Chapter 14: Chapter 14

"Look at that." Leah's voice was mocking, though only slightly. "You're a real adult now."

"Leave me alone." Juliet snorted, pushing Leah away with her shoulder. "I'm just happy I'm working full time now." She sighed, sliding the GED paper back into it's envelope.

"Why?" Leah asked. "Working sucks."

"Yeah but it's better than being stuck at home." Juliet huffed. "Bella's sick. Whatever she got, she apparently gave to Jake too. I saw Billy at the post office today with your dad and he said Jake was pretty sick. Flu or something."

"Well you better not get sick." Leah said. "Or get me sick. It's so boring being at home all the time." She huffed.

"I'll bring you soup." Juliet snorted, and Leah smacked her arm. "Ow!"

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"Have you talked to Jake lately?" Bella's sudden question made Juliet jump. She was sitting at the table, her sketchbook, watercolors, and coffee cup sprawled out across the table. Bella was standing in the doorway, pulling on her shoes for school.

"No." Juliet frowned. "Billy said he was sick a while ago, I figured he'd be fine by now."

"Nope." Bella huffed. "I've called everyday, and everyday, Billy says that he's too sick to talk. And now, suddenly, he's completely fine again and hanging out in Port Angeles with friends. If you see him, tell him I need to talk to him."

"Sure thing." Juliet nodded cautiously, and Bella was out the door. Juliet could barely focus for the following hour before she finally caved, and called Jake's house.

"Hello?" It was Billy.

"Hey, Billy." Juliet breathed. "I was checking to see if you guys needed anything? Since Jake's still sick and all, and I don't work today."

"Oh, no we're fine." Billy's tone was much lighter than it had been. "Jake's been feelin' a lot better, you know? Mono was really kickin' his ass there for a while." Billy's gruff laugh eased most of Juliet's nerves. "He's actually out with Embry right now."

"Oh, that's great." Juliet tried to mask the confusion in her voice. "Well, good. Okay, I just wanted to make sure." Billy chuckled again.

"Sue's been takin' good care of us." She laughed politely. "Well, I'd better get goin. I'm fishing with your dad and Harry soon."

"Have fun, then, and make sure my dad doesn't catch all the good ones." Billy laughed again. "Bye Billy."

"Goodbye Juliet." Her nerves were calmed enough for her not to worry that much, but now her brain was stuck on Embry. Why was Jake seeing him? Had e finally gotten through to him? Her mind swum with questions as she got ready for work, and she was intent on asking Leah if she'd heard or seen anything.

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"And Bella's been acting so weird." Juliet huffed. "Always jumping at every sound. Plus she started having those nightmares again." The frown on Leah's face deepened as Juliet rubbed her eyes and yawned. "As much as I hate to say it, I wish Jake would just talk to her again."

"You gotta get outta that house, Jules." Leah sighed. "You don't sleep, you're so anxious you're barely eating...it's not good for you."

"I can't just leave. I don't have any money, first of all, second of all I don't know where I'd go." Juliet huffed, running a hand through her hair. "Besides, I can't just leave Charlie like that. He's so busy with work, all those wolf sightings or whatever they are, he'd never survive if he didn't at least think I was checking in on Bella." Leah sighed disapprovingly. "What, Leah?"

"Bella. You can't keep taking care of her." Juliet opened her mouth to protest, but Leah continued quickly. "I know you keep saying you're not, but I know you better. Okay?" Juliet frowned. "She's an adult, Jules. Someday, she's gonna have to learn how to take care of herself. And you can't keep putting her well-being over your own! It's not healthy."

"I can't help it." Juliet crossed her arms loosely over her chest. "If Bella's fine, that means that Charlie doesn't have anything to worry about and if he doesn't have anything to worry about that means I can leave. Okay? I can't just abandon him, he has no idea what to do!" Leah's look still persisted. "I know you don't like her, okay? I...I can't say I'm crazy about her either. But she's my sister, Lee. You'd do whatever you could for Seth, right?"

"Yeah." Leah huffed after a few seconds.

"End of the school year, how about that?" Juliet suggested. "I'll stay until Bella graduates because by then she'll probably have applied to college somewhere and I can move out knowing she will soon too."

"I don't like it." Leah frowned, and Juliet raised an eyebrow at her. "Fine. By then I should have enough money, anyway."

"For what?" This made Leah laugh.

"Did you really think I trusted you enough to live on your own? You'd die." Juliet shoved her shoulder against Leah's. "Someone's gotta keep you alive."

"Well I'm sure glad it's you." Juliet playfully rolled her eyes, running a hand through her hair. "At least someone will be there to laugh at me as hurt myself."

"Hey it's my job, as your best friend."

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"Jules, come here a minute." Juliet eyebrows furrowed together. She'd barely shut the door and hadn't even taken off her coat before Charlie called her from the kitchen.

"Just a sec!" She called, quickly putting her things in place before walking further into the house. Charlie was the kitchen table, beer in hand with a map of the surrounding woods spread out. "What's up?"

"You know Sam Uley, right?" They both already knew the answer to this question, but it was obvious that Charlie was coming at this like an interrogation.

"As much as I wish I didn't, yes I do." She nodded, sliding out the chair across from Charlie and plopping onto it. "Why?"

"Well, we've had some...reports that he may have started a group of some kind." Charlie said. "A gang, maybe." Juliet couldn't help but laugh.

"Dad, I can tell you this right now." Juliet said. "Sam is dumb, and he's kind of an asshole, but he didn't start a gang. Paul, Jared and Embry are his friends, so no matter what anyone says I can tell you right now it's not a gang." Charlie sat for a moment before nodding.

"Okay, I figured." He nodded. "Just wanted to make sure."

"Of course." She got up, heading for the stairs. "Night, dad."

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The sky was full of stars when Juliet decided to slip out for a cigarette. Charlie had long since gone to bed, meaning she could slip out the front door and stand by her truck with no problem. She'd just reached her truck, cigarette already lit and in her mouth, when she heard a thud next to her. She whipped around, surprised to see Jake standing there.

"Uh, hey Jules."

"Why are you standing in my yard shirtless at two in the morning?" She asked, leaning against her truck again.

"I had to see Bella." He walked over, motioning behind him at the tree next to her window. "It's pretty useful, honesty."

"You're ridiculous." She shook her head.

"I uh, heard you dropped out." He said, leaning against door to her left.

"Yeah." She nodded. "You're hanging out with Sam now?"

"I guess." He nodded.

"What about Quil?" She raised her eyebrows. "We talk online, he says you've been avoiding him."

"It's complicated..." He sighed. "I should uh, actually be getting back." She looked, and realized his car wasn't around.

"How'd you even get here?" She asked. "What's going on with you, man? You seem different."

"Don't worry about it." He brushed it off. "I'll see you around Juliet." She watched him walk back to the road before he turned the corner, disappearing down the street.