"So I just turn that to the left?" Nessie asked uncertainly. Though the task had been watered down to slow, step-by-step instructions, the pressure to succeed in not killing herself or the bored teacher sitting next to her prevented Nessie from following through with the command. She wasn't very good with cars, or anything that ran on a motor for that matter. Jacob had still insisted that she help with her own truck. The two had been working in Jake's shed for over three hours. When they had first begun, the sun was slightly covered so that its light sprinkled over the rich green leaves that guarded the worn down working space. As time passed, the clouds continued on their path allowing the sun to breach the trees shade and heat the air that usually kept a comfortable, cool breeze. As the afternoon progressed though, she began to feel sticky from the enclosed space.
"Should do it" Jake replied into the palm of his hand. The question that had plagued Nessie for the past twenty minutes was taking a toll on Jacob's seemingly unyielding moral. He was so confident and sure of himself. The stifling humidity didn't bother him. Even at 108 degrees, he didn't break a sweat. Scrunching her eyebrows together in concentration, Nessie attempted to do as Jacob had instructed. Her hand that held the screwdriver shook as it neared the defective area. She pulled the trigger and a ferocious noise erupted, extinguishing any confidence that she had developed, and she pulled away. Out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't mistake the crestfallen expression that crossed Jacobs face.
"I'm sorry, I don't know if this is the right thing to do. What if it goes flying and explodes? Why don't you do it so we can save ourselves the hospital bill." Jake raised his eyebrows in a way that said: "are you kidding?" reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, and guided the machine toward the screw. Nessie winced when it made contact and would have let go if Jacob had not had her hand locked in a firm, vice-like grip. She shut her eyes tight until the horrible noise stopped and opened one when he let go of her hand. She clenched and unclenched her fist, and waited for the next instruction that she would, most likely, not be able to fulfill. Jacob said nothing while he rested his hand on her thigh to balance himself, and reached for the key, still in the ignition, and turned it. The radio, which had been broken for a week now, began blasting a foreign melody.
Grinning, he mocked, "Well, I'm certainly glad you didn't kill us."
Although she knew the embarrassment would show clearly on her cheeks, she playfully scolded, "There's no need for sarcasm."
"Sure, sure" Jake laughed and scooted out of the cramped space of the truck. "Next time, I will watch you fix this thing in fifteen minutes. You'll be a pro." Jake stated with forced confidence. Nessie shared the feeling. The old thing had first belonged to Jacob's dad, then her mom, and now her. Needless to say, the machine had been through enough to be deemed a senior citizen. Though she loved "the beast," she didn't have enough faith in it to pass it on to another generation. If they had to fix one more thing, it would, unfortunately, be to the back of a tow truck.
"I think everything is in top shape. The oil looks good and the engine stopped making that noise. It may actually be fit to take out in public." Jake stated casually as she slid out after him. He couldn't help but laugh at her. "How do you manage to get so dirty? You fixed a radio not a transmission!" She peered down at herself to assess the damage. Her calves were covered in dry mud and her shirt looked like she had played a rough game of softball. Gasping, she checked the side mirror and found her hair in a rat's nest filled with foreign junk that could only be produced in a shed. Jake gingerly plucked out pieces from her hair.
Feeling flustered she snapped, "Well it must be from digging through that box the size of a dumpster to find a Philips-head" Jake only laughed while making sloppy attempts at dusting off her shirt. Indignant, she exclaimed, "It was in your back pocket!"
He failed to suppress his amusement as he reached over with a towel and attempted to remove the mud from her legs. After a few minutes of unsuccessful cleaning, Jake flung the fabric over his shoulder. Stepping toward the open door he scooped her back into the vehicle, "we'll clean you off at the beach."
"Great, after I find a hair brush...and wash my face." Jake doubled over laughing. He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the house. Fifteen minutes later, though, if it had been up to Nessie the time frame would have stretched out a bit longer, the copper-headed girl had cleaned off her legs, brushed through her knots, and had pulled her hair up into a presentable ponytail. Jake lent her a shirt that covered her shorts and a good portion of her lower body. They climbed into the truck and headed for the beach.
The sun had been shining for the past week, which was highly unusual for the La Push reservation. Unlike the rest of the areas occupants, Nessie and Jake were taking advantage of the extraordinary condition while it lasted. Whether it was swimming, biking, or participating in random mischievous acts, the activities always took place outside. This was the highest temperature they had encountered this summer. The beaten, red truck was parked on the "non-existent" shoulder. Jake killed the engine, hopped out and crossed around the front to open Nessie's door. While she unbuckled herself, Jake arranged himself into a gentleman-like gesture by holding his arm out for her to take. She smirked, reached for the towels on the dash board, and politely placed her hand around his forearm. She shut the door with her leg, and the two proceeded toward the rocky shore.
Nessie detached herself when they headed down the steep, sandy slope that led to the crashing waves. Nessie slowed her walk as she approached the soggy line that marked where the tide swept the sand. She tentatively stood close enough so that the water would brush her toes. The first wave made her jerk back from the icy chill, but she jumped right back to her original position in order to adjust. After several minutes, as she had predicted, the water now felt more inviting. Looking up, Nessie observed how the sun illuminated scenes that the usual dreary, overcast sky concealed. She watched a bird dive towards a target only it could see. The moment it touched the surface is was back in the air, a fish clasped in is beak. She turned to ask Jake if he had witnessed the astounding catch, only to be jerked off her feet and dragged into the water.
Her tactless gasp of surprise, under water, resulted in a vacuum effect in the lungs. After she reached the surface, she spurted water everywhere. When it had cleared, she took several deep breaths. Jacob still swam under water, probably trying to scare her. The temperature wasn't bone-chilling, but certainly not the type of conditions humans choose to "take a dip in." Suddenly, she was pulled under water, yet again, by a massive hand. She allowed it to pull her down until her attacker would need air. After a few moments she was released and rose to the surface. Looking down she could see Jake surfacing as well. When he was about to break through the water though, she pushed him back down with all of her might. Then, she pushed away as fast as she could, and began a very speedy backstroke. In seconds, of coarse, she was seized around the middle and shot with a mouth-full of water. Before she had time to react, Jake reloaded, and spewed the water like a super-soaker. She laughed before dunking her head underwater. That was one of the things she appreciated about Jacob, he wasn't afraid to be rough with her. He had confidence that she could hold her own. She wasn't the defensive kind of person, and therefore, he didn't tiptoe around her.
His arms encircled her, pulling her to his chest. "I didn't scare you, did I?" Nessie laughed and shook her head. Even though she wasn't scared, she was winded. It was nice to just relax in his arms. His warmth engulfed her in the cold water. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her legs just lie still. They were both silent as her eyes closed, and she concentrated on his heartbeat.
Jake's fingers drew tiny circles on her shoulder blades that made her smile against his neck. After a while he asked, "So, what do you want for your birthday? It's next week isn't it?" her smile broadened as she guessed that he had probably already purchased her birthday gift. She could think of several superficial things that could pass off as a gift she would desire, but what if she told him what she really wanted this year? She would be turning seventeen, but the age felt so insignificant when she was with the one person who would always just be her best friend. It was strange to have someone so close, and yet so far. He could hold her flush against his bare chest, and not know the way her stomach tightened in knots. A moment like this allowed her to pretend that she was something more to him. Realizing that she still had to answer his question, she drew a blank to the long list of insignificant, inanimate objects she had prepared to tell him.
"Surprise me," she finally murmured into his collarbone. Jake's fingertips froze for a second, then continued their path along her skin. Reflexively, Nessie clasped her hands to her chest. She just noticed how relaxed her hands had been. She wasn't sure if her fingertips had been touching Jake. She would die of embarrassment if her thoughts had found a way to his. Nessie had the "ability," which sometimes seemed more like a curse, to transfer her thoughts to another person. All she had to do was touch their skin and their minds could share the deepest connection. Because of this, Nessie took pride in her ability to monitor where her hands were at all times. If she didn't pay attention, her thoughts were like lightning striking a telephone pole. The moment of contact would be like a current of thought flowing into the receivers mind. Just the thought made her shudder.
She felt Jake's cheek brush her ear, "are you cold?" he asked
"A little bit" Nessie lied. She wasn't cold at all, in fact, she felt like she was in a hot bath. She found herself lying to Jake a lot more often lately. Sometimes, they would just be talking, but Nessie would find herself staring at the way his lips formed vowels, how his voice would raise in pitch when he got excited, the way that his tongue would run along the back of his teeth when he was thinking. Even more embarrassing, she would be caught staring at his chest, how each muscle would flex with every move.
She knew she was caught when he would tilt his head a bit to the side, like he was trying to sympathies. He would raise his eyebrows, and ask in a voice that seemed appropriate for waking a small child, "Ness?"
"Ness?" Nessie jerked up, realizing that she was actually being called. Jake was now holding her at arms length in front of him. "You're scaring me. Maybe you need to lie down." He leaned on his back and started to tread water while pulling her gently by the elbows.
"I'm fine Jake, really. I just zoned out." Nessie would get frustrated when he would "baby" her. Despite her reassurance, they still ended up on the sand, and in order to demonstrate her competence, Nessie rolled out the towels. She quickly made herself comfortable on the fluffy mat. Jake seated himself next to her, and looked out across the water, his back tense.
"What are you thinking about?" Nessie asked after a few minutes.
Still looking at the setting sun, he responded, "I have to meet with Sam tonight." This was a normal routine for the wolves. "I don't mind except that it can go either way. Either we can get along great or he can try and over-power me." He turned suddenly to face her as if he had to apologies, "I mean, Sam's great, it's just that... sometimes, our meetings are a bit redundant. He acts like he is still my alpha and I still have to report to him. I respect him. Sometimes, I still think of him as my pack leader... like a father. But just like when a man grows up, a father must let his son go out on his own. I think Sam has a hard time letting me go. But I guess I know how he feels-with you, I mean. Like tonight, I'd rather stick with you. I don't like the idea of you going alone to that party."
Nessie slowly sat up. She didn't know how Jake knew about the party at Max's, but she had stopped investigating how Jake knew things a long time ago. "Jake you know that I would love for you to be my 'wing-man' tonight, but I wont be there very long, and I wont do anything stupid." She couldn't begin to tell him how badly she wanted him to be there. Whenever he went out with her friends, it was like he was her date. He never left her side on those occasions.
When Jake looked as though he was about to cut her off, she stopped him. "I will be fine by myself." He looked away. "Jake" when he still didn't look at her, she reached her hand out and guided his chin toward her. She rested her hand on his warm cheek and said reassuringly, "I will be fine. I can handle myself, and I will have my phone with me." When he trained his eyes on the ground, she whispered, "Don't worry about me." Jake's eyes met hers then, and he reached for her hand that was on his cheek, and held it there while he closed his eyes. Nessie concentrated on her ability to be a responsible young adult and not about the way his eyes made her heart skip a beat. Jake smiled and released her hand, but she could tell he was putting on a brave face.
They curled up on his towel and talked while the sun set. That's what was so great about Jake. They never ran out of things to talk about and yet, they were perfectly comfortable in silence. The clouds turned to rich streaks of magenta and lilac.
Nessie sat up and marveled at how the colors were mirrored in the calm water. She looked down at Jake. He was sprawled over the sand with his eyes closed and a small smile on his face. His chest was bare, and the light that reflected off the water danced upon his bronze skin. He had lent Nessie his shirt for the second time that day, and she inwardly smiled.
"Ness, you're doing it again." Even while lying down, he still did his irresistible tilt of the head. Nessie was too content to be ashamed. She placed herself in the crook of his arm and nuzzled his chest. She loved the way he smelled, she loved how he never pulled away. "How long do you think we've been out here?"
"I'm not sure, but we should probably head back. I still have to take a shower." They still didn't move. "Ugh! I don't want to get up!" Nessie complained. Suddenly, she was on her back and Jake had her pinned beneath him. He began relentlessly tickling her, ignoring her hysterical pleas for him to stop. He finally complied, brushing her hair back and kissing her forehead. Standing up, he offered his hand to her. They rolled up the towels and Jake slung his arm around her shoulder, guiding her up the hill toward the truck.
Jake shut off the ignition after pulling into Nessie's driveway. He turned toward her to say something but Nessie stopped him. "Jake, just tell me to have a good time and you'll see me later." Jake forced a smile.
After a pause, where Nessie guessed he was debating whether or not to disregard her command, he finally said, in a voice that was not as strong as it had been before, "have a good time." He then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "We still on for tomorrow?"
Before closing her door she replied, "Of course." Jake hopped out of the truck and tossed her the keys. From the porch, she peered over her shoulder one last time to watch Jake pull off his shoes and disappear into the forest.
She went straight to her room, fell on her bed, and closed her eyes for a few minutes. She could still feel his warm skin on hers. Nessie sometimes contemplated not taking a shower just so she wouldn't lose his scent. With a sigh, she hauled herself toward the bathroom.
Nessie approached Max's outrageously large house around nine o'clock. She never arrived at a party on time. It was important to let the crowd reach its estimated number because otherwise, the five people who arrived on time would be subjected to forced conversation. Nessie didn't know Max very well. Her classmates invited everyone to their houses. At her school, it wouldn't go unnoticed if she didn't attended, which is why she stood before a sign on the front door that instructed guest to "just walk in."
The music blared in her ears as she attempted to slither through the crowd of people. Some were dancing, others standing by the speaker staring at the people who were playing a game of 'how many people can we fit on the couch.' She could see kegs set up in the kitchen, and contemplated getting a drink. She could tell the moment she arrived that this party would not be fun. She smiled and stopped to talk with some of her classmates. Nessie indulged herself with a few "Bacardi Breezers." She played a game of "Bag-O" that was set up in the dining room. Periodically, she would look around for her friends. Though she didn't see them, she was sure they were here. All around her, everyone seemed to be having a good time, but she felt oddly out of place. When Jake was with her, everything became so much easier. It was a great feeling to walk into a room with a tall, built, gorgeous guy and know that everyone noticed him.
That was another great thing about Jake. He could mold into any setting. He was the comfortable guy with the best joke, and a smile that made any person think they were the most interesting person in the room. Nessie never felt like she had to get drunk to have a good time. She was drunk off the elation that everyone else loved her best friend. She never had awkward conversations with people she hardly knew-
"Hey Nessie!" Max stood at an odd angle beside her, and smiled like he had caught her checking him out.
"Hey Max!" she greeted her host with way to much enthusiasm, "This party is great! You really know how to put the school under one roof." She had no idea why she made that last comment but Max grinned anyway. She couldn't think of anything else to fill the awkward silence, so she resorted to looking at the people out on the make-shift dance floor.
"Thanks! I'm glad you came. I was hoping to see you!" This was odd to Nessie considering that she hardly knew him. Last semester they had been in the same English class, but they never talked. Now that it was summer, she had only seen him at other parties.
Nevertheless she responded, "That's great. I am having a really good time." Though it probably wasn't the response he was looking for, he didn't push the subject.
After a moment Max said, "Did you want to play some beer pong? I'm really terrible, you would get me wasted." He winked after he said this. A wink that meant: "You can get me drunk and have your way with my beautiful ass."
Nessie was about to refuse, politely of course, when someone laced their fingers between hers. "Nah she's terrible at anything that involves hand-eye coordination. Plus, she is about it entertain me with her guitar hero skills." Max looked surprised to see Jake, but introduced himself, and the two boys shook hands. Nessie waved and pulled Jake toward the room with the plasma screen TV.
"I didn't know there was guitar hero!" She smiled from ear to ear. She was so happy Jake had come to rescue her from severe boredom.
"There isn't, and if there was, I wouldn't be participating. I mean, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself in front of these super cool seniors." He said in mock humility. She playfully elbowed him.
"You are my hero"
"Well then come with me. I will show you my super secret place that I found with my ex-ray vision." He led her toward the font door, but someone pulled on Nessie's arm.
"Ness you can't leave, you have to dance!" it was one of the girls that sat at Nessie's lunch table who was always called by a different nick-name, therefore, Nessie had never figured out her real name.
Before she could protest, Jake cut in, "you're right! Ness, you can't leave with out dancing!" this was said in a voice that promised humiliation for Nessie.
"Jake, you know I can't dance!" she earnestly pleaded into his arm that led her towards the dance floor.
"Ness, I honestly don't. When is the last time you and I danced? I am genuinely curious to see your moves."
"But I don't know how! Ok, ok fine. We can dance, but this is my disclaimer: Jacob Black, I am warning you that my 'moves'," she put quotations beside her head with her fingers, "may cause sever damage to your body and my reputation. It's your call."
His smile had widened over the course of her statement, and as he pulled her closer to him he responded, "You worry too much. You're with me remember, I'll teach you."
With that she allowed him to pull her against him. The people that danced around them used the standard position, the back end of the girl to the front end of the guy. It was trashy and less intimate because the two dancers didn't have to look at each other. Plus, it was easier to dance this way. Actually, she had never danced any other way so she couldn't make a very educated decision on which was truly easier. The other position in question was the way Jacob was clearly about to pull her into.
Jake was a great teacher which was why Nessie could always trust him. He was patient and encouraging and could somehow make the student successful. He pulled her by the hips so she was flush against him. She grabbed his shoulders for support. Jake was tall but Nessie wasn't short. Tonight she was wearing heels as well. She took pride in her ability to do just about anything in heels. Her aunt Alice had raised her well. The circumstances had made their height difference not as noticeable. Jake started to sway to the beat. He didn't go fast like the other people around them. His hips found a slower beat that still went to the song. This intrigued Nessie because she found she could feel his rhythm as well.
"See," Jake said "it's all in the hips." She grinned.
Dancing "chest to chest" allowed him to control her movements so that they swayed in tandem. She rested her forehead on his chest and watched their bodies. She smiled as she watched her hips move. She actually felt like she could dance. Even when Jake started to switch up the direction of his hips, she could move with him and pull some twists of her own.
When she felt confident with her balance she moved her hands down to his waist. She was in such a fog. Her head was in the crook of his neck, and she could hear his breathing in her ear. She chanced a glance up at his face, and found his eyes closed. She wondered how he could move without seeing, but smiled at herself when she realized that she had been closing her eyes as well. She had never had a moment like this with anyone. She felt strong and sexy and powerful. It was so exciting to know that this was new for her. She started to feel herself falling out of rhythm so she put her hands back on his shoulders and Jake, whose hands had been steadily moving lower pulled her closer. He knew exactly where to place his hands so that she could move with him perfectly.
"Hey, guess what" Jake breath brushed her ear.
"What?" Nessie responded, ignoring the chills that ran up her spine.
"We're the only two people on the dance floor." Nessie looked up quickly and saw that he was right. She turned back to him, and he was grinning in a way that made her heart trill. She should have been self conscious but she wasn't. She thought this kind of thing only happened in the movies, but here they were, the only two dancing, and she hadn't even noticed. She put her head back on his chest, and they began to sway again. It was sensual and deep and- dirty? Nessie was actually 'getting down?' She laughed to herself, but then she felt his head leaning into hers. She could feel his stubble on her cheek, and her eyes fluttered closed. His hands moved up and down her back, down her legs and back up again. Her nails started to scrape against his shoulders in appreciation, but then her eyes flew open. This was not Ness and Jake, two best friends that had known each other her whole life, this was two teenagers who were acting like animals. No, that's not what it was. That wasn't how it felt. Nessie wished it did, that it was all about instinct and no emotion That wasn't it though, it felt like a lifetime of wanting, and inhaling the smell of the one thing that made her whole. She had to tell him how she felt. Yes, they would have to stop. It was for the best.
"Jake?" she whispered softly before she lost her nerve.
"Yes?" He answered, his voice like honey clouding her mind. She truly tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come. She couldn't lose this moment, it was too incredibly perfect. He was perfect. She had dreamt about this for so long and she didn't want to lose the feeling.
After a pause she said feebly, "Never mind."
"Oh no" she looked up into his face "you can't do this two me." He said this with his brilliant smile. What did that mean? It was like he was joking with her, but he was totally serious. What had he wanted her to say? She was about to tell him that they had to stop, but was he expecting something else? She had no answer for him so she just put her forehead in the crook of his neck. She rubbed her cheek against his stubble. He was nuzzling her too, but then she felt his lips on her neck. She froze for a split second. Was he kissing her neck? She couldn't be so sure because she had never had that happen before. It felt so good. She felt the sensation on her ear. What was going on? Her grip tightened on his shoulders and they continued to dance. She felt so confident she let her hands slide down his arms and to his waist where she moved them to his chest that she loved to feel, and around to his back. The tension was increasing and she loved every second of it, but then someone grabbed her arm. It was "nick name" girl again. She threw her hands in the air and said "Ness, take a shot with me!"
Jake laughed but spoke instead of Nessie, "thanks, but I need to take Ness home." He gestured to her toward the door. It was weird how relaxed she was. The dancing was a blur, but she could remember the events that happened previously. She was having an "out of body" experience, and was putting the amazing dance with Jacob on a shelf for later examination.
Nessie followed but said suddenly, "Oh before I forget, I hope you were kidding about my skills of beer pong because I would have no problem reminding you of a certain 'Putt, Putt Golf' match we had."
"I would rather not recall that, but I will remind you of the moment when I saved you from 'Max-wants-to-get-laid-imilian'." Nessie giggled and led Jake out onto the front porch.
Nessie's ears rang from the muted music coming from inside. Jake sat down on the porch swing and patted the space next to him. She snuggled next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He played with her soft red curls that hung half way down her back.
"Jake I'm so glad you had your 'ex-ray vision' because I don't know how we would have found this place." Jacob laughed, the sound vibrating his chest.
"Well I wouldn't get all snappy miss 'I can't dance'" he said I can't dance in his best high pitched voice. "I can't believe what you say anymore. I bet you can fix cars too."
"ha ha ha. No way! That is your talent. Along with dancing and any skill that requires coordination." Jake gave her a look that said "oh please" but chuckled anyway.
After a moment she asked, "What did Sam want to talk about?" She noted that the meeting had not lasted very long if Jake was here.
"Ugh" Jake groaned, "I don't want to talk about it."
"What happened?"
Jake let out a gust of air. "You know Sam, he's always pushing. His way is best and on his time."
She thought he might elaborate, but after a minute she realized he was done. "Wow that was cryptic..." Nessie observed. She didn't mind that he hadn't said what Sam had talked about specifically. There were plenty of times that Jake wasn't allowed to tell her about the meetings. She sometimes had a hard time feeling like Jake was the one leaving her in the dark. She didn't want to be like Sam though, and push Jacob to tell her things that he wasn't up for explaining.
"It's really complicated." He laughed humorlessly. They sat on the swing for a long time until Nessie felt herself begin the nod off. She heard Jake whisper in her ear, "hey it's getting late. I'm going to take you home." She felt Jake pick her up, carry her down the porch steps, and across the lawn. He opened the door with one hand, and set her in the seat before buckling her in. She allowed herself to drift to sleep after that.