Chapter 7: Three's a crowd, five is crap!

The next morning Cortina woke up early and went to the kitchen to help her mom make breakfast. Cortina had a massive appetite in the morning and she knew that her mom needed a break. Cortina had cleaned her room the night before and was proud of her spotless room, that is as long as no one opened her closet.

She started down the stairs and heard her mother humming a little tune. It was a song from the eighties, jumping jack something. On entering the kitchen Helena smiled at her. "You got home early last night."

"Yeah my date was alittle younger then me, I didn't want to scare him to bad." Cortina stated smiling.

"Is he a nice boy?" Helena asked.

"Yeah, but he kisses like a bad one." Cortina stated and dodged her mothers hand as it went to smack her.

"You are such a little tease, you better be careful. One of these days one of the boys are going to become serious and then what." Helena stated with her hands on her hips.

"I know mom, we had this same talk in New Mexico and Arizona." Cortina stated. "Oh, I almost forgot, a boy named Colin asked if I could go wind surfing with him today. Did you have any plans, for us?" Cortina asked.

"No, no plans. I have to help set up the cafeteria tables and shelve library books. You can come and help if you want." Helena stated then started counting the seconds. 1, 2, 3.…

"No mom, I think I'll call Colin and tell him I'm not busy." Cortina stated then ran to the phone and dug the match book out of her jeans pocket. The phone had the ring back tone 'Are you gonna be my girl', on it. Cortina rolled her eyes. Colin answered.

"Hey, what did your mom say?" Colin asked sleepily.

"She said I can go." Cortina stated and then moved the phone away from her ear. "Whoa, not so loud."

"Oh sorry, I had my phone turned up really loud. I'll see you at eleven, okay." Colin stated then hung up. Cortina laughed. "Bet he's going back to bed."

Cortina went back into the kitchen and helped her mom with breakfast, they had a mass amount of food.

"Wow mom, I'm not that hungry." Cortina stated and grabbed a piece of bacon.

"Well a young man called this morning and I told him you were in the shower and I was cooking breakfast and he sounded like he would crawl through the phone at the mention of food, so I invited him over." Helena stated, then a knock came on the door. Cortina was about to get it when a knock came on the back door as well. "Then another boy called and asked for you and I said the same thing as I did to the first and got the same response. I felt sorry for the boy and invited him over too."

"Any one else mom, what about the football team." Cortina asked in a irritated tone of voice.

"No they have called for you yet, but hey the day is still young." Helena stated and began humming again.

"Oh yeah, real funny mom." Cortina walked to the front door and opened it, Embry was standing there waiting. She waved him in and then opened the back door when they got in the kitchen. Seth stood there with a sweet smile and a little bouquet of flowers, that resembled the ones in Cortina's next door neighbors flower garden. "Come in and have a seat." She stated and glared at her mother.

Helena walked close by her and whispered. "Serves you right."

As they were eating Cortina looked at the time and rubbed her forehead, her mother was dragging the breakfast out. It was nearly ten forty-five and she was just now making another batch of pancakes and side of bacon. Cortina couldn't believe the way these boys seemed to wolf down their food. Another ten minutes passed and there was a knock on the front door. Cortina rose and went to answer it. Colin stood smiling.

"Is that Embry's truck and Seth's bike? Are those blueberry pancakes?" He asked and seem to follow the scent of pancakes to the kitchen. Cortina shook her head and shut the door. "Boys!"

As she entered the kitchen Colin had already grabbed a chair and started heaping pancakes and bacon on his plate, Cortina thought she was going to be sick, she had never seen such an intake of food before. She didn't eat even a quarter of what they were.

She sat back down and took small bites of her tiny

stack of pancakes, then smiled when one of the boys spoke to her.

"Oh these pancakes are delicious, man Mrs. Santos you rock." Colin stated. Seth and Embry nodded their heads in agreement.

"Oh I didn't make them, it's Cortina's own recipe." Helena stated and Cortina envisioned her mother with horns and a tale.

"Wow, beauty, strength and an awesome cook." Seth stated and winked at Cortina as his free hand touched her thigh under the table. She smiled at the touch, she really liked Seth's touch.

"She made the omelet mix too." Helena stated and rose quickly to grab a huge platter of warm omelets out of the oven, where she was keeping them hot.

"OMG! I love omelets." Embry stated and grabbed two before the platter was even on the table. "Wow, Cortina, you are perfect." Embry stated and slid his long leg under hers and lifted a bit so her leg laid across his, then he moved his leg back and forth in a caressing motion.

"Yeah Cortina, man all I thought we were going to do was go wind surfing, but your mom says that you wanted to help get the school ready with her for next week. I told her I'd help too. That way I can get in some credit with Mr. Simons and still spend time with you. The food is above board." Colin stated.

Cortina looked at her mom and her mouth fell open a bit. It was confirmed, her mother was the Devil.

After breakfast the boys insisted that Helena and Cortina stayed seated and they cleaned up. Cortina knew that her mother's horns were growing with each passing manipulation. Helena sat smiling and thanked the boys profusely. When the boys had their backs to them Helena looked at her and Cortina put her index finger against her head and pulled her thumb back and made a banging noise.

After the kitchen was clean they all piled into the minivan, Cortina ended up in the far back seats. She hated riding in the back, but the guys all had such long legs. When they got to the school, Helena sent everyone to a different part of the cafeteria to help other teachers and Cortina had to help her.

Cortina took the mop and bucket her mother held out to her and headed for the sink to get water and some cleanser. After three hours of cleaning tables, walls and floors, they all put away their cleaning supplies and moved to the library. Two more hours passed and they were finally done.

Mr. Simons the principle walked over to Helena and looked at the completed work. "I am amazed, I have never been able to motivate these boys to even pick up a piece lint let alone do this kind of work. I am impressed Mrs. Santos. Well Colin, looks like you just got released from the detention you piled up last year when you duct taped Mrs. Itka's chair to the ceiling in the Library. Embry happy to see you back this year. Seth, I guess I'll have to over look the motorbike tire marks you left in the main hall last year. See you all in a week and good work.

Welcome to LaPush High, young lady. I'm sure you'll enjoy every minute of it." Mr. Simons stated then headed back for the teacher's lounge.

"Wanna bet." Cortina stated under her breath.

"Okay kids, to show our appreciation, Cortina and I are going to fry up some chicken, make potato salad, mashed potatoes, a garden salad and lemonade. Any takers?" Helena stated and all three boys chimed in that they wouldn't miss it.

Cortina walked behind them rubbing her forhead with her finger tips. After they got in the van they drove to the store and bought supplies, the boys seemed to be eating up the attention. Helena also grabbed some marshmallows, chocolate bars, grahm crackers, chips, dip, several bags of candy and two new release movies. The ride home was miserable, Cortina was stuck in the back again and Colin had her seat in the front, Embry and Seth set in the next seat, all like good little boys. As soon as they arrived home they all grabbed bags and left Helena and Cortina to bring themselves. Then Helena and Cortina started dinner. Cortina went to pick up the pressure fryer and Embry was there instantly lifting it for her. Then when Helena went pick up the bag of potatoes Seth stepped in and lifted them. After the whole night of being pampered on every turn Cortina wanted to run into the mountains and be alone, but that was impossible.

The dinner went over great, the boys loved the food and had third helpings of everything. Bella wished she had a vampire near by she could take her anger out on. After dinner the boys cleaned up again. Then they all took over the living room. Helena sat on her lazy boy and the boys and Cortina were left with the huge couch. The boys spralled out on it and Cortina barely had a place to sit. The boys moved over, but she still didn't have room then Colin moved against the arm, Embry moved toward Colin and Seth pulled Cortina down between him and Embry. As the first movie started the boys passed back and forth the snacks. Before the second movie started Cortina fell asleep against Seth's chest, he put his arm around her and shifted so she was more comfortable. Embry and Colin got into the movie. The second move had a bomb scene and it exploded and startled Cortina, she moved and looked at the TV then quickly wiped at her mouth to make sure she hadn't drooled to badly. She looked up and Seth smiled and caressed her shoulder. When the movies were finally over, Cortina walked the guys out to their vehicles, she gave Colin a hug, then kissed Embry on the cheek. Seth got on his bike and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. Embry and Colin had already left and Seth was just sitting on his bike. Cortina went to turn and go inside. "Wanna go for a ride?" Seth asked.

"Yes, please." Cortina ran back to him and climbed on the back of the bike and put her arms around Seth's waist. He started the bike and Cortina snuggled up to him. They headed up James road and took a logging road through the forest. They rode for nearly thirty minutes then Seth slowed down at a little glade. He waited for Cortina to get off then he dismounted as well. They walked over to the water's edge and sat in the soft moss. Seth leaned over and kissed each of her cheeks then her forehead and finally her lips. He lingered over each lip, then deepened the kiss rubbing his tongue against her lips, she opened her mouth abit and felt his hot tongue caress the inside of her mouth, she circled his tongue with her own. The kisses got more passionate and Seth pushed her back as he laid be side her lavishing her with kisses. He took his jacket off and placed it under head then continued to kiss her. Cortina caressed her hands up and down his back, then slide them under the tale of his shirt and touched his bear skin. Each touch caused Seth to take an intake of air. "Your hands are like fire, it feels so good." Seth stated and leaned in for another deep kiss. His body seemed to yearn for her touch, the more she touched the more he wanted. As he moved his hands up under her tank top he heard the howl of several wolves and silently cussed. "Honey, I have to go. I'll call you, okay." Seth rose and smiled down at her.

"Okay, tell the wolf pack hi for me." She stated then ran in to the woods and hid, or so Seth thought she did.