This is the last in that collection of the day. I hope you like it :) Thank you for reading, for reviewing and favoriting the story. It gives me the best feeling in the world and fuels my writing sometimes. So...thanks
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I sat on the couch and weaved my fingers in and out of Lily's dark hair. My mother was in the kitchen, probably sweeping. Lily stared at the television blankly as Ariel swam around in the ocean. I failed miserably at twisting her hair and was now just playing with it, when an idea popped into my head. "Mom, I need a job" I said. Lilly, not paying attention, just giggled at the screen. My mother peeked into the living room.
"A job? I think not. Your only job is getting good grades, staying out of trouble and keeping your room clean" My mom said then went back to her cleaning.
"Come on, mom. I can't just sit on my butt all day" I responded as I twirled Lilly's hair. She paid my no mind the entire time.
"You can if you're studying. And who knows, maybe one day you'll get paid to sit on your butt all day" My mother answered back from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes. This woman in impossible.
"Okay, what if I got a job that wouldn't interfere with school?" I asked. She walked from the kitchen and stood in front of Lily and I with a hip cocked out and her hands on her hips.
"What job? Lily, go to your room sweetie. I'm gonna vacuum in here" My mother asked politely.
"Okay, mommy" She said then got up and ran to her room.
"Now, that job" My mom continued as she turned off the TV and began to pick up the toys Lily played with earlier.
"So, a job that won't interfere with my school. Hooters" I said simply. My mother looked at me with disbelief then retreated back to her newly cleaned kitchen. "Come on, it's a classy job. I get big tips for showing off...my assets. And you always said to never waste a God-given talent." I said then gave a little shimmy for affect. When she came back to the room, bucket in hand, she rolled her eyes at me.
"It's a classy job, not for my daughter. And you better keep those 'talents' in your shirt and covered up, young lady" She warned then put the rest of the toys in the bucket.
"Look, if you've got it, flaunt it. I've got big boobs mom-"
"Boobs that you will not have suffocating in a skin tight shirt for middle aged men" She snapped in an end of discussion tone. I sighed and she looked at me with smirk. "Although I think Jacob would give you a hefty tip if you gave him a little shake" She taunted. I threw one of the flimsy throw pillow at her and she just laughed and laughed. "You're not working at Hooters. Maybe one day when you have kids you can go be a Hooters girl" My mom said then carried the bucket down to Lily's room. When she reappeared, the door bell ran and she ran furiously to answer it. Another idea popped into my head.
"I could be a stripper!" I shouted then imagined myself twirling around on of the shiny and probably freezing poles. No response from my mother. "I mean the pole would be cold but I could probably get a pole warmer" I shouted for a reaction. Again, no response. "I'm not flexible as I used to be. After a few stretches I could probably get my leg behind my head" I said as my mother entered the living room with a burly boy, a tall athletic girl and an older woman with a smile. "Hi" I said sheepishly then sank back into the couch cushions.
"Charlie, this is Sue Clearwater and her two kids. Seth and Leah" My mother indicated then gave me a look.
"Nice to meet you all. I was joking about the stripper thing" I assured. Leah rolled her eyes while Seth just smiled. I'd seen Leah around the reservation before. She seemed to have a permanent scowl on her could-be-pretty face. It was obvious she didn't want to be here and was busy before she was forced to come to my house. The bare feet and sweat clinging to her neck showed the evidence. I gave her a smile but she ignored it. Seth despite me seeing him follow around the steroid pack, never seemed down and was always happy. His young face looked displaced on his muscular body.
"Mom, I need to go. I've got something I need to do" Leah said then left with out so much as a goodbye. It was fine though; I don't like her all that much anyways.
"I'm going to go talk to Sue in the kitchen. She brought us some apple pie" My mom added as she walked to the kitchen.
"Thank you" I called to Sue as Seth stood somewhat out of place next to the wall. So far this was our third week here and we'd gotten hit by the Welcome Wagon multiple times. So much, in fact, that our fridge was filled to the brim with food. I doubt we'd even eat half, but free food is free food. I ushered Seth over to the couch and he sat down with a large grin. "So..." I started.
"So," He mimicked. "I've seen you around school. You've got a free period right?" He asked. He sure did jump right into conversation.
"Yeah, I do. They screwed up my actual schedule so I got it" I answered.
"You're so lucky. I wish I had one. I'm pretty sure I'd leave school if I had one" He said with a glow in his eyes. I smiled at him. He was too adorable.
"That'd be awesome. I know I'd go to Starbucks" I blurted out and thought of all the possibilities.
"I'd go to the woods" He said dreamily.
"You must like the woods. You and your friends are always out there" I said then grimaced at the thought of his muscly friends.
"Yeah, it's awesome out there" He added. I nodded and thought back to how I used to love the woods. My dad would take me out their and we'd run around making as much noise as we could, because we could and no one was able to stop us. It saddened me but I perked up as Seth went on talking. When he finished I remembered the Lily never got the experience of being out in the woods.
"I'll be right back" I rushed then ran back to Lily's room. She looked up at me smiled. "Get dressed, kid. We're gonna go in the woods" I instructed then went to her dresser and began pulling out clothes. when she was dressed in jeans and yellow shirt, I led her to the living room where Seth was staring at his large hands. "Hey," I called to him. He looked up with a smile then looked to Lily. "This is my sister, Lily. Lily, this is Seth" I introduced. After they were acquainted with each other, I told Seth my idea about going out to the woods.
"I don't think that's a safe idea" He said looking suddenly panicky. I waved away his comment then nodded to the door down the tiny hall. "You should go. I'll keep you safe from the big bad trees" I offered with a smile. I walked to the back door, told my mom where we were going and went outside. The entire time Seth tried to talk me out of it.
I turned to him with a light sigh. "Seth, if you really don't want me to go, I won't" I said then picked Lily up and her put her on my hip.
"Really?" Seth asked hopefully.
"Nope" I answered then began to walk through the bungalow of trees. Seth followed behind us none the less. "Maybe if we're lucky," I joked. "We'll get to see Big Foot. I heard he roams around Washington quite a bit. Is that what you're afraid of?" I asked Seth who caught up to me and was looking around suspiciously.
"Not exactly" He said cryptically then walked ahead. I let Lily down and she began to run up to Seth. It felt wonderful out here in the woods, I just wished my dad was here too. I jumped over logs and leaves as Lily ran back to me frantically.
"Seth's gone!" She shouted. I grabbed her hand and looked around the dense woods for any sign of the boy.
"Dammit" I cursed. I'm the oldest, I'm supposed to make sure everyone came back in one piece. Or just generally came back.
"Okay, where'd you see him last?" I asked then crouched down to eye level with my sister.
"Up there" She pointed to the direction she just came from. I turned around and she climbed on my back. "Hold on" I commanded. She did as she was told and I bolted off in the direction she told me. Still no sign of the large boy. "Now where'd he go?" I asked out of breath. What was Lily eating now a days?
"Um...that way" She said then pointed to the left. I raced off in that direction in the same manner I did the other time. We spent a few minutes searching until I got tired and put Lily down on a stump so I could catch my breath. That is the last time I take directions from a 6 year old.
"Doggy!" Lily shouted.
"There's no dog" I corrected as I closed my eyes and tried to figure a way out of this prison called woods.
"A big doggy! Look" She said then turned my head. A few feet away was what looked like a bear sized wolf. It was russet colored with dark brown eyes. I stared at it. It stared right back.
"Stay still Lily" I said in whisper. The wolf took a step forward then took two back when it saw my look of anger. Usually in this situation I'd be afraid. Right now, I was in a mixture of fear and anger. Fear because, by the size of it's jaws, it could probably tear me apart and eat Lily whole. Not only that, but Seth was lost somewhere out here with more creatures like this one probably. And anger, I don't know why I was angry. I just was.
"What do we do?" Lily asked quietly. I grabbed Lily quickly and she locked her legs around my waist. I held my hand out to the wolf and shouted a shaky 'leave'. It seemed to snicker then turn and run away. "Charlie, you're magical!" She shouted. I began to walk the opposite direction and ignored her comment. I needed to get home.
Jacob's POV
"She wants to be a what?" I asked Seth who'd run all the way from the woods to Sam's house.
"A stripper" Seth said trying to catch his breath.
"My imprint, Charlie, wants to be a stripper?" I asked to clarify. Seth gave me an annoyed look.
"That is what I said" He said then walked to the couch and laid down. He decided not to phase in case Charlie or Lily saw him when he ran off. It's usually the hardest to run for long periods of time when in human form. The thought of my Charlie in a barely there outfit and spinning around a pole sent chills down my spine and made the teenage boy in me perk up. Images of her shaking those hips of hers caused the need to grab onto the door post to steady myself. The imprinter in me made me attempt to stifle the dirty thoughts. It felt bad seeing her that way. The teenager would have to wait.
I saw her out there in those woods. The look on her face told me that she didn't want me there. I couldn't help but snicker when she told me to leave. A teenage girl telling a huge wolf to leave. It's probably a really funny sight. In all honesty, if she would've told me to run across the Earth I'd do it. I'd do it in a heart beat if that's what would make her happy. The ironic thing about that is that she'd probably want me half way across the world so she wouldn't have to see my face. It still hurt that she wanted nothing to do with me. On Monday I tried to catch her eye by passing her notes in class or trying to whisper to her, that only got me in trouble. Tuesday I decided that maybe if I left her a not in her locker, she'd listen. I stood next to the water fountain and watched as she opened the locker and the intricately folded letter fell to the ground. She picked it up then turned it over in her hands. After opening it up and reading briefly, she crumpled up the paper then dropped it to the floor. That idea was shot. Wednesday I became desperate. I approached Samantha Point that morning in front of the bike rack.
"I need your help" I said in a hushed tone. She just looked at me as if I was confused.
"With what?" she asked skeptically. I looked around for her usual group of friends before I continued.
"I need to talk to Charlie" I confessed and she just laughed loudly.
"I'm not touching that with a ten foot stick"
"But you're her friend, you might be able to get through to her" I added. She looked me up and down then sighed.
"Why am I doing this?" She asked herself then grabbed the edge of my shirt sleeve and pulled me behind a group of high bushes. "Listen and listen good. Charlie is my friend, but don't forget, I did just meet her a month ago. I'm not losing a friend because you want me to play match maker. Honestly, I'd rather if you guys both hated each other, since you don't I have to deal with...this" She gestured to me. "If you want to make it better with her, leave her alone" Sam said before she left for the inside of the school. 'Leave her alone'. It echoed in my head. I couldn't follow that simple action. It scared the living shit out of me. This one girl, who hated me, had me wrapped around her pinky finger and didn't even know it.
Thursday and Friday I decided not to go in. There was no point. Now here I was a week later, back after another short vacation, and what Samantha told me still bugged me. "I'm gonna head to my place" I told Seth who was only snoring, dead to the world. I got in the Rabbit then drove to my tiny little house only to find my father fidgeting in the living room. "Dad?" I asked. He looked to me and relief washed over his wrinkled face. Oh no. He was fidgeting because of me. I'd forgotten my own dad in the process of trying to forget my imprint, which didn't even work. Way to be an ass, Jacob. "Dad, I'm sorry" I started but he only rolled over to me and pulled me down in a tight hug. I hugged back.
"If you ever leave like that again I'll kill you" He muffled through tears. When he pulled away, he coughed and left to the kitchen. "Gonna...gonna call some pizza" He said from the kitchen. I walked back to my room then laid down on my bed. My bed. I missed it so much. The way it sank when I sat on it. The dried slobber on the pillows. How it was stable enough to hold all 234 pounds of me. How soft it was. Oh, God I missed the softness of a bed. The ground was wonderful, but could never substitute a bed. Thinking about soft things made me think about Charlie. She was probably soft. Her skin, the curves of her body. Everything seemed to stem back to that girl. I wanted-no, needed to be with her.
"Jacob," I could imagine her saying as I sunk my head into my pillows. "I love you" She'd say then snuggle into my side.
"I love you too" I said aloud.
"Good, cause you're stuck with me" She'd taunt then lean up and kiss my cheek. I smiled to myself. Then the stripper idea came back to haunt me.
"Dammit" I said and tried to think of the most boring things in the world. "Saltine crackers. Wednesday papers. Uhh-" Her hips. Those lips of hers. The way when she leaned over you could see-"Tofu. Watching paint dry. Watching grass grow" It was working.
"Jacob. Pepperoni?" My dad asked as he came into my room.
"Yeah" I said. He left and I smiled. Nothing like your dad walking in to extinguish bad thoughts about your imprint.
Charlie's POV
We found our way home pretty quickly, and found out that Seth decided to pay a visit to his friends his. I was glad he was safe, but furious that he put me through that.
I still hadn't told anyone about my possible school change. If they wanted to hang out after school I had to tell them I was busy. I was busy going all the way to Forks High and getting information about the school. It seemed perfect. Not only was the facility better than La Push's, it also was a beacon of a new future. A future where I wasn't remembered as the girl who used to look like a boy. I'd get the fresh start that I deserved. When October came, so did more stalking from the boys, not including Jacob. That was nice. They'd leave me multiple notes in my locker telling me that I had a secret admirer. Every note would be the same exact thing. 'Someone likes you, try to guess who'. The first few days it was annoying. The next days after that got scary. They would pool onto the floor. A heaping pile of 10 letters something that gained me looks from people in the halls. One day I decided I wasn't going to use my locker anymore. The exact same day I was going to tell my mother what was happening, I was hit with the worst blows.
I wasn't able to switch schools. I had to sit through the harassment again.
And Jacob Black needed to drive me to Port Angeles to pick something up for my mother.