First Beach

Chapter 2

Seth's Point of View

We were only a few more minutes away from First Beach. I could already see the smoke flaring through the tall trees. I had never before been to one of these pack parties. I didn't know what to expect. This "Pack Meeting" was just a little tiny lie. No one knew about this, not even Mom or the rest of the council. I was still treated like a young dude, but I got to say that I'm grown enough to do whatever they're doing tonight. That's why I probably got invited.

I looked at Leah from the corner of my eye and she seemed happy. Something about her made her glow tonight. I really missed my big sister being happy and cheerful. Stupid Sam, that broke her heart almost a year ago, made her the way she is now; bitter, depressed, and miserable. I just hope that her heart heals fast enough. I hate seeing her like this.

From a distance, I saw Jake and Sam putting up some tents and coolers around the bonfire. Okay, this just made me get more pensive about what we were going to do tonight. I also saw Emily, bringing in grocery bags from Sam's car. I think the best part for tonight would be the food. I couldn't wait.

I looked at Leah to see if she had any type of reaction towards seeing Emily. She looked thoughtless. She must be putting away their differences for tonight…hopefully.

Leah's Point of View

We were getting closer now. I glanced at Jacob and Sam. They were putting tents around the bonfire and some coolers. Were they planning this to be an alcoholic party? Whatever, anything for me would help. Then I saw Emily. She was picking the grocery bags from Sam's car and taking them to a table. Seeing her right now made me feel sorry for thinking badly about her. After my break-up with Sam she tried to reconcile with me. I should have tried to be nice to her even though she didn't have the fault. I mean, imprinting is way too strong to break. It was useless to cry and plan different kinds of schemes to end it.

"Hey guys, you're early," Jacob said, walking toward Seth and me. He gazed at me from top to bottom.

"Yeah, I know. Seth told me that it was best if we got here earlier than planned," I groaned, giving Seth a sharp look. I also felt self-conscious because Jacob looked at me that way. Well, I guess wearing this (my polka bikini top and my short shorts) did get people mesmerized, especially Jake.

"I know, it's just that I was curious," Seth defended himself, shrugging.

I stepped away from their conversation and walked over to the shoreline to sit on top of a massive boulder. The salty mist felt refreshing along my copper skin. I missed this. I missed everything that had to deal with being outdoors. The only time I would go outside was to either patrol around La Push or to throw out the trash. Yep, my life was miserable.

"Leah, what are you doing here all alone?" Jacob said, sitting beside to me. "You've been missing for quite some time… 10 minutes tops."

"I was just taking in the view. It's nice to be out for a while, you know. I feel free," I replied.

"Can I ask you something, Lee?" He had a serious face on.

"Sure. Go ahead."

I looked at Jacob, inspecting his perfect face and his bare chest. Something about him was new to me. It wasn't all the usual for me to see him half naked. For one second, I felt my conscience yearning for me to just touch his body; to have my finger trace his perfect contours. I immediately snapped out of that weird trance. Ew, touching Jacob would be so sick. It would be like molesting a child, I thought, sickened by my feelings.

"Well, I think you look really nice today. I like your shorts, they're so hip! Where'd you get them?" he said, making his voice all feminine and nudging me on the shoulder. He twinkled his dark eyes at me, just like a flirty girl would to get someone's attention.

"That wasn't a question, moron. That was more of a statement. And wow, I never knew you were a transvestite," I said punching him back on the shoulder.

He winced. "Ouch, Leah. I just wanted to make you laugh. Gosh." He rubbed his shoulder.

"Jake! Leah! Get your asses over here! We're going to do the beer bong!" A distant voice called out. It sounded like Paul.

"Well this is going to be a show. Let's go Jake," I said, standing up from the boulder.

"Do you want a piggy back ride? I'm offering. This is my way of saying sorry," he stated.

"Sure then"—I got my legs around his body and held on tight, almost choking him, just for the fun of it—"Hurry up Jerkob Black!"

Jacob's Point of View

"Sure then," Leah said seizing her legs around my body and clutching her hands around my neck, practically choking me. "Hurry up Jerkob Black!"

Leah was different in mood today. I sensed it. It also showed upon her face. Or was all this just of my thought?

"Next stop, the beer bong contest," I pronounced. And with that, I took off running. She felt light as a feather on my back. My hands around her thighs felt marvelous. Now thinking, she's been the only girl I came to touch like this. Ugh, Jake, stop thinking like that about her! She's your Beta, and that's all she can be for you, I thought. But my mind couldn't help it. Now, I envisioned myself touching her all over the place; her face, breasts, body… Jake! Get a grip on yourself! I thought again. I couldn't take it anymore. I blew both of fists right up against my head. There was a huge thud on the sandy floor. Oh no, Leah!

"Jake, what the hell is your problem?!" Leah said, roaring from the floor where I let her fall—accidently.

"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, helping her get to her feet. "I was thinking stupid thoughts and I wanted to get them out of my head because they were bothering me. I'm sorry."

"Strike two—one more strike and you're out. I hope no one else saw me fall. If someone did, you're dead meat, Jake."

"I don't think anybody else saw it. Let's just walk it over there. We rearranged our camp more into the forest. How about a challenge?"

"You're calling me out Jacob?"

"You got that right chicken shit." I flashed my perfectly white teeth at her. I know, I'm such a charmer.

Leah looked worried, but for what? She knew that she was going to beat me in running anyway. That little harpy… But I had confidence and confidence was all that counted if you wanted to beat the fastest girl in La Push.

"At the count of three, we run, okay?" I stated. "One, Two—"

"Wait, Jake," she said, cutting through my countdown. "Can I have a head-start? Please?"

I pursed his lips for a brief moment. "You'll beat me if I do…No!"

"Be a man…"

"Hey, hey, hey, I am not a boy anymore, okay. Fine I'll give you a head-start. On the count of three, you'll start running, then I'll re-count to three and I will start running."

I positioned myself, ready for the race. I've been practicing on my running techniques. I freaking know that someday I will beat Leah in running. I'm positive. But I'm not sure about now. Before I started counting, I took a quick look on the side of me to see if Leah was ready, but she was gone. I looked frontward, and there she was, running ahead of time. That little chicken crap cheater!

I took off running, not caring for anything in my path. My human speed was so dull compared to my wolf speed. Wolf speed was so much better than a motorcycle at two-hundred miles per hour. Human speed was just slower.

I was hitching on, somehow. Leah was just beside me. I guess my practicing did come in handy after all.

"What now, chicken shit!" I hollered, still keeping in pace with her. Actually, I was outrunning her. I could tell.

She didn't reply. She just gave me a smirk. I guess deep down inside her she knew that she was going to lose and I couldn't wait to see her reaction.

The bonfire was soon emerging. Everybody had their eyes glued onto the forest. They had probably heard our exchanging of rude nicknames. Yay, they were finally going to see history right in front of their faces!

I was finally in total lead. I looked back and she was nowhere to be found. Ha, my speed was just way too much for her. I looked again in front of me, and there she was, way ahead of my league. Damn! She was fast.

"You thought you could outrun Leah, you're retarded," Paul said, beaming with laughter when I finally got to our campsite. From the looks of it, he was already drunk.

"I knew she was going to win all the time…the problem was that… I, uh, was tired. You see, my back still kinda hurts," I lied. "So when's the beer bong starting?"

"Paul freaking drank a twelve-pack of beer all by himself, so Sam and Emily went to the liquor store to get some more," Embry said. "Oh and there are still some left-over hotdogs and stuff over there by the table…I at least remembered in leaving you some food."

"Thanks, Embry. Just for thinking about me, you get to be my couch buddy. You get to spend one day with the man, myself Jacob the shaman of sexy," I responded, joking about the couch buddy—obviously.

I made my way up to the table of food. Everything looked so delicious. I didn't even know what to start with. I guess I'd just start by chomping the hotdogs. They were the really big ones, the twelve-inch sized ones. I grabbed one and threw it all inside my mouth. Yum, this twelve-inch was trouble-free. It was also juicy.

Leah's Point of View

Even though I was unsure of having a race, I still beat Jacob Black. I couldn't let anything get in my way of being the fastest—not even my monthly rag. It was so funny to see his face when I got to our camp site, first. I wish I had a camera.

I walked over to a log around the campfire and sat there. There wasn't anything on my mind, except worries. I didn't bring any extra pads with me or any extra clothes. What if I was leaking right now? I couldn't feel anything, though. I guess I was going to tough myself up when Emily came back from the store. She was the only one that lived close to the beach. Jake lived close too, but he wasn't obviously a girl… Oh wait, his sister, Rachel was back. I would ask her. Where was she anyway?

From the corner of my eye I saw Jacob stuffing his mouth with those twelve-inch hotdogs. From my point of view, that looked utterly disgusting and wrong.

I giggled at my dirty thoughts and then he turned around towards me. I put on a poker faced façade. He grinned with the mashed hotdog pieces visible. One piece fell out of his mouth. I laughed almost uncontrollably.

"Shut up, Clearwater," he mumbled.

"Jake, come here for a second," I said.

"What's up?" He finally finished chomping his hotdog and walked over to me.

"Is your sister Rachel here with Paul?"

"Yeah, she's somewhere here with him. Why?"

"None of your bees-wax, Jacob, I just need to talk to her."

"For what?"

"Don't worry about it, okay."

"Chicken shit." He muttered, leaving back to the table of food.

Now to find Rachel. She must be where Paul is, so I guess I should get searching. I could smell Paul nearby—with the loads of beer had had drunk. He was in the tent, with her. I stood up and made my way to the tent that was the farthest.

"Rachel, are you in there?" I asked, knocking on the rough tent.

Paul giggled in there. Geez, I guess I was interrupting something.

"Go away, Leah," Paul said.

"Shut up Paul," Rachel contradicted. "I'll be out in a minute, Lee."

I stood there; well I kind of stood about five meters away from there, waiting for Rachel to get out. It seemed that the more time she was in there, the more they giggled. Yep, I guess I was interrupting.

Finally, Rachel came out. She looked both ways, I guess to search for me or to just make sure Jacob didn't hear anything that was going on in there. I waved my hand and she made her way up to me.

"What's up Leah," Rachel said, smoothing her clothes.

"Rachel, I wanted to ask you if you had any pads with you. I'm on it and I think I need to change it," I admitted. This would be harder to admit to anyone else, but I already had trust in her. We've been long-time friends.

"Oh, yeah, I have some. Let's go to my house. Paul, I'll be back in ten minutes, I just need to get something from my house!"

"Hurry back," Paul called out.

Our way back to Billy's house was fast. Rachel had a fast-pace in walking. It was incredible how far her legs could stretch, but I caught up anyway. She probably just wanted to get back to Paul ASAP.

Billy was still awake when we got in. He was watching a re-run of White Sox vs. Angels baseball game.

"Hey, Billy," I said.

"Hey Leah, how's your mother?" he asked.

"She's good. She went out with Charlie tonight."

He didn't reply. He just nodded and stared at the TV again. Billy was always so eccentric.

We went into Rachel's room, Jacob's former room—he lives on the sofa, now, and she gave me my "medical" kit.

As soon as I got in the bathroom, I didn't see anything. No stains or drops…anywhere. Something was wrong. How would it just come for a few hours and then suddenly disappear? Something was wrong…very wrong.

Jacob's Point of View

Something was really weird. Did I just see my sister and Leah leave some where? Who knew? Ugh! I couldn't imagine what Paul and my sister were doing in that tent. I heard them giggling all the way over here. I was totally going to break Paul's jaw. The bad thing about breaking his jaw would be that he heals fast, so I wouldn't leave any marks. Damn it!

"Let the beer bonging begin," Seth cried. He tagged along with Sam and Emily.

"Shut up, Seth. You aren't going to be drinking. The only drink you can have is either soda or water," Sam interjected.

Sam and Seth were each carrying four boxes of twenty-fours. Emily was only carrying one.

From the other side, Rachel and Leah appeared. They were both talking, but I couldn't make them out. Leah shot Emily and Sam a quick glance and then turned back to Rachel. All the evidence was there: Leah still couldn't get over her beak-up with Sam—poor Lee. I actually felt her pain. The same thing happened with me and Bella. Well, I'm over her. I haven't seen her since her wedding. It sucked. But we still kept in touch over email. She was going to visit us next week: Halloween.

I made my way towards Leah and Rachel. I wanted to talk to Leah and express my feelings. After all, she was like me. We were always up to no good. Our future was probably worse. I also wanted to talk to her about the Cullens coming over for Halloween. I still wasn't sure what I was going to dress up as. Maybe a bloodsucker or lion…?

"Hey Rachel, Leah," I said, trying to start my conversation smoothly. "Where'd you guys go? Did you go to Billy's?"

"Yeah, Leah had to make a quick phone call to Sue, that's all," Rachel stated.

"Jared had a cell phone. She could have just used his." I knew that she way lying. She was always a bad liar.

"Shut up Jacob, mind your own business. Don't make me give you another strike," Leah said, getting pissed off.

"You're right. Sorry Leah for getting in your business. Hey can we talk for a second?" I tried to keep my cool but I didn't know how my facial expression was fixed. What if I seemed too desperate?

"Not now, I'm going to challenge Paul on the beer bong thing. That looks fun." She patted me on the back and then took my hand. She started dragging me to where Paul was.

Wow, she's actually holding your hand, Jake, I thought. Her hands felt silky-smooth against my russet skin. Her touch gave me a jolt. It felt like if someone blew their fist against my stomach. It was something I would never expect. This was probably going to traumatize me.

"Hey Paul," she said.

"What Leah?" he said, sounding annoyed.

"I'm challenging you one-on-one with me to do the beer bong." She looked so sure of herself.

Paul chuckled. "I accept. Sugar, you're going down."

Paul was already messed up from all the beer he drank. He's going to get beat by Leah at his own game. What a loser. I bet I could beat Leah at this game too.

"Yo, Sam, fill up the extreme-funnels. We're having a major contest between Lee and Paul." I said. Sam nodded.

Leah and Paul took their stance by the bonfire. Seth, Emily, Quil, Embry, Paul, Rachel, Jared, Kim, me, and now Sam, were gathered to see the show. Sam handed Leah her funnel and then gave Paul his.

"I'll hold it up for Leah," I volunteered.

"I'll hold it up for Paul," Sam said. "Jared, can you take the time with your cell phone?"

"Sure thing brotha," Jared replied.

Sam and I got the tubes under the enormous funnels. This was going to be a great show.

"Are you ready guys?" Jared said, taking his cell phone out. "When I say go, you'll start chugging… One, Two, Three, GO!"

Leah immediately shoved the tube in her mouth and started gulping it down. I could hear the alcohol draining down through her system. I shot a quick glance at Paul. He looked like if he was going to pass out. His eyes were closed. All the foam from the beer was trickling down his mouth. What a pig! I went back to Leah and she was doing far better than him. There was no visible foam on the sides of her mouth.

"Done," Leah said, keyed up. She looked at Paul.

"Sucker," Paul muttered, unclenching the tube from his mouth, letting the fluid drip all over his chest. He grinned and then fell on the floor with a gigantic thud. Everyone started laughing, except Rachel; she went to go help him up, but she couldn't. Sam helped her and then dragged him to their tent. Paul was so not sober. Ha!

"Nice going Leah," I said, raising my hand for a high-five.

"Thanks," she said, clasping to my hand and then falling against by body. "Oh, sorry Jake, I'm kind of dizzy. Are you going to battle me?"

"No, Leah. I think you've had enough. You should go eat something. You haven't had anything to eat since you got here. And all that beer that you drank in the bong will make you feel sick…so eat something." I held her tight; my hands interlocking her body. Everyone was looking at us very strangely. "Leah, come on. Let's go get you something to eat."

I carried her to the tables and sat her on the log. With just a couple of beers that Sam put in her huge bong, she looked so messed up; like if she had a massive overdose. She was super wasted—she couldn't even walk. No more drinking for her, that's for sure.

I grabbed a Styrofoam plate and tossed in a piece of cold pizza, one regular sized hotdog with ketchup and some Doritos. I took one bottle of soda—2 liter—and just gave it to her. She turned her back on the food and drink.

"What's wrong Lee?" I asked, feeling a bit anxious.

"I'm just tired Jake… Oh, I've wanted to talk to you about some stuff. Can we go talk some place more private…the cliffs?"

"Sure, thing. But wait; let me go get you a pillow from one of the tents, just so you can rest your head, okay?"

"Okay, Jake." She closed her eyes and then picked up her hot dog and started devouring it.