Hey guys! I'm sorry you've had to wait so long for this. I'm trying to get back into writing with these charactors so pardon me for the next chapter or two if it's a little rusty!
I clambered out of Gabe's car, feeling dismal under the glares of the three people waiting inside the door. Every single time I came home I was greeted with a welcoming committee. Surely this was not the way things done in La Push all the time. I would go stark raving mad if I didn't get some alone time soon.
"Hey, I am talking to you," Kim glared at me, her voice an octave higher than usual. "Shannon, who drove you here? Whose car is that?" She glanced up at Jared, then Jacob as if she was the one who had been late.
Gabe rolled down his window as I got out of the car. "Think about what I said, alright? Later babe!"
I waved at Gabe's retreating car, hiding a grin. He seemed nice enough, and would probably be as close to normal as I could find around a place like this.
I pulled my coat up, ready to shield myself from the rain, but there was already an umbrella above me, being held up way too high over my head. "Uh, thanks I think." I murmured to Jacob, unsure of how to proceed with this charade.
"I don't want you to get sick. In California you probably didn't have a lot of rain," Jacob mumbled beside me, keeping the umbrella directly above me. In his hand it looked like a children's toy parasol.
"Wait, how do you know I'm from California? Lurch tell you?" I scowled at the door.
"Lurch?" He looked puzzled until I jabbed a thumb towards Jared. "Oh, no I've been hearing about you for weeks now. You're town gossip in case you didn't know."
"Oh good, that's so good."
"Shannon, was that Gabe Miller's car that you just came out of?" Kim looked less peeved and more like a concerned mother hen.
I slid in past my sister and Jared, leaving Jacob to deal with the umbrella by himself. "No, it was a spaceship. Yes, it was a car and yes, it was driven by a boy named Gabe."
Kim grabbed my wrist on my way past, her eyes wide. "He's bad news, Shan. Trust me."
I stopped and stared down at her hand on my arm. "Yeah, I can see how you would say that as I met him in detention. He doesn't like you either." Jared let out a low growl. "Down boy, control yourself." I waved at them both, trying to act if I wasn't slightly touched by my sister's concern.
Jacob had closed the umbrella and set it by the door to dry and was now resting his two large hands on Jared's shoulders. I made my way into the kitchen, unconcerned. Maybe they had a thing.
I was making a fresh pot of coffee when Jacob walked into the kitchen behind me, effectively scaring me into pouring ground coffee beans down the front of my sweater.
"Brilliant," I pulled the cable knit fishermen's' atrocity over my head and tossed it into the laundry room that connected to the kitchen.
"Sorry," Jacob leaned back against the counter next to the oven, taking up a decent portion of the kitchen. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you."
"Well you did. Shifting around this house like a silent Godzilla. How did you anyways? You're just so… large." I finished, not knowing how else to quantify his size.
"I've always been quiet." He plucked two mugs off of my mother's drying rack and placed them next to the coffee maker. "Do you take cream and sugar?"
"Just cream," I was surprised by his semi-domestic actions. "But I think the only thing in the fridge is almond milk or something like that. My mom and Kim are lactose intolerant."
"Good enough," Jacob pulled the carton of almond milk out of the fridge. "So you're not?"
"I'm not what?" I poured coffee into both the cups, careful not to spill this as well.
"Lactose intolerant. Isn't it usually a family thing?" He added a splash of milk to mine and a long pour into his.
"Well that's not very manly, is it?" I raised my eyebrows at the amount of milk he poured into his cup. "And I wouldn't know. I'm no doctor and I hardly ever do what my family does."
"Is that by choice?"
"It isn't by accident." I snapped, feeling defensive. What was this? He holds an umbrella over my head and he can psychologist his way through my life? I didn't think so.
"Sorry. I was just asking, no need to get defensive."
I was annoyed to see that he didn't look remorseful in the least. He simply blew on his coffee and then took a swig. "Besides, I can't help who I am anymore than you can help who you are. A giant."
He spit part of the coffee into his cup. "If only I could hold you to that statement."
"That you happen to be a giant?"
"No, the part before that. About how I can't help who I am." He set his cup down, looking at me earnestly.
"Hold me to whatever you want." I moved my way into the living room, Jacob hot on my heels. "So why are you here? Do you usually visit with Jared? Are you guys like a team or something?" I plopped down on one of the couches in a most unlady-like manner.
"Oh, no," He folded himself into the seat next to me, making me scoot as far away as I could. "I' just here to babysit you while your sister and "Lurch" enjoy their alone time in your room."
"What?" I choked, feeling the coffee burn down my throat.
"Well your room meaning the room that you and Kim share. It's not like they sought out your bed or anything."
"My sister is having sex? Right now?" I whispered through the pain.
Jacob shrugged, not even trying to hide the smile that radiated on his face. "I would assume that's what they're doing behind closed doors."
"I bet you my life savings they're playing chess."
Jacob snorted into his coffee and drained it. "Think whatever you want, Shannon."
"Thank you I will, Jacob."
"Please, call me Jake."
"Fine, Jake."
I chewed on my asparagus stalk slowly, eyeing my sister from across the table. She was bubbling about school, her face rosy and unable to contain her smile. Coy bitch.
"So how did the school campaigning go? Still thinking about running for Class President?" Scott asked Kim, rolling a piece of pork around in his jaw as he spoke. I tried not to gag as I watched the white mass form different shapes.
"Mmm," Kim held her finger up and wiped her face on her napkin, successfully showing up my step-fathers table manners in a single motion. "I'm still planning on running, but getting started with stuff is so difficult. There's a bunch of basics that go into something like this. Simple stuff like making posters, you know?"
Jared, who was seated next to Kim beamed down at her proudly. I took this as my invitation into the conversation. "Is that what you and Lurch were doing this afternoon in our bedroom? Making posters?" Jake pushed his foot against mine and glared sideways at me. I felt my heartbeat race but ignored it.
"W-what?" Kim looked as if she had swallowed her tounge.
"You know, this afternoon? You were in there so long. Was there a lot of glitter? I hope you didn't get glitter on my bed. I hate to have to wash my sheets." I rested my chin on my hand and bit off another piece of asparagus.
"We were just talking strategies," Jared jumped in, trying to rescue Kim. "No posters or anything yet."
"Nothing to show for your efforts, huh?" I smiled sweetly as Jake dug his foot into mine.
"Well I had a productive day at work," My mother jumped in, sensing the tension between us.
Kim looked at me, her jaw locked. Stop, She mouthed, barely moving her lips.
Make me, I mouthed back, delighted that I now had this over her.
"You should be nicer to your sister." Jake told me as we were doing dishes. After my little dinner conversation I had been taxed with cleanup.
"I'm trying, really. She's just so hard to deal with sometimes." I handed the wet plate to Jake, who in turn dried it and set it on the shelf.
"I know, but you should try harder. She wants this to work, you know that, right? When she first learned you were coming to live here she was so excited. It was endless Shannon stories. I couldn't escape your childhood adventures."
I could feel the warmth radiating off Jake every time I handed him a dish. "Really?"
"Really," He leaned on the counter and adjusted his shirt with a grimace. It was like he wasn't used to wearing one and didn't like the feel of it.
"Are you trying to make me feel bad?" I leaned against the sink, facing him.
"Maybe," He sighed and gently pulled my side awake from the sink. "Look now you've gone and got your shirt all wet." He muttered, plucking the wet fabric away from my skin with his fingers.
"Are you fucking kid-" I began, but never finished because he had bent down to kiss me.