»—— act two. new moon
☽⋅── SIXTEEN ──crazy and non-stupid ─⋅☾

As Eleanor made friends with the pack, she was informed by Alice that she carried a distinctive scent. Emmett and Rosalie were present during the initial meeting of the Quileute and the Cullens years ago so they knew about it.

In the end, she learned that it was best to wash up before interacting with them, and she didn't mind complying with that requirement.

Despite the guilt she felt around the Cullens, particularly due to Edward's departure, she had to constantly remind herself it wasn't her fault. Edward had made his own decision, and it was his choice alone to leave.

Spending more time with the guys, Quil, and Emily on the reservation was a way for Eleanor to cope with her feelings of guilt and to distance herself from the Cullens, especially after Edward left.

She found herself struggling to move past her feelings for Edward, as he wasn't just a friend, but someone she had complex emotions for. Although she had many other friends, there was no one quite like him. Instead of confronting her problems and facing the pain, she resorted to running away and distracting herself with crazy things.

She reassured herself by saying those were crazy, but non-stupid things. Deep down, though, she knew they weren't entirely harmless either.

Eleanor desperately looked for ways to distract herself from the pain of her feelings for Edward, not wanting to confront her issues directly. Her risky habits included jumping off cliffs into the waters. This wasn't a new activity for her, given the nomadic lifestyle of her father or even with Eve and the varied places they had lived, including those with limited city access. She repeatedly jumped from cliffs into the ocean, though she always made sure one of the guys was present, just in case a wave unexpectedly caught her.

She was determined to keep living in a state of denial and distraction, despite the potential dangers. It was just what her mind wanted; a temporary escape from the emotions and thoughts that weighed heavily on her heart.

As she stood on the edge of the cliff, she prepared herself for the thrill. She wouldn't think things through. She just needed to escape this feeling of missing Edward, even for a little while.

"Maybe this was all just a crazy and non-stupid way to make me feel less miserable," her thoughts whispered in her mind, almost like a mantra.

It was the same three she always asked to come along which were, Paul, Jared, and Embry. They stood nearby, watching her from a distance.

Embry, however, wasn't feeling as enthusiastic as the others were. He knew that if Jacob found out what she was doing, he would definitely give him a hard time. That's why Eleanor tried to keep it a secret, knowing that Jacob wouldn't allow it.

Before observing her, Embry had the same thought, yet it changed, after, because he knew better than to take away anything that helped her. He chuckled as she turned towards them and winked before jumping backwards.

"She's got a hell of a lot more guts than I do," Jared commented, clearly impressed.

Paul rolled his eyes at Embry's remark, a smirk on his face. "That's just her usual self, always pushing the boundaries," he remarked, clearly used to Eleanor's adventurous nature.

Embry groaned, realizing the potential consequences they were going to face. "This is gonna be a nightmare," he grumbled, imagining how pissed off Jacob would be.

Jared chimed in, "Well, I mean, she's got incredible swimming skills, I would trust her too."

Embry looked up to the sky and muttered curses under his breath before eventually diving in too.

The group indulged in a few more jumps, enjoying the thrill of the plunge into the cool ocean. Soon enough, the other guys joined them on the beach, along with Emily, who generously brought over food for everyone.

As the evening progressed, they all spent time together, and to everyone's surprise, Jacob remained blissfully unaware of Eleanor's secret cliff-diving activities.

Eleanor was having a great time with the guys, engaging in conversations and even enjoying the food Emily had brought over.

However, as the evening wore on, some of the guys started to chat amongst themselves in small groups. Eventually, she found herself able to slip away, savouring the tranquillity of the moment. She let out a contented sigh as she watched the sun slowly descend beyond the horizon.

Eleanor was surprised to discover that she could make herself almost invisible to others just by being shy and wanting to blend into the background. She first noticed it during her freshman year in California, when she was feeling overwhelmed and nervous. For some reason, she seemed to have an innate ability to go unnoticed by others unless she spoke or drew attention to herself.

Eleanor had never really relied on her ability to make herself invisible, feeling it was a skill best used occasionally and not to be over-indulged. Over time, she had become less dependent on it, rarely employing it.

However, in her present situation, as she tried to distract herself from her inner thoughts and force herself to enjoy the moment, this power resurfaced unwittingly. As a result, people didn't engage with her in conversation, as she found solace in simply being quiet and observing.

While she was lost in the peacefulness of the moment, admiring the lowering sun and the view before her, Eleanor suddenly snapped her head in the direction of the forest. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her throat tightened as she saw Edward standing there.

Cautiously, she rubbed her eyes, thinking she may be hallucinating due to exhaustion or stress. Regardless, without hesitation, she started running toward him, completely unaware that what she saw was merely a figment of her imagination, created by her mind as it played tricks on her.

As she hurried through the forest, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was chasing after a figment of her imagination. Caught up in her thoughts and consumed by her emotions, she hadn't even considered lowering her stealth abilities and making herself visible once more. This oversight had left her vulnerable in the deep forest, without even realizing the presence of any real danger lurking around.

As the night went on, the boys talked and laughed, enjoying their food and company. Even Emily, who had been watching them from a distance, couldn't help but chuckle at their friendly banter and occasional dares.

Jared suddenly perked up and nudged Embry, "Hey, where's Eleanor?"

Embry, who was in the middle of a conversation with Paul, turned to Jared with a raised eyebrow. "I thought she was with you guys?" he asked, scratching his head in confusion.

The others exchanged puzzled glances and shrugged, wondering the same thing. They looked around, but there was no trace of Eleanor.

"Yeah, we haven't seen her in a while," Paul confirmed with a puzzled expression. "Maybe she went off somewhere?" He suggested thoughtfully.

Jacob rose from the ground, a look of concern etched on his face. "Why did no one notice where she went?" he asked, his tone laced with worry.

Sam, having finally picked up on the serious atmosphere, stood up as well. He turned to Jared and Emily and stated, "Jared, take Emily home. We'll go out and search for Eleanor."

Jared looked at Sam, concern on his face, "Alright, I'll take Emily home," he agreed, before addressing Emily.

"Come on, let's get going," he said, gently patting her arm and leading her away from the boys.

Embry and Paul watched as Jared escorted Emily away, both of them exchanging concerned glances.

Sam and the rest moved to a spot a little further away, ensuring that their conversation would be private and not overheard. Then, with a determined look in his eyes, he initiated the search.

"Alright guys, let's split up and cover more ground. We need to find her as quickly as possible," he said firmly, giving them all a look that emphasized the urgency of the situation.

The guys all nodded in agreement, understanding the urgency of the search. With a few nods, they vanished in a blur, each heading off in different directions to cover as much ground as they could.

Meanwhile, Eleanor was running through the forest in a determined, albeit futile, pursuit of Edward. No matter how close she thought she was getting, he would always seem to slip further away. Just as she was about to catch up to him, she tripped over a protruding tree root, causing her to stumble and fall.

With a gasp, she suddenly snapped out of her daze, realizing the sheer idiocy and nonsense of what she had been doing. She let out a groan, feeling the scrape on her knees from the fall.

And there it was—the dam holding back her emotions finally burst, and the floodgates opened, letting loose a torrent of tears. She wept uncontrollably, cursing the world and everything around her.

But through it all, one thing was clear: she truly and deeply cared for Edward, more than she had ever let herself admit. She missed him desperately and now longed for his presence.

Eventually, her crying reached a crescendo, and her vulnerability became apparent as her stealth abilities faded. The pack had successfully located her due to her lowered guard, with Paul being the first to hear her emotional outbursts. He quickly communicated his location to the others through his thoughts.

The others arrived shortly after, but they chose not to intrude on Eleanor's fragile state, allowing Jacob to take the lead. In his wolf form, Jacob approached her cautiously and offered solace by allowing her to hug him and take comfort in his soft, warm fur.

After some time of hugging Jacob in his wolf form, Eleanor eventually pulled away, and the tears on her face slowly dried. She let out a shaky breath, wiping away any residual tears.

She then joked, "So, I might have gotten snot on your fur."

Jacob, still in wolf form, gently hit her leg with his paw.

Eleanor snickered, but then added, "I'm just kidding, Jake. I'll use Embry as my personal tissue instead."

Embry, in his wolf form as well, sat nearby in a nearby tree.

Eleanor paused, suddenly realizing Embry's presence nearby. "Embry," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of weariness and vulnerability. "You're still here."

Embry looked up at her, his wolf eyes holding a hint of concern. But instead of walking too close, he huffed at her, letting her know he heard her 'personal tissue' comment.

"It was a joke, Embry," Eleanor reiterated, her voice still laced with weariness. "You know I joke a lot."

She remained sitting on the ground for several moments before finally exhaling deeply. "Jake," she mused, "I think I need you to carry me. I might have scraped my knees, but I think my ego took the biggest hit."

Jacob, having heard her request, lowered his head to the floor, allowing her to climb onto his back easily.

Without hesitation, Eleanor climbed onto Jacob's back, clutching onto him tightly. The weight of her emotional exhaustion weighed heavily on her, and she leaned against him, seeking the comfort of his warmth.

Once she was securely perched on his back, Jacob gently stood up, supporting her weight as he began the trek back towards the others.

Eleanor watched as Embry ran alongside them, a small, tired smile playing on her lips. "Thank you both," she murmured, even though the two of them couldn't speak in their wolf forms.

Embry silently nodded his head, acknowledging Eleanor's gratitude, while Jacob continued walking with a gentle stride, carrying her silently on his back.