Fixed
6. Keep Watch
Keep watch - stay on the lookout for danger or trouble.
Kim's first action once school had finished was to abduct Ruth. Who was literally dragged from her locker to behind the school. It was only once they were safely behind the wall of the cafeteria that she saw how flushed Kim was and the smile that was threatening to burst from her mouth.
"Oh my word!" she exclaimed, "He asked you out didn't he?"
Kim's smile spread into a huge grin and both girls shrieked. They started doing a little happy dance around in circle, squealing and hugging each other.
"Finally!" Ruth exclaimed, "It's taken him long enough!"
"I think that's a bit much," Kim stated, "I mean, wanting to be my friend doesn't automatically means he wants to ask me out …"
"It does if he keeps asking the best friend about you," Ruth stated, "He made me promise not to say anything but now that he's asked I feel like I have permission."
"He asked you about me?" Kim squeaked.
Ruth grinned, "Of course he did! I also told him that if he hurt you he'd have me to deal with …"
Kim smiled and hugged her friend. "Thank you! You're the best friend ever! But I also need to kidnap you tomorrow, he's picking me up at 2 and I know that Kaden will need bribing to give up time with you …"
Ruth laughed, "I'm sure he can be persuaded. Shall I come over after lunch and help you to get ready?"
"Could you … maybe … do my make up?" Kim asked, feeling herself blush. She never usually put on make up, but for her first ever date..?
Ruth smiled warmly and nodded, "Of course."
In the end, Kayden was persuaded to give up his Saturday afternoon with his girl friend, but it did mean that Kim had to give him her usual Friday night slot. She did this happily and was only brought back to reality by a very grumpy sister waiting at her car.
"Ah crap," she muttered, as Lucy glared at her.
"I'm going to be late!" she exclaimed, "And the competition is in three weeks Kim!"
With a sigh, Kim unlocked the car and put up with her sister's recriminations all the way to the Rez Hall. However, once Lucy had slammed the door loudly and stomped away, she allowed herself to daydream about the next day and where Jared would take her. She wracked her brains about what movies were showing and was so lost in her thoughts that she somehow managed to drive to the animal shelter without even remembering how she got there.
But, she was soon brought back to reality by Gill's enquiring glance as she walked in fifteen minutes late.
Kim cringed, "Sorry Gill, I'll stay fifteen minutes late I promise."
The Head of Kennels nodded and banished her to walk the dogs as quickly as she could. In the end, Kim found her mind drifting to her previous abandoned story and without meaning to, she found herself starting to compose a kissing scene.
"The rain poured down as they ran for the barn," she composed, "Morwenna grew more anxious with every second as she realised how inappropriate it was to be alone in a barn with a young man. What would her aunt say? And she was soaked through as well. As soon as the door slammed shut, she became aware of how closely her gown and shift were sticking to her form …"
Kim felt herself blushing as she composed, but she had read a little romance and there often seemed to be stolen glances and sodden gowns.
"Sebastian was focussed upon tying the door firmly closed before he happened to glance over at the farmer's daughter. But instead of her gown, what struck him was her hair. Long, sodden and hanging in limp ringlets. It was a strange colour in the light of a nearby lantern …"
Snap!
Kim stopped dead and spun around.
There was nothing there. Ralph, the bull terrier she was walking pricked his ears and stared fixatedly off into the trees. He seemed to be watching something with his eyes. Kim stared in that direction but couldn't see anything.
"Hello?" she called.
Silence. Not a stick or a leaf moved. Ralph remained, staring into the forest.
They stayed like that for a full minute before Kim pulled him away and returned to the trail. Slightly disconcerted, she chose the shorter track back to the shelter and decided to give the dogs shorter walks for the rest of her shift.
By the time she had left it was nearly 6 and the rain was falling in earnest. Pulling up her hood, Kim ran to her car and fumbled with her keys. Frustrated, she dropped them and then had the inevitable scrabble for them on the ground. It was when she was hunting in the dark that she felt a similar feeling of being watched and looked up to stare at the forest. Though she looked for a while, she couldn't find any threat. She just … felt it.
When her fingers finally closed about the keys, she felt a strangely strong relief and jumped thankfully into Mouse and out of the rain.
It was only when she was half way home that Kim found her mind wandering to that art piece she'd started a few weeks before. The forest with the hidden threat lurking in the depths of a forest glade.
With her mind full of this, she drove home and dived into the shower, allowing the hot water to warm her freezing form. It was only once she was dressed in warm leggings and a sweater that her mind turned to the fact that she'd eaten almost nothing that day and was suddenly starving. Coming down stairs in flying leaps, she found her Mom and Lucy settled down with lasagne and a chick-flick. She looked at the screen curiously for a moment.
"Is that Amy Adams?" she queried, "She's not normally a blond."
"The Wedding Date," Lucy supplied. It seemed that she had forgiven her sister for daring to make her late. "The main guy is hot."
"Isn't he an escort?" Kim queried.
Lucy nodded, "He is. But I'm pretty sure he's going to get with Cat."
"Will you stop predicting?" Sophie Connweller stated, annoyed. "There's lasagne in the oven, honey. How wet did you get?"
Kim sighed, "A whole towel's worth. But the dogs are always cute so that's a plus."
Her mom smiled, "How did it go?"
"Oh yeah!" Lucy paused the movie and looked over expectantly. "How was your dramatic debut?"
Kim actually found a smile, "Actually, good I think. Jared was really kind and kept me going, he's a good encourager."
"Oh is he?" her sister stated with a grin.
"Lucy, shut up."
"Jared the encourager Cameron!" Lucy declared, giggling.
"Lucy, stop teasing your sister," Sophie chastised, but she smiled at her eldest. "I'm glad it went well, Kim, and look on the bright side, it's now done!"
"True," Kim agreed, before she realised the other piece of information she hadn't shared. "Um … Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Can I go out tomorrow afternoon? Jared asked me to go to a movie and I don't know how late we'll be …"
"WHAT?" Lucy screamed, so loudly that she made her mom and sister flinch. "Did I just hear you right? Jared Cameron asked you out?"
Kim felt herself flush very deeply. "Um … yes?"
"Lucy, turn the volume down please!" Sophie stated, causing her youngest to pause in her strange jumpy dance of excitement, which included much squealing.
"But Mom, Kim's got her very first date!" Lucy was so excited that she was still dancing. In the end, Kim couldn't help laughing. Sophie eventually joined in and they all collapsed on the sofa.
"So, can I go?" Kim asked.
Her mom nodded, "As long as he has you back by a decent time I see no issue with that. I mentioned your friendship to your dad and he said that he's only ever heard good things about Bill Cameron."
"Where is Dad?" Kim asked, suddenly remembering that she was hungry and heading to the oven.
"Poker Night at Jeff McCall's," she replied, "I gather it's going to get pretty heated. So Luce and I decided it was time for some girlie goodness."
Soon the female contingent of the Connweller family were deep in chick-flicky goodness, adding Ben and Jerry's cookie dough to their evening's escapism. It wasn't until Lucy had gone to bed and Ted Connweller had returned, complaining about "wretched bad luck" that Kim's mom had taken her aside and given her shoulder a little squeeze.
"I'm really glad this boy's finally noticed you, honey," she said gently. Instead of replying, Kim had simply hugged her mom before heading to bed, thoroughly exhausted from the day's whirlwind of emotions.
0 0 0
Saturday morning in La Push was predictably drizzly and depressing and, as seemed to be the pattern, Kim woke up feeling nervous and anxious about her date with Jared. It got so bad that she texted Ruth at 7:15 am to complain about how certain she was that she'd be a complete dork on the date and embarrass herself. Ruth in turn grumpily texted her back demanding that her friend check the fricking time! Kim's anxiety, however, was a powerful thing and Ruth eventually grudgingly agreed to meet her at the diner during her break.
Reluctantly, Ruth forced herself out of her bed anyway as her shift started at 8:30 and she might as well get a shower and have a more leisurely start to the day (although there was much muttering about her best friend under her breath). After three cups of coffee before 9, she was awake and starting to behave like her normal self when Kim and Lucy came piling into the diner. Lucy looking unusually chipper for this early on a Saturday morning and Kim … well … Kim looked like a wobbly mess. They slipped into their usual corner table and Ruth ambled over, managing a grin.
"Morning guys," she chirped, grinning at Lucy who also giggled.
"Morning!" Lucy greeted cheerfully. Kim glared at them both. "I'll have a vanilla milkshake and a blueberry muffin," Lucy continued, "…Kim?"
"Black coffee," she muttered.
"Like your mood ..?" Lucy suggested. She should have been scalded by the gaze Kim threw her.
"O-kay …" Ruth agreed, writing down the order. It was only once she had returned with their order that she saw the stack of glossy magazines Lucy had dumped on to the table. "What are these for ..?"
"Research!" Lucy replied brightly, "So Kim's date ready!"
"Kill me now," Kim muttered. "It's not fair to be my sister's "pet project"."
"I'm helping!" Lucy exclaimed, clearly offended. "Now come on, we need to work on your conversational choices."
Ruth was vastly amused and observed the two girls throughout her first two hours. Kim looked alternately in pain, frustrated and even at one point a little angry. But in her opinion, the more distracted her BFF was, the better. This point proved to be accurate as the next time she went over for her break at 11, Kim wasn't upset, and seemed to be more amused by Lucy's observations about "outfits" and "make up".
"I think you need to let Ruth use some glitter in your eye shadow," Lucy was remarking, "It'll look so cool and maybe a nice pink lip gloss."
Kim shook her head immediately, "No, Luce. Absolutely NO glitter eye shadow! I'm not even sure how much make up I want to wear, maybe something that makes me look less pale …"
"Don't worry Kim," Ruth reassured, sliding a muffin over to her friend, "We're going natural and glowy I'm thinking."
Kim sighed in relief and actually took the muffin, "Thanks Ru," she muttered, "Lucy has been driving me insane."
"But she's been distracting you," Ruth stated, "That's the most important thing. You're such a dweller Kim. You focus upon all that could go wrong and forget that Jared likes you. I'll of course help you to get dressed up and help you look nice. But he likes who you are. If you try to act differently then he won't feel the same way."
Kim nodded and seemed somewhat comforted by this. "Okay, I guess you're right."
"And Lucy, I promise that I'll do your nails in that glittery purple you love."
Lucy grinned hugely and the two Connweller girls left after Ruth's break was over.
0 0 0
When Ruth walked into Kim's room it was … well … a disaster might have been too polite a way to describe it. Clothes covered every surface and much of the wall. Kim looked traumatised again and kept picking up one item of clothing and throwing it down. Ruth immediately took control of the situation and vetoed all dresses and skirts ("It's 50 degrees out there!). She also removed all of Lucy's choices (most of which consisted of too much glitter, pink or animal print).
After much discussion and support, they settled upon some dark skinny jeans, a warm but pretty long purple sweater with a leather belt on top and Kim borrowing a pair of Ruth's ankle boots. Ruth also revealed her leather jacket for Kim to borrow and after many exclamations (mostly on Lucy's part), she agreed to wear it.
Ruth spent the better part of an hour carefully curling Kim's hair and gave her a natural but "glowy" make up look, having been given permission to use make up a full year before Kim, she spent almost all of her allowance and earnings on decent makeup. A thing that meant that Ruth had a far better understanding of how to use the products than Kim.
So, by the time 1:45 rolled around, Kim was ready and just putting on her accessories. She had found some pretty dangly earrings with little purple stones and was just doing up her favourite chain when Ted Connweller came home from work and glanced into his eldest daughter's room.
He stared for a moment before smiling. "Oh Kimmy," he murmured, "Honey, you look really pretty."
His eldest daughter blushed and walked over to kiss her father's cheek. "Thanks Daddy," she whispered. It was a name that she hadn't used for many years and it touched Ted as she said it.
Once Kim was ready, they only needed to wait.
Ted had received some information about the boy from his wife and had always liked Bill Cameron. A single father who had lost his wife when Jared was only eight, meaning that he had worked hard to provide for both himself and his boy. Often, he would spend long days out on the water, only returning with the dark and returning to collect his son from the old lady who lived next door.
He didn't know much of the boy, but from what his wife had said, it seemed that Jared was a responsible enough young man. He and Kim had worked together on an English assignment and apparently, their daughter was very taken with him. This information in itself slightly concerned Ted, as he knew how fragile his daughter was. In comparison to her sister, Kim had always been shy and introverted, preferring books and drawing over team sports and socialising. Ruth had always been a very good influence and he thought of her as a third daughter. He smiled as he watched her and Kim talking quietly, discussing the latest book that they were both reading. He read his paper steadily, keeping half an ear out for a knock at the door.
But that was the thing … it never came.
He watched Kim carefully after 2 had come and gone and saw the deteriorating emotional state. At first she was excited. Then 2 came and went and she became a little worried, wondering whether Jared might be hurt. Then 2:30 came and Kim was starting to cry. Ruth was texting frantically, alternately rubbing Kim's arm and then she disappeared to talk to her boy friend. At 2:45, Kim had fled to her room and Ted was angrily flipping through the La Push Residents' book to give Bill Cameron a piece of his mind. In the end, he got as far as starting to dial the number before Sophie took the phone from his hand with a shake of her head.
"You are not going to yell at Bill Cameron for something that may be his son's fault," she stated.
At 4, Kim was a disconsolate mess in her room and Ted could hear her sobs coming through the wall. Ruth and Lucy were with her and Sophie was pacing.
"This doesn't make sense, Ted, he was incredibly keen and sweet to Kim last weekend."
"Well he'd better not come near her again, Sophie. Not even a text or a call? Have they tried calling him?"
"Ruth's tried eleven times. I understand that her boyfriend is going round to Jared's house."
"Well he's not the only one, I'm going to give that little punk a piece of my mind!"
"Ted! Please. Your daughter is hurting. We need to focus upon Kimmy."
Suddenly, Ted nodded. "You're right. Get the girls, we're going out."
Sophie stared at him, "What?"
"We're going out to the movies Sophie, now!"
Not wanting to argue, Sophie did as her husband asked and opened Kim's door. "Lucy, Ruth, Kim honey? You all need to come now, you're father's decided we're going to the movies."
Lucy gawped, "What?"
"We're going to the movies honey. Ruth, you're welcome to come if you'd like to."
Ruth considered, "Thank you, Mrs Connweller, I think that's a good idea."
Kim raised her head, "Mom, I don't want to …"
"Honey, it'll distract you, okay? Your dad's determined to take us so get ready. You can change if you want to." Kim's make up had long since been cried away and her hair was a fuzzy mess. But with Ruth's help she was clean and presentable in about ten minutes.
Before anyone could think, they were half way to Port Angeles and the family spent that afternoon and evening doing everything within their power to distract Kim. Ted bought five tickets to The Blind Side, which was the only film showing at the correct time, but it turned out to be so good that even Kim was distracted by the heart-warming true story. They left the theatre at about 8 and the evening was rounded out by dinner at a nearby diner. By the time Ted was pulling into their driveway at 10:30 after dropping Ruth home, Lucy was asleep and Kim was close to it.
As Sophie gently encouraging Lucy out of the car, Kim approached her dad and wordlessly hugged him, tight. Without speaking, Ted Connweller returned the hug gently, kissing his eldest daughter's head.
"I love you," she whispered before running into the house. Ted Connweller watched her go, his heart slightly lightened, but his jaw also set.
0 0 0
About 400 yards away, a large tawny wolf watched his soulmate enter her family home. Unable to get away until an hour ago, he had sprinted towards the house, desperate to see some trace of his imprint. In her place, he had found a dark house and only caught a lingering hint of her scent.
Now, he crouched and watched her hug her dad. He saw the anger on Ted Connweller's face and knew, he was in very deep shit.
0 0 0
Author's note:
I know! I'm sorry! But I thought it was time for a little drama and Embry's timing just sucked! Don't worry, our couple will get together eventually, but now Kim's dad is involved it's going to be a little more complicated!
Please let me know what you think!
Thanks as always,
Breeze.