Okey doke! Here's Chapter four! I'm super happy at how this one turned out. I feel like my writing is slowly getting better. THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who reviewed! Oh, also, waaaaaay back from a chapter 1 Review from "bcrepn": Bellaesque how? it would be really nice if you explained that out, so I can change it, because if you hadn't noticed from my disclaimer a few chapters back... I REALLY DON'T LIKE BELLA. yeahh... haha. well, hope you enjoy!

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Crash

Chapter 4

As the clock on her bedside table ticked from 11:59 to 12:00, Tala found that she still couldn't fall asleep. She groaned, rolling over onto her stomach, her face towards the large window as she let out a long breath through her lips, making her sound a bit like a horse. Tala grabbed her pillow and planted her face in it, muffling an annoyed scream. She was starting school in less than eight hours and she hadn't slept at all. She extracted her face from the pillow, closing her brown eye and looking over at her bedside chair with her green one. Before going to bed, Emily had placed some clothes out for Tala: black pants, a bright blue shirt, and her usual black jacket. Her bright orange tiger hat was hanging off the doorknob. With nothing else to do, Tala began to quietly sing the last song she'd heard on the radio before it had gone into static earlier that evening.

"Be okay, be okay, I just wanna be okay today… something, something, la la la-" Her rather off-key mumble singing was halted suddenly when she heard the front door squeak open faintly, large feet padding into the house.

She immediately stopped all movement, and as quietly as she could, slowly sunk into her sheets, pretending to be asleep. She heard nails clack across the floor and grabbed the heavy, metal flashlight that was sitting by her bedside. Sam's home and Emily never left! I'll turn it on high blast when they come in and scare them, and then I'll throw the lamp at them. Hopefully- The door to her bedroom squeaked open, and she stopped all train of thought, all breathing. She could have sworn her heart stopped beating.

The footsteps of the intruder sounded calm as they padded up to her, and just as she was about to jump out and try to maim the unknown villain, a cold, wet nose poked at her hand.

Tala let out a huge breath. "Oh my gosh, you dumb dog! You scared the crap out of me, you piece of sh-"

The wolf let out a quiet growl, and Tala peeked over at it. He was different today; instead of his usual happy aura, he seemed angry and depressed.

"Well, what are you doing? Don't dogs-"

He glared at her again.

"Wolves," she corrected, while scooting over to the side of her bed. "Don't wolves or whatever like sitting on beds?" She patted the mattress. "I'm positive that Emily won't notice. You'll blend right in with all the weird wolf décor that she's got."

The wolf gave her another halfhearted glare, and jumped up onto the bed. Tala smiled and scratched him behind the ears. "What's wrong, buddy? You don't look happy at all today. Having girl troubles or something?"

He looked at her with his big, brown eyes and scooted closer, laying his large head down on her stomach and letting out a long, slow breath.

Tala nodded and continued stroking his head, working her way down to the soft underside of his belly. His leg twitched involuntarily as she scratched him right under his ribs, and he raised his head and looked at her in surprise, like he didn't know why his leg was doing that. "I see, and how do you feel about that?" Tala asked, not aware of his surprised look, thinking that his twitching leg was something that all dogs did.

The wolf just stared at her, and when her hand went back to scratching at his ear, he rested his head back down, closing his eyes and smiling as best he could.

Tala pretended that he could talk. "And why do you think she's doing that?"

The wolf looked at her. How could she know what he was thinking? Oh wait. He im-

"Well, maybe if you just tell her that she's special and you don't want her doing dangerous things-"

He rolled his eyes. Like you would listen anyway, Tala.

"Well, okay, so she's sort of stubborn, but she loves you back, right?

No! You barely even know I exist. Okay, so you do know I exist, you just don't like me a whole lot. I have the feeling you don't like what I am half the time.

"So then, ask her somewhere nice. Go running by the river and catch some squirrels or something. How am I supposed to know what wolves do on dates? Or just, you know, be nice."

I am nice! You think we're all on drugs!

"Who in their right mind would think you're crazy?"

You, apparently.

"I'm sorry. Maybe she's not right."

But you are, though! I know you are, because you're the most amazing, nicest, best-smelling—okay that was a little creepy. But you're perfect. Nobody else could live up to you.

"Aww, you're so sweet. She's a lucky wolf."

I really hope you're not a wolf.

Tala smiled down at the wolf. "You need a name. Seriously. I keep calling you 'doggie', but you aren't one, sooo…"

He glared at her, then made a face like he was smiling and wagged his tail.

"Bipolar, much? You remind me of that one guy. Embry. Like, seriously. You've got the same mood swings, and your eye color kind of looks like his."

You have absolutely no idea.

Crunch, crunch, crunch. Swallow. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Swallow.

Tala stared blank-eyed at the cereal box, black circles under her heavy eyes. Her hat rested low on her head, flattening out her side bangs to cover up her eyes, making her seem all the more exhausted. She let out a huge, slow yawn and her tired eyes drifted over to the clock on the microwave. 7:00. She had half an hour until Emily would take her to school. Bleck.

With slow, tired movements, she worked her way over to the couch and turned the TV on. Half-lidded eyes stared out at the television set, the people on the screen swimming in and out of focus as Tala yawned and tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes.

"-an explosion in north-east Seattle, rumored to be a gas tank explosion, is now confirmed. Witnesses recall seeing a pale character running from the direction of the explosion site just moments before-"

Tala changed the channel.

"-family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you-"

Click.

"Yeah, he was tall, with damned dark hair. His eyes though, he must have had light eyes cause nobody can wear red contacts 'cept light eyed people." The guy on screen was tall, with a flannel jacket and jeans. He was wearing a leather necklace.

The camera cut back to the reporter, and she smiled at it before continuing her spiel. "Someone managed to get a recording of the man as he ran away from the site. John, if you will?" She smiled a second time before the screen changed to a crude, low-quality video of a man running past. The image froze right as his face became focused.

Tala was no longer half asleep as she stared at the figure on the TV in front of her. His long face, the dark mop of hair and high cheekbones that she knew so well-

The screen went back to the reporter, whose name was Judy. "If anybody has any information regarding this man, please call the toll-free number below."

Tala quickly read the numbers. 1(707) 331 8430. She searched for the phone while trying to memorize it. The phone was all the way across the room. Crap. She swore, and tried hitting the pause button on the remote control. It didn't work. A message popped up on the screen.

Warning 505:

You do not have this feature available.

For more information please call the number

on the front flap of your cable booklet.

Tala swore more heavily this time, and got up and grabbed the kitchen phone. She looked back at the screen, but the credits for the news hour were already rolling and a comedy show was starting in the corner. Angered, she punted the phone across the room into the hallway, right at Sam's head.

Sam ducked expertly and snatched the phone out of the air before it smashed against the wall. He looked at Tala, more than mildly concerned. "What's up, Brooks?" he asked, using his nickname for the currently freaked out teenager standing in the middle of his living room and trying to destroy the phone.

Tala released a freaked out breath. "I… nothing…" she shook her head, thoroughly confused. "I just saw something on TV that scared me."

Sam chuckled. "Was it Judy's hairdo?" he asked jokingly, trying to relieve the tension Tala was exuding.

"No." She was not amused.

Sam's smile faded. "What's wrong, Tala? What happened?"

Tala let out another frantic breath and relayed to him what she had seen on the television.

"So, the explosion freaked you out enough to throw our only house phone across the room?"

Tala cringed. She didn't want to tell Sam about the man. "….Yes?"

Sam sighed. "Alright, but next time, please throw something that isn't expensive or breakable, okay?"

Tala mumbled an apology, ashamed.

"Emily doesn't feel good and I have work, so I asked one of the guys to take you to school today."

Tala's stomach dropped down to the center of the Earth. "What?"

Sam repeated himself, adding that it was in fact Embry that was driving her to school.

"No! Not that kind of 'what', the other kind! As in, 'are you freaking kidding me?'"

Sam sighed. "He's a nice guy, Tala. I don't know what it was like in California giving people rides, but here it's called being courteous. And you have to go to school."

"No I don't! I can always go tomorrow." Tala seriously began considering faking a stomachache to get out of many things, the least important being the ride, and the most important being school.

Sam sighed. "I know it's super different for you, Brooks, but you need to adapt. Change is difficult, I get it. Just… just try to be nice, okay?"

Tala scowled. "I don't care about that jerkwad. I just don't want to go to school with a broken arm and foot."

Sam opened his mouth to say something but was cut short by a knock on the door.

This was a very rare occurrence, when one's door was knocked on in La Push, and especially in this house.

"That'll be Embry." Sam smiled at Tala and walked into the bathroom.

Tala muttered curses at Sam under her breath and grabbed her messenger bag, swinging it over her shoulder and crutching over to the door to open it.

"Hey, Tala" he breathed out, and then spoke up again. "'twantyousickand-"

"And you're trying to convince me you aren't on drugs," Tala deadpanned.

Embry burned red, and closed his mouth. "I'm sorry." He squeaked out, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. "Er… sorry. And good morning."

Tala grunted in response. He's on steroids and speed, at least. Maybe even on something else. "Morning. Nice car." Her words were clipped and short, her adrenaline rush from her earlier scare wearing off, making her feel even more tired than she had been earlier.

Embry glowed with pride. "I named it Venkman."

"After Peter in Ghostbusters?"

"You're the first to get it without me explaining it!" He seemed way too excited.

"Oh, joy."

Forks High School was smaller than Tala's old high school, no doubt about it. It looked boring from the outside, except for the instance when a girl in a black jacket knelt down by the Welcome Sign and disappeared, leaving a still-drying spray paint green "Sp" on the glass in front of the F in Forks.

Tala cracked a smile. Welcome to Sporks High.

Embry opened the car door for her. "Sooo, do you maybe need a ride back?" he asked, looking hopeful.

"Um… I don't know-"

"Okay, I'll pick you up at three!"

"Eh? but-!"

Embry jumped into his car and drove off.

"Oh, f-" Tala just stood there awkwardly in the parking lot with her bag next to her on the floor and a confused look on her face. I brushed my teeth; my breath wasn't that bad, was it?

"Hi! You must be the new girl, Tala! I'm Alice, and this is my boyfriend, Jasper!" Tala swung around, tripping over her bag and almost face planting into the ground. Strong cold hands caught her, and when she looked up into the smiling face of a pixie-like girl with a large grin on her face, she quickly turned a bright shade of red.

Tala quickly righted herself and shifted awkwardly on her crutches. "Um, hi…." She smiled uncomfortably at them.

"You're really interesting. We have the same first period class, and Jasper has classes with you the rest of the school day. We already checked."

Tala didn't like this girl very much. Too intrusive. "Oh. Um, that's cool. I think."

Alice laughed a tinkling bell laugh and clapped Tala on the shoulder. "I'll show you to your locker and then we can go to English."

Then Tala was dragged through the halls to locker 314, with Alice chatting the whole time. "-Port Angeles, and then we could go get ice creams or something after school, or we could go clothes shopping-"

"I, um... I already have a ride, thanks." Tala said quietly.

"Oh, really? With who? Is he cute?"

Tala pulled a face. "No. His name's Embry and he's such a creep. But I don't think Sam would appreciate me skiving off with people I don't know."

"We know Sam really well, actually! We haven't seen him in years, because we just moved back from Russia last year, but we knew each other a long, long time ago."

Jasper mumbled something, and Alice elbowed him in the gut, still smiling at Tala.

"Oh…Well, then I guess… maybe, but I'd have to call him first, and…" Tala didn't want to go with them, but she didn't want to say anything and come off as rude or mean.

"If you don't want to come with us, you don't have to." Tala looked at Jasper in surprise. He had a nice voice.

"Er-"

"We wouldn't mind. After all, we do have forever to get to know each other!" Alice let out a high-pitched laugh.

Jasper elbowed her this time, sending her a warning glance.

Is everybody here on crack?

Tala laughed nervously. "I'll ask Sam. Later. When I get home." She smiled awkwardly.

Alice smiled at her excitedly and then dragged her to first period English.

"So, tomorrow, don't forget to bring your books to class! We'll be learning about ribosomes and how RNA travels through the cell!"

Tala quietly wrote a reminder about the textbook with her sloppy not-her-dominant-hand handwriting on the inside of her English book, Othello. The bell rang, and she put all of the textbooks she had received that day in her messenger bag, cramming it to the bags' very limit. She swore that she heard one of the seams rip.

As she haphazardly squeaked across the floor, desperately trying not to be the last one out of class (she was anyway), dragging her bag behind her, the door opened-

WHAM.

-and Seth began to talk. "So, I came to pick you up from school because Embry's busy, so-"

Tala raised her hand to her forehead in a sort of surprised daze. There was no blood, but she felt extremely dizzy.

"Oh my gosh, Tala I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, are you okay?" Seth was looking at her with an expression similar to one a person would have when they're about to get beat up.

Tala looked at him after a moment, then smiled awkwardly. "I'm fine. This sort of stuff happens to me all the time. It's normal." She let out a weak grin.

Seth continued to look traumatized.

Tala observed his facial expression. "Look, why don't you just carry my book bag to the car and we'll call it even, yeah?"

Seth shuddered after breathing in through his nose, and acquiesced.

As they were leaving the school in Seth's bright yellow car (well technically, it was his mom's), Seth mumbled something to himself that Tala only caught half of:

"… gonna kill me!"

Tala looked at him in concern. "What?"

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Awesome! So I'm in a really good mood, because I just watched one of my more favorite movies ever! Inception! Heard of it? Yes? Seen it? No? Go watch it! Extra brownie points if you do! ;)

See you on the third! (which, Bee Tee Dubs, is my birthdaaaaaaaay! (so warnings ahead that I might update a day late, because I'll be doing things that don't have to do with computers.))

Ciao, Au Revoir!

Le Pichi