CHAPTER TWO:
Sniffing For Flowers
Sophie's PoV:
As I walked up the three stairs to the white front door of a very cozy looking light brown home I could already here the melodic tones of Andrea Bocelli. My mom LOVES Andrea Bocelli. Contrastingly enough, she also loves Metallica; she thinks James Hetfield is a 'real manly man'.
I opened the front door with ease and even though we just moved in, it already felt like home.
"Hey sweetie!" I heard the loving greeting ring out from the kitchens general direction.
"Hey!" I called back extra loud just to be obnoxious.
"Supper will be just another minute or so and don't get sand all over the carpet!"
How does she always know where I've been? I swear sometimes she has a spidey-sense for cleanliness.
I threw back a casual "Yea," in response and kicked off my blue ankle-high Chuck's- I always call my Converse shoes 'Chuck's', no one else seems to get it- I picked 'em up and tossed them into the closet that was already filled with shoes.
I climbed up the stairs and turned right into my white-walled and so far plain room.
It had a bed made up in the middle and boxes upon boxes all around it.
One day I'll sort that one out.
It took me a solid eight minutes just to dig out some dark grey sweat pants with 'Tumbleweed' printed in white on the butt of them.
My friends from back in California had them made for me before my mum and I left to come here. To put it simply, I'm 'Tumbleweed' because all my jokes fall flat and crickets sound and little balls of tumbleweed float past me while I stand alone in a desert somewhere. It seems humour just isn't my forte.
It didn't take much more rummaging after that before I found the shirt I was looking for. Comfiest thing of my life, everyone needs a shirt like this. Made from the lightest and comfiest material, its calming grey neckline hung widely and loosely off my shoulders and the rest of its baggy frame did the same. The ¾ length sleeves were loose enough to not piss me off which is a huge feat considering I usually hate ¾ length sleeves. Not a t-shirt but not yet a shirt either, they're not real and they don't deserve to be thought of as such.
I threw it on and trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen to once again be ushered in and serenaded by Mr. Bocelli accompanied by my mum's backup vocals it seemed. She couldn't sing at all but her tone deaf qualities were still pretty endearing.
Being the most important, the kitchen was probably the only room in the house we had fully set up. It was still a mess but it was set up and at the moment the kitchen table was delicately covered with a good spread ready to be devoured, we may be small but my mum and I can really pack it in.
From where I was standing that inviting looking kitchen table was the calm center to the cluttered erratic mess of unpacking.
The counters weren't even counters at the moment as they were littered with bubble wrap, balls of used and discarded packing tape and piles of crumpled newspaper. Boxes sprawled all over the kitchen floor serving as obstacles to overpower before I was rewarded with dinner.
"We should probably clean as we unpack huh," I looked at the floor and then to my mum who was currently holding a pot of spaghetti and contemplating, as I was, how to get to the kitchen table.
"Mhm," was the only acknowledgement she could offer while still looking down and attempting to take carefully thought-out stork like steps over the refuse.
As we sat down and got ourselves prepped n' ready to tuck in, I looked up and around at the vacant parts of the home. "When's dad comin' ho-"
I broke off seeing my mum's face fall a bit when it dawned on me.
"Is that why we moved here?" I inquired in a timid voice, still peering at my mum through a stray lock of blonde hair.
A moment passed and my hand slowly went back down towards the table, empty fork still in hand but resting on the side of the plate. Mum didn't say anything, she sat there frozen, gaze turned down towards the table and I knew I was right.
Dad had abandoned the family about a month ago. We don't really know why but I have a faint feeling it had something to do with the fact that he was constantly visiting the seedier side of California and, when tangled up in something messy, he skipped town.
That's my theory anyways.
I let a moment or two pass as we sat in silence.
"I love you mum," she looked up at me through her damp green eyes that mirrored my own.
Hers were partially hidden by her brown bangs, "Love you too, Kitten."
We both lifted our forks and slowly ate in silence.
Quil's Pov:
Quil: I know what you're thinking, that I'm a creep, and I fully agree that I am.
Embry: This should be fun.
I snuck away from the pack today to wander the town in hopes of running into Sophie; so far, no luck.
I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my usual jean shorts, and continued to trudge along humming a tune to myself.
As I passed the grocery store I glanced inside and bingo, I could see her down isle three looking at canned soups. Turning on my heel I opened the door and let out a low wolf whistle, she looked up and smiled.
"Hey Quil."
I sauntered over to her,
Quil: I refuse to screw up. I don't always strike out.
"Hey how's it goin'? Lookin' at soups?"
Quil: Stupid question.
Seth: Hahaha dude come ooon.
Quil: Shut it Seth
She looked up at me, smiled and pushed her brows down a bit in a playfully confused sort of way.
"Uhu, lookin' at soups," she giggled.
Quil: See? Not a strike out, I'm being funny. Quil Ateara is the man and he does not strike out.
Paul: This is gunna be fun
Quil: Paul, dude, come on man, both of you take a hike.
I attempted to pump myself up. I opened my mouth in hopes of saying something clever but she looked down at her soups again.
I tried my best to think of something to suggest, like maybe to hangout or tour the town. Simple ideas that anyone can have at any given moment but nothing came to mind. I couldn't think of one measly thing to suggest.
"Which soup should I get, Hearty Vegetable, or Chicken and Rice," she was looking up at me holding out the two soups and expecting an answer.
"Uh, I dunno, I usually just eat meat."
Embry: Dude, just pick a soup.
Quil: YOU pick a soup Embry, it's hard. I don't know her preferences!
Her hands, still filled with cans, lowered a bit and she looked back down at the labels.
"Hhmm."
She is really pondering this one. Why is it such a big deal? They're soups. Who cares? Just buy both, they don't spoil and you'll eat 'em eventually.
Or y'know, you could buy real food, like steak. She put down the Chicken and Rice, but continued to stare at it, still holding the Hearty Vegetable.
I huffed loudly and looked around me, still trying to think of something to suggest other than looking at soups. Her attention turned to me,
Quil: Finally.
"Bored, are we?" her eyebrow was raised but there was a small smile playing on her lips.
"Uh, no I'm good thanks."
Seth: 'No I'm good thanks'? Dude, what does that even mean in this situation?!
Quil: Uuugghh I don't even know, I panicked.
"Hey wanna go checkout the hills? This girl I met in here a few minutes ago, Bella, said there's a really pretty spot with a ton of flowers that her and her boyfriend go to all the time. I wanna see it, it sounds gorgeous."
Quil: Oh thank god she has an idea.
"Yeah, I know Bella, yeah, and yeah for sure, yeah. Yeah we can do that."
She took the Hearty Vegetable to the counter to pay as I beamed down at her making a mental note of how many times I said 'yeah' and that I should probably not say it anymore today.
"Great! Just gotta drop off the soup at home first, mum wants lunch" she was positively radiating with excitement, "d'you know where it is?"
Quil: No.
"Yeah of course."
Quil: Damn.
Embry: Idiot.
I feel like an idiot. We've been marching around through all this foliage for hours now and still no sign of that bloody spot with the dog-gone flowers. You'd think I could just sniff them out but no, too many dam smells out here.
She made a noise behind me, I couldn't identify what it meant but I could take a pretty good guess.
I'd been leading her around on a wild goose chase all day and we've barely even talked. Every now n' then we have an odd sort of forced conversation but it's mostly been a silent day.
Paul: She's smokin' hot though.
Embry: Agreed.
Quil: Yeah, well, back off guys.
Embry: Dude, d'you see me chasin' her like you are? Nope. Have at'r man.
Quil: YessssI'm such a champ.
I finally found that stupid clearing she's been dying to see. I wasn't too excited to be honest, but whatever, she wanted to see it.
I must admit though, it was a pretty sweet spot. Lavender purple flowers and small white ones peered out around every blade of grass. The trees surrounding the clearing were all perfectly shaped and incredibly green.
I looked at her and saw her eyes light up, cute.
Quil: I'm goin' for it.
Embry: Oh yeah? You gunna do it?
Quil: Embry shuttup. Not now.
Paul: WooOOoo takin' it to the next level, bro!
Quil: Guys! Shuttit! Paul why d'you always have to join in?!
Jake: Sup G, get'r done, man, better do it now or I'll swoop right in there and-
Quil: Don't even, Jake.
Paul: Everyone loves Jake, watch out! He bites.
Jake: Chomp chomp.
Embry: Hahaha
I went for it, she took a step forward to walk into the clearing and passing me I grabbed her hand and attempted to swing her towards me in a suave fashion to dive in for a smooch.
Quil: Here we goo!
I lightly closed my eyes n started to dive in-
Quil: Abort! Abort!
She turned back towards the clearing and let her head fall to the left, resting it on my shoulder.
Embry: Wow dude, real smooth.
Quil: Shuttup.
She was still gazing at the clearing and I really wondered how someone could marvel over flowers for so long. They're flowers, get over it n lemme kiss the smile right outta ya.
"It's so pretty," I looked down at her.
"Yeah, sure is,"
Quil: damn! I said 'yeah' again!
