12. Job

At the start of my vacation I was having a good time. We did everything we wanted, site seeing, tours, museums, a play, dinner, and I even agreed to go to a mall a couple times. I couldn't help it, but I was having fun with Charlie. Of course we weren't in Forks and it wasn't raining so that might have had a lot to do with it too. As our time came to a close I decided I should ask about the sun forsaken place. He told me everything was very good. There haven't been many accidents this past year but there were 3 fatalities involving reckless and dangerous motorcycles, every year he had to mention that. And apparently the new doctor, whatever his name was really was making an impression with the town's folk. The only problem seemed to be that he and his best friend Billy Black had a major argument over it and it wasn't completely resolved even though it has been about a year now.

After that we finished up the vacation on a warm summer day and I headed back to sunny Phoenix while he headed back to rainy Forks. I still don't understand why anyone would stay there willingly; I mean there is hardly ever any sun. Once on the plane I tuned out and read my book till I landed in Phoenix. I got in on the driver's side and headed home. It was a short trip; now that I was driving everything seem to take less time, even though I never actually speed, Charlie being a Chief of Police instilled a lot of driving rules in me early on, then main one, speed kills.

Once home I went in to unpack and get my comfy clothes on. I headed down to get dinner going. I guess I enjoy eating out just as much as the next person, but after two weeks straight it is nice to have a home cooked meal, even if I have to cook it. While the chicken was marinating I called Bobby, I hadn't talked with him in ten days so I wanted to let him know I was home. After a brief chat we decided to go to dinner and the movies in a couple days and I reminded him it was mine turn to pay. He reluctantly agreed before he hung up and I told my mom about the plans and asked if she could take me to the bookstore.

"What could you possibly need at the bookstore; you have a better selection than they do."

"Ha Ha, I was thinking about seeing if they would hire me part time so I could make some extra money for my dates with Bobby."

"You know it is traditional to have the guy pay." Phil piped up on this conversation.

"I know but I am not traditional in that sense. I like everything in balance."

"OK honey I'll take you before lunch, but will need to be back by 1."

"No problem, just wanted to see if they are hiring and maybe get another book." I smirked, my mom laughed, and I served dinner.

After we ate I went up to read before bed. It was a long two week vacation and Charlie and I did a lot, but I wasn't tired, just didn't want to watch baseball with Phil and Renée. As I lay in bed looking at my book I let my mind wander.

Not sure what I was thinking or if I really was because before I knew it I was asleep, or at least I think I was, I hope I was. I was in Forks, surrounded by a squishy green ground, tall green trees with their trunks covered in more green stuff and it was wet and overcast. I felt like something in the woods was coming toward me or maybe it was already beside me. I was walking in the woods toward a bright area ahead I could just make an open area, it was hard to tell what it was, but it seemed like a hole in the forest. As I got closer I could make out more shapes and realized there were flowers on the ground and the sun was out and shining brightly in the little area. OH GOD, I woke up with a start and the light that was still on blinded me. It was the grassy circle I had been dreaming about and it was in Forks?

I got up and went to the bathroom, splashed water on my face, turned off the light and went back to bed. Why did I just dream about somewhere I haven't been in two years? And why was I dreaming about somewhere I have never been? I shrugged. Not really sure, but I forced myself to fall back to sleep again. By the next morning I was rested and didn't even worry about the weird dream as I got ready to go to the bookstore. I put on my best skirt and a nice blouse and flats, fixed my hair, applied a little make-up and was ready to go.

I didn't really expect to get a job, but I was very glad I did. It was part time four days a week for five hours a day and if I wanted to I could continue during the school year, they would just change some hours a little. I was excited, they even let me us my discount on the two books I got. I took my work schedule and went to meet my mom out front.

She was happy for me; there wasn't a conflict of days, so far, so that was good. I called Bobby when we got home and he was happy for me also. He said he might be getting a job as well in the mall, which might be fun. He was turning sixteen in a few weeks so I was looking forward to not having to rely on my mother or Phil all the time. The sooner the better, although I was worried, now he was getting a car I hope he doesn't try and speed things up, over the shirt was the most I was willing to go for now.

Guess that is something I don't have to worry about yet so I headed upstairs to change. Once I found my comfy clothes I grabbed one of my new books and went down to get lunch. My mom had a meeting to go to and Phil was off at a practice session, so I was home alone. I made lunch and ate it quickly and went to lie on the couch and read. About 5pm I got up to start dinner and soon after my mom came home. We ended up eating around 7pm as Phil's practice ran late. Which didn't matter too much, the food was still hot and we ate in relative silence. After I cleaned the kitchen I headed up to my room to check email and read.

I got an evite for Bobby's 16th party, which of course I responded, but also check to see who else was invited and coming. I was glad to see my friends were going to be there, the few I had. After I shut down the computer I went to lie on the bed and read until I couldn't keep my eyes open. My normal, random, dream sequence was tonight and it was a talk less night. I woke up relieved and decided I would get the house clean and marinade something for dinner tonight.

After a fulfilling day of house work I went up to get clean myself. Once I was done, I went down to watch TV, Bobby called about a while later and we talked and made plans for tomorrow. He said he got the job at a little sports place in the mall and he started the day after his 16th birthday. I complemented him on his evite and he laughed and said his mom did those and that she went overboard with the whole birthday. After that we got off the phone and I went to flip the chicken.

After dinner I did something unusual, I stayed down stairs with Phil and Renée and watch TV. Not wanting to make me too uncomfortable we decided on a safe, neutral ground show that none of us loved or hated. After two hours it was time for me to read myself to sleep. I had a date tomorrow and needed my beauty rest, I crack myself up. It isn't like I could sleep for a few days and wake up changed.

I slept in, and awoke rested and ready. I went down to eat some breakfast and sit around the house for a little while. After lunch I called Bobby and we decided to get started a little earlier and go play putt-putt first, something that could be very bad considering it was a heavy metal object and a projectile. But I agreed and made sure my mom would be able to take me and headed off to get ready. Not wanting to go crazy I wore my skort and a sleeveless button down. After a generous dose of sun block I figured I was ready and grabbed the keys and yelled for my mom.

Once we got to the place, he was standing in the gate with 2 clubs and two balls ready to go. I smiled at him and as soon as my mother was out of site, kissed him. For not wanting to have a boyfriend in the past it was pretty nice. We had fun playing, or he did, I think I scored an 18, on each hole. Much to my surprise I did trip a few times, I had thought it would be more, but never took anyone out and amazingly never broke skin. All in all it was a good game.

Once we were ready to leave there, his mom picked us up and took us over to the mall. We walked and talked again. It was amazing how he never ran out of things to say, which was a good thing because I was not a big talker. When it came time for dinner we found a neat little restaurant, I insisted on paying now that I had a job and he agreed, but was going to pay for the movie now that he had a job. We laughed for a while about how absurd it was that we were actually glad to be working. Our whole lives ahead of us and we wanted to start working now when our parents said we needed to concentrate on school and didn't have to work.

That brought up his next round of questions about what I wanted to study in college and what I wanted to do or if I had given it much thought. I told him about the paper I had to write before my 8th grade year and then had to talk about them in class. The teacher had tied it in with a lesson that we started first of the year about how many kids would already be working in factories and if the parents were poor they might start working as early as 8 years old. Once I gave him my school assignment answer I gave him my more thought out answer well both of them.

"My first thought was to be young and in school forever, but since that can't happen. I have no idea, and by that I mean I have no clue, no inkling, nothing."

He just sat there a moment and said, "Well I think that is how most people are at our age. We don't see enough of the world to know what is out there to do."

I nodded, "When I use to visit Charlie, my dad, in Forks, Washington, there are people that are born there and die there. They might take vacations out of town, but that is there whole life. Work in the local dinner or be a teacher or a logger until they die."

He shook his head, "You would think that at some point they would realize there are some areas in this country with sun." I whole hearted agreed.

As for college I told him I would base that on what college I could get accepted to and afford to go to. He seemed interested in sports medicine and that there were some really good colleges around that offer it, but was not sure if he wants to stay this close to home. I smiled and agreed. Might be nice to get away from my mother and definitely want to stay away for the Olympic Peninsula. Once we finished we headed to the movies, I asked if there was anything he had been wanting to see. He said yes, but not in the theaters and grinned. I smacked his arm and told him I'm not like that.

Once we got our tickets, we found some seats in a shadow and the movie started, so did we. By the end of the movie I think we saw a total of five minutes. Luckily we had talked with some people earlier about the movie so we knew the plot and if it was good. We also formed our opinion from the previews as to whether it would be a show that we would like. As I straightened my shirt, he kissed my nose and smiled. When we got to the lobby I called my mom and we sat out on a bench and discussed the movie that we heard about.

By the time my mother showed up we had a good enough idea that would pass when the parents asked about it. I gave him a quick kiss and walked around to the driver's side. My mom got out and smiled as she went over the take her new place in the passenger side. Once we left she naturally asked the how was the movie, which I naturally told her the plot and opinion I just came up with. By the time we got home it was time for me to go to bed, I was tired.

Once I got in bed I started to really try and think about what I wanted to do, it seems like that is what everyone else was doing. What jobs have I seen that I liked or thought would be fun? Who have I talked to that said they had a cool job or that they enjoyed what they did. In truth I couldn't think of anything or anyone. I liked to read, but couldn't see myself being a writer. There is not money in that unless you come up with some weird plot about wizards or some other mythical creatures and I don't think I am that creative. I wonder if I could be paid to just read, I doubted it.

I know, I will marry rich! Of course that will be in about twenty years when my mom finally decides I am old enough. Not that I really have much of a desire to be married. I think that committing yourself for life should be enough, why go through all the planning and fuss of the wedding when it is over in a matter of hours. I stared at the ceiling thinking about the boys now days, they aren't really into marriage. Unless I find someone that is really old fashion maybe we could just live together and be happy. By the time I am ready for marriage I bet it will be more common for couples to just live together than be married.