Chapter3 –High Jump–

It was a nice day. The sun was shining for once. Mom was at the Blacks' so she couldn't force me to do any exercises for school and Leah was out. –My perfect day!

I didn't spend the day at home of course and I couldn't spend it alone. As fast as my human feet could carry me I sped through the forest and reached the Cullens' mansion, but Chloe wasn't at home. Esme told me that she was somewhere behind the house practicing for tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, the match tomorrow. It was high jump and Chloe was anticipating for the Cullens. Against me. It was kind of a difficult situation. I mean, on the one hand I wanted to win, to gain a victory for us wolves after Paul had unfortunately lost his match against Bella two days ago. But on the other hand …

"Seth!" my personal angel said happily when she discovered me. She was standing on a tree that was at least ten meters high – again. How often had I told her to not do something so dangerous? But she would never listen to me, she kind of loved standing up there …

With one little hop she jumped of the tree and landed safely in my arms. Well, at least she'd accepted the deal with me to let me catch her.

"Hey, angel," I greeted her and bended down to kiss her but to my utter surprise –and shock– she turned her face away.

"No, Seth, not today."

My heart stopped beating. She heard it of course so she quickly explained, "No, no, it's not what you think! O-of course I want to … but … well, tomorrow is the big match and I need to practice and you … umm … are kind of … distracting me." It sounded like a question. "You understand that, don't you?"

How could I say "no" to that heartbreaking pout? "Sure."

She smiled and I felt like flying. "I knew you would." She struggled free from my arms. "Besides, don't you need to practice, too?" she asked innocently.

I swallowed. "Yeah, you're right." My throat felt unusually dry.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow in the arena, Seth," she said cheerfully and blew me a kiss.

I nodded, my neck felt stiff.

"I'm sorry, Seth," she said apologetically, reading the disappointment on my face, then she took an inrun and jumped back on a tree, vanishing behind branches and leaves.

Not such a perfect day after all, I guessed.

I trotted back to La Push, my day suddenly dark and sad and dark … yeah, so dark that I couldn't even come up with more words to describe it.

"Hey, kid!" I heard Jacob calling behind me. His voice sounded way too enthusiastic and happy for my taste.

I turned around, mumbling a "hi".

He stopped abruptly in front of me, paddling theatrically with his arms in the air. "Woa, what's with that face? Halloween is still a while away or have I slept too long?"

I ignored his comment and turned back to my walk. To my great annoyance, Jake followed me. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Dunno."

He eyed me skeptically as if he was looking for some kind of sickness on me. "O-kay …" he replied interrogatively. "And where have you been?"

I grumbled something incoherent. I didn't even understand it myself but Jake seemed to. "Oh, I see," he said knowingly, the word "smug" written all over his face. "Our little Seth got dumped."

I looked up at the sky. The sun shined mockingly down on me. Darker and darker and darker…

He punched my arm encouragingly. "C'mon, boy, you've to see that she needs to practice for tomorrow."

"How d'you know?"

"Nessie."

Why do I even bother to ask?

"Look, Seth. You can't see her now – you are enemies."

Not that again.

"You've to concentrate on the fight now."

Stupid melodramatic Alpha.

"And stop insulting me in your head."

Absolutely no privacy. "Since when are you called Edward Cullen?" I muttered sarcastically.

He ignored my sour tone. "By the way, when are you planning to start practice?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What practice?"

He glared back at me. "What practice? What practice?! Seth, don't tell me that you're planning on losing tomorrow."

I wasn't planning anything.

"You will win," he said firmly, looking straight into my eyes. "It's one to nothing for the vamps now. You can turn everything around and save our dignity."

Stupid old melodramatic Alpha.

"I am not melodramatic," Jake defended himself – this was becoming kind of creepy. "However, you must win tomorrow."

"No pressure." I rolled my eyes.

"Do you understand?" he threatened, mixing unintentionally the alpha-tone within his words.

I winced. Stupid old melodramatic dominant Alpha. "Sure, sure."

He glared at me for another few seconds, then he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the woods.

"Hey!" I objected. "What are you doing?"

He turned back, grinning into my face. "Time for practice," he announced enthusiastically, dragging me deeper into the shadows of the forest.

I growled. "Stupid old melodramatic dominant Alpha!"

I woke up the next morning to the sound of shouts and cheers coming from downstairs, growing louder and louder with every second. Then there was an earsplitting "Bang", startling me so much that I fell out of my bed, the door flew open and suddenly it was silent. Then …

"Five, six, seven, eight! You'll be the champion, my friend … You'll keep on fighting for your friends … You'll be the champion … You'll be the champion … Vamps are the losers … 'Cause you'll be the champion, for us wolves!"

I stared, mouth hung open. It took me two solid minutes to make my brain work again and form a proper sentence. "What?!" Okay, so it was just a word, but – hey! Less is more.

Quil stepped out of the "wolf-choir" with a huge grin and patted my shoulder comradely. "Morning, Seth. Ready for your big day?"

"Huh?"

"Great!"

"Breakfast is ready!" Leah announced, sweeping in with a tablet filled with eggs, bacon and everything else that went along with a dream breakfast.

But it wasn't the perfect breakfast that made my mouth fall open again. It was the fact that it was Leah who placed the tablet on my nightstand.

"Breakfast for our hero," Leah cheered, smiling like … like I had never seen her smile before, ever! "What?" she added, noticing my strange gaze. "Am I not allowed to make breakfast for my beloved little brother?"

No, it's just that you've never done anything like this before – probably have never even thought about doing something like this before. And … holy crap, did you just call me "your beloved little brother"?!

"Um … thanks?"

"Home, sweet home," Embry joked, gaining a death glare from Leah.

I looked down at the perfection that the breakfast was and suddenly I felt terrible. Like an apple, still white, hanging on the tree or already down on the ground, brown and rotten – totally not ready.

"C'mon," Leah urged, putting a heavy hand on my shoulder and leaned forward. I felt her breath against my ear, hot and dangerous. "I made it with love."

I shuddered.

"Yeah, Seth, eat up," Jared winked. "You need to become big and strong."

I was just about to make some sarcastic remark on that –I wasn't small!– but couldn't since I was still too baffled to make any noise at all. Instead, I took the fork –it felt like a giant rock– and stared down at the full tablet. I probably looked like a total fool, holding a fork with a feast in front of me and not immediately digging in – especially as a wolf. Slowly, I raised the fork to my mouth, eyeing the piece of scrambled egg in awe. I licked my lips but my tongue was even drier. Taking a deep breath, I put the food into my mouth, chewed and swallowed loudly.

"And?" Leah asked, staring at me, as were all the others.

Cardboard, I thought."Great!" I said. Well, I guess that it was quiet good in reality, if there weren't six pairs of eyes that were boring into me. And if there wasn't the persistent thought that exactly these six people were going to torture me to death if I lost later …

Two hours and uncountable many "good advices" by my wonderful buddies later we finally arrived at the agreed location. It was some place in the forest, kind of a meadow, with two giant trees, both at least twenty meters high. Emmett and Jasper were standing each on a tree and fixing the lowest height with a thick branchless tree trunk while the girls –Alice, Bella, Nessie and Rosalie– carried two giant thick mattresses and piled these up behind the trees. Emmett leaned his head against the trunk, one eye pressed shut, eyeing it like a professional carpenter. Suddenly he jumped over the trunk, making a back-flip. When he landed on the ground he was holding a tiny thin branch between his forefinger and thumb and grinning triumphantly. "I told you, we missed one!"

Jasper rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Show off," he muttered and jumped down elegantly.

I looked up at the construction and gulped. That thing was high – like really high.

Seth, maybe you haven't noticed this fact yet, Jacob said. But you're a WEREWOLF!

Usually I would have countered with "shape-shifter" but today I couldn't bring up the mood to be fresh. And, darn it, it was high!

"Seth!"

All fear and nervousness disappeared at the sound of that bell-like voice. I took my eyes willingly from all the upcoming work and turned around to see my personal little angel running towards me, her honey-like hair waving in the wind. If I had still been in my human form, I would have opened my arms to welcome her but instead I decided to run towards her.

And was stopped by three giant wolves, two of them were growling quietly but still clearly audible. I growled back. How dare they stand in between Chloe and me?

Hey, don't forget why we are here! Embry said, winking.

Yeah, kid, this is serious! Paul continued, less humorous.

Concentrate! Leah commanded. Or do you want to end like Paul?

Why do you say that like I am dead? Paul asked, insulted.

For me, you are dead. Leah declared matter-of-factly.

Paul was too angry to reply at all.

Aw, so harsh. Quil said. His efforts in faking hurt failed, drowned by his booming laughter.

That's our Leah. Jacob shrugged.

I turned my head, trying to look around the furry wall in front of me to catch a glimpse on Chloe. She was watching the wolves between us, the gold of her eyes melted with disappointment. Edward was standing at her side as translator. She saw me staring at her and smiled back. Then she turned around and walked away to her family.

How had Paul phrased it? –Oh, right: "Life. Is. So. Damn. Not. Fair."

Before I could sulk a little more, Carlisle called us from the referee seats where Esme, Sue, Billy and Old Quil were sitting with him in a row. "Alright, everyone. Let me explain the rules now," he began, standing up. "They are simple. We start at three meters and go higher in half-a-meter-steps and later when we're above eight meter in quarter-steps. You jump one after another. The one who can't manage the same height that the opponent had mastered looses."

Chloe nodded dutifully and I joined in hesitantly. Eight meters – did that mean that they were expecting us to jump ten or twenty meters high?

"Very well," Carlisle continued. "So, since Bella started the last time, I guess, it's the wolves' turn to make the beginning this time. Seth?"

Gulp. Sure. I nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. Then, may the match begin," Carlisle announced and sat back down next to Esme.

Chloe, throwing me an encouraging smile, stepped back to make me space. I took a few steps back to make an inrun. I looked up at the trees again and took a deep breath. Here we go. I started in a light jog first then sped up more and more until I was one or two meters in front of the trees and jumped. It wasn't that high as my crazy imagination had told me. I flew easily over it and landed just as easily on the other side. The wolves howled in joy. I even saw Edward and Bella clapping, gaining a death glare from Rosalie.

I hopped of the mattresses while Chloe got ready for her turn. Her technique was the same as mine, starting slowly and then accelerating until she was one to two meters in front of the trees and jumped. She flew swiftly through the air and over the set mark –she didn't even have to pull her legs up–, landing elegantly on the mattresses . This time the vampire-side fell into cheers, Emmett leading them, making Chloe look like blushing.

It went on like that without any outrageous happenings and the mark –always fixed by Emmett and Jasper– wandered higher and higher.

3.5 … 4 … 4.5 … 5 … 8 … 8.25 …

At nine meters I had to really concentrated and run faster. Chloe started to make the classical curve inrun that you usually saw on TV and flew backwards over the mark. Then she would always turn in midair to land on her feet in the end. At eleven-a-half her foot touched the trunk, making it swing but it didn't fall down. She fought to gain her balance again during her fall and turned around to land on her feet in the last moment. For a brief second it seemed that she would fall but she managed to stand straight in the end. Then she hopped of the mattresses like nothing had happened. I let out a long breath of relief. I hadn't even noticed that I had held my breath during the whole time.

In my head I saw thousands of different outcomes that could have just happened. All of them ended with Chloe lying on the ground, her eyes empty and lifeless. My heart ached at that idea.

That's it. To hell with pride and honor! I couldn't gamble with my angel's health, it was just not worth it.

Seth! Leah threatened, her voice dark and dangerous. Remember, she's a VAMPIRE! Nothing can happen to her. So, just jump and win this thing for us!

I got ready for my turn, ignoring her.

Seth, don't even think about that! Leah seethed, a growl was growing in her chest. Jacob! Do something – tell him to stop fooling around!

Jacob didn't react. He was just staring at Nessie who was holding Bella's hand.

You must be kidding me! Leah shouted in frustration.

I ran, sped up, jumped, jumped over the eleven-three-quarters and- my hint leg caught on the trunk. I fell, pulling the trunk down with me, someone screamed, someone with a high pitched, bell-like voice. The trunk crashed on the ground just a foot away from me. Carlisle was at my side the next blink. "Are you alright, Seth?"

I got up. Luckily, I landed on the edge of the mattresses . I nodded.

He gave me a serious all-round-look and nodded back. Emmett and Edward were already carrying the trunk back up to its former place and I left the mattresses to make space for Chloe. I looked around and found her standing with Bella and Jasper on the other side. Jasper's hand was resting on Chloe's shoulder, obviously calming her down with his gift. It seemed that it wasn't working very well.

"Seth, I need you to phase back so I can take a closer look at your injuries," Carlisle insisted.

I nodded; my eyes still on Chloe. She was shaking.

Jacob and Quil appeared at my side, helping me to get up. They led me into the shadows of the forest where the three of us phased back. I didn't dare to look into their eyes, afraid of the anger I was sure to find there. That's why my mouth almost fell open in shock when Jake said in a mocking tone, "You sure can act, kid."

"Huh?"

"Chloe didn't notice anything for sure," Quil laughed, raising his hand for me to high-five.

I stared at them as if they were some alien creatures that just landed with their UFO in my garden. Now, I was sure that my mouth was hanging open.

"I couldn't have done a better job," Jake admitted. Quil nodded in agreement, still grinning and his hand waiting for mine to join it.

"W-wait!" I stuttered, shaking my head in confusion. "You're not mad at me?"

"Nope," Quil answered, popping the "p".

Jake shrugged. "Well, actually yes, kind of … but then again, I can understand you, somehow … I mean, I probably would have done the same if it was Nessie."

"Or Claire," Quil added.

"Thanks, guys." I smiled in relief and finally high-fived Quil.

"It's fine," Jake said, grinning back. "As long as you don't plan a replay of that."

I laughed. "Sure, that one was enough for a year. I mean, ouch!" I rubbed my shoulder theatrically.

We left the forest then, laughing. "It seems that everything is alright," Carlisle said, smiling, when he saw us. Chloe relaxed noticeably under Jasper's hand.

A few minutes later, when everyone was back on her/his position, Chloe was standing at the starting line again, getting ready for her final jump. I stood together with Jake and Quil on our "wolf-side" and tried to ignore Leah's piercing eyes on the back of my head. It was probably saver for me to avoid her for the next few weeks.

Chloe took her time to concentrate, inhaling and exhaling deeply, her eyes fixed on the eleven-three-quarters high mark. It was perfectly silent in the "stadium". Then she took a final long breath and ran, sped up, faster and faster, took off, flew in the air, like a bird – an angel, her hair framed her face like a golden halo. She floated over the trunk, it looked so easy and effortless. She turned in midair just as effortlessly and landed elegantly –as if it was the simplest thing ever– on her feet. The vampire section broke out into cheers and applause. Emmett sang/shouted, "Chloe's our champion!"

Carlisle got up and announced that Chloe had won this match which meant that it was two to nothing for the vampires now. He said something more but I didn't hear anything because Chloe hopped of the mattresses and ran towards me, right into my arms, her bright smile enlightening the entire forest.

It was a great day.

Hey guys! ^^

guess what? -We're still alive! Yeah, the bright sunny beaches of Spain got us back in front of the laptop to continue this magnificent, senseless story! xD

it was sooo fun to write this out of Seth's POV - and easy! since I (Mulan) had already collected some "experiences" with Seth by writing "Aurora" -We LOVE that boy, he's just so sweet! =)

-don't forget to review and have patience and faith in us that we'll finish (or rather: START! xD) the next chapter soon!

-Sylvia&Mulan-