Chapter Five: My Shy Guy

Arms snaked around Embry's waist from behind, my face against his back, I couldn't believe how fast this thing was going. My parents would kill me if they knew I was on a motorcycle, with a stranger no less.

But he wasn't a stranger to me, even if, in all technicality, he was. I felt like I knew him, even if I didn't, so I guess that's where my trust in him fell.

Mm, and he was so warm. I enjoyed that, that he was just naturally warm. Almost like your own personal heater during the cold and rainy weather Forks, Washington had to offer us. Today was actually one of the rare, sunnier days, or at least that's what it was trying to be. I could still smell the thick scent of rain clinging to the air, and knew that it wasn't long before we'd meet again.

Embry Call, though. By his face you could tell he was a sweetheart. Even though I could exactly see his face, sitting behind him, I still knew it.

We pulled up to a small little resturant. He parked the bike and I removed my helmet, flattening my now-frizzy hair. Embry gave a slight chuckle, offering his hand out for the helmet, so I handed it over, hopping off the bike myself.

It was a cute little resturant. There were a few circle tables in the middle, covered in checkerboard patterns, and booths crowding most of the walls. There were, perhaps, two different sections of the place, one near the windows, and one towards the back. Embry specified for a window seat.

Suddenly, I felt quite nervous. Things were quite easy-going while we were driving. It was quiet, relaxing, warm... But now I'd be facing him, he'd be looking at me, and we'd have to talk. Yes, I wanted to get to know him better, and he must've felt the same way, but... I couldn't help but feel nervous.

Where was my right-hand-lady when I needed her?

Sliding into a booth, a unzipped my purple, star-clad hoodie and placed it beside me, watching him scoot in on his side. He smiled, I smiled back. The hostess handed us our menues.

Embry...Embry...Embry...

"I know, this must be strange." he spoke, looking a bit sheepish himself as he opened his menu, his gaze on me the entire time.

"A bit." I said a bit quietly with a smile. "But... It's nice."

"You aren't curious or anything?"

"Of course I am!" I laughed a little, opening my own menu. "I'm a bit confused to. So.. Do you hang around school often? I mean, I heard you guys all went to school down on the reservation. That's right, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." he nodded, looking over the food selections. "But no, um, I don't normally hang around your school."

Aw, this was awkward for him too. I wondered just what he was doing around school though. He didn't seem to have a proper alibi. He was shy though, so I let it slide. ...as long as he wasn't one of those creepers in disguise.

"Hm, okay... So, Embry." I still loved saying that name, "Tell me about yourself then?"

And he did. He told me about how he lived with his mother, who was of the Makah tribe, and this sort of "rebellious streak," as she calls it, he had going on. He didn't talk much on her, and mentioned nothing of his father, but spoke tons about his friends, his "brothers." He told me about Jacob and Quil first, that they had been super close since they were little kids, and it was rare that the three of them weren't together. Then about Sam, who seemed to be the sort of leader to their gang, and then Paul and Jared, who seemed like nice enough fellas too. Seth was the youngest kid that hung out with them, but he was apparently "A really great kid." And less annoying than his grouchy older sister, Leah- Who was Emily's cousin, and Emily seemed to be Sam's wife. I learned a lot about these people, and suspected they had to be really close on account of how enthusiastic he was about them.

About everything else he seemed more reserved and laid-back with. I could tell he was quiet, but he was doing his best to keep up a conversation, and I congratulated him on that, mentally of course, because I wasn't one to keep a conversation going either. He didn't seem to mind though, that I contributed very little, or that what I said didn't seem to make sense to anyone but myself. He had to be really patient.

"Hey, but enough about me. I didn't invite you out to eat, just so you could hear about me." He took a sip of his coke. "What about you?"

What about me?

I lived with my mum and dad in a house ("No way." he teased, making me smile and mock glare at him). I was an only child, and obviously not the most conversational person. I didn't have many friends like he did, many close friends at least, but Lindsay was my best friend in the entire world, even if she forgot about me after talking to Tyler. She and I grew up together, although we were always the closest friends, we didn't really start being friends until 5th Grade, I guess. Ever since, we've been cross-your-fingers close though.

Spinning my spoon around in the Clam Chowder I had, I looked up at him with a bashful grin. "And I guess that's really it."

He nodded, cutting the steak he had before him. "Cool." Taking a bite, he chewed a bit and swallowed before talking again. "You should come down to the rez to meet the pack. I think they'd really like you. Especially Emily. Ever since Bella went back to that leech, she hasn't had many girlfriends to talk to."

"She sounds sweet. She and Leah are cousins though, didn't you say? Do they... Not get along?"

Obviously, not that much. Apparently Leah and Sam were dating, but then he left her for Emily.

"Oh that's... A bit cruel." My brows furrowed down at my soup, then I looked back at him.

"Sam's a good guy, Ellie, I swear." Or maybe Embry was just too much of a sweetheart to see otherwise. "He hates himself for hurting Leah like that, but... Emily was the woman destined to be with him. It's obvious too when you see them together."

Well, if he said so. I'd rather not go against him, he obviously knew better than I did, and... I was really enjoying our time together.

That was, until the bill came.