Call of the Heart // Paul Lahote

I

Elizabeth smiled, sitting on the roof of her house and watching as her friends were play fighting. She breathed in the fresh air of La Push, watching over the treetops at the beach, the waves crashing onto the shore and into the rocks of the cliff, where recently Sam Uley and his friends started cliff diving from the highest point.

La Push was Elizabeth's favorite place in the world. She was always happy on the reservation, not going a day without seeing her friends and always able to find comfort in the elders of the tribe.

"Ellie! Come down here! We're getting lunch!" Embry Call called out towards his friend, the boys all waving at her and she grinned, hurrying down to the Black's family residence where Billy Black had made all the kids lunch.

Elizabeth greeted Billy Black with a bright smile on her face and took a plate full of delicious food, setting herself down next Seth Clearwater.

"Hi, Ellie!" Seth enthusiastically greeted the older girl, giving her a quick side hug before digging into his food. Elizabeth chuckled at the younger boy and messed up his hair in response. "Hi, Sethie."

Embry tried to take some food from his friend's plate when he finished all of his food, but she was quick to swat his hand away, scolding at him. "Hands off." She grumbled.

"Are you feeling alright, Ellie? You feel warm." Embry frowned and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at the boy before lifting her own hand to her forehead and realizing that she, indeed, felt warm.

"I feel fine." She shrugged. "I probably sat in the sun for too long."

She didn't miss the shared look between Billy Black and Harry Clearwater though. She frowned at their strange behavior, but decided it was probably nothing and continued eating her food.

"Have any of you seen Jared lately?" Elizabeth spoke up after a brief moment of complete silence, which was unusual among the boys.

"He came by the other day." Billy Black smiled softly at the girl, knowing she was missing her best friend.

"Oh." She replied, disappointed that Jared had visited Billy but not bothered to stop by her house.

"I'm sure he'll stop by soon." Sue Clearwater assured Elizabeth with a kind smile and Elizabeth smiled back at the woman, nodding politely.

Elizabeth excused herself and went for a walk through the woods, letting her feet lead her towards La Push beach. Once she got there, she took off her shoes, letting the sand touch her feet as she breathed in the salty air, welcoming the breeze that came from the water.

She didn't wonder why she didn't feel cold when usually she would. Maybe Embry was right and she was starting to get sick. She didn't care in the moment though, watching the sunlight being reflected on the waves as she sat down on the beach. She would usually come here with Jared. It pained her to think about her best friend, who decided a few months ago that it was better if they stopped hanging out, or talking in general. She was confused about his change of behavior towards her, they'd been best friends since childhood and all of a sudden, he had cut his hair short, gotten a tattoo and stopped hanging out with her.

The only times she saw him now, was when he was hanging around Sam Uley. She'd be sitting on the beach as she was now, and see the two boys cliff diving and having fun. She'd frown and wonder if she'd done something wrong when Jared would notice her and simply look away, muttering something to Sam.

She sighed, shaking the thoughts from her head and started drawing in the sand. She drew the legends Billy always told the kids about the ancestors of the Quileutes. Her mother had passed away when giving birth to Elizabeth and she was left with her father, one of the elders of the tribe.

Elizabeth hadn't noticed how long she'd been at the beach until the sun started setting and she felt the warmth on her face as she closed her eyes, breathing in the salty air one last time before getting up and starting her walk back to her house. Her father would already have a fit about not telling him where she'd gone.

     She swiftly made her way through the woods, knowing every inch of the dense forest having grown up in the reservation. She picked up her pace when she neared the end of the woods and started to see the clearing where her house was located. As soon as she set foot on the open space, she froze in her tracks.

     "Jared?" She frowned, seeing the boy sitting on her front porch, seemingly waiting for something.

     She ran over to her house, her heartbeat raising with excitement at seeing her best friend again. The boy raised his head at the oncoming sound of her footsteps and smiled, standing up to greet her. He'd missed her so much, but his orders had been clear, no contact at all. If it hadn't been for Billy Black telling him to visit his former best friend, he wouldn't have been allowed to come here.

      "Lizzy." Jared breathed out in relief. He'd started to worry about where she was for so long until she finally appeared from the woods. He should've known she'd be at the beach.

     Elizabeth didn't say anything as her arms flew around Jared's body and pulled herself closer to him, feeling the familiarity of her best friend made her more relaxed than anything. She raised a silent eyebrow at the prominent sixpack underneath his shirt, but it was quickly forgotten about when Jared put his arms around her to pull her even closer, resting his head on top of hers, silently wishing that even though it was rare, she'd just shift already so they could be friends again.

     "I miss you." Elizabeth whispered to her friend, whose heart ached at the words. She'd been his only friend when growing up, the other boys having already formed their friend groups from living so close to each other while he lived on the edge of the reservation.

     "I miss you too." Jared spoke the words silently, Elizabeth barely even registering them, as if they weren't allowed to be spoken.

     Elizabeth finally stepped back from Jared and looked him up and down properly, noticing the physical change in his stature. She raised her eyebrows at how buff her friend had gotten, but paid no mind to it as she invited him inside for dinner.

     Jared smiled at her and nodded, entering the house after her and nodding at Dave Scott, one of the elders who knew the tribe secret and guided him through his new life.

     The three of them sat down for dinner and started talking and joking around like they used to do whenever Jared came around. Elizabeth hadn't laughed this much since Jared left and it was easy to see the connection the two had, not as lovers or as soulmates, but as best friends, they fit perfectly and being apart hurt both of them, but there was no other way. The tribe's secret had to be protected. Jared took in every laugh and word Elizabeth made and willed himself to remember every last detail, knowing that if she didn't shift soon, or at all, this might be the last time he sees her again for a while.

     A knock on the front door interrupted the story Dave Scott was telling about when his daughter was just five years old and was already pushing boys in the mudpies they made for her.

     "I'll go." Elizabeth offered, happy to see her father and best friend get along like they used to. She got up and quickly moved towards the front door, opening it to reveal Sam Uley.

     "Hi Sam." Elizabeth smiled at the older boy, who grinned at her and engulfed her in a hug.

     "Ew, you smell." Elizabeth scrunched up her nose, but hugged back the brotherly figure anyways, enjoying the deep chuckle that came from him at her words.

     "I'm here to pick up Jared." He told her in a more serious voice after he let go of her and she nodded, pouting, before calling Jared to the front door and the pair said their goodbyes.

     She watched as the pair disappeared into the woods, hopeful at the thought that she might see her best friend more often now.

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THE FIRST CHAPTER IS UP! YAY!
Let me know what you think! 😄