This too WAY longer than I anticipated. I blame real life and the mid story hump. I'll go into more detail at the end of the chapter. I hope all you readers enjoy this chapter!
You'd never know that a party ended here just 12 hours ago.
Nina crossed the threshold into the Uley household with a slow exhale. The living room furniture was reset, the kitchen spick and span.
She saw three heads pop up from the coach facing the tv. The unfamiliar teenage one-Claire?-gave a stiff smile before resuming whatever she started on phone.
Nina wasn't really good with middle schoolers, so she didn't mind.
Eli and Evan ran to their mom with their arms wide open. Watching the mom shower her sons with kisses made her feel a little guilty over what she said to Leah earlier in the day.
"Boys! Do you remember who this is?" Eli and Evan looked up at her with big eyes. Evan shyly shook his head, obviously feeling bad. Nina smiled at him softly as she crouched down.
"It's alright, there were a lot of people here last night. It's nice to see you again."
It seems like her voice had effectively jogged Eli's memory. The older boy threw himself on her in a hug. Startled, she fell back on her butt. He was much heavier than she anticipated.
He brought his face close to hers. "Did you bring more Oreos?" Emily clicked her tongue at him before scooped Evan up. Nina hugged Eli back as she steadied both of them onto their feet.
"No dear, that was just for yesterday since it was a special occasion." His eyes zeroed in on the food bags.
"What's that then? Is that for us?" Oh boy, little kids were as bad as cats and dogs when it came to food.
Then again, she doubted the Clearwaters would mine if she shared some of it with these kids.
"Emily, is it alright if the kids eat some cheesecake?" Emily's eyebrows shot up for a moment as both boys looked up at their mom and started to plead. She looked back at her with a smile.
"Well, that's very kind of you! Boys, she said you can have some, what do you say?" Both boys gave an enthusiastic Thank you! Before running to the kitchen table. Eli opened the utensil drawer while Evan asked his brother to get him a fork too. Eli put the fork down on Evan's head, earning a cute protest from his younger brother.
Emily looked over her shoulder at Claire. "You too, kiddo! Get yourself a slice before you start your homework. You can work in my study, but make sure to call your mom before dinner."
Claire sheepishly stood up and gave Nina her thanks. Once she took her slice, she beelined for a room down the hall.
Emily looked down at her younger son. "Will you split a slice with me, baby?" Evan looked up at his mom with bright eyes while holding his forkful of cake out to her. "Yes, mommy."
Nina smiled at the sweet sight. Eli looked up at her, then back at his mom and brother, then back at her before and slid his plate closer to her.
"We can share too!" Did he think she felt left out? Nina was incredibly moved by his offer.
"Wow, you mean it? Thank you!" She happily knelt down next to the sitting child as he put a forkful in her mouth. It was a little messy, with crumbles getting on her lips, but still heartwarming.
Nina let Eli eat the rest and instead watched the boys enthusiastically finish their dessert. They regaled the women about their exciting day full of cartoons. The boys gave Nina more hugs before heading to their playroom.
Emily deposited the dishes into the sink. "Make yourself comfortable on the coach. I'll put the food in the fridge. Just remind me to grab it for you when you need to head out. Would you like some water?"
Nina nodded and awkwardly sat on the coach, all the way on one end. She looked over her shoulder and saw the backyard, now lacking the blankets and lit firepit.
"Your house is beautiful." Emily smiled at the compliment, though only the unscarred side of her mouth actually pulled up. Nina wondered if that kind of muscular damage was normal for animal attacks.
Not that she was going to ask. Absolutely not.
"Thank you. I'll tell Sam you said that. He and the guys pretty much built this house from the ground up. I think it was their way of thanking me for putting up with the pack's antics."
She froze a little, as if she realized that she had said something she shouldn't have. "That's kind of what we call our little group. Since the wolf is an important animal here."
She sounded like she was scrambling, so Nina gave her a thumbs up. "Makes sense. I think it's neat! I've known some families that call themselves a wolf pack.
She remembered sitting around a bonfire at a church retreat and seeing most of the other teenagers wearing their "Wolf Pack 2010" shirts. She had ducked her face into her sweater as a loneliness grew in her chest.
Yeah. Some people really are their own packs.
Emily pulled her out of her memories. "Well, you can consider yourself one of us too! You've won Leah over, and she's usually the one that no one wins over."
Nina laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "You're not the first person here to tell me that. Guess I'm just lucky. She's been nothing but kind to me from the beginning."
Emily inquired about school. Nina answered with polished remarks, perfected by many months of meeting prospective students and their families. When the older woman asked how the two of them became close, she cited their mutual interest in horror movies.
The older woman jutted her head towards her a bit. "You like horror? That's impressive."
Nina waved her hands in front of her in slight embarrassment. "It was a hard genre to get into. They're fun with watch with other people, which is what happened with Leah. Nothing on the screen seems to phase her."
Emily gave a small smile. "Leah has grit. She always has." Nina decided to just respond with a pleasant smile, trying to not let her own fluctuating judgements towards the Leah's cousin show in her face.
She remembered Leah's sad profile at the beach. Her heart went out to her friend who seemed to walk around with a weight on her shoulders ever since they landed on the west coast.
Emily adjusted herself to better face Nina "One time, we decided to sleep in the woods near Leah's house. You know, to prove to everyone that we were 'big kids'" Emily punctuated her statement with exaggerated air quotes "and a huge bug jumped into my hair! She got it off me in a jiffy, but I was so shaken up that I ran back to her house and wouldn't go to bed until Sue let me sleep with one of Leah's swimming caps." She laughed a bit at the end of her story, pulling her hair over her shoulder.
The conversation went better than expected. Emily never pried into her personal life, never even asking why she chose to spend the holidays with someone else's family. Nina wondered if, similar to her already having some intel on Emily, this woman knew more about her than she let on.
At some point, Emily got up to adjust the curtains to the backyard. A quick phone check informed Nina that she had been there for almost two hours. 4:30 pm
"I should probably start heading back. I told Leah I'd be back soon to give her family some cake." Not true, but she wanted some time for herself to decompress before telling her friend about her day.
Emily looked at her for a moment, maybe picking something up from her expression.
"Please call me when you get back, or if you have trouble finding your way." She wrote down the landline on a post-it and passed it to Nina.
Nina gave a quick nod as she pulled on her shoes. She remembered the car ride wasn't long, so she should be back in time before the sun started setting. "Thanks again for inviting me. Would you like to take more of the cake for Sam?"
Emily smiled warmly. "You're sweet, thank you. I'll cut him a piece." She sliced a portion that was only a little bigger than the ones she cut for the boys. "I think he'll appreciate it after a long day."
"What kind of works does he do?" She imagined him in roles that would benefit his huge size, like as a bodyguard or a bouncer. The idea of nervous college students showing him their fake IDs almost made her laugh and reminisce her own undergrad days.
Emily pulled a photo off the fridge and happily lifted to Nina's face. She saw Sam standing in front of a building with several other people, in what looked like an opening ceremony. "Construction, along with other projects. He works on the council for security too."
Nina let out a small laugh. So, she had been on the money. "If this house is any indication, he's a talented builder. And I can't imagine anyone messing with a person his size."
Would the boys grow to be as tall as their father? She didn't know how Eli and Evan compared to the average child, but it was a possibility.
She thought of her own parents and their average heights. She was always shorter than both of them, always looking up at them. They seemed larger than life.
The only exception was at the height of her father's illness last year. He lost a sustainable amount of weight, and she saw him as a small person for the first time in her life. It got to the point where she lent him her clothing, since his own didn't fit properly anymore.
The image of him listlessly laying on a coach with her high school sweater and a large blanket brought a sudden chill to her bones. She pulled her jacket tighter as she shuddered.
Maybe she would call home during her walk back to Leah's. …Or maybe not. Not until she knew their Christmas presents got to the house.
As she walked down the path away from the Uley house, she picked up the pace to counter the cooler afternoon air, keeping her eyes focused on familiar landmarks.
Turns out, she had a better sense of direction around La Push than she expected.
She was acclimating at a rate that pleasantly surprised her. It was a relief to know that she didn't need anyone's help to get back to the Clearwaters.
Nina entered the house without much fanfare, kicking off her shoes and walking to the kitchen. By the looks of it, Charlie was still at work.
Wait. Charlie had his own house in a nearby town. He could be there. Where was Seth? Had Sue ever returned from her council duties?
It dawned on her that whatever pulled Leah away from their hangout may be the reason why Sue and Seth were still gone.
She made sure to call Emily back immediately. The boys interrupted with their adorable complaints, chastising her for leaving without telling them. They only forgave her when she promised to visit again.
She put the cheesecake and pasta in the fridge and groaned. Her exhaustion from last night returned with a vengeance, her throbbing feet a casualty of her long walks.
"I pushed myself too far again." Nothing a good R&R session couldn't fix. She grabbed her kit and went to town in the bathroom.
After freshening up in Leah's bathroom, she plopped down in the air mattress, curious to know how it felt. When she realized that it was half deflated, she pressed the pump remote until it was complete puffed up. Hopefully Leah would find it as a pleasant surprise.
After peaking down the stairs and still not hearing anyone, she made her way back to the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of tea and cut a slice of cheesecake, now in the mood for some dessert.
She happily sat down on the large, brown recliner near the front window, elevating her legs with the footrest. Yup, this was the life. Quiet afternoon with some snacks. Too bad she'd have to get up eventually to wash the face mask off.
Looking out the window, she remembered her earlier observation about La Push having an almost magical quality. The sky was a lovely shade of soft blue, alluding to the approaching sunset. Everything was washed in a cool tint, dulling out the houses and cars nearby.
The snacks and scenery proved a little too effective at relaxing her. Her eyelids grew heavy and finishing the cake slice became mission impossible. Once she wolfed down the rest, she washed the dishes and dragged her feet back to Leah's room.
Naps were the best part of school breaks, and she knew Leah would not care if she found her face down in the pillow, dead to the world. Heaven knows how many times she already found Nina like that after one of their movie nights.
With very little persuasion needed, Nina sunk into the bed and sighed into a deep slumber.
It was still twilight when she woke up. Strange, unless she'd only been asleep for a few minutes? Her earlier fatigue was nonexistent now.
She got up, happy that her feet were no longer sore. She even had some of her appetite back. Maybe another slice of cheesecake? Maybe…some of Embry's pasta? She did say that she'd eat it if he didn't pick it up by the end of the day.
A delicious smell wafting from outside the bedroom door. Seems like Sue was back, maybe she'd like some help.
As she walked down the stairs, her vision started to warp. She steadied herself and took a moment to stare out the large living room window she had sat by earlier. It was at that moment she saw that someone was sitting on the brown recliner.
It was her dad.
"Dad…?" She hurried down the stairs and rushed towards him. This was wrong. Why was he here? Why does he look like that?
He perked up when he heard her voice. Her dad shivered in his chair, frail hands pulling at his sweater sleeves. He looked to be half the size he was when he last saw her.
She grabbed a blanket from the nearby coach and covered him. "Dad, what are you doing here? How did you get in the house?"
"What are you talking about? This is our house."
A stern voice came from the kitchen. As she swiveled to face the sound, the warp came back. The Clearwater's living room melted, expanded, and suddenly she was in her parents' large suburban house. Her mother looked at her from over her shoulder, her mouth turned down disapprovingly.
Oh. She was in a dream.
"Mom?"
She turned to look back at the stove. "Who else? Surprised you even remember how we look like."
Nina exhaled, telling herself to not take the bait. "What's wrong with Dad? I thought he was better."
Her mom continued to stir something in a large pot. "Ask him." She answered in a clipped tone.
It was obvious that she wasn't going to get far with her mom. She slowly sat on the coach seat closest to her dad.
"Dad…what happened?"
Her father looked at her with a tired smile. "It's nothing, honey. Just a little cold. I got your trusty sweater here to help me." He lifted one of his arms, her high school's name trailing down his sleeve. "I'll be fine in no time."
She nodded and grabbed his hand. "Are you eating properly? I got some pasta and cheesecake. I can get you some after din-"
"You know your father needs to cut down on his sugar. I swear, I'm the only one in this family with any sense." Her mother's harsh interruption grated her nerves. She clenched her jaw and didn't speak for a moment.
Her dad looked at her sympathetically. "It's okay, honey. She's just stressed. How are you doing? How's school?"
"I-It's going well, Dad. I got into that practicum I told you about. I get to work with Professor Burns, she does a lot of work related to my concentration."
He smiled and nodded, listening to her with the same affection he always had. It was strange to talk to him about her professional interests. Sometimes she just wanted to be a little kid around him, without a single care.
He sighed and looked out the window. She also stared out the window, enjoying a quiet moment with her dad.
He spoke in a soft voice. "How are you doing at La Push?"
She hesitated, then looked back at him. "It's going well. I'm sorry for not telling you. I just didn't want you to think you did something wrong."
He smiled at her, but his eyes looked sad. "I know, honey. You went for your friend. You've always looked out for the people around you. Come back to us when you're ready."
If this wasn't a dream, she was sure she would have started crying. Sometimes her dad's forgiveness hurt more than her mom's stonewalling.
"I will, Dad. I'm sorry for not being home more often. I'll-I'll call more often. I'll try, I promise." She stopped before she put her foot in her mouth any farther. Why reiterate promises she's already broken before?
He chuckled at that, before yawning. That signaled the end of their talk. He stretched out on the recliner and closed his eyes. The blue light filtering into the room highlighted the dark circles on his face and made his brown skin look ashen.
It's okay. It's just a dream. He was better now. If it got to be too much, she could just wake herself up.
She looked back at her mom, who was still working in the kitchen. She didn't make any effort to walk towards her.
"…Are you staying for dinner?" Her mom's voice was soft, probably because her dad was asleep.
She only felt comfortable showing a weaker side when her husband couldn't see it.
"Sorry, mom. I have to go. This…this isn't…." It was a little shocking to feel so much emotion in a fake scenario. That's what a dream is supposed to do, right? Let the brain to process emotions?
Nina knew this was going to happen at some point. She had been so stressed with school, so she hadn't called her parents in weeks. Then, she decided to travel to the other side of the country and spend the holidays with someone else's family.
She knew she would have to address her guilt at some point.
What she hadn't expected was for it to manifest in a dream where she eats a meal with her parents for the first time in months. A slice of normalcy that only existed in this simulation.
Her mother's face morphed bitterly. "Of course. Just leave. You're good at that. Leaving us when things get bad."
And she did leave. She walked away from her mother without saying goodbye.
Nina walked down the hall to her childhood bedroom. She was so exhausted. She lifted her right hand and pressed it on her eyes. She opened and closed the door while she rubbed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in an unfamiliar space.
There was a man sitting at a large desk, looking over papers. He seemed to notice her presence at the same time she noticed his. The man turned towards her with a gentle smile.
"Oh good, you got back before the storm set in. How are your parents?"
He stood to his full height, readjusting his glasses. She let herself enjoy this moment as he walked to her and gathering her in his arms.
It was nice of her dream to throw her a bone every once in a while.
She noticed how warm his body was, definitely warmer than the average person. Like Leah and Embry. A glance upwards confirmed that he wasn't someone she met in La Push.
His shaggy brown hair and beard looked very soft, and his large glasses framed kind hazel eyes. He looked familiar. Didn't she read somewhere that dreams don't make new faces? When had they met then?
"It went alright. It ended up being a short conversation. What about you? Are you feeling sick?"
He gave her a lopsided smile. "I should be asking you that question. Seems like we're both a little worse for wear. Come, lets rest for a bit."
She let out a Woah! as he scooped her up into a princess carry. This was becoming a little too self-indulgent, even for a dream.
Still, she was on cloud nine, relishing in his attentiveness. When has she ever met a guy who treated her with this level of care? Seemed to light up when he saw her?
The answer came quickly. Embry.
Wait no, don't bring him into this. Last thing she needed was to have an embarrassing dream about a real person. She'd never be able to look him in the eyes ever again.
The dream man gently set her down on the bed. She assumed it was his, since it smelled like him. She breathed in the scent and felt so safe. Here, she was a world away from all her stress.
Nina looked up him and spoke softly. She didn't want to break the mood with anything louder than a whisper. "I'm sorry…you were working when I interrupted you."
He stretched out next to her, propping himself up by his forearms. "Please, I've done enough for today. I was only going to keep reviewing until you got back."
Without thinking, she brought her hand up and ran it up the side of his face. Starting from his jaw, she stroked his beard, cheek, and then his temple in a manner that felt habitual. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.
"Your face feels thinner." It did? How did she know that? "Make sure to eat more." She lowered her hand to rest next to her head on the pillow.
His face followed her hand, nuzzling it again like he was a cat. "You're always looking out for me. Make sure to take your own advice. Or the doctor will yell at you again." As he sat up, he ran his fingers through her hair, grazing her ear.
She shuddered when he stroked her ear, and the room grew hotter. She felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest as he stared down at her with an intense gaze.
Suddenly, he leaned down. His features changed, skin and hair darkening until she was looking at Embry's face closing the gap. When her hands shot out to touch his face in surprise, his eyes blackened, pupils expanding like the day they walked back from the bookstore.
But this was not real, and she wasn't prepared for how her guilt and now her loneliness was manifesting into situations that wouldn't hap-.
With a jolt, she actually woke up this time.
Once she wasn't distracted by her own heaving breathing, her ears picked up on the animal noises coming from darkness.
She sat up and looked out of Leah's bedroom window. Passed the road, somewhere in the woods, wolves were howling.
Leah didn't come back that night. At least, she never went to bed.
Nina's phone glowed with the time: 8:34 am. No word from Leah or Embry.
She sent Leah a quick text. Hey! Hope things are going well. Lmk when you're heading back. I grabbed a cheesecake from the diner B)
She was reluctant to text Embry. The man from her dreams resembled him too much, and she wasn't sure how to feel about that. She hadn't felt that sense of déjà vu since they met that first night.
In the end, she decided to hold off until later in the morning. Wait to see if he would tell her why he never showed up.
She slowly walked down the stairs, seeing food wrapped up on the table. There was a note at the top.
Went to Billy's for the day. Help yourself to the food before the kids show up at eat it all. There's more in the fridge too. -Sue
Nina stared at the note, wishing she had woken up earlier to give Sue a proper thanks. Did she make this all by herself? She saw two loaves of banana bread, a tray of muffins, two different quiches, and a bowl of fruit. The counter was prepped with items for coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
Knowing her friend would be back soon instantly made her feel much better. She plated a banana bread slice and a mandarin orange. She started boiling a kettle of water for her tea.
As she moved her plate to the living room, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She picked up the phone with vigor.
"Honestly, I was going to make fun of you for offering cheesecake as a breakfast…but I'm so hungry that I'll take it."
She quickly responded to Leah. "Your mom is an angel and actually made you a feast. My pitiful cheesecake never stood a chance against such a spread :("
She received one final text from Leah. "Heads up, Quil read that last text over my shoulder, so he's stopping by. Embry and Jacob will probably join. Make sure to take all the food you want before those monsters descend."
She could not thank Leah enough for that warning. Not because she needed to sate her ravenous appetite, but because she'd never stop kicking herself if Embry saw her with her cringy checkered pajama pants.
A quick stop at Leah's bedroom and she stepped out in black joggers, tank top, and a track jacket. Athleisure was a good middle ground, cute without looking desperate. She hoped.
She just finished making herself a cup of tea when she heard Leah open the door.
Quil and Seth walked inside with speedy enthusiasm. She was honestly shocked that they even thought to greet her. Each man only grabbing an item each before approaching her at the stove.
Quil was bold, per usual. He grabbed her mug and took a gulp, as if the cup and tea wasn't burning hot. She watched him with wide eyes. Was that a thing with guys here, pretending hot things didn't phase them?
"That mug is hot! Goodness!"
He wrinkled his nose before putting it down on the counter. Seth laughed and gave her a one-armed hug, stuffing a muffin into his mouth. He moved to an overhead cabinet to grab mugs.
Quil shrugged and pulled her into a hug. "Thought it was coffee. Gross." She laughed in his chest. As they pulled away, she motioned to the coffee cup rack.
"Knock yourself out." He tinkered with the Keurig while Seth opened the fridge to pull out more food.
She looked over to the door, where Jacob, Leah and Embry were deep in conversation. Leah and Jacob flanked him, with serious expressions while they exchanged hushed words. Embry was in the middle, eyes trained right on her in an intense manner.
The clouds in his expression quickly dissipated when she gave him a smile. He gave her a beaming smile, looking rejuvenated. The feelings from her dream made a strong resurgence. He quickly closed his part of the conversation and made a beeline right to her.
As he approached, her eyes locked onto the bandage wrapped around his right forearm, traveling up until it hid under his t-shirt. An angry red burn was visible on his right cheek.
"…You got hurt…?" It felt like someone injected ice water into her bloodstream. Her voice sounded like it was coming from far away.
What the hell had they been doing?
He didn't seem to register his injuries until she pointed them out. "Oh, this is nothing. Sue was just taking precautions. They'll heal up in no time."
"That doesn't look like nothing." Her eyes started to sting, she had left them wide open for too long. She blinked and turned her face towards the tea supplies, spotting the honey.
"Let me know if you'd like some honey on your cheek. I heard that's supposed to help with burns."
Seth and Quil got a good laugh from that. Quil's face lit up as he grabbed Seth's shoulders.
"Wait wait! Sweet cheeks! Literally!"
The two men hobbled around the kitchen as they hollered, bumping into each other and the counters. She laughed along with them; their energy was infectious.
Embry stared at his two friends with narrow eyes, but his smirk showed that he wasn't actually upset.
She took this chance to get a closer look at Embry's injured face. The burn, while covering his entire cheek, concentrated in two paths. One stretched from his nose bridge to the top of his ear. The other started at his chin, following the curve of his jaw upwards to the same ear.
She cocked her head towards him. "Sorry, I said that with the best of intentions. Promise."
He turned to her, smile expanding to something more genuine. He moved from the kitchen doorway to her side. His right arm came up to rub her left forearm in a comforting manner. She felt bad for wishing that the others weren't here right now. She wanted to reciprocate his physical affection so badly.
"I know. They're sleep deprived, so they're even more unsufferable than usual." Quil playfully shoved him before joining Seth at the food table.
Nina began boiling a larger pot of water. "Were you guys working until you got here?"
Seth and Quil nodded with their mouthfuls of food. Jacob and Leah finally joined the group. Leah moved passed Embry and Nina to plant herself by the Keurig.
"Quil! Throw out the damn cup after you use it." Leah shook her head. Nina grabbed it from the machine and tossed it into the trash.
Leah looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. "Don't do him any favors. He has nothing to offer in return." Even with a mouth full of muffin, Nina could almost hear his whiny Hey! from the table
"All of you should sit down and rest. I'll take care of the drinks."
Jacob started cutting the quiche. "It's alright, we're used to the workload. Sorry for taking Leah away from you for so long."
Nina shook her hands in front of her, uncomfortable with Jacob's sincere voice. "It's alright! I get Leah all to myself most of the time we're together. I don't mind sharing while we're here."
Leah leaned against her with downcast eyes and mouth formed a tight, thin line. Nina wrapped her right arm around her taller friend's waist.
She was glad her track jacket was pretty thin. Standing between Embry and Leah kept her plenty warm. The man to her left had even taken a step closer when she leaned against to Leah, as if to maintain their proximity.
Jacob stared at Nina, chuckling. "I can see why they stick to you like moths to a flame." Ah. The Leah and Embry jokes were back.
Quil spoke up. "You're too nice. Is Leah paying you or something?"
She looked up at Leah's profile. "Well, she paid for my plane tickets, does that count? If I'm mean to her, she might send me back early, though." She ended her statement with a laugh, reminiscing that first conversation with Sue and Charlie.
Embry did not seem to find it funny. He jerked up and turned his head towards Leah cautiously, looking at her from over Nina's head. Leah rolled her eyes as she killed the flame under the kettle, which had just started to whistle.
Coffee in hand, she moved to the food table. Nina became aware of the fact Embry hadn't made any effort to join the group at the table.
Quil looked at Leah with faux horror. "You're like one of those evil stepsisters, or even stepmothers! Do you lock her up in a tower as well?"
Jacob laughed as he finished shoveling food onto his plate. "You've been watching Disney movies with Kim again?"
Quil shrugged. "What? Rapunzel is really good. And it distracts the kids."
The group of four continue to indulge on food and movie preferences. When Embry still didn't move towards the food table, Nina looked up at Embry.
"Would you like some help getting food? Looks like your right arm is out of commission." He laughed and pressed his arm against hers, bandaged burns be damned.
Bumping shoulders was becoming a pattern. Was this their thing now? Did they have a thing?
"I'll get food when you do." He responded with a big grin, as if he had also picked up on their patterns. Quil and Jacob choked on their food a little. Sometimes she wished she had their insight into Embry's mind.
She remembered her meager plate in the living room and excused herself to get it. He trailed behind her, which was part adorable part nerve wracking. Being in a semiprivate space with him got her heart rate picking up.
When he saw her half-eaten banana bread slice, Embry almost looked remorseful.
"Please tell me that's like…a second plate."
"Well, I ate a whole orange before this!" She laughed when he groaned. She was beginning to understand why his friends like to mess with him. Even his frustrated expression was handsome, furrowed brows adding a charm to his pretty face.
They went back to the kitchen, stepping into an argument about the importance of fruit.
Seth leaned across the table, admonishing Quil. "You're going to get scurvy, dude!"
Jacob was heartily laughing at the guys' antics. Leah chose to just focus on her quiche. She was beautiful even while shoving food in her face, so unfair.
Quil shook his head. "Scurvy? We're not pirates, we're-"
"You don't need to be a pirate to have a balanced diet. Didn't you pick up anything from Emily's lectures to the kids?" Embry's interruption sounded pointed, almost annoyed at his friend.
She reflected on that for a moment. Sure, a grown man being averse to fruit was funny, but who didn't have food preferences?
Breakfast finished quickly for the four eating at the table. With full stomachs, their exhaustion was now very obvious. Seth started nodding off while he chewed on his muffin.
Nina spoke softly. "How about you guys get some rest? Food will still be here when you wake up."
No one fought her suggestion. There was a hilarious game of hot potato as Jacob, Seth, and Leah decided who has to deal with Quil's sleepy affection.
"Don't be a hater, I'm a great at snuggling." Jacob and Leah made gagging noises in response.
In the end, it was decided that Seth would sleep in his parent's room, Quil would sleep in Seth's room, and Jacob would sleep on Leah's air mattress while Leah finally got to get some rest in her own bed.
Once they were upstairs, Embry wrapped an arm around her, looking down at her deviously.
"I spy with my little eye, a takeout container in the fridge."
PHEW HERE WE GO. We are slowly peeling back Nina's layers. I really like Twilight fan fictions that mix mundane and supernatural struggles. I took more time to write this since I'm wanted to flesh out her personality before shit hits the fan. Please review, I welcome people telling me their thoughts! They really motivate me.
Real Life Update: I started a new job at the end of last year, and it really started to pick up shortly after my last update. I'm trying to balance work and play better, so now I plan on updating once a month, at least.