Don't Burn Out (Currently Editing)

Fifty-Seven

Tiffany's Point Of View

The sun has risen to its highest point in the sky. Its rays bring warmth to the tree where Jacqueline and I sit sipping lukewarm apple cider and munching peanut butter and chocolate muffins she packed in her book bag. In the months I have lived with the Midnight Sun pack never once did I ever think that would like Jacqueline Smith. I thought I would just have tolerant her childish, snob like cover up.

I know I all too well what is like to wear masks everyday, and I could spot other like me as easily as I could spot my own face out in group of portraits. My encounters with Jacquline were limited, and gossip I heard surrounding her name could fill the Atlantic, but the rumors on her name could not erase what I knew to be true. I could smell the pain on her from  miles away.

Hoped that one day we could be friends, but I never imagined that day actually coming true.

Early this morning when I ran up the tree to get a better view, she had the same idea. Of course the there was the friendly-less banter; it was quite an argument we had, but we put away the childlike fight as we had more important issues on out hands.

Jacqueline made a snide comment on Zayn's fighting tactics, after the battle below had cooled down a little, and we had a laugh. We talked about an array of things, everything from Zayn's odd habits to weapons to movie quotes. As I finish my muffin I remember the story the girls told me the night of the gala.

"Jacqueline met her mate awhile ago he was an Kappa with Beta blood.

His name was Mason Cabello..."

Joshua's beta. Jackie's mate.

"Jackie?"

Jacqueline sits on a branch in front of me. The bleach in her hair growing is growing out her true color, a brown almost deep chocolate color grows in at her roots; her tips and along with a few other strands are still blonde. Her mouth is still full of muffin as she looks up.

"This probably isn't my place to ask," considering that just hours ago you hated me, "but I'm just curious. What's going to happen after all of this? You and Mason...."

She makes a face and shoves another muffin into her mouth. "I understand if you don't want to answer.. I was just being nosey anyway." She swallows the muffin in a manner that would make my posh mother scrunch up her nose.

She wipes her hands on her blue jeans and looks at me slowly with tired blue eyes. "Can I tell you something, Tiffany?"

She leans in and so do I. Nodding my head, I agree. "Sure. Of course."

"I'm seeing someone else.. someones else." She trails off and I gasp, nearly slipping off of my branch. Jacqueline squeaks a small "sorry" and helps me regain my balance.

"Multiple people?" I have never been one to gossip, but I could not help myself, and I prayed Jacqueline was not uncomfortable.

She combed her hair from her face and pulled it all back like she was going to pull it into a ponytail, but stopped and let it fall around her shoulders again. "It's just two people, Tiffany, a couple. They love me, and I could do anything for them, but reject Mason." Her eyes are a desert as she speaks. I know she is not one for tears, at least around a person she has only had one good conversation with.

"Mason destroyed me and made me become someone who I am not. They help me be happy. They allow me to actually see me. I want give up everything for them, and I genuinely feel I would be so much happier without the constant reminders of Mason in the back of my head. I hate him, but I can't leave him. I have to know him first, and understand why he did this." She turns her eyes to a loose string on her jacket.