Growing up I always knew the legends. They were hard to ignore, being as they were repeated at every bonfire, barbeque, and party. But, just like most of the other kids, I didn't think they were actually true. I didn't think they applied to me in any way.
At least, that's what I thought until the first time I phased.
It all started the day I turned fifteen. My brother Collin and I were heading down to the La Push beach. It was November 14, and the weather was incredibly cold. I bundled up, four layers total, and climbed into Collin's truck. Collin was a year older than me, and although we were close, he was always so quiet and closed off from me. I chattered on about nothing, and he sat there stoically, nodding only when absolutely necessary. That was part of what everyone loved about my brother though. He was a great listener.
We pulled into a parking spot and noted that a bunch of our friends were already there.
"Catie!" my friends Summer and Maryse screamed, and both grabbed me in an all encompassing hug. "Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks, guys," I smiled as Summer ran off to be with her boyfriend, Brady ,and Maryse went to say hello to Collin.
Seth Clearwater held out his fist to me, and I hit it with mine. "Happy Birthday, C."
I grinned at him and went to hug the others: Jacob and Renesmee, Embry, Quil, Jared and Kim, Brady.
"Come on," Summer grabbed my hand and pulled me down the rocks to the shore. Jacob had already started to build a bonfire, and we sat around it, trying to warm our freezing hands. I sat in between Collin and Summer, perfectly content. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and we each got a cup of hot chocolate. I felt perfectly fine until they started to sing "Happy Birthday" to me.
"Happy Birthday to you," my friends sang, Seth, Summer, and Brady purposefully off-key. I suddenly felt very hot.
"Happy Birthday to you-." My head was starting to hurt, and I was sweating like crazy. What was wrong with me?
"Happy Birthday, dear Catie!" everything was spinning… I felt awful.
"Happy Birthday to you!" I had to get out of there. "And many more…." Seth and Summer were singing all those silly added parts of the song that we had loved when we were younger. But I couldn't stay and laugh. I felt like my insides were beginning to eat my outsides. Oh my God, this was awful.
"Catie." Collin touched my shoulder. "Are you okay?"
I shook my head slowly, words refusing to form in my thoughts or in my mouth. He helped me stand while the others looked on concerned.
"Summer, Maryse, come help me," Collin asked them, and Summer came to support my right side. Maryse walked back of me, and Collin stood on my left. They got me to the truck, and I felt incredibly faint.
"What's the matter?" Summer asked Collin, who shrugged his shoulders. "Catie, Cay, can you tell me what's the matter?" Collin looked incredibly worried.
I breathed out slowly. "I just feel really sick. Like faint. It almost feels like my insides are eating my outsides, like I'm turning inside out or something…" I explained, feeling another wave of nausea roll over me, and a knowing look crossed my brother's face.
"Do you feel like you're gonna throw up?" Summer asked, and I shook my head. The understanding expression on Collin's face only intensified as I said this.
"I think, girls, that I need to Catie home. Soon," he told them. Summer and Maryse hugged me quickly. "Feel better, Catie, okay?" Maryse told me, and my two best friends hurried back to the beach.
Collin drove me home furiously fast and carried me inside.
"Collin, what's going on? Is Catie okay?" I could hear our mother ask him, but I felt too sick to answer as my brother carried me down the hall and into my bedroom.
"I think- God, this shouldn't be happening- but Mom, I think Catie's phasing." Collin lay me down in my bed, and all the colors of my room swirled together.
Phasing? What the hell?
"No, Collin, no, not Catie," my mother argued, and I could feel her cool hand on my forehead. "Geez, Cay, you're burning up!"
"See, Mom? That's what I mean. She's incredibly hot to touch, she said it feels like her insides are eating her outsides. It's just like when I first phased. It came on suddenly, too."
"What are you talking about? Phasing?" I asked my brother through watery eyes. God, it really was hot in here.
"Catie," he whispered and then, hesitated as if not sure how to tell me what he needed to say. "Cay, I think you're becoming a werewolf."
Author's note: Okay, so I know what you're thinking. Really, Skye, another Twilight fanfic? Why don't you just finish the millions of others that you've begun? Ha, well.... I got a bunch of new ideas and can't really seem to get back to the old ones. So, anyways, hope you enjoyed this (let me know what you think), and Chapter 2 will (hopefully) be up soon (I think). :)