I've discovered that I can just lie on my resume. It should have occurred to me before, but as long as no one asks for any references, I should be alright.

We go handing out the stack of papers all day. There aren't many places in Forks that offer work, but Embry promises to drive me in whenever I have a shift. He says his hours at his job are really flexible, whatever he does for a living. He says that he, Jacob and Quil are all involved in a family business.

After hours of walking, Embry brings us back to Jacob's house. Quil has finished making dinner, and we sit down at the table all three of us together.

"Any luck?" Quil asks.

I shake my head. "I gave them Embry's phone number and my email. Hopefully, they will email rather than call."

Quil's eyes go wide. "You don't have a cellphone?"

I shake my head, looking down. No one ever allowed me to have one. Besides, my phone would be blowing up with calls constantly if I did. It's probably for the best.

"So, you guys live here?" I ask, looking at the pair of them. "What about Jacob's sisters and parents?"

"Parents died," Quil answers, quickly, digging into his food. "Rebecca lives far away with some boyfriend. Rachel lives with Paul, who's Sam's friend. It's just us, really. He didn't want this whole empty house to himself."

"Jacob's okay though," Embry says. "Really. His Dad died like, a year ago."

"I mean, I wouldn't call him okay," Quil argues back, digging into his food.

I try to eat, and though I have been hungry the last few days, I can't picture a world where I shovel down food now. The atmosphere is uncomfortable. I feel like a phantom. Unfortunately, there are no such things as ghosts. The only thing phantasmic here is my presence.

"Quil," Embry warns.

"I mean, the guy is clearly panicked," Quil says. "A lot has changed recently."

He tries not to look at me (I say tries because I catch him glimpsing at me). Embry just leans back in his seat.

"I really don't mean to make Jacob uncomfortable," I tell them. I stand up from the table and begin to move upstairs. "Really, I can go."

"No," the two boys say in unison. They rush over to me, both of them trailing after me on the stairs.

I stop to look at them. "I really don't want to be a bother."

"We hurt you, you're not a bother," Embry insists.

"Correction," Quil laughs. "You hurt her. I didn't do anything."

"So you're admitting you didn't save her from getting hit by a car?" Embry rolls his eyes. He turns back to me. "Fawn, it's okay. We want to help you."

I'm still getting weird culty vibes from the others, but Quil and Embry seem to be somewhat on the level. Still bizarre, but less bizarre than the others.

"Okay," I say. Mostly because I have no other options.

They head back to the table and I follow after them, glancing at my stuff. I resolve to hide my emergency documents in the house, in a difficult enough space that they won't find them with ease, but not so complicated that I can't grab them and run.

Where would I run though? I'm in the middle of a reservation. Aren't white people technically not allowed to live here? I mean, I'm just spending a few nights. It should be fine. Right?

"So, Fawn," Quil asks. "What's your full name?"

"Fawn Dubois," I say. I came up with the lie earlier, to put on all my resumes. I'm not even French. At least, not that I know. My family has been here since like, before the confederacy. Longer.

"Quil Ateara," Quil explains. "The fifth."

"Embry Call," Embry says. "The first. Probably, I mean. I don't know."

"So, how long you've been in Washington?" Quil asks.

"A few days," I say. Another lie. I've been here two weeks, left a month ago. In case they are looking for missing person reports, I want to give them an inaccurate timeline. "I left Ohio a week ago."

"Why leave?" Quil asks. "Why come here?"

"Quil," Embry warns, again.

"What?" Quil asks. "She's part of the family now."

I think that's a bit of a stretch, but I smile and eat my food. "I was done being a ward of the state. Foster kid."

They nod. Seem to buy it anyway.

"You're telling me," Quil points out. "Fuck the feds."

"I think the state is in charge of foster children," Embry mumbles.

Quil laughs. "Okay. Fuck the state."

I join in on their laughter. They don't seem too bad. Quil is handsome, with his curly black hair and his crooked smile. Embry is much more serious. Though he kind of looks like an airhead at first glance, he's got kind eyes.

I look around the walls of the kitchen. It is barely been decorated. The paint is old, and I can't tell if the walls are cream or a dirty off-white. It's small, but there is a fridge and a mini-fridge in here. I imagine with all the eating these three do that there is a deep freezer in the basement.

"So, I hear there is a beach," I tell them.

"We have to go!" Quil exclaims. He hurries through the rest of the food, while Embry chuckles at him. Once they are done, I'm whisked off into their car.

The drive is quick, and though it is foggy and overcast we are on the beach in no time. Even though it is still early in fall, it is still quite chilly in La Push. I cling to my jacket as the wind whips through my hair.

"I didn't realize it would be this chilly," I say.

Embry laughs. "It's not too bad."

It is pretty bad. The wind is violent. I have a headache from the pressure in the air. A storm is coming, surely.

"Are you feeling brave?" Quil asks.

I shrug. No more than usual. "Why?"

"No," Embry cuts off Quil. He leads me down the beach and towards the water.

Quil scoffs, "you haven't even heard-"

"You want to go cliff-diving," Embry says. "Not happening."

"But-"

"Jacob will kill us," Embry points out.

Quil bows his head, but ultimately says nothing.

"Actually, we should introduce you to our friends Leah and Seth," Embry says.

I vaguely remember him mentioning Seth at the bonfire. Although, I didn't meet him. Instead, I went after Jacob Black, only to discover he doesn't like me, for some strange reason.

"I'd quite like to meet them, if Jacob comes," I say.

The two exchange a glance. They don't share its content with me.

We continue down the sand. The beach is beaten by the water. Once we get close enough to the shoreline, I can feel it splashing up against my ankles. Frigid. Given the fog, we quickly lose sight of the car.

I realize they could try to kill me. They might even be successful. Two of them, as bulky as they are. I'm only armed with a switchblade. Even though they've taken me in, I don't entirely feel at ease. I ran to escape lies and danger, and now I've found myself entwined between them, wrapped up and trapped.

Neither of them tries to hurt me. They don't even touch me. I wish they would bring me closer since it's so cold and they seem unperturbed by the weather.

"We can try to get Jacob to come," Quil points out. "We can have a fire tomorrow night."

"Is that all you guys do?" I ask. "Go to the beach and have fires?"

"We go cliff-diving and surfing too," Quil continues. "Patrol the woods, even."

I thought the woods have bears. Things here are only getting stranger and stranger.

"What, would you rather us have a board game night?" Embry asks, shaking his head.

"Afraid of a little fire?" Quil asks.

I shake my head. I'm not afraid of a little fire. I'm barely afraid of anything at all.

Eventually, we turn around and head back to the car. Embry still helps me inside, since my arm is in a sling. They said it should be better in a few days. I hope it is. Otherwise, I will have to go to the hospital.

"Do you know what I did to offend Jacob so much?" I ask them in the car, hoping they will be straight with me.

Embry's grip on the steering wheel tightens.

Quil looks back at me. He bites his lip, looks down and then back up. "Jacob doesn't take well to strangers. That's all."

I guess that's fair. I have had no option but to trust strangers. The people that were supposed to be closest to me clearly are not who they ought to be. I've gotten more from the people I've met in La Push than I have from the people who raised me my whole life.

I lean my head against the window and breathe in a deep sigh.

~~~~~

I like Quil and Embry. I think they are fun characters. They are obviously I big deal in Fawn's life, so they are going to be here. I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you soon!