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FOUR; CLUELESS

"NOBODY'S SEEN HIM in two weeks, H. Everyone's getting really worried."

Hyacinth lit up another candle on the coffee table, shrugging at her mother's statement. "What do you want me to do? I've called his phone a dozen times and he still refuses to pick up."

"Did something happen between you and Sam? Is that why he's acting like this?" Her mother inquired, one eyebrow raised as she tapped her foot impatiently.

Hyacinth dismissed her question. "I'm going to pick up some groceries. Do you want anything?"

The woman stopped her daughter before she could escape through the front door. Her tone softened. "Hyacinth, I know you hate when I push you, but you can't just pretend that Sam isn't a big part of your life."

"He was, mom. He was when I was a twelve year old girl who didn't know any better. I'm a different person now, and if anyone should know that, it would be you."

She opened the front door and left, faintly hearing her mother's soft sigh. Hyacinth opted to walk instead of taking the car, wanting to clear her head. From left to right, people had been constantly questioning her about Sam's whereabouts. She didn't understand why they assumed she was supposed to know.

All she remembered from the night he disappeared was that Sam was evidently drunk, and she called his mom to come and get him. When she came back, he was gone.

She tried to forget all of the harsh words she spoke to him, but she knew it was probably all Sam could think about, wherever he was. Once Hyacinth approached the grocery store, she noticed the bare back of someone familiar.

A man with nice shoulders and a Quileute tattoo on his upper bicep. She paused, wondering what the hell he was doing.

"Sam?"

His whole body tensed. He was wearing nothing but a pair of cutoff shorts, and as he turned to face her, his expression was less than friendly.

"Hello, Hyacinth."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you doing? You know people have been looking for you, right?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, now does it? It doesn't matter unless you're the one who's worried and looking for me."

She sighed. She entered the store and Sam followed after her. "You should get back home, Sam. I'm positive your mother is still worried."

"I'm a grown man," he huffed. "Start treating me like one. You act as if I don't understand how much I've hurt others. I know exactly what I've done, okay, H? And yeah, I keep doing it for a fucking awful goddamn reason. But it's my responsibility and-"

"Exactly!" Hyacinth exclaimed, hand losing grip on the shopping cart as she spun around to face him. She stabbed her finger into his chest, ignoring the way it felt like hard rock. "It's your responsibility! Sam, Leah's hurting like hell because of you and you can't even tell her why you broke up with her. You can't tell your mom why you disappear for no reason at all. I know you wonder why I'm a changed person, but have you ever looked at yourself, Sam? You may have stayed in La Push with the same people and the same house, but you have just as many secrets as I do."

He frowned. "I'm trying, H. I'm trying my best to mend what I've destroyed, but you don't understand how hard it's been. If you would just listen to me-"

She shook her head, turning back around and gripping the handle of the shopping cart. "I can't. I'm sorry, Sam, but I can't. The drama between Leah and you should stay between you two. I can't get involved."

She heard him scoff. "So, that's just it? You won't give me the time of day anymore?"

Hyacinth refused to say a word, choosing to bite down on her lower lip and ignore the question.

"I see where my placement lies in your life. Don't worry. If you want me to leave you alone, H, I promise I'll try my best. I would do anything for you."

She continued to weave her way through the aisles, brushing off his disappointed sigh and the squeaking sound of his sneakers before he left the store.

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It was during midterm season that Leah had shown up on Hyacinth's door.

Hyacinth was buried underneath a pile of books, trying to finish writing a final paper before studying for her next midterm. She was bothered by the sudden ring of the doorbell, but she was shocked to see the Clearwater girl standing behind it.

Leah didn't look angry, just merely upset. There were apparent bags underneath her eyes and her hair was strewn in different places. She was staring at Hyacinth with this questioning glimmer in her eye, as if she was prodding "Why her over me?"

"Leah," Hyacinth spoke first, trying to formulate what she was going to say. Was Leah going to yell at her? She had every right to, Hyacinth thought to herself.

"Can I come in, please?"

Hyacinth didn't deny the request, nodding and opening the door wider to allow her to step inside. Leah immediately found comfort in the sofa, despite the messy paperwork thrown around the living room. Hyacinth awkwardly took a seat next to her, and like her father had done weeks ago, Leah stared into the blank television without expression.

"I know this isn't your fault," Leah said, eyes blinking robotically. "I heard you've been denying his affections."

Hyacinth nodded. "I'm not into the kind of drama he's bringing into my life, Leah. I'm not very fond of what he's done to you either."

Leah suddenly released a dry chuckle. It caught Hyacinth off guard. "I should have known. You were his first love, even though you were children. They say that first loves never leave your heart fully. They'll remain there until the end of time because they were the ones that taught you how to produce that emotion, and they were also the ones who taught you that it can be broken."

Hyacinth could tell Leah was trying not to let the tears fall from her eyes. She leaned over and grabbed the girl's hand, gripping it with her own.

"Leah, I know Sam was your first love. I can't tell you if what you just said applies to his situation, but it certainly doesn't apply to mine. Sam has been far from my mind ever since I moved away, and I'm clueless as to why I still remain in his. However, I can tell you this — you're better than him, Leah. You deserve better than him, Leah. From my experience, I can tell you that it's not worth it to stand around and mope over some boy who will never realize how good he had it when he was with you. You're stronger than whatever kind of hell Samuel Uley has put you through."

Leah turned her head to stare at Hyacinth. She could see why Sam was drawn by the beauty of the girl's features and the kindness of her heart. Leah supposed that Hyacinth had always been on Sam's mind, remembering the way the boy would react whenever Leah bought a fresh bouquet of hyacinth flowers to put in her kitchen.

"Thank you. You really don't have to be so kind to me. I promise I hold no resentment towards you."

Hyacinth nodded. "I understand. Still, just remember that you can talk to me any time you want to. My door's wide open for your concerns."

"I should go," the Clearwater girl spoke, standing up and releasing the connection of her and Hyacinth's hands. "My mom's probably worried about me."

That was another ordeal — Leah's parents had been comforting her like normal parents would, but whenever Leah would speak anything about Hyacinth, her parents would turn full-on defense mode. They loved Hyacinth like their own daughter, and they couldn't even bother to stand up for Leah during her time of need.

Leah wasn't furious with Hyacinth in any form. She understood the girl was trying her best to remove Sam from her life and get him to apologize to Leah.

"Alright," Hyacinth said, walking Leah to the door. "Give your parents my greetings."

When Leah exited and Hyacinth closed the front door, she leaned against it with a sigh.

Sam Uley was truly trying to ruin her life.

● ● ● ● ●

Hyacinth had exited her college with high hopes when it came to her midterm — she had poured her heart into the answers and she wished for a positive result. She was fumbling for the keys to her car, sighing as she dug around the front pocket of her backpack with no sound of the jingle of the metal.

Due to Hyacinth's careful consideration over her test, she was the last person to exit the building. The parking lot was empty, which made her the perfect target for a nearby vampire roaming around.

She gasped as she was spun around, being pressed up against the window of her car.

The vampire licked his lips, smiling sinisterly. He clicked his tongue and ran his eyes up and down Hyacinth's body. "Poor girl. It's too late at night for you to be all alone out here."

She tried to reason with him. "Please," she pleaded, her eyes wide and frantic at the sight of his crimson colored orbs. "Take my bag if you want. There's cash in there."

A deep chuckle vibrated from his chest. "Oh, you're too sweet. I don't want your money, sweetheart."

She closed her eyes, accepting her fate with open arms. She muttered a few curse words to herself, waiting for him to drain the life from her body.

She was taken aback when he released his hold on her. Her eyes snapped open to see his widen at the sight before him. Hyacinth followed his line of vision, gasping in shock when she witnessed a large black wolf approaching the both of them.

The animal growled, baring its teeth for the vampire to see.

"No fucking way," the vampire murmured lowly. Hyacinth blinked, and he was gone.

The black wolf was quick to follow his path, but stopped briefly when he passed by Hyacinth. The animal blinked at her, staring into her soul as if it knew her.

He was gone in a second, chasing after the creature who decided to attack her.

She finally inhaled a deep breath, not realizing she had been holding it for so long. She collapsed on the ground, trying to regain her composure. Surely, she hadn't really just seen a wild animal go after her attacker without stopping to kill her, right?

Why did it look at her as if it knew her? And, most importantly, why did she feel as if she was the one who knew it?

She quickly dug through her bag, pulling out her phone and dialing her mother's number. There was no response, and Hyacinth guessed it had to do with the current time.

She called Sue frantically, worried the animal would return to kill her.

"Cinny? Hello?"

"Sue!" She exclaimed, trying to hold her phone with shaking hands. "Sue! Please, come get me! I don't think I can drive, I'm so scared. I might get into an accident-"

Harry came on the line. "Hyacinth? Where are you?"

"I'm in front of my college," she spoke, bottom lip quivering. "Please, come as fast as you can."

Fulfilling her request completely, Sue and Harry arrived in mere minutes. Sue leaned down to calm the shaking girl.

"Hyacinth, I need you to breathe, okay? Just take deep breaths."

"What did you see, Hyacinth?" Harry immediately asked. Sue shot him a glare.

"A wolf," she whispered, eyes snapping shut. "This huge, giant wolf came out of the woods after this guy was about to murder me."

She missed the look Sue and Harry exchanged. Sue spoke in a soft tone. "What did the guy look like?"

"He had these colored contacts in," Hyacinth described. "He was probably wearing them to scare me."

"What color were his contacts?"

"Red," Hyacinth replied. "Blood red."

Sue sent Harry a nod. "Alright, sweetheart," Sue whispered, helping Hyacinth stand up. "Let's get you home. I don't want your mother to worry."

"Shouldn't we call the police?" She frowned, looking between the two. "They should know there's a rabid animal out there tonight, along with a guy intending to murder someone."

Harry nodded. "I'll drive over to the police station and tell Charlie. Sue will take you back to your house, okay?"

She sighed, still not fully recovered. "Okay."

"And Hyacinth?" Harry spoke sternly, laying his hands on the girl's shoulders. "Don't tell anyone about this. Let the police handle this case themselves."

"But-"

"Hyacinth, don't tell anyone."

She gazed at Harry, who was stern in his expression. She looked at Sue, who was mirroring her husband. She gulped and sighed.

"Okay. I won't tell a soul."

i love hyacinth & sam so much i'm sorry i haven't updated in so long