[Chapter 1]
"How was it?" Quincy Lujan asked his daughter, the same question he asked her every other Monday morning. Asked so many times the entire conversation lost its entire meaning. It was a polite question that lacks any sincerity or care. Smiling at a stranger polite, you do it with pleasant intentions. Makes you feel warm inside and if it brightens their day then so be it. A selfish type of politeness. Allows you to feel better about yourself instead of having cared for them or their answer.
That's why Ashtyn always responded in the same way. A deep sigh and shake of her head. She'd glanced out the window with tired eyes and watch the trees pass as her father drove back to La Push.
No, today wasn't any different from the hundred other Monday mornings that Ashtyn had experienced since her parents got a divorce.
"Love you," Quincy said, like he did every time, as they pulled up to La Push Reservation High School. Ashtyn leaned over and pecked his cheek before grabbing her nap sack and leaping out of the black pick up truck.
"You too," she smiled before pushing the door shut and trekking towards her locker.
"Hey Ash!" The teenager didn't even have turn from her locker to see who it was. The excitement and childish voice gave him away.
"Yes, Seth?" Uninterested, unfocused. Ashtyn was much more intrigued by the order of her ratty old textbooks and misplacement of her pencil bag then what the freshman had to say.
"Jake and Paul and Jared and I are going down to First Beach," her body shifted around and finally faced him. Black hair was standing tall, but not as tall as its human actually stood. She had watched Seth go, almost over night, from 5'6 to 6'6. It depressed her that she had to look up at a boy who was three years younger than her. But she learned to accept the height change and hyperactivity with open arms. All of the boys in Sam's gang of misfits were tall and big. Steroid big and medieval torture stretcher tall. "Just skip with us okay? You don't have to keep that stick up your ass all the time."
"First period," Ashtyn clicked her tongue in disapproval but she knew it was no use. By even turning around she had agreed to it. "Fine, but I'm driving. I'm not dying at 18 because of a car accident."
"But Ash," Seth let his bottom lip fall as he looked down at the older girl. "I'm a great driver."
"You'll get me killed," Ashtyn grabbed the keys to her Jeep out of her locker and started towards the exit. "Why are ya'llditching any way?" It was a waste of a question. But she was so focused on diverting Seth attention away from her to something else.
"Why not. It's a pretty day. Actually sunny out," a smirk came across Seth's face,"And I pretty sure Paul only invited you so he could see you in a two piece." Her hand flew out almost immediately and hit him in the stomach. A groan came from her as she shook her hand,"Abs of steep, my friend," Ashtyn might have lacked an actual brother but the La Push boys definitely made up for it.
They were there for her when her parents got a divorce. They were there for her when her mother got pregnant with another man's kid. They were there for her when she got the stomach flu and even when she broke her arm. But with each bonfire and hair cut, it seems they begin to push away from her and closer to Sam Uley. Stop being her brothers and start being his.
If keeping close to the boys meant breaking school rules and ditching, than so be it.