tongue twister • paul lahote

xii

A L O U D B A N G O N Santana's bedroom door woke her from her deep sleep. Her eyes were tormented by the bright light from outside of her window, and she struggled to her feet. She straightened out her tank top and pyjama pants, and staggered to the door, unlocking it and opening it. She started locking her door after her nightmares, in relativity it was no physical blockage for a vampire, but it kept her mind at ease. She peeked around the wooden door and saw her fathers face. She smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Someone's here to see you." He informed. "Do you want me to tell him to come back later?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"No, tell him I'll be right down." She smiled to herself as her dad walked away. She could only assume it was Paul by her fathers expression. She rushed to the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth. She didn't bother getting changed before bolting down the stairs with a grin on her lips. She couldn't wait to see Paul. It's been a while. After the kiss, they didn't hang out much. Paul felt guilty for putting her in that position, and Santana didn't want to keep leading him on. She couldn't deny how much being away from him killed her, though. She waited every day for him to throw rocks at her window or show up at Forks High, but he never did.

She finally reached the front door and swung it open and her stomach dropped. "What are you doing here?" Her words cut like daggers and she almost slammed the door in his face.

"Santana, please." Jacobs words were soft, and it reminded her of her old friend. She swallowed hard and opened the door the rest of the way. Wearily, she nodded her head for him to come inside. Her father was standing in the entryway of the kitchen, watching her like a hawk. He was waiting for a sign from her that she wanted him out. If she gave it, even a slight one, he'd be gone in a heartbeat. Her father swore it.

"I have to get to work. Are you two okay?" Darren interrogated. His daughter nodded, and he gave a barely noticeable glare in Jacobs direction. "I have to get to work, they called me in today. If you need me. If you need anything. Call me." He said, still not looking away from Jacob. She nodded, and he grabbed his keys from the hook hanging beside the door. "I love you," he said, opening the door, and stepping out. She replied with the same, and turned back to her old friend.

She waited until she heard her fathers truck start and drive away until she began speaking. "Why are you here, Jacob?" Her words seemed to make him flinch, and he felt bad for what he'd done. He realized now what he'd let go.

"I'm sorry. I came to apologize." He was out with it, very upfront with his intentions, and it took her back for a minute. "I was unfair about all this, and I know now that you didn't do anything. I'm sorry about what I said at the bonfire, too. Yes, Bella needed a friend, but I had no excuse to do that to you." She'd swallowed hard and looked at the ground.

"I don't know what to say, Jake. I love you so much. You're my best friend, but an apology doesn't make up for the months of agony I was in. I had Quil, and Em, but they weren't you. They couldn't fully pick me up after you left me behind. I want to say it's okay, but it wasn't. How am I supposed to know you'll never do that to me again?" She said, hurt evident in her tone. His stomach dropped and he nodded. "Why did you suddenly decided to come here, anyway? Did Bella finally go back to her bloodsuckers?" Her mouth dropped when Jacob rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"It's not like that, Tana, they're not back, that's not why-"

"Then what's it like? You only want to apologize when she chose Edward over you. I'm sick of this. I'm sick of you putting me second. Do you remember when we were kids, and we promised to always be each others best friend? Where is that, now?" She clenched her teeth as she left him speechless. "I don't want to be friends with someone who's always going to chose someone else over me."