Pinned but Fluttering

Chapter 21

Here's the new chapter...with the first part of the event I've envisioned since the beginning of the story. More will follow in the next chapter.

Warning: There is severe violence in this chapter. If violence is not your thing, if you're bothered by it in any way, please do not read this chapter.

Chapter 21

It seemed like only a few minutes later we were piling into vehicles right and left, moving the party from the Black home to First Beach where there was more privacy and no adults to supervise, a good thing in everyone's opinion but mine.

At first I wondered why we were moving the party; Billy wasn't home yet, and the alcohol seemed to be flowing quite freely...if a little clandestinely. But I've never attended a beach party with Jacob's friends before and was excited about the prospect.

Especially since Jacob seemed to cling to me tonight, especially after I gave him my gift.

He held my hand so sweetly as we left the house, and as he lifted me into a huge van, his warm hands on my waist felt very nice. Sliding in after me, he slung an arm across the back of the seat behind me, hugging me to him, and I basked in his warmth and attention. And I basked in his beautiful Jacob-y smile, even though his eyes were a little glazed over with alcohol consumption.

I had missed his special smile so much.

And despite the fact that he was so much bigger and taller now than he had been last year, he was still my Jacob.

MY Jacob.

I felt so happy to be near him, practically hugged by him, that I became slightly giggly even though I had consumed no alcohol like everyone else had.

I had known most of these kids since I came to La Push when I was ten, but tonight some of them...mostly the guys...stared at me and Jacob with an uncomfortable look on their faces.

I also noticed that Jacob was keeping a special eye on Sam, the largest of the La Push kids. Sam really wasn't a kid at all anymore; he had to be close to twenty-one now. All the guys seemed to check with Sam about everything...as if seeking permission to do anything.

Sam was also the one person I myself felt weird around tonight. He seemed to be staring at me with a strange expression on his dark face. I noticed that Jacob had made sure that Sam wasn't around when Jake sought me out and opened my gift.

Nestled into Jacob's side as the van jounced its way through La Push and toward the beach, I couldn't have felt happier.

Little did I know what was in store for me on that beautiful beach in a short time....

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We parked in the second parking lot, the one closest to the fire pits, and we all pitched in, carrying scrap wood for the fire and ice chests full of drinks and food. Emily, Sam's girlfriend, had baked a special chocolate fudge birthday cake for Jacob, and I helped her to carry it out to the cement picnic bench closest to the fire pit. We set out plastic forks and small paper plates, and Emily pulled out a pack of birthday candles out of her jacket pocket, smiling at me; I returned her smile tentatively.

Jacob appeared behind me, a beer in his hand which he offered to me. I shook my head; beer was nasty-tasting stuff, and I much preferred soda. He was back a moment later with a Sprite which I accepted gratefully.

The whole group gathered around the cement picnic table and raucously sang a very off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Jacob who cheerfully blew out Emily's candles. I helped Emily cut the very fudgy cake and distribute the pieces. Then before I had a chance to even nibble from my piece, I was helping most of the guys to second slices of cake...then third and even fourth slices. Despite all the pizza they had consumed at Billy's, these boys were ravenous; I had never seen boys eat so much food in my entire life.