On the surface, Katie Swan appears to be an average girl. She's pretty, athletic, and abnormally intuitive. But when her parents are suddenly murdered, she is sent to Forks, WA to live with her uncle Charlie and his shy daughter Bella.
Soon, Katie l...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
KATIE'S POV March 16th
I blinked awake, groggy, to the sound of Billy's low, gravelly voice. I had warmed up considerably next to Jacob, and my hands no longer felt frozen from the cold.
The door opened, and the light flickered on. Jacob and I sat up straighter when Billy came in. He didn't seem concerned with how we were entangled on the couch. Billy's face looked sad, solemn.
I blinked back tears. "Oh, no, Billy." Bella said, low and sympathetic.
He nodded slowly, expression hard with grief. Jacob was the first to stand up, rushing to clasp hands with his father. I could see his pain, in the way his shoulders curled inward.
Bella and I made eye contact, then. We were outsiders here. This wasn't our place.
But then Jacob angled his shoulders outward, and like gravity, I turned towards him. I strode to his side, resting my head on Jacob's shoulder. However much I wanted to comfort Billy, to hold his hand... I couldn't. Because, if I did, i'd see how deeply this was hurting him. And that was a violation that I couldn't— wouldn't do.
So, I gently rubbed my hand up Billy's back, trying to be as comforting as I could. "I'm sorry, Billy." I said, voice hoarse. After that, we were silent.
Sam opened the door, expression having lost all of the brightness and life I had seen before. "I'm so sorry," Bella ventured.
"It's going to be hard all around. You two should go support Charlie. He's at the hospital with Sue. He needs you." Billy said, voice still low. "There's a lot of arrangements to be made."
I swallowed hard. We all watched as Sam left, and then Billy. It felt quiet.
We all sat on the floor, shoulder to shoulder. Jacob tucked his head into the crook of my neck with a shuddering sigh. I lifted an arm and ran my hand through his hair.
Bella rested a hand on my other shoulder, somewhat awkwardly, but I understood what she was doing. And it was like it had been months ago, when we shared a bed and I rubbed circles on her back to soothe the nightmares away.
I felt like a child. Hopeless and devastated.
"I'll be right back," Jacob whispered to us, and untangled from our trio. I watched him stalk towards Billy's room, his eyes rimmed with red, and my heart felt heavy.
"I feel terrible," Bella said. I turned to her, and I could see it, too.
"Are you feeling okay physically?" I asked, observing her features. She was pale and, now that I was paying attention, her hand was freezing cold. "We should've taken you to the doctor."
