Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to Dark Coffee Dreams, who messaged me and reminded me that this story exists. Again, I apologize for the late entry. It has indeed been a while and I will rectify this mistake by giving you all one chapter a week...because lets face it, one a day just won't work with busy lifestyles. I was setting my expectations to high and letting your expectations down. I love you guys for sticking in there. Here, enjoy Jake being his crazy self.
La Push is actually pretty decent looking, when you stop and pay attention to it. Paying attention to anything other than the stupid jokes that Quil kept repeating in numerous different ways was exactly what I was aiming for. Being in the back of a truck with nowhere to focus on but my blurring scenery didn't help for the bleeding in my ears. I had to use all my willpower not to smack the back of his head every time he mentioned Sam and Leah. Instead, I tried my hardest to focus on my surroundings.
Washington is a good looking state, there is no denying it. The trees are almost always green on the west coast, except during fall and winter, but I guess that is to be expected. I've lived in La Push my entire life, so I've just been used to the mass amounts of forest and soggy weather. I also know that there are places around Washington that are dry as bone or as busy as New York; but I live on the Reservation, which is virtually parking-lot-proof from the government. The council makes all the laws and rules.
"Are you waiting for just the right moment to jump out and splatter yourself on the pavement?" Embry nudged me and murmured just out of Quil's hearing range, "I'm sure thinking it," he rolled his eyes. "If I have to put up with another make-out session imitation from this guy, I might push him right into traffic."
I tried to hold the laughter inside me, letting but a few chuckles escape. "You know my pain so well," I mused aloud. "He's a good friend, but even the best of friends can get under your skin."
"I hear you loud and clear," he smiled.
"Are you guys talking about me?" Quil stopped mid-sentence as we both made eye contact with the subject of our previous conversation.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, bro," I shrugged with a smirk.
"Embry?" he looked to my left for support.
"Hey, man, can't a couple guys just admire the sun once in a while?" Embry played dumb with me.
"Even ask Seth, he heard the entire conversation," I pointed at Seth, trying to pull him into the loop. "Maybe if you weren't so infatuated with your own voice, you would have heard us," I teased.
"Seth?" Quil glared at him, standing up and trying to make him confess, ignoring my insult.
"All I heard was 'blah blah blah, hey aren't the trees really nice out today,'" he shrugged with us.
While Quil's head was turned, Embry and I smiled. I gave him a thumb up for his work. Embry started making faces and imitating Quil's talking with his hand. We stopped the instant he turned and glared at us.
"What? You should really sit down, dude. You might get hurt," I nodded with my lips protruded in mock sarcasm.
Embry and Seth were instantly imitating me and looking at Quil.
"I'm going to get you for this, Black," he glared at me with a pointed finger, sitting down dramatically slow.
He slipped suddenly, falling on his ass, and we just couldn't contain ourselves any longer.
The cliffs were as high and steep as ever. I noticed the eventual erosion of the waves against the lower levels with the fall weather and previous storms. On this rather nice day though, the cliff top was really green and the waves were calm. The waters were a bit ominous looking; dark and blue. I took a moment to enjoy the shade of the tall evergreen trees that loomed over me and my idiot friends.
"Are we going to do this or what?" shouted Quil at no one in particular, taking off his shirt to reveal a not so defined stomach and a poor excuse for pecks.
"I sure as hell won't," argued Leah, taking a step backward. "And you aren't either, Seth," she glared at him.
"Oh why not, Leah?" asked Sam flirtatiously.
"Because he's my responsibility and I don't want to have to explain why his head is gushing blood to my vile mother," she told him in a frustrated tone.
"Oh come on, Leah, I'm not a baby!" Seth exclaimed, crossing his arms. "I know how to take care of myself."
"Sure you are," started Embry. "Look at those chubby cheeks!" he pinched Seth's cheek and wiggled it around.
"I hope you brought and extra bag of diapers!" Quil joined in.
"Shut up guys. I'm sure he's grown up enough to wear Pull-Ups. He's a big kid now!" I teased in sing-song voice.
"Shut up you idiots. You're all being a bunch of toddlers yourself," Leah yelled at us in a voice that sounded like my mom when she was mad.
It seemed like our joking really got to Seth because all of a sudden he started walking away into the forest and away from the cliff with the most determined and angry expression I've ever seen him make.
"See, look what you've done. I hope you're happy now. When I get home my parents will never let me hear the end of this shit!" Leah screamed violently, waving her hands around for emphasis.
As soon as she was done and resorted to just giving us the death glare like usual, I caught something extremely fast blur past us toward the cliff from my peripheral vision.
As soon as my brain registered what was happening, I saw a half-naked Seth in midair about six feet out from the cliff with his arms spread out, falling in what seemed slow motion toward the raged sea water below.
Leah, Quil, Embry, and I ran toward the edge of the cliff to see if he would make it.
"Whoa, dude! Did you guys see that?" asked a very confused and slightly amazed Embry.
"I hope he splatters all over the rocks!" Quil laughed and pointed. Leah smacked him upside the head and looked after her brother as he plunged in the freezing salt water.
"If he doesn't make it out I'm going to be so pissed," she cursed under her breath.
"He'll be fine," I chuckled, seeing his head pop out of the water laughing hysterically.
"Now who's the baby?" Seth screamed from down below.
We all cheered for him in unison, throwing our fists in the air and howling like a bunch of wolves. As we did, I saw another blur coming from behind me at top speed, tackle Leah, and dive off the cliff. She let out a horrified scream that echoed off the cliff wall and slowly faded into the splash as they hit the liquid.
Our cheering turned into rabid hyena laughter and I had to clutch my sides for support. This was all too much to handle, in the best way feasible. I just knew that when I looked back on this day I would always laugh at the image of Leah's terrified face as she fell. I had to remind myself to permanently burn this memory into my skull for all time.
"Your turn Embry!" Quil gave him a slight push that set him off balance. He regained his equilibrium as fast as he could and shoved Quil backward.
"You go, you asshole!" he screamed. "Oh wait, you're all talk and no action! Now is your chance to prove yourself!" he got in his face and yelled from the fright of almost falling into jagged rocks in the shallow part under the cliff.
"Guys, shut your traps. We're going on three," I started walking toward the tree line to get a good head start, feeling my heart jump in my throat, coated in anxiety and adrenaline. The boys followed me and we turned around to face our antagonist.
"Should we hold hands?" Quil nervously asked, reaching for Embry's hand. He slapped it in reply.
"Dude, gay."
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to get my nerves under control. I opened them again and looked at the boys. "You ready?" I asked with a smirk.
Quil shuddered and Embry rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck.
"One," I started, watching Quil tense up and nod. "Two," I faced the cliff and put one bent knee in front of me to get ready for a sprint to the potential end. "Three!"
We started booking it to the end of the cliff, my arms swung tightly by my sides, my heart was pounding in my ears, and I dared not blink as the ground started to recede under my feet. As we reached the end, we all bent our knees and sprung out, trying to reach the horizon before we all felt that slow thrill of losing our breath in the wind.
All I could hear was the synchronized word that we all screamed as our hearts stopped, "Fuck!"
I wanted to close my eyes but couldn't keep them off the impending belly flop that was coming at me at turbo speed. My last sensations would be my shirt flapping up to my neck and the icy chill coming across my stomach.
And just as expected, it was the most painful thing I had ever experienced that didn't involve blood. It felt as if my organs were crushed into my chest and there was an empty space in my stomach that was slowly filling with acid.
This had been the single most thrilling day of my short teenage life.
Hope you guys enjoyed. This chapter actually made my heart beat twice as fast for the boys. Review and let me know what you think! I'll get the next chapter up soon.
