"Life is about trusting our feelings, taking chances, finding happiness, appreciating the memories, and learning from the past." -Unknown
I wake up lying on a grassy field. Around me birds are chirping and singing there sweet song back and forth to each other. I gently sit up and immediately have to make a visor with my hand to cover my eyes from the bright sun so I can see exactly where I am.
My hands reach from my face to the sides of my body, and I feel the grass soft between my fingertips. A grassy field. A meadow. Covered in flowers: roses, lilies, orchids, tulips, you name it, the meadow was covered in it.
When I look down at myself, I see clearly that I'm wearing a floor length, flowing, light blue chiffon dress. Its strapless revealing my bare shoulders and has a sweetheart neckline revealing more cleavage then most outfits I'd wear. My feet are also bare, and I can feel the wet grass between my toes.
When I reach my hand up to touch my hair, I can feel it loose and flowing down my back. My bangs hang slightly in my eyes but are getting long enough to tuck behind my ear, which I do.
I gracefully stand up, my legs trembling slightly. There's no one in the meadow but me.
That is until I hear a growl. I quickly turn around, and a horse sized wolf is standing behind me. One of the wolves from my earlier dreams. This one has grey fur with black spots and after about five minutes of staring at him he trots over to me and sticks his head under my hand so that I can pet his head.
His fur feels soft on my skin, and I gently stroke it, the feel of it becoming mesmerizing, as though I've done it a hundred times before and would do it a hundred times again. He leans into my touch, resting his body against my side, and I give him a smile.
Almost immediately more wolves appear out of the woods and make a large circle around us. One's brown, one's grey, one's light brown, they're all different sizes and colors. I immediately notice the largest wolf in the pack: a black wolf twice the size of the one I'm currently petting. There's at least nine other wolfs surrounding me, ten with the one I'm petting.
At first I'm scared to see all these wolfs around me. One of them gives me a toothy grin, and I grip the grey wolfs fur, scared. He must sense my fright because he looks up and gives me a lopsided grin, reassuring me that I have nothing to worry about. I soon discover that they aren't dangerous to me or anyone; they are the wolves I read about in the Quileute legends. The protectors of the land.
Except I forgot a part of the legend. Only then when they start to transform into humans do I scream, remembering the stories I once read online.
I wake up in a jolt, breathing heavily, my body covered in sweat. My hands are braced on either side of my mattress, my fingers gripping the soft cotton sheets. I feel as though my hearts about to burst out of my chest so I release my hands from the sheets to push my now damp hair out of my face and take a few deep breathes. In out. In out. I feel as though I'm about to vomit, so I put my head between my knees and continue to take slow deep breaths.
When I feel well enough I slowly make my way out of bed and head into my bathroom to take a shower. At first I turn the water to the hottest it will go but once I strip out of my damp pajamas and step into the water I feel lightheaded and turn the water to the coldest it will go.
The cold water feels nice against my hot skin, and I quickly wash my hair and body. Stepping out of the shower I wrap myself in a big warm towel to stop the trembles from the cold water that was once running down my body, and head back out to my closet to pick out an outfit.
I quickly change into my usual bra and underwear and grab my boy styled jumper, a lilac colored V-neck with long sleeves that I usually push to my elbows, that I found in a boutique in New York. I press the sleeve to my nose; it still smells like my old home in New York, before slipping it on. Also, I grab a pair a pair of jeggings off another hook and slip them on. I bought them recently, so I quickly do my awkward little stretches before slipping on a pair of socks and then my white floral pair of Doc Martens.
Quickly I examine myself in my closet mirror. My butt looks good in the jeggings, which was the reason I bought them, and I hopefully don't look too dressed up. Breathe Maxine, you can do this. It's just another day of high school.
When I finish changing I walk out of my closet and head back into my bathroom to do my hair and makeup. Nothing too much: just foundation, powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, and finishing it off with peach lip-gloss. I keep my hair down beside a piece I tuck behind my ear, securing it with a white flower clip that matches my shoes.
Finishing off the look, I put on my earrings, my mother's locket which I tuck under my jumper, and Lilly's bracelet. Involuntarily, I touch my hand to my mother's locket, and immediately I feel better.
Taking one last breath, I grab my backpack and head downstairs to eat breakfast. Rose and David are sitting next to each other, Rose a big smile on her face, David laughing, while they eat their breakfast.
"Good morning, Maxine," Rose wishes me the minute my feet hit the kitchen floor, still a wide smile on her face.
"Good morning, Rose, David," I say taking a seat across from the both of them.
"Excited for your first day of school?" David asks helping himself to a glass of orange juice.
"Nervous," I admit playing with my eggs with my fork.
"You have no reason to be nervous," Rose says setting her hand lightly on top of mine, "You'll be fine today. You have a fresh new start, make new friends, build new relationships, you'll be fine."
"What if I don't want to make new friends," I mumble under my breath, to quiet for Rose to hear.
"What was that, Maxine?" Rose asks taking her hand off mine to pour herself another glass of milk.
"Nothing," I mumble, picking up my eggs with my fork and putting them in my mouth.
I quickly finish eating my breakfast, putting my dishes in the dishwater once I'm done. Rose and David are still eating, mostly laughing and talking, but occasionally they'll lean down to put food in their mouths.
David and Rose must have had a talk last night about the whole moving situation and it must have been an effective talk because now they seem perfectly happy. Their happiness put a lopsided smile on my face.
Snapping out of my daze, I check my watch, 7:00.
"Shit!" I gasp and quickly put my hand over my mouth, meaning to say that in my head.
"What's wrong, Maxine?" Rose asks concern evaporating the
smile on her face.
"I'm going to be late for school," I say quickly, grabbing my leather jacket from the chair and throwing it on, zipping it up. Next, I pick up my backpack from the floor an throw it over my shoulder. I grab my lanyard, my cellphone, and my wallet and run to the front door.
I hear Rose cough behind, and I turn around. She's standing a few feet away from me, David at her side, both their arms over their chests, "You forgot something," Rose says extending her arms.
I laugh and run into her arms, hugging her around the waist. David hugs the both of us, and before I pull away to leave for real I hear Rose whisper in my ear, "You'll do fine. Just remember to be yourself."
I nod and give her a shy smile before walking out of the house, closing the door behind me. My ink black convertible is sitting in the driveway from last night and memories of the brown-eyed Quileute boy suddenly fill my brain.
I've never seen eyes so brown. He looked at me like I was the only one on the beach. Like I was all that mattered. They were the kinds of eyes that anyone would trust with their life…Snap out of it, Felix!
Running a hand through my hair, I sigh and hop into my car, throwing my backpack into the passenger seat. I turn my key into the ignition and the car roars with life. I turn on the radio and make my way to La Push High School.
Truth is, I really wasn't going to be late for school. School starts at 7:45, I just wanted to get there early so I could check my classes and find my locker. Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes comes on, and I tap my small fingers lightly against the wheel.
I've always had small delicate hands, just like my mother. They weren't hands capable of holding a paintbrush or playing a piano or violin, but more hands capable of holding a thick pen. Hands that never got tired as words flowed out of a pen or pencil onto a piece of paper, expressing every thought and feeling of the author.
Luckily the schools only a few miles away, so when I see a sign in front of a big brick building saying 'La Push High School', a guy feeling tells me to pull into the parking lot in the back of the school. Finding a parking spot was easy, so I park close to the back doors leading you into the commons, taking a final breath before grabbing my backpack from the front seat and hopping out of my car, slinging it over my shoulder.
I walk into the school and immediately I don't feel as nervous. Just like the outside, the inside isn't very big. Immediately when you walk in the back doors, you walk into the commons. Chairs and round tables are everywhere, most empty, but some of kids sitting in them eating breakfast.
Setting my backpack on a nearby table, I take out my schedule and look at the bottom part of the paper for my locker; locker: 2528, combination: 25, 5, 23.
Still gripping the piece of paper, I head down the hall. The auditorium is to the left of me, and when I head down more I have to turn a corner and walk down another long hallway until I reach the main staircase. It looks like something from the movie "Titanic." You know, the scene where Rose is standing at the top and Jack at the bottom and when she walks down, he is standing at the bottom in a fancy tux and holds her hand, kissing it?
Honestly, I would like to avoid the main staircase and take some of the back staircases but to get to my locker I have to take the main staircase, it's the fastest way. I head up to the first platform where it breaks off into two different staircases and take the left staircase. Once I get to the top, I walk down that hallway, noticing all the lockers are blue and full size, and take a right, walking down a little more before I reach the locker that is now officially mine for the rest of my high school life.
I turn the dial. Once, twice, three times, finally the lock comes off and when I try to open the blue locker it gets stuck and no matter how hard I pull, it won't open. I bang my fist on the locker door out of pure frustration and rest my forehead against the cool metal feeling defeated.
"Wow, some first day," I mumble to myself.
"Having trouble?" A voice, like warm honey, says behind me.
I take my forehead off the locker quickly and turn around, directing my attention to the mysterious voice.
A boy probably 17 is standing there looking at me. He has russet colored skin and jet black hair that's chopped short. Standing in front of me he practically topples me and would if he were standing closer. I'm guessing he's around 6'2 6'3. He's wearing a grey long sleeved t-shirt, pushed to his elbows, and jeans, and I can clearly see his very well developed muscles in forearms.
I nod shyly, "Yeah, it won't open. No matter how many times I put in my combination the lock comes off, but the door won't open."
"Need help?" He asks raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head, but he pushes past me to try to open my impossible locker. I immediately begin to protest, "Wait, sorry I'm not trying to be rude, but I've tried everything and I don't think even you-"
He hits the side of the locker and pulls on it lightly. I watch in amazement as the door immediately swings open. He turns to me and gives me a grin.
"H-how did you do that?" I stare at the now open locker baffled.
He smiles and then gives a little laugh making me smile in response, "My locker has the same problem. My brothers told me that last year some stupid senior jock owned it and would beat the shit out of it because he always forgot his combination. Seems like a smart guy, right? What idiot can't remember three numbers?"
"Apparently that idiot," I mumble and walk over to my now open locker, setting some supplies in, and only taking the supplies I need for the first half of the day. I hear him laugh as I close my locker and put back on the lock. When I turn around to face him once again his hands outstretched, to introduce himself.
"I haven't seen you around here before. My names Seth, Seth Clearwater."
I take his hand and shake it, noticing how big and warm his hand is, "Maxine, Maxine Felix. Yeah, I'm new, this is my first day."
"Welcome to La Push High," he says bowing, and I smile, "if you need anything don't be afraid to ask."
"Um yeah, I actually do have a question. Where's Mr. Horvitz's class?"
"Sorry, I wouldn't know that. I'm only a freshman."
"You're only a freshman?" I stare at him with my mouth wide open.
He looks at himself up and down, "Yeah, is it that hard to believe?"
"A little," I laugh nervously, "Thanks for the help with the locker though. I can always ask a teacher for help, no big deal."
"No problem, and hey you shouldn't have to ask a teacher. I can only imagine how nervous you probably are seeing as how I'm so nervous also and I've been doing this for a few months," I nod and he continues, "The good news is, is that I know someone that can help you," he takes my wrist and leads me down the hallway.
"Really, it's okay, I can always just ask a teacher. Where are we going?" I ask him.
"Just be quiet," he says over his shoulder, "And for the love of God, could you move your feet a little?"
I roll my eyes as he leads me downstairs and down the hallways, back into the commons. Standing off to the side is a group of three very tall boys that look very much like Seth does, and he takes me right up to them.
"Hey guys," he says happily, still holding onto my wrist, and they all turn their heads to look at Seth and the scared little sophomore he's dragged along with him, "this is Maxine Felix. Maxine this is Jacob, Quil, and Embry," he introduces me, finally letting go of my wrist.
While he explains my problem to the boys, I take my time to examine each one.
One, who Seth said was Quil, was tall, but shorter than the other boys. But his broad physique made up for his lack of height.
The boy standing next to him, Jacob, is taller than Quil but broader to.
Next, I look at the boy standing next to Jacob and take my time to examine him. By what Seth told me, his name is Embry, and by what I can see I notice that he's much taller than both Quil and Jacob, and a lot skinnier, but I could see muscles cording his forearms. He's wearing a navy blue V-neck long sleeved shirt, pushed up to his elbows, that sets off his russet colored skin and silky black hair. He looks like the others, same chopped black hair, and russet colored skin.
They all had the same color skin and black chopped haircut, but unlike the others when I look up into Embry's face I see he has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They're brown, like the others, but unlike the others, his eyes speak of trust and protectiveness. They're warm, like melted chocolate, and I immediately recognize them from someplace else.
The beach. The same eyes that connected with mine yesterday. The same eyes that have kept my mind from thinking of nothing else but the warmness of them.
Embry turns to look at me and his brown eyes meet my blue ones. He doesn't say anything, and I don't say anything back. He just stares into my eyes, his mouth slightly open, a slight blush coming to his cheeks.
"Embry?" Seth asks, snapping him back to reality and he quickly takes his eyes off mine, lowers his head, and walks away in the other direction. Jacob, Quil, and Seth stare after him and return each other's gaze, nodding slightly to each other. Jacob and Quil give me a smile before walking off after Embry, leaving only me and Seth.
"What was that all about?" I finally ask Seth after an awkward moment of silence passes by, "Did I do something wrong?"
"No," he tells me, forcing a smile onto his face, "Embry's just…shy, I suppose you could say."
I nod, not sure how else to answer, and Seth gives me another reassuring smile before taking my wrist, leading me upstairs to my first hour class, Biology. I thank him for everything when we arrive, and he just smiles and tells me no problem before heading off to his first hour.
The rest of the day consists of me constantly looking back and forth between a map of the school and my schedule. The hours pass by fast. Each class a new teacher introduces me and makes me explain three questions: Where am I from? Why did I move? And Am I enjoying La Push High so far? Which I respond each time with: New York, my fost-umm-father got a new job, and it's nice so far. I didn't want anyone knowing I was adopted quite yet, so for now I'll just say David is my actual dad.
6th hour finally comes: Lunch. At lunch I exchange my morning stuff for my afternoon stuff and walk to the commons. Kids are sitting at all the tables, talking and laughing about who knows what, and I find an empty table, sitting by myself.
After about five minutes Seth comes over while I'm focused on another book Lilly gave me and sits down right next to me, making me jump.
He takes my book and turns it to the cover, "Buddhism for beginners?"
"Hey, give that back!" I say ripping the book out of his hands and putting it back into my backpack, a slight embarrassed blush on my cheek.
He laughs and asks me, "How's your first day going?"
"Fine," I answer, the same answer I've been giving all day, "I don't know a lot of people so it's kind of awkward at times."
"You have me," he says shyly, "I'm your friend."
"I-I didn't know we were friends," I stumble, looking into his eyes.
"We're friends," he tells me, like he's decided everything in the world, "If it wasn't for me you'd still be at your locker slamming your head against it."
I laugh and a slight blush comes to my cheeks, "Fine, we're friends."
We spend the rest of the lunch hour laughing and talking about random stuff. He asks where I moved from and I say New York. He seems amazed that I came all the way from New York and continues to ask my about everything he assumed about it.
Most of his assumptions were right: streets filled with obnoxious people, overpriced…well everything, and when it turns night you can't see the stars.
Some of his assumptions were wrong though: every place filled with litter, obnoxious accents, and everywhere you go there's someone or something bothering you.
There were many places I liked to go to just sit and read or write. I accidently tell him that and he laughs and says I sound like Embry which makes me blush.
Right before the bell was going to ring he asks me if I want to go to the beach with him today after school and I say yes. He smiles and we say goodbye, departing in different directions. I walk down the hall awhile, down some other hallways, to my 7th hour AP class, AP World History. My second favorite class, behind Communication Arts.
The bell rings before I make it to class and when I finally arrive I walk in awkwardly, my map held tightly in my hands. Everyone turns their heads to look at me including a pair of brown eyes I immediately recognize, Embry.
"Is there a reason why you're late?" The teacher, Mr. Horvitz, asks.
I take my eyes away from Embry's to look at the teacher, "Yeah, sorry, it's my first day and I got lost. It won't happen again."
"Oh yeah, you're Maxine, the new girl," he says coming over to me to shake my hand.
"That's me," I say shyly, reaching out to shake his hand.
He releases my hand and turns to face the class, "Class everyone listen up," he calls the class to attention, "We have a new student today. Everyone this is Maxine Felix, she just moved here from New York and will be attending La Push High for now on. Welcome Maxine, I hope your day is going well."
"Very much so, thank you. Hello everyone," I say forcing a smile onto my face, and I turn to everyone and give a little wave.
"Maxine, it looks like you'll be sitting next to Embry seeing that he's the only one without a table partner."
Embry looks up at me and we make eye contact again for a split second before he puts his head back down.
I give Mr. Horvitz a nod before walking over to the empty seat, sitting down next to Embry. He's doodling something angrily in his notebook, avoiding making eye contact with me, even as I take my spot next to him.
I roll my eyes and turn my attention back to Mr. Horvitz whose begun discussing today's plans, "Today class we will be learning about World War 2. Take out your books and turn to chapter two while I pass out the worksheets."
I take out my text book and turn to chapter 2 while Embry does the same thing. Mr. Horvitz sets two worksheets on our table and Embry and I reach for one at the same time. Our hands touch and we both pull back quickly.
My fingertips burn from where his fingertips touched mine and a blush floods to my cheeks. His hand was hot, hotter than most peoples, and when he touched me it felt like fire. It reminded me of when Seth grabbed my wrist and dragged me down the hallway.
He looks up at me, and I feel the blush on my cheeks become deeper. He let me pick up the paper first, like a gentlemen, and then he picks up one himself. We work in silence for a few minutes before he finally say, "Hi, I think you remember me. My names Embry. I'm friends with Seth."
"Yeah, I remember you, you looked at me and then ran away," I continue looking at my paper, refusing to make eye contact with him.
What is it about this boy? Why is he making my palms sweaty and my throat tight? He's so obnoxious and self-centered. Typical boy.
"I-I'm sorry," he stumbles, "I didn't mean to react like that, I'm just shy I guess."
I look up and his brown eyes met my blue ones. I blush and look back down at my paper again before I'm lost in his eyes, "Yeah, well it's not very comforting for a girl who's just starting school somewhere new and already has people already running away from her."
"I'm sorry, Maxine," he says reaching out to touch my elbow.
The bell rings, and I pull away before he can touch me. I quickly grab my stuff, throw it into my backpack, and walk out of the classroom before he can say anything. He runs after me, quickly grabbing my arm, and I jerk around and fall against his muscular chest.
"D-Don't touch me!" I sputter, pulling away from him my face bright red. I walk away fast and he continues to walk after me.
"I'm sorry," he tries to apologize again, but I just ignore him. Sensing that he keeps pleading, "Maxine? Maxine will you please talk to me? Hear me out."
"Please stop following me," I say to him again, "What don't you understand that I don't want to talk to you right now?" And with that I walk to my final class leaving him in the hallway.
He doesn't try following me or try to talk to me again, and when the bell rings for the day to end, I meet Seth in the parking lot and we drive to the beach like we promised each other we would at lunch.
When we get there we walk along the beach and we talk about school and life. He asks me how my first day went, and I tell him it went fine, but also surprising even myself I bring up Embry. When I look at him he has anger in his eyes, like what I said about Embry upsets him, and when he looks back at me they go back to the same friendliness as when I first met him.
I ask him about how his freshman year was going and he tells me it was going alright, much different than middle school. I laugh when he says that all the girls are a lot sluttier this year than they were last year but he expected that from some of them.
I ask him about the Quileute's and he says that he and all the rest of the boys I met are all part of the Quileute tribe and then he starts talking about the cultures and legends of the Quileute's. Some of them I recognize from the online storied I read, but some are completely new.
We don't have any homework so we stay out on the beach till the sun goes down. It's the first time I've ever seen the sun go down from this point of view, and it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed.
Finally after a few hours he says he has to get going and when I offer him a ride home he tells me his house was just up the street and he could walk the rest.
Before departing he gives me a goodbye hug, and I walk back to my car and drive home, not bothering to turn on the radio.
I pull into the driveway and grab my backpack and lanyard before walking through the front door to my house, quietly closing the door behind me. Rose immediately comes over to me and hugs me quickly, asking me question after question, "How was your first day? Did you make any friends? Where were you? Are you alright?"
"Rose, relax, I'm fine I was spending some time at the beach with my new friend Seth."
"Seth," she asks confusingly, "As in a boy?"
I raise my eyebrows, "Yes, Seth, as in a boy. He's very nice, he's a freshman, and he's part of the Quileute tribe."
"Maxine," she pauses her eyes becoming weary, "I don't think I want you hanging around those boys."
"Why?"
"I've been talking with some of the people who live here and there very different. There were some rumors about them taking drugs. I don't want you to be part of that."
"Rose its fine, Seth's really nice and he doesn't do drugs, none of them do."
"Did he tell you that?" She asks crossing her arms over her chest.
"N-No," I stutter and she opens her mouth to tell me she's right, but I say quickly, "but Seth's not the kind of guy to do drugs, neither are Jacob, Quil, or Embry."
My heart wrenches at the mention of Embry's name.
"Still, Maxine, if you do notice something will you please tell me? Don't get involved."
"Rose, I don't do drugs. But yes, I will tell you or the police if I notice something wrong," I fake a yawn and say, "I'm tired and it's getting late. I think I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and head upstairs to bed."
She leans over and kisses my cheek and then rests the back of her hand on my forehead, "You sure? You're feeling a little warm, you sure you don't want some aspirin or something?"
"No thank you, the tea should be fine enough, goodnight Rose."
"Goodnight, Hun."
I walk over into the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea before heading upstairs to my room.
I change into sweats and a t-shirt, hop into bed, and drink my tea quickly. I lie back into bed and close my eyes. Pictures of Embry dance over my closed eyelids, pictures of him grabbing my elbow in class, pictures of him pulling me against his chest so he can apologize for acting like a jerk, pictures of him pleading, begging me for forgiveness, pictures of his face when we first met, pictures of his beautiful brown eyes.
I snap my eyes open and turn around so that I'm on my belly to scream into a pillow.
What was it about him? He was just like every other boy I've met? And he'd probably break my heart into pieces if I let him; he looked like that kind of boy.
Finally after about an hour my eyes finally close once again to the thought of Embry pulling me to his warm chest and placing a kiss on my cheek. Statistics show that you dream of the person you fall asleep thinking of, and damn was that statistic accurate.
It's not like I have one of those cornball dreams where were standing in a field and we run to each other in slow motion. Not me, my dreams are more deep then that.
I once again dream of a canvas but this time the canvas has a picture of me and Embry on it. We are embraced in each other's arms and the painting starts to move. Embry tilts his head toward mine and he delicately places his lips on mine. When he pulls away we are both smiling like idiots.
Damn you statistics.
Hey there, guys! Again, another long chapter haha. From now on the chapters are going to start getting pretty long. Whether that's good or bad is for you to decide, but I thought I should just point that out right now so you know of what's to come. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I'm sorry for not uploading in a few days. I've been busy with homework and other things, so I've just not had the time to upload as much as I would like to, but I promise I will upload more frequently from now on. So yeah...I hope you guys like what's going on right now and don't forget to comment and all that other jazz :)
(For additional information about me check my profile for all the social networks you guys can check me out on)
Ave Atque Vale
-Sofia