Fever

“Great party, isn’t it?” Jasmine shrieked over the music, jumping up and down to the beat.

I couldn’t account for how long we had been standing there, but I it seemed like hours had passed by. I wouldn’t have said that I wasn’t enjoying myself, but so far all I had come by were a few awkward conversations with classmates I barely knew. I tried to put on a smile and pretend that everything would be fine if I opened up, but I couldn’t find my conversational tools. I would merely comment on an outfit and then gaze off into the crowd around us.

“Yeah,” I shouted back, smiling widely for her.

Jasmine was beaming as she continued to shake her hair wildly and sing along to the lyrics. Being with her made the atmosphere a lot more comforting, especially when she was so utterly taken by the party. I could tell that many men’s eyes were on her, watching her as she bounced around and threw her arms into the air with the music. I was thankful that I hadn’t spotted James yet, for I still didn’t know what I was planning on doing.

“I’m getting kind of thirsty, do you want anything?” she called.

“Uh, some punch, I guess?” I shrugged.

“Okay, I’ll be back.”

She danced her way into the kitchen, leaving me standing beside a bookshelf, looking utterly alone. I tried not to let my face show it, but I was bored. When Jasmine left me alone, I was left to fend through conversations alone. I couldn’t figure out why I could find my voice, but it was so difficult to formulate words. I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the wooden furniture, bouncing my head along with the music.

Faster than I imagined, Jasmine pushed the drink into my view and I took it gladly, turning around to tentatively ask when we could leave. But when I turned around, it wasn’t Jasmine bopping her head to the beat. In fact, he wasn’t female at all. I thought I felt my face lose whatever colour it could afford when I realized that behind the fake blood was the one man I was trying to avoid.

“Jasmine said you were out here,” he spoke loudly, grinning at the prospect. “You look great.”

I couldn’t even find the blush that should have erupted across my darkened complexion, but I stuttered anyway to make up for it: “Th-thanks.”

“You’d make a hot Indian,” he smiled, breathing heavily in my face.

His breath was hot and smelled foul, allowing me to recoil at the stench. But his face didn’t seemed at all worried as I tried desperately to find an escape. I tried to find Jasmine, or at least someone I recognized that I could speak to, but I couldn’t find a single face that I could use.

“Do you wanna dance?” he shouted again, pointing to the dance floor.

I shook my head, “I just finished, I’m a little hot.”

“Wanna go outside for some air?” he asked, his eyebrows quivering in anticipation.

I shook my head again, smiling politely, “No, I’m fine in here.”

“Wanna...“

But he stopped talking as soon as his eyes caught something behind me, as did everyone else’s attention. I followed his gaze, tracing faces until I found what he was looking for. And as my eyes landed on his face, I think my heart dropped to my feet.

In the doorway, three men stood above the crowd, tall and muscular with their copper skin glowing against the flashing lights. Every single pair of eyes landed on them, yet I felt embarrassed for letting my eyes go anywhere near them. The two men standing at the back peeled off into the crowd, beaming at people and blending into the atmosphere. None of them had bothered to dress up or try to fit in, for their t-shirts and pants were not exactly costume material.

The last one waded slowly into the party, his rugged hair flopping lazily into his face. He had a strong jaw and deep, richly coloured skin. He dressed in a simple black shirt that accentuated his strong shoulders and long body. I tried to stop my jaw from trembling as I continued to stare, working my eyes across his body, from his feet to his face. When I reached his eyes, I had to catch my breath before I lost it in a gasp.

His eyes were a mirror image of my dream, dark and wild, gleaming from beneath his lashes. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as he continued to move gracefully through the crowds, eyes moving from face to face. I had to put my drink down so I wouldn’t spill it from the way my hand shook. This man was beautiful, so much that I couldn’t control my actions as I continued to stare.

James was talking lowly about the three men, but his words fell deaf as I focused all of my attention on him. I didn’t know why, but there was something about the way he walked, the crooked smile on his face, and his eyes that had my body overreacting. I wasn’t used to having my functions deter off their natural course. And most importantly, I never dared stare. But I couldn’t help myself; my eyes couldn’t stop drinking in his beauty.

“...Kayla? You there?” James’ finally got through to me, touching my shoulder.

“I - yeah,” I replied sloppily.

As I turned my eyes away, I missed the stranger’s as they finally landed on me. I looked at James’ inquiringly, wondering what he thought of me now, openly ogling at some foreign man. But he took the time to glance at me curiously before he looked towards the approaching figure, much broader than himself.

“Do you mind if I steal this lady away for a moment?” he asked in a husky voice, one that was so authoritative that James couldn’t find an answer. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He held his hand out to me, as if wanting to whisk me away into the night, but I ignored it and stepped forward to walk him with. I was unsteady - almost distracted by the fact that he had approached me. My mouth suddenly ran dry, and I couldn’t stop my fingers from wearing away at the hem of the dress. It didn’t seem like he was taking me anywhere important, but he led me to the farthest corner of the living room, which was spacious enough for the music not to be so deafening. He turned to me with that crooked smile lingering on his face.

“I have never felt gravity at this pace in my life,” he chuckled at first, still dazing me with his grin. “This is wicked.”

“P-pardon?” I asked, evidently unaware of what he was talking about.

“Have you ever felt the earth move beneath you, and then suddenly align perfectly?” he asked, his eyes boring deeply into my own.

I struggled for my vocabulary, almost forgetting how to speak. I watched him, his eyes holding some knowledge just beyond my grasp. The look in his eyes was confusing, and I wasn’t sure why he was watching me so intensely. He hardly blinked, and I felt I couldn’t look at his eyes any longer than a moment. I felt my cheeks warm up, but I was glad that they didn’t show.

“How come I haven’t seen you before?” he asked, reaching out to grasp the feather in my hair. “You have Quileute blood, yet you don’t live in La Push?”

I struggled for words, distracted his warm hand so close to my face, “I l-live in Forks.”

He grinned crookedly, “Obviously.”

“Who are you?” I asked quietly, almost unsure if my question was too rude.

But he continued to reek of arrogance and he seemed to gloat in the fact that he was asked his name, “Jacob Black.”

I couldn’t find an adequate response so I settled for spluttering, “Oh, okay.”

He continued to grin, making me steadily uneasy. His presence was knocking every coherent thought out of my brain, and I couldn’t even find a string of words that made sense. Was I supposed to be talking to him? Should I just leave? But I couldn’t even move my lips without sparing all of my focus there. I was immobilized by his presence, victim to whatever he had in mind.

“You are very strange,” he laughed, reaching out again, brushing the hair from my face. “You’re perfect.”

“I-I wh-a-“ I stuttered, my heart suddenly quickening it’s pace.

He was watching me, just as intensely before, the back of his warm hand brushing against my cheek. I caught my breath, trying not to let my eyes flutter as he caressed my cheek ever so gently, spreading more warmth into my darkened skin. For his large and strong body, his caress was gentle and soft. With the strength of his eyes and the warmth of his caress, I was slowly being hypnotized. I didn’t know this man, yet I was falling for whatever he was providing.

He pulled his hand away abruptly, and I almost longed to have it be replaced. But as I came back to my body, pulling the strings of my thoughts together, I noticed his body tense and move into an offensive position. I had almost forgot how he towered over everyone else in the house.

“Who do you think you are? This is our turf,” James spat angrily, coming up beside me.

“Last time I checked, we’re all residents here,” he replied cooly, his voice simply rolling off his tongue.

“I think it’s time you left,” he said just as sternly.

I looked over at James, my mouth dropping gently and my eyes narrowed into confusion. Although the comment was meant for Jacob, I took it as the words that everyone had been dying to tell me since I arrived. Angry tears began to gather in my eyes as I continued to glare at the pitiful boy next to me. He hardly noticed the malice that was building within, for he only had eyes for Jacob Black.

Jacob laughed from beside me, wiping a hand across his face, “Are you kidding me? Is this about what I think it is?”

“Just leave,” he ground out once more.

Once more, Jacob’s laughter seemed to grow and almost everyone nearby was turning to look at the scene. And although I was the center of it, I felt nothing but anger as I never let my eyes leave James’ face. How on Earth could he refer to another human being with such revolt? Just because his skin was darker didn’t mean anything. For I was the same way, wasn’t I?

“I think it’s her choice, not yours,” Jacob grinned.

I was so focused on the words that James was emitting that I didn’t notice the two other Quileute boys join Jacob’s side, both bearing grins. The atmosphere changed at that moment, from curiosity to excitement. Everyone was expecting a fight, but Jacob didn’t seem to notice.

“You’d better get out now,” James warned him.

Jacob smiled, “This is a little immature, don’t you think?”

James looked around the room, glancing at every face that mentally egged him on. I wasn’t daft as I saw the look he had set on his face as he returned his eyes to the three men. Not a single soul watching on didn’t know what was going to happen. And as if time had been slowed down, I watched as James’ eyebrows formed a dark line over his eyes and he pulled his arm back with his fingers curled into a fist. I was suddenly afraid, for Jacob’s smile didn’t falter and his arms refused to move in either direction. He stood there, as if oblivious to what was happening. Although Jacob was big, James’ wasn’t a small, frail boy either. And from the force James was putting behind the punch, I was afraid that he might hurt Jacob.

As James leaned forward into the punch, I closed my eyes on impulse. My pulse was thundering in my head, but it did not drown out the crack that sounded through the room. I felt my body spasm under the weight of the sound, and I slowly opened my eyes, fearful of the scene I would encounter. But as I opened my eyes, Jacob was still standing there with a smile on his face, watching James as he held his fist in his hand.

“I think it’s time we left,” Jacob said to his comrades, glancing at James with a smile.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was at a loss for words. I glanced between the two, unsure of how to connect the events. But my train of thoughts was lost, for Jacob filled my sight with his crooked grin, and his hypnotizing eyes. He let his fingers brush a few tendrils of my hair away, leaving my throat constricted and my heart singing.

“Don’t you worry,” he smiled, “we’ll run into each other again.”

And like pages torn from a romance novel, he left and disappeared into the night, leaving the damsel completely and utterly captivated. No one in the room cared much for my stunned appearance, but most were rushing to James’ aid, mostly women, in awe of his bravery. I didn’t see much bravery in his actions. I should have been repulsed, but from the state of his swelling hand, I felt nothing. Nothing but the desire to get out of the room and out of the house.

“Jasmine?” I called out, turning from the scene to the rest of the faces, trying to find my friend. “Jaz?”

I moved farther in, but Jasmine caught me halfway, her mouth full of Halloween candy and her hand still carrying her soda. Her eyes didn’t seem caught up in the excitement, and as her eyes turned from my face to the crowd around James, her mouth opened and she looked back at me in question.

“You were in the kitchen, weren’t you?” I asked slowly.

She swallowed her mouthful and choked out, “What did I miss?”

“I’ll tell you on the walk home,” I sighed, “Come on.”