Soul contact. {Paul Lahote}

six; always

November.

"Alright great work you guys! Keep up the amazing work and we might have a shot at nationals!" Dallas yelled out to her team mates, as she dropped her pompoms and all but ran to her water bottle that Embry was holding for her.

After taking a generous sip, she wiped the excess off her mouth and grinned up at her best friend. "Think we have a shot of winning this year?" The blonde nudged him playfully, causing Embry to roll his eyes at the shorter girl.

"Well I mean this year you guys have combined with La Push, so now you definitely have a chance." Dallas laughed along with Embry as she took her bag from him with a grateful smile.

La Push didn't have the numbers, or the funding for another year of cheerleading. Dallas felt sad about this, she knew how much the sport meant to her and it broke her heart to think of anyone being just as sad, if not more, at the prospect of not being able to partake in their favourite sport. So she decided to meet with her mother, Billy, Old Quil and The Clearwater's to request that La Push and Forks merge the two squads, so that La Push girls had a chance this year. Of course the council members were ecstatic, a simple solution to a problem that was causing a lot of complaints from a lot of parents. It wasn't just the cheerleading squad though, the football team was about to be cut until Dallas decided to 'kill two birds with one stone'. Of course some people had to be cut, but majority were happy with the changes.

Dallas waved to a few people who passed by, before her and Embry started the walk to her car. "Oh the La Push team are so talented. I mean I couldn't be happier with my team if I tried, let's hope the rest of the season is as good." Embry pushed opened the gym doors as Dallas turned the light switch off. The two entered the quiet hallway of Forks high school, Dallas adjusting her bag more comfortably.

"You have another game this Friday don't you?" The teen asked his best friend as they entered the carpark. Dallas nodded, reaching into her bag for her keys. It was Monday, the current training days were Monday, Wednesday and Sunday.

"Yep, and so far everything is going good. If we keep up this season the way we are,-" she paused, finally reaching her keys and pressing the unlock button. "-then we will definitely reach finals. And like I said about the La Push cheerleaders, the football players are just as good." Embry and Dallas both easily slid into her mother's beat up Mazda, Dallas blasting the heat as soon as the keys were in the ignition.

Embry plugged his phone into the aux and found his and Dallas's 'best friend playlist.' The teen's favourite song 'always' by Blink 182 played softly.  "I really don't understand why you don't just come to the reservation school!" He exclaimed, a hint of sadness in his voice. He really wanted his best friend to attend the same school as him, he felt like they barley saw each other anymore.

Dallas sighed, feeling a wave of sadness hit her too. That's how it was with her and Em, they were so in sync. They had been friends for seventeen years, their whole lives. They had a strictly platonic friendship, neither one of them ever catching feelings for the other. Something the duo flexed quite often, how strong their friendship had remained all of these years. "I want too Em, believe me. But one; Bella is still struggling, I don't want to leave her yet, and two; I feel like I don't...fit in. I know I'm allowed there, my grandmother was full Quileute. But because Mom and I are very white, I feel like people might get upset." She always felt immense guilt at the fact that she felt like that, she believed in equality heavily. She never wanted to step on anyone's toes because of the colour of her skin, she wasn't naïve: she knew she held a certain privilege because of the colour of her skin and it was always going to be something she felt guilt over.

She hated the way the world was, she hated the racism and she wanted it to all be over. Embry turned to face her, his face scrunched up slightly. "Everyone on the Rez knows you belong there, bumble. Your mother is on the council, your grandmother was on the council and you spend most of your time there." He explained gently, he knew of the guilt she had. Dallas continued driving, glancing at Embry briefly every time she spoke.