People can surprise you. I love being surprised by the look on people's faces when they stare at someone they love. That's my favorite shape that changes someone's face. Love can look so different from face to face, but the adoration is clear. We can recognize it anywhere. But people surprise me the most when they start as complete strangers and I immediately see recognition in their face. It's only happened a couple of times to me in my life. Paul had that look when he imprinted on me. Becks had it when we first met in the second grade. It's reassuring and frightening. But I've come to love that look. Almost as much as I love the look of love coloring someone's face.
"NO! NO FUCKING WAY!" Keye shouted, "There's no fucking way that's the same GIRL!"
They were sitting on the floor in front of the couch in the living room. The coffee table Paul had hand carved was pushed off to the side. Maya had set up the floor in front of the couch in true slumber party fashion: sleeping pads from Paul's camping supplies were laid out and covered with fluffy blankets and pillows, a variety of snacks including chips, red vines, Maya's favorite peanut butter M&Ms and popcorn. They were drinking directly from a chilled bottle of wine and sharing a lone lunchable—"Keeping it classy" Keye had said.
"I'm telling you it is," Maya said, shaking her head and taking another swig from the bottle of wine. "Look it up. It's her!"
Keye was already feverishly typing on her phone and they didn't speak for a moment while Keye frantically read.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD!"
"I told you!" Maya yelled triumphant.
"Evan Rachel Wood who had her breakthrough debut in the movie Thirteen played Kylie Owens in Practical Magic, a fantasy film directed by Griffin Dunne starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Fuck me," Keye tossed aside her phone as Maya giggled.
"It's the red hair. It throws you off," Maya said. Keye had a hand to her forehead and was chewing on a red vine like her life depended on it.
"I've seen this fucking movie like thirty times and I can't believe I didn't know," she said. After a beat, Keye looked over at Maya in confusion, "Do you think that this shit is possible?"
Maya scooped a handful of popcorn and was bringing her mouth down to eat it out of her hand. "Huh?" she said, mouth full.
"Witches and warlocks and shit. Do you think this stuff is possible if the cold ones and the wolves are possible?" Keye said curiously. Maya hesitated at that. It wasn't impossible. Especially if those two supernatural things were true.
"I mean…" Maya faltered now a little knocked out of her current reality. "Is this your way of trying to tell me something?" Maya joked.
"Come on, if anyone was a fucking witch it would be Becks," Keye shot back instantly.
"So true," Maya conceded. "She's tricky…..speaking of. Where has she been lately?" Maya had been noticing lately that Becks was more or less absent from their group text recently.
Keye hesitated before she sighed and said, "I don't know My, she's been kind of distant lately. But I don't think it's intentional. Plus you haven't really been around that much."
"Ouch," Maya replied, turning to look at her incredulously.
"Truth hurts babe." Keye shrugged.
"I've been in Seattle off and on this summer and all this shit with Paul left my head spinning since graduation but...I'm here." Maya said firmly.
"I know. I'm just saying, just because Becks seems a little distant doesn't mean you haven't done the same," Keye shrugged again. She wasn't saying it to hurt Maya, but more so making a point about where they were at in their lives at the moment.
"Well then, fine. Let's call her and see what she's up to," Maya grabbed her phone and scrolled to Becks in her texts. It'd been almost two weeks since they last spoke and it was something about Paul. God, had she been a bad friend? Maya bit her lip as she pressed dial and put the phone to her ear. When she got her voicemail, Maya pressed end and looked to Keye.
"She might be working," Keye said, her eyes glued to the movie again. "Damn those are real ones," Keye said in awe as Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman buried Jimmy in the garden. "You'd help me bury a body, right?" Keye asked.
Maya laughed and took another drink of wine, "Of course. And an airtight alibi and enough money to start you a new life."
"Nice," Keye breathed, wide eyed at the movie.
"What do you mean Becks has a job?" Maya continued leaning forward to grab the M&Ms. Keye was crunching on some chips now.
"She got a job at Clearwater Coffee like right after graduation to help save some extra cash for college." Keye said nonchalantly.
Maya hadn't even realized she had picked up a part-time gig to save for college. It was the same thing Maya thought she'd do until Paul had given her that shiny black card.
The doorbell rang and Keye sprang up. "Hell yeah! Real food!" She darted toward the door and yanked it open. "Ah jesus, I didn't know you were delivering pizza." Keye said in an annoyed voice. Maya walked over to the door.
"Collin?" Maya said confused.
"Yeah, yeah, get your jokes out now," he said rolling his eyes. He was wearing a Dotty's Pizza Parlor t-shirt and hat on backwards. Maya crossed her arms.
"Did Paul send you to check up on us?" Keye accused. Collin looked at her wide eyed in annoyance and pointed to his shirt.
"Keye, I'm fucking wearing a uniform. I'm not checking on you guys," he said irritated.
"Okay chill, jesus." Keye replied, clear tension in the air.
"Are...are you guys okay?" Maya asked. Collin was glaring at Keye who wore an annoyed frown on her face.
"Can we just have our fucking pizza?" Keye said, "I'm starving."
"It's $18.75," Collin said. Maya grabbed Paul's wallet from the side table by the door and pulled out a $50.
"Here," she said gently.
"Keye took the pizza and opened the lid to grab a slice.
"I don't have change for this," Collin sighed.
"I don't need change," Maya said, "Thanks for the pizza Collin." Keye had already turned and had walked back to the living room.
"Thanks, My," Collin said dejectedly as he turned and jogged back toward his car. Maya closed the door and walked back over to the living room, plopping down next to Keye. Maya snagged a piece of pizza and between mouthfuls she said,
"What was that about?"
Keye made a frustrated sound and rolled her eyes stuffing more pizza into her mouth, "He was getting fucking clingy so I told him we couldn't hook up anymore. He's been annoying ever since."
"Mmmm," Maya nodded taking a bite of pizza. Keye chugged some wine and glared at her.
"What 'Mmm'!?" Keye asked, her voice growing loud.
"Nothing!" Maya said defensively, her eyes wide, "Sheesh. With this kind of reaction you'd think you were in love with the dude. Relax."
Keye laughed, "Oh please. He wishes." But Keye swallowed hard and ate more pizza and letting the silence stretch between them.
When the movie ended, it was dark outside and Maya had an itch to see Becks.
"Do you think she's off work yet?" Maya asked Keye.
"I don't know, probably."
"Let's go see her!" Maya said hopping up.
"What?! I literally have a food baby termed at 8 months and you want to leave?" Keye said incredulously.
"Come on Keye!" Maya called from the stairs as she went up to change from her lightweight sleep shorts to some dark skinny jeans. She threw on a black ribbed halter top and ran a brush through her hair. When she came back downstairs Keye was standing by the door with her arms folded. Maya slipped into her sandals and grabbed the keys to Paul's forerunner before slinging her bag over her shoulder. Keye groaned as Maya pulled open the door with a squeal and skipped toward the car.
"Fine, but can we get a smoothie at least?" Keye moaned.
"Keye you just ate over half a large pizza. I thought you said you were termed?" Maya nodded down to her stomach.
"My!" Keye whined.
"Fine. Becks, then smoothies." Maya turned up the dirt driveway and rolled down the windows so that the fresh summer night air could wind sweetly through the car. She turned up the radio and put her arm out the window. Keye smiled at her and they started laughing. Summer caught hold of them and they hollered into the night as they drove down the dark winding street into town to Clearwater Coffee.
When the headlights washed over the dimming lights of the cafe, Maya and Keye left the car running for a bit longer as they belted out the final lines to Motivation by Normani. When they stumbled happily from the car and made their way into the empty cafe, they noticed the clear form of Becks behind the counter.
"Becks!" Keye cried. Becks whipped her head up and gave a great big wide warm smile. Maya couldn't help by smile back at her and give her a tentative wave. Becks came out from behind the counter and wrapped them both in a hug. Maya loved this about Becks. No matter how much things felt like they were changing, these friends would always feel like home to her.
"What are you guys doing here?" Becks said smoothing out her apron. Maya reach out to rub a spot of black grease away from Becks' forehead.
"Coming to kidnap you of course," Keye said conspiratorially.
"Ah, fucking espresso machine. I was fixing something inside of it and must have gotten grease on me," Becks said to Maya's continued preening. She dipped back behind the counter and wiped her face with a damp rag. "Kidnap me? For what purpose might I ask?" Becks waggled her eyebrow at the two of them.
"Well, we were in the middle of a slumber party. Do you wanna join in? I feel like I haven't seen you in over a month and I want to catch up," Maya pouted pushing her lip out. "I have snacks and some leftover pizza and a really comfy bed pile I made on the floor in the living room!" Maya felt like a little kid as she clapped her hands together.
"I was supposed to meet up with Jeremy tonight though," Becks said a little sad.
"Boooo no boyfriends allowed," Keye groaned.
"Keye," Maya chided.
"You're having a sleepover at Maya and Paul's. Isn't Paul there?" Becks said returning to her tinkering with the espresso machine.
"Nah, he's out running rounds tonight and promised to make himself scarce if he came back before we were asleep," Maya leaned on the counter by the register.
"See? No boyfriends allowed. Come hang out with us! Please please pleaaaase. Maya's not as funny without you around," Keye poked.
"Hey!" Maya retorted and swiped at Keye's arm who easily dodged out of the way. Becks laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Well, I guess I could hang out. But let's go to the bar first and meet up with Jer and then we can crash at Maya's after—true slumber party. Like the old days," Becks looked at Maya knowingly who smiled in the sad and happy way that nostalgia always made you feel.
"Like the old days." Maya echoed with a smile.
After Maya and Keye helped Becks close down the coffee shop a half an hour later, the girls piled into the forerunner.
"God this car is nice," Becks exhaled. Maya laughed.
"Paul would be thrilled to hear you say that," Maya replied as she turned the key in the ignition and took off down the main road out of La Push and toward Forks. They were meeting Jeremy at a quaint little pub that had just opened in the downtown area of Forks. The owner who ran the local diner there acquired the space next door and converted it into a pub with food service funnelled by the diner. The residents of Forks were just thrilled to have a local watering hole that wasn't the divey bar just on the outskirts of town nearby.
When they entered the warm atmosphere of the bar, they quickly grabbed a high top table and Becks went off to the bathroom to freshen up while Maya grabbed them a round of drinks. As they took their first couple of sips, Maya spotted the tall, broad frame of Jeremy coming through the front door of the pub.
"I have an idea," Maya said, playfully. Keye looked at her confused and looked over her shoulder at Jeremy. When Jeremy's eyes scanned the bar and naturally landed on the two familiar faces of Keye and Maya, Maya whispered quickly, "Keye. Duck!" and pulled her under the table as if they were hiding.
"What the hell My!" Keye said shaking beer off of her hand as Maya covered her mouth and giggled. After a second they heard the voice of Jeremy.
"Well, well, well," he said. Maya came out from under the table and feigned being caught.
"Jeremy, oh fuck," she acted the part. "Please don't tell, Paul." she said to really sell it. Keye sipped her beer still unsure of what they were doing.
"The last time I was with you in a bar, you almost died, My. Me not telling Paul is definitely not an option," he said, a crooked smile on his face. Maya groaned and threw her head back, "But at least, while I'm here, I might as well have a beer," Jeremy grabbed the third beer meant for Becks and drank nearly half the glass on his first sip. Then he looked at the glass, confused and said, "Why is there a third drink? You guys know I was coming?"
"Maya's date is in the bathroom," Keye said, nonchalantly. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at her.
"A date huh?" he said taking another drink. Maya bit her lip.
"It's not what it looks like, Jer," she said frantically. Jeremy leaned down to her ear and said softly,
"Oh I know it isn't. I've played this game with you before and how funny is it that your date just happens to be my date too?" she could hear the grin in his voice and she quickly turned her head to kiss his cheek before yelling,
"Got you!"
Jeremy pretended to be mock surprised and then wrapped Becks under his arm who had come back from the bathroom.
"You got me!" Jeremy said warmly, leaning down to kiss Becks who leaned her whole body into the kiss happily. Maya giggled, clearly feeling the alcohol she'd had that night at this point. When they finally untangled from their kiss, Keye moved off to get another drink at the bar.
"No but for real, did you tell your boyfriend you were here?" Jeremy said handing the beer to Becks who drank it happily.
"Aaaah," Maya said in a moment of stalling. As if on cue, her phone rang. Jeremy groaned and pulled Becks away toward the bar to join Keye. Maya reached in her bag and pulled out her phone. Sure enough, the name on her phone screen read Paul with a picture of him smiling in bed, an arm covering his eyes and the top of his naked chest on display. Maya smiled at the picture before answering.
"Hello?" she answered normally.
"Maya." Paul said.
"Hi babe!" Maya trilled.
"Hi, um, where are you?" he asked in a calm, even voice.
"I am at that new pub in downtown Forks with Keye, Becks, and Jeremy." she answered him. She waved to Becks at the bar who was looking at her with a semi-worried look on her face.
"Okay, I'm assuming you took my car?"
"Of course!" she said.
"Okay, well I'm still out on rounds, I just wanted to check on you."
Maya let a smile pull across her face. There was no anger in his voice but he clearly had been checking up on her.
"Oh, so you're still out on rounds?" Maya asked nonchalantly, just to see what he would say.
"Yeah, we'll probably be out for another few hours. It's all clear so far though," he answered, "Why?"
"So….you just randomly called to ask me where I was?"
Paul let out a sigh at being caught, "I…. checked your location."
"Old habits die hard, huh?" she said with a laugh. She could hear the smile in his voice as he chuckled and replied,
"I guess. Have Jeremy drive you and Keye home if you drink, okay?"
"You got it."
"I love you, My. Have fun."
"I love you too. And thank you."
"I'm trying," he sighed again.
"I know, and I see it. So thank you."
"I'll see you at home," he said softly as the line clicked. Maya smiled and put her phone back in her bag picking up her beer and joining her three friends at the bar.
"And how was that?" Jeremy asked as Becks looked at her, concern in her eyes.
"Well, he said you gotta drive us home soooo, I'd say pretty fucking good. That means I can have another," she raised her near empty glass to the bartender who acknowledged her and reached for a clean glass to get her a refill.
"He wasn't pissed?" Becks asked shocked. Maya drained her glass and slid it across the bar as she reached for her new one.
"Nope!" Maya said with a smile and a sigh.
"Wow." Keye said over her shoulder. "That's fucking progress."
"What can I say. Lean into that motherfucking imprint and with a little trust and forgiveness, we're golden." Maya said happily, "Well, for now." she conceded and they all broke into laughter.
Jeremy dropped all three girls off giggling falling over themselves around 1 a.m. They were absolutely bombed and as Maya fitted the key into the lock, she shushed them. Once Maya got the door open they spilled into the entryway, kicking off their shoes. Becks headed to the fridge for some leftover pizza and Keye collapsed onto the makeshift bed in the living room. Maya dropped the keys on the side table and made her way to the stairs.
"I'll get you some pajamas," she whispered as she climbed the stairs. Maya pushed the door to her and Paul's bedroom open carefully in case he was in there asleep but she was met with an empty room. No longer needing to tiptoe around, she changed into her sleep shorts and one of Paul's t-shirts. She grabbed a pair of shorts and a top of Becks and brushed her teeth before heading back downstairs. She handed the clothes to Becks who thanked her and went to change in the spare bathroom. Keye was hugging her pillow, her eyes closed but not quite asleep yet. Maya grabbed a glass of water and went to sit in the center of the pile before Becks padded out from the bathroom and joined them.
"So you and Jeremy seem to be doing well," Maya said sipping her water and folding her legs underneath her. Becks leaned her back against the bottom of the couch and tucked her legs under the blankets.
"Yeah," she blushed. Maya could barely make it out in the dim light of the living room.
"Yeah?" Maya reached out to poke Becks' side who giggled and jerked away from her.
"She loooooves him," Keye replied sleepily. Maya giggled.
"I think I do," Becks admitted. Maya's eyes snapped to her and her mouth fell open.
"Really?!" Maya said shocked. Becks bit her lip and smiled before nodding her head.
"He's….amazing My, I've never felt like this with anyone. And he takes care of me and I feel so so safe and...I don't know," she said softly. Maya buzzed with overwhelming warmth and weirdly felt tears spring to her eyes.
"How's the sex?" Keye said, her voice muffled by the pillow. Maya smacked her butt and Keye giggled.
"I mean. It's fucking incredible. It's like we connect on this whole other….plane. It's...fucking supernatural," she let out a laugh and shook her head. "Does that make sense?"
Maya watched her carefully and nodded her head. She knew what that was like with Paul, but she knew Becks wasn't talking about imprint level connection. Still, it sounded intense and like love for sure.
"Then chase it," Maya encouraged, her hand on Becks' knee. Becks threw her head back against the cushions of the couch and squealed, which made Maya feel a rush of joy pass through her. She wanted to feel this happy for her friends always.
As the girls drifted off to sleep, Maya put her hand in Becks' who squeezed it and turned her head so they could press their foreheads against one another, just like they used to in elementary school when they had their very first sleepovers.
"I'm happy for you," Maya whispered.
"I'm happy for you too. Who knew these hot-bodied weirdos would be it for us?" Becks said softly, the excitement still clear in her voice. Maya smiled, but something in the back of her mind wanted to reach out and tell Becks to be careful. While imprinting wasn't supposed to be common, she worried what would happen if Jeremy imprinted on someone else and left Becks heartbroken. That kind of pain would be tough to get through and was so far beyond a normal breakup that Maya hated to think what it would do to her. Instead, Maya curled in Becks' side and drifted off to sleep.
Maya fashioned the small golden watch on her wrist as she climbed the stairs to their bedroom. She could hear Paul still on the phone and when she leaned against the doorframe, she saw him half dressed pacing the room just as she left him a half an hour ago.
"Paul," she said in a quieter voice. Paul immediately glanced in her direction and then put up his finger.
"Yeah, but that's not going to work for the timeline…...Frederico, I literally confirmed this with you three months ago…..So what? I'm just shit out of luck?...Oh yeah, I'm sure that's going to fly….Listen!" He wasn't angry but Maya could tell that he was definitely irritated. He'd been on the phone for the last hour trying to coordinate a shipment of raw wood that he needed to complete a client request. Maya could only gather that something had went wrong and it didn't seem like he'd made any headway since Maya left him to it when she went to shower.
"Paul, come on we're gonna be late," Maya said a little louder this time. Maya was eager to get to Sam and Emily's for this particularly pack gathering. The renegade pack member, Jacob, would be there and she was curious to see what all the fuss was about. She'd tried to get information out of Jeremy a few nights ago at the bar but he was genuinely uninterested in cluing her in. Paul had been distracted with work and rounds so much lately that Maya thought their conversation was best spent elsewhere to take his mind off of things.
She crossed the room to him now having been ignored long enough. He stopped pacing when she stood in front of him and wrapped an arm down around her body automatically, almost as a reflex.
"Paul, hang up the phone, come on," she said gently.
"Hold on, baby," he said quietly as he listened before he continued, "No. The order was clearly for teak wood. Jesus, I'm not asking for African blackwood here…..Well have you checked with Margo's distributor?" Maya leaned her forehead on his chest and groaned. He leaned his head down to kiss the top of her head, "Five minutes, My. Go wait for me in the car." He said quickly as he patted her ass. Maya gave another frustrated noise and walked down toward the stairs. Twenty minutes later and after several long bouts of honking from her place inside of the car, they were on their way to Sam and Emily's house.
Maya was buzzing with excitement when Paul finally put the car in park in the clearing. She bounded out of the car, leaving Paul behind and nearly crashed into Milo, Sam's oldest son who was seven. Once in the kitchen, Maya smiled.
"My! You guys made it. About time," Kim chirped. Keye was sitting on a barstool peeling potatoes and Quil and Embry were shucking corn over the sink. Emily was mixing something in a large stockpot on the stove while Sam stood beside her seasoning something in a pan.
"Is he here yet?" Maya breathed. Emily laughed from her place at the stove and Paul walked in.
"Yeah, I'm chopped liver over here," he bemoaned as he made his way out toward the back, a squealing Luca moved past him and he lunged for him playfully.
"Not yet," Quil said distracted from his place at the sink. Maya let out a dejected sigh and sunk onto a barstool next to Keye.
"Where's Becks?" she asked quietly.
"Not here yet," Keye said resting her head on her hand. "But Collin is. And he won't stop fucking staring at me."
"He likes you," Emily said sweetly, turning away from the stock pot and dropped a pile of dough in front of the two women, "Form these into sweet dough rolls, please."
Maya hopped up to rush to the sink. She playfully bumped Quil out of the way with her hip. He didn't move very far given his gigantic frame, but it was enough to make him stumble slightly and shout a: "Hey! There's a bathroom right over there!"
Maya ignored him and washed her hands before returning to the counter and forming dough rolls with Keye who was seemingly annoyed and pleased all at the same time about her predicament with Collin.
It wasn't until well after dinner when some of the pack had disappeared down the darkening beach for a game of pick up football, while the rest stayed behind at the long table or around the bonfire did Jacob finally show. Maya was playing cards with Keye, Embry, and Brady. Paul, Sam, Jared, and Kim were sitting around the bonfire in chairs and the kids were playing close by—except for Kit, Sam's two year old daughter, who was fast asleep against Paul's chest. Sadie and Seth were tucked into one another on the back porch swing, all smiles. Becks and Jeremy had conveniently never showed.
Jacob held a plate piled high with food from the kitchen in his hands.
"There he is!" Embry said happily from his place at the table. Maya jerked her head over her shoulder to stare at the newcomer. Embry stood and wrapped Jacob in a quick hug before he dropped into a chair at the head of the table near them.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry I'm late," he said, not bothering to offer an explanation. Keye leaned over Brady.
"So you're the alpha defect these dummies won't stop talking about," Keye said bluntly. Jacob was shoveling food into his mouth. Maya took a minute to take him in. He was huge, like Paul and Sam and he exuded that level of confidence that Maya had come to recognize as the air of an alpha. His long hair was to his shoulders and he had half it tied back away from his face. His features were strong, angular, his brows thick and framing warm brown eyes that Maya thought would be captivating if he smiled. Between a mouth full of food he said:
"And who are you? Did we just start letting randoms know about us? Am I missing something?" Jacob asked to no one in particular.
"I'm Keye Mesoon. And I'm not some random. What's your deal? I didn't think you guys could desert your pack, but apparently not," Keye said, getting right to the heart of it. Maya felt her breath catch in anticipation.
"Well, then you clearly don't know shit about us then and my previous read was right. So, excuse me if I don't answer a random nobody who has no business asking me personal questions." Jacob shot back a little too harshly. Keye was unphased but Maya prickled at this.
"Hey, don't be rude to her because you're mad that you took off and don't know what the fuck is going on anymore." Maya could feel Paul's eyes on her distinctly. She could feel that pull of anxiety in his stomach as if he didn't trust Jacob around her yet.
"Yeah, I'm not going to listen to some teenage imprint that literally knows nothing about my life or this pack, either." He dismissed her.
"Hey, woah Jake," Embry interjected. Brady let out a laugh and shuffled his cards around in his hands.
"Yeah, you're not going to talk to her like that," Paul said from his place next to the bonfire, the annoyance rang clear in his voice. Maya crossed her arms.
"No, no," Maya dismissed, "Go ahead, Jacob. Tell me how much I don't know about this pack or this life."
"I literally don't have to explain anything to you," he said irritated.
"Have you imprinted on anyone?" Maya shot at him. Did he just wince? His face turned down in a harsh frown.
"No," he said dejectedly, the pain evident in his eyes.
"Then I technically know more than you," Maya quipped. Paul barked a laugh from across the room. Jacob fitted her with a harsh stare and she thought for a minute that she saw the same warning tremors move through his body. But instead he rolled his eyes and continued to eat.
That didn't stop Keye from questioning him though. After his initial snide remarks, Jacob stayed relatively cool the rest of the evening. Maya even got him to play a round of cards with them but other than that, he was a tightly closed book.
But Maya found that she was still drawn to him in only curiosity. He'd seemingly done the impossible, what the council said that the wolves specifically couldn't do while they were still considered members of the pack. And yet, Jacob had taken off for years and fought off the familiar call of the reservation, his brothers, his tribe, everything. She was drawn to him only because she wanted to know how he did it.
Because if he could do it, then that meant Maya would be able to do it too when she left for Columbia next month. Every so often, Jacob would glance at her and catch her staring with that curious, perturbed look in her eye. He would raise his eyebrow at her, scoff or color his face with annoyance and return his eyes to his cards, Embry, or out toward the ocean.
But the unanswered question remained on Maya's face and she knew he could see it. She was determined to figure him out and get her answer.