Purple Sky by A. Teller (unputdownable books .TXT) 📕

I woke up around eight o’clock. I felt Jacob’s arms around me, one around my waist, one around my shoulders. It felt like I was strapped to the bed. I wiggled and wiggled, but Jacob’s grip was too strong.

“Jake? Jake?” I whispered, nudging him hard. He mumbled, but he wouldn’t let go. After a while of useless struggling, I huffed aloud and gave up. But before I tried to go back to sleep again, one of Jake’s eyelids popped open.

“You already gave up?” he asked, obviously amused.

“Just let me stand up,” I said. He heeded to my wish and released me. I looked in the mirror of the bathroom to make sure I didn’t look ridiculous. I noticed a long, thick stripe of red across my chest. It was the exact pattern of where Jake had been holding me. It was bright red, and hot to the touch. I pulled on a white, long-sleeve shirt and grey sweats. I grabbed my dark blue sweater and ran back out to find Jake, sound asleep, on the floor. Typical… I thought. I walked over to him and kicked his foot. He opened one of his eyes reluctantly.

“I’m not carrying you,” I said, nudging his shoulder with my foot.

“I’m tired though,” he said, turning over. I bent down to feel his forehead. His eyes looked at my hand the whole time.

“Yeah, your fine. Now get up!” I commanded playfully. He finally stood up, and I was reminded of how tall he was. The top of my head reached his chin. He grinned slyly, looking down at me.

“Yes, I’m short, I know,” I said. He just grinned back. His eyes were fixated on mine, and it was such a safe feeling. I couldn’t feel more impervious.

“Alright, fine. Come on,” he said, practically pulling me by the hand into the living room. Of course, I’d heard Jacob get up in the middle of the night. Probably to set up gifts of his own for everyone. But I kept that to myself. Let him think he’s good at being sneaky.

Seth was already out in the living room, but he’s refrained from ripping the paper off the gifts. Seth was sitting on the couch with his back to us. Seth wasn’t a complete child I suppose. But I liked the childish side of him. It reminded me that life wasn’t all about responsibility. Mostly, but not entirely.

“Merry Christmas!” I yelled, wrapping my arms around Seth’s neck. He visibly jumped, and turned to Jacob. I looked to, and rolled my eyes.

“Go ahead,” I permitted. Seth and Nate, who’d just entered the room, dove for the tree like kids.

I grabbed Jake’s hand, and dragged him closer to the tree. I held my hand in front of me.

“Well?” I asked slowly. He smiled, picking one up.

“To Jake, from Nessie,” he read aloud. He ripped the paper carelessly, and underneath the paper was a toolkit I’d bought him. Every single tool Jake had in the garage was covered in rust. The shiny, chrome-colored tools that lined the red box made Jake’s eyes light up.

“Renesmee, this is awesome! Thank you,” he said cheerfully. He took a large, foot long wrench out of the box while Seth shifted the gifts under the tree.

“Here,” Seth said, handing me a medium sized gift.

“It’s from me. I made it myself,” he said, with a hint of pride.

“Oh boy,” I said sarcastically. “It’s not gonna blow up right?”

“Just open it,” he urged. His warm smile made me smiled back. I was more delicate, taking off the tape and slipping the box within out carefully. Jake laughed at my precision.

A smaller box was inside the larger box. I opened the smaller box, hoping no more surprises lay ahead. In the box, lay a small dream catcher. Jake looked at Seth and huffed a chuckled under his breath.

“Jake said you talk in your sleep, so this might help,” Seth said. I shot a glare at Jake, who shrugged it off. “It helps with peaceful dreams.”

“You know, you could use one of these Seth,” I suggested sarcastically. He shrugged, but I really mean it, whether or not he caught the clue.

The rest of the morning played out with irritating normality. Jake got Seth and Nate paintball guns, to my distress. I got Nate a cute, pink kitty sweater, which gained me a glare. Seth bent over in hysterical laughter, which completely wiped the glare off my memory. I got Seth a picture from when the pack went down to the falls. The picture took me back. While hunting with Jacob and Seth, I had found a huge waterfall that went from the top of the cliffs, and fell into the ocean with frightening force. All the guys from Sam’s pack joined in as we set up a bonfire each time there was a hot summer day. Yes, even in Forks, there were days like that. Once there was five days of the week that remained hot and sunny. The fire would be lit before dark, and in the meantime, all the boys cliff dived. The shale layers of rock created natural platforms the boys could stand on. The water made it a little slippery, but Seth said it was nothing they couldn’t handle. Still, Embry had fallen once and dislocated his shoulder. After popping it painfully back into place, he healed quickly. But diving and flipping off of slippery into a freezing ocean didn’t sound like a carnival ride. It was scary to watch my friends, my brothers, jump. I knew they’d be okay, but the feeling they’d get hurt was always there.

It was almost 3 pm, and we’d have to get ready. I wasn’t staying away from my family on Christmas. I promised. And I’d gotten them gifts, after all.

I pulled out a dark red sweater, and black jeans. I pulled off my shirt, throwing it to the pile of clothes on the floor. I’d get to that later. Jake leaned on the doorframe of the entrance to his room, soaking in the scene of me. I tried not to look at him, a fear of overestimating my self-control. He was too beautiful to leave alone. Besides, my cheeks would probably glow red if I watched him watch me.

“Are you gonna spend all your time watch me get dressed, or are you going to get ready?” I asked, slightly playful. He grinned, almost evilly.

“I’m still debating,” he said. I felt the cold of the room soak into my skin again. The lack of Jake’s warm contact was making me a bit sad. Even knowing he was still standing there, I was afraid. Afraid that something could happen. Without him by my side, I felt like we were both so vulnerable to the world’s terrors. A thousand danger possibilities clouded my head. What if he gets hit with something sharp? Or falls off a cliff? What if the roof caved in? Then again, he was in the doorway. If the roof caved it, I’d be the only one hurt. Good. One down, 999 possibilities to go.

“Well, debate faster,” I said, untying the string around my sweats. I hesitated for a second, and looked back to Jake. I was embarrassed? Why? Was he doing that? Making me nervous?

He raised his eyebrows oh so innocently, and I flashed a small, almost unnoticeable frown. He smiled widely, walking to the bathroom. I got on my black jeans, but I couldn’t slip them on all the way. I pulled and pulled, but even with vampire strength, the denim was defeating me. I felt winded. Jacob’s presence was memorizing.

I felt suddenly warmth around my waist. My belt straps around my jeans lifted, slipping me easily into them. I sighed aloud as I came back down to earth.

“Not fair…” I said, giggling as little as I could.

“Hey, I’m just helping,” he responded quickly.

Jake twirled me around to face him. I quickly, delicate place a kiss on his jaw, and gently pushed him away to get ready. For a second, I could have sworn he was the one who was distracted. It felt good to be on the winning side for once.

We were finally ready. I never like to wear much makeup. It felt heavy on my face. But it was Christmas, a special time. I just lightly spread red tinted lip balm on my lips, dabbed some sparkling, black eye shadow on, and some brown mascara. I slipped into my red converse and walked out into the living room. I found Jacob, ready and waiting. He looked… amazing. He wore a black button-up shirt, and light gray jeans. He wore his black shoes, still caked with dried mud and grass. Just how he’d always been. I walked up to him, and his warm rays still shown through his shirt. I stretched my legs, balancing on the balls of my feet to kiss him. I wasn’t standing on tippy toes, and I would never admit that. I wasn’t short. At least, I was taller than my mom and Alice. That counts for something, right? Yeah, I’m definitely not short.

“It’s a vampire Christmas. That could be movie, you know,” he teased. I leaned against him, letting him keep me up. He secured his hands to my sides to balance me.

“Are you kidding? All we’ve gone through, my family, you and I. Our lives could be a movie. Imagine, everyone watching us. All the girls would be after you.” I cringed after the words slithered from my mouth. I couldn’t bear the thought…then again, Jacob could have any girl in the world. But I didn’t think about that. I simply reminded myself that Jake had imprinted on me. And only me. And that anchored him to me forever. I hid my sudden reaction to Jake, who just laughed in incredibility to my statement. I had happily been born with Edward’s ability to put on a mask. I was hard to decipher…well, I hoped to be anyway.

“Well, even with all the girls after me, none of them would be half-vampire girls. Or half as beautiful.”

I smiled, trying to keep the conversation from running too deep. I push him away to the other side of the car. I didn’t know much about cars, but from what I’ve heard him go on and on about, it was an old Volkswagen from 1986. Jake had finished the car a few months back. Every now and then, he’d insist I drive the car, but I refused. He worked so hard on it, I was afraid I would wreck it. I learned to drive when I was “fourteen”, but Edward insisted I wait until of legal age to