Lose Yourself

Thunder rolled over the mountain tops to the east, and rattle through the thousands of pebbles of sand beneath my feet. I could see thick, dark clouds—the formation of a thunderstorm. It saddened me, to think that such a wonderful thing like rain was about to gain my distain due to the very much obvious fact of one thing and one thing only: For the first time in a while, I felt normal.

The boy's, however, were oblivous to the thunder and cool air. It ran its fingers over my shoulders, up my spine. It blew my hair around in swirls, curling around my face. I felt like a super model—a beautiful, exotic princess. But I was frozen.

I could barely see the game through my breath. "Do none of you realize that if we stay here any longer, we're going to get caught in the thunderstorm?"

Their laughter filled the air, they hadn't even awknowledged my statement.

"Hello?"

Quil stopped running, barely out of breath. So at ease. "Yeah, we heard you. We just don't care."

I had to physically try to keep my mouth from going ajar, "You're kidding, right?" Jacob and Embry both confirmed that statement by a silent look at pity. "I'm frozen. If we wait, we'll all get hypothermia or pnemonia."

Jacob 'pffted', his eyes holding a disbelief, "Fat chance."

I folded my arms, "Well," I stopped. I couldn't possibly amount to anything. My word meant nothing, as I could see I might have intruded on something sacred to them. By ending it short, I could jepordize my chance of any friendship with all of them.

Especially Embry.

"Well?"

I swallowed. I didn't want to come off as weak, I never wanted that. With my shoulders thrown back, I started trialing off back up the shoreline. "I'm just going to head home." Their smiles fell, all childish laughter and boyish features completely drained from their beautifully youthful faces. "You crazy's have fun playing in the rain."

"Don't go!" Embry insisted. I didn't falter in my backwards stride. He turned to both Jacob and Quil, words were exchanged before Embry tossed the ball to Quil and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'll come with you."

"Emb, where you going?" Quil called. "C'mon man, she'll be fine!"

Jacob snorted, "Let him go."

I stared up at him, "That's really unnessessary. You should stay—"

"Melissa, it's okay." He stood beside me, a warm heat radiated off his arm. "I was getting tired and cold anyways."

Disbelieving, I touched his forearm, "You sure?" He nodded, a genuine smile etched onto his lips. I turned and led him to the truck parked on the opposite side of the parking lot. "So, is this a regular thing for you three?"

"Is what regular?"

I motioned to his bare chest, "Shirtless football on a cold beach?"

He nodded, "That. Yes, it is. But it's not just us—usually everyone comes." I yanked the door open, slid over and unlocked the passenger door. "You know, Jake, Quil, Jared, Paul, Sam, Colin, Brady—"

I started the engine, "Who are Colin and Brady?"

"Right, you haven't met them yet." He stared out at all the passing trees, "Their the youngest of the group. Colin's thirteen, and Brady will be fourteen next month—"

"Fourteen? Aren't you a little old to be hanging out with them?" I side glanced at him. He was staring at me, warm brown eyes dazzling. I quickly averted my eyes to the slick road before me, "I mean, you're what, sixteen?"

I saw him nod in my perhiperal vision. "They're family, we kinda have no choice."

"No choice?"

He sighed, "Its complicated." When I glanced up at him, he sank down in the cab and looked frantic. "Well, both Colin and Brady come from Quil's family treeline. Quil and Jacob are cousins, and Jacob. Leah and Seth's family treeline came from Jacob's, yours and Quils. Paul came from yours, Jared too. Everyone's family."

I knitted my brows, "What about you?"

He quieted then, "I don't exactly know who my father is."

I pulled up to Sam's, killing the engine. I turned my entire torso towards Emrby, "Your mom never told you?"

"She doesn't want to talk about it. Ever. I can see how much it pains her, and she isn't socially excepted in La Push. I try to stay away from those questions." He chuckled darkly, "There's only really three possiblities; Either Billy Black is my father, Quil Aterea, or Joshua Uley."

I looked down quickly. He could be your half brother, Melissa. This killed everything. Until we knew for sure, any sinful thoughts about Embry were just out of the question. "Well.. how do you know those are you only possiblities?"

He didn't really answer. He stuttered—which was adorable—and turned his head towards the forest. "I have to go." In the distance, a long and loud wolf howled.

I froze stiffly, "There are wolves in La Push?"

"Of course. It wouldn't be such a magical place without them." He waved to me before he turned and jogged up and out of sight into the trees.

I wasn't comforted with the thought of wolves roaming freely.