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"When was the last time you talked to me, seriously?
It feels like I don't even know you."
Breakdown
My birthday was coming up and soon I would be seventeen, another step closer to eighteen. I wasn't too excited about my birthday this year, but that was mostly due to two factors. One: I had had an awesome sweet sixteen party last year that I was sure nothing could beat. Two: I felt like when I turned eighteen something was expected of me when it came to Joel. It felt to me like once I turned eighteen they wouldn't be so understanding about my 'disagreement' with Joel anymore.
"So what do you want for your birthday this year?" Addy asked as we watched Stevie chase Livy around the backyard.
"I don't know." I shrugged. "Forget about that for now…how's the new rule going?"
After the incident in June, Addy was only allowed to be with Embry under supervision of any person over twenty years old and if no one was available then they had to go without. Most of the time Abby ended up watching over the two of them, so it wasn't like they were completely restricted from touching.
"Abby is pretty understanding. It's my Mom and Dad I have to watch out for." She shrugged.
I laughed, "So have you had…sex with Embry?"
"No! Dad would kill him! Besides…I think I want to wait until we're married; mostly so I can prove to my Dad that I can hold off."
"Shouldn't it be because it's a special thing?"
"Well that too obviously."
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah obviously."
We were silent for a few minutes, with only Livy's laughter and Stevie's barking to fill our ears. Ah to be young and carefree again; your only worries having to do with wetting the bed and wondering where the hell your crayons went. It sure as hell beat being sixteen and worrying about an estranged best friend imprinting on you.
"Today is your day with Joel isn't it?" Addy asked suddenly.
"Yeah, he gets off work in a half hour." I sighed.
"What are you guys doing?"
"I don't know."
"You sound like you're about to be sent to jail or something." Addy chuckled. "I know you don't like him…yet. But you might as well use your time with him as an opportunity to gain things. Like tell him you want ice cream and I can guarantee he'll buy you any kind of ice cream you want."
"You sound like you're talking from experience."
"Of course I am." She grinned. "Well I'll leave you now; have fun."
I spent the last of my free time with Livy until Joel's truck pulled into the driveway and he hopped out with a wide smile on his face. He directed that smile at me, but I just sent him a scowl of my own before I ushered Livy and Stevie inside.
"See you later, Livy."
"Have fun." She giggled as she waved to Joel.
"Not likely." I mumbled as I walked towards his truck.
I knew he heard me, but apparently he chose to ignore it and opened my door for me. Way to be a gentleman, Joel. Maybe Addy was right about using this whole situation to my advantage; ice cream honestly sounded pretty good to me.
"I want ice cream." I stated casually once he was behind the wheel.
"What kind?"
"Cotton Candy." I grinned, but then cringed when I remembered how I was introduced to the deliciousness that was cotton candy ice cream.
I had always loved cotton candy; I mean really… who couldn't love cotton candy? Ever since my Dad had slipped me some at a movie when I was three I had been hooked. Hooked in the sense that I practically shouted 'Cotton Candy' anytime I saw the whipped yumminess.
So naturally since I loved the fluffy stuff, Joel had started to gain an appreciation for it as well. His new found love for the stuff led him to making the discovery in the freezer aisle all those years ago. Since then I had loved the ice cream too, but I hadn't really had the stuff since I was ten.
"Maybe cookie dough instead." I sighed.
Joel looked over at me with a hard look on his face, "No, I know the best place to get cotton candy ice cream."
"Aren't you supposed to do what I want?" I asked a bit angrily. "I want cookie dough."
"No, you don't." He answered simply as he pulled out of the driveway. "You want cotton candy. Whether you like it or not; I know you almost better than you know yourself."
"How can you know me!? You haven't taken the time to be around me since I was ten, and let me tell you that I'm a little different than that. In case you haven't noticed I have breasts and all my thoughts don't circle around building forts."
"Oh I've noticed." He muttered. "So we haven't been best friends in six years, but I knew you for ten years before that; I think that's enough time to know a person. And you want cotton candy, so shut up and have the decency to say thank you when I buy it for you."
I really didn't have anything to say to that for so many different reasons; some of which I didn't even want to begin to explore.
All I knew was that when he presented me with a double scoop cake cone full of cotton candy ice cream I did have the decency to say thank you even though it was not graced with a smile. He smiled though and then proceeded to shove his face full of his own cotton candy ice cream.
***
"What kind of cake would you like for your birthday?" Dad asked at dinner.
My Dad was the baker of our family, and he was damn good at it too. He had learned all of his skills from Mom and my Grandma Hanner, but unlike the two of them he really really enjoyed it. I mean enjoyed it to the point that he customized an apron for himself so he didn't have to wear a floral one and blocked off the kitchen when he was baking. Luckily I had managed to take pictures of him on several different occasions.
"Chocolate on-"
"Chocolate with star sprinkles." Mom and Dad finished in unison.
"Jeez, am I really that predictable?"
"That's been your cake of choice since you were four." Dad smiled.
"What's my cake?" Livy asked.
"Chocolate on white with every inch covered in sprinkles." He replied. "And Ian is boring and just likes lemon cake with no frosting."
"Ruins the integrity of the cake." He mumbled.
What a thirteen year old; although I was surprised he knew the word 'integrity'.
"How was your day with Joel, honey?" Mom asked casually which of course caught my Dad's attention immediately.
He was dead serious about my spending time with Joel, and he was dead serious about me being nice to him too. Well I couldn't exactly guarantee that second part now could I?
"Fine, we got ice cream." I shrugged.
"Cotton candy?" Mom smiled.
"Maybe."
"Why are you getting defensive, Lala?" Dad chuckled.
"Be quiet! I'm not hungry anymore, Mom. Is it okay if I go upstairs?"
"As long as you don't stuff two of your Dad's cookies into your mouth later."
And that was my exit cue even though I had every intention of possibly shoving three of Dad's pecan sandies in my mouth later. Shortbread is my weakness…well that and cotton candy…and salt and vinegar Pringles, and red starburst, and grape skittles, and many more things that I probably should not eat at all.
"I mean it, Viola!" Mom called after me.
What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.
***
I didn't really want to see Joel again before next week but of course fate intervened and the Uley's suddenly decided to have a barbeque on Saturday to make an announcement. Hopefully it wouldn't be anything too dramatic; like Emily being pregnant or something. Even though I knew that was highly doubtful, the little drama queen in me loved the idea.
"Are you ready yet, Lala?" Dad called up the stairs impatiently.
I usually did not take a long time getting ready, but for some reason today I couldn't decide what to wear and how to do my hair. It's not like it mattered, but then again some part of me was screaming at me that it did matter.
So after three different outfits I finally settled for my pair of favorite shorts, which reached just above my knee, and my favorite star printed t-shirt. As for my hair I had somehow managed to tame the stupid wavy mess into loose curls.
Of course when I took all this extra time on my appearance I should have realized that my Dad would notice right away.
"Whoa, what's the occasion?"
"Paul, leave her alone."
"Yeah, maybe I just want to look nice." I shot back as he ushered us out of the house.
"For a certain wolf?" He grinned deviously.
"NO!"
"Whatever you say."
Apparently he wasn't the only one to notice; as soon as we arrived Addy corned me and wanted to know what brought on the sudden change in my appearance. Seriously, was it so wrong to want to look nice once in a while?
That wasn't the worst of it though; as soon as I stepped outside Joel's gaze zeroed in on me and once our eyes locked I was practically frozen in place. I couldn't move at all; our gazes were locked and what I saw in his made me shiver involuntarily.
"Everyone gather 'round!" Sam yelled, finally breaking the stare- fest Joel and I were having.
I personally was relieved and immediately made a beeline for my Mother, knowing that Joel probably would keep his distance. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he came to stand next to his parents, sister, and Jake.
"Alright, we've brought you all here to celebrate my engagement to Bee!" Jake beamed.
Okay, less dramatic than I would have liked, but still a pretty good announcement even though we all knew it was coming. I had a feeling they would be married before the end of the year because it was getting harder and harder for Jake to hold back with her just like it was starting to with both Matt and Abby and Embry and Addy.
I guess the only thing that surprised me about the announcement was the fact that Jake had beaten my uncle Matt to it. Abby was older than Bee was, but then again Sam was a lot more understanding with Jake than Jared was with Matt and Embry. Poor guys.
"When's the wedding?" I asked as I embraced Bee.
"We're thinking of a December wedding." She smiled. "We're both eager to get out on our own."
I grinned, "I bet you are."
She blushed, "You'll understand in a few years with Joel."
My face fell at the thought of that, but Bee was sweet enough not to say anything further about the subject. I was pretty sure she didn't like the way I treated her brother, but she would never snub me.
Thankfully the awkward moment was broken up by Livy grabbing my hand and dragging me away to the old sandbox that I had plenty of memories of. It was one of those ones that came with a lid to keep out the out the weather and was shaped like a turtle.
Livy had already started to carve out a sand castle and as we approached I saw Joel helping her fill her moat with a glass of water.
"Joel said we had to let you put the flag in the top." Livy stated as she held up the little lego flag that probably had been left in the sand from all those years ago when Joel and I had made sand castles together. And although I had enjoyed carving the turrets, my favorite part had always been putting the flag at the top.
My eyes met Joel's as I took the little red flag from Livy's fingers. I wasn't angry at him at the moment, just sort of indifferent and I think my face showed that. But he smiled at me anyway and watched happily as I stuck the flag into the castle.
