Chapter Three (Part 1)

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I figured that you deserved a fast-ish update. This is the first completed part of Chaper 3, and it will be in 3 or 4 parts! They're coming soon!!!

Oh, and this part is in past tense 'cuz it... well, you know... happened in the past haha. 

Anything you can let me know about my writing is helpful! Please comment about rough parts, confusing parts, fast parts, misspelled parts...

Vote and comment!

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CHAPTER THREE

~:March 20th, 2004:~

His sparkling blue eyes laughed down at me as he triumphantly hoisted the beach ball in both arms above us.

His tawny-blonde hair, cut  a little short against his head, was ruffled and uneven. When he leered at me, I could see the missing front tooth, which was brought to attention in the front. The gap was hollow and dark. His mouth looked gross and squishy on the inside.   

"Ha!" he crowed, tilting his head back and howling at the sky. "Jared, ten; Nessa ZERO!"

Jared hopped about on his tiny feet, kicking up pebbles and mud in a wide circle.

When he was turned away, I gathered up all of my strength and leapt onto his back. He shrieked and squealed like a pig, trying to buck me off without dropping the vibrant beach ball. I latched onto him tightly and wrapped my thin arms around his neck, putting him in a firm choke-hold, giggling all the while.  

"There's a thing abou' a Nessa, though..." I laughed into his ear, causing him to wail in protest. "I NEVER GIVE UP!"

I yowled and used his body as a boost to propel myself up, making him loose balance. I enveloped the ball with my body, locking it in my embrace. Jared, behind me, got a face full of grass. He scrambled onto his feet indignantly, a snarling tangle of lanky, asymmetrical limbs.

His eyes were now furious, but the intention behind them was playful.

With an evil smirk twisting his features, he dove onto me, wiping the green stains that smeared his cheeks off onto my shirt. His head rubbed into my back like an eager cat seeking a hand. His fingers played over my small ribs, trying to find a grip, or at least to tickle me into submission. I let out a squeak, but remained stiff. Mom might get a little huffy about the mess we made out of my shirt, though.

Jared was two years older than me, and son of our Pack's Beta. He was my constant back up and my best friend, and his strength was almost equal to mine... not to mention the equality of our sheer stubborness. You see, when it comes to the strength of a Wolf, lineage seems to be important. 

He pried against my defenses, grunting and straining. My tiny, lithe, seven-year old body was tempted to break, but I kept my claws on the prize, so to speak. 

Jared began to try to kick the ball out from underneath me, but still I kept it in place. The rhythmic nudge of his foot straining against my side over and over was irritating and made breathing almost impossible.

The jolting sensation became less violent, and eventually ended. My aching ribs heaved as they struggled for the relief of a breath. I glared over my shoulder at Jared. 

He observed me from a few feet away, trying to find a lapse in my defenses. His round face was propped in his hand, huge eyes narrowed in thought. The fact that Jared was a brilliant strategist worried me a bit, but I somewhat managed to not focus on it.

Even though he seemed not to find any, he strolled to my hunched-over body. I didn't notice the strange, manic look in his eyes, and just resolved to curl up even tighter. Without any warning, he hefted me over his shoulders, and I screamed. My fingers knotted themselves in the slippery material of the ball and I clenched it against my stomach.

The boy began spinning me in his tough, gangly arms, then twirled a few times himself. I was enjoying it personally, watching from the corner of my eyes as he attempted to make me dizzy. Instead it had the opposite effect. His eyes were red and watering, and his steps were beginning to slow and to stumble. Jared squinted and his face pulled back into an exaggerated frown, before he tossed me. He fell to the ground next to me.

His beautiful talking eyes were now smiling, whispering stories of happiness and a shared joy.

"Aw, fine!" he mumbled grumpily, crossing his arms. I could tell that some part of him, a large part, wasn't kidding; the hard set of his mouth and the start of worry in his eyes was too overwhelming. His jaw was taught, which made me frown. "I give up! You happy, Vanessa?"

Unable to contain my giddiness, I leapt up and yowled, twirling in a circle, strutting and dancing. My face almost split in half with my toothy happiness. I saw Jared flinch before a flicker of a grin twitched at the side of his face. I threw the ball to the side and then jumped onto my belly beside him. My elbows dug into the earth and I propped my face in my upraised hands.

I snuggled into Jared's side. He radiated a terrifying heat that soaked through my thin limbs. I stared at him, and he reciprocated. We studied the contours of each other's faces, and finally he put an arm around my shoulder. I pressed my cheek against his beating heart and just listened to his chest rise and fall.

His musing baby blues gazed up at the sky, watching the clouds toss in the timid breeze. "You know, Nessa," he said abruptly, "I love you. You're my bestest friend ever. You'll always be."

I beamed. "I love you too, Jared."

He looked pleased.

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And I hope that you guys know that this is the beginning of the cutest/saddest story ever... *sighs*. Writing about Jared is very sad for me, especially since I've lost close childhood friends (they didn't DIE, but you know. Relationship changes and the like) and childhood romance is so free.

Love you, and will update soon... Muahahaha!

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