Spaghetti Party
It was the day of Jacob's birthday. I had spent the last night on baking his birthday cake. For his present I had used gift wrap paper in bright pink, just to annoy him, and when I had come across a silver-and-pink plastic crown at the Lonesome Creek Store I had bought it as well and had put it on top of the present. You know, since it was his 'quinceniera', and I was pretty sure Quil and Embry hadn't thought about that joke.
I had sent him my birthday wishes at midnight, but then had fallen asleep quickly. School.
Seth couldn't shut his mouth on our way to school. He was babbling something about a girl in his class whom he had asked out. She hadn't answered yet, but he seemed pretty convinced that she was about to say yes. I didn't say anything, but in my opinion, if someone didn't say yes right in the beginning, he or she wasn't going to later. Still, I listened to his detailed description of her long brown hair and her dark brown eyes. Apparently he had had a crush on her since the beginning of the semester, and he was proud of himself to have finally asked her out. Seth sometimes was too cute to be true.
When we got out of my car, he showed me the back of the girl. „Her name's Abby, and she sits next to me in art class. She is so pretty, can you see her, over there? Look!", he continued with his monologue. But I wasn't listening anymore because I had spotted Jacob. He was walking next to Quil and Embry, laughing and joking about something. „Wait a minute, Seth", I cut my brother off and walked towards the grinning group.
When Jacob saw me, his face brightened up and he gave me a big hug. I could see Kayla glaring evilly at us behind his back. „Happy fifteenth birthday, Jake!", I told him and hugged him a little closer. Then I said hi to Quil (whom I hugged) and to Embry (with whom I shook hands). Jake linked arms with me and walked into the building, smiling happily at all the people who shouted „Happy Birthday!" at him. Almost everybody liked him. Actually, as far as I knew, there was no one who didn't like him.
„Alright", Jacob said when we had reached my locker, „What is my birthday present?" I grinned at him. „That's something you want to know, right?" He nodded, eager for my answer, but I just shook my head. „Can't do that, Jakey. Gotta have to see for yourself – later, at your house." He sighed. „You're horrible, Leah, do you know that?" „Sure I do!", I beamed and took out my history book. Jacob looked a little pissed, but I knew he was just mocking me.
„So who's gonna be there tonight?", I asked and looked up at him. He was staring at me with his deep brown eyes, and I started to feel a little uncomfortable. „Jacob!" I waved in front of his eyes. He blinked. „Sorry, I was daydreaming. What did you ask?" I shook my head in disbelief. „Pay attention, Mr Black!" Friendlier, I added: „Who's gonna be there tonight, at your party?" He thought for a moment. „You, Dad, Quil, Embry, Seth, Martin, Tom and Alex." „Who are them?" The names didn't really sound familiar to me. I knew Martin was a sophomore and Tom was a junior from the Makah rez Jake knew from the car parts store down in Hoquiam, but I couldn't recall an 'Alex'. „Alex Scott, from the Makah reservation. He is Tom's friend and we've met at Checker Auto Parts some weeks ago. I like him a lot, he's really nice. Just like Tom!" I didn't knew Tom or Alex, but I was sure that they had to be nice if they were friends with Jacob.
„OK", I said, „I have to go now. See you at lunch. And don't forget – today it's me who's inviting you!" He winked at me, and I sprinted to my first lesson.
After school I drove back home to get ready for Jacob's party. But that was much more difficult than I had thought. Apparently all my nice clothes had gone missing. My only dress, a green one, wasn't where it was supposed to be, and my favorite jeans were in the washing machine. Angrily I threw all my clothes on the floor, trying to pick out an outfit nice enough for my best friend's birthday. Sometimes it was really annoying to be a girl. Guys just could throw on what they wanted. They didn't seem to care what they were wearing – at least not the boys I knew (with an exception to Jasper Hale, but he didn't count. Weirdos never counted. Besides, I didn't really know him. We just had talked a little). Girls had to look pretty or sexy or breathtakingly beautiful, but none of those three descriptions fitted to my wardrobe.
Finally, after an hour of searching and rummaging, I found another pair of jeans that looked acceptable and a green top. Along with my black jacket that would look pretty enough for an almost-all-guy- birthday party. They wouldn't pay much attention to how I looked, anyway. I was used to that.
People used to look at me when I was still going out with Sam. They had thought I was pretty and I knew that some of them had been angry that they hadn't asked me out.
When Sam had broken up with me, everything changed. And since I had become the most annoying bitch of La Push, they all had decided it was safer not to look at me. By now, I had accepted that they were all too chicken to really look at me – to ask me out again.
How I missed going out! I knew I still had Jacob's gift card, and I was really looking forward to using it, but I also wanted that some other guys would start to notice me again. I mean, I was a pretty girl. My eyes were a deep brown, and my hair was so dark brown that to most people it looked black. It was waist-long and if I cared enough to blow-dry them in the morning, they looked really good. My skin was russet, and it looked really smooth. I liked my looks. Not that I was arrogant about them, but I really thought I was pretty.
Damn! Somewhere out there had to be someone who would notice that! There just had to!
I put on my shoes and called Seth. His arm was still in a sling from the accident, but from what he had told me on our way back home from school, people pitied him. Unfortunately Abby hadn't said yes yet. Seth was really downcast because of that, but I had told him that girls at that age had to discuss boys and dating with their best friends first before answering and that she just had to say yes to such a friendly gentleman as he was. Seth had smiled at me, and even if I hadn't been completely sure I was right, it had been nice to see him happy. I loved it when my brother smiled, when he was happy. He had been the reason why I had pulled myself together after Sam's break-up. Sure, I had stayed in my room for a while, but I hadn't cried. I became angry and stubborn, yes, but that wasn't so much different from how I had been before. I had always been a little sassy, it just became worse after Sam had left me. But on the whole, I had stayed calm and quiet, cutting myself from every emotion. For Seth's sake I would always be happy.
With Jacob as my friend, my happiness had increased a lot. Jacob was just the best. I was so glad to have him as my best friend, and Seth was glad as well. I didn't know why, but he wanted to be exactly like Jake. Really, really weird, since Seth was just as happy a person as Jacob was. They were very much alike. They even had the same friends.
Although I wasn't too pleased that it had to be Baby Quil and Mr. Let's Bet Embry.
Well, you couldn't choose your brother's friends, could you?
I parked in front of the Black's house. An unknown car stood there, too. It was a Volkswagen, similar to the one Jake was building in his garage, and I was pretty sure it belonged to either Tom or Alex. I sighed. I wasn't too thrilled to get to know them. I wanted to keep the circle of friends the way it was: Quil and Embry, Seth and Jake, and me. I knew Martin, but didn't like him too much. Since he also was one of Paul's friends. And I certainly didn't like Paul! Paul was like the most stupid person at our school. At the rez. In the whole world! It was so easy to piss him off, but the bad thing was that it wasn't funny if he was pissed. If he was angry, it was the call-the-ambulance kind of anger. So I had tried not to piss him off too much in the past years. As opposed to my brother, I wasn't so keen on spending some time at a hospital. I hated hospitals.
So I didn't want Martin to become a constant part of my circle of friends.
I knocked at the door, and Jake opened. „Happy Birthday!", Seth and I said again, and I gave Jacob his birthday cake. Birthday pie. Whatever. He smiled widely. „Is that what I think it is? Sue Clearwater's apple pie?" I shook my head. „Actually, it's my apple pie." Jake looked surprised for a second, but then he grinned. „Should have known that only my Lee-Lee could bake a pie like that!" He gave me a big hug, and this time I kissed his cheek. „Because only Leah can bake something so delicious that you don't notice you're being poisoned?", Embry asked behind Jake's back. I shot him a very evil glare. „You're gonna get that back, Call." He grinned wickedly. „Bring it, Clearwater. I've been waiting for that ever since your birthday." But he winked at me and walked back to the Blacks' living room. Jacob shook his head in annoyance. „Why is he my best friend again?" I shrugged. „I have no idea, Jacob. Now, could you introduce me to the rest of your friends, I wanna know whether they're just like Embry or if they're actually sensible." „The latter", Jake smiled. He took my hand and led me to the living room.
Embry sat next to Quil, and both of them were eating huge slices of cake. Billy waved at me, but then turned his attention back to his cupcake. Martin sat next to Embry and was talking very loudly to Quil, something about baseball. And then there were two other boys, who looked more like my age. Both of course had the copper skin of the Native Americans, but one boy had brown hair while the other one's hair color was pitch black. The brown haired one had really short hair, while the one with the black hair wore it as long as Jacob. I couldn't really see his eye color, but it looked black, too.
Jacob led me to them. „So, guys, this is Leah Clearwater. Lee-Lee, these are Tom", he pointed at the brown haired boy, „and Alex. They're from the Makah rez, and because it's too far to drive tonight, they'll sleep here. Now who wants to try my Birthday apple pie?" There were a lot of „Me!"-calls, and Embry shouted:"Hey, Leah, what poison did you use? Cyanide? Mercury?" „Sure", I called back, „If you find small silver drops, don't worry, it's just decoration." We grinned at each other, and today I had to admit that Embry wasn't as annoying as I usually thought he was.
It was already dark outside when Billy anounced that he would now make dinner. He wheeled into the kitchen and left us alone. Jacob turned on the CD player. Some charts music was playing, and Quil started to dance in a very weird way. Soon he was joined by Embry and by my very embarrassing brother. Jacob just shook his head and turned to Martin to talk with him about – well, whatever boys talked about. I hadn't really found out yet.
Alex walked towards me and sat down. „So, you're Jake's famous best friend?" I smiled. „Did he say that?" Alex nodded, shaking his long black hair. „He constantly talks about you. Lee says this, Lee says that, Lee told me... you get the idea." I grinned. „Really? I didn't know that. That is... nice." It really was. I had become so important to him, and that pleased me a lot. I couldn't recall having a friend as nice as Jake ever since his sisters had left La Push.
Alex chuckled. „It can get quite annoying, you know, to always hear about you and not knowing you. So, nice to meet you." Smirking, I grabbed a plate with a piece of pie and started to eat. „How old are you?", I asked him after a short while. „17, but I'll turn 18 in April. You had your 18th birthday a few months ago, right?" „Yes", I answered, „But believe me, nothing changes. So you met Jake at his favorite store?" „Yep", Alex grinned, „One day I went there with Tom. Jacob was already there, and since Tom knew him, he introduced us. Now, Jacob is a really nice kid, and he knows an awful lot about cars, so we got along really well." „And now you're here", I stated. Alex nodded. We were silent for a while, and I observed my little brother dancing a waltz with Quil, while Jacob was wearing his pink Quinceniera crown and eating a large piece of pie. He hadn't unpacked his presents yet, but it seemed that he liked the crown – sort of. Embry, Martin and Tom were talking about something while sitting on the sofa.
„What do you do for fun?", Alex suddenly smiled at me. I thought for a moment. „Watching movies, writing, getting on people's nerves, cooking and baking, taking a walk on our beach. And you? I mean, except for cars?" He grinned. „I love playing baseball, and I like hiking. Oh, and what I like best is observing tourists. They're so funny!" I smiled, remembering that time almost four months ago where a white couple had tried to find a guide. I told Alex about them, and he burst out into loud laughter. „Did they find one eventually?" I shook my head. „No one is stupid enough to actually lead around a couple of dumb pale-faces. Besides, we all know many of them – especially those visiting us – have way too many prejudices to actually listen to a guide. You know, like we live in unity with nature, propose a serious alternative to society and are all very spiritual." Alex nodded. „I totally agree with you. It's not like we're hippies – especially not we younger ones. I mean, 'course I listen to our tribal stories, and I like our feasts, but I'm just as American as someone living in New York City." I sighed in agreement, because finally there was someone thinking exactly the same thing as I did. I had talked about that – or tried to talk, anyway – with Kayla and Jessica when we still had been friends.
„What are you talking about?", Jacob interrupted. „Only tourists", Alex answered, „I think I understand why she's your best friend." He winked at me and then turned back to Jake. „Why don't you open your presents, Princess Jake?" Jacob rolled his eyes. „Very funny. Leah gave me that one!" Alex grinned. „Nice!" Jacob groaned. „If you really insist, then of course I must", he said with a tone implicating his high position as the Quinceniera Queen. He walked over to the small pile of presents and took a look at a very ugly looking packet in green and orange paper. „That's Quil's and mine", Embry stated as the rest of the boys came over to watch Jacob unwrapping his gifts. Jacob raised an eyebrow. „Oh really? Why didn't I figure that out?", he said in a sarcastic tone and opened the present. Then he smiled. „Great! Exactly what I needed! A car stereo! Thanks, guys!" They didn't hug, but made a very weird move in which Jacob's fist hit first Quil's and then Embry's fist after which all three made a funny noise that sounded a lot like „Huh!" I stared at Alex, eyebrows suspiciously raised. He smiled at me and whispered:„Don't worry, that's our hand shake, so to speak. Nothing too weird." I still wasn't convinced. Boys were ultra-weird. Wasn't a simple hug sufficient?
I was still thinking about the weirdness of my best friend and his friends when I suddenly saw pink paper flying around me. I couldn't say anything except for a simple shriek when something – or someone – pulled me up and spun me around. Then I could feel Jacob's soft lips on my cheek and then he said out loud: „Thank you, Lee, thank you so much! This looks awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And I had been wondering where to get new tools! They're beautiful!" I couldn't really see where these simple tools where beautiful, but the way Tom, Alex and Jake were admiring them, I guessed it was a boy thing.
Hmpf. I didn't like things being called 'boy things'. Girls were just as able to handle cars as boys were. Maybe I should start to learn about cars so next year I could actually join their talk and finally understand what was so admirable about a set of ordinary tools.
When they were done staring at the tools, Jake continued unwrapping the rest of the presents. Tom and Alex had bought some kind of car part for Jacob's Volkswagen Rabbit which Jacob really liked and which I didn't recognize (Jeez! I really, really, really had to start studying cars if I wanted to keep up with my friends). Martin had given Jacob money.
And that was it. Jacob showed us what Billy had given him – again something for the Rabbit, which made me wonder how broken the car must be. Rachel and Rebecca had both sent him money, but Jake didn't care much about that. I knew he was angry that they had left him alone with a disabled man, although we had never talked about it.
„Jacob! Come and help me with dinner!", Billy suddenly called from the kitchen, and Jacob left the living room. Alex turned to me again. „Can I have these tools for my birthday, too?", he asked smilingly. I grinned. „Definitely not. I would never give two people the same present." „Well, the tools wouldn't say Jacob Black, so it would be different." I winked at him. „If I see you at your birthday, you will get something equally cool." Alex beamed. „Give me your cell number so I can invite you."
I stared at him for a few seconds. Did he seriously just ask for my number? It was long ago that a boy had asked for it after such a short time. Jacob and I had our numbers because our dads were friends and they had made us having the numbers of the council's family members saved on our cells, in case of an emergency. That was why I had Old Quil's number on my phone as well as Sam's, although I didn't need or want them.
Well, and Sam – he had asked me out first and then asked for my number on our first date. Actually the last time someone had asked after such a short while had been two years ago, when I had been to the library of Forks. There I had met a boy with whom I had talked about my favorite books,and he had wanted my number. I didn't give it to him, though, because he had seemed a little weird. His name was Eric Yorkie, as far as I could remember.
„Sure!", I beamed at Alex. His face brightened up. We exchanged numbers, and he looked very pleased. Tom looked at him, very confused. „Why are you smiling like that, Alex?" „I just got the number of a very beautiful girl." My heart stopped. Did he really- no way, there was no way... A smile was appearing on my face, a smile so bright that it probably looked weird. He had called me 'beautiful'!
Tom looked at me for a second. „Can I have your number, too, Leah?", he then asked. „What?" A dumb question, yeah. But I didn't know how to react. That was too weird. All these months nothing, and then suddenly two on one day? I gave him my number as well, but I felt a little uncomfortable now. Maybe this was a strange bet. Embry looked amused. That usually meant nothing good. Maybe they had thought about that before I had arrived. But why would they do that? That wasn't funny, and usually Embry's bets were stupid and childish, but not malicious.
Jake returned, with a huge bowl filled with spaghetti. „Hey Jake!", Embry shouted, „Guess what's happened! Your Lee-Lee has given her number to these two heartthrobs!" He made kissing noises towards Alex and Tom. Jacob raised an eyebrow. „Really? Good for her. I don't know what it's to you, Call." Embry stuck his tongue out at Jake. Jacob laughed. Then he looked at the bowl with the spaghetti, and then at Tom and Alex. „If either of you asks her to a date, you need my permission, understood?", he grinned. Everyone laughed, but I just smiled. I knew Jacob pretty well, well enough to see that this was no joke, and that made me more happy than the two boys who had wanted my number.
„Jacob, can I ask Leah out?", Alex asked after everyone had stopped laughing.
Jacob's eyes flashed at Alex. He grabbed a fistful of spaghetti and threw them at him. „Hey!", Alex shouted, „Not fair!" He grabbed some spaghetti himself and threw them back at Jake. My best friend put the bowl on the table, with spaghetti in both his hands. I sighed. They weren't seriously having a food fight because of me, were they? Jacob threw one fistful of spaghetti towards Alex, but the pasta hit Quil instead. Quil shouted:"Argh!", took some spaghetti and threw them in Jake's direction, but the spaghetti hit my brother. I started to realize that this was not an adult party, but a party where most guests where under sixteen. When Martin got hit by a bunch of pasta, he threw a handful back and hit Embry, and soon every boy in the living room was throwing around with spaghetti. I snuck into the kitchen where Billy was about to take the sauce from the kitchen stove. „Hello, Leah!", he smiled at me, „What are you doing in the kitchen? Do you need anything?" I shook my head, and Billy wheeled past me into the living room to bring the sauce to the table. I walked behind him. The boys hadn't stopped yet. The table was full of spaghetti, as well as the floor, and Jake had some spaghetti-strands in his hair.
„STOP IT RIGHT NOW!", Billy shouted, but then he was hit by a portion of spaghetti as well, and without much thinking, he put the sauce on the table, grabbed some spaghetti and threw them in some odd direction.
I remained in the kitchen door and waited for the stupid fight to end. It took another ten minutes until Embry said: „Hey folks, we should stop. There's no more food left." Seth looked at the spaghetti in his hand. „Yes there is." „To eat, I mean!" Embry seemed very sad because of that. Billy sighed. „I'm going to get some pizza. You can clean up the living room meanwhile." Everyone nodded. I sighed. Not pizza! I hated cheese! Billy, who knew me, grinned. „Come with me, Leah, you can choose something different."
When we returned, the living room was clean again, and the boys sat calmly around the table waiting for their dinner. Billy smiled. „Well done. I'll tell your parents to not cook spaghetti for your birthday parties." Everyone grinned, and then there was a long silence in which we all ate our meals. I sat next to Jacob, and I could see him glaring at Alex every couple of minutes. That was odd. Could he be jealous? I shook my head. No way. Jake and I, we were best friends. True, I sometimes wished that it was different, but he hadn't shown any sign that he wished the same, and therefore I could go out with whoever I wanted. There was no way Jacob was jealous.
After dinner, Seth and I had to go. Alex and Tom both gave me a hug, and Alex turned to Jake asking: „You haven't answered my question yet. Can I ask Leah out?" Jacob sighed and grinned. „Yeah, whatever. It's her choice, isn't it?" I nodded. „Thanks for that insight, Jake." I hugged my best friend close and kissed his left and right cheek. He beamed. „Thanks again for the tools. They're awesome!" He kissed my foehead – which was not very easy since he was just a little bit taller than I was.
I shook hands with Martin, who seemed to be a nice person, but I still was suspicious. Like I said – he was Paul's friend, and it was naive to not be suspicious of Paul and his friends.
I hugged Quil, too, and this time even Embry got a hug. He was a lot nicer than I had thought. Especially because he was nice in an unfriendly way. I liked mean comments, and I loved to give comments back.
Seth and I then drove home. My brother seemed really tired, but happy. I pulled some spaghetti out of his hair. „You know, that was really really childish", I muttered. Seth smiled. „Yeah, but it was fun." I had to grin. „Well, that's right. It was fun."