Thanks for sticking around for Chapter 2! Also, thanks to those who decided to follow, and even favorite the story. I got three really lovely reviews from: WriteAndDream23, Seldomlaughs, & Lapushwolfpack, so I want to give you a really big thank-you! Your comments are much appreciated :)
DISCLAIMER: Like I said before, Twilight is owned by Stephenie Meyer. I probably don't need to say this, but I will anyways: I also don't own The Lord of the Flies, which was written by William Golding and is mentioned in this chapter as well as the last.
The Heart Wants What It Wants
2. Hot and Cold
Simon and Winona Fawling opened Fawling Market in April of 1990, the same year their first daughter was born. It is the only supermarket in La Push, and for all 16 years it has been in business it has been mainly-run by family. Currently, there are only two employees who don't bear the Fawling surname; Leah Clearwater and Paul Lahote.
Lena works at the Market five days a week, Friday and Sunday being her only days off. She doesn't mind it most days, but Saturdays are definitely the best days since she works with Leah, Paul, and her Aunt Shayna. It's busy since Saturdays are when most people come in to buy their groceries, but even during the slow times they find ways to make the day go by faster.
"Did you start the book?" Lena demands the moment Paul walks in for his shift at 2pm. She's been at the Market since 11am and stayed up late re-reading her notes for the Lord of the Flies so that she could start going over them with Paul.
"I thought we were doing Biology today?" Paul asks, looking dumbfounded.
"I'll take that as a 'no'," Lena says, shoulders slumping. She wonders why she even bothered wasting her time. Clearly Paul isn't going to read the damn book. His English final is Wednesday, and he's going to be working the rest of the day today, plus half the day tomorrow. It doesn't leave him much time for reading.
"I read the first chapter," Paul confesses, "That's all I had time for. But I didn't expect you to be quizzing me on it already."
Lena sends him a skeptical look over the top of her register, not sure she believes him or not. "Name the first two characters mentioned in chapter one," She challenges, "And then I won't talk about the book again today. We'll just do the Biology flashcards."
Paul thinks it over for a moment, and then surprises Lena when he answers, "Ralph, Piggy, and Jack." Then he shrugs and adds, "I just read it before I came in."
"You better find time to read more before tomorrow afternoon," Lena warns him, "Or you are going to have a really hard time passing your test. I hope you've been studying the science notes I gave you..."
Paul narrows his eyes at the shorter brunette as he comments, "I'm starting to regret asking you to tutor me."
Lena smiles, returning, "I'm starting to regret accepting." She knows he's only joking. No one else will tutor his temperamental ass.
"Paul," Shayna Fawling calls from the back of the Market, "I need you at the deli station!"
After Paul walks away, Leah clears her throat, drawing Lena's attention. She raises a cynical eyebrow, asking, "What was that all about?"
Leah Clearwater graduated high school last year, and she'll be twenty come October, so she and Lena don't share many mutual friends. They know each other because La Push is a small town, and nearly everyone knows everyone. Plus, Leah's been working at Fawling Market since she graduated, and Lena started around the same time, since her parents decided 15 was old enough to work at the family grocery store. Aside from those reasons, Lena's brother Forrest, who is 10-months younger, is best friend's with Leah's brother Seth, so it would be pretty much impossible for the two girls not to be friendly with one another. Despite the age difference, Lena really likes Leah; she's not sure the older girl feels the same way, but that could be because Leah's long-time boyfriend Sam just broke up with her and she's heartbroken.
"Oh," Lena jabs her thumb over her shoulder in the direction Paul just walked, "That. I'm helping Paul study for finals."
Leah pulls a face, "Why would you want to do that?" Leah's never hidden her impatience for Paul; something about him just rubs her the wrong way, but their constant bickering is amusing to Lena.
"Because," Lena laughs, "He was very persistent, and it was just easier to say yes." That's not entirely true, though. Paul only asked once, but it was sincere, and she could tell he was desperate. She didn't want to say no. Maybe she thinks that doing him this favor will make him more likely to return the favor sometime; like, say, if she wants a night off from work during the week and there's no one else to cover her shift.
"I'd kill him," Leah states bluntly, just as a customer walks down her lane to check-out with her grocery items. Leah pastes a false smile on her face and greets, "Good afternoon. Did you find everything you needed?" Lena has to turn away to hide her smile upon seeing the bewildered customer's expression.
For the next hour and a half, a steady flow of customers keeps Lena and Leah busy on their registers, but by 4pm the market has a lull in the crowd. Lena decides to ask her aunt if she can steal Paul from the deli for a little while, so they can study some science flashcards, and Shayna gives the okay, as long as they agree to do cart returns and straighten up the aisles while they're talking. Surprisingly, Paul seems happy to get away from the deli, which is usually his favorite duty on Saturdays, since Sundays he's stuck in the back most of the day accepting deliveries and stocking the walk-in freezer and the meat locker.
"Okay," Lena says once she and Paul have taken a breath of fresh air outside, "Let's start with something easy." She walks to a cluster of carts on one side of the parking lot and begins to push them back towards the store front, while Paul gathers the ones on the other side of the lot. "What do plants synthesis their protein from?"
"What, no multiple choice?" Paul asks, only half-joking.
Lena rolls her eyes before supplying him with four options, "Starch, sugar, amino acids, or fatty acids?" Some might call her a brainiac, but the truth is she just has a great memory. She is able to memorize facts and easily remember them, making tests and quizzes a breeze. It doesn't mean she's a know-it-all, because she's far from it. In actuality, science and math are her two least favorite subjects, but that only motivates her more to understand the concepts, so she doesn't have to spend more time with it than she needs to. Helping Paul with Geometry and Biology has been difficult for her, but she's invested at this point in ensuring he gets a passing grade.
"Uh..." Paul wracks his brain for the correct answer, finally taking a guess, "Amino acids?"
"Is that a question or an answer?" Lena asks, shoving the row of carts in their proper lane just outside the Market's doors.
"Is it right or wrong?" Paul counters with another question. He, too, pushes the stray carts back into the metal lane where they belong.
"Amino acids is correct," Lena replies, "But you have to be sure of your answer. If you second-guess yourself then you're more likely to get it wrong." She moves on to another question, staying on the topic of plants for a moment, since it was the first topic they discussed at the beginning of the year. "Plants absorb most of the water they need through their what? And I'm not giving you choices this time."
"The...root hairs?" Paul answers slowly, still seeming unsure of himself. Lena nods encouragingly and he raises his eyebrows in surprise. "I was right?"
"Yes!" Lena is pretty pleased with herself. Last week he got all these questions wrong, but now he's getting them right. He actually learned something from their study sessions, and after yesterday's successful Geometry practice, she's feeling good about Paul's chances at moving on to Grade 11 with her and the rest of their class. "Now, tell me what influences plant development."
"Light," Paul says simply.
"Yes, but what about light?" Lena prompts.
Paul tries to recall exactly what Lena wrote in her notes, and elaborates, "Quantity, quality, and duration of light."
Lena claps her hands together and smiles, "You sound so smart right now."
Paul doesn't take her compliment the way she meant it. He scowls, "You're such a bitch."
"What? I was being serious!"
"Why? Because I usually sound like a dumbass?" Paul huffs and re-enters the Market without a backward glance.
Lena follows, insisting, "No, Paul. That's not what I meant." She sighs when he doesn't slow down, and since his legs are a lot longer, he's too far away now for her to keep yelling after him. She doesn't want to give her family's store a bad reputation for having immature teenagers running the cash registers. Besides, when Paul gets mad about something it's best to just let him cool off. It's annoying, but Lena is used to it by now. His mood can change as quick as the weather.
"Oh no," Leah says mockingly as she watches Paul stomp off to the back of the store like a grumpy toddler, "Did something upset the princess again?"
Thankfully, there are more customers waiting to check-out, so Lena is able to hop back on her register and help Leah. It distracts her momentarily from Paul's bad mood. By the time she's free again, Paul is ready to resume studying. Lena decides not to comment any further on how much he's learned in such a short amount of time, since he's clearly incapable of taking a compliment. She focuses on the different parts of a cell, animals and their classifications, how habitats affect animals, and important elements of the periodic table. Paul gets most of the answers correct, and Lena tells him as long as he keeps looking at the study sheets she made for him, he should do fine on his test. He may even do as well as she, but Lena doesn't tell him that.
"Lena, it's after seven," Shayna reminds her niece when she sees her still lingering around the store after her shift has ended.
"I know," Lena replies, "I'm just waiting for Embry."
"Does that dweeb still pick you up on his bicycle?" Leah asks casually. Lately, that's a casual question to ask, for her. She used to be much sweeter, but ever since that Sam Uley guy broke up with her a few weeks ago, she's been almost as moody as Paul.
Speaking of Paul, he practically chokes on his laughter at Leah's jab towards Embry. Lena sends him a glare and comments, "I don't know what you're laughing at, Paul. You've been bragging about that crap truck your dad gave you for your birthday and you've never even driven it once." This time, it's Leah cracking up at Lena's feisty come-back. Lena turns her eyes on the other teen in the room and informs her, "Yes, Embry does pick me up on his bike sometimes, but I think it's sweet. I do live right down the street."
"I told you my truck will be ready and running next week," Paul says in objection, forgetting whatever it is Lena just said about Embry and his stupid bike.
"Ha! You've been saying that since April," Lena reminds him.
"Oh, shut up," Paul grumbles, "See if I give you a ride anywhere now."
"Lena," Leah cuts in, motioning to the door of the Market, "Your ride is here." She and Paul laugh again when they notice Embry really is on his bike.
Lena feels her heartbeat quicken and her stomach turn over in excitement. A smile stretches across her face, and she tosses a wave over her shoulder to her two co-workers on her way out the door. "Have fun closing tonight, you two."
Author's Note: Another pretty short chapter, but I'm getting to the good stuff. Next chapter should be up tomorrow or so.
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