Chapter 10- Vegetarian Curry and Other Things

'Pain is only what you allow it to be'

I opened my eyes wide in shock, the boy I had met the night before was hovering over my bed. I thought for a moment that I was still asleep and dreaming this, but I knew I was just kidding myself, I stared at the familiar face and I then remembered his name, Embry.

Embry was fully clothed this time, he was wearing a loose shirt and jeans but what made me so surprised was the radiant smile on his face. I stared at him with my mouth open slightly, I averted my gaze and looked down quickly.

I heard a loud cough come from the door, I looked up and saw Kim standing there with her arms crossed. I was very confused and slightly scared.

"She doesn't need you waking her up!" Kim said angrily,

"Well, if it was me in Eve's position, I would want a happy face to wake me up, not an angry one" Embry countered, I jolted in surprise at him saying my name, he said my name like I was a prized possession; this made me feel even more confused.

Kim looked furious at Embry's words, my brain was still fuzzy from my sudden awakening.

"If you carry on talking like that to me you wont have a smile on your face much longer" Kim threatened, and before I could stop myself, I laughed. Embry turned his head to look at me in surprise, his eyes looked warm and comforting, I couldn't get over the way he was looking at me, it was very strange.

I looked up at Kim, my throat was dry and closed again, though she seemed to sense my confusion.

"Sorry Eve, dinner's ready, I was going to wake you up but someone got there before me" Kim said, very irritated. I made sure not to look at Embry, I felt uncomfortable enough.

Embry moved so he was standing up straight, my eyes followed him unwillingly, he was huge.

"Embry, get out" Kim said, walking over to me, I was still hidden under the covers, frozen. Embry opened his mouth to argue back, I sighed quietly.

"Please?" I added roughly, Embry looked at me confused and surprised, Kim nudged him and he broke his gaze with me and walked off.

I looked at Kim hoping for answers.

"I don't even know Eve" she said, reading my mind, Kim sighed loudly, I waited for her to explain more but she remained quiet.

I sighed again, and pushed the covers off me,

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked quietly,

"Only 2 hours" Kim answered, she seemed deep in thought. Kim sat on the end of my bed. I looked at her still waiting for answers, Kim stared back, she seemed speechless. I decided to finally voice my confusion out loud,

"What's going on?" I asked, distressed.

Kim opened her mouth to speak, but then there was a loud door slam,

"You're still here?!" Jared's voice reached us, he seemed to be talking to Embry, Kim sighed.

"I'll promise to find an answer for you after dinner" she said to me, I nodded, I hated the fact I was hidden the dark. I suddenly winced, Kim looked at me concerned,

"you okay?" she mouthed to me, I couldn't understand why she mouthed the words to me, I nodded at her though, feeling even more confused.

I got up very slowly, with Kim's help of course, the pain killers were still in my body so I couldn't feel much. I wanted to demand Kim to explain what was going on, but Kim looked so upset and distressed, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Kim let go of me and I stretched slightly, I heard voices coming from the other room, I was practically shaking with nerves.

Last night was a long stretch when it came to me socially interacting with strangers, today was much harder, I just wanted to crawl back into bed and hide myself. My body couldn't stop shaking with fear, Kim seemed to notice my fear and she smiled sadly at me.

I took a deep breath and walked out of the room, with Kim trailing behind me. I slowly let Kim take the lead, she hurried into the kitchen, that was linked to the main room. I saw Jared sitting down on the sofa with Embry, before they could turn in our approach, Kim and I hurried into the kitchen.

"I made vegetarian curry" Kim said, I could tell how proud she was, given as Kim was never the cooking type of person, I smiled at her. On the counter was a large curry dish, it smelled delicious. I voiced my opinion out loud, Kim beamed at me.

"Okay, I just need to let it cool down for another 5 minuets then it should be ready" Kim said to me happily. I nodded at her, unsure on what to do next, I didn't want to go back into the main room.

Kim paused for a moment and walked out of the kitchen, I followed.

Jared and Embry seemed to be in a heated discussion when we walked in, Embry looked up and stared at me, with the same weird facial expression as before, I quickly looked at the floor.

"Jared, are you staying for dinner?" Kim asked him sweetly. I looked up at Embry, he looked slightly put out.

"Sure, Emily has another full house tonight, I was just telling Embry that he owes Emily a visit, given as he ditched everyone last night" Jared said in annoyance, I was surprised by Jared's tone of voice, I thought him and Embry were good friends. Embry did not seemed fazed by this.

"And I was just telling Jared how I already saw her earlier today" Embry said, glaring at Jared, I glanced at Kim, who seemed deep in thought.

"Alright Embry, you can stay for dinner..." Kim said suddenly, Jared was frowning and Embry seemed gleeful. I stared at the ground again, hiding behind Kim.

"But if I ever get a day like today again, you will never be aloud to take a step inside this house again" Kim said darkly, Embry shrugged,

"That's fine by me" he said happily,

"He must really like your vegetarian curry" I muttered to Kim, completely out of my usual character, though it seemed, both Embry and Jared heard me perfectly. Jared scoffed, and Embry just smiled at me again. My stomach jolted in fear; I wish Kim didn't let Embry stay for dinner, I was nervous enough around Kim's boyfriend.

"Embry, you're going to help me set the table" Kim said sternly, Embry frowned at her but sighed and muttered "fine".

I still had my eyes plastered to the floor, I pushed myself to the side of the room, well out of his way. Him and Kim left the main room and continued bickering in the kitchen. I walked over to the sofa, near to Jared who seemed deep in thought.

I decided to try get a explanation out of him instead, I knew I would find it hard to talk to him but I forced the words out of my mouth,

"What's going on?" I asked him, extremely quietly, Jared looked at me, giving me that same sad look Kim gave me earlier. But instead of giving me a cryptic answer like Kim, Jared spoke honestly.

"Embry has taken an interest in you" Jared said in a simple tone but he also sounded quite annoyed, I was completely thrown back by his words and even more scared of Embry.

I couldn't deal with this, especially not now, not in this environment. Not where the only person I could trust was Kim.

I wanted to leave, I wanted to hide, I wanted to be back with my Dad. I now understood why Kim wouldn't tell me what was going on and why she was so angry with Embry.

But why take an interest in me?

What's so amazingly special about me?

I purposely make myself ordinary as possible, as invisible as possible so this type of thing would not happen.

I knew I should of told this Embry guy to leave me alone last night, maybe I made myself too mysterious with my blunt words? Maybe I gave him the wrong impression?

I stood there debating with myself, I felt many strong emotions come my way and was oblivious to what was going on around me; as I always was when I was deep in thought.

"Can you ask him to leave?" I asked Jared suddenly, I spoke my mind again.

Jared chuckled, I stared at him, he was amused by my upset response.

"What do you think me and Kim have been doing the past few hours?" Jared asked me, I was stunned by this; Embry must of been the one who was with Jared when we came back from Port Angeles, he must of been the one who slammed the door when I was in my room, who made Kim cry. No wonder Jared was angry with him.

I looked to the dining room and saw Kim and Embry set up the table, they seemed to be in a heated discussion.

"Eve, all he will do is stay for dinner, I promise to kick his ass out of this house afterwards" Jared said sweetly, I almost smiled at him.

Many ideas floated through my head on how to endure dinner with Embry, who I was now scared of. My body was shaking again in fear, I tried to control myself but it was no use.

Jared suddenly got up and walked to the dining room, I paused thinking for a moment to run for it but then sighed and followed him.

The table looked beautifully set out, I thought that maybe Kim had planned this first meal for days. Jared was sat down and ready to eat. Embry was no where to be seen, my body relaxed, thinking that he might of left. Kim sat opposite Jared and I pulled the chair back next to her and sat down slowly.

Sadly, Embry walked into the room with a coke in his hand, he looked positive. Kim and Jared looked darkly at him but his eyes were on me again, making me want to shake in fear. Embry sat next to Jared and kept his eyes on me, I could almost feel Kim's discomfort. I knew that she was regretting sitting next to me, or opposite to Jared, because Embry was in a perfect position to stare at me easily.

Instead of looking at him, I stared at the food instead, Jared picked up his knife and fork but Kim shot a glare at me and put her hands together. I smiled slightly, she was doing this for me, Kim would never usually pray before a meal, in fact Kim was not religious at all.

Jared shot a confused looked at Kim, obviously Kim had not done this before.

Before I came here, Kim had stayed with me and my Dad up in Vancouver, for a few weeks, for my 19th birthday. Both me and him are both religious and did the same thing as Kim was doing now. I was about to object but Embry followed suit, and so did Jared, so I did the same.

I silently prayed, thanking God for the meal and other things. I opened my eyes and saw Embry and Jared were already scarfing down their food, I looked at Kim but she just rolled her eyes at me. I began picking at my food, it was delicious, the curry some how tasted meaty but I knew it wasn't, Kim had added an interesting supply of spices. I managed to eat all of it in the end, Jared and Embry finished long before me and Kim. As we ate our food, Jared picked up a conversation with Embry, I could tell he was avoiding me and Embry talking to each other. They seemed to be talking about school, at the moment it was spring break but Jared still managed to talk about some school assignment. I didn't pay much attention to their conversation and it seemed that Kim wasn't paying much attention either.

"Do you have any school work to do Eve?" Embry asked me suddenly, and extremely nicely. I widened my eyes, not wanting to speak.

"Eve's nineteen Embry, of course she doesn't have any to do" Kim said in a bossy voice, she had finished her meal. I was still staring at Embry in shock, Embry frowned slightly, his hair was messy around his head, covering his eyebrows slightly, though he seemed to display emotion on his face easily.

"Well how on earth was I supposed to know that?" Embry asked Kim, he also sounded annoyed. Jared frowned at Embry's tone of voice, Jared opened his mouth to argue but I stepped in.

"That's okay...I'm...umm need to catch up a bit, I've missed out on about...two years of school?" I replied to Embry, I had finally decided to be civil with him and not rude, he hadn't done anything harmful to me yet.

Embry looked at me, I cursed myself for replying, he was looking at me with that strange expression on his face again.

"Lucky, I've still got two years" Embry said sounding more childlike than usual, I frowned. I wanted to ask how old he was. I managed to ask him quietly, Jared and Kim seemed to be observing our conversation silently.

Embry raised his eyebrows slightly.

"16" He said simply, I was extremely surprised by this, he looked like he was in his 20's to me, given his size "I know, I know I look like I'm 50 something" he said in humor and in confidence. Forgetting about my civil manner, I quickly replied to him.

"You still tired?" I asked him, reminding him of last night when he said he got an energy boost when he was tired. Embry seemed to catch on quickly and he grinned at me.

"I'm always tired" he said, Jared nodded in agreement.

"Maybe if you didn't run about half naked on the beach late at night you wouldn't be so tired" I said, I let my mind slip again. Kim laughed loudly at this, so did Jared. Embry also seemed amused.

"I did not 'run about half naked'" he countered quickly. I smirked ever so slightly.

"So why were you half naked then?" I asked him, Kim was still laughing, and Embry seemed speechless. I ate my final bit of the delicious curry, Kim and Jared seemed less tense now.

Sadly, my mind had gone guarded again so I sat there in silence. Kim took our plates away quickly, Embry was still staring at me. I yawned, I wanted this evening to be over, I was still very tired.

"How long are you staying here Eve?" Embry asked me kindly, Jared frowned at him, though Kim was in the kitchen so she couldn't save me from this question. I thought for a moment, me and my Dad hasn't really arranged when I was going back, I knew I wanted to go back as soon as me and Kim's friendship was back on track.

"I don't know" I said honestly and clearly. Embry seemed happy with this response, I felt jolts of fear again.

A strange noise came from outside, I couldn't hear it very clearly though, it sounded like an animal. I heard Kim sigh loudly from the kitchen.

Jared suddenly stood up and Embry's smile faded.

"We better go then" Jared said, nodding his head at Embry, who now seemed upset.

"See you tomorrow Kim" Jared said to her, Kim came rushing out of the kitchen and hugged him tightly, although they did not kiss I still felt as if I was intruding. I looked away quickly.

"See you soon Eve" Embry said to me, I looked into eyes and felt as speechless as I did last night, I smiled at him without meaning to and then they both took off quickly,

"Embry, don't forget! Not another day like today..." Kim called out to him, he shouted back "I know" and they were both gone.

Me and Kim were silent for a minute,

"Do you want to watch 'Happy Feet'?" Kim suddenly asked me, I smiled at her. I still wanted more of an explanation on what was going on but I knew that was all I was going to get from her tonight.

"Sure" I said to her, feeling more distracted than ever.

woo it's been a while since I have last updated, but it's finally the Christmas holidays (huzzah!) so I'm going to be writing like a...like a person who writes quickly.

Yay for long chapters, longest one yet, mwah.

So thoughts guys?

It's a bit of meh chapter, I mean nothing dramatic happens, but you get to find out a bit more on what's going on as I feel bad for whoever is reading this story.

I'm going to try introduce Eve's past more, so you can find out why she's so messed up ect.

Any ideas for what you want to happen next? Please guys I love it when you tell me what to do, given as I am the laziest person ever, I'm actually surprised I haven't given up on this story yet.

SOOOOOO REVIEW DUDES KAY. and follow, favorite, ect. IT'S LIKE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO ME OKAY.

So Merry Christmas faithful readers, may you have the most merriest (?) of times,

ho ho ho

xoxo

Clear Thoughts will be back soon after Christmas.

:)