August 3

Dear Diary,

My wonderful stepsister Lydia has arrived today for the week with her fiancé.

I had to feel sorry for her. I don't think it quite when according to plan. It wasn't the happy family reunion like she'd expected.

There was a knock on the door and Scott got up to answer. I followed too because although she's just my stepsister, we get on better than most blood siblings do. She's a bit of an airhead sometimes but she's got a heart of gold.

Scott opened the door and pulled her into a massive hug. The usual "Oh, it's so good to see you!", "How are you?" and "How was the journey?" type of small talk was said as she pulled off her coat and Scott welcomed Richard in, not knowing that this was him.

"Are you Richard's…?" Scott started but trailed off when he realised nobody else was coming through the threshold of the house. The dreaded word 'dad' seemed to have formed on his tongue but he closed his mouth tightly when Richard shut the door behind him.

"No, no, this is Richard," Lydia said, smiling happily, oblivious to the panic flickering in her father's eyes as he looked between his daughter and the man who was a few years his senior.

Jason was standing next to me and gave out the longest snort I've ever heard. I shoved him in the side with my elbow as Scott recovered, shaking Richard's hand and welcoming him into his home.

I'd say he did it in his usual carefree, happy way, but I'm afraid that would be a big fat lie.

Mom came through and seemed to pick up on the situation quickly enough and with her lawyer poker face, introduced herself, Jason and I flawlessly. She's really rather good at reading the room (unlike Lydia) and glossing over it all (unlike Scott). He still had that look on his face.

Lydia's face broke out in another grin as she moved past her wide-eyed dad, pulling me into a hug.

"Oh, Kim! Look at you! I've missed you so much!" She pulled out of the hug and looked me up and down. "You haven't grown," she commented.

I glared at her and she grinned, winked and tugged at my hair. "We'll sort that out later," she said before turning her attention to Jason. "Come here, you fat ugly dweeb!"

Lydia was a hairdresser for about a year and a half before she realised that her talents lied in the art of fashion instead and started up an online boutique with her friend in Forks, trying to bring in all the latest trends to a town which basically doesn't give a crap about what you're wearing. Forks isn't exactly the most fashion conscious place. People just wear practical clothes, same with La Push. While there's definitely a gap in the market there, nobody really seems to be bothered with it. I think the majority of their market is from Seattle.

However, she still thinks she's the best hairdresser America's seen to date, and that she can perform wondrous miracles, such as making my hair look anything other than limp and wispy. Unfortunately, every time she promises to make my hair wonderful, she forgets to actually do it before she leaves. I'm a bit scared that one day she'll remember and then drift off halfway through and go do something else, leaving one side of my hair longer than the other.

Lydia pulled Jason into a hug and he only resisted with half the amount of disgust than if I were to do it. It's because she's older. It's so unfair. He's so much nicer to her than he is to me.

She took hold of Richard's hand and walked through to the living room. Mom and Scott scared a look before they came in as well.

"I'll put the kettle on," Scott said in a strained voice when Lydia pecked her future husband on the cheek. "Come help me, Lyd?" he asked. She looked surprised for a moment before she nodded and got up, following him through.

Mom, Jason, Richard and I sat in an awkward silence for a bit. Mom asked him boring small talk questions after I sent her a pleading look. She's very good at that. If a conversation doesn't come naturally, I can't come up with things to say off the top of my head very easily. I just sit there and panic about how I don't know what to say.

"So, what do you do?" Mom asked as the voices through the kitchen started to get a bit louder. Scott apparently wasn't keeping his opinions to himself and Lydia didn't seem to be having any of it.

"Oh, I'm the CEO of an accountancy firm based in Seattle," he continued on to tell Mom boring businessy things, his eyes fraying over to the kitchen door only a few times.

I also heard Jason faintly whisper, "Sugar daddy" into my ear. I ignored him.

"Well I don't CARE!" Lydia screeched.

Awkward.

She stomped back through to the living room. "Come on, Rich, we're going for a walk. It's not raining and I might not get another chance to show you around La Push." She turned to her dad and pointed at him. "When we get back –"

She sighed, dropping her hand and led an apologetic-looking Richard out of the house, not forgetting to stomp her feet on the way.

The door shut loudly and Scott groaned, flinging himself down onto the sofa.

"Can you believe that girl?" he sighed.

Mom sat next to him. "She's twenty-three, Scott. You need to stop thinking of her as a 'girl' and more as a 'woman'. I think it's gone past the time where you can dictate what she does, and who she does it with. Richard seems like a great guy, I'm sure she'll be fine."

I wish she'd take a leaf out of her own book when it comes to me! Although, in her opinion my age isn't old enough to be class as a woman.

He pulled a disgusted face at her. "'Fine'? Do you know how old he is? Fifty seven."

Jason let out another snort. Mom's head swivelled around to him like an owl. "Go to your room right now, Jason!" she shouted. He opened his mouth to protest but seemed to have a stroke of intelligence for the first time in his life and closed his god. He still grumbled but he vacated the room swiftly.

"Lydia said she didn't care that he was older, he loved her and that was all that mattered," I put in helpfully once Jase had left.

"You knew?" Mom asked shocked, her owl head spinning round to me. "You know he was so old all along?"

Crap, I mentally cursed and her eyes widened.

"You knew and you didn't say anything!"

I cringed.

"If you told us sooner we could have tried to talk some sense into her!" Scott exclaimed, the both of them looking at me like I just grew a second head. "Now she's gone and got herself engaged to that asshole!"

"You can go to your room as well!" Mom spat. I sat there with my mouth open.

"How is this my fault?"

"Go. To. Your. Room!"

I huffed and left.

That wasn't meant to be how it turned out!

It's not my fault, is it?

It wouldn't have changed anything if they'd known earlier.

Oh, see, now I feel bad! I should have probably broken the news. It wasn't fair on them.

Jason sniggered at me, leaning against the banister at the top of the stairs.

"Noone likes you," I said, giving him a shove – in the opposite direction to the stairs, don't worry. It's not that bad.

Yet.

He sneered at me and went to pull me into a headlock or something like that.

"It doesn't sound like you're in your rooms!" Mom screeched up the stairs.

"How does she always know?" he mumbled as we both traipsed off to our respective bedrooms.

I then decided to finish off the rest of my homework, as it's not long now until I go back to school. It'll be my last year. I don't really know how I feel about that.

Michele's near to tears because she doesn't want to go, Lucy can't wait to finish so she can have proper lay-ins and Aysel just doesn't really care, she says she's not bothered either way. The boys, of course, don't give a flying fuck.

I think they have too much of a perspective on things. At this age they should be worrying about school and what they're doing with the rest of their life, but they don't. They just worry about vampires and protecting La Push. I think it's quite sad, really. I mean, I know most of them are hardly children, but like with Brady, Collin and Seth, I feel like their innocence has been stripped away a bit. I'm not saying that they're not still immature, they are – to the point where I just bang my head against the table 'til I can't hear their idiotic jokes and remarks – but I think they all have a very mature view of the world, like with what Jared was telling me earlier. Although I'm glad he's not whoring himself out to the female population of La Push anymore, it seems drastic to have had a complete personality change so early on in your life.

Anyway, later on Mom came up and had another go at me. I don't even know what it was about. We seem to be arguing quite a lot lately. And quite a few hours later, Lydia and Richard returned and Scott and them had a nice little heart to heart and it was all resolved (sort of). Scott's just not really the type of person who can stay mad at anyone, let along his own offspring. Scott's rarely the type of person to even get mad, so that was a feat in itself. Anyway, we had dinner, which was still a bit awkward, but I did get to know Richard a bit better. He seems nice. Although the questions started to get a bit awkward later on in the evening so I scampered back off to my room to finish what I was doing.

"I don't know how you can stand living with them," Lydia said from the doorway. I smiled and pushed my homework aside. "Can I come in?" I nodded.

"They're not too bad," I defended half-heartedly.

She closed the door and jumped onto my bed, crossing her legs in the same way she always used to.

"I still can't believe you're actually getting married," I said and she laughed and hit me.

"Neither can I." She leant back on her elbows. "Your mother tells me you've got a boyfriend too now."

I tried not to do that silly blushing smile but I did. "You'd really like him."

She grinned. "Your mom doesn't seem to be that overly fond with him."

I huffed. "Just because he's not Mr. Prim and Proper. She's heard a few rumours around the rez and she's got it into her head that he's a 'bad egg'."

"Tell me about it," she said. "Why is that parent's always tell you that they want what's best for you and they want you to be happy, but yet they don't accept the people you love? Yes they might not be the best possible person for you on paper, but at least they love you! They're not gonna be the ones who fuck your best friend when you're at your own mother's funeral."

"That Wayne really was a dickhead."

"Yeah, and Dad thought the sun shone out of his ass, didn't he? 'Oh such a nice boy', 'Wayne's really doing well for himself, isn't he?', 'Such a good looking lad'. Who cares if they're twice your age or if they've got a bit of a reputation? If they're nice to you, they love you and they're not gonna stop doing that, then what the hell is wrong? Why can't they just accept that love is enough?"

"Hey, you're preaching to the choir here, Lyds. I don't get it either." She laughed at me and shoved me. "They'll come around," I said, putting my hand on her arm. She smiled.

"I've missed you. You'll be my bridesmaid, won't you?"

My face fell. "Err…"

"Oh, Kim! Please! I have the dresses planned out already and everything!"

"Why don't you just have your friends do it?"

"Two of them have already agreed but I really want you to be one as well! Please!"

I cringed but nodded.

Why is it I can't say no?

I was a bridesmaid once before. It was a horrific experience that scarred me for life. I was like twelve and it was my aunt's wedding. It was horrendous. It's not like I'm a tomboy and I hate dresses, but bridesmaid dresses are just uncomfortable. And this one for my aunt's was one of those dresses. You know, the big pink puffy ones that just look ridiculous. I looked like I was a six-year-old dressing up as a princess.

And then of course everyone's all 'Wow you look beautiful!' and you're just standing there looking like a right bellend and everyone knows you look ridiculously ugly but because you're a bridesmaid they feel like they have to point out your appearance because you can't try and ignore the big fat dress.

Lydia's favorite color is pink.

However, she works in fashion, doesn't she? I have some hope. It'll be fine.

Plus, noone but family will see it. Sometimes you have to sacrifice these things for the people you love. It she turns round and says I have to wear a pink ballerina dress then I guess I'll just have to do it.

"Oh! And you'll have to bring this Jared too!"

I smacked my head against the wall just as Jason came in.

"Felt left out of the sibling bonding time?" she teased. He pulled a disgusted face and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. That was a yes.

"Actually I was just coming in to ask when the hell you were gonna shut up? I can hear you two nattering away from my room. The upside of having a sister with no friends is that I can at least get peace and quite usually."

My pillow was flying towards him before I'd even realised he'd insulted me. It was bullshit anyway; he can barely hear anything from my room if not Jared and I would have got busted ages ago.

"I've got like ten times the amount of friends you have," I replied and he pulled a disbelieving look.

"Oh god! Friends! I have way too many friends," Lydia said. "I don't know who the hell I'm gonna invite to this wedding. I should probably pull my finger out and get the invites out. The wedding is in like two or three months."

"'Two or three months'?" I squealed. "You're kidding!"

"No," she said, smiling, without a care in the world. "Rich says he doesn't want to waste any longer."

"Yeah, you don't know how long he's got left," Jason mumbled, giggling at his own joke before he'd even finished it.

She shot a look at him. "For that you can be page boy."

"Noooo!"

He dropped himself down on my bed theatrically. I punched him in the arm for her.

"Thanks," she said.

"I got your back, sis."

She laughed and then turned serious. "Ooh, that reminds me! As you're sister to the bride you have to help me organise this wedding! You know I can't organise a goddamn thing and you're so good at it. All you'll have to do is make lists and stuff for me to do, I promise. Please?"

I agreed because doing that seems more appealing to me than being a bridesmaid.

Guaranteed I get more stressed about it than she does, though.

"You're knocked up, aren't you?" Jason said and she glared at him.

"No, actually, I'm not," she replied tightly. "Not all of us are stupid enough to do that – unlike you. Oh wait, you weren't even the father!"

They then started to fight. Violently.

It must be Jason.

He seems to bring this side out of everyone.

I kicked them both hard so they fell off my bed. "Get out of my room!"

Two hands wrapped round both of ankles and they both put all of their effort into pulling me off the bed.

I, unfortunately, have all the grace of an elephant and landed flat on my face, butt in the air.

"Oh my god, you two!" I groaned, cradling my face as I rolled over. "I can't believe you're actually getting married, Lydia! You act like a four year old!"

"Uh oh," Jason said, staring at my face in horror. Lydia cringed too.

"Woopsy."

"What?" I sighed, reaching my hand up to my upper lip and finding out there was blood there. "Oh, great! You see what you've done now?"

Jason patted my head, got up and left.

"I'll get you a tissue," Lydia offered, looking slightly more sympathetic than my brother.

The problem is though; when I get a nosebleed, I really get a nosebleed. I mean, they go on for like an hour.

She came back with a tissue but soon scampered back off to the guest bedroom to see her fiancé. I just sat there with my stupid nose and it's stupid blood.

Well, that was until my knight in shining armour saved me from a lonely night of boredom.

"You alright?" Jared asked softly as he climbed through my open window.

"I thought I told you that you weren't allowed to do that?" I said as he shut it behind him.

"If you didn't want me to stop by on the way back from patrol you wouldn't leave your window so wide open," he replied, smirking, and made his way over to me.

"Plus I could smell your blood and it freaked me out," he added quietly, stroking the side of my cheek as I pinched my nose.

"Ah, sorry. It's nothing serious."

He took the tissues from my hand and gently touched at my face and nose with it.

"I think it's stopped now anyway," I said.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I fell on my face."

His cheeks dimpled.

I groaned and kicked him. "This isn't funny, Jared!"

He struggled keeping the laughter in, the sides of his mouth dancing with effort.

"No, it's not."

I pushed him away and took the tissue back. "I hate you."

He finally laughed, his fingers wrapping around my elbow to bring me closer, not even bothering to look apologetic.

"You don't hate me," he told me. "You love me so much that sometimes you get angry with how perfect I am and you get frustrated with the uncontrollable love you have for me. You misinterpret this for hate when it overwhelms you."

I looked at him for a moment.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's hate," I said.

He laughed and kissed my forehead.

I'm also pretty sure he was just messing around. I'm about ninety-five percent certain it was a joke. Actually, it's more like ninety percent.

He grinned and I rolled my eyes. "You're such a cocky little shit. I'm gonna go the bathroom to clean up."

Jared nodded and flung himself down on my bed.

He was in the exact same position when I came back in.

"We haven't kissed in seven whole hours," he moaned as I shut the door and walked over to him. "And even then I only saw you briefly when I took you home from work," he pouted, pulling me on top of him.

"You kissed my head like two minutes ago, Jared."

He huffed. "Shut up, you know that doesn't count." I smiled and shook my head. "Jared wants some lovin'."

I had to bend down and bury my face into his neck to try and muffle my laughter so the whole house didn't hear.

"You are so ridiculous, Jared Thail," I whispered through giggles.

He tugged at my hair gently so my head was titled up. "Kiss me," he demanded.

"You know I don't like people who make demands."

He laughed his sexy, turned on laugh and rolled us over.

"I don't care," he said, smiling as his mouth descended on mine. He bit and tugged on my lower lip before he finally pressed his lips to mine.

We got a bit carried away as always and eventually I had to roll him off.

I got off the bed and fanned myself with my hand. "Oh crap, I think I'm gonna get another nosebleed. It was hot in here anyway, before you even came in." He laughed but when I moved to open the window he pulled on my hand.

"Don't –"

I frowned as he tugged me back.

"Sorry." I continued to frown and he sighed. "I just really don't like the thought of the smell of your blood diffusing out into the forest."

I let him pull me back onto the bed. "It's stupid, I know. It's just – we've had this vampire hanging around lately... It's not a big deal, we'll catch the leech soon enough I just –"

I smiled and rubbed his arm. "It's okay. I understand."

"So, err, how did today go?"

I groaned. "Don't get me started!" I said, and he laughed and started to get himself comfortable because by now he knew that meant that he already got me started and he was in for a moan. "Firstly, I got the blame for it! And then Mom comes up and is all like 'Why would you think to not tell us something?' and then she…"

Jared's good to me, God bless him. He's perfected his 'I'm not bored at all' face, even though I know he probably is. I usually keep the moaning for the girls so we can bitch about things together (and because I'm determined not to be a moany, naggy girlfriend) but sometimes it just can't wait.

Oh well, it's his punishment for having such a high body temperature. I'd much rather we were making out too.

"I hope you have to wear a big pink fluffy dress," he said, grinning.

See? This is why you moan to friends. They can sympathise.

"I wouldn't wear it."

"Aww, but you'd look so cute," he said, is a sickly, cutesy voice.

"You only want me to because you thrive of seeing me humiliated."

He grinned and nodded. "That's only because I love you."

"That doesn't even make sense –"

He shut me up with his skilled mouth.

Kim Conweller

I don't really know what the fashion is like in La Push, Forks or Seattle so what I was writing about that was just how I imagine it to be and how it fits in with the story.

Thank you so much to all of the wonderful people who reviewed the last chapter, it really was so lovely to get such a lovely response, I'm glad you liked it. Unfortunately for some reason my alert settings got switched off a couple of chapters ago so I didn't realise a lot of you had reviewed so I was having to do it from the review page, so I'm sorry if I ever missed someone out, I never purposefully don't reply to a review as I really do appreciate it! I don't understand why the settings switched off, has anyone else had that and know why?

I know a lot of you just want cute Jared/Kim moments but unfortunately to actually give this a story line I have had a few filler chapters so things can build up to pivital points. And this is Kim's diary so it will feature more things than just her boyfriend. However, I tried to add in some cutesy stuff at the end so those of you who just wanna see Jared get some lovin' didn't get too bored! Feel free to give your honest opinions in a review :)

Thanks again everyone for reading!

LiViNgStRoNgLy - Thank you so much! I'm trying to stick as close to cannon as I can so Leah's going to be the only shewolf for a bit longer but there will me some female additions to the pack at some point I'm sure :) And I'm glad you liked the Kim/Leah moment, loads of people seemed to have liked that! I just adore Leah so writing her in this was great and it helped to show Kim's views on it all. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

to lazy to sign in - You didn't leave a name so I don't know who it was so I couldn't reply to an account so, thank you whoever you are! I'm glad you liked it. There will be some more cute moments on the way very soon, I hope the little snippet on the end was enough to fulfil you for now at least :) thanks again!

Ashley C - Thank you for another review! I'm glad you liked it :) I'm glad you liked the Leah and Kim bit too! I think their relationship is a bit of a complex one and I really enjoyed writing her both away from the pack and with her pack brothers. There will definitely have to be some more Leah/Kim heart-to-hearts later on. Thanks again!