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Tristan and Thomas sat together at lunch.
Much like it had been on the first day of school, the two boys quickly isolated themselves from the rest of the student body at Forks high school.
They still continued to stare though, Tristan noticing a few of Jessica Stanley's hushed whispers and Mike Newton's quick glances.
Though, Thomas didn't pay attention to them. He was looking at the Cullens' old table, where Bella had been sitting ever since they left. His heart felt heavy as he watched the girl, knowing how alone she felt.
"She's letting it kill her," Tristan told Thomas as he also looked to the girl. "She's not going to be able to get out of this if it keeps up."
"I know," the elder Taylor sighed. "She's not sleeping."
"Or eating." With a final huff Tristan stood, all eyes following him as he moved to sit beside Bella.
Thomas followed quickly, taking a seat beside his brother.
"Hey Bells."
"What are you doing?" She frowned at the siblings, the boys now noticing how ill she looked.
"You can't do this." Tristan gave her a glare, Thomas noticing his hands were balled into fists. "You can't just sit here and waste your life because he's gone."
"Why not?"
"Because," Tristan shouted abruptly as he stood. Thomas gaped, looking around the room to see everyone staring at the three. It was not secret that they had all been having the worst months of their lives. "Because you can't. You think I don't just want to sit here and wait for him to come back? You're killing yourself," Tristan angrily wiped at his eyes. "You're killing yourself."
"Tris," Thomas rested a hand on his shoulder. But Tristan quickly shoved it off, storming out of the cafeteria. "He's just worried about you," Thomas told Bella softly. "I'm worried about you, Charlie is too."
"Well you guys seem fine," Bella scoffed lightly. "You wouldn't get it."
"We're fine?" Thomas let out a bitter laugh. "Tristan cries himself to sleep, he is getting better because he has friends."
"And what about you?" Bella furrowed her eyebrows at him.
"I'm-" Thomas paused as his phone began to ring. "You should hang out with some of your other friends," he nodded to Angela as he stood. "Call Jacob." With that the boy gestured to his phone and left the cafeteria.
"I don't like it when you're sad," Paul pulled Tristan into his side as the two walked along the beach. "What's wrong?"
"Some days are just really hard," Tristan shook his head softly. "I'll be happy and moving on, and something stupid just sets me back." Paul didn't miss the way Tristan leaned into him, longing for the heat.
"I think you're getting there," Paul smiled down at him. "You're not crying when you talk about it anymore." Tristan rolled his eyes as he laughed, shoving Paul away. "I'm serious," the taller boy laughed as he came to a stop. "You're smiling, you let me do this," Paul slipped his hand into Tristan's. "Without tensing up anymore."
"Kiss me?" Tristan gave a lazy smile as he looked up at Paul.
"I told you," the Quileute shook his head as he brought his free hand up to Tristan's jaw. "I'm not going to kiss you when you're still in love with Hale." Tristan pouted as he squeezed Paul's hand.
"One day Paul Lahote. One day."
"Muffin?" Emily grinned at Thomas as she held another out.
"Emily if I eat another muffin I won't be able to move," the boys all laughed as Thomas shook his head.
"Tristan and Paul still at the beach?" Sam asked Thomas, taking the muffin from Emily.
"Yep."
"Doing God knows what," Jared snickered as Embry hit him on the back of the head. Thomas rolled his eyes slightly as Embry took a seat beside him, the boy resting a hand on his knee under the table.
Thomas smiled softly, feeling the warmth of Embry's hand through his jeans. One thing Thomas loved about being on the Reservation was the warmth.
"How's he holding up?" Sam asked Tom softly.
"He's getting better, he just doesn't realize it." Thomas looked down at his hands as he spoke, a sinking feeling in his chest. "I don't think people realize how close he and Jasper really were." Thomas wanted to stop, but everyone was looking at him with curiosity clear in their eyes, wanting to know more. "They would stay up all night. Jasper knew how to calm him down, better than I could. When he wasn't with Jasper he was a different person and it's," Thomas took a breath. "He just has to learn how to readjust again.
"Hey," Embry ran a hand up and down Tommy's arm as he leaned close. "You can stop, we don't need to know everything." Even at his calm words the boy could tell Tom was a little worked up. "Let's take a walk," Embry pulled Thomas along.
The Reservation made Tommy feel happy. Even the smell of the woods was stronger than it was in Forks.
"Are you okay?" Embry asked as he and Thomas walked into the woods.
"I'm fine honestly," Tommy said as he put his hands in his pockets. "Alice and I ended on normal terms. A normal breakup. Tristan and Bella didn't really get that, they just got abandoned." The Taylor boy shrugged. "I don't know. I feel like I should be upset but," he sighed merely shaking his head.
"It's not a bad thing you aren't sad," Embry laughed lightly. "People go through things differently."
"Yeah?" Thomas asked softly as he came to a stop, looking to Embry.
"Yeah."
Thomas was slightly taller than Embry, but the Quileute boy had more muscle. Tommy looked older in his features, while Embry seemed to have a boyish grin. The Taylor boy found himself smiling at Embry, feeling the heat radiating off the boy from where he stood.
"People move on at different speeds," Embry continued as he inched closer to Thomas. The brunet ran his hand up Embry's arm, not realizing he was moving closer as well.
Kissing Embry Call was much different than kissing Alice Cullen. In contrast to the cold, it was warm and light and Tom could feel the boy smiling into the kiss.
A sharp gasp came from Thomas as he felt warm hand meet the skin under his shirt, Embry laughing softly as he did so.
"You all right, Taylor?"
"Not used to the heat," the two boys shared a laugh.
However the sound of rustling leaves made Thomas jump back, his eyes widening as he looked around.
"Hey," Embry called softly as he reached out for Thomas.
"Let's go inside," Tommy gave him a smile as he held out his hand. Embry chuckled, letting Thomas pull him back to the house.
The human not daring to speak of the flash of red he had seen in the woods.
