Jasper's mate

Stories

There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy Bella thought was named Ben gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a teepee-shaped construction built atop the old cinders.

'Have you both ever seen a driftwood fire?' Mike asked Bella and Diana. Diana was stilling on one of the bone-colored benches; the other girls clustered, gossiping excitedly, on either side of Diana. Bella came in last, she sat down next to Diana. Mike kneeled by the fire, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter.

'No,' Bella said as he placed the blazing twig carefully against the teepee.

'You'll like this then---watch the colors,' said Mike and he lit another small branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood.

'It's blue,' said Diana surprised.

'The salt does it. pretty, isn't it?' Mike asked. He lit one more piece, placed it where the fire hadn't yet caught, and then came to sit by Diana. Thankfully, Jess was on his other side. She turned to him and claimed his attention. William ran towards Diana and sat down on her lap. They watched the strange blue and green flames crackle toward the sky.

Half an hour of chatter, some of the boys wanted to hike to the nearby tidal pools. It was a dilemma. One the one hand, Diana loved since she was a child; then were one of the only things Bella and Diana ever looked forward to when Bella and Diana came to Forks. On the other hand, Bella already fallen into them a lot. Not a big deal when you're seven with your dad. It reminded Bella of Edward's request---that she not fall into the ocean.

Lauren was the one who made decision for Bella. She didn't want to hike, and she was definitely wearing the wrong shoes for it. Most other girls besides Jessica, Angela and Bella decided to stay on the beach as well. Samantha and Diana quietly joined the pro-hiking group. Mike gave Diana a huge smile. Diana and Samantha rolled their eyes when Mike started talking to Eric.

The hike wasn't too long, though Diana hated to lose the sky in the woods. The green light of the forest was strangely at odds with the adolescent laughter, too murky and ominous to be in harmony with the light banter around them.

Diana was enjoying the tidal river flowed past on its way to the sea. It was low tide, and a tidal river flowed past them on its way to the sea. Diana cautiously leaned far over the little ocean ponds. The other were fearless, leaping over the rocks, perching precariously on the edges.

Diana leaped over the rock to see her reflection and the things stuck tide pools. The orange star fish moving away as the waves crashed spraying the tidepools. They were talking about Scuba and surfing.

Finally the boys were hungry, and Diana got up stiffly to follow them back. When they go back to the first beach, the group they'd left behind had multiplied. As they got closer they could see the shinning, straight black hair and copper skin of the new comers, teenagers from the reservation came to socialize.

William was sitting in Bella's lap, observing the new comers and looking for Diana. He was frowning as the group multiplied.

The food was already being, passed around, and the boys and Diana and Samantha looked at each other and the boys. They started run towards the fire. They boys were a bit behind than Diana and Samantha. William squealed and ran towards Diana and Samantha. Samantha ran towards William and took in her arms. William laughed as she swirled around.

Diana took William in her arms as she sat down next to Jacob and Bella. Samantha also joined by Angela. They finished their dinner as soon as possible.

'I'm going to watch the waves, anyone interested,' Diana asked.

'Sure, I'll come. Maybe we can surf, later?' said one of the boys next to Jacob.