into the dark - Caroline Swan - 1

I Deal With The Not-So-Great Depression

This is the playlist I made to match Caroline's personality. So basically a bunch of happy, peppy songs! Here's the link!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3QPgYf5JZSUaAnWo2Pq5E7?si=4e4177a60495401b

The next four weeks were horrible. Bella rarely ate, talked, or interacted with Charlie or me on any level. She went to school, came back, and sat in the chair by her window, mourning her boyfriend. If it was me I would've burned their house to the ground but Bella burst into tears when I'd said it.

I didn't have a Spanish partner anymore since Jasper had left and I was always assigned worksheets instead. I screamed internally. All and any phone calls from Billy were ignored. I went to the movies with Jake twice though.

"Caroline! Phone for you!" called Charlie from downstairs. I hadn't seen Sam since he'd found Bella in the forest. If I had the wolf gene then I was due to shift soon. If I didn't then I would stay human. I was a nervous wreck about all this and could see why Sam didn't tell anyone who was shifting about it because I was as anxious as a mouse playing chase with a cat.

"Hey Ro, are you busy?" asked Jake's voice from the other side. I hummed for a moment, thinking fondly of my plans to sleep all day. But I'd hang out with my half-brother if I had the chance.

"No, not really,"

"Wanna come over? We can go to the beach," I could hear his cheeky smile on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you in ten," I grinned and hung up.

"You going to see Jake?" asked Charlie, rubbing his hand on a dishcloth coming from the kitchen.

"Yeah. He wants to go swimming," I said, french-braiding my long brown hair over my shoulder in the hallway mirror.

"You sure hang around with him a lot,"

"Do I?" I paused, looking at him through the mirror. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yo-You aren't-erm- dating? Are you?" he asked. I gagged at the thought of dating my half-brother.

"No! Absolutely not!" I protested. He awkwardly shuffled back into the kitchen wisely as I slid my helmet on and mounted my motorcycle. Only breaking the speed limit in four places (which was pretty good for me) I pulled up to Jake's house. He opened the door and came out, brushing his long hair out of his face as -our father- wheeled out of the house.

"Hey!" he chirped.

"Hey Jake," I smiled. We embraced each other in a one-arm hug with my helmet tucked under one helmet. He fingered my braid, looking at it in amazement. 

"How'd you do that?" he asked, seeming interested. 

"It's a french braid," I said. "I could teach you if you want. I mean, with your hair you could use some lessons!" We both laughed. Billy was watching us from the porch with a happy smile.

I sat my helmet on my motorcycle and we sat on the porch step as I taught Jake to french braid. I pretended to not notice Billy watching us both fondly. 

"See? Not that hard!" I smirked as Jake laughed triumphantly. "You ready to go for a ride?" I asked, standing up and dusting off my pants. 

"Can I drive?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. I mirrored his face exactly, smiling brightly, "Absolutely not!" I said in the same peppy voice. He grinned.

"Think I'll crash your baby?" he teased. 

"Yes," I replied with a straight face. He stumbled for a response before I laughed. "I'm kidding. But you're still not driving my bike," I got on the front, handing him my helmet. He scoffed before I shot him a glare and he put it on. I revved the engine, speeding out of the driveway while Jake securely held me around my waist. 

The visor on the helmet was up and his eyes were ecstatic.

"I love the wind in my hair," I yelled back to him, keeping my eyes on the road.

"It's great!" he agreed. I pulled up on the beach and shoved my keys in my small backpack. He leaped around excitedly for a few moments, still feeling the rush of my motorcycle.

I shed my pants to reveal my two-piece green bathing suit. Jake was in his swim shorts and as we locked eyes we took off towards the ocean in an unofficial race.

"Ha!" I crowed, having beat him by a near second.

"That's 'cause you do track," he huffed, leaning over in the knee-length water. 

"Yeah, yeah," I waved him off, not even breathing heavy. I waded into deeper water before diving neatly into it and holding my breath, my black hair floating around me like ethereal energy. I was planning on scaring Jake and a couple of seconds later I could hear him splashing around like a maniac. He was spinning around and sending clouds of silt up and once his back was to me I pinched the back of his calves hard. He shot into the air and I could hear his screams from underwater. I couldn't resist laughing and inhaled a lungful of water. 

I came up, water streaming off my face while I choked and laughed at the same time.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE A CRAB!" yelled Jake, trying to steady his fast-beating heart. I continued to choke/laugh and Jake smacked me on the back several times, trying to dislodge the saltwater.  

"Oh -cough! Hack hack!- my god! You thought -Hack! Cough cough!- I was a crab?!" I shrieked, doubled over with laughter. A wave pushed me over and I spun around underwater, trying to stop laughing with the water streaming into my open mouth. Jacob hauled me up a second later, worry written across his face.

"Are you alright Ro?" he asked, using his nickname for me. I nodded, now seriously coughing up water. After a moment a grin split across my face. "A crab?" I repeated. He blushed a furious red and didn't answer. 

We caught a few more waves bodysurfing and playing around until a literal crab skittered across Jake's foot and he screamed like a girl. I laid on my towel after that, both of us taking a nap.

"Ro," I heard and could feel someone shaking me awake. "It's Sam Uley and his cult," said Jacob sounding tense. I sat up, stretching the stiffness out of my back before noticing the fading sunlight.

"Jesus Jake! I was supposed to make dinner tonight!" I exclaimed, bursting into a flurry of activity while Jacob continued to stare at the three approaching boys.  "Jake, I have to go," I repeated. He nodded and slowly gathered his stuff, not taking his eyes off the guys. 

I gathered our collective stuff before Jake got on the motorcycle. Sam, Jared, and Paul were all staring at us and I gave them a small wave. Sam nodded before I took off, my motorcycle flying at ridiculous speeds that I enjoyed.

I dropped Jake at his house before flying to mine. I slowed to a reasonable speed because I still only had my bikini top on and jean shorts and didn't want to get in a crash.

"Sorry, dad! I was out late with Jake. We went to the beach," I yelled in the house after dropping my stuff at the front door.

"He isn't here. He had to work a double shift tonight," said Bella in her ghostly voice.

"Oh, okay. Have you eaten anything?" I asked, trying to be extra peppy. Maybe some would rub off on Bella. She shook her head after a moment and I immediately bustled into the kitchen to prepare food.

"What do you want?" I asked, glancing at her over the open fridge. She stared at me blankly. I was trying to be patient but she was getting on my nerves. "Bella?" I repeated, my voice strained.

"What'd you say?" she murmured. I huffed and waved her off. I couldn't handle more stupid, annoying Bella for much longer. I pulled out some hamburger meat and warmed up the pan while I went upstairs to change. I'd shower after dinner.

As I came back downstairs I wasn't surprised to see Bella sitting at the table crying. It was all she ever did. Of course besides the screaming every night. The screaming that interrupted my sleep. I get she was sad and depressed, but she needed to get over it. I gave her a pointed look and she sniffled before retreating up to her cave.

I turned on the radio, in a better mood than I'd been in a while.