Road of the Lonely Ones ✸ Paul Lahote

001. Metal Angel Wings

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Perhaps she was a witch of some sort. I mean, she seemed to have killed her mother and must have put some spell on her family which made them act different around her. That and the fact the devil seemed to have gifted her a familiar, a witch's companion. A small, black, scruffy cat. It appeared everywhere she went. Outside the cafe, by her bedroom window, underneath the wheels of her car ( the stupid thing ). It was a nuisance; didn't have a collar, the vets wouldn't take it, and no one claimed it. Saskia was starting to wonder where it came from since it never left her alone. She didn't know what to do with it. Well, her. She stepped out her front door, ready to go to her shift and there she was. She huffed out an angry breath from her nose as it stretched forward and strutted towards her, brushing itself against her legs and purring loudly. She tried to stay angry, tried to ignore her presence. But as it sat in front of her with its pink little nose, huge dark eyes, and ears twitching with a chunk missing from one: she couldn't help herself but bend down and scratch behind its soft ears, the purrs growing louder. Sas had to smile a little. She needed to give it a name.

"You shouldn't touch that thing" A voice startled her and she snapped herself upright in surprise. It seemed everyone was creeping up on her nowadays. "It could have flees."

"I'll take that chance." She said as she pulled the cat to her chest and stared at the boy in front of her. "You're just prejudiced, I mean you're practically a dog anyway."

"Why'd you say that?" He smiled gently, tilting his head to the side.

"Always running away from me, dirty, needy-"

"Needy?" He chuckled, She sighed.

"How you been, Jake?" Saskia says shortly, her newly blonde hair whipping her face as the cold winds hit her. Her eyes were still on the small cat in her arms.

"Why'd you ask that like we didn't used to explore the forests every day when we were six?" He questions confused. His words affected her more than they should have. Her mind went back to the days with a young Jacob Black, his hand holding hers leading her through the trees, ignoring her pleas of begging to go back, claiming she was scared. But Jake would ignore her, dragging her further into the depths of the forests. His sister's old boots on her feet and her brother's old jacket on his shoulders. Practically family. Saskia's chest constricts at the memory. The cold air whipped her harder, now piercing her ears as they rang. Things were different now. She was a maniac. He was just Jake. Still the long-haired, playful puppy of a boy. Except now they watched each other from a distance, not in each other's hands.

"Things change, you and Charlie's girl, yeah?" She was green. Filled with envy. She missed him.

"Bella-" He corrected.

"Look, Jake, I really need to get to work, okay?"

"No, you still have 20 minutes." He knew her too well. She didn't like being late, and always got there 10 minutes early no matter the circumstances. She sighed. "Come on, Sas" He gave her a look, with those dark innocent eyes. She groaned out loud, throwing her head back. He smirked, he knew he had won. "I'll give you a ride."

"Fine"

The ride to the cafe was short, silence filled the car. She nervously twisted her rings. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. It was Jake! Her best friend of twelve years! God, she was being so stupid. She didn't wait for him to turn off the car before she jumped out, grabbing a cigarette from the pocket of her large leather bag, and reaching for the lighter in her jacket. Saskia trudged ahead of him, reaching the area where she normally smoked, and leaned her back against the wall, still not looking up at him and he caught up with her.