Hey everybody!
First off, I want to thank those that reviewed/added the story onto their alerts. It means you've taken the time to read mine and Elise's story, because really it's hers as much as it is mine. She's very happy and hands out helium-inflated condoms as gifts!
Also - I've tried to reply to some of the reviews but some of you have disabled your private message option. So, to those who didn't get a reply, I apologise and thank you again.
Serious kudos to anyone who can guess what this story is a partial homage to. There will be certain hints occasionally in the text but mostly it's through the OC types that come drifting in and out of the story. With that said, enjoy guessing.
Oh and if you have looked at my profile you will note I am English. However, I'm trying to use as many Americanisms as I can. Twilight is American literature and I plan to treat it as such. Much like many American fan fiction authors write Harry Potter with U.K English rather than U.S English.
That's the end of my rambling, I promise!
Disclaimer; I don't own Emmett; I just like to play with him and Jasper some times. Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Currently listening to: It's a Sin by the Pet Shop Boys.
"To liver disease," Ralph said, lifting his bottle of beer into the air. It had been a busy week since my mom died in her bed, in her sleep. Insurance, wills, and a funeral had taken up a lot of free time. Liver fucking disease.
"Yep." I followed suit.
"So, I hate to ask this, but what are you going to do now?"
I shrugged, putting the bottle down behind me. We were in our old tree house; Ralph's mom was letting me stay at their house for now. My house, because it was my house now, was up for sale, my shoebox bedroom and rickety end table along with it. Although I doubted the new owners would want the table.
The thought saddened me slightly.
Two beaten up suitcases lay in Ralph's room. Books, C.D's and clothes were all I had left and it was all that I would want with me now.
"I've got to move."
He spat out the beer he was trying to swallow. "Fucking move to where?"
I grimaced, not liking any tiny bit of the move either. I couldn't stand Los Angeles, but this new hellhole sounds so utterly boring and so Ralph-less, I think I'll probably kill myself before I even get off the plane.
"Forks, it's in Washington. It rains constantly according to my social worker. Who goes there to live?"
Ralph's lovely green eyes were blood shot, from the secret stash of beer we kept in the tree house no doubt. They were still wide with shock.
He whimpered. "When are you going?"
"Soon, I think. I've got a godmother who lives there who wants me 'settled in.' One of my dads old friends from school. I didn't realise it was his hometown; I knew we went there on vacation when I was young but mom never said where exactly in Washington. I always assumed it was DC or something."
Ralph wrapped his arms around me, beer sloshing down his t-shirt. "Kiss me."
I rolled my eyes at his pansy voice, but for the first time ever, I complied.
His tongue licked my bottom lip, asking for entrance before I finally deepened the kiss with an angry moan. Ralph's hands fell into my hair, finding my neck and keeping me locked in place.
Ralph didn't let me go. There wasn't a dry eye in the tree house that night.
- - - - - -
We promised each other letters, photos and constant emails. I could easily comply with his demand, because he was my best friend. My Ralph.
He had even come to the airport to wave goodbye; he had presents for me apparently. I had wondered why my luggage felt considerably heavier than before.
"I love you," he said, squeezing me hard. "One year, Jelly Elly."
"One year," I agreed sulkily.
I was embarrassed to realise that my social worker was taking the flight with me, I didn't like to be chaperoned under any circumstances, but this was so unforgiving for me. I grimaced at her instead of the fake, plastered on smile I had been aiming for.
The flight was boring as hell to begin with; my social worker had chosen us a couple of seats at the back of the plane. With our seats sorted, she began pulling out various pieces of paper and files as soon the plane was safely in the sky. She used the fold-down tray as her makeshift desk.
"Bloom?" I asked dumbfounded.
Marissa nodded with a smile. "Rosa Bloom, she's a lovely woman. She lives in Forks but works on the La Push reservation; she works at a diner as Head Waitress. When I happen to be out in La Push, I always try to stop for the breakfast and coffee. It's amazing."
I shrugged, leaning back in the seat. "Huh, you live in Forks?"
Marissa's wild caramel coloured curls bobbed madly beside me. "Yes, I'm based in Forks. The Los Angeles agency contacted with the Forks office to get everything sorted."
I nodded, she continued.
"She has one son, called Max. He has just finished college actually. He's into boxing, journalism and cars."
Another nod from me and she continued. "Hamish is Rosa's husband and Max's dad. He is a manager at a local book store that's near the police station."
"So no funny business?" I added with sour-faced smirk. I only received a pitying glance from Marissa.
"Now Elise, I know it will be hard to adjust to Forks, let alone a totally new situation. Just remember though, you only have to stay with the Bloom's for a year. If you choose to stay, I am sure Rosa will be pleased but if not; it is your choice. Remember kid, we've all got our choices."
We both fell into a silence, Marissa shuffling papers here and there and I just leaned back and watched the clouds from the little oval window. Damn right, it would be hard to adjust but I felt a determination. A sick kind of need to make it through the year, study my ass off and then I could go to whatever college I wanted to.
It didn't have to be Ivy League, in fact I'd probably prefer it if it wasn't Ivy League. There would be none of that over-bearing pressure to get grades that were continually spot on.
I frowned for the rest of the flight to Seattle, with that new determination stuck in the forefront of my mind.
- - - - -
Port Angeles airport was considerably smaller than the Seattle or Los Angeles airports. I quite enjoyed the smallness of it all, the crowds were easier to manage and the clean-freak part of me noted it was actually cleaner than the larger ones.
Marissa and I headed over to baggage claim; she also managed to acquire a trolley for my two cases. Whilst we waited for our respective luggage, I caught her glancing at me every few seconds, a slight frown rested on her brow. I sighed and she smiled lightly.
"I'm sorry, Elise."
I frowned at her, this time turning my head instead of using my peripherals. "What do you mean?"
Her head sank towards her chest, as if she was ashamed. "This is strictly off the record. We don't normally get involved emotionally. But your case…"
My luggage came around the conveyer belt luckily, so I could avert my eyes and focus on lifting it onto the trolley. Despite Ralph's 'gifts', whatever they may be, the cases were still relatively light for me.
"Your case shocked me," she finished lamely, grabbing her own small leather duffle as it came around. "I've never met someone in my line of work with so many losses over such a short period of time. So I'm sorry, for everything Elise."
Lamely, I just nodded and followed her form through the revolving doors and into the waiting area for arrivals. There was a surprising amount of people there, despite the size of the airport. Marissa smiled and pointed at a group of three people standing near one of the exits.
"That's the Bloom family, recognise them?"
I rolled my eyes but looked for any familiarity anyway. The woman, with pale skin and long black hair was quite plump and rather soft looking in her petite frame. Her facial features were pretty, from what I could see but there was a harsh frown on her face. She looked cold.
The tall man next to her with tufts of light brown hair stood smiling behind her, although what he was smiling at I couldn't tell. He held a crutch in his left hand and was leaning on it slightly whilst his right hand was grasping his wife's shoulder.
Max, or I presumed it was him anyway, looked equally as cold as his mother. He stood slightly behind his parents, with the same tuft like hair as his father but jet black in colour. His thick arms were folded over his chest and I was immediately intimidated by his height and size.
The guy was freaking massive.
"Rosa!"
I glared at Marissa for ending my ability to watch them without them noticing my scrutiny. I turned back to face the family I would be living with for a year. Only a year, I told myself.
Surprisingly, Rosa was smiling so widely that I could see her bright white teeth. She even looked like she was laughing jovially with her husband, an excitement in her eyes. All the coldness I had seen before was gone.
"Oh, Elise!"
I smiled involuntarily; the action was infectious and couldn't be helped. Soon we were standing there, slightly awkwardly in my opinion.
"You look just like your father, Elise."
Hamish looked at me fondly and I couldn't help but wonder what my father had been like in high school to these people for them to stare so fondly at me. I definitely could not remember them from any time I visited Forks in my early childhood, it surprised me that they could recall an 'insignificant little girl' like me.
I shrugged sheepishly, "most people say I look like my mom."
Rosa shook her head before enveloping me in a surprisingly warm hug. I froze at the contact, and patted her back awkwardly. She laughed.
"Oh yes, just like your father."
Marissa was smiling like a loon, dragging Rosa away to sign some papers or whatever the hell happened in these kinds of 'transactions.'
Hamish smiled at me once again before handing me a neat little package tied in brown paper with string around it. "Marissa mentioned that you enjoyed reading in one of her emails. This was one your father actually stole from the high school library on his last day…"
His eyes had glazed over, a lost memory for him but it brought a slight shiver to my spine. My father, a little kleptomaniac like me? How bizarre.
"You don't have to open it yet, of course," He said eyeing me. I was probably being awkward and rude, but it's all I knew. Except for when I was with Ralph, of course.
"No, it's not that…"
My voice was so feeble, I thought angrily to myself. Why the hell couldn't I be my typical ballsy self around new people? I fought down the urge to hit something and gulped down a breath.
"It's just I'm kind of tired from the flight. California to Washington, and all that."
"Oh, I'm sorry Elise!" He ushered Max, who smiled a tad forcibly at me, into pushing my trolley for me.
"Really, it's no trouble. I can push a trolley; I'm just not that coherent after travelling."
"Nope, sorry Elise," Max finally spoke. His voice was hoarse and deep, exactly how I imagined him to speak. "I'm afraid I wouldn't let a little lady such as yourself carry your own bags."
I felt a slight fury at being called 'little lady' but I bit my lip instead of sniping back as I would normally. Max seemed to enjoy this and whistled lightly as he went out of the exit.
"Where's Max going?" Rosa said breathlessly, jogging slightly over to us. Marissa waved to me in the distance, heading to one of the exits herself.
"To the jeep with Elise's bags. Come on, let's get her home."
- - - - -
The ride to Forks had been full of conversation, mostly from my new family but it did give me an hour to hear about my father, the good memories at least. Mom never spoke about him after he left, just that he was running from us, along with some people he owed money to.
I didn't quite believe her, even still.
The Bloom's house was a standard detached three-bed home, complete with garage and basketball hoop on the side of the house. I liked the flowers that were practically over flowing and the grass that was slightly too long. It wasn't perfect and I loved the slight flaws.
"Well, this is home!" Hamish called, hobbling slightly as he unlocked the door.
"It looks nice," I whispered pathetically. I'd need to sort myself out before I even attempted speaking to these people anymore. My quiet phase was not amusing.
"Thank you dear, Max, show Elise to her new room." Rosa smiled lightly, grasping my shoulder slightly. "We start decorating tomorrow and buy a few things. It's your room after all. You should have it how you would want it."
I thought of the rickety end table and wine crate bookcase. "No, really. You don't have to. We can keep it how it is."
"Nonsense dear!" Rosa sang lightly, making her way into the kitchen. "Follow Max to your room and then you can sleep, if you'd like. I'll come get you when dinner is ready."
Keeping quiet, Max nodded his head in the direction of the stairs, my two suitcases under his arms. Shaking my head at his strength, I shouldered my rucksack and followed quietly.
A/N: Like it? Hate it? Wanna ask me something? Review your hearts out my dears! :)
Expect an update Thursday/Friday time. Till then, cheerio!