.𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐯.
𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓

The Lahote Lodge
La Push, WA.
March 2010

𝑾hen his mom left, his father responded with the words 'change brings opportunity.'

What a load of bullshit Paul always thought.

He chuckled to himself at the remembrance of his father's remark. Ever since she left everything had gotten progressively worse for the Lahote family, they were slowly falling apart and Paul felt like he couldn't stop it or fix it no matter how hard he tried.

Paul's truck rumbled to a halt in his driveway, he sighed at the sight of the empty driveway. Dakota was gone again, God knows where. And their dad was still gone on his business trip, he was supposed to get back tomorrow—but Paul suspected he'd be gone another day or two. Paul guessed he had something going on with a woman at work, either that , or he just really enjoyed time away from his own kids.

Paul's head swiveled to the sound of music blasting from their shop out back. He pulled out his phone, glancing at the time. Who the hell was blasting music at 11 o'clock at night?

"Come on Maija." He groaned to himself, opening his door and slamming it shut.

Paul angrily made his way toward the shop, the dim light danced under the doorway, lighting up the grass under him. The sound of All The Small Things by Blink-182 got louder and louder with every step he took closer and closer to the door. He softly chuckled to himself, she had good music taste—music taste she inherited from him over the years.

Paul pushed the door open to reveal Maiha Lahote—tears in her eyes, bottle of Jack Daniels in hand, and paintbrush in the other. She looked back at him as he entered, letting out an annoyed laugh at his presence. She continued painting, trying to ignore him but anyone who knew Paul knew he made it impossible to do so.

"You're crying." He frowned, his brows knitting in concern for his sister's tears.

Maija's nose wrinkled, "nice observation." She groaned, her jaw tightened and she took a long swig of the Jack Daniels in hand.

"What's wrong Mai?" Paul asked, walking over to her and reaching out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She flinched back, taking a step away from him.

Maija couldn't help but feel pissed. He knew she hated talking about her problems, because he was the same way. Atleast she respected him and left him alone when he was upset, if only he'd do the same.

"Paul leave me alone." She sighed, taking another sip, and burping as it burned down her throat. She stumbled forward, letting her paintbrush flow across the canvas freely.

Paul didn't want to give up, he hated the thought of just leaving her out here when she was like this. But he knew Maija, he knew what she was like-that's because she was basically him in female form-so he knew that there was absolutely no possible way to get through to her right now. All he'd do is aggravate her more.

"Fine. Under one condition." Paul clicked his tongue, walking over and taking the bottle from her hand, "this is mine now." He stated, walking out the shop and leaving Maija and her painting be. He raised the whiskey to his lips, letting the bitter liquid flow into his throat. It burned as it went down, he let out a grimace at the feeling. It'd take the whole rest of bottle to even get him tipsy, his body temperature burned it off so quickly. That was a major downside to becoming a werewolf, you had to take double of everything's just to feel its effects.

"Asshole!" Maija called out drunkenly after her brother, turning around back toward her painting with a huff. She crossed her arms over her chest, studying it for a moment before laying her paintbrush down.

Maija's head spun as the room danced around her, she needed to go to bed—and she was drunk enough to not want to listen to herself, but sober enough to understand what was the best decision to make. She clicked off the radio, and made her way back inside and to her bedroom. Maija was asleep before she was even fully in bed, still fully clothed, and reaking of liquor.

About a week later.

"𝑴aija Lahote we're gonna be late!" Dakota Lahote's voice echoed throughout the house, she shoved open Maija's door and ripped the covers off of her sister. Maija immediately curled into a ball, shivering at the sudden sensation of cold air wrapping around her skin.

"Up!" Dakota demanded, pulling her sister by her leg and onto the floor with a thud.

"Damnit." Maija groaned, what was with her siblings and pulling her on her ass out of bed? Well let's be real, for Maija it was pretty much a daily occurrence. It quite literally took someone yanking her out of bed for her to start her day.

"Maija what did I tell you about drinking on school nights." Dakota scolded, hurrying over to her sister's closet and pulling out an outfit for her. "The showers on for you, hurry and clean up we've gotta leave in half an hour." She instructed, tossing Maija her clothes.

"I hate Mondays." Maija complained, shoving her face back into her pillow with a fake dramatic sob.

Maija soon did just as Dakota told told her, showering in less than five minutes and throwing on her clothes. She jogged downstairs, toothbrush in mouth, hairbrush in hand, and book bag half way swung over her shoulder.

She looked a mess, she was a mess.

Maija waltzed over to the kitchen table, taking Paul's breakfast bagel from him mid bite and placing her toothbrush in his palm. "Thanks big bro," she taunted through a mouthful, before he even had the chance to take it back from her she was already out the door. Paul always drove separate because he'd leave school 'sick' so often, it happened atleast once a week sometimes more. Yet for some reason the principal never gave him too much grief for it.

Paul slammed his fist into the table, standing up in defeat about his stolen bagel. He made his way over to the fridge to make another, he didn't give a shit about being late to school—his breakfast was far more important to him than punctuality.

"That was shitty." Dakota sighed, opening the door to her car and pulling herself inside.

"Like Paul doesn't deserve something shitty every once in a while." Maija rolled her eyes, pulling down the viser. She raked the brush through her hair, it tore at the knots making Maija's nose shrivel up in disdain.

"No Maija-" Dakota defended, looking over at her sister, "Paul doesn't deserve something shitty. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Maija inhaled sharply at her sister's words. What was wrong with her? Ha—that was a loaded question—and one Maija lacked an answer on. "Whatever." She grumbled, slapping the viser and letting its snap back into the ceiling of the car.

Dakota jumped at the sudden snap of the viser, letting her head eyes roll in response to her sister's immaturity. "Not whatever. Lahotes stick together Mai."

"Oh yeah? Tell that to mom." Maija snapped back, pulling her hoodie up over her head and slouching down into her seat.

Dakota tensed up at her sister's harsh comment, her mouth fell open, shocked by her words. "When did you turn into such a bitch?"

Maija ignored her, her eyes flicking up to the Rez School sign. For once Maija was excited to be at school, eagerly anticipating getting out of the car and away from her sister. She couldn't help but feel a lump rumble in the back of her throat.

She wasn't a bitch, she wasn't mean, she didn't know why she was acting like one.

As soon as Dakota put the car in park Maija was out the door, "Maija wait-" Dakota tried to reason with her, but the only response she got was the car door slamming shut. She let out a pained sigh, Maija was impossible to talk to lately, and neither her—nor Paul could figure out why.

Maija made her way into the building, pulling her hood down as she got through the doors. She'd hate to get yelled at by their principal, Mrs Littlesea, who was a stickler for rules. It was kind of ironic considering her nephew, Collin, broke the majority of them. He ended up in her office more than Quil, and Quil fell asleep in class at-least twice a week.

Maija yanked open her locker, a few books fell out and she let out an annoyed huff.

Suddenly River Uley's voice rang through her ears, "bad morning?" He chuckled, bending down to grab her books and handing them over to her.

River Ulley and Maija had been close friends since middle school. Sure, she wasn't a fan of his brother, but River wasn't so bad.

River, Quil, and Maija used to do everything together. Now it was just Maija, and then Quil and Layla had coupled off (which was new,) and now River just floated in between the three of them. Which he hated doing.

Maija's attention was yanked from River to Quil and Layla, her nose shriveling up in disgust as the two walked down the hall.

Quil's arm draped over Layla's shoulders, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and suddenly Maija's gut twisted.

"The worst." she answered his question, directing her attention back to River, and away from Quil and Layla.

River followed Maija's line of sight straight to Quil and Layla, he let out a stifled sigh. "Look you wanna know what you need?" He asked her, placing his hands on her shoulders and leading her down the hall, and toward their first period class.

"What's that?" She questioned, letting him lead her without resisting despite dreading the class.

"A party!" River enthused, leaning forward and letting her arms dangle over her as he held her in a loose hug. The two were always touchy but it was never anything more than friendship.

"A party? On a Monday?" Maija was confused on who the hell would throw a party on a Monday, "where's it at?"

"Since when do you give a shit when or where the party is?" River quipped, arching his browns in confusion at her aversive attitude. "It's at some guys house." He revealed, "some seniors from Forks are throwing it, I heard about it from Dana." He explained.

Dana was a girl in their grade that was dating a senior named Ethan that went to Forks. He was a nice enough guy, a rich enough guy that's for sure, and their official plug for anything party, drug, or alcohol related.

Who was she kidding, Maija was never one to turn down a party. "Pick me up at 7." She determined, "and DON'T honk the horn like last time. I don't wanna deal with Paul's nosy ass again." She recalled, remembering the uncountable amount of times that Paul had drilled her for answers about her nightlife.

"Perfect!" River rang out, placing a kiss on her cheek and taking his seat next to her in class. He glanced over to Quil and Layla, his gut twisting at the thought of how it made Maija feel.

River was close with Quil, they were bestest of friends, but this was in River's eyes entirely disrespectful on Quil's behalf. I mean of all people, of ALL people, her? Layla? Maija's closest female friend. Well, ex-friend now. It was just downright shitty.

River recalled how he wanted to punch Quil smack dab in the middle of his face when he told him what had happened. Of course, he didn't do so, but oh he wanted to. So badly.

Maija's posture unevened slightly as she looked to Quil and Layla, her breath hitching uncomfortably in her throat at the sight.

"Hey." River turned his body so he was blocking the two from her sight.

"Hi." Maija smiled softly at his attempt to hide the sight from her, he was always such a kind and considerate person to her, even when she would be a bitch to him.

That's something Maija admired. She understood it was hard to be her friend, it was hard to be anyone that was close to her. She liked to say she couldn't help it, but she could. Maija just always took everything out on everyone else. She truly hated herself for it, she didn't want to be that person. She didn't want to be the angry girl. But changing was so hard; especially when things like this would happen, making it so much harder to change for the better.

Maija Lahote was bitter, and she was exhausted.

River grinned at her smile, happy to see it, Maija truly had an amazing smile—lovely actually. "Do that more." He suggested.

"Do what?" Maija inquired, propping her elbow upon the desk and placing her hand in her palm.

"Smile." River stated, watching as she side eyed him with a laugh.

"Ew." Maija covered her face, trying to stifle her laughter at his cringey comment.

River laughed with her, a grin playfully tugging at his lips as he scooted his desk closer to hers. "I'm serious Maija!" He marveled, his tone quieting as the teacher walked in. He moved his desk back, the teacher glanced over with an annoyed eye roll at the sight. River was always a good student, a bit of a class clown sure, but his grades were always superb, and that's what mattered.

Maija on the other hand was never very academically gifted, atleast not like her sister Dakota, which was pretty much impossible to achieve. Maija loved her sister, but had never been more jealous of anyone in her entire life. . . Well as of right now, Layla was definitely second or maybe even first because of the whole Quil situation. But without counting boys in the midst of it all, Dakota would make the top of that list.

"Well, thanks. I guess." Maija let her defensive guard down for a moment, admiring the out of the blue compliment. It reminded her how Quil used to do the same, always giving her random sweet little comments to make her day better.

She missed those stupid little comments, she missed him.

River looked up, feeling as if there was a shift in the air of the room. He glanced around, his eyes falling on Quil, whose glance was fixated on himself and Maija. River noticed the twinge of jealousy in the boy's eye, and a terribly clever plan popped into his head. His eyes then landed on the teacher as she wrote in the chalkboard, he took into account that she was distracted at the moment.

Perfect.

"Hey," River directed his attention back to Maija, his voice a soft whisper so that the teacher didn't turn back. He leaned over toward her, only inches away from her ear, a flirtatious move, but he knew she wouldn't take it the wrong way. He could flirt with her all day, and she wouldn't take it as flirting; they were only ever platonic and the neither one of them wanted that to change.

"What?" She turned her head toward him, leaning into the whisper. To anyone else, this definitely looked like flirting.

"Bring some of that good weed tonight." River reminded, she nodded in response, assuming the reason he had gotten so close was so no one overheard him talking about weed.

River sat back in his seat, looking to see Quil's reaction. River noticed the sour look on his face, and smiled to himself in victory.

He had a plan for the party tonight, the most perfect plan.