Chapter 7

Embry didn't turn up.

Me and Quil looked practically everywhere. Jake got back from Forks on Saturday evening, after a long and apparently very enjoyable day with Bella, and he helped us search too, though he wasn't of much use, he just kept going on about Bella. We waited all of Sunday. Embry's cell phone was switched off, his mom had no clue where he'd gone, and after ringing the doorbell a few times, she got annoyed and asked us to leave.

"He has to turn up today." Quil declared. "I mean, he's not going to miss school, is he? He has to turn up."

"Of course he will." I assured Quil, but I wasn't feeling too sure myself. What if he didn't?

"He's here." Quil said. "He has to be here somewhere."

"God, would you shut up? I think you're overdoing it." Jake snapped. "He'll be here, okay?"

I looked around the hallway hopefully, my eyes stopping several times at Embry's locker, but I couldn't see him anywhere. Where was he?

"I'm getting to class." Jake declared. "I'll see you guys during lunch, yeah?"

'Sure." Quil said disappointment evident in his voice. He hadn't spotted Embry anywhere either.

"He's probably just late." I assured Quil. "He oversleeps a lot, doesn't he?"

"Yeah… yeah, that's just it."

I made my way to Bio, keeping an eye out the whole time for Embry, in case I saw him. I walked into the bio class, but I couldn't see him anywhere. I sat down with a sigh, and pulled out my pencil as the teacher walked into the class.

"Good morning, everyone." She smiled enthusiastically. Everyone gave her a dull response, and she turned to the whiteboard and started writing on it. "Now, we're going to be finishing off the Endoplasmic Reticulum today, as you know, it's divided into two types – "

She was interrupted by the door banging open, and 3 tall, muscular, creepy looking guys entering.

"Well, thank you for gracing us with your presence, Paul and Jared." Mrs. Smith snapped angrily. I rolled my eyes and continued writing down the notes. Paul and Jared entering late was a routine.

"And dear goodness, Embry, you as well?" Mrs. Smith said in surprise.

I dropped my pen. What?

I didn't know what to do. I just sat there and stared into the back of his head as he sat down in front of me, next to Jared. This wasn't Embry. It wasn't. It couldn't be.

He'd changed. There just wasn't any other word for it. He'd changed. He looked like a…. I don't even know how to describe it. He looked like them. It had been him on the beach the other day, but I hadn't recognized him then. And his hair. Oh good lord, what had he done to his hair?

I couldn't concentrate on another word during class, I just kept thinking about Embry. Questions went round and round in my head. What the hell was going on? Why did he look like he'd started taking steroids? Why was he with Paul and Jared? Hadn't he been shit scared of them 3 days ago? And what the hell had prompted him to do that to his hair?

The bell rang and he got out of his seat along with Paul and Jared. I followed them in silence to the door, until Paul and Jared turned right, and Embry turned left towards his locker. I stared at his back for a few seconds, torn between whether to go up to him or ignore him. Then I made my decision in a split –second. I'd been friends with him since nearly the fifth grade, I wasn't going to lose him now because he'd cut his freaking hair.

"Embry!" I called, and jogged to catch up to him. I saw him stiffen at the sound of my voice, and he stopped walking and turned around.

"Cherry." He muttered, not meeting my eyes.

"Embry are you okay? Where were you all weekend? What the hell did you do to your hair?" I asked him rapidly.

"Cherry, I can't talk right now." Embry said softly, looking uncomfortable. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Paul and Jared standing across the hall looking at us.

"Why can't you talk?" I demanded. "Because they're looking? Cause I really don't give a damn, Embry. Do you know how worried I and Quil were? You disappeared the entire weekend. And after the way you acted on Friday night! What was that, anyway? You looked like you were about to explode! Embry, we're worried about you, I want to know what's going on!" I cried, letting out all my frustration in one go.

"Cherry, not now." Embry hissed. He still wasn't looking me in the eyes, and this annoyed me a lot somehow.

"Why won't you look me in the eyes? And why the hell can't you explain now? I'm asking a lot of questions, Embry, but I haven't received a single answer." I steamed.

"Look, Cherry, I'll explain okay? But not here. And not now." Embry said. "You've got to understand, please."

I looked at him doubtfully, not sure what to say. I didn't get why he couldn't tell me right now.

"All right." I decided then. "You can explain everything during lunch."

"I….I can't sit with you guys during lunch." Embry said slowly, as if he was scared of how I'd take the news. "I have to sit with Paul and Jared."

"You have to sit with Paul and Jared?" I asked icily. "You have to? Embry, nobody's making you do it! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You don't understand!" Embry said loudly. I could tell he was losing his temper, and he started to shake violently, a little like he had after the party the other day. "I can't hang out with you guys anymore, okay? Things are different now, I've changed!" His voice grew louder with each word, and the final one came out as a yell. I took a few shaky steps away from him, frightened. Everyone in the hallway had turned to stare at both of us.

"Embry, you're scaring me." I mumbled, not able to look at him in the eyes. "Stop it."

He relaxed a little, his shoulders slumping. I looked up at him, and was shocked when I saw how he looked. His eyes were red, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His whole body was slumped form exhaustion, and I could see how horrible he felt.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. "Cherry, I'm so sorry, I-"

But he didn't get to finish, because Paul and Jared had made their way over to us. Paul grabbed hold of Embry's upper arm, and started to pull on it. I saw a flash of anger in Embry's eyes, I expected him to yank his arm away and scream at Paul the way he had at me. But he simply looked at me apologetically, his eyes willing me to understand what he couldn't say out loud. And he went with Paul and Jared willingly.