ANNA'S FEET MOVED ANXIOUSLY AS SHE CHECKED THE TIME ON HER WATCH. IT WAS NEARLY AN HOUR LATE.

She sighed, shifting her gaze to the vast expanse of the sea before her. Unconsciously, she hugged herself. It was a cold day. But Anna was sure that her shivering wasn't exactly due to it.

Perhaps it was the place and its haunting memories. Perhaps it was her nervousness for having agreed to a... Date? She wasn't sure if she could call it that.

Connie had given her the day off work. And after so much deliberation, hesitation, running through all possible scenarios in her mind, and calling Julia a couple of times for encouragement, she finally gathered the courage to ask Jacob out.

She had hoped that by doing so, it would offer clarity on the depth of her feelings for him. Because it had been frustrating to realize that every time she thought of him, it was based on idealizations, tiny details laced with childhood memories.

And it had gone well. Mostly. They had agreed to meet at the beach, walk around, and just hang out for a while. And up until that point, everything had been fine.

Yet, it was the nonchalant manner in which the boy had agreed that stirred a hint of unease within her. Perhaps it was just her and her tendency to overthink things. But Jacob had said yes without a second thought. Was that normal? Julia had reassured her that it wasn't something to worry about.

But now, his delay only confirmed her suspicion. Had something happened, or was the commitment simply not as important to him as it was to her?

She felt stupid. Her mind hadn't stopped thinking about him all day. And there she was, stood up.

But it felt even more stupid to know that she would patiently wait for him no matter how long it took. And of course she would forgive him by saying it was okay, that she hadn't been waiting for an hour like she had been.

Then Jacob would smile at her with that radiant smile of his, capable of bringing anyone to their knees. And time would pass with them immersed in a smooth conversation, the kind that makes one forget about time. Anna would ask him what type of music he likes, and he would inquire about her favorite movie. Silly things, yet important to get to know someone. Or at least that's what she believed.

Only if Jacob were there.

The wind blew a bit harder, making little grains of sand hit her face.

God, she hated sand.

"Anna?"

She raised her gaze, her mind still hopeful to see him, even though she knew very well that wasn't his voice.

She tried to smile anyway. She wasn't sure if it came out right. "Hi Embry."

"What are you doing here? You look like you're freezing."

"Yeah, I think so," she chuckled. "I was just getting some air... And you?" she countered, consciously avoiding any mention of the fact that his best friend had left her hanging.

Embry raised his hand, presenting a plastic bag, its contents hinting at a collection of discarded debris. "Beach cleaning duty. My mom is involved in a local group. We volunteer on certain weekends."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Are you sure you're okay? If you're feeling cold I can leave you my jacket," he insisted, his voice resonating with genuine care. It had slipped her mind just how inherently kind-hearted Embry was.

"No, it's fine. I was about to leave, anyway," she replied, her voice betraying a subtle hint of nervousness.

"Alright," he responded softly. With a gesture towards the bag he held, he silently bid her goodbye and resumed his task, leaving her to her thoughts.

She felt embarrassed. What were the chances that Embry would tell Jacob he found her there, waiting like an idiot? Quite high. They were best friends, after all.

She glanced once more in both directions along the stretch of the beach, scanning the area intently. However, there was no trace of Jacob to be found, no glimpse of his familiar figure anywhere.

The understanding that he most likely wouldn't show up left her feeling a lump in her throat that threatened to turn into something more.

And she couldn't allow that.

However, the thought of returning home and immersing herself in the disappointment of being stood up didn't feel like a viable choice.

A sudden impulse overwhelmed her.

"Embry!" she called out, her voice coming out strained, almost on the verge of cracking. "Can I join you?"

⸻

"So do you do this every weekend?" she asked, picking up a soda can. The group consisted of around eight to ten people, scattered across different sections. Embry and she strolled along the shoreline, their footsteps etching imprints upon the sand.

"No, not always. But my mom is all about nature, so every now and then she feels the obligation to come," he explained. Anna turned her head to catch a glimpse of Tiffany Call in the distance.

"She's nice." A soft smile curved Anna's lips as she pondered the connection between mother and son. When Embry introduced them, a flicker of recognition ignited within her, envisioning the familiar traits shared between them—both exuding a calm aura and a genuine concern for others.

Embry half-smiled. "She is."

As the sun descended, it adorned the sky with a breathtaking display of warm and vibrant colors, predominantly shades of orange and pink. Its reflection shimmered upon the sea, casting bright and luminous glimmers.

It was amazing how something so beautiful could be so dangerous too.

She looked away. It wasn't the time for memories.

She was about to ask Embry something when she frowned in confusion. Had Embry grown bigger?

She remembered that when she first met him, she had noticed how tall he was. Because even though everyone seemed taller than her, she was sure she had never met people as tall as Embry and Jake before, so that had been something to note.

But now, something seemed off about him.

She was sure his shoulders were broader and all his frame appeared more muscular. The girl tried to recall the last time she had seen him, but she was sure it hadn't been so long since she had hung out with Jacob's circle of friends.

How could someone have changed in such a short time?

As she observed him more closely, she also noticed that his once boyish face seemed more chiseled, with a sharper jawline and defined cheekbones.

"Do you realize that you are staring at me, right?" his voice, calm and slightly shy as always when he spoke to her, pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry," Anna laughed, trying to brush aside her embarrassment. "I was just remembering that Jacob mentioned you had a fever. How are you feeling now?"

"Yeah," he mused, a glimmer of uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Honestly, I'm not sure what happened. But I spent most of the time sleeping, so I guess it wasn't that bad either."

"Maybe you...

A scream echoed across the beach. Startled, Anna's head snapped in the direction of the sound. There, near the cliffs, a figure was falling towards the void, finally breaking into the dark, gray waves.

"Oh my god, is he...?" She couldn't finish as another boy followed in the footsteps of the first, flung himself into the air. He twisted and cartwheeled, laughing freely. Anna watched the whole sequence in disbelief. "Are they insane?"

Embry scoffed. "Probably. That's Sam and his cult."

So that was the cult. Paul and Jared, if she remembered correctly. "Jacob and Quil told me about them. I guess you don't like them either."

"Hard to say when I barely know them. But yeah, there's just something off about them," he shrugged. "But I guess it's none of my business."

She looked back at the cliffs. One last boy lingering on the edge finally jumped. Anna watched with a frown. Didn't these guys have a sense of preservation? It was cold, the height was too high and the relentless crashing of the waves below seemed unforgiving. It was the perfect setting for a tragedy.

It made her shiver.

Besides her, Embry broke into chuckle. "You don't seem to be a fan of cliff diving."

Anna forced a smile, trying to mask her fear. "Does it show?"

"Nah, I'm just good at reading people," he turned, stopping her. "And I can still see you're freezing. Can you please take my jacket?"

Anna laughed. "Okay, okay, I think I'll accept your offer now."

Embry gently slid his jacket over her shoulders, his voice softly whispering 'There you go' as he adjusted it. It felt ridiculously large on her, but the comforting warmth quickly embraced her, easing the tremors that had taken hold of her body.

Still, she couldn't help but feel worried when she saw him wearing only a t-shirt. "Are you sure you're not cold? I don't want you to get sick again."

Embry denied, smiling. "Actually it's weird, I don't feel cold at all."

Jacob didn't show up. And Anna wanted to say that her afternoon had been utterly miserable for that, but she had to admit that spending time with Embry had been more enjoyable than she would have expected.

It was hard not to, since Embry was probably one of the nicest people she had ever met. Something about him radiated comfort and a reassuring sense of safety, which made her want to linger a little longer next to his presence.

But it also frustrated her. Out of the three friends, why couldn't she have fallen for Embry? He certainly didn't seem like the kind of guy who would stand someone up.

When darkness fell, the volunteers decided to call it a day. Anna said goodbye to Tiffany, who invited her to participate again whenever she wanted. She smiled at her, promising to return soon.

But as Embry walked her to her car, one thought still troubled her mind. "Hey, can I ask you something?" she inquired, nervously biting her lip.

"Sure."

She took a deep breath. There went her last shred of dignity. "If you happen to see Jacob... Can you not mention that you ran into me here? We were supposed to meet today, but... I guess he forgot."

"Jacob stood you up?" he inquired, his expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

The words sounded utterly pathetic as they left her lips. "No... Well, yes. But it's nothing, really. And I don't want to make him feel bad about it."

"That's... Bad." His brow furrowed deeply, causing his eyebrows to almost touch. "How could he do that to you?"

Anna observed him with a slightly raised eyebrow. Was he genuinely worried? "Don't worry, it's not..."

"He's an idiot," Embry interjected abruptly, his voice carrying a mixture of frustration and anger. Anna's eyes widened, caught off guard by his sudden outburst. Embry maintained his gaze fixedly on the ground, his features etched with a deep frown. "I'm sorry, I don't know why... Nevermind."

"Okay..." Anna looked at him warily. It was certainly wrong for Jacob to stand her up, but the intensity of Embry's reaction took her by surprise. After all, they didn't know each other that well. "Oh, here's your jacket."

She slipped the jacket off her shoulders and handed it to him, jumping at the warm touch of the his hand.

"Embry!" she gasped, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and concern. The temperature emanating from his hand couldn't be normal. "Are you okay? You're burning!"

Instinctively one of her hands went to the boy's forehead. It was lucky Embry was leaning on the car because she doubted she could have gotten to it otherwise. Anna sensed his muscles immediately stiffen the instant her hand brushed against his skin, yet he remained silent. She parted her lips slightly in surprise. He was undeniably burning up.

"Embry your fever is definitely back. Do you want to go to the hospital? I can take you, or we can tell your mom..."

"No," he denied, his expression almost conflicted. "No, I'm... I'm Fine."

"Are you sure?"

A strange expression crossed his face. Anna didn't miss it. But then, as if in an attempt to reassure her, the corners of his lips turned up in a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Goodnight, Anna."

He hurried away, not even giving her a chance to respond. Anna watched him disappear in concern. He clearly had a fever. Could it have been from catching cold on the beach? She couldn't help but feel responsible and guilty about it.

⸻

"Did you have fun with Jacob?"

Darlene was already in the house when Anna arrived. She closed her eyes, mentally wanting to scream at the question. Why did she ever think it was a good idea to tell her mom about her plans for the day?

"Yeah... I had fun." Just not with him. She figured that response would be sufficient. There was no need to explain the whole context.

"Oh, that's good! He just called and told me to have you call him urgently. Maybe he wants to make sure you arrived safely," she commented with a smile, her eyebrows raising suggestively.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Please, don't."

"What? I always assumed the two of you would end up together."

"Don't ever think of saying that outside these walls."

Darlene chuckled. Anna ascended the stairs like a ghost, her mind contemplating her next options.

Should she return Jacob's call? Her proud side screamed no, insisting that doing so would only make her appear desperate and pathetic. On the other hand, her rational side wondered, what if something had happened to Jacob that afternoon? Perhaps he had a valid reason for not showing up. Maybe hearing his explanation would bring her some peace of mind. After all, she had already lost all semblance of dignity when she asked Embry not to mention anything about their day together.

Embry. How would Embry be doing with his fever?

She took a deep breath, dialing the familiar number on her phone.

"Please tell me you are Anna," the voice on the other end of the phone spoke.

Anna held her breath for a moment. "Yeah, it's me."

"Anna!" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I completely forgot. I wanted to go to the beach, but I assumed you wouldn't be there anymore. I'm such an idiot."

She wanted to laugh. Well, Embry had been right after all

"Are you there?"

She shook her thoughts away. "Sorry, yes," she bit her lip. "Don't worry about it. You forgot, it's okay. I should have called you to remind you."

"I really lost track of time," he confessed, his tone sounding truly mortified. Anna smiled a little, unable to help but enjoy his regret. "It's just that Bella and I were out all day fixing the bikes and..."

Her smile vanished. "Bella?"

"Yeah. We got really lucky at the dump, we got most of the missing parts," he told her enthusiastically.

"That's..." she swallowed dryly. "Great. Really great."

He seemed to notice her dull tone of voice on the other side, because he reverted to his regretful state. "I'm really sorry again. I'm the worst friend."

Friend. Why did that word bother her so much?

"Don't be stupid. Can happen to anyone." She bit into her cheek. It was a good thing Jacob couldn't see her.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," he reassured her. "In fact, why don't you come to my house next Saturday? We could study. I could really use your tutoring," he added with a laugh.

"I can't next Saturday, sorry." She would be lying if she said she didn't want to make it a little challenging for him, but truthfully, she had plans to visit Julia that weekend.

"Okay, next?"

Her lips curled upward, unable to suppress the growing smile that graced her face. "You really want to make up for it, don't you?"

"I'm a man of word."

She shook her head. What was it about Jacob Black that made her want to giggle like a five-year-old?

"Okay, next Saturday it is."

The rest of the conversation was mostly about his day at the dump with Bella. It seemed like they had finally gathered all the necessary tools and parts to repair the bikes, and chances were high that they would be able to put them to test within the upcoming days.

When the call finally ended, Anna couldn't wipe the silly grin off her face. And as she had suspected from the beginning, Jacob could stand her up again, and she would still forgive him, giving up everything just to see his bright smile once more.

However, a thought lingered in her mind. She hadn't spoken to Bella again about the incident in the woods. And it was quite apparent that she preferred it that way. But from the way Jacob had just spoken about her, it seemed like she had truly had a good time with him.

And that was a good thing. For her own sake, for Charlie's sake.

And yet... There was an ache within her, a twinge of pain that came along with the realization that it was with Jacob that Bella found enjoyment.

Because she knew it felt entirely selfish and wrong to think that way. The conflicting emotions tugged at her conscience, whispering accusations of self-centeredness. But even so, she couldn't quell the twisting sensation in her stomach whenever the image of Bella and Jacob together invaded her thoughts. The thought of them being alone, sharing inside jokes, intimate gazes. The undeniable magnetic pull they seemed to have toward each other. It all stirred an unsettling mix of emotions within her.

With a heavy sigh, she conceded that it was best not to dwell on it too much.

Prepared to go to sleep, Anna frowned when she heard an strange sound. Curious, she walked over to the window and cautiously opened it, allowing her to position her ear and listen intently.

A chill ran down her spine.

From afar, the distinct howl of a wolf echoed through the air.

⸻

Hi reader! How are you? What do you think so far? In each chapter I let you see a little more of Anna's past. The truth is that I didn't want to write everything in one chapter, so you will surely find more context in the next chapters, of course if you don't already have an idea of what happened to her, her father, and her mother.

I have to say: Anna falling in love based on idealizations is just like me.

See you!