Disclaimer: I don't own anything from any of 'The Twilight Saga'.

A/N: This story takes place during 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'.

Chapter 2:

The next day, before lunch at Sam's, Jared dropped me off at the Black's shop. He only did that because he was going to Sam's early, warning him that I knew everything. He though it'd be best if I didn't come - just in case. And Jared did it because he knew I wanted to see Jake.

Though Jared and Paul were a year older than the rest of us, I skipped a grade, so I was always around them. But I was still great friends with Jake, Embry, Quil, and all them. So I was excited to see Jake.

Jake looked mostly the same, but it was obvious that he had filled out more. But I appreciated his long hair, and his goofy demeanour. At least something was the same.

"How are things, Jake?"

Jake shrugged and smiled. "Pretty good, I guess."

"How's Quil?"

Jake laughed, sitting down in front of a bike he was working on. "He's Quil."

I laughed, nodding. "Oh, Quil." I smiled, patting the bike. "Are you always in here with these bikes? What about girls?"

Jake blushed, shaking his head and trying to tell me no. "I - I, uh -"

"I knew it." I smiled. "Who is she?"

"She's just a friend," Jake tried.

"Okay." I went along with it. "Who's just a friend?"

"Bella Swan."

I forgot that she moved back to Forks. But I remembered Jared telling me. Nothing interesting happened in Forks, so when Bella moved back, it was the big news. It was even bigger news when Jared told me she was going out with a Cullen.

Jared told me about the Cullen's when they moved to Forks, when I was still away. It immediately clicked in my mind about the treaty, and 'the cold ones'. The Cullen's didn't hunt-or even come on our land, period. I doubted the legends a lot of the time. But if our tribe really was descended from wolves, what else could've been true?

I realized that Jake was staring at me, waiting for an answer. "Oh, yeah." I nodded, acting enthusiastic. "Did she break up with that Cullen guy?"

Jake's smile was wiped off his face. "No."

I chuckled, holding my hands up in defence. "Sorry."

Jake let out a weak laugh. "No, it's..."

"Oh, buddy." I shook my head. "You're so in love with her."

Jake scoffed, trying to play cool. "No, I'm not."

"Alright." I shrugged, letting Jake blush for a couple seconds before saying, "You know, she is older. And very, very pretty."

Jake reached over and pushed me, blushing even harder.

After leaving Jake, I went straight to Sam's. As I walked along the path, I prepared myself. And when I saw the house, I knew I was in for some major changes.

Once I got inside, I was tackled by Embry, who, like Jared, Sam and Paul, looked completely different.

"Whoa, hey -" I laughed, just standing still, so that they could hug me. "Hey, hi."

"I missed you here, Nita," Embry said, leaning back.

I patted his head, despite him being a little taller than me. "I missed you too."

Emily got her hug in, telling me how terrible it was that there were so few girls around.

"Nita." Sam walked around the table, hugging me. "It's good to see you again."

I smiled. "I missed it here. I finally feel back home."

"Well, sit down." Sam pulled out a chair for me. "Let's start eatin'."

I looked around the table, then up at Jared, who was sitting across from me. "Where's Paul?"

"He's comin' later. He had some stuff to get done." Jared gave me a look.

I piled the food onto my plate, once again, being compared to Sam and Jared, who ate like real animals. I guess it was because they actually were animals.

I stood by Emily, washing the dishes while the boys got ready to go to the beach.

"Why aren't Leah and Seth around?"

Emily sighed, handing a dish to me to be dried. "Sam's told me that you know everything. Jared did tell you about imprinting, didn't he?"

I shook my head. "Imprinting?"

"When werewolves see their soulmate for the first time, they imprint. They...they kind of fall in love instantly." A smile that Emily seemed unaware of made it's way onto her beautiful face. "Sam said that the first time he saw me since he changed was like magic. I was all he wanted, all he needed. Nothing else mattered. You become unconditionally bound to that person for life."

My brows furrowed. That sounded terrible. "Do you imprint back?"

Emily shook her head. "Only wolves imprint."

"So it's just luck that you're also in love with him?"

Emily shrugged, smiling slightly. "I guess."

"Well," I started, rubbing the dish dry. "Did Sam choose you? I mean, you can choose, right?"

Emily shook her head. "No, you don't choose."

"What happens if the person a wolf imprints on doesn't love them or never loves them?"

"The imprinter wants to please them. If they want to be friends only, that's exactly what that imprinter will be for them."

A weird knot formed in my stomach. "That sounds...awful."

"It can be."

I sighed, realizing. "Leah."

"Yeah."

The silence grew and didn't stop until there was honking and I heard the boys outside yelling, "Paul!", "Hey, Pauly!"

"Go." Emily nodded toward the door.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

I put down the dish and walked outside. All the boys were in or around the truck, Paul's back to me.

Already, looking at the back of him, I knew he wasn't the skinny, short boy that he used to be.

"Hey, loser," I called.

I saw Paul's back perk up, then move slightly, and I knew that he was laughing. When he turned around and I saw him, he looked much different.

I knew what to expect from what Jared told me. They needed to keep their hair short because it matched the length of their fur, and the tattoo was for their little pack. The physical differences just happened. But even with me knowing all those things, my shock didn't lessen.

His hair was cut short, very short. He, like Jared, was now over six-feet tall, maybe six-six. He had nice, rounded muscles, along with that tattoo on his arm. His face still had that look of disdain on it, but he looked much older - definetley older than seventeen. I had to admit, he was unbelievably attractive. And I hated myself for thinking that.

How Paul was looking at me, though, confused me. His eyes were trained to mine, and his mouth was opened slightly. He didn't say a thing until I walked closer to him.

"Don't say too much, Paul," I teased, pretending to not be amazed by his new appearance and intimidated by his height, walking around him and to the truck.

"I - I -"

I laughed. "What was that?"

"Paul," Sam said deeply. "Get in the truck now."

Paul coughed, composing himself, then smoothly hopped inside the back of the truck, sitting down next to Jared.

I looked at Jared, who repeatedly looked between Paul and I. I didn't know why he seemed so unnerved, but he did.

"You look different," I said to Paul. "I can't put my finger on it."

Paul smirked, seeming to his old self. "The muscles?"

"No."

"The hair?"

"That's not it."

"The tattoo?"

"I know." I snapped my fingers, pointing at him. "You got uglier."

Paul's face returned to the disdained one he had on most of the time. "You're just as annoying as when you left, Nita."

"Oh," I sighed, leaning back, putting my hands behind my head. "It's good to be home."

Jared screamed on the way down, and I, still at the top, laughed. I took a couple steps back, letting the boys have their fun. I looked over my shoulder at Sam and Paul, who looked like they were having a serious conversation. Sam pointed around and Paul's eyebrows stayed knotted together. Then they both looked over at me, looking at them, and they dispersed.

Sam ran past us, jumping off the cliff. Where as Paul walked up beside me.

"You jumpin'?"

Even if we were on the lowest cliff, I didn't feel like it too much.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't done this since I was thirteen." I looked at Paul from the corner of my eye, knowing that he was looking directly at me. I turned to him fully. "What's your deal?"

Paul's jaw turned and he sighed. "Nothin'. Just glad that you're back."

"Shut up." I pushed him.

Paul let out a small laugh. "What?"

"You think you're so cool, don't you? Now that you're -" I stopped, not letting him get to me.

Paul stopped laughed, pushing my buttons. "Now that I'm..."

I physically pushed him, distancing us. "Go away. I've had enough of you already."

Paul shook his head at me, smirking. He stepped back until I couldn't see him, then he came running quickly, jumping off the cliff.

"Let's go, Nita." Embry waved me on.

I pushed my long braid over my shoulder, breathing out and running forward, jumping right off. I soared through the air before being engulfed by the cold, cold water.

Even in the wetsuit, I felt my muscles tighten, and I knew the rule was that you had to get out of the water as fast as you could if you wanted to survive at all. So I swam to the shoreline. Getting out, I searched for a towel. The closest one to me was Paul's, so I ripped it from his body, putting it around mine.

"You -" Paul stood, taking it back.

I grabbed it, too, and we engaged in a tug a war. "You don't even need it," I whispered.

Paul growled, but released it. I was surprised that he didn't try harder, but better for me.

I walked over to Jared and sat down beside him, wrapping myself in the towel and smirking at Paul.

Oh, it was so good to be home.