CHAPTER 1 ... part 1

(Mess it up — Gracie Abbrams)

    THROUGHOUT Alma Uley's life, she had only truly trusted 4 people.

1. DAD

Every girl looks up to her father, rose coloured glasses perceiving him as how a man should behave, how they should treat women.

Joshua Uley should never have been an example.

Alma should have realized far sooner that Joshua Uley was never meant to be a father, let alone a husband. He was quick to enrage and even quicker to gaslight his family, always blaming his problems on something or someone else.

To be fair to Alma, Joshua Uley wasn't exactly present in her life, always hightailing it as soon as he returned. So of course, she saw him some omnipotent being. Allison Uley didn't have the heart to tell her that 'dearest daddy' was just a deadbeat.

Alma was exposed to the truth when Joshua left her at a gas station near La Push's boarder after promising to pick her up.

2. MAMA

Allison Uley always made sure to be present in her children's lives despite how busy her schedule kept her. Alma loved her mother, truly, but Allison seemed hellbent on having her make amends with her brother, Sam.

She couldn't fault Allison for this, Sam was a Momma's boy through and through. Alma could, however, blame her for trying to force forgiveness.

3.  SAMMY

Alma was exactly 4 years younger than Sam, born during the midst of a snowstorm in November. It was odd — Sam, whom made his disdain of a new sibling known, took one look at the small bundle in his mother's arms and instantaneously fell in love.

Allison Uley smiled at the sight. Her son holding his sister with such a gentleness, the kind that Joshua Uley should have shown (if the bastard had even bothered to show up).

With Sam's guiding hand, Alma flourished; captain for Forks Lacrosse team (of which she plays midfield), a 4.0 GPA and on track to graduate Valedictorian. Everything was perfect, until it wasn't.

Sam was a difficult subject for Alma, especially considering how close they used to be. Wherever Sam went Alma was sure to follow. He took the father role upon himself for her.

He'd talk her down from panic attacks, helped her practice lacrosse, took her to get ice-cream when she was down. He held her during her first heartbreak, picked her up when Joshua failed to.

All in all, Sam was Alma's hero.

Alma remembered the day he abandoned her like it was yesterday. It began during the fall season, Sam had been...off. He had become quick to set off, enraged by the slightest of convenances. He'd had garnered a nasty temper, one that was chalked down to pre-wedding nerves.

It all came to a cusp when Sam returned one night, dripping wet and oddly sullen. He wore clothes that barely fit his now monstrous form and he looked to be seconds away from collapsing from pure defeat.

Allison Uley took one look at her son and immediately she knew what has transpired.

'Oh my sweet boy.'

Tears slurred her words as she grasped his face, wiping away his tears.

It was all downhill from there. A similar phenomenon occurred with Jared Cameron, both he and Sam sported short hair and a brazen tattoo largely plastered on their biceps. Sam had also up and left Leah Clearwater before they could even set their wedding date. Even worse? He left her for her cousin, Emily.

This was when their relationship began to tip on its axis, when Alma's unrelenting trust in Sam began to crack against the pressure.

She took to avoiding him, slipping away whenever he paid her mother and herself a visit — preferring to spend her time with someone who actually cared.

Alma downright refused to look at her brother at that point, never speaking more than one word to him at a time. But that was all for not when Alma finally exploded, calling Sam every name under the raging sun. Not to mention that Sam was already under extreme duress since Emily Young had been attacked by a bear, leaving three grotesque scars along her face.

Harsh words were exchanged in a flurry of emotions all unforgivable in their own rights, each sentence increasing in decibels. And from then on, Alma and Sam never spoke again.

4. Embry

For Alma, Embry Call was difficult to remember, a painful chapter in her life. He was everything to her, an ever-present peace amidst her world of chaos.

The Call boy understood Alma better than he knew himself, like a tinker to a clock, recognizing every thought in her head with one look into those hazel eyes.

The same could be said for Alma, able to discern Embry's every feeling from a simple turn of his lips, able to fathom every thought he had before it even crossed the boy's mind.

They had met when they were 8 and 9 respectively, inseparable ever since he gave her his apple juice. He was there whenever Joshua would disappoint, when Sam went AWOL, when Allison would defend Sam.

'Don't pay them any mind, Ally.' He would comfort her — running his fingers through her hair as she would lean on his shoulder.

People began to talk about Alma when she was in her Senior year, when Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron were initiated into Sam's Cult — adorned freshly cut hair and matching tattoos on their biceps.

'Do you think she's in it?'

'God, imagine being related to that freak.'                      

'She'll probably follow soon, nothing good ever comes from that family.'     

By then Embry had begun to frequently pick fights he'd normally ignore, argue where he used to remain silent. He grew at a freakish rate, temperature boarding boiling. All similar to Sam —eerily so.

He disappeared then. His mother, Tiffany, tried to quell Alma's worries, telling Alma he had swine flu (a nasty case at that).

She let herself believe that for a while, finding comfort in false hope.

Embry had reappeared after a week, bulked up with newly chopped hair and the same ghastly tattoo as the others. Not only was he taller, but also far less lanky than he had been. Maya would be a complete and utter liar if she were to say Embry's new look wasn't insanely attractive — but then again, Alma always found him attractive.

The same boy who called them 'hall monitors on steroids' was now walking with them in the halls as if they had been friends since birth.      

'What the fuck Em?' She exclaimed, 'What're you doing with them?'                                                             

'Just leave it Alma.' He muttered out, attempting to brush the girl off.

'No, what the hell went through your head to make you think joining Sam was a good idea?'

'Seriously Alma, stop it. I don't need you hovering.'

'I wouldn't have to 'hover' if you didn't act like such an idiot.'

'If I decide to hang with Sam, that's my decision. Besides, I would rather spend my time with him over you.'

'And what do you mean by that?' She asked, eyebrow quirked, and arms folded.

He scoffed. 'Did you really expect me to stay? I mean come on, Alma.' He let out a scoff of a laugh, seemingly mocking her.

Sam's jockeys had arrived at this point, stood menacingly behind Embry like they were waiting for him to blow.

'Fuck you Embry!' Her glare was enough to send all three boys six feet under.

She turned to leave, not before pointing towards the boy, 'Have fun being Sam's little bitch Call.'

And with that, Alma left, unbelieving that Embry would throw away everything for some macho man cult.

And even worse? The coward didn't have the guts to look her in the eyes.

Alma drowned herself in her studies after that, having nothing and no one to spend spare time with anyways. She spent her days either playing Lacrosse with the Forks high team (go Spartans!), working at the Carver Cafe, or cramming for the end of the school year.

College was a daunting thought for the Uley girl, terrified that she wouldn't amount to everything she'd worked for — that she wouldn't get away from all the drama La Push offered.

But then, like an answer from the heavens, Alma was scouted. Her couch had pulled her aside one day, telling Alma that he had spoken highly of her to some college reps. At first, she was skeptical, why would big time college teams fly out to scout in such a small town? But then she saw them in the crowd, and she knew that this was her ticket out.

A full ride scholarship to Duke was offered to her, a certified spot on the schools (reserve for starters) lacrosse team. Alma took it without a second thought.

That had been years ago, distant memory amidst her days of glory. She'd been featured in magazines, interviewed as though she was the most important person to walk the earth.

Her mother always called her before games, wishing her luck and noting that the entire Res was probably watching the game. Alma knew this was her way of hinting that Sam still supported her, that Embry still supported her.

Alma was stupid. If the longing stares and the middleman questions weren't enough of a giveaway, Tiffany Call and Allison Uley sure as hell were.

'You should visit soon honey; the boys miss you!'

Yeah, there was no way in hell she'd be returning anytime soon.

***

A searing pain bolted up her leg in a flurry, muscle stiff as they attempted to alleviate the pain.

'Miss Uley, is there anyone we can call for you?'

Let's recap.

During a particularly gnarly game of lacrosse, one of the players on the opposing team had decided that they wanted the last say since Alma's team had won. She had rammed her helmet into Alma's knee, a fair-sized chunk of bone now sat lodged in Alma's kneecap.

The prognosis was hard to hear, a surgery that would result in months of recovery physio-therapy.To make matters worse, the odds of Alma returning for the season were a unanimous zero, not very encouraging.

Toby was currently in Australia for the next 1 and ½ months for a surfing competition, and Alma's only friends were currently playing the entire lacrosse season.

So who was left?

"Call my mom." She gritted out, clutching onto the side of the hospital bed.

KOREY SPEAKS !

Here's the first chapter! This one is definitely better than the previous imo. Don't be afraid to comment what you think :)