Skulls and Bones ▸ Sam Uley [REWRITING]

00. Hot Days in La Push

   She saw Leah sitting on a bench next to the bonfire area, arms folded around herself. Leah never sat like that. She always sat with her back straight and arms at her sides, her own personal way of showing people she was confident with herself and didn't think she was weak. Now, she had her arms wrapped around her knees, clad in dark denim jeans, and had her chin resting on her fingers. Regan walked over to where Leah was sitting and plopped down next to her, giving the Clearwater girl a smile.

   "Hey, Lee," she said with a grin. When Leah didn't smile back, Regan tried not to let her grin falter. "How about this weather?"

   Leah snorted at that, and Regan was happier to see that she was making at least some progress. "We're talking about the weather? Really?"

   "Well, I mean, this does only happen like once every five years," Regan replied, gesturing to the sunlight that shone brightly above them. It got quiet then, Regan itching for Leah to start the conversation so she wouldn't have to. She wasn't good with feelings. The only real boyfriend she'd ever had was the perfect example of this fact. They had only dated for five months before he had told her things weren't working out and they had split. Simple as that. Sam and Leah were engaged, for Christ's sake. It wasn't like they were some couple in middle school, skirting around the "I like you, do you like me" act. They were real. And Regan didn't have knowledge of something real like that.

   "I don't know what's going on with him, Regan," Leah whispered. She fingered the ring that rested on her hand, twisting it around like it was comforting. "He's been so distant lately. First it was the mysterious sickness. My dad was over at his house every two seconds, it seemed like." Regan vaguely remembered when Harry would excuse himself to go over to Sam's house, claiming that he was helping out the violently ill Uley boy. "And then it was the calling me and telling me he couldn't hang out with me for a while, until he was better. I didn't give a shit if he was sick. He's my fiancé. Isn't the saying 'sickness and health' meaningful to him?" Leah shook her head. "But every time I tried to go down there, my dad would bark orders at me to stay home." Regan remembered this, too. She hadn't ever been around when Leah and Harry had gotten into deep arguments, when Harry had prohibited her from visiting Sam until he was ready.

   "And then there was the haircut and the five second visits. He stopped by to tell me he was better, he was sorry, and then he went back home. Like I hadn't spent nearly a month wondering what the hell was going on with him. And now, he's only hanging out with me for an hour at most before he runs off into the woods, like some freaking animal." Leah leaned back against the table, sighing. Regan followed her actions, pressing her back against the slightly warm metal. It was silent for another few seconds before Regan heard Leah breathe deeply. "Regan, do you have any idea what's happening to my husband?"

   It was the certain way that Leah said "husband" that made Regan's heart clench. Leah knew that this was the man she was going to marry. There was no point in beating around the bush. Even if they weren't technically husband and wife yet, Leah knew that that's what they really were. Soulmates. Regan had remembered the first time Sam had asked Leah out on a date. Leah had known then, too. And there was a dull ache that reminded Regan that she'd never had that in her life.

   "I'm sure it's nothing, Leah," Regan promised, reaching over and squeezing her best friend's hand. "You know how crazy Sam is about you." Leah would have to be stupid not to see it. Sam idolized her.

   Leah nodded, but it didn't look like she believed a thing Regan said. "Yeah," she said distantly, like she was thinking of something else. "It's just something that's been eating away at me." Leah let out an annoyed snort. "Plus, the only reason Dad let me leave the house was because I basically took a blood oath that I was going to see you and not Sam." She looked at the watch that rested on her wrist. "I should get back before he thinks I've escaped."