Kim was beyond disappointed. Night turned to day and when she woke in the morning there were no missed calls or messages for her. She didn't know what to think. Maybe he lost her number? Or maybe it was all a joke, after all. Kim feared the worst; that she was being made a fool of.
With no evidence to support that theory, she committed to the belief that Jared must have lost her number, or his phone was broken or someone died. How sad. Kim chewed her bottom lip, sympathetically for Jared's probable loss.
Kim put today's notebooks into her backpack. Fortunately, much of the pain from the past few days had eased and she was no longer drooling rivers. Her saliva glands had become used to the adjustments and new elastics in her mouth. So that was a relief.
As Kim loaded up her book bag she came across a flyer listing all of the school clubs and teams with times and dates for practice and meetings. Her eyes scanned the wrinkled calendar. Archery; every Wednesday and Friday after school. Kim felt a spark of excitement.
Hey, it worked for Troy.
Kim descended the stairs. Mrs. Connweller was kneeling down in front of little Paige, helping her fasten her shoes. Kim's mother was already dressed in her maroon scrubs, ready to start the day with her regular Tuesday patients.
"Good morning, Kimmy," her mother smiled at her eldest daughter.
"Hey, Mom…" Kim inhaled, gathering up all the courage to initiate operation Archery Club also known as Secret Dating Society, "I was um… thinking…"
"Yeah?" Mrs. Connweller asked, smiling at Paige as she helped the little girl button up her coat.
"So there's this club at school and I think it would be fun to get involved," Kim swallowed; she was a bad liar. Her cheeks became hot and she feared that her mom would see right through her.
"Oh, yeah?" Mrs. Connweller asked, retrieving her coffee from the counter and took a long sip. She stared at her daughter, "I'm listening. Will this cost us money?"
"Um… No… I mean, I don't think so," Kim fiddled with the tips of her long hair.
"So what is it?" Mrs. Connweller leaned against the counter.
"Archery," Kim bit her chapped bottom lip.
"Oh. That sounds fun," Mrs. Connweller smiled.
"The club meets Wednesday and Friday… after school," Kim swallowed.
"Kim…" Mrs. Connweller sighed.
"I know. I know," Kim sucked in a breath, "but it would be really good for my college applications if I had some extracurriculars," Kim explained, attempting to persuade her mother by playing the academics card.
"I'm sorry, Kim," Mrs. Connweller crossed her arms, "but with your father deployed and Paige needing you to get her on the bus in the afternoons… I just really need you to help pick up the slack around here, okay? You can join a club next year when Paige starts school and doesn't need an escort to take the bus."
Kim sighed, looking down. Well, so much for that. What Troy didn't have to take into account when he joined a fictional club was Mr. Connweller being overseas and having a new baby sister to care for.
"The bus is coming," Paige pointed out the window.
Kim wandered to the fridge and opened the door, "um, Mom?" she searched the empty shelves, "did you forget to pack our lunches again?"
"Son of a-" Mrs. Connweller's eyes blinked wide, "I knew I was forgetting something," she shook her head, slamming her coffee down on the counter and ran to the window. There was not enough time; the bus was too close. "Okay! Here!" she said, rummaging through her purse and handing Kim a $10 bill, "pick up your sister at noon and walk over to the diner and buy sandwiches."
"Mom! Come on!" Kim whined. The last thing she wanted to do during lunch hour was babysit Paige.
"I'm not asking you, Kim," Mrs. Connweller said, strictly, "just do it and don't be late getting her. Now get going, the bus is almost here."
Jared took a sip from his stainless steel water bottle and pretended to dab moisture from his forehead. Coach Bernard's unimpressive lacrosse team were all sprawled out on the field after exhaustive drills. Meanwhile, Jared hadn't even broken a sweat. His eyes scanned the school's drop-off zone, watching for Kim to disembark from a bus. He knew she didn't drive to school because yesterday Jared had sat in his Jeep Wrangler and waited to make sure that she boarded safely.
Last night Jared had almost hit dial but Paul showed up and warned him against being too eager. He told him to be cool, don't call her for a few days. Otherwise, he might come off looking desperate. Paul explained that there are dating rules. Jared had no idea but apparently, you're supposed to wait three whole days before calling a girl. Paul was far more experienced than Jared so he for sure would know what to do. Gail told the two boys that they were idiots and if they like a girl they should act like it, instead of trying to look cool.
Thank goodness Paul showed up in time or else Jared may have ruined his chances with Kim by not following the dating rules.
"He doesn't look dead," Lara muttered to Kim as the bus pulled up to the school; the girls could see Jared standing in the field, clear as day.
Kim had suggested that perhaps he had perished in a car wreck and maybe that's why he didn't call. Too bad. Looks like it really was just all a joke at her expense.
"Whatever. I didn't even like him, anyways," Kim lied, pushing down her heartbreak, "back in a minute," Kim said to Lara, and grabbed Paige's hand, dragging the child off the bus and started towards the daycare centre.
Lara glowered at Jared.
Screw this guy.
Lara disembarked from the bus. When she was certain that Kim was far enough away, she marched over to the tall and handsome Jared Cameron.
"What the fuck, man?" Lara lifted her arms in the air and then let them fall abruptly, slapping her palms against her thighs. "What's your problem?"
"Uh… What?" Jared asked, caught off guard by the girl he knew to be Lara Jenkins.
"What are you playing at with Kim? That girl waited all night for your dumb ass to call and you completely left her hanging. So what is it? Did you lose her number or what?" Before he could answer, Lara snorted, "As if that is a real excuse, this town has less than 2000 people and only one Connweller in the goddamn phonebook!" Lara handed him his ass.
Jared didn't know what to do. What could he say?
"But I- … I mean," he swallowed, "I thought I was… you're not supposed to call on the first day… aren't you?" Jared choked out. Panic rose from his stomach and all the way to his throat.
"Unbelievable," Lara blinked, "all you motherfuckers are the same. You can never just be genuine. Always have to play stupid mind games."
"Is she mad?" Jared asked. Now he felt like shit. Paul gave him bad advice. He should have listened to his sister. Gail told him that he should just call her. Why'd he listen to Paul over a living, breathing woman? Idiot, idiot, idiot!
"What the hell do you think?" Lara crossed her arms.
"Should I-" Jared took a step towards Kim's direction where she was dropping off her baby sister.
"No. You've done enough. Stay the fuck away from her. Whatever she was thinking about or feeling for you, that's done. Okay?" Lara declared.
"Did she say that?" Jared asked, his heart-shattering.
"She didn't need to. That girl has been infatuated with you since 8th grade and what you did… that's unforgivable. Stay away from her," Lara warned.
Jared watched in agony as Lara marched off towards Kim who was just now returning from the daycare center. Infatuated? Kim was infatuated? With him?
Jared raked his fingers through his hair and turned away from Kim so she wouldn't see his devastated expression. This was a disaster. All he wanted was to have a chance with her. That's the only reason he listened to Paul to begin with. He was going to bite that asshole's ear off for giving him such dickheaded advice.
"Oh no, what'd you do?" Kim asked, meeting Lara. She'd seen her friend passionately berating to Jared. She could only imagine the hellfire her best friend showered down upon him.
"He got what he deserved, Kim," Lara held her finger up and then looped her arm through Kim's and the two wandered towards the rocky shore near the water where they usually hung out before the first warning bell rang.
Jared didn't really need to take a shower but when the coach said hit the showers he absentmindedly wandered into the school with the rest of the team. When he emerged 15 minutes later, his eyes scanned the school grounds for Kim and Lara.
He had to talk to her. He needed to explain and apologize.
However, when his gaze found the girls they were not alone. They were wandering along the rocks with Embry Call and Jacob Black. The kids were passing back and forth a cigarette. No. Wait. It wasn't. Jared inhaled, even though he was far, far away from the group he could tell it was marijuana.
Jared eavesdropped using the gifts of his wolf hearing.
"You sure?" Jacob asked.
"Yeah, pot just makes me paranoid," Kim assured him.
Kim kept a vigilant eye out for seagulls. She hated seagulls; aggressive, disgusting creatures. She did her best to avoid them. When Kim was a little kid a couple of hostile seagulls had bullied her into forfeiting her buttered bagel during a day trip to the beach. She never got over the trauma. Their expansive wings and alarming squawks put Kim on edge.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Lara asked Kim for the tenth time and took a drag from the joint.
"Yes. Please stop asking," Kim replied. She was, of course, heartbroken but she didn't want to keep talking about it.
"I'd tell you that there are plenty of fish in the sea but… it's La Push," Embry chuckled, smoke exiting his nose.
"Oh, whatever," Jacob laughed, "the dating pool around here might be limited but don't get in line to date Jared Cameron."
Jared clenched his fists. What the fuck, Jacob? Jared wondered what the hell he ever did to Jacob Black to make him say that. Jealousy burned hot in Jared's chest. Maybe Jacob wanted Kim for himself. Why wouldn't he? Look at her. She's a fucking angel. An angel? No. Not nearly special enough. She's a… a goddess!
"I thought you were cool with Jared," Kim said to Jacob, adjusting her ponytail.
"He was okay but," Jacob exhaled his drag, "… he kind of creeps me out now. Him and Sam Uley and Paul Lahote. They're thick as thieves these days, skulking around… acting all dark and dangerous and mysterious."
Lara laughed at Jacob, "maybe you want to get in line to date Jared Cameron."
Embry and Kim laughed at that.
"Pshhh," Jacob Black flipped his long silky hair, "Cameron can't afford me," he played along.
The kids bursted into laughter just as the second warning bell rang out telling students to get inside.
Jared quickly retreated back into the school before Kim could see him.
"You have Kaisner now, right? Do me a favor," Embry said, handing Kim a dimebag of pot, "give this to Fran."
"Sure," Kim said, slipping the pot into the front pocket of her bag. What were friends for?