It was late when we pulled up at our new house on the border of Forks and the local Indian reservation. The night was black because of the heavy rain clouds in the sky and rain hammered down as we stared out at the house before us. My mom, Beth, and my younger sisters Blakelyn and Izabel, were in my mom's car in front of us and where already getting out to make a dash for the house.
"I guess we should get out, too." My dad, Jeremy, said turning to look at me in the back seat. "You got your brother?" he asked.
I looked down at my sixth month old baby brother Brayden. He was sleeping peacefully in his car seat, sucking away on his binkie as he dreamed. "Only if you cover me with the umbrella," I answered undoing Brayden's seat belt and carefully picking him up, so I don't wake him. I passed the diaper bag to dad and watched him get out of the car, opening the door for me. He held the umbrella over my as we walked quickly into the house.
"Raleigh," my younger sister by a year and a half called as she walked towards me with her arms extended.
"Izabel," I say back as I pass Brayden off to her. Izabel has shoulder length dark brown hair that falls around her face in waves. Dark eye lashes framed her emerald green eyes making them a stark contrast to her olive skin. Her long legs and height gave her an exotic look that made me green with envy considering she towers over me.
"It's a good thing the movers got our stuff here before we did." My youngest sister by four years said from the kitchen as Izabel, dad and I made are way into the room. Blakelyn is the shortest of the three of us barely reaching five feet. Yet, she was exotic in her on wired way with her long, straight, waist length fiery red hair, beautiful dark green eyes and tan skin that stayed tan all year round. Which made since considering we are three fourths Quileute Indian.
"Sure," Izabel commented as she dug through Brayden's diaper bag. "Only everything is in boxes, scattered around the house with our furniture which, by the way, are all in the wrong places." She finally found what she was looking for and pulled out a bottle.
Izabel did have a point. The couch was in our dining room and the table blocked the hall way where our beds lined the walls and all of our boxes where in the living room despite the labels written on then in black sharpie. "Well I guess we have some work to do before we call it a night." My dad said just as a big streak of lightening lit up the sky followed by loud thunder.
Brayden wailed in Bel's arms, "Someone take him!" she said in a panicked voice, "Please or I'm going to cry with him." Mom rolled her eyes and took the crying baby from her, Bel visibly relaxed. That girl scares me and sometimes, makes me fear for my life, but of all things a crying baby scares her. I guess everyone has their kryptonite.
After two hours of moving things, around we had most of the furniture in the right rooms along with some of the boxes. Nothing was set up right or put together and our beds where on the floor for tonight but at least the couch wasn't in the dining room anymore. Finally, we all went to bed that night, exhausted from the long drive it took to make it to our new home.
After sleeping fitfully, I woke up with light shining dully threw my bay window. I sat up stretching and looked around my new room for the first time. My room was at the back for the house in a kind of add on the previous owners built under the stairs. It looked like it could have been a large office or small library because one wall from top to bottom was nothing but a bookshelf. There was also an attaching bathroom that had a descent size closet in it. The previous owners must have been trying to bring as much light into the room as possible because it was painted a light yellow.
"Hey mom wants, whoa," I hear and turn to see Blake in my doorway staring at my yellow walls in horror. "Ew. Yellow."
I rolled my eyes and shuffled threw some boxes until I found one with some clothes in it. "You where saying something Blake?" I asked pulling out clean underwear, a bra, skinny jeans, and a long sleeved dark blue V-neck shirt.
"Yeah she wants you to go into La Push to that Bakery and get some breakfast and coffees." She looked at me. "You are going to re-paint this room, right?"
Blake hates yellow. I have no idea why, but she says the color makes her want to puke. "I don't know." I say walking towards my bathroom, "I kind of like it."
A hot shower was just what I needed, I thought to myself as the hot water ran down my spine. I was not use to it being cold at the end of August but ever since we arrived in Washington it's been cool outside. Not to mention the hot water help ease the stress of the move from my body and cleared my head. When I was done I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I blow dried my long dark blonde hair. Blue eyes with a hint of purple stared back at me. My pale skin had only a hit of color in the cheeks and I could not tan to save my life. I looked very different from my sisters and mom at least they all had the tan native American skin. My mom even looked like a full blooded American Indian but she's not. She is half white as well as Native American. The reason we moved Forks on the reservation was because my mom wanted to be closer to the only family she had left which was a half brother and his three kids. Though only his son lives with him now. I think his name is Billy Black and his son is Jake? Jacob?
"Raleigh," Bel called as she knocked on the door, "Are you ready yet? I'm starving."
I rolled my eyes not bothering to answer as I put on some light makeup. And by light, I mean some black mascara, so people can tell I actually have eyelashes, eye liner on the top lid, and some pink champ-stick. When I got to the kitchen I found both of my parents sitting on bar stools their eyes red with sleep and my mom feeding Brayden a bottle. "Here," dad grumbled as he handed me a list:
• Bel- raspberry crème filled donut with a large hot chocolate
• Blake- two chocolate crème filled donuts with a medium hot chocolate
• Dad- large coffee. Black. Two chocolate filled donuts.
• Mom- large peppermint chocolate mocha and two crème filled donuts.
"Ok," I grabbed my wallet and dads truck keys, "I'll be back soon."
It didn't take long to find the bakery, it was kind of hard to miss considering it had a big ass sign called "Emily's Bakery" on front of the small cottage like shop. As soon as I walked threw the door my mouth began to water at the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, muffins and hot freshly brewed coffee hit my nose. The bakery was cute with my half a dozen little tables scattered around the front of the room for costumers to sit and enough their treats. Behind the large display case was a large stainless-steel table and three large industrial ovens. Behind the stainless-steel table, a young native American woman about my age stood mixing together what looked to be blue berry muffins in a large bowl.
"I'll be right with you," she said looking up at me smiling. It took me a moment to return her smile after seeing three angry looking scares across the side of her left face that disappeared underneath her shirt. Her hair was up in a ponytail and her bangs where push to the side. There was flour on her pink apron and some on her cheek and she had warm dark eyes.
"It's alright," I said walking up to the display case to look at the freshly baked goods she had put out. There where large muffins, regular donuts, crème filled donuts, jelly filled donuts, cupcakes, pies, and sweat tarts. It all looked amazing.
I heard the door behind me open and I turned to watch two large guys walk quickly in. "Sorry we're late, Emily." Says the first guy as he walks behind the counter and grabbed a black apron.
"Uh-hu," Emily says scolding the two boys, "And what is the excuse this time, Jacob Black?"
Jacob was about six feet and he was buff for a sixteen-year-old with short shaggy black hair, light brown eyes, dark caramel skin, and a dimple formed in his left cheek as he grinned sheepishly. The other guy was shorter then Jacob but just as muscular and he didn't look to happy to put on the light pink apron Jacob left him. He to has short black hair that was spiky on top and his eyes with a beautiful butter-scotch color.
"That stupid car of his would crank so we had to walk here." The other guy says with a smirk and he crossed his arms over his chest. I could help but watch his biceps flex under the long sleeved black shirt he had on straining the fabric.
"The rabbit isn't stupid," Jacob says giving hottie a death glare.
Emily rolled her eyes and we exchanged amused looks, "That's enough you two," Emily says in motherly tone pointing at them with the wooden spoon she was using, "Paul, come help me with the muffins while Jacob runs the register." She nods in my direction and both boys turn their gaze on me.
I feel my face flush as I make eye contact with Paul and I try to look away, but I can't. It was like I was in a trance and all I wanted to do was stare into his eyes, touch him, run my finders threw his hair, kiss him, be with him forev-… Now this is starting to get wired and I sound like a creepy stocker. He looks away first, thank God, and I quickly look down and played with the corner of the list in my hands. Slowly and unintentionally, I look back to find Paul watching me with mix emotion of amusement, joy, and fear on his face.
"So," Jacob says drawing my attention. His eyes shifted between me and Paul until a look of epiphany crossed his face and he grins, "What can I get you today?" he still wore that grin that made me feel like he knew something I didn't while also seeming amused. Which made me nervous for some reason I cant explain.
"A dozen crème filled donuts, half regular and the other half chocolate. One medium hot chocolate, one large hot chocolate, one large peppermint chocolate mocha, and one large black coffee." I took a breath and glanced at the display case and then the menu. "And I'll have a large peppermint hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin."
Jacob tapped away at the screen, "That will be $25.89." I gave him thirty, "What's the name for this?"
"Raleigh." I say sliding the change into the tip jar.
Jacob pauses and looks up at me with a raised eye brow, "As in Raleigh Scarbow?" he asks his face a mix of surprise and anger.
"Yes…?" I answer confused at the look on his face, "Is there something wrong with my name?"
A look of terror passed his face and he quickly composed himself, "Not at all. It's just you're a pale face?" Pale face is a name the Indians have white men/ people.
"And that's a cupcake. Your point is?" I say with raised eyebrows.
"We're cousins though?" he says looking more confused. "You don't look Indian."
"Well damn," my voice was full of sarcasm, "And here I thought I was going to fit in just fine being only a third part Indian."
"Sorry I didn't mean it in a disrespectful way," Jacob said blushing from embarrassment, "You're just different then what I expected."
"Then I should warn you that my youngest sister has red hair, native America skin, and sea green eyes." He just stood there staring at me like he was trying to figure out if I was bluffing or not.
"I don't believe you," he finally said, "There is no way." I pulled out my phone and pulled a picture of the three of us up and showed it to him, "You guy are weird." He said eying the picture.
"Thanks," I said dryly puting my phone away, "So about my order…"
"Oh yes your order," he went to work on getting the donuts first then he worked on the drink.
I watched as Emily instructed Paul on how to fill up the muffin pans and how long to leave them in the oven. "You really need to hire someone who no ones what they are doing, Em." Jacob said as he flipped threw a notebook labeled 'How to Make Drinks for Dummies.' "How do you even make a peppermint mocha?"
"You're joking right?" Emily exclaimed looking flustered. Her eyes moved from the book in his hands back to Jacob.
"You find how to do it in the notebook Emily so graciously made for you." I exclaimed. Jacob stared at me blankly then he narrowed his eyes at me and Paul laughed.
"Thank you!" Emily says throwing her hands up in the air. "I do not understand what's so hard about following the directions in the book I made you."
"If it's that easy," he said tossing the book onto the counter and opening the side door leading to behind the counter, "you make it then," Jacob said smirking as he crossed his arms and stepped aside.
"Black coffee," I poured black coffee in to a large cup, "Hot chocolate," I said preparing the hot chocolate and started on the mocha as I looked at the directions in book, "Peppermint hot chocolate," I said making it and turned to look at him.
His smirk was gone, and he had a playful glare on his face. "You've totally did that before." He accused, "That's not fair!"
"You didn't say it had to be fair, but I've never made a mocha before," I put the drinks onto a cup holder and walking out from behind the counter and shrugged.
Emily and Paul laughed, "Jacob got his pride hurt," Paul said still laughing. He then looked at me and winked at me causing me to blush.
The door opened again, and I could hear high-heals click, clank across the hard wood floors towards us. "What's so funny," asked the girl in the middle. She had long straight raven hair that was fishtailed down her back and her dark eyes narrowed as she looked at me. She had on heavy makeup and she wore a white skin tight off the shoulder thigh length dress with black heals. She was native American and beautiful but had kind of a bitchiness about her. "Hey Paul." She said smiling sweetly at him and a ping of jealously hit me. "When do you get off today?"
'They must date or have something going on between them,' I thought to myself and I felt a pang of heart in my heart at the thought. I just hoped it didn't show on my face. I mean, why should I be hurt that some guy I don't even know has a girl friend?
"Twelve this afternoon when we close Tallie." Paul sounding bored, "Why do you want know?"
"I thought maybe we could hang out," Tallie said her tone and face where suggestive. I didn't take a genius to know that when she said 'hang out' she means have sex.
"Not today," Paul said, and I glanced at him to find his eyes shift to me and he looked uncomfortable and pissed. "Actually, we need to talk." He said walking out from behind the counter towards her. As he passed me to get to Tallie I felt his fingers brush the back of my hand making me blush and my stomach do back flips. Paul grabbed Tallie by the elbow and guided her to the far corner on the room where he turned his back to us and began talking in a hushed voice.
"Well I'm going to go," I said awkwardly and grabbed my order and started for the door.
"Hey if you want a job I could really use some help." Emily calls out and I smile at her.
"Thanks, I could use a job," I replied, and she smiled wide.
"Thank God," She laughed, "Can you start Monday after school?"
"Yeah, I actually get out after lunch because I only need a few classes and I've taken what they offer."
"Great," She said writing something a clip bored, "I'll see you at one then, IF I don't see you before then." She waved as walked out the door. I smiled to myself, maybe I'll work some with Paul…that would be interesting.