Arthur's Note: This a flash back to help set up the story. It's a plot point, but if you want to skip to the next chapter where the story properly takes places, I wouldn't hold it against anybody.


Someone should have told me that my crush was that obviously in plain sight for anyone to see. I somehow convinced myself that I was mature about it. I thought I kept my crush mostly to myself. I thought I was careful not to do double takes at him, or try not to sit in the desk next to him whenever we had a class together.

I didn't let myself like Embry Call. I tried my hardest to avoid him in the halls, I never mentioned him let alone told anyone, I didn't even look at him. I had my back to him all four years of high school.

But everyone within ten feet of me knew the whole time. No one told me how bad I actually had it for Embry Call.

I was mortified when my friends first told me how I should go to a party because Embry was suppose to be there. They said it so casually, so knowingly, as if they were talking about the weather. While I was so speechless that my mouth dried up. I barely managed to ask them how many people knew ten minutes later. They shrugged me off, they were sure I knew everyone in our grade already knew I liked Embry since middle school.

I was so humiliated I just hid in their bathroom till it was time to go. One of my friends did her best to apply makeup on me in the car. She was so excited for Embry to see me with eyeliner, blush and lipstick that was shakily applied in a dark car. I barely remember if it turned out scary or decent because it was the least mortifying part of that night.

With a reservation as small as La push, most parties often end up at the beach. Everyone in the school always shows up to beach parties. No parents, and plenty of space and the beach keeps people entertained, which all make it the perfect party venue. It was the last day of summer, the first day of school started in just twelve hours. The entire three hundred something student body packed the beach, half of them already in the water and the rest building bonfires or serving out the jungle juice. That was local tradition, each student had to bring a bottle of any kind of liquor to mix in or be shared. La Push jungle juice never tasted like fireball and gummy worms, it tasted like cans of beers and stolen booze from our parents, and it guaranteed the worst hangover of your life. Only the strong could handle it. Tourists can barely endure a cup.

I didn't.

"You're not gonna forget this night." My friend Skylar laughed, but looking back at it now I should have taken it as a warning. She was right. I never did live this night down.

I can still feel the sand in the night air brushing over my exposed shoulders whenever I think about this night. I feel the heat blasting on my skin where hands squeezed. Then immediately the hordes of laughing and ridicule.

I'm not going to play victim, and tell myself that was the worst night of my life. It wasn't. God knows I've had dozens of harder nights. But it's the night that changed everything, and even after all these years La Push won't let me forget it. Till this day I'm still known as the drunk girl on the rez.

All my friends thought Embry and I was such a cute idea. They were all supportive, but at age sixteen it was more pushy than helpful. Skylar lent me her bikini, and swapped for my regular one piece that was one size too small for her, which showed off the beginnings of her new boobs. While me who barely hit puberty barely filled out her baby blue, triangle, stringy two piece. They had to triple knot the measly string before we all got into the car.

Even now I still won't wear a bikini.

Anyone and everyone could see how red my body flushed when I was swimming in those two pieces. An embarrassingly orangey-pink blush that I couldn't hide. All I could do that night was tugged the bottoms as high they would go and pray the knot held over and over again.

After being clued in, I felt like everyone noticed when I found Embry in the crowd when we first got there. He was surrounded by his friends on a blanket, all of them still long haired and boyish. Sixteen year old me thought everyone was staring, and they were...just not yet.

My friends figured if everyone knew, then what was to lose if I tried talking to him? Then I realized the worst right when I walked up to him; what if Embry knew I liked him? He was nice when I froze up and walked off. He offered me a wave while his friends snickered while I retreated for the makeshift bar.

That was my first mistake.

I downed at least three cupfuls by the time I got in the water. I couldn't walk straight anymore. I figured the next best thing was to float and bobble till I could feel my knees again. I nearly sunk like a rock when I saw Embry drop his shirt at the shoreline. I swear the water got warmer when he swam in.

I'd usually pretend I didn't see Embry, then probably get out of the water for good measure. But young and drunk is a bad combination. Instead I swam up right next to him.

"Hey Winnie." He was nice enough to say hi when he noticed me, because Embry is too polite and sweet for the average teenager. His hair was down, the long brown mane stuck to the back of his neck and shoulders.

"Hi." For one measly word, I managed to slur it. I still turn red at the memory of that goofy grin I gave him.

"You look like you're having a good time. Are you good?" He chuckled at how drunk I was. He made my school girl dreams a reality when he inched closer to put a supporting hand at the back of my neck, just in case he had to pull me up if I went under.

"Super." I barely held my head up over a wave. The tide almost sent me drifting, but Embry's hand caught me before I got swept off. A firm hand holding me at the curve of my shoulder, another keeping me close by the small of my back. He pulled me in so close our knees kept softly colliding underwater, and I could see the water sticking to his lashes.

"I know you're a tough girl and all, but being this far out when you're this tipsy isn't the best idea." Embry looped an arm around me, his hand going from my lower back to the curve of my hip. I was so wasted I didn't remember how I let out a pleased hum till the morning after. "Let's get you to the kiddie pool."

"Embry, I should have asked you ou—"

The ocean pulled back far, then a wave silenced me. Half the beach was pushed back towards the shore. It crashed on top of us, flattening us into the sand. Water burned up my nose while mouthfuls of it were so cold it stung like battery acid as it forced its way down. The tides flipped me against my will, threatening to pull my neck in the opposite direction of my body was dragged towards. Just when I thought I found the ocean floor, a second wave landed on me. The only thing I could do was thrash and hope I figured out where the surface was.

"Winnie!" Embry and I were ripped apart. But he went back for me. He pulled me up by my elbows, helping me up to feet. "You're alright, you're alright..."

The rush of cold wasn't what made me figure it out. No, the piercing wolf whistle was the giveaway. Then the laughing broke out.

The wave knock off the bikini.

The top was drifting towards shore, while the bottoms were dragged off towards the sea.

I was too scared to even cry or shout. All I could manage was a dunk back into the water in a weak attempt to hide. I grabbed what I could, reached around and clutched with a white knuckle grip till skin threatened to rip.

The whole beach was laughing at me, and even the sea was cackling. The louder they laughed, the more exposed my skin felt. The entire student body saw every inch of my body. They saw all of it, all tongue, cheeks, and lips. No matter how much more I sunk into the ocean, they couldn't unsee it.

If I had just one or the other half on, I would have made a run for it. But both my hands were only enough for one of the other, not all of that much skin. I wasn't sure if the salt in my eyes or the humiliation made the tears well up.

"Look at me." Then there was Embry, blocking me from as much as he could. I only caught a glance of him before he came in and out of my blurry vision. A sweatshirt billowed around me and resisted the water before being weighed down then sinking. The fabric was cold rather than comforting from all the water.

"Just look at me." Embry assured, pulling the sweatshirt as far down as it'll go before helping me to my feet. I didn't even know he ran to shore and back to get this.

Our hands clutch at each other as I stumbled back up shore. I was so wasted, if I let go I felt like I would land into the sand. I didn't even bother to get my stuff. Instead, I immediately rushed across the beach, hurried past the parked cars and ignored the pointing and cellphones as much as I could. I picked up some speed when the sand gave away to solid dirt and grass.

Even far away from everyone, and I still felt completely naked.

"Winnie," Embry slowed down, pulling us to stop. The humiliation sobered me up, and the realization hit me so suddenly a headache rushed to the front of my head. I pulled back, only to find out how much I needed the support to stand up straight. My head aware but legs were still drunk, I stumble over my own feet till I landed into a tree.

"I'm not gonna bother even asking if you're okay, when I know you're not. Can I drive you home? Take you to get some food?" Embry reached for me, offering a hand like he done all night. It was then I noticed he was shaking, still shirtless to the waist down, he was soaking wet.

"The whole school just saw me naked." I rasped, nearing hyperventilation. I could feel the burn of the alcohol again, only this time back up instead of down.

"At least you're drunk." He didn't answer. Not with a lame lie about how no one saw me to spare my feelings, which I appreciated the honesty more than the fleeting comfort. But he didn't say yes either.

"Help me change schools. Or dump my body somewhere." I keeled over, not sure if I was going to throw up or just needed a place to hide. I couldn't stand it. Every curve and inch of my body felt polished, pinched and rubbed from all the eyes. I felt violated.

"I'm sorry, Winnie. I'm so sorry." Embry apologized, hugging his arms across his chest, sending water everywhere.

"You didn't have to. It wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't your fault either." Embry pointed out. "Is there anything I can do? Anything?"

"Not unless you can go back in time and drown me instead," My legs finally gave out from under me and I landed into the grass with a thump that made Embry jumped. "I'm just gonna sit here."

I needed a moment from all the running, from all the laughing, from all of the last few hours of my life. The party could still be heard from the beach, the music and crackle of fire floated over the treetops to us.

"You don't have to have to stay." I said to Embry who instead lowered down next to me. Not too fast though, as if it'll make me motion sick.

"Not a chance." Embry's hand landed on my knee, then gave it a squeeze that made me even dizzier. "I'm staying till you feel better."

"I just flashed the entire school, and all in front of the guy I like. I'm not gonna feel better till I graduate."

"Lucky guy then." Embry chuckled, the rumble made my stomach did an excited leap. Then immediately lurched afterwards like I might throw up. "You should have taken him out to dinner first, Winnie."

"I doubt he'll say yes if I ask now." I clutched my legs to my chest, and hoped it would help lessen the nausea.

"No, he'll definitely say yes now. He'll be crazy not to. Who wouldn't want to see you from head to toe again?" My heart jumped so hard it rammed into my rib cage. The earth tilted on its edge, and nearly sent me toppling over into the grass. I had to held my breath so I wouldn't have gasped.

"Whose the guy you like? Do I know him?" Embry asked, his voice threatening to crack a bit at the end like puberty. Drunken me had the urge to say him of course, apparently the whole school knew, which meant Embry should have known too. Yet, I still couldn't live with it. How do even say, "I know that you know I like you." Let alone even ask a boy out? I was fifteen and hopeless and awkward like everyone else. Then I was fifteen, hopeless, awkward, and butt naked to everyone on the Rez.

"You know him." I slurred the ending. "You definitely know him."

"So I'm guessing someone in our grade." Embry thinks it's over, his face going serious. "It's Jared Cameron isn't it? Every girl has a crush on him. But Kim had first dips since preschool—"

"It's not Jared Cameron," I shook my head to myself. "It's someone I've liked since the fifth grade. Then tonight my friends clued me in on how everyone already knew I have the biggest crush on them. Which just makes this night that much more humiliating." I buried my face into the tops of my knees, ready for the ground to swallow me whole. It felt like finding out you're actually the biggest idiot in the room and everyone had been laughing at you the whole time, but add nudity to that nightmare. I've never felt so hollowed our before.

"Don't tell me it's Paul Lahote." He groaned, throwing his head back. If half the girls in our grade haven't liked Jared Cameron since kindergarten, then the other half had a crush on Paul Lahote. "I didn't take you for one of those people who like a bad boy type."

"No, Lahote is too much of a hot head." If it hadn't been such a humiliating night I would have laughed. "The guy I like is the nicest person I know. My favorite thing I like about him is how he's the sweetest guy to anyone and everyone."

"Sounds like a winner, " Embry nodded solemnly, grinding his shoe into the dirt.

"He helped me tonight." I hear the slurred words before I realize I'm saying them. A long silent moment passed before the implications of my words weighed me down. I almost cursed but everything was slowed down by the alcohol. I didn't turn red till his eyes locked on mine, "No, wait—"

I didn't get to finish, Embry closed the gap between us. He hesitated, stopping against my nose. Every hair on my body stood up on end, my body threatening to shake. He swallowed, leaning in further, with his hands reaching up to grasp me around my hips then he hesitated again, and dropped them.

He didn't hesitate again. He closed in on me, not stopping this time till our lips meet. He cupped my face to bring me in closer, the other getting tangled in my wet hair. Just as we were about to deepen the kiss there was a burst.

"Yeah, get it Call!"

"Call is making out with the school slut!"

We didn't break apart, we jumped apart. A group of drunk boys hooted and cheered as they broke through the tree line, the phones shining lights on me as they record everything. I stumbled back, I felt naked all over again. But this time naked and damned like a burning woman at the stake.

"Hey!" Embry squared his shoulders, shielding me as much as his scrawny fifteen year old body could. Him being shirtless made everything seem worse than it actuality worse. It was almost as horrible as the beach just twenty minutes before. I didn't wait for the boys to stop recording, or for them to hoist Embry on their shoulders or whatever.

I bolted.

Wasted, humiliated, wobbly and sore from the entire night, I ran.

And I never spoke to Embry Call again.