Chapter 8: When I look at you

Adriana's POV:

My plane had landed in Port Angeles; I ordered a taxi from there and got in. It was around one and half hour drive, I asked the driver to drop me near any lodge in La Push, he simply nodded and continued. I closed my eyes and leaned back thinking of how I was going to find my father. I didn't know anything about him except his name-Sam Uley. Back in Phoenix, I hadn't felt scared but now that I was here, I was nervous and worried. What if he didn't believe me? I didn't have any proof except the birth certificate and few of Mom's things. But will he accept that? I felt sure he had his own family now. A perfect wife and probably his own kids of about my age, he wouldn't need me, would he?

I cleared my mind from these negative thoughts and started listening to music…looking outside and observing the nature; it was darker than it was in Phoenix…just a dull light. But I liked it anyways; I knew why mom loved this place. I could see it…I could feel it. As we passed I saw green board with white writing that said, 'Welcome to La Push' and below it was a drawing of a wolf howling beside a tree. I shivered involuntarily.

"Here we are kid," the driver stopped the car in front of a building of 3 floors, and a medium sized board hung over the porch head which said, 'The Rollin's' it didn't look like the motels in Phoenix, it was small and gave me a ominous feeling.

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" the driver asked me with a concerned look.

"Yeah…" I said, where else did I have?

"Don't you have any family here?" he asked.

"I do, I will be meeting them," I said nodding.

"Okay," the driver said and got out to help me with my baggage.

I paid the driver and was now standing under the porch with one suitcase and duffel bag. I opened the door and went in, for a moment I was shocked. This wasn't what I had expected. I looked around, the place was painted at few sides and some part of the walls had wood, somewhere at the side the fire burned, and the tables around were small and dirty with wooden chairs. The people sitting over there looked drunk and drugged, very few out of them looked sober.

And right in front of me was the counter, quarter of it was covered with few files and antiques and the rest of it held a bar. A woman in her mid thirties wearing maroon top, black hair and dark skin stood behind the cashier counter. Swallowing I walked in; if this was the condition here I wondered how the rooms will be.

"Yes, how may I help you?" she asked looking just as surprised as I was.

"I want a room here," I told her.

"Single or double?" she asked.

"Single," I told her. She pushed forward a file; I filled in the paper work and handed it back to her.

"So you are from?" she asked as she went through her keys.

"Phoenix," I told her and paid for the room.

"Okay, this payment is just for the room, you will have to come down here for meals and order." She said.

"Sure," I nodded not like I was going to eat here unless I really needed and went to the stairs where she had pointed. Now I understood why the driver had asked me the questions related to this place.

By the time I reached the first floor I was pretty tired, climbing up with a heavy bag and a suitcase wasn't easy.

"Want me to help you?" I looked at the person who asked. It was a man with blonde hair and blue eyes, he was around 25 years. Compared to the people I had seen down there…he was quite a contrast.

"No thanks," I smiled and went on. But he came and took my suitcase anyway.

"Let me help you," he smiled. He seemed good enough but there was something about him that I didn't like.

"Thanks," I said.

"I m Ross," he introduced.

"I m Adriana," I said.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked curiously.

"Mm, I just wanted to see the place," I lied.

"Okay, so you are alone here?" he asked.

I considered that question; he was a complete stranger, for all I know he could turn out a thief or something more.

"I m sorry, I didn't mean to interfere," he apologized as I didn't answer him.

"No, I will be meeting someone soon," I told him.

"Okay, here's your room," he stopped in front of my door; I said thanks and went in.

The room was just as I had expected, quite shabby and dull looking, I washed myself up and sat on the bed going through a directory I found on the desk beside. It was entirely about La Push-its places, people, tourist spots, important numbers, etc. I quickly went to the page where they had written about the people, it was just about three pages; I turned to last page and started looking for people under U, here were just four names, and my heart stopped when I found the name that I needed-Uley, Sam. Next to his name, his address and phone number was written. I copied the address on the sheet of paper and placed in on the table, I would go there tomorrow. I went down to get some dinner not knowing any other places, there were more people now, all the chairs opposite to the counter were occupied and a man was serving the drinks.

On the table couples sat, the girls were non-family type, there wasn't any table free, and I saw Ross seated on one, he asked me to join him. I went and sat over there. He seemed friendly type, I started feeling comfortable with him, he told me he had come to La Push to do a research on this place and just enjoy his vacation. We ate burgers together, after eating I realized that I had forgotten to get money, he told me not to worry and paid for me.

I wished good night and went back to my room; I saw money kept on the table, knowing I would forget it later so I decided to pay him now itself. I went down looking for him but he wasn't at the table so I went out, few more people were out talking about some game. I saw Ross standing against the railing, his back was facing me.

"…yeah I have found one. She is young, probably around 17 or 18. But seems innocent enough, I think she trusts me, as soon as I find a good opportunity I will nab her, don't worry…" he sounded so grim.

I swallowed and walked back fast to my room. My heartbeat had increased, I was feeling scared. Ross wasn't just being nice to me; he was speaking to me because of his business. I had to find my father soon!

That night I didn't sleep much, I was worried and missing mom terribly. Around 6:30 am I woke up feeling stiff and tired, this bed was just spongy and spring. I went to the bathroom, and had a quick shower; I didn't want to stay in it much as it was dirty.

I got into my favorite boyfriend jeans and a black tank top and wore a denim jacket on it. I put on little make up and wore my converse shoes. I took a matching purse and filled it with all my money, my birth certificate, wallet, tissues and few other things and locked my room and went down. I was going to have breakfast and go down to Sam's place. I had my breakfast alone-just a sandwich and paid for it, I went through the map of the town studying it; I knew where Sam lived exactly. When I was about to leave Ross came down, he smiled at me in a friendly way. If I hadn't heard his conversation last night, I would have been easily fooled.

"Where are you leaving?" he asked surprised.

"I have to meet someone," I told him.

"If it's a guide or anything don't waste you money, I will take you around," he suggested.

So desperate, I thought. "No, I have to meet this person, I will see you in the evening, maybe we can go to the beach then," I said, lying in the end. No way was I going to spend time with him.

"Okay," he smiled easily.

I went through the door, grabbed an umbrella as it was drizzling and started walking; Sam's place was about 2 miles from here. With every step I took I started feeling even more scared, after 10 minutes of walk I saw a small departmental store, a phone hung by the side of it. Looking at it I remembered that I had to call Carol, I went over to it and put the coin and dialed her number. Two muscular guys standing by it watched me with curiosity and confusion, both of them were wet but that didn't seem to bother them, I looked away when Carol picked up the phone.

"Hello? Ade?" clearly she had been expecting me.

"Hey, yeah it's me," I said.

"How are you? Did you reach there fine? Did you meet him yet?" she asked me.

"Yeah I m fine, I m on my way now," I told her.

"Honey, don't be worried, you know we will always be there for you," she said. It was her way to say that if Sam didn't accept me, I always was welcome at her.

"I know, thanks," I was touched.

"Of course, now you carry on, don't worry it will be fine," she wished me.

"Yeah okay, love you," I spoke.

"Love you too, call me after it," she said and hung up.

I put it aside and walked back along the road, I came across the beach after a while. And then the cliffs and finally a deserted lane with only two houses, both of them far apart from each other.

I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat and walked front, the farthest house was what I needed. It was starting to rain harder, I almost ran to the house, cursing myself for spoiling my converse.

I was now standing under the porch; I walked forward, put my umbrella aside and knocked the door feeling extremely scared. There was no reply, maybe no one was home, maybe I should come back later, or maybe I should just go back to Phoenix.

Knock again…a little voice told me. I followed it.

I heard the door click from the other side, my heart beat was at its highest, my throat was dry, the door opened. A man in his mid thirties stood before me, wearing loose jeans and cotton shirt, it looked as if he had just woken from sleep. He rubbed his eyes once and tried to recognize me.

"Yes?" he asked. Even though I didn't know, I felt sure that this was Sam Uley, I had found him.

"Hi, I m…" I couldn't complete.

"Leah?" he asked with shock, surprise, confusion, he had woken up completely. All the three emotions played on his face as he tried to recognize me, I knew what he was thinking now, that it wasn't possible for me to be my mom…not after all these years. I felt glad that he at least remembered how she looked.

"No, it can't be! Who are you?" he asked in a dazed voice.

"I m Adrianna…Uley, I m your daughter," I told him.

His eyes went wide with shock. "No…that's not possible!" he muttered to himself in disbelief.

I just stood there, "Come in," he said after a while.

"You really are my daughter?" he asked childishly.

"You think I m lying to you?" I asked in turn.

"No…" he whispered.

I took out my birth certificate and handed it to him, and sat on the couch breaking my knuckles, it was a bad habit of mine, I did it whenever I was nervous, and Sam just sat there staring at me and the certificate as if it were a dream. Feeling awkward I just looked around the house, it was pretty and cozy, right opposite to me was the TV, and beside it were photographs of him and his family. I looked away, I didn't want to see it…I hated my father's wife and other children.

"You are my daughter," he stated.

Hello? What did I tell him before? That I was an alien?

"Hey, yeah that's me," I smiled awkwardly.

"Hi," he said. He was still dazed at what had happened.

"Tell me about you Adrianna," he said.

"I grew up in Phoenix with Mom, since the day of my birth I have been staying there, Carol was always with us," I said.

"So Leah knew she was going to have a daughter, my daughter, and she didn't tell me?" he asked getting angry.

"She was afraid you wouldn't accept her anyway, and she was sure the council won't allow her to keep me," I simply told the bitter truth.

He looked ashamed, "I m sorry." He whispered.

"I m not the one you should say it to," I held back my tears.

"So how is she?" he asked.

"She is fine; she loves me a lot, more than anyone and I love her a lot too," but she is no more in this world. She is just in my memories. Of course I didn't tell him that.

"I m glad you came here, but I can't help but wonder why did you?" he asked looking uncomfortable.

"I wanted to see you, I wanted to know my father," I told the half truth.

"So you knew all along about me?" he asked.

"No, I didn't know anything about you; I just knew that my father was Sam Uley, that's it. And then a few days before Mom told me everything that happened, everything about you, and I wanted to know you," I admitted.

"She told you everything?" he asked raising his eye brows.

"Yes, she had to, that's the reason why you left her, didn't you?" I knew he was referring to him being a wolf and all.

"I m sorry," he repeated and held my hand. It was warm…very warm.

"I m sorry too," I sighed. I had never had a chance to live my childhood with my father…how I wish I had and these we not the circumstances in which I had to see him.

A/N: Okay guys! So finally finally finally Adriana met Sam! So any guesses on what's gonna happen?