Here's chapter one in my Embry imprint story.
I do not own any recognizable characters or other stuff.
What the heck was I doing here? Outside. Alone. In the rain. In La Push. I had no idea where to go. This was absolutely ridiculous. Why would I trust mum? Since when did any of her plans go the way they were supposed to?
No one picked me up at the air port in Port Angeles
Reason: No one knew that I would be arriving today. Thank you, mum.
I had to pay for the cab myself. Great.
I had the wrong address, apparently the address I had didn't exist. So I had been dropped off by the cranky cab-driver here. And where is here? I have no idea.
So, I was never ever going to trust mum with planning my travels anymore. Never. But how was I supposed to know that she'd screw up again? I mean… Well, it wasn't just my fault. Okay, basically it was.
"What's up this summer?" my eccentric best friend said as she collapsed on my bed. I grimaced, and could almost hear the covers of my books crack under her. Lena never cared about my books.
"Thinking about getting a job," I answered while I sat down (much more elegantly) next to her.
"Ugh," she grimaced. "Jobs are boring. And what would you do? Sell newspapers? Deliver pizzas?"
"Dunno, whatever," I said, not surprised by her lack of interest.
"Why would you want to work?"
"Need the money," I answered. Not all of us gets an allowance at the size of… something big, whatever.
"For what?"
"For everything. I don't want to be financially dependent on my mum," I said. Lena raised an eyebrow, looking at me as if I had spoken Greek, not English.
"Well, I'm not working. Or covering your pizza-delivery-shifts. Or coming with you to entertain you, or –"
"I didn't expect you to, calm down. You can… be with Tony all you want this summer. Promise I won't interrupt," I said in a forced teasing tone. Lena stuck her tongue out at me.
"You're just jealous," she claimed.
"Sure I am."
Lena jumped up so she was sitting on her knees, putting her face just inches from mine with a triumphant grin. "You admit it," she grinned.
I smiled genuinely, praying for some higher might to just get a grip and change Lena. She was honestly getting on my nerves. She had the last few years. I hated being around her when she was in that too-cheery mood, making fun of everything and everyone and not being considerate at all. I don't think she had been the one to change throughout the years, though. She was actually very cool, but I had changed.
"So. Chocolate, soda and chips. Got it all?"
"Kitchen."
"And movie?"
"Living room."
"You get the junk food, I'll get the film."
With that Lena was off my bed and out the door.
After two torturing hours of Bridget Jones including Special Features, Lena decided it was time to go. I cleaned up all our mess, annoyed that she didn't even offer to help.
I met mum in the kitchen, where she was having dinner for herself.
"Hungry?" she asked me.
"Nope," I answered, dragging myself up on the counter. Mum's eyes got wary and a little blank. I ignored it. She should be able to handle it by now. I did. "Do you have any idea where I could get a job for the summer?"
Mum frowned.
"It's… two weeks till the summer. You'll never be able to find one in time," she said. Darn.
"You sure?"
"Pretty much. You could try, though. But you should have begun much earlier –"
"Sure, thanks mum," I said, jumping down from the counter. Mum didn't look at me when I left the room, her eyes were glued to the kitchen counter where I had been sitting moments ago. She always got melancholic when I sat there, because my bastard of a father didn't use to like it.
Oh, yeah, my father left us for another man.
Weird, I know.
Mum still got sad when she thought about it, but I had moved on. I moved on one month after he left us, and now it had been two years. Time to let it go.
The next day I went job-hunting. I walked around for three whole hours, asking on every single store I passed. And then I mean every store. The grocery-store, the one where they sold knitting- and sewing-thingies, lingerie-store (I sighed in relief when they turned me down), bathroom-stuff-store and many more. When I finally came home I was exhausted and tired, so I lay down in the couch watching Friends.
Mum came home from work carrying three, huge grocery-bags. Yes, from the shop that turned me down. Oh, joy.
"Guess what," mum asked.
"Say it," I grumbled.
"You know your uncle Horton?"
As in "Horton hears a who"?
"Who?"
"He lives in that Indian reservation in Washington. La Push."
"Uh-huh," I said, even though I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Well, he was looking for a part-time co-worker in his little shop this summer…"
"He is?" I croaked, sitting up, paying better attention now. I was liking the sound of this.
"So I said I'd ask you if you wanted to go," she continued.
"I do!" I said instantly. I got a job! I think... "Where did you say this place was?"
"Washington."
"Washington," I repeated, skeptically. That was… far from here. That meant no mum. No Lena. No dad trying to make me forgive him. "Washington," I said again, a smile creeping over my face. "That'll be fun," I concluded with. "Can you call… Horton" I said the name with a little difficulties, trying not to think about "Horton Hears a Who". "that I'll come?"
"Sure," mum said with a small smile. I darted for my room before she started musing about how much she'd miss me etc. etc. I collapsed on my bed, and my sadistic cat immediately took its place halfway on my stomach. No, seriously, it is sadistic. I swear, he's trying to tear my arm off. I've got three hundred scars on my arms from when he's playing with me.
That's Scramble for you.
I called Lena.
"Whazzup," Lena said in a thick voice. I rolled my eyes.
"What are you eating?"
"Cheetos. What is it?"
"I'm going to Washington," I said, grinning even though she couldn't see it. There was a long silence. "Lena? Are you there?"
"Washington?" she finally said.
"Yeah."
"Why…" she trailed off. "Oh. You're joking!" she said, laughing. "Good one, Maia."
"It's not a joke," I said. Another silence.
"Are you serious?"
"Yup. I'm working at my uncle's store." I realized I had no idea what kind of shop this was.
"But… Washington?" Lena said in disbelief. She had stopped eating now.
"Yeah. Mum hooked me up," I answered her.
"But… it's so far away. I won't see you all summer!"
Well, that's part of the point.
Okay, I didn't really think that. I would probably miss her.
"It'll be fine. Maybe we could visit," I said, but I doubted it. Plane tickets were expensive.
"Maybe," Lena said weakly. I pushed away the guilt I felt for making her sad. She would survive, with Tony.
"See you tomorrow," I said.
"Sure. Bye, My."
I hung up with just a small lump in my throat.
Yeah. So it's basically just my fault. Sort of.
I sat down on a bench outside a worn shack and dropped my huge, full bag, suitcase and purse to the wet ground. I was soaking wet and I still had no clue where to go. I dug up my phone from my jeans pocket and tried once again to call my uncle.
This time someone answered.
"Hello?" said a lazy voice in my ear.
"Um… hi," I said awkwardly. Was this the right number?
"Who are you?" said the voice. It sounded like it belonged to a very indolent girl.
"I'm… Maia," I said, making it sound like a question.
"Wrong number?" the girl asked rudely.
"I tried to call Horton," I peeped stupidly.
"Horton James?"
"Uh… yeah…" Probably.
"He's busy. Can I take a message?"
"Where is he? He was supposed to get me," I explained.
"Who are you?" the girl asked again.
"Maia Woods."
"Why is he getting you, and where?"
"Um… I'm supposed to stay at his house, and work at his store," I leered off. I heard a snort in the other end.
"That Maya. He's on his way."
And with that she hung up.
Wow, I felt so welcome.
But she had said he was on his way. Hopefully she was speaking the truth.
I quickly stood back up, realizing that I felt much less miserable if I was walking, not just sitting. I grabbed my luggage and continued to walk aimlessly by the road, waiting for someone to pick me up. Hopefully uncle Horton knew what I looked like, because I had no idea what kind of car to look after.
I heard the sound of one behind me, and turned around hopefully. It drove right past me, and didn't avoid the pond at the side of the road. The water splashed all over me, making me even wetter than before.
I tilted my head backwards, and squinted up into the raindrops.
"Thanks," I said through clenched teeth.
After about five more minutes another car came by, and I jumped away from the road just to be sure. But this one stopped, and I felt a great wave of relief when a somewhat familiar figure leaned over and opened my door.
"Madeline," he said. I could faintly recognize the rumbling voice and the almost innocent smile in the middle of a thin, tired face. Yup, I had definitely seen him before, though I couldn't remember where…
"Uncle Horton?" I asked to be sure. He nodded, and his smile widened. I smiled gratefully back. I pushed my luggage into the back seat, and got in front.
"You're wet," he noted.
Duh.
"Yeah. It's the rain. It does that to me," I said, a little sarcastically. Horton chuckled a little.
"Thanks for helping me this summer," he said.
"No problem," I said honestly. A silence followed. "So… I tried calling you," I said, trying to start a conversation.
"Oh. I… forgot my phone," he admitted sheepishly.
"A girl answered," I continued.
"Oh," he said in a different tone. "Must have been Melissa."
"Melissa…?" I asked. Horton looked at me.
"Your cousin," he hinted with a small smile.
"Oh, right."
Huh?
"You don't remember?"
I shook my head.
"Well, can't blame you. You were just… what, six years old the last time you were here?"
"I… don't remember," I said apologetically. He chuckled again.
"She can be a little direct. Do you remember Paul?"
"Um… no."
"He's your cousin too. He doesn't live at home, though. He's married."
Wow. I missed my own cousin's wedding. How lame is that?
"Why did I never hear of that?" I asked.
"Vegas," Horton said with a sad smile. I chuckled.
"Seriously?" I asked. Horton nodded, still looking a little sad. Well, what do you know? Cousin Paul was now my new role model. I'd always thought weddings were too much. I'd never wanted a big white wedding, only the cake and a pretty dress. Vegas seemed like a good solution. A compromise.
Horton took my suitcase and big bag when we arrived at the house, and I took my smaller bag. I felt self-conscious as we entered the house, feeling that the water made my clothes completely see-through.
I rounded a corner, and suddenly my view was blocked. I jumped back, surprised. I think it was a person. I tilted my head back and looked up… and up… and up… face!
"Wow," I breathed, instantly flushing bright red.
"Sorry," the guy said, flashing me a beautiful, apologetic smile. I blinked three times, just to see if he was still there. He was. He now frowned his perfect eyebrows, like he was wondering if I really was sane. "I'm Paul," he said, holding out his freakishly large hand. I brought my shivering (stupid!) hand up to his, and he grabbed it for a second.
"Maia," I answered, stifling a gasp. He sent me another smile (swoon) and motioned for me to move out of the way, so that he could leave. I automatically pouted, because I didn't want him to leave.
"See you around," Paul said, waving shortly as he walked out the door. I stared at it stupidly for a few seconds, till I heard a snort behind me. I spun around, embarrassed to be caught staring and – possibly – drooling at a door.
I only saw the back of a red-haired head disappear down the stairs. Melissa?
I shook my head slightly before I followed the way that Horton had gone, and ended up in the kitchen. I found my luggage on the floor and Horton nowhere to be seen. What a weird place this was. I heard a low voice from the other door in the kitchen – yes, there was two, one in each end – so I went over there. The door was open just a crack, and I pushed it open without thinking about it.
It was some sort of office. There were no windows, and it was tiny and smelled like dust and tobacco. It made me feel cooped up just standing in the doorway.
Horton jumped to his feet when he saw me, as if he hadn't expected me. He had a phone pressed to his ear and looked impatiently at me.
"Um… where can I sleep?" I asked weakly, feeling that I had stepped over some sort of boundary line.
"Melissa will show you," he said curtly, but with a polite smile. I nodded, and he turned his back at me again, talking hurriedly and quietly into the phone. Looked like my dad used to when he had important business-calls, only Horton owned a small shop. What kind of important calls could that make?
I left my luggage where it was, and walked down the stairs I had seen the red-head disappear down. The steps creaked loudly as I walked, and I heard Melissa's grumpy voice before I reached the floor.
"What do you want?" she asked rudely.
"Your dad said you'd show me my room," I said politely, stopping where I was. It didn't sound like she wanted me in there. In the bottom of the stairs there was a door, so I couldn't see into the room.
"Through the hall and up the stairs by the hat-and-coat stand. First door on your right," she answered lazily. Well, she did answer, at least.
I muttered a thank you, go my things in the kitchen and followed her instructions. I ended up in a tiny room with a cot and a tired shelf. No closet.
Great.
I let my things fall to the non-existing free floor space, and sat down at my bed.
Why the heck did I want a job?
So, that was first chapter!
It's not very good, I think, but I'm trying. And I think it will get better in later chapters.
I've already started the second, but reviews are always a good inspiration!
Thanks!!
