Chapter 2

Author's note: thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews! As for the person who asked for help writing a book, I texted the number you gave me but it said that it was a landline? Unfortunately I can't call you because I'm mute. So that won't exactly work. If you have a cell number you can text me on that would be great or just pm on fanfiction!

I woke to the sound of Emily calling me. "Hey, Liri, dinner's ready if you want to come down!" Sighing tiredly I sat up. I took a moment to tame my hair down with my fingers and rub the corners of my eyes. I checked the time on my clock to find it had only been twenty minutes. It felt like I had slept for twenty years. Shaking it off I stood and left my room, heading down the narrow stairs. I bet I was the only member of the house short enough not to duck while walking down them. I chuckled at the mental image of Sam squeezing himself down these steps.

The kitchen smelled great, like baked chicken and vegetables. I got the sense that Emily cooked a lot, something we had in common. In the foster homes I was often the most mature and left responsible for the younger children. That meant learning to cook at a young age. Seeing Emily moving pots of steaming food into the bar that separated the cooking area and the dining area, I waited at the entrance. When she had finished I shyly tapped her arm. She glanced over at me, a smile lighting up the left side of her face.

"C-c-can I h-help you-u cook-k to-tomorrow?" She smiled kindly, patiently waiting for me to stutter out what I was trying to ask. "You like to cook?" I nodded bashfully. She patted my hand, "We can cook together from now on if you'd like?" I knew it was silly but I felt a warm rush of acceptance and nodded at her, my eyes lighting up happily. Spontaneously I hugged her, albeit tentatively.

I felt her pause almost in surprise before she hugged me back tightly. I pulled away after a few moments, noting Sam in the entrance with a small smile on his face. I flushed, embarrassed since I hadn't known he was watching. "You might want to get something to eat before the boys get here. They eat like wolves," Sam told me as they laughed. It must have been an inside joke.

I sent him a shy smile, not really used to him yet. He seemed so closed off yet I wasn't blind. I saw the way he interacted with Emily. He loved her, he was devoted to her. I grabbed a plateful of food and took a seat at the table to eat, noting how many chairs there were and just how big the table was. How many people eat here that she has to have such a big table?

My question was answered when I heard several voices outside, my brows crumpled in confusion. I hadn't heard a car, had they just walked? Well it was a small reservation maybe they were just trying to conserve gas. I shifted anxiously, grabbing my empty plate and taking it to the sink to wash it.

They walked in as I was scrubbing it in the hot sudsy water, I could feel their eyes on me. Emily must have noticed my anxiety for I could hear her hissing something at them as they began to load up their plates rambunctiously. Figuring Emily would want me to meet them I dried my hands off and stood beside her shuffling my feet nervously.

Emily gave me a reassuring smile and a squeeze of my hand before turning to the boys who had grown quiet and were looking at us expectantly. I kept my eyes down, afraid to look up. I had gotten a glimpse of them when they walked in. All had a similar attire. Jean cutoffs, short hair, the same russet skin except for one who was more like Emily in color, all shirtless. They had their own distinctive features but I hadn't looked long enough to really study them.

"Guys, this is my niece, Liri Young." I received a chorus of greetings which caused me to flush a bright red. "Liri, this is the guys. Specifically; Jacob, Quil, Embry, Jared, and Paul." She pointed out each one as she introduced them and my eyes flicked to them as she did, memorizing what they looked like. Jacob was the largest, Embry was the one who had the same skin tone as Emily, Quil had curly hair, Jared was the skinniest. When I reached Paul my heart seemed to stop.

Time and place melted away as I was locked in his warm brown eyes. My heart pounded as I was overcome with an urge to be near him. It was like the world was no longer there as I got lost in him. He was looking at me the way Sam looked at Emily. I wasn't aware that he was getting closer to me but when he suddenly pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me I snapped out of it.

Panicking, I kneed him in the groin which caused him to groan in pain as he fell to the ground. He reached for me and with a startled squeak, that sounded comically like a scared bunny, I swatted his hand away. Turning I ran from the room and up the stairs. I could hear Emily and Sam calling for me but I ignored them.

I thundered into my room and slammed the door shut behind me. Leaning against it in fear, my heart pounding as I slid down it to cup my head in my hands. What the hell had just happened?

Author's note: some binding between Liri and Emily, and a comical ending to being imprinted on. :P