2. Embry
Five days after—after I almost became road kill—Embry always showed up to check on me. I would've thought that his concern for me would have been a bit creepy, but it felt right…natural.
When he asked me where I lived, I told him I didn't remember. That my fall must have joggled my memory. But really, I didn't want to tell him that I had run away. From a nightmarish hell that I didn't know how I survived in the process of escaping.
Being the kind stranger that he was, he let me sleep in his small squashed house on the first day. But I told him that I didn't want to intrude, after all, I didn't know what his life was like, and I really didn't want him to find out about what mine was like.
So he made a deal with his friend—Quil—who was like Embry, russet skinned, jet black cropped hair and the size of the La Push trees.
Quil seemed to be ecstatic that I was staying over. Though they both eyed me too much(Quil giving me those nudging winks or Embry, a shy smile) I felt awkwardly comfortable.
The sheets smelt of the wood and oceans that their houses boarded on. I had to admit, it was quite beautiful at dawn, when the sun sets over the hills, throwing everything in shadow leaving a mystifying tinge line of orange on the horizon.
Twisting my legs between layers of quilt blankets and pillows I thought about my day ahead.
Embry and Quil never seemed to go to school. Which was fine with me, I spent most of my time at the beach, throwing stones and hanging out with the boys. Usually the rest of the Quileute boys would come down here and do the stupidest things. Like cliff diving off of huge heights. I would've taken the small rock jutting out only a few meters up from the black waters. Embry and Quil had both shocked me when they said it was fun. Boys! Sheesh! One time I noticed a girl hanging out with one of the taller boys…Jacob I think was his name…she was quite pretty—pale and looking like a recovering patient—I noticed that she held her sides a lot. I asked who she was and Embry and Quil said her name was Bella. I felt left out when they kept eyeing each other, grinning, then look back at the girl named Bella, then at Jacob. I felt left out and wanted in on their little gossip.
"Jacob has a big time crush on her." Quil said.
I looked at Jacob, then back at Quil.
"Why won't he just tell her then? He has the looks. The bubbly-ness of a puppy—." I glared at them when they snickered, "and he's quite tall."
Embry looked at me carefully.
"You like tall guys' hunh?" Quil said, hurt.
He was shorter than the rest.
"Don't worry Quil. You know I love you." I batted my eyelashes comically.
"Truth is—that girl—Bella, just got dumped." Embry said quietly.
"And she's trying to get Jacob!" I gasped.
"NO!" Quil and Embry said together.
"She got dumped by this other guy that we kind of hate. Jacob is just trying to help her."
I sighed and brushed the sand off of my feet.
"This topic is just too somber for me." I looked up at the sky and watched an eagle soaring over the ocean's edge. I sighed and looked back at the boys.
"Let's do something fun."
Quil glowed at the idea of fun and jumped up, stretching his broad muscles. "What should we do?"
Embry got up and towed me with him. One hand comfortable wrapped around my shoulders and the other one randomly picking flowers and pushing them into my braided pigtails.
It felt normal to wrap my arm around his lean torso, though he was also well built, he was skinnier than the other boys. I had gotten used to the fact that he hardly ever wore a shirt, since all the Quileute boys never did either. Maybe they were built like a superhuman, who could withstand minus thirty degrees weather. Quil took a stone and skipped it along the crashing waves. Over the curve of the cliffs I could see four Quileute boys jumping off the top.
"Crazy." I said, shaking my head like I always did.
"Watch it. Jacob is coming." Quil muttered suddenly quiet.
Embry unwrapped his arm from me with such speed that it left me temporarily dazed. He turned toward Jacob and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets.
"Where's Bella?" Quil asked.
"She went home." He said simply.
Jacob was really gorgeous. His russet skin seemed as smooth as silk. Actually, they all looked the same.
"Clones." I thought.
"We were just wondering what to do. You want to hang out or whatever?" Embry said, sounding casual.
"What do you want to do? I thought that I'd catch some z's." He rubbed his dark eyes.
"Well my dirt bike still works." Embry said happily. "How about your Harley? It works fine doesn't it?"
Jacob looked taken aback. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it.
"I'm not in the mood to ride tonight. Why don't you take Emma into town or something. She's probably bored to death by you two."
I was surprised to know that Jacob actually knew my name. We only met once, briefly. When I was taken in by Embry soaking wet and bleeding. I was half conscious. Had Embry told him my name?
Quil and Embry seemed to understand their "brother" completely and nodded, slapping Jacob on the back in a comforting gesture. I tried to make my face less twisted by my confusion as I forced my eyebrows to unknit and smile as I waved at Jacob's retreating figure.
Embry tapped my knuckles as I leaned all the way back in the cinema chair. The flashing screen lights dancing across my face. I turned to him.
"What?" I whispered, sounding annoyed and slightly scared.
"Your eyes are as wide as dinner plates." He snickered.
I stuck out my tongue and regretted it as he started to laugh so hard my chair shook.
The movie was terrifying. With those scenes where these zombie like figures jump out from no where scream a blood curdling scream. I shivered and shifted myself against Embry's shoulder. His white cotton shirt smelt just like him. A sweet spice. Almost like cinnamon. I was fully aware that his lips were pressed to the top of my head. His warm breathe blowing loose strands of my dark hair around my cheeks.
The girl in the movie was holding an axe. She was sweating and swallowing hard. Her eyes were wide, probably not as large as mine would go, as she slowly advanced towards the attic.
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Don't go in there. You know its in there so why are you going in? What is a fucking axe going to do?" I muttered against Embry's shoulder.
Embry laughed and wrapped his popcorn free arm around me so I would lean closer in to him.
The door handle rattled and the girl stopped walking. She still held the axe high above her head. The door knob jiggled again and then stopped. There was a deafening silence. I was breathing quickly. Knowing something scream worthy was coming up. Slowly she turned around then-
I jumped and leaped into Embry's waiting arms. He didn't hold back his silent pits of laughter and let it ripple out into the theater. Many people were screaming their heads off, others were staring at Embry and Quil who were both laughing. Either at me or the stupid movie.
When the movie ended I couldn't move. I clung onto Embry's neck and didn't let go.
"What's wrong Em? C'mon, it wasn't that scary!"
I shook my head and buried my face into his chest.
"My legs are asleep." I mummbled.
"What?" Embry said shaking my shoulders a bit.
Quil had left to use the bathrooms.
I uncovered my face and glared up at Embry.
"My leg's fell asleep." I said through gritted teeth.
When he saw my face he burst out laughing then calmed down when more people stared.
Apparently I was crying.
"Aw Em. Don't cry."
He leaned in and kissed away my tears. I could feel his hot lips against my skin. How they gently brushed the surface.
My eyes locked with his. My stomach ached with a fluttering feel. I was holding my breath.
Embry smiled and leaned in closer until our foreheads met and my vision of his face blurred.
He blew warm air into my face, his lips coming closer to mine.
I could feel the embaressing flush on my cheeks as I closed my eyes and waited for his warm lips to be pressed against mine.
Suddenly he drew back and ruffled his hair.
I stared at him. His emotions were masked. He looked slightly confused when he tilted his head to look at me.
"C'mon its late. And I think Quil fell in the toilet."
He took my hand in his over large ones and towed me out to the rows of seats. Using the dark, I wiped the last traces of my tears away.
