𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐈 :: paul lahote

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝓿.

v. ETERNAL PROMISE.

WHEN FLEUR LOCKLEAR RETURNED TO FORKS FOR THE WEEK, SHE SENSED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH HER FRIEND AT THE REZ. At first, Embry Call's mother had dismissed it as some kind of cold, the flu. But the flu didn't take two weeks to recover from. Determined to check on him, she had decided to stop by Embry's house on her way to Jacob's with Bella.

Imagine her surprise when her friend, who took pride in his long, luscious locks, emerged from his room not only shirtless but with his hair cropped short. His words from a couple of weeks ago about sticking together no matter what, even against Sam Uley's cult, seemed as distant as he was now. Embry was avoiding her, dodging her questions, and then he kicked her out. She tried calling him, sending texts, and asking Jake and Quil about it, but they were as confused about his behaviour as she was.

Fleur sat in the back of Bella's truck as she drove, extra carefully due to the finished bikes in the bed. They drove south out of town, the dirt road weaving in and out of the forest. Sometimes there was nothing but trees, and then there would suddenly be a breathtaking glimpse of the Pacific Ocean, reaching to the horizon, dark grey under the clouds. They were above the shore, on top of the cliffs that bordered the beach, and the view seemed to stretch on forever.

Jacob was talking about finishing the bikes, but his descriptions were getting technical, so Fleur didn't pay attention to him. Bella focused on the road, her grip on the steering wheel tight and replying to Jacob every once in a while, while Fleur stared out the window, her mind churning with worry and confusion. The situation with Embry gnawed at her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something much bigger was at play.

The cold wind whipped through Fleur's hair as she gazed at the horizon, the salt tang of the ocean filling her lungs. Each turn of the road, each crashing wave below, seemed to echo the tumult in her heart. What had happened to Embry? What had changed him so drastically? The questions spun endlessly, much like the waves battering the shore. She felt the distance between them, as vast and insurmountable as the ocean itself, and a cold determination settled in her bones. She would find out what was going on.

They drove slowly, Fleur lost in thought, when Bella's sharp intake of breath drew her attention. Four figures stood on a rocky ledge, perilously close to the precipice. Despite the chill in the air, they wore nothing but shorts, their bronze skin glistening in the pale light.

Fleur's gaze followed Bella's, narrowing in concern. The tallest among them stepped closer to the brink. Bella slowed the truck, her eyes wide with alarm.

And then he leapt off the edge.

"No!" Bella shouted, her foot slamming on the brake.

"What's wrong?" Jacob and Fleur exclaimed in unison, their voices tinged with alarm.

"That guy—he just jumped off the cliff! Why didn't they stop him? We've got to call an ambulance!" Bella threw open her door, starting to get out in a frantic rush. It made no sense—the quickest way to a phone was to drive back to Billy's—but Fleur held her tongue.

Instead, she and Jacob exchanged grins, laughter bubbling between them. Bella spun to stare at them, her face wild with disbelief.

"They're just cliff diving, Bella. Recreation. La Push doesn't have a mall, you know." Jacob teased, though a strange note of irritation coloured his voice.

"Cliff diving?" Bella echoed, dazed. Her eyes widened in disbelief as a second figure stepped to the edge, pausing briefly before leaping into the void with a graceful arc. He seemed to fall forever, finally slicing smoothly into the dark grey waves below.