September passes by in a blur, and before I know it it's Halloween. Rather than trick or treating, Seth and I decide to watch scary movies at his house and buy giant bags of candy to binge on.
We don't want to share our candy, so we sit in the dark with the TV being our only source of light. It's only us, and Leah, but she's holed up in her room as usual.
Seth and I are each lying on the couch, him on one end and me on the other, sharing a blanket and a bowl of popcorn, each of us with our own bag of assorted candy. We are watching Childs Play 2, a movie that had actually scared us when we were younger.
"I mean, the first two movies are amazing, but the third one was just awful," Seth comments, a smear of chocolate on the corner of his mouth. "Bride and Seed of Chucky, those are funny, not at all scary, but totally worth it."
I nod in agreement, smiling to myself. Everytime we watch the Chucky movies, Seth says those exact words. At this point, I don't think he even realizes he says it, it's just an automatic thing for him.
We watch as Andy and his adoptive older sister leave the Good Guy Doll factory, and then Seth jumps up to put another movie in. He searches through the movies, and then turns to me with a wicked grin on his face.
"It's time," He holds up The Exorcist. "We need to finally watch this."
"Nope, that's one line I'm not gonna cross." I fold my arms over my chest, sitting up straighter on the couch.
"Rey, come on, it's the only horror movie in the history of horror movies that we haven't watched!" Seth pleads, but I don't budge.
"Not happening."
"Fine, then, you asked for it," Seth says nonchalantly, and then launches himself at me.
The bowl of popcorn spills out onto the floor as Seth rips the blanket off of me, and starts attacking me with tickles. He goes straight for my sides, on of my weak spots. I squeal and try to twist away from him, but only end up landing on him. Although that deters him for a moment, he then grabs hold of my legs and tickles my feet, my biggest weak spot.
For a scrawny kid, he sure is strong, because I'm unable to break away from him. I pound the floor with my fists, laughing hard enough that I end up with the hiccups.
"Seth!" I cry in protest as the monster continues with his assault.
"Say you'll watch it!" Seth shouts, and he moves so he's straddling my back and tickling my armpits.
"Damn it, okay, fine, I'll watch it, just stop!" I give in, and Seth lets out a triumphant yell.
He gives me a somewhat awkward hug, since he's still sitting on my back, and then rolls off of me and hurries to put the movie in, probably fearing I'll change my mind.
I sit back up on the couch, and after Seth has to movie in, he sits next to me. I stick my tongue out at him, and he responds by giving me a shit eating grin.
The effects are painfully out of date, but it still frightens me enough that I end up clutching Seth's arm tight enough for him to lose feeling. Horror movies normally never frighten me, but something about demons sends shivers down my spine.
When it's over, Seth takes one look at me and bursts out in laughter. I push him off the couch, and he falls to the floor clutching his stomach in laughter.
"Your face," Seth gasps out in between laughs. "Priceless."
I roll my eyes, fighting a grin that tries to make its way onto my face. My best friend is basically five years old.
-o-
December twenty third is Embry's birthday, something he always complains endlessly about. His mother lumps his birthday in with Christmas, so to him, he feels like he doesn't really get much of a birthday at all.
That's why every year since he turned twelve, we, as in Jacob, Quil, Billy and I, throw him a party of our own. The only hint that Christmas is even near is the tree set up in our living room, other than that, it's a strict birthday decorations only party.
"Quil, hand me that streamer," I say, pointing at the bright yellow decoration lying on the floor.
"On it." Quil sets down the frosting he was using to write Embry's name on the cake, and bounds over to pick up the streamer.
Yellow is Embry's favorite color, so the living room is clad with yellow streamers lining the walls and loping across the ceiling, gold helium filled balloons floating about, and a blinding yellow and blue handmade sign that says 'Happy Birthday Embry!', complete with a realistically drawn motorcycle. The only time I ever use my drawing skills is for times like these, since drawing still makes me think of Sarah, and makes me sad.
Jacob is in the corner stacking Embry's presents together with fierce determination, a crease forming as he arranges them just right. Billy is setting up plastic cups and paper plates on the table we borrowed from Sue, which is set up halfway between the living room and the kitchen. Billy is careful to maneuver around Embry, since he's the one who took over frosting the cake.
The front door opens, and Seth walks in with with bags from our local mini mart. He pulls out bags of chips, two liter bottles of soda, and Embry's favorite snack, Party Mix Cheez Its. Seth has been a part of Embry's parties for the past three years, and nobody has a problem with it since Seth is always cheerful and adds to the happy vibe.
Tiffany Call never comes to our parties for Embry, but I assume it's because she prefers to celebrate with him privately. Although Embry never voices it, I know it bothers him. On the bright side, she's fine with us throwing his party on his actual birthday.
"Did anyone get the CD player from the garage?" I ask as I tape the final streamer to the wall. I get down from the stepladder, and stand back to admire my work.
"Nope." Jacob responds, and stands up from his place on the floor. "I'll go grab it."
"Okay," I say, and walk around the room to see if we had missed anything else. "Quil, you almost done with the cake?"
"Just about.." Quil trails off, then stands up with a satisfied grin. "Done!"
"Good, Em should be here any minute." I straighten my sweater, and walk over to inspect the food table.
It's set up with the cake on one end, clear bowls of assorted chips on the other end, the Cheez Its in a yellow bowl with 'Embry's only' scrawled on it in Jacob's messy handwriting, plates and cups next to that, and a cleared spot for us to put the pizzas at once they arrive.
"I know we have cake, but I also got these," Seth rummages through his bag, and pulls out one of the world's finer creations, Lofthouse Sugar Cookies. "Where should I put them?"
"In my stomach!" Quil exclaims, taking them out of Seth's hands. "I'm not joking."
"Calm yourself, Quil. Embry gets first dibs." I shake my head, and grab the cookies from Quil's grasp. I set them next to the plates, and almost laugh at Quil's heartbroken expression.
While Quil sulks, Seth leans towards me. "I bought an extra pack just for us." He whispers conspiratorially, and I grin.
"This is why we're best friends." I wink at him, and give him a quick hug.
Jacob walks in with the CD player, and holds a CD of Michael Jackson's greatest hits in one hand. Embry has a serious obsession with the man. He puts the CD player on one of the end tables, and plugs it into the wall.
There's a knock on the door, and we all exchange looks, because it could very well be Embry. I hurry over to it, but thankfully, it's only the pizza man. I take the four pizzas out of his grasp and call over my shoulder to Billy for the money.
"Sometimes I feel like you kids keep me around only for my money," Billy grumbles good naturedly as he rolls over, and I pat him on the head when I walk past him.
I set the pizzas down, and on a last minute decision I hurry into the kitchen and toss some popcorn in the microwave. Three bags later, I bring out the bowl and manage to squeeze it on the table just as Embry arrives.
"Happy birthday!" We all shout, and Seth blows an air horn he got from god knows where.
Although he's expecting it, Embry blushes as he walks in the living room. Like every year, he's silent as he takes in the decorations and everything we've done for his birthday.
His eyes land on the Party Mix bowl, and he gives a Jacob a look. "Very funny, Jake."
"Hey, you said this year all you wanted was a bowl of your very own Party Mix Cheez Its!" Jacob protests, his eyes flashing mischievously.
"You can't say things like that and expect him not to take it literally." Quil shakes his head.
"Alright guys, the pizza's are going to get cold if we wait around any longer," I announce. "Em, we even got you your nasty pineapple pizza."
"It's good!" Embry protests, tossing his hands up in the air.
"Yeah, maybe to mutants," Quil snickers, and Embry shoves him.
We all dig into the food, and Seth is the only other person who eats the Hawaiian pizza, saying that it isn't so bad. Of course, he only eats one slice, so I know he only says it so that Embry wouldn't feel offended. That's just the kind of person Seth is.
Of course, since Quil, Embry, and Jake are immature, they begin a food fight where they throw a mixture of pizza toppings and popcorn at each other. Seth and I get involved, and I'm glad that I didn't wear too fancy of clothes, because I've never had more pizza sauce on me before in my life. In either of my lives, actually.
The mini food fight ends when Billy wheels back into the room, and receives a sauce covered pineapple to the eye. Everyone freezes, and the only thing heard in the room was the quiet sound of Michael Jackson being played from the CD Player.
"Maybe we should move onto presents before my living room gets completely destroyed," Billy says, wiping the sauce off of is face. "Or before I go blind, or have a stroke."
"Sorry, Billy." Embry says sheepishly, trying to look innocent. It doesn't really work, though, considering he has a pepperoni stuck to his cheek.
Before moving onto the presents, we clean up all the food we've thrown the best we can under Billy's watchful eye. Even with Billy watching, Jacob and Quil can't help themselves from throwing a few of the pieces they pick up at each other.
Finally, all of us are sitting on the floor by Embry, watching as he opens his presents. He ended up getting a leather bracelet from Seth, a helmet from Quil, and a new tool set from Jacob, Billy, and I. Billy always springs for a nice gift for Embry, why, I'm not sure, but it's nice of him.
When Embry opens the tool set, his face breaks into a giant grin, and he looks at us three in shock. It's a fairly well stocked set, and was pretty pricey.
"You guys didn't have to do this," Embry says in awe. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Embry." Billy nods his head, a smile on his face.
"Good going Billy, you made the rest of our presents look bad." Quil jokes, shaking his head. I can tell that even he's shocked at the gift.
"You're the idiot who got him a helmet that he'll never use," Jacob scoffs playfully.
"He's the one who's gonna get hurt one of these days riding bikes, but now that he has a helmet, he won't get brain damage!" Quil defends his gift.
"Well, I'm the one who gave him a gift so cool he's bound to get all the girls." Seth breaks in, a grin on his face.
"I mean, he has a point." I agree with Seth, slinging an arm over his shoulder.
Embry doesn't say anything, just looks down at his gifts with a happy expression on his face. Every so often he'll shake his head, an incredulous look on his face.
"Okay, time for cake," I announce, getting off the floor. "I made it myself."
"Thanks for the warning." Quil jokes, laughing with Jacob.
Instead of responding, I cut a thin piece of cake, put it on a plate, and walk over to Quil. Seth already knows what I'm going to do, so he inches away from Quil.
Mid-laugh, Quil gets a facefull of marble cake. He splutters indignantly, while the rest of us laugh at his cake covered face.
"How's it taste, smartass?" I smirk, walking back over to start cutting pieces of cake for all of us to eat.
"Good, actually."
Smart boy.
Everyone compliments me on the cake, although that's probably so they don't end up like Quil. Embry ends up having thirds, and I wonder where he puts it all. He ate almost the entire Hawaiian pizza himself, a good portion of the snacks, and now the three pieces of cake. Lately, it seems like that kid is never not hungry.
To wrap up the party, we watch a few of Embry's favorite movies, all comedy. Eventually, it's late enough that everyone has to get home, especially since most of us still have to get ready for Christmas eve tomorrow.
Jacob and I are left to clean up the mess, and if we weren't having people over tomorrow we would have left it for the morning. The Clearwaters and Ateara's are coming over, like they do every Christmas eve. The Elders like their traditions.
A few minutes before midnight, everything is cleaned and ready for us to set up for tomorrow. Jacob and I silently head to bed, the excitement of the day catching up to us and leaving us exhausted. I don't bother changing into pajamas, only taking off my jeans and bra.
The picture of Sarah and I that's sitting on my bedside table gleams in the light coming from my alarm clock, and I reach out to rub my finger over my mother's face.
"I miss you," I whisper, almost silently, and feel the bite of tears stinging my eyes. Even after all these years, I still miss her as much as I did when I first found out she had died.
I roughly wipe my eyes, and turn over on my side. Outside my window, I hear the mournful howl of a wolf that chills me to my bone. I feel sorry for it.
-o-
Christmas passes quickly, and suddenly it's New Year's Eve, and I'm at the Clearwater's house with Seth. We're sitting in the rec room, his parents in the kitchen, Leah with her friends. It's just us, and we're eagerly waiting for the ball to drop.
"What are your resolutions going to be?" I ask Seth as I reach for a slice of now cold pizza.
"Try harder in school, I guess," Seth shrugs. "Take more risks. What about you?"
"I, unlike you, don't need to try harder in school, and don't need to take more risks," I waggle my brows at him. "I think I'll try to get along with Billy better."
"Good luck with that." Seth snorts. He knows how complicated Billy and mines relationship is, so I know he doesn't mean it in a rude way.
Rather than sitting on the couch, he and I are in front of the TV, discarded plates and snacks strewn around us. I'm taking a drink of my root beer when Seth says something that almost makes me choke.
"WannabeeachothersNewYear'sKiss?" He says in a rush, and I set down my can harshly, thinking I misheard him.
"Huh?" I ask, turning to face him. His cheeks are flaming, and I can't help but feel adoration towards him.
"D'ya want to be each others New Year's kiss?" Seth says each word slowly and deliberately this time, the blush on his cheeks growing stronger.
"Oh," I hesitate for a moment. "Sure."
"Cool," Seth nods, and turns his attention back to the TV. He reaches for a handful of popcorn, and I slowly sip the rest of my drink.
The countdown starts, causing Seth to look at me. I smile reassuringly, and we move closer towards each other.
"Ten!"
Seth clears his throat, and swallows hard.
"Nine!"
I cross my legs, now sitting Indian style.
"Eight!"
Seth looks down, twiddling his thumbs, and looks back up at me.
"Seven!"
I can't help but let out a giggle,
"Six!"
Seth grins at me, looks down again, then back up. He's nervous, and it shows.
"Five!"
I look down this time, biting my lip, then back up at him.
"Four!"
He lets out a small, quick nervous laugh, and lightly smacks his thighs with his hands.
"Three!"
I lick my lips, biting my lip again.
"Two!"
Seth moves closer to me, tapping his fingers across his knee.
"One!"
I reach over and place my hands on the back of his neck. He reaches out to cup my cheek, and we both shut our eyes.
"Happy New Year!"
Our lips meet, and Seth's are soft and sweet, vaguely tasting like the orange soda he had been drinking. He slowly moves his lips in synch with mine, and subconsciously I grip the hair at the nape of his neck gently, my nails scratching ever so lightly against his skin.
Seth's hand moves to the back of my neck, but he doesn't grab my hair. He just cradles it, slightly massaging my neck, and we continue kissing. It's a sticky kiss, flavored with the soda and candy we had throughout the night, and so different from the other kisses I've had. This is an innocent kiss, not fueled by lust or want.
The cheering from the TV brings us back to the moment, and we part, Seth's warm breath fanning across my lips. I slowly open my eyes to see Seth looking at me with dark eyes. For some reason, I want to kiss him again.
Our arms haven't moved from around each other, and in that moment we both know that we've crossed an invisible line in our friendship. We can't go back from this. Things are going to be different.
"Happy New Year," Seth says quietly, and I uncurl my hands from his hair before wrapping my fingers in the coarse strands again.
"Happy New Year." I respond as quietly as him.
Sorry this update came so late, i accidentally deleted it and had to rewrite it. So, i apologize if it isn't that good but i hope you guys still like it. If this doesn't have a good response, i can always rewrite it again. Hopefully though, you guys enjoyed it anyways. Also i just want to say thank you so much for all the reviews, i was shocked to see i had gotten eight on the last chapter, all of you are amazing.
Guest- you'll find out soon. I love your speculations though :)
Inyushademons14- the bolt bit was personally my favorite part, honestly. Again, i'm glad you enjoyed last chapter and hopefully you like this one as well!
Monica636- thank you!
Guest- ahh i'm glad you liked it. When i first thought of this i wasnt sure if anyone would like it, but i decided to go for it anyways because it's something i myself would read. If bella and jacob do end up together in this story, i'll have to do some work on her character first honestly. Thank you, and i hope you liked this chapter as well!
Mckoolio- that makes me so happy that you love the characters, thank you!
Flowerchild23- oh definitely, and i'm excited to write that chapter.
Guest- thank you so much, i love when i get reviews like yours! I hope you keep reviewing and letting me know what you think :)
RumtreiberinQueen- thank you thank you thank you! Wolves are the best thing about twilight honestly. Your spelling is just fine, by the way :) you'll find out what's going on with Paul in probably around six or seven chapters, maybe sooner since I dont have it all quite mapped out. Hope you liked this chapter!