A/N: This chapter would have come sooner were it not for the curse we call chores. Just a warning, this is a bit longer than you usually get from me. I'm quite nervous about this chapter so please tell me what you thought.

Chapter 7: Save Me, I'm lost

I skewered the end of my fork into a piece of chicken on my plate. This dinner was too weird. First, Rhys was actually home to eat dinner with us, which never happened. And second, Luke and I refused to even look at each other. Rhys kept trying to start conversations but no one else was willing to participate. He seemed completely unaware of the tension.

"So are you guys doing anything tonight?"

"Laura and I are going to a beach party tonight in La Push. Are you going Heath?" Luke asked, ignoring me. Yeah, mature.

Heath glanced quickly at me. "Yeah. With a couple of the guys from school."

I put the chicken in my mouth, tearing it apart with my teeth. I looked at my fork before picking up more chicken. Hmmm. I wonder how much it hurts to be stabbed with a fork....

"What about you Bronte?"

"Sorry, what?" Rhys was looking at me expectantly and all thoughts of forks and torture left my mind. Not exactly an ideal time to stab your brother when a copper just happens to be sitting at the table too.

"Are you going to this party tonight?"

I looked at Luke. "No. I was going to stay at home tonight."

"Maybe you should go."

"Maybe I shouldn't."

"It will be good for you to get out of the house."

******

"Ow! Heath! Can you drive like a normal person please?"

"It's not my fault the road is so bumpy."

I attempted once again to put my mascara on, which was really not working. I had purposely stalled getting ready so the boys would leave without me but Rhys had dragged me out of the house (literally), and I was left to do make up in this stupid car. On the way, we had picked up Cow, who now sat behind me and every so often slipped in a couple of snide comments. I felt extremely tempted to turn around and tell her I knew where she lived….but every time I caught myself and didn't. I would be the adult here.

"Are you nearly done?" Heath asked, risking a glance at me.

"Uh-huh."

"Great 'cause we're nearly there."

"Great!" I mimicked, under my breath. I slipped my mascara and eyeliner back into my bag.

Heath pulled the car up alongside the beach. As it came to a halt, I pulled open the door and stepped out, my eyes quickly scanning the beach. There was lots of people, some I recognized, loads I didn't, and fires were burning all over the place. The air was cool so I took my cardigan out of the car, just to be safe. I wasn't gonna go look for Heath later to ask for the keys. God knows what he'd be doing.

I had been at loads of beach parties before, but I got the feeling this one was gonna be way different. I weaved through the crowds, leaving the others behind. I had no idea what I was looking for. As I walked, Rhys' words came back to me.

"Have a good time. Just remember-"

"Here we go." Heath muttered from beside me. I smirked.

"No drinking, no smoking, no drugs of any kind, and no other....inappropriate behaviour. Have I covered everything?" He asked me.

"Think so."

"Brilliant. Have a good time."

"Bronte?" The voice shook me out of the memory. It sounded familiar. Why? I spun on my heels, spraying sand as I did so.

"Seth?" I grinned, instantly feeling better. "What are you doing here?"

"It nice to see you again too."

"Sorry."

"It's cool." He gestured to two fallen logs, opposite each other with a fire in between, just a little bit away from where we were standing. "Come sit down and all questions shall be answered."

He walked on ahead, though he might as well have been running 'cause I had to jog to keep up. When we got there, I realised we weren't alone. A guy sat on one of the logs. I hadn't thought it was possible but he seemed to be even bigger than Seth was. He had the same colour skin and many of the same facial features.

He smiled at me as I sat down on the log opposite him. He looked really tired, like he would fall asleep at any moment. I felt the log creak heavily as Seth sat down beside me.

"Bronte, this is Quil."

Quil raised a hand at me. I nodded back.

"Quil, you remember Bronte?"

Quil's smile widened. "How could I not? He talks about you all the time." He said to me. I raised my eyebrows at Seth. He shook his head. Maybe I was just imagining it, but I could have sworn his cheeks went a little red.

"He's lying, I don't."

"No I'm not. I seem to remember Embry threatening to push you off that cliff 'cause you wouldn't shut up."

Seth glared up at Quil. Quil didn't seem bothered however, just kept on smiling. So Seth talks about me. And this is actually only our second time meeting each other. I'm flattered. No seriously, I am. No sarcasm this time.

"How are you liking Forks Bronte?" Quil asked. Mmmm, how do I answer?

"Um, yeah it's okay I guess."

He chuckled. "Not too fond of it then?"

"No." I admitted. Like Seth, he seemed easy to talk with. "It's just a bit too quiet. Nothing interesting seems to happen."

Quil's eyes flickered to Seth's and away again so quick I almost missed it. Suddenly I felt as if they knew something I didn't.

"Yes well I guess we live in quite a little….uneventful corner of the world."

I regarded Quil suspiciously. "I suppose."

He stood up. "I'm going to take a walk. Call me when you're done here kid. Pleasure to meet you Bronte."

"You too."

When he was gone, Seth turned around so he was facing me. "Well that went weird."

"Yeah. He's nice though."

"I know. Be glad you met him first. Some of the others aren't so....calm."

"The others? Do you intend for me to meet them then?"

"Yes."

"Don't I get a say in it then?"

"Nope." He leaned forward to prod the fire with a piece of wood. He was smiling.

"You never answered my first question, you know." I reminded him.

"Oh. What was it again?"

"What are you doing here?"

"It's an open party, I have more right to actually be here then most."

"Somehow I didn't pick you as the partying kind."

He laughed. "Nah, you're right. Quil and I came down to check that everything was going okay."

"Why?"

Seth shrugged. "To make sure things don't get out of hand."

I giggled. "What are you, the La Push FBI?"

"Something like that."

"So why you? Why do you do it? What gives you the divine right?"

He snorted. "The Elders ask us do it. They'd do it themselves, but they'd stand out a bit too much."

"So you go to every party around here? Cool."

"Not every one. We take it in turns."

I nodded.

"What are you doing here? What happened to the whole 'I-refuse-to-enjoy-myself' attitude?"

Normally this would have annoyed me, had it come from anyone else. But I didn't mind when Seth did it. I knew he was just teasing me.

I nudged him playfully with my shoulder. "Rhys forced me to come."

He nudged me back, gently. "Well I'm glad he did."

*****

"Twenty one! Ha! I win again!"

"That's not fair! You have to be cheating!"

"I'm not. You're just terrible at this."

After we had run out of things to talk about, Seth produced a pack of cards. Turned out that's what he and Quil did whenever they got bored.

"Or you're just really flukey."

"I am not! It's called skill."

"Fine! Let's make this interesting. I win and you have to give me something. You win, and I give you something."

"Okay. What do we have to give?"

"I dunno. Something you have on you right now."

"Sure. I'm still gonna win."

"Why are you so confident?"

"I have nothing to give if I lose." I admitted. He laughed at me and I slapped him softly on his shoulder.

"Sorry."

"Can we start now?"

"Yes." He quickly shuffled the cards, then gave me two. A Queen and a Jack.

"I'm sticking." I declared. He frowned at me.

"When you say that you always have a good hand."

"Maybe I'm just bluffing." I offered.

He eyed me suspiciously. "It doesn't matter any way." He drew another card and looked at the three he was now holding.

"Well?"

"Wait....okay I'm sticking too."

"Show me yours than."

"Ladies first."

"And the Lady says man first."

Seth spread his cards down over the log. "An Ace counting as eleven, a three and a five. Nineteen."

"Ha! I do win again!" I showed him mine. "Twenty!"

He groaned. "You know there is such a thing as being a good winner Bronte."

"No kidding. Well it's not me."

"Remind me never to play cards with you again."

"I believe you owe me something."

"I was hoping you'd let that go."

"No chance."

Seth sighed. "Okay. Close your eyes. And don't open them to I tell you to."

I did as he said. "Eyes are now closed." He didn't say anything but I heard the log creak and it felt lighter.

Then, something soft and warm brushed my lips. For the first time in my life, I was speechless. Seth was kissing me!!! And then he wasn't.

I felt him pull away. I traced my lips with my tongue. What just happened? "Can I open my eyes now?"

There was no answer. I opened them slowly. Seth was standing, staring down at me. I looked up and met his eyes. He looked away. "You should probably go. Your brother's probably looking for you." he said, gathering up the cards. My heart was screaming so loud, I wouldn't be surprised if the good people of China had heard it. Go? Do you think I care whether they want to leave or not? WHAT KIND OF PERSON KISSES YOU AND THEN TELLS YOU TO LEAVE?????????

And stupid me. Do you know what I did? I turned around and headed in the direction of the car.

"Bronte." He called softly from behind me.

"Yes." I didn't turn back around. Just kept walking.

"Embry is turning twenty on Saturday."

"Good for him."

"We were going to have like a party for him here then at one. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Are you sure? We really wouldn't want you to change your mind halfway through and decide you don't want me there." Ugh! Why did I say that?

"I guess I deserve that."

"Yeah I guess you do."

"Just come if you want. Saturday at one. You don't have to if you don't want to."

I so wanted to tell him that I would, but I didn't. I am so confused.

A/N: Just a couple of things; 1. Seth did not let Bronte win. 2. It's a Saturday night. 3. I forgot to tell you this in Chapter 6. "Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" was originally said by one of my favourite writers, Oscar Wilde, who just happens to be one of the most sarcastic and ironic writers ever. He was in fact, being sarcastic when he said this. 4. The title for this chapter came from the song "Show me what I'm looking for" by Carolina Liar which was my inspiration for this chapter.

xXPassion11Xx: Thanks. Unfortunately, i don't think Seth will be in the next chapter, but the one after.

jewlzncoolz: So do i. I mean, what kind of brother and sister would they be if they didn't fight. (Speaking from experience, two brothers, middle child, only girl, flippin' nightmare!) :)

EmmettLaughedAtMe: Lmao. Hmmm, i was just gonna make them friends but now you mention it..... Even if he does try, what kind of competiton would he be against Seth? Kill Cow? lol. As much as i'd love to help Bronte out, I'm afraid it's impossible. And serious brain damage? Sorry that's out too. But i do love the whole yellow lorry thing. And if it was to happen, it would be by your lorry. Thanks. And I'm hurrying! Blame my mum. She keeps on coming up with weird pointless stuff to do. xxx

GurlCullen17: lol. I always do that too. I find you can learn a lot about a person from their shampoo.

LadyLovely: Thank you for reading.

team black: Will is my blonde evil genius from one of my non-fanfiction stories. Will's angel is actually a reference to another character in it, but i stole it. And my Will would so beat your Will, no question, regardless of his excellent taste in music. XD

Eskimo Baby: Thanks. I liked that to, but i think I'm just biased.

Vamp: Thanks. Well, we just had one enter, the rest should be coming in the chapter after the next one.