The Forbidden Child - Alpha’s Lost Luna

Chapter 3

****Jane****

It took a while to convince El, but there was no way I was going back home already. Amy would have me on bed rest and watch for the next 24 hours, waking me up every 4 hours to make sure I knew my own name. Truth was it really wasn’t that bad of a hit, I couldn’t even feel it anymore. I also didn’t like anyone else driving Shelly but me. It’s one thing for El driving it in town where we have 25 mph speed limits, but out on the HWY? No way.

So now here we were at Roads End beach. And El refused to let me go back into the trunk to get my things, so I had to wait here in the car while she dug around for my stuff. She’s almost as bad as Amy, granted she is volunteering at the medical clinic with her. However, it shouldn’t be taking that long to grab just a few items. I looked in the side view mirror and thought I saw her on her phone. Wonder who she was talking to. Then I heard the trunk slam down and El walked back around the side to me.

“This what you wanted me to get?” El asked.

“That should just about do it. You get lost back there or something?” I teased her and smirked. I could see just a little bit of a blush under her skin as she answered.

“No. Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with how long you were back there.”

“Oh, well, that’s easy enough. I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed. Also, I had a question to ask.” I looked at her expectedly. She seemed a bit nervous. “ Well, I was thinking of going to that party tonight, you know the one on the rez. I was kinda hoping you’d go with me?”

I let out a big puff of air. “Did Amy put you up to this?” I asked. She was awfully pushy about it this morning.

“Oh no! No, she didn’t say anything to me about that. I just thought it would be nice to have you there. I don’t usually go to those things, so guess I was hoping you my friend, would help me to feel less lonely?” She looked at me with big hopeful eyes.

“But it’s your tribe! You shouldn’t be feeling that way. Didn’t you grow up with everyone that is going to be there?”

“Well I do feel that way. And not exactly. We have a neighboring group that will be joining us tonight. So it will be bigger than usual. Please! Please come with me!” She begged me.

“Uuugggggggg! You and Amy both! Fine I’ll go.” Can’t believe I’m getting roped into this.

She squealed in delight. “Okay, come on. It’s early enough so we should be able to get the good spot by the driftwood.” She motioned for me to follow her.

“Wait, you don’t have any beach stuff, don’t you at least need something to sit on?”

“Girl please. I grew up here. What do you think this jacket is for, to keep me warm?” She laughed. “Well, it is, but it can double as my something to sit on. Or I might just get my favorite spot! Come on, lets go!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the pathway that led to the beach.

Once we went down the cement walkway and got past the rocky part of the path, I took off my flip flops and walked barefoot in the sand. My feet sinking into the soft ground. I followed El down the beach walking south a short distance until we came upon what looked to be a well-used driftwood sitting area. There were several pieces of wood in a semicircle with a hole dug out in the center where previous fires had been burned. Some of the driftwood was so worn down from people sitting on them that it looked pretty comfortable.

“Jane, welcome to the beach spot!” El said with her arms open wide in welcome and a big smile on her face. She then laid my things down against the wood and took a seat on one of the driftwood pieces and started soaking up the sun. I went and grabbed my beach towel and placed it close to where El was sitting and laid down on it.

“So what makes this spot so special?” I asked

“What! You can’t tell?” She asked with a pouty look on her face. I shook my head no at her and shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, for one we like to have bonfires here.” She says as she points to the pit. “And two the hill behind us and the driftwood can help to block some of the wind. Don’t you notice it’s not as windy here as it was when we first walked on the beach?”

She had a point there. Oregon beaches could get quite windy and were known as a good place to fly kites. “And best of all, it has my spot!” She grinned ear to ear as she pointed to where she was currently sitting. “My butt has been sitting in this exact place for years! It’s practically molded to me now!”

I laughed at her and smiled. “Okay, I can see its good qualities. But you still didn’t bring anything with you. Won't you get bored just sitting here with me? I mean I have my book in my bag, and had planned on just getting some sun. What are you going to do?”

“The same thing as you! I’m going to get some vitamin D! And enjoy the ocean, people watch, maybe walk down the beach for a while. No worries babe, you don’t need to worry about filling the silence between you and me if you don’t want to talk. I’m quite happy to just be here.” I knew there was something about El I liked. The fact that she has never pushed me to talk, but has always been there if I wanted to. I haven’t known her long, but I felt like she was the best friend I never had.

“Thanks El.” I said.

I then took off my shorts and tank to keep my tan lines even with my bikini and applied some sunscreen. Then I laid down on my back on my beach towel. Every once in a while, I’d look over at her and see her just doing as she said, looking at the ocean. But when I went to turn over onto my stomach she got up to go for a walk, promising to be back before long. I must have dozed off for a bit, because the next thing I knew I could hear what sounded like a group of people playing some sort of game.

I rolled over to see what was going on and noticed more bags and a cooler in our beach spot, and a short distance away a volleyball net was set up. It looked like the group El had been with at the outlet mall had found their way here, and they were all playing volleyball together. My eyes almost immediately found their way like a magnet to that hunk of a sun god who caught me earlier. He was on one side of the net with El, while the shorter male and the female who looked like El were on the opposite side.

I couldn’t help but stare at the one who was partnered up with El. The muscles on his chest and back were in full view as he and the other male played in just their shorts. But I only had eyes for the one. The sun was glistening off his sweat giving his already tanned look an even more golden shimmer. I watched as he dived for the ball saving it from touching the sand while El bumped it back in the air, and in the next moment he jumped up off the ground and spiked the ball on the other side of the net earning him and El another point. They high fived each other as El seemed to call a timeout and motioned for me to come over to her.

I stood up from my towel and made my way over to the group as El met me halfway. Wrapping her arm in mine she guided me the rest of the way to the volleyball net and the group. “Hey sleepy head, I want you to come meet my friends!” She said to me.

“Was I asleep long?”

“Nah, maybe an hour or so. You are looking a little red though.” She says and she eyes me all over. “You might want to put some more sunscreen on that.”

“I have more sunblock in my bag, I’ll go use it in a bit.”

“Good, well, let me introduce you to everyone. Hey guys! Come here!” She yelled at the group.

As they all started to make their way over to meet us by the side of the net, I got another whiff of mister sun god. He smelled like he belonged on the beach with his coconut and sea salt smell.

“Jane, this is my sister Melanie, and her ma. . um boyfriend Jeff.” They each smiled and reached out to shake my hand as we said hello to one another. “And this is Ikaika.” I turned to the other side to smile at him and reached my hand out to him.

He grasped my hand with his, and I immediately felt tingles on my skin. His warmth spread throughout me and somehow these feelings together also comforted me. I gasped at the sensations and stared into Ikaikas eyes. I thought I saw a flicker of something behind his gaze, but it was gone before I was even sure I saw anything.

“It’s nice to meet you, officially. Please, call me Kai.” He smiled at me and I thought I would melt right there, as if he really were the sun.

“Jane.”

That was all I could get out. I felt like my tongue was suddenly tied in knots and grew two sizes too big. That and my brain seemed to just stop working. He reluctantly let go of my hand and took a step back from me, and I was able to clear my head enough to better compose myself. But my instinct was to rush into his arms. Why did I feel this pull to him?

“El, did you still want to take a break? Maybe Jane here would like to take your place in the game?” Kai asked.

My head whipped over to look at El in fear. I was the opposite of what one might call coordinated. I was a total solo sports player for the sole reason that I never seemed to be able to work with anyone else. The coaches said I just wasn’t a team player, the other players however, would tell me to stop taking their ball or shot or whatever it was. I would always end up bumping into my own teammates and someone (usually them) would get hurt.

I grabbed El and walked a little ways from the others to where they couldn’t hear. “El, no! I’m not very good! I’ll just make your friends mad.”

“Oh I’m sure you're not that bad. Besides, I thought Amy said you were into sports?”

“Well yea, but like swimming, track and field. Not something where I actually have to work with other people!” I complained. She burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard that she was bent over and holding her sides. I rolled my eyes at her and gave up.

“Hilarious, I know. Fine, I’ll go play for you. But you're going to regret it. Just wait, you might still have to take someone to see Amy, only it won't be me.”

She calmed down enough to be able to speak again. “I think Kai can take it, no one can push him around. And you’ll be fine! Besides, Amy said you needed to make friends, so here is your opportunity!”

“Are you kidding me! She said that!” El nodded her head. How embarrassing. “Yea, well see about that. No one has survived the Jane train yet.” I mumbled under my breath. I thought I heard a snicker coming from over by the volleyball net and looked to see all three looking anywhere but over at us. Almost as if they had heard what I just said, impossible.

“Ugggg, FINE! Go rest your pretty self and watch the train wreck that is about to happen. Hope you enjoy the show!” I yelled at her as I jogged over to the rest of the group.

I walked over to Kai’s side of the net and picked up the volleyball. “So, looks like you have a new player! Whose turn is it to serve?” I asked as I tossed the ball from one hand to the other.

“You can serve if you like. It’s just a friendly game, we can take it easy on you.” Kai said with a smile on his face.

I almost forgot what I was doing for a minute, it seems to happen a lot around Kai. What is it about him that affects me so much! I mentally shook myself and tried to get my head in the game.

“I think you might need to worry more about yourself handsome. I might just run that pretty face of yours into the ground.” I said. Oh no, did I just call him handsome and pretty in the same sentence? I want to die.

He smirked at me. “You might try gorgeous, but don’t worry, I’ll never let you fall.”

I blushed at his return complement and instantly remembered earlier this morning when he did exactly that, and caught me before I fell. I’d love to feel those arms wrapped around me again. I’m never going to be able to concentrate if I keep thinking of that. Instead of giving another snarky come back, I walked over to the corner and got in position to serve. Tossing the ball up in the air, I made my first play in the game. But I had to wonder, just what kind of game was I really playing here, and just what exactly did I get myself into?