls his eyes, looking as if he is about to throw up. Daisy's eyes, on the other hand, widen as she takes a step forward.

"You feel like you have a fever. Are you okay?" Bella asks as Jake begins to take deep breaths, looking over at Daisy.

"I don't know what's happening," he says. His eyes ever leave Daisy's as she rips her whiteboard out of her bag and scrambling to write a sentence.

We gotta go. She shows Mike and Bella before grabbing Jake's burning arm and quickly tugging him towards the exit.

"What's wrong with me?" Jake asks her, breathing heavily as the temperature radiating off of him increases.

Daisy shakes her head, her feet moving so quickly that the pair are practically running to her car. She throws herself into the drivers seat after making sure Jacob got in okay and sticks the keys in the ignition, all while sending a text to her brother.

It's happening. The text reads and Daisy hits send, throwing her phone into the floor and quickly putting the car into drive before speeding out of the parking lot.

She doesn't look back or slow, knowing that every second is crucial and she'd rather not have Jacob phase in her car.

•••

YALL I LOVE THIS BOOK. SHIT IS GETTING REAL.

-M