********Chapter 2********

Meeting Savages

"I told you, I am not wearing a skirt." I protested feebly as we walked down the beach toward the group of people we were meeting. I knew it was hopeless and too late anyway, but I still wanted this thing off! The only comfort were the shorty-shorts Loralli allowed (and provided) me to put on under the atrocity.

"You are going to wear it. Well, unless you want to wear those shorts plain, that would be okay," Loralli replied, seriously contemplating it. I froze. No matter how uncomfortable I was in this skirt, it at least covered most of my legs. There were limits to where fabric cuts off, and those shorts were nowhere near it.

Seeing my expression Loralli said smugly, "That's what I thought."

You could always go sit in the car. Izzy thought to me.

And leave you alone? Never. I retorted. She'd just drag me back anyway. I added, utterly defeated.

Izzy snorted as Loralli called out, "Sam! Jacob! Look who I got!" The group standing a few feet ahead of us turned to see who had addressed them.

"Loralli!" called a girl about Loralli's age as she rushed forward to give our stepsister a hug.

"Who are the newbies?" asked a tall guy who looked to be in his early twenties. Actually, all the guys were tall, and extremely buff, like work out every day, all day buff.

"Are they staying?" asked another, more protective than curious.

"Only for the summer," said Izzy. I stared at him, amazed. He had talked, to strangers. I personally was keeping my head down.

What? Am I not allowed to talk? he asked catching my stare.

You are. I replied. I'm just…stunned.

Why exactly? He said, continuing to interrogate me.

You just don't normally act like this!

Whatever. Izzy said. Our conversation was interrupted by a new arrival coming onto the beach. I looked up to meet this latecomer. As my head come up he gasped.

I didn't know what his problem was. Did I look that hideous? Maybe it was a good thing Loralli dressed me up. Maybe I should have consented to a touch of make-up.

The rest of the group was now staring at me as well as the new guy talked to the leader person. At least, I think he was the leader. He sure looked like it.

Do you know why they are staring at me? I asked Izzy, wanting someone else's opinion. Should I have let Loralli play doll with me?

You look fine. Izzy assured me. I don't know what their problem is. They were still staring, so Izzy stared back.

"Okay so, this is Skyler and Isac, my stepbrother and –sister. They're twins." Loralli stepped in, hoping to break the tension.

"I'm Sam. This is Jacob, Leah, Seth, Quil, and Embry." introduced the leader gesturing to each person in turn. Jacob was the other authorative figure, the protective one; Leah was the girl who had hugged Loralli and the only girl in the group; Seth stood right behind Leah, he looked like the youngest; Quil was beside Jacob; and Embry was the newcomer that had started all the commotion, he also stood beside Jacob whispering to him while glancing at me. I really did not like him. I never make a spectacle of myself; I always like to lie low and this guy was totally ruining it for me!

"We made a fire. It's a bit chilly, would you like to warm up?" the new arrival, Embry, questioned. This was an invitation to all of us, but he was looking at me as he said it.

"Sure," answered Loralli. I think she was becoming our undecided spokesperson.

We all sat around a driftwood fire. I have to admit the fire was amazing, totally awe-inspiring. I believe that was my favorite part of our encounter with the – Loralli's friends. The conversation next did nothing to budge my opinion.

"Oh my gosh, Loralli, did you hear about Lauren and Jace?" Leah gossiped. "You never would have thought they would break up. They were, like, the perfect couple!"

"I heard Jace cheated on her!" Loralli replied. This conversation was just too girly, and I didn't even know who they were talking about anyway so I focused on the guys' conversation.

"So what did you think of the Colts' game?" Alright, call me a hypocrite, but I hate watching football, or any other sport. If I'm not playing, the game is useless to me.

I turned my gaze back to the fire. Fire is at once helpful and harmful. It can light a path or destroy a home. A mystery dangerous only because you don't know to which side it will sway. People will try to control it. The only reason they think they have is because it chooses to cooperate. Ever moving, growing, dying, fading, a continual cycle of terror and relief. A picture of beauty and a god of destruction is fire. Of course, so are many other things in our world and in our lives. A prisoner contained and yet free to roam; a captive so easily set loose but so willing to comply. And so is fire, so is death. A hungry predator never fully caged.

So I played with our colorful heat source, just a little. I don't mean poke a stick at it either; I did something not very many people can do: I played with the elements. The elements: wind, water, fire, earth, and spirit. I schemed with the wind and the fire grew lower. I toyed with fire and it warmed my skin. I played with water and made it sizzle. I messed with earth and sparks flew. I gave it spirit, and it blazed and danced. The light was so intense and the heat so forceful that now everyone stared at the flame's marvel.

Skyler, stop! They're noticing! Izzy shouted in my head. I stopped. The fire died down to its normal course.

"Does anyone have a watch?" I asked. We had to be back home by five, which was fine by me in this instance, but still extremely early for my taste.

"It's almost 4:45." Izzy answered glancing at his broken watch, not like it would be of any help to him. Izzy knew the exact time, all the time, even down to the millisecond. He knew where north, south, east, and west were all the time, without a compass. That was his skill. He had mental maps of everywhere and could say the time of any country, any place, on command.

"That gives us just enough time to get back," Loralli stated. She turned to the others and smiled apologetically, "Stepdad has a strict curfew. It would not be good news if I didn't get these two back on time. He might not even let us visit here again." The group stared at us, appalled. What kind of children would be so worth protecting?

"I feel so sorry for you guys. Gosh, I'm glad my dad isn't like that," Leah replied. You could tell she really meant it.

"Well, see you guys later!" Loralli called from the car as we drove to the safety of home. All the people in the group on the LaPush beach watched them go, and they weren't the only ones.