Nature's Kiss • Paul Lahote

Ch.2 School

Friday came quickly and the awkwardness between us, Charlie, Billy, Bella and Jacob couldn't be anymore visible.
Bella and Jacob were interesting to say the least. They were completely different. We sat in the living room with them while our parents, Heidi, Billy and Charlie sat out on the porch.

"So, are you guys liking it here?" Jacob asks.
"It's quite boring." I say plainly.
"I heard you girls surf. La Push beach always has decent waves. They're not as good as Hawaii's, but they're good enough." Jacob responds making us nod.
"We planned on going this weekend." Harper says making me look at her in slight shock.
"We did?" I question making her side eye me.
"Yes, we did." She states before looking back to Jacob and Bella. "You guys should come with."
"I don't think th-"
"I'm down!" Jacob quickly cuts Bella off. "It would be cool to see you guys surf! Maybe you can teach my friends and I some things."
"For sure." Harper says with a small smile.

I dreaded the following day. I, of course, wasn't going to get in the water. However, watching my sister surf the choppy waves of La Push beach made me want to. I just couldn't bring myself to though. I knew it wouldn't be the same and the paranoia of getting attacked again ate me up. I still have nightmares about it. "Hey, Harley!" I hear a familiar voice. I turn around and spot the familiar russet skin of Jacob along with two other boys who looked around his age. Bella by his side looking blank like usual.
"Hey." I greet with a small smile as they approach me.
"These are my friend Embry and Quil." Jake introduces me and I turn and look at them. They stare at me in slight awe making me uncomfortably look around.
"I'm Quil Ateara." The shorter of the two says and winks at me causing me to slightly blush.
"Harley." I state.
"It's nice to see Jake not hanging around more pale faces." Embry says making Jake roll his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll loose some color in my time here." I awkwardly joke.
"Yeah right, your mom is as dark as us." Jake says.
"And my dad is as pale as Bella." I respond making Jacob purse his lips.
"Hey you guys made it!" I hear Harper shout and look behind me to see her running toward us, board in hand and hair wet.
"Holy shit is their whole family attractive?" Quil questions quietly.
"You brought friends!" She acknowledges with a small smile.
"Yeah, they wanted to come." Jacob explains.
"Well, good thing I brought extra boards! Come on! I'll give you guys wetsuits." She says and starts walking toward our Jeep. I watched as she hands them certain things from afar, forgetting that Bella was here.

"You're not surfing?" She asks me and I shake my head. "Why not?"
"I no longer like it." I lie making her look at me oddly.
"Charlie told me you were a competitive surfer and you are like really good." She says.
"You call your dad by his first name?" I question, dogging her statement.
"Oh, yeah. I'm not that close to him. I'm just use to saying his name since I lived with my mother most of my life." She explain and I nod in understanding. "So, what made you not like it?" She was persistent, I'd give her that.
"I just lost interest when I found out we were moving here. The waves are decent here, but not compared to what I'm use to." I tell her and she nods.
"Makes, sense. I would've thought you'd still be out there though, you know? Like even though you can't compete." She says.
"Ah, like a soul surfer." I state making her look at me in confusion. "A soul surfer is someone who surfs for the pure enjoyment and not interested in competing or looking good."
"Oh, yeah. Then a soul surfer." She says awkwardly.
"I do miss it." I say longingly while I watch my sister, Jacob, Embry and Quil from the water.
"Then get in." She says simply.
"I wish it was that simple." I sigh out and look down at my legs. Behind my grey sweats and white converse hid my prosthetic leg that has been giving me hell for the past couple months. I wish I was confident enough like others to not hide it. To not hide the scars that ran up my body. I felt like my situation wasn't even that big of a deal compared to other people's problems.

It was a simple shark attack. Sure the 9 foot tiger shark took my left leg, bit into my abdomen, caused damage to my left arm, lost a lot of blood and had to get over 1000 stitches. I just felt like I was being a baby compared to other shark attack victims I talked with when recovering. My parents and Harper said my situation was worse than others and that I have every right to feel how I feel. That shark refused to let go and put up a good fight. I was lucky I didn't die.