Liplocked Lullabies

I remember when I was ten, and Embry, Jake and I were playing in our backyard.

I had bet Embry his favorite baseball cap that I could run faster than him.

He had disagreed and said that because I was a girl, I wasn’t athletic.

We ended up running the 1000 meter sprint.

Jake was the referee.

The route was clear.

We took off from our house, down the driveway and past the big oak tree, touched the door of Jake’s house and then ran back. Jake counted down and as soon as he waved the “flag” (my baby blanket), Embry and I took off running.

I was winning and both Jake and Embry could see that. Jake got bored of his referee job and decided to run with us.

So the three of us began running a pointless run, until we noticed a car coming and Jake accidentally pushed me out of the way.

Hard.

I skidded against the asphalt and screamed, before doing what any ten year old girl would do. I burst into tears.

Everything after that was pretty much a blur, but I remember Jake apologizing and Embry and Jake carrying me back to the house where our mom checked out my arm. It was broken.

I remember I got to wear a cool aqua cast and all the girls in my grade were jealous. Jake kept apologizing and Embry agreed he would never talk to Jake again. It lasted two hours before they were best friends again.

As soon as I got my cast, Jake signed his name in giant letters. And for some reason, that was one of my fondest memories of Jake, even if he did break my arm.

I had learned a lesson from my broken arm, later in life.

Jacob Black would always break you, but apologize later for it.

You may be wondering who I am?

Well, I’m surprised you actually listened to my long story without leaving.

My name is Journey Call. And yes, my actual name is Journey. I didn’t change it.

I wasn’t born a Mary or a Lisa or something boring. I was always Journey.

My father believed in all that spiritual shit, and decided that my name should reflect the odyssey known as my life.

Usually, when I announce my name to the public, they think I’m using a fake name like Miley Cyrus or 50 Cent or something. But most of my friends call my Jay or J.C.

I have one brother. His name is Embry Call, and he’s sixteen. He’s a little older than me, since I just turned fifteen.

As you may have noticed, our father was probably a marijuana smoker or something and named us when he was high.

Embry and Journey.

Our dad was one of those rich bastards who hooked up with multiple women. Our mother was one of his many whores.

My mom is still around, but since our dad took off with his latest mistress about six years ago, she’s a single mother working two jobs.

She’s not around that much. She’s not part of our tribe though, so our entire family is usually the centre of the rez’s gossip.

So now you’re thinking tribe, what the hell[?

Don’t worry, I’m not part of a cult or anything.

My family and I live in La Push, Washington, a small Indian reservation, home to the Quileute tribe.

Since the rez has basically no source of shopping and civilation, we usually drive to Port Angeles to go on shopping sprees.

The joy of a credit card and fake ID.

Okay, so I’m a bit of a bad-ass. But what can I say?

When you have a non-existent father and a workaholic as a mother, you get kind of restless.

Embry seemed to handle the whole thing well enough though, making all these new friends.

He would always go out though, and not come back until late at night. He’d sneak out often, but then again so would I.

At first, I thought that he was just dealing with his problems like me and being a delinquent, but he never showed up at any parties, or the liquor store, or the park.

I never figured out where he went.

Probably to visit some secret girlfriend.

Embry and his two best friends Jacob Black and Quil Ateara often spent most of their time hanging around the house.

I used to wish that they would just stay in the house, but now that they always show up, I kind of wish they would leave.

During my childhood years, I yearned to be part of their group. Jake, Quil and Embry would do everything together and I would be the annoying little sister that would tag along. It sucked, to put it politely.

They would always be betting each other, and doing gross stuff that only a boy would do.

But I guess I became the tomboy I am today because of them, since I often acted like a boy to try to impress my older brother’s friends, in hopes that I could play with them.

It didn’t really work though, since Quil and Jacob only see me as Embry’s sister. Not Journey, Jay, or J.C.

So basically, that’s my life so far.

Why did I bother you with this information?

Well, we start our story in the middle of my sophomore year.

It was in the middle of March, when I started noticing a change.

A big change.

And not in a good way.