Swan Goin' Wolf

Regrouping

I stood near the edge of the water feeling the slight pain that came from the wind coming off the freezing Pacific Ocean on my face. It was October and the beach still had a few visitors before the tourists dubbed the weather too cold for going to the beach. I had always loved the beach, the water washing away any problem you may have. Today the beach felt lonely. Suddenly everything was changing so rapidly, my best girl friend had runaway to college while her sister ran off with a husband, my guy friends had suddenly found that I no longer mattered to them and started hanging out with Sam Uley.

Ever since the guy had gone missing last year and came back with a huge growth spurt and change in attitude he had seemed like bad news. When he came back he suddenly declined a scholarship to Seattle University, dropped all sports, and dumped his girlfriend of three years, Leah Clearwater. The council seemed to think that the sun and the moon rose and set on his ass while others thought and spread rumors of drug dealing and starting a gang. The beginning seemed to be signaled by a massive growth spurt and a high fever. These were followed by a change in temper and a shorter fuse. All questions were brushed off and I was left to deal on my own. I felt abandoned by the people who had been my friends since we were too young to remember and for what? A new friend and some drugs? I found it hard to believe.

I sighed and started my way back down the beach. I felt the sand between my toes as I walked and relaxed into normalcy of the action. This was the one thing that I knew would never change. The feeling of the sand and ability to come here when I wanted, even on my worst days. I opened my eyes and saw that I had come pretty close to the cliffs that ran on either said of the beach and turned to head back to my car. As I got closer to the parking lot I could see a group of three guys standing around a pick up. All three were shirtless even though it could be forty degrees out here. As I got closer I started to recognize the people. The very reason that I was here hoping to let my sadness wash away to sea. Paul, Jared and Sam Uley.

I refused to take the long way to my car to avoid them, I had to get home. As I started to pass them Paul looked up from their conversation and caught my eye. I wanted to understand why he and Jared were doing this to me. Why after being thick as thieves for eleven years I suddenly meant nothing to them, but instead I set my jaw and kept walking. I swear I saw pain flash through Paul's eyes, but ignored it as I continued to my car. As I pulled out all three guys stared as I pulled out, I met Sam's gaze as I drove past and something seemed to change about him as our eyes met. I broke our stare and pulled out onto the street to make my way home.

The drive from First Beach to our home in Forks was only fifteen minutes. I couldn't thinking about Sam. Something in his eyes changed when I looked at him it was like he was seeing me for the first time. I pulled into an empty driveway when I got home. Dad wouldn't be here till after his shift that ended at six, this gave me plenty of time to make dinner. I opened the fridge and cabinets to see what we had and found some hamburger meat, peppers that I had gotten a week, cheese, rice and onions. With a little more searching I found some hamburger buns and set to work on hamburgers and stuffed peppers.

I turned on the radio and sang along as I cooked. When the peppers were in the oven, I looked up at the clock and saw that I had time to grab my sketch book from my room. I hurried up the stairs and down the hall, passing the closed bedroom door that belong to my sister. Even though she refused to come to Forks anymore dad kept her room ready encase she ever wanted to come. She hadn't been here in three years since I was sixteen. Instead she had dad come down to California to vacation with her for two weeks. I knew dad wished that she would come here to be with him, but I knew that if she didn't want to dad wouldn't force her.

My room was painted a light yellow, but there were pictures and posters taped all over the walls making the yellow almost impossible to find. The bed cover a yellow and gray patchwork quilt that Jared's mom and I had worked hours on when I was thirteen. Natalie and I had been so proud of our work. After Jared and I had become friend she took over the role as my mother and I took over the role of the daughter she always wanted. I walked over to the window seat and picked up my sketch book before going back down stairs.