Chapter 2
La Push
I felt my eyes brighten with curiosity as I called out the register, and the girl who had caught my eye the most when she had entered class identified herself as Renesme Cullen. Of course it would be her. Added to the curious notion of her mother must have been way young when she had her. I shouldn't be surprised I suppose. It was the norm for teenagers these days to be sprigging them out when they've only just become teenagers.
I surprised myself at how the tutorial flowed smoothly, and I wasn't as nervous as I expected. The students listened, took notes and asked questions. Renesme asked the most, and seemed to show a very keen interest. This pleased me for some reason, I can't explain what it was. It was as if just being in her presence made me want to do anything for her. Any favour wouldn't matter. I felt the need to please her and for her to be impressed by me. I couldn't make sense myself why I felt this way. I've never felt like I needed to impress anyone before. Especially no-one younger or the same age as me. It made me question myself deeply. What was it about this girl? My thoughts were disrupted by the bell, and the students' quick haste packing their things away.
"Just a minute!" I called out to them. They all stopped and stared, quick to attention. "There will be a camping trip in three weeks. As you are all still underage, you will require permission from your parents. It's a mandatory trip, however, legally, we need your parents' permission. Please collect the permission slips from the desk as you leave." The students murmured in an unclear chatter, some were excited, some were groaning. Ah well, cest' la vie.
As I packed to leave, Mr Peters came to check how things went, but unfortunately I had to make my excuses, and make my way over to La Push to re-tutor the same lesson to another class. I hear the locals there are quite tribal though, and this was the class I was most nervous about. They could probably teach me more things about survival in the wilderness then I ever could. It was rumoured that their tribal ways had been around for centuries.
I really enjoyed my drive over to La Push. Watching the many different types of trees. I could only count on one hand the types that I knew.
Arriving in La Push was breathtaking. I was driving along the cliffs and I could see the sea, and its calm waves tumbling softly on the shores, over a mix of pebbles and sand. I heard that sometimes, if you were lucky, you could spot whales from the beach. I very much looked forward to that possibility. I really hoped it would happen sooner rather than later. I can't even begin to describe how it makes me feel to see animals where they belong in their own natural habitats, compared with seeing them in safari parks, or sea world.
The structure of the school was different to Forks High. The class turned out to be an assembly of all the year groups. Probably with it being a small place, the classes weren't big enough to establish different year groups. There was a big difference with the La Push kids too. They didn't seem as interested as the Forks High students. This was because, I assumed, they already knew everything they needed to know. They perked up, however, upon my announcement that they would taking part in a camping trip, and more importantly with the Forks crowd.
"What year group?" A curious boy asked. A boy he didn't look as I studied his face. In fact, he looked like he could be older than me. Easily. He had a very toned body, short black hair, rippling muscles and a most handsome face. I remembered who he was from register. Jacob Black. He sat with a group of his friends. All mixed in age. Seth, Leah, Embry, Quil and Paul. It was easier to remember the more unusual names to me.
"The senior year." I confirmed, and an intriguing glint glistened in Jacob's eyes. He obviously was friends with whoever attended Forks High.
Like Forks High, one of the students at La Push really caught my eye, and again, I really couldn't put my finger on the reasoning. Putting attractiveness to one side. His name was Embry. Again, like Jacob, he looked nothing like a school student. It was only after the assembly I found out they weren't students. I felt so stupid. Of course they weren't. They had graduated three years ago. But that still didn't explain how they looked the same age as me, or maybe older.
I was just unlocking the car door when to my surprise, Embry jogged over to me. He seemed nervous and apprehensive.
"Hi Zoe. I'm Embry." He greeted.
"Yes, I remember your name." I smiled as he gave out his hand to shake to introduce himself properly. I took his hand gratefully and almost gasped at how warm it was.
"Jesus, Embry, have you just had your hands poking a fire?" I asked, I could already feel the sweat from my own hands, or was it his?
"Sorry!" Embry apologised genuinely, his face looking extremely guilty and sorry. The facial expression made me laugh.
"You've only just moved to Forks, right?" Embry asked.
"Yes, just three days ago." I replied.
"I was wondering if you might like a guide? You know, show you the sights and sounds of Forks and its surrounding neighbourhood?" Embry inquired. I felt my cheeks heat up. Oh god, was I actually blushing? I felt like a silly girly teenager. It was embarrassing.
"Sure, that would be lovely." I replied, trying to swallow my embarrassment. Embry's face brightened. It made me smile wider that I had pleased him so. Again, there was that thing about me that just wasn't me. What was wrong with me today?
"Are you available tomorrow?" Embry asked, interrupting my thoughts.
"Yeah-" I began to reply, but then my face faltered. I completely forgot in that moment my promise to go to dinner with sheriff Charlie at Sue Clearwater's. "Oh, I can't"
"Oh, ok. When would be better?" Embry asked.
"How about tonight?"