Definite Physical Changes and a Chat At Lunch

Absentmindedly, I took the ball from the air in front of me and jumped, leading the ball with my dominant hand and throwing it toward the hoop.

Oddly enough, despite my general lack of skill in basketball, the ball did a perfect curve through the air before ending up through the net in the cleanest swish I'd ever seen. A few 'whoops' and cheers came from around me, a few people even patting me on the back and saying how good the shot was.

Personally, I didn't know how I did it...it just sort of happened.

I moved my body in the correct way or rather, what I felt was the correct way. My body seemed bigger today as well. A bit taller, a bit wider, a little more muscular.

It reminded me of when I was 14 and started to go through my growth spurt. I got bigger nearly every day back then. But I was 18 now. I shouldn't be growing too drastically anymore and the fact I was...well, it really drove home the desire for this school day to be over so I could go and speak to Billy about whatever the hell I was going through.

While I was thinking this, I felt...something. Before I could even think of what it was, my body reacted for me. I bent forward, ducking down a little and on reflex, I grabbed the thing that flew over my head.

My finger dug into the synthetic leather so tightly I thought I was going to break through it.

But I quickly caught myself and restrained whatever instinct was making me do this. Whatever it was, it told me to dig my claws in, break the surface and to hook my nails into whatever I was grabbing.

The instincts told me that that was the only way to successfully grab onto something if you wanted to pull it toward you and down.

It reminded me of how most of the big cats hunt - ambush the prey, dig the claws into the prey's flesh and then drag it down.

It was an odd comparison to make...but it felt somewhat right, honestly.

"Oh g-god, Will, I'm so sorry!" I heard Bella's voice worriedly say, so I turned around, ball in hand as she continued, "I-I told them not to l-let me play--God, I'm so clumsy," she seemed incredibly embarrassed and worried, so I just smiled at her, remembering something Charlie said about Bella being as clumsy as him.

"Hey, no worries, I managed to get out of the way in time so I didn't get hurt," I laughed, underhand throwing the ball at her, making sure it was slow enough for her to catch.

Even then, she barely caught the ball. Her hand-eye coordination was clearly bad but I guess it made her somewhat cute? Like a deer that's struggling to walk on ice or a puppy struggling to get up a flight of stairs. I already felt somewhat protective of her because of her similarities with my older sister and the fact that she's my younger cousin...but this clumsiness makes me feel like I have to stay on the look out to help her not do anything stupid.

"Just keep that mean spike of yours under control, yeah?" I joked, feeling a little better when I got to do some friendly teasing to this younger cousin of mine.

Bella went a little flustered, "Y-yeah, sure," she said before turning away and passed the ball to a nearby girl who looked at Bella with thinly veiled disdain which did grate me a little - what, she isn't athletically talented and that deserves disdain?

Goddamn, people are dickheads sometimes.

Turning back to the my classes* game, I saw some blond kid walking over to me. He was an inch shy of 6 foot and he had icy blue eyes that shone with optimism. He looked passed me and toward Bella with an uncomfortable amount of attraction in his eyes - is this how I look when I look to Edythe? I need to get a handle on that then. I don't feel comfortable looking like a creep, honestly.

"Hey, dude," he said with a practiced smile as he put his hand out towards me, "Mike Newton, nice to meet you. We haven't spoken alot but we're actually in a few classes together," he said, nice enough, so I thought I wouldn't blow him off out of nowhere.

Taking his hand, I gave it a nice squeeze which made him wince a little more than I wanted him to - did I put too much power into it? - but I introduced myself anyway, "William Riley, but most people call me Will. It's good to meet you too, Mike," I smiled before letting go of his hand.

He took his hand and massaged it a little, wryly smiling up at me, "Quite a grip you've got there, big guy. Like seriously," he gave a slightly uncomfortable laugh before he motioned toward Bella who was awkwardly participating in her classes volleyball match, "So, you know that cutie over there or something? You seemed pretty friendly with her," he mused, trying to sound casual but his jealousy and curiosity being as clear as day.

Laughing I gave him a truthful reply, "Well, she is my cousin, so I am somewhat friendly with her," I said and his face instantly lit up.

"Cousins? Really? Well, that's a relief. I thought you two had like some past romance going on," he laughed, seeming relieved. I just looked at him weirdly.

"Past romance? We were just talking, dude, so what made you think that?" I asked, genuinely confused at how he'd gotten to that. But I quickly realized what type of person he was when he spoke up next.

Shaking his head, he deflected the question, "That doesn't matter, man. What does matter, however, is if you can set me up with your cousin?" he asked and I instantly rolled my eyes, to which he continued, "Come on, dude! Just help a guy out, please!" he begged and I felt myself getting annoyed with his pestering.

I just gave him a sidelong glance, grinning, "Sorry, man, I'm not into matchmaking people. Either the guy gets the girl or the girl gets the guy. There shouldn't be a third party in my opinion," I shrugged, feeling a hint of joy at his annoyed face - serves him right for annoying me with his pestering and his creepiness with Bella - before carrying on, "Just go for her. I ain't gonna help you but I'm not gonna be getting in your way either," I honestly said before I got back into the game.

Jogging onto the court, I instantly called for the ball.

The person holding it, remembered my 3-pointer and quickly passed the ball my way. I wanted to test something out.

I took a breath, a very deep one, before I set off, dribbling the ball with speed and control that was much higher than what I could do before.

Someone came to stop me, standing right in front of me and settling down into a basic stance with their knees and feet spread outwards and their arms spread wide to stop my advance. Normally, I'd have to stop because I didn't have the agility to move passed them. My body was usually too heavy and clumsy to do that.

But right now, I just...moved passed him. My agility and reflexes...even my balance and flexibility just seemed miles ahead of what I was used to.

I dribbled around them, then the next person, and then the next person after them.

All until I had a straight run until the main defender, or the Center, and the hoop behind him. But this didn't feel like a problem to me right now.

I just got to the hoop, jumped and slammed the ball down before the Center could even react.

Slam dunk. A textbook one, at that.

As soon as I landed, I realized that my team were cheering again, while the Center just looked at me with a mixture of annoyance and admiration. I, on the other hand, just looked down at my hands, wondering one thing...

What the hell is actually happening to me?

. . .

Sitting at the table with these new...well, they're not friends. More like acquaintances, honestly. But with these new people, my lunches of silent pondering were over.

I was mainly sitting here because of Bella and not wanting to leave her at the mercy of Mike who'd no doubt creep on her, and this Jessica girl who seemed a bit insidious at times.

"So, Will, you play basketball back in Austin? You were pulling off some pretty good moves in Gym class today, man," Mike said with a sheen of admiration on his face when he spoke to me, for once not trying to hit on Bella.

Jessica, next to him, also turned to me a wide and sweet smile on her face, "I saw that as well. You should totally try out for the basketball team. They could do with a person like you on it!" her enthusiastic voice sounded slightly fake but I ignored that thought and just gave her a polite smile before answering Mike.

"I...No, I didn't play basketball. I played Varsity Football for my high school back in Texas before I moved here," I smiled before beginning to devour the salad in front of me.

Another off thing to add to the check list about my body: A much, much bigger appetite.

"You played varsity?" Mike asked, somewhat in disbelief, before he laughed to himself, "No wonder you're so good at sports man. You're just naturally gifted," he said with a shake of his head, beginning to dig into his own food.

"Well, you're much more athletically inclined then Bella here," Jessica said with a scoff, "I still can't believe you two are cousins. You're way too different," she said playing with her salad but not eating any of it.

Shrugging, I swallowed a mouthful of salad before speaking, "Well, I'd say she probably has way better grades than me. I've been getting by on scholarships from football so far and grades that barely pass but now I've got to go off of my grades alone," I said with a slightly annoyed voice. Both annoyed with my lack of intellectual ability and my own choice to give up sports.

"You're not doing any sports?" Mike asked, genuinely confused, "Why? I know the scholarships up here in Forks can't compare to anything from where you're from but it'd be something, right?"

I thought of how to answer for a few seconds before sighing and putting my fork down, "I guess you could say I don't have the drive to play sports anymore. It's fun to do as a hobby but right now, I don't feel like doing it seriously. You get what I mean?" I asked, getting a nod from both Mike and Jessica.

Bella was too busy speaking to two other people - a guy and a girl. The guy was called Eric and the girl was called Angela. Nice people. Seem to have the hots for each other but neither of them is able to take the final jump to get together.

"Hey, Will," my attention was brought away from my thoughts and towards Mike.

"Yeah?" I asked, chowing down on some of my lunch.

"Why did you move up here to Forks anyway? I hear that Austin is a nice place to live. Nice and warm. Opposed to the cold and rain up here," he asked, innocently enough. But the question sent a spark of annoyance through me.

He couldn't have possibly known it was a sore spot for me. But it didn't mean it wasn't annoying to have such an indirectly invasive question asked.

Trying to smile politely if not apologetically, I answered with a restrained tone, "I...I really don't want to talk about it, honestly, Mike. So don't ask, yeah?" I said before going back to my food.

But not before hearing Mike reply and seeing Bella look all curious all of a sudden.

"Y-yeah, sure, man. Sorry if I overstepped or anything," Mike apologized but I didn't reply and the table went quiet. It stayed quiet until Bella caught sight of something and raised an eyebrow before motioning with her chin in the direction of the canteen outside entrance/exit.

"Who are they?" she asked, and I turned to see that it was the Cullens.

The same tense feelings filled me but I found myself looking for Edythe as Bella and Jessica spoke about the Cullens. Which seemed to be Jessica talking and Bella ocassionally chiming in. Mike seemd jealous when Bella took interest in the one who looked like Edythe's actual brother who I found out was called Edward.

But I didn't care about any of that. Edythe wasn't with her siblings.

I don't know why that pained me so much.

Like a red hot poker pressed deep and hard against my chest. But I soon went back to eating, hoping that fulfilling my appetite would help numb whatever that weird pain was.

It didn't.