The Adventurer | S. Clearwater (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 6

Seth had unfortunately fallen sick with the flu shortly after his and Declan's late night adventure. Declan felt bad and kind of blamed himself but Seth kept assuring him it was no big deal. Declan felt weird going to school without Seth, but it was still nice hanging out with the other boys. On the Tuesday afternoon Declan decided to go visit Jacob with Embry and Quill, the three of them wanting to see if Jacob's stories about Bella Swan were true. Jacob had been talking their ears off the last couple days about how he was building bikes with Bella.

"Yo, Jake. You in there?" Embry called out as the boys walked into Jake's barn.

"Hey Jake" Declan greeted with a smile.

"Hey guys. This is Bella" Jake greeted back, gesturing over to Bella as an introduction. Declan smiled softly at the girl and Bella actually managed a small smile back, the boys kind energy being somewhat infectious.

"Bella, this is Quill, Embry and Declan" Jake introduced the boys to the small brunette.

"I'm Quill Ateara" Quill spoke in what he seemed to believe to be a seductive voice. Declan glanced over at the boy with a face of disgust before turning to look at Bella, who was smiling awkwardly over at Jake.

"It's uh nice to have another pale person around but make sure you don't steal my thunder" Declan broke the awkward silence with a small laugh.

"So, the bike building story is true" Quill piped up once again.

"Uh, yeah. I taught him everything he knows" was Bella's quiet reply.

"What about the part where you're his girlfriend?" Quill snarked, a small smirk coming up on his face. Bella looked around awkwardly before mumbling about how they were just friends.

"Ooh, burn" Embry laughed out, Declan even letting out a small snort. Although, Declan did feel bad that the girl Jake obviously had feelings for didn't like him back. Jacob tried to correct them saying he had just told them she was a girl and a friend but Quill and Embry just continued to tease. Declan had to admit, Jacob bringing up the fact that Quill would have to bring his cousin to prom in retaliation to be quite funny, even if it did start a playful fight between the two.

"I got five bucks on Quill" Embry piped up as him and Declan walked over to Bella.

"You're on" she challenged.

"Yeah sorry Embry, but my money's on Jake" Declan added in with a laugh as the three of them watched the fight in front of them. Bella smiled up at the pale boy beside her, her eyes sparkling with slight curiosity. Bella couldn't help but wonder about the boy with the dazzling smile and eyes filled with wonder and mischief.

"Hey Bella, could I hitch a ride down to Forks with you? My mom works as a nurse down there and I thought maybe I could hang around down there until she was done" Declan questioned the quiet brunette as she got ready to head home.

"Um yeah sure" Bella mumbled back "hop in" Declan smiled back at her, jumping into the passenger side of her old orange truck. The ride was quiet and peaceful, Declan not forcing Bella to talk if she didn't want to. Bella appreciated the fact that Declan was one of the first people she'd met around here that didn't immediately pester her with questions and small talk.

"So, your moms a nurse?" Bella decided to speak up, still incredibly curious about the boy.

"Yeah! She really cares about people, yeah know? Wants to be able to help save as many lives as she can" Declan spoke with enthusiasm, excited to be able to tell someone about his mom whom he viewed as a sort of hero in his life.

"Cool, she uh must've known doctor Cullen then, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I think my mom mentioned him once, said he was a nice guy" Declan responded, trying to think back on anything his mom might have said about the man.

"What about your dad? What does he do?" Bella asked, trying to be friendly.

"Oh, uh. My dad died in a car accident when I was seven, before we moved to La Push" Declan managed to muster out, ringing his hands nervously.

"Oh my gosh, I'm-I'm so sorry" Bella stuttered out, feeling terrible for bringing up something so awful.

"Oh, no it's cool. I'm okay now, it's been years. He was a great guy too, caring like my mom. Even if he was just an accountant" Declan quickly replied, a small wistful smile appearing on his face.

"Uh, why don't you tell me about him?" And that question is what started a conversation that lasted for hours, Bella even inviting him into her house to hang out as Declan told her stories of his father and Bella told him all about the Cullen's. It was the start of a beautiful friendship as the two lay sprawled out on her bed talking. Bella had never found someone so easy to talk to and felt herself sadden slightly when Declan had to leave. His mom picked him up to head home as Bella stood at the door of her home, waving Declan off as he got in his moms car. She had a smile on her face, looking forward to the next time she would see her new friend. It really was a shame that their friendship would have to end so soon.

A few weeks went by, Seth had returned to being his healthy, happy self. Declan and Seth were as close as could be and Declan had found a great new friend in Bella Swan. The only strange thing was losing Embry and Jake to Sam Uley. It had been odd, suddenly one week Embry had stopped talking to them and was seen hanging around with Sam and his friends, and then about two weeks later the same had happened with Jake. Declan and Seth however, had chosen not to dwell on it. The two were both optimistic that the other two boys would come around, whereas Quill was still quite upset about the whole thing.

It was a Thursday night when Declan sat at the dinner table with his mother and the Clearwater family. The group of six sat eating and chatting animatedly as Declan told a story of the time he'd fallen out of the treehouse and broken is arm. Seth jumping in, saying it definitely wasn't his fault, even though Declan said it was – seeing as the only reason he fell was because Seth had made him laugh so hard he lost his balance.

Leah Clearwater sat silent through most of the dinner but even she couldn't help but smile at the boys ridiculous stories. It was in moments like this that Leah felt that maybe she could get over being dumped by Sam Uley and enjoy her life again, how unfortunate that life was only to get harder for her and the people who sat around her.

It was getting later in the evening, everyone still conversing loudly at the dining table. Declan, getting slightly bored with the conversation but not wanting to leave everyone began drumming lightly on the table. The boy drummed his fingers softly before catching his mother's gaze.

"Declan, our one rule. Remember?" Catlyn Marcs spoke up with a sad smile.

"Sorry. I remember" Declan replied sheepishly as he slid further into his seat "may Seth and I be excused?" Declan questioned lightly to his mother, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Yes, go ahead" Catlyn replied with a nod of her head, the two boys turning to each other with large grins before running off upstairs to Declan's room. The two boys laughed and talked into the late hours of the night with large grins on their faces. If only the two would've known how quickly everything was about to change. If only they'd known that the very next day life would flip upside down, there would no longer be happy smiles and loud laughs. There would only be pain and heartache starting as the sun was high in the sky and the birds chirped. If only they would have noticed that behind that bright sun there was clouds and that amongst the soft chirping of birds was the cawing of crows – warning everyone of what was to come. But then again, how were any of them to have prepared for the red eyes lurking in the woods? And how were they to know the chaos that heartache brings?