Personal Soldier

Chapter 3: Green

Lola-Rose

The angry clash of my suitcase wheel to the concrete floor ripped through the silence like a knife. Seattle airport was busy, but to our family, the family who has been brought up in the chaos of the Hollywood Hills, it was practically empty. We were all currently waiting outside in the parking lot. It was freezing cold, the coldest place I had ever been. Everything seemed to be dull. Like I had suddenly turned colour blind. It was almost all grey, the sky, the building, even some of the people. They looked like zombies, all life sucked out of them, going through life like it was a chore. Everything they did looked forced.

After what had seem like an eternity of awkward waiting 2 familiar beat up Volkswagen SUV'S showed up. A dash of colour and light. As much as I was angry and upset, I couldn't help but smile slightly as they pulled up.

"Awh babies, you look freezing!" My Nonna exclaimed, stepping out of the SUV, hopping down onto the sidewalk, a dangerous jump from someone her height and age.

"Mom." Dad grinned hugging her wrinkled figure.

"Martin! Look at them, do they own no winter clothes?" She scolded, grabbing Jaya into a hug and rubbing her arms.

We were all wearing jeans, the one pair we had all owned and long sleeve tops of various colour, mine happened to be green, which we had purchased from Wal-Mart one day last year when it rained and we were positive that it was a sign of floods. Of course it was sunny the next day and since then they had been collecting dust. We had no jackets and no sensible footwear, probably due to our refusal to go shopping as we were determined we weren't going to live here.

"Give him a break Maria , its summer!" My Nonno laughed, also embracing my father.

"In La Push dear." Nonna smiled.

"She's right." My dad laughed.

"Hello Maria, Hello John." My mother said softly, she was always quiet around my grandparents, which was extremely out of character as she was the loudest person I knew, no-one knew why, they were thrilled when my father had told them about her, especially since she was Italian and there was no prouder Italian than my Nonna. They love her like a daughter and welcomed her with open arms.

"Carlotta!" Nonna beamed, hugging her, she was at least 2 heads taller than my Nonna and we all giggled.

Slowly they turned around to us, we all grinned at them, despite our resentment towards moving.

"My chickens!" Nonna cried. Clasping her hands together.

"Look how big you all are!" My Nonno smiled delightedly.

After about 20 minutes of hugging and kissing we were finally in our assigned SUVs. I sat with Nonna in the front of hers, with Noah, Jaya, Lucas and Harry in the back, while the rest of the family drove with Nonno.

I breathed a sigh of relief once we pulled out of the airport, I was glad to be rid of the horrid grey city.

"Don't like Seattle huh sweetie?" Nonna laughed.

"Not one bit." I half smiled.

I placed my headphones in and blasted sad songs, making sure no-one interrupted me. After what seemed like forever the winding roads began to get smaller and smaller, then suddenly, out of no-where, a mass of green sprung out, like a crouching lion, finally pouncing on its prey. The green swallowed up the SUVs, we were surrounded, pine trees stretched for miles, in all directions. It was beautiful, a painting, but in a different way that I was used to. Suddenly, rain began to pour. It bounced of the windows and the bonnet, raindrops flew in all directions, adding to the atmosphere. I hated rain, but it was just so breath taking. It truly was a work of art.

"Pretty isn't it?" Nonna smiled.

"I suppose." I replied half heartedly, to stubborn to admit how I felt about a place I was meant to loathe.

"You can't pull wool over my eyes tesoro! I know what you're thinking, I moved here once remember! I hated it here, but even I knew that the place itself was stunning. La Push is a big change from Italy amore, like California and here, but you will like it in due time, I did."

"I'm not you." I said bluntly. I was being mean again but I hated thinking about not returning to Cali.

"No but we are alike Lola-Rose, I had just the same opinions on this place as you do and now it's my home! I love it here and the people. Give it a chance." Nonna smiled warmly, I had always admired her happiness and positivity, even in the cases where I was being rude.

"Ok Nonna." I grinned at her, at least I got to see her.

"The boys on the rez aren't bad looking either." Nonna winked.

I groaned, glad Tal wasn't in the car. Together her and Nonna were the worst for matchmaking.

Jaya laughed in the background, happy the attention wasn't on her for once, seeing as she had never had a boyfriend and Natalia thought this unacceptable.

"Nonna, really I just want to get used to it here, not check out the boys." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, you wouldn't be saying that if you saw them, they are smoking." Nonna winked.

I burst out laughing as Noah, who had been taking a sip of his coke, choke on it, causing it to come out of his nose.

Jaya moaned in disgust, while Lucas like me roared with laughter and Harry was still in shock from our 70 year old grandmother call teenage boys "smoking".

"Ok Nonna, I'll keep an eye out." I managed to say between my giggles.

"Atta girl." She smiled.

The forest got wider as a "Welcome to Forks" sign came into view. It was a quaint little town, very plain and boring. I remember coming shopping here with my dad once, which was a slight fail seeing as there was hardly anything here. But it was nice all the same, but still, it was all too dull.

"I don't bother going to Forks much, there isn't much to it. Tiffany Call owns a grocery near first beach and that is my shopping location, if I need anything else I tend to go to Port Angeles. Its no Los Angeles but it has everything necessary." Nonna informed us, well Jaya and I, we all knew the boys would never go shopping unless we forced them to.

"Great thanks Nonna, I'll have to tell Tal, we have hardly any winter clothes, do we Jay!"

"Not at all, I think I may freeze if I don't get a coat soon! I'm increasing my chance of pneumonia!"

Genius Jaya was always worried, mainly about herself, but sometimes others came into it.

Once again we were engulfed by forest and once again I was mystified by the beauty of it.

"Are we nearly there yet." Lucas whined.

"Almost sweetie, about 10 more minutes." Nonna cooed.

"Eye spy?" Harry suggested.

"Sure." we all chirped.

"Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with T." Lucas droned.

"Tree." we all said simultaneously.

"Uh yeah."

"Come on Lucey!" I groaned.

"Jay you go!" Harry commanded.

"Ok sheesh, uhm eye spy with my little eye something beginning with T." She exclaimed.

"Not tree again is it?" Harry asked.

"No."

"Talia." Lucas grinned.

"Talia isn't here!"

"She's infront!" Lucas retorted.

We all turned and sure enough Natalia was infront of us, in Nonno's SUV looking into her compact redoing her lipstick.

"Typical." Harry muttered.

We racked out brain for about 2 minutes and then I lost all my patience.

"JUST TELL US." I said dejectedly.

"Turdus Merula." She grinned triumphantly.

"Come again?"

"Pardon?"

"What are you talking about Jay!"

"It the latin name for blackbird, duh!"

"Duh? There's no duh there, how do you know that!" I asked dumbfounded.

"Common sense!"

"Uh no! That's not common sense! Thats weird!" Lucas replied.

"I had an A's in science and I still didn't know that." Harry said, clearly jealous of Jaya intellect.

We kept bickering like this untill we felt the SUV slowly come to a halt. I turned around to be greeted by the familiar sight of Nonno and Nonna's house. It was adorable, the typical rez house with white panelling, a buttercup yellow front door and ruby red shutters. I smiled, as much as I didn't want to move the sight of this house brought back good memories of La Push and her family.

I stepped out of the car, the rain, still going strong, pelted my face as the wind whipped at it, like deadly partners in crime. I ran to the porch after slamming the door shut with as much force possible.

The porch swing clattered violently and the steps shook precariously. After we all gathered on the porch, my Nonno opened the front door with shaking fingers. We all burst through the small doorway, thankful to be inside. Our suitcases (all taken in by Ryan and Dad) were dumped in the corner of the room.

My grandparents house was as cute on the inside as on the outside. It had a small kitchen, all painted daffodil yellow, like the front door. With daisy printed, curtains, napkins, and a table cloth. The dining room held a table that sat 12 and was, unlike the kitchen, very formal, with mahogany wood floors and the table itself. With deep green walls and a silver table cloth, this room was only used on special occasions, like Christmas and birthdays.

The living room was huge, and had no obvious colour scheme, the walls were all different colours, one was Scarlett, one was tangerine orange, one was lilac and one was baby pink. Nonna couldn't decide what colour paint to buy so she bought all of her choices. The walls were decorated in photos of my dad growing up, my parents wedding, us as babies and us now, various artwork, and various italian mementoes for Nonna, the couches had patchwork quilts on them, Nonna's handywork, and several Quileute things like dream catchers and books scattered around.

Through the corridor (again full of photos of us) was their bedroom, painted deep plum with more mixed Quileute and Italian culture. Then my dad's teenage bedroom, still full of posters of his favourite bands, painted a forest green much like the dining room, he also had a lot of photos and figures of wolves, since they were his favourite animal, it was weird but it was typical of my dad.

"You can sleep here tonight if you want kids, its late and a miserable day." Nonno offered, hugging Talia close.

"That sounds wonderful thanks Pa!" Dad smiled, "You're mom and I will get my old room and you guys can sleep out here ok."

"Ok." We agreed, we always used to sleep out here as kids.

"I'm tired its nearly 11, i'm off to bed, goodnight darlings, sweet dreams." My mom smiled, kissing us all before wandering off to her room for the night.

My Dad yawned, "Me too, goodnight kids."

"Night."

"We're off aswell, sorry to leave you all but its way to late for us oldies! Goodnight my gorgeous babies." Nonna cooed hugging each one of us.

"Night children." Nonno called out before they both went to bed.

There was silence for about 5 minutes untill Ryan called out, "I'm shattered, its been a long day, night."

We all agreed and took our place for the night. Talia and Harry slept on one couch, Jaya curled up on the armchair. Noah slept on the floor and I slept cuddled up against Ryan and Lucas.

I awoke with a start as a large howl ripped through the serene atmosphere. As much as I loved the look of the forest, the wolves were really beginning to annoy me. They've kept me up all night since I was about 13, that when it all started.

Another howl broke the silence of the night, I buried back down into Lucas, desperate to get some sleep that was not interrupted by those stupid mutts.

A/N: Biggest apologies ever for no upload in ages, it was my schools fault, to many tests! This chapters uneventful, just a filler really, but its big, so it counts;) Huge love to everyone who has reviewed, I love you all! Keep them coming:) Update soon I pinky promise!

Love Sophie xx

P.S I don't own Twilight, anything you recognise from the books are not mine:)