I sighed as my rusty Tahoe creaked to a stop outside of my family's new home. Momma and I spent three long days driving to Forks, Washington. Daddy came up several weeks earlier for his new job and to sign on the house. Momma threw open the passenger side door in excitement to see my father. They were never apart this long. The rain was light as it pattered against her glowing skin.
"Tals" Momma called as she let go of daddy to look upon our new home, "Get out of the car and come on! Isn't this lovely?" she asked breathily as her sea-foam eyes twinkled with the scene before her. I smiled at her enthusiasm. Momma always got excited over the smallest things. I was happy she was my mother. She found happiness in the smallest of moments. Her smile was always contagious. I was slower as I turned the Tahoe off and opened my door. My short legs protested as I tried to shift from the position they had been accustomed to for three days. My feet hit the worn driveway softly as I padded across the grass to stand next to her.
The house was a cottage-styled two story. It was weathered, and I was certain it had seen better days. It needed a little love, but I knew before the year was up, the home would be well loved by the eccentric occupants. I grinned at the nature surrounding the house. The rain didn't bother me, I loved it. And it was the reason the grass was so green here. The forest surrounding the cottage with lush greens. We were secluded from the other houses; though, it helped we were on the out skirts of Forks.
"I went ahead and picked up some basic groceries this morning so we could focus on getting moved in," Daddy stated with a kiss on my momma's cheek. Momma blushed and beamed up at him as he pulled her duffel bag from my SUV. My parents adored each other. They still acted like high school sweethearts. People used to tell me that their honeymoon phase would fade, but over the years, my parents love only grew. Their love was precious. I smiled softly to myself as I grabbed my own bag from the back. I was slower than my parents as momma grabbed daddy's arm and spoke animatedly about the house.
The house was older and dusty. The furniture momma had decided to bring to Washington with us was pushed against the walls waiting for her to decide the placement. The downstairs consisted of a kitchen, living area, and the master bedroom. The paint and wallpaper in the various rooms seemed to be peeling, but I knew we would be fixing up the house in the coming weeks. I felt excitement bubble to my chest as I surveyed the home. It was a blank canvas and I was ready to begin.
"Talia, there's two rooms upstairs and a bathroom. Pick any room you want as your bedroom. The other one will be an office," daddy stated. I nodded before testing my weight on the first stair. They creaked under my weight as if they had not been used in some time. The upstairs was small. I opened the first door on the left. It opened to reveal a bedroom. I walked towards the windows and peered out. It had a clear view of our lush front lawn and the road. The next door I opened revealed the bathroom. The last door I tried was on the right. The room was smaller. It overlooked our backyard and the beautiful forest our property backed into. I set my duffel bag down as I opened the window. It took a little grunt work to get it up, but it finally succumbed to my wishes; I was able to stick my head out. I breathed in the air in content. Wet earth assaulted my senses as did pine needles and the smell of the rain. My heart swelled in my chest as a smile graced my lips.
"Talia, I think we should go into town tomorrow and pick out paints for the upstairs, and maybe order some furniture," Mom stated as she bit into a piece of her pizza.
"Is daddy going?" I asked curiously as I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand. Momma frowned disapprovingly of my choice of where to wipe my mouth.
"He has to go into work, but he did sign you up for school the other day," She added with a nod. I groaned. Momma sighed in exasperation at me.
"When do I start?" I asked curiously.
"Next week! Doesn't that sound like fun?"
"It sounds horrible. I still don't see why they wouldn't let me graduate early." I grumbled. My momma rolled her eyes. She and daddy had heard my complaints for as long as I knew I would not graduate early due to one class credit with my previous school. Forks had accepted my transcript and found a class to stick me in for the credit so I could graduate. I was not looking forward to starting my senior year of high school a month into the school year and with only one class. I was dually enrolled in college classes online. By the time I graduated my senior year of high school I would be finished with my first year of college. I was not the kind of kid that enjoyed high school. I would much prefer be on my laptop taking college courses than I would listening to the antics of my peers.
"I'm starting a month into senior year. And it's in a small town. Everyone will be looking at me. Plus, I'm probably going to be bored for most of my classes." I grumbled. I knew full well the rest of my day would be spent in study halls until lunch time where I would be able to leave early for the day.
Momma sighed, "At least you'll be able to read a lot. But, I thought you didn't mind us moving and switching schools this year?" she asked pausing to assess me
"I don't. I really like it here so far, but you know," I stated shrugging, "It's harder for me to connect with people." Momma nodded.
"Maybe, you'll meet some nice friends to get involved with," She added with an encouraging smile.
"Drug dealers?" I asked with a shy grin.
"If you get involved with drug dealers just make sure I get a discount. I am family and all," Momma stated with a wink. I giggled.
"I dunno if they'll give me a family discount. It would hurt my street cred. You may be charged full price," I replied in mock seriousness
"Talia Elwyn Edwards! So, help me if you befriend drug dealers and don't get the woman that birthed you a discount, then you will be in big trouble young lady!" Momma jokingly scolded me.
"I heard the full name used. What happened in here?" Daddy asked as he walked into the kitchen while myself and momma attempted to keep straight faces while he dried his hair from his shower.
"Well, David, our daughter plans on befriending drug dealers and doesn't want to give us discounts on the drugs," Momma stated stiffly with a nod towards me.
"Is that so Beth?" Daddy asked curiously as he took my face in. "Well, then I guess you and I will have to befriend the drug dealers first!" The three of us broke into laughter.
"Everyone is staring at us," I murmured as I slid down in the passenger seat as we drove through Forks. Momma beamed as she took in the various Ma and Pa shops.
"This looks like a lovely little town, don't you think? Reminds me of home," Momma stated. I peered out of the window; my dark green eyes met the man's staring at our unfamiliar truck on the sidewalk. My cheeks heated up in a blush as I ducked my head.
"Here we are," Momma exclaimed as she turned my truck off in front of a hardware store. She looked over at me, pausing. I could feel panic rising in my chest as I took in the various shoppers glancing at us curiously. My thoughts began racing.
"Hey, Tals," she began soothingly, "I'll be right with you the whole time, and once you find your paint, you can come back to the car if you like." She stated with a smile as she patted my leg. I took a deep breath as I tried to push my anxiety back. I nodded before opening my door.
The middle-aged sales attendant had followed us around the store. He looked bleak as he blended in with the gray concrete walls compared to my momma. Her glowing skin and blonde hair complimented her exuberant smile. She was slender, with a tall figure that most women envied. Unlike some, she rarely cared for looking picture perfect. She was an artist, who usually wore paint-speckled clothes; due in part to her always working on her next project. Paint seemed to be a permanent part of her fingernail beds. She was extroverted, though, and made everyone feel like they had a best friend. And momma enjoyed talking to everyone. She was a confident firecracker that my daddy loved unconditionally. "Maybe I can help you pick some paint," a younger clerk stated as he smiled at me with a predatory glint in his eye. I shivered. There was something about his demeanor that did not settle well with me. I ducked my head, allowing my mocha waves to cover my face before I shook my head 'no'. I peeked up, noting him frowning a bit
"You know, most young ladies like yourself, really like these paints for their rooms," he stated as put on an overly happy smile. He gestured to a line of paints they had. Why would I care what kind of paint all the other girls buy? Also, was that even a thing? I don't think that's a thing. There cannot be that many girls my age coming in here on a daily basis to buy paint for their rooms. I mean I guess they could, but wouldn't they die from the paint fumes if they kept painting their bedrooms so much? Is that what people did for fun around here?
"So, how old are you?" he asked curiously as he grinned down at me. I squeaked before I took in a deep breath. "Seventeen," I answered curtly. Why couldn't he see I was not up for conversation? I didn't want to talk to him; I just wanted to buy paint! I began eyeing the colors with intensity as my finger trailed over the cans, hoping he would turn around and leave.
"Oh, you could've fooled me! I'm twenty-three," he stated with a wink. "You know, I think there's a party that's going to happen out on the beach this weekend. If you're interested, maybe I could pick you up, and show you around?" His teeth sparkled as he gave me a predatory grin. I internally gagged before panicking. Was this guy serious? I did not know him! Background checks had yet to be performed, he was a stranger, and I just wanted to buy paint! I did not waltz into the hardware store just for some creepy stranger to try and take me to a beach party where there would most likely be drugs, alcohol, and inebriated teenagers that made poor life choices! Plus, in all fairness, I couldn't just talk to him for that long! I didn't know him! What if he was a serial killer and I wound up in a ditch somewhere? He probably planned on killing me, and then, when my parents were mourning my short life, he would sneak into our house and kill them! I blanched at that thought before my body jerked forward, yanking a heavy paint can off the shelf.
"THIS ONE!" I shouted in my panic, "I want this can of paint." I cried out before darting around the man and sprinting down the aisle to the register. Momma looked at me curiously as she placed several cans at the register. She nodded at me as I barreled from the store, and she went to finish picking up the rest of what she wanted. I sighed in relief as I sank into the passenger seat of the truck. This was why I had wanted to graduate early. I had an impending sense of doom weighing on my heart every time I thought about finishing my senior year at Forks High. My stomach knotted up as I frowned at the radio stations playing, searching for something to soothe my nerves. I grimaced as Kesha's voice serenaded me through the truck. The one thing I enjoyed about modern technology was how far we had come with music. I quickly clicked the cassette tape into the cassette player of my truck with the headphone jack attached to the end. I connected it to my phone and grinned as Disturbed began blaring through the truck. I began nodding my head in time to Indestructible. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. I hummed along with my iTunes that played from my Bluetooth speaker I had set on the floor of my bedroom while I painted. I shivered slightly at the winter breeze that blew through my open window. It was freezing outside, but I didn't care. The gentle pitter-patter of the rain soothed me, and the smell of the dirt, moss, and lush grasses helped to cut through the smell of paint. I was able to get lost in my thoughts as I painted. Something felt right here.
I loved my childhood home. I had grown up with cows, chickens, and riding horses. I had always been amongst nature, running as wild as I pleased through the creek banks and the mountains. But I had never found a place to belong, at least, not with people. I would usually have an acquaintance or two at school. But I was usually too shy and much too anxious to talk to people. I kept my head down in my studies and the books that whisked me away to fantasy worlds. I had never really connected with people my age. I had never felt like getting involved in the same things my peers did. I preferred going to work, or staying home on the weekends, running wild in nature, reading my books, or hanging out with my parents. I had always felt restless, and never quite like I belonged; but the closer we drove to Washington, the more the restlessness eased. Now, I felt like something big was bound to happen; I quelled that thought. I had probably been reading too many books over the years that I almost expected something life changing would happen. It was doubtful; after all, I was just Talia Edwards. The girl that was too short to reach all of the shelves in the kitchen, the shy girl with anxiety issues, and the girl with her head always in a book. It was unlikely my life would change, but something in my heart kept stirring against my logical reasoning anyways. Maybe I just going crazy. Who knew?