California Girl

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Cross Promotion Time: I have another story all about Scarlett and Seth, so if you like Seth/OC stories, check it out :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, but I own the characters of The Bird Family, The Hunter Family and friends. Thanks!

All mistakes are my own, I'll try and correct any as I see them.

Chapter Song Mumford and Sons

8. White Blank Page

This chapter was being all awkward to upload and I think there's some stuff missing from it! But if I change this at all then I'll let you know next chapter!

You did not think when you sent me to the brink, to the brink,

You desired my attention, but denied my affections, my affections,

So tell me now where was my fault, in loving you with my whole heart?

"Hello?"

"Hey, Carmen." It was Rachel.

"Hi..." I said into the phone. How did she even get my number?

"I was wondering if you'd like to go the movies with me later."

"Um..."

"Please?"

"...Uh...Sure...?"

I was in Port Angeles, right outside the movie theater in Port Angeles. I was waiting for Rachel to turn up. My hands stuffed in my pockets and my hood pulled tight around my face, I must've looked like an Eskimo or something.

Fricken Forks.

"Carmen?" I rolled my eyes and silently groaned at the voice. "What are you doing here?" It was insincere. Like he did know why I was there.

"Quil." I turned around, but jumped when I met the sight.

It wasn't just Quil. No, it was Quil, Paul, Jared and...

Embry.

Because this wasn't totally set up...

"Hey." I muttered, glancing behind me. I really wanted an out.

I wanted an excuse to get away from this ridiculously awkward gathering. I would've gone to a movie with a snake if it meant I could get away from this.

"So, what are you doing here?" Jared asked.

"Meeting your girlfriend." I said, looking at Paul.

"Hi." A voice said behind me. I turned to see Rachel, who then practically ran to hug Paul, making me roll my eyes.

"What are you seeing?" Quil asked.

"That one." I pointed to the chick flick poster. I had wanted to see it with Juliette- we decided to just wait for the DVD and watch it together- but I'd see it with Rachel if it meant getting away from them.

"Us too!" Quil grinned. Paul and Rachel grinned at each other, and Jared had a fake smile. I couldn't look at Embry. The butterflies were too distracting.

"I was kidding. I meant that one." I pointed at the zombie horror movie that made me wanna gag slightly. I was a princess-love girl, not a zombie-violence girl.

"So was I." Quil raised an eyebrow, before grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the ticket booth. "Six tickets to the zombie movie, please."

"Quil!" I tried to pull my arm out of his grasp, but he was too strong. I was about to try and gnaw my arm off when a growl came from behind us and Quil's hand fell immediately.

"Sorry Carmen, really, really sorry." He said, quickly.

"It's fine." I sighed, confused. I glanced behind me to see where the growl had come from, but only Embry was there.

Butterflies.

We went into the theater as a group of six. I stayed at the back, hoping to get on the edge of the row- I usually had to get up and leave halfway through. I stood in the aisle, waiting for everyone to shuffle down into seats. I stared into the theater, wondering just how dark it would look when the zombies were in full swing of eating-

"Aren't you gonna sit down?" My heart just fricken fluttered. FLUTTERED.

"Uh... N-No... I'm, uh, I don't like the movies, I-I always sit in the aisle seat..."

"Me too." Embry smiled. I just nodded. "Um, you can, uh, have the aisle seat..."

"Thanks." He sat down and I quickly followed, glancing back to the lights. They were beginning to dim, and I felt Embry tense beside me. "You hate horror movies?"

"Yeah... A lot, actually."

"Kinda girly."

"I hate the gore. My mom hates it too, so really, it's just genetic."

"Genetic as in womanly." I smirked. He chuckled at me.

"I like action movies..." He tried. I laughed and nodded.

"Some are okay, but I'm a chick flick girl."

"Me too." He grinned. I went to role my eyes, but he looked as if he were serious. "I was raised on them!"

I was about to make more fun of him, but the lights dropped completely and only the lights on the aisles prevented the room from being pitch black. The screen lit up and I jumped. I turned to see that Embry was watching me. I wanted to be angry that he was just staring at me... but... it felt nice that he was there. I didn't feel as afraid of the fact that zombies might come and eat me.

"Are you okay?" He whispered. I could only nodded and looked back at the screen.

I closed my eyes when the zombies started to rip people's insides out. I nearly screamed when I felt a giant, warm hand grabbed mine. I opened my eyes to see Embry looking at me with worried eyes.

"I think I wanna leave." I whispered. He nodded and stood up, pulling me up with him. When we got outside, I took a deep breath, trying to remove the feeling of nausea. Embry seemed to be doing the same, which made me laugh a little. "We're wimps."

"Totally." He chuckled.

"You wanna head into that coffee shop across the street?"

We sat in a table for two in the corner of the room, sipping glasses of water.

"You hungry?" He asked, for the fourth time. I rolled my eyes and shook my head again.

"I'm not hungry. If you're hungry, order food."

"I couldn't eat. It'd make me think of the flesh." He grimaced. "You want a ride home? I have my truck..." I nodded and followed him as he stood up.

The ride was long, silent and awkward... but I felt quite comfortable... even the butterflies seemed to be more comfortable.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" I turned to see Embry staring straight ahead, his hands gripping the steering wheels, his knuckles turning white.

"I didn't mean to be rude..."

"It's fine."

I didn't want to talk about it.

I didn't want to talk about him rejecting me.

"No, it's not. I just... You're great and I don't want to-"

"Embry, it's fine." I turned back to the window and pressed my forehead to the glass.

"No, Carmen-"

"Embry." I turned back and scowled at him. He looked a little sad, but finally shut up. I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead back against the glass.

"I'm sorry."

"Shut up."

"Carmen..."

I opened my eyes and sat up. He pulled up by Grammy's house. I was about to get out when his fingers brushed my arm lightly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. I turned to him, his eyes were sad and regretful. Yeah, he better regret rejecting me. I wanted to smirk and leave, like I would've done to anyone who dared to make me feel as bad as this back home, but I couldn't. The butterflies didn't want me too.

Before I could take another breath, I'd grabbed his neck and pressed my lips to his. He kissed back immediately, which gave me the smirk I really could've used fifteen seconds ago. I ran my hand into his hair, gripping it as much as I could. His hands soon found their way to my hair too. I pulled back, but didn't move my hands.

"You wanna come inside?" I whispered, our lips still only centimeters apart.

"Carmen-"

"Oh my god." I pulled away and sat up straight in my seat. Rejected. Twice. Same guy. Fricken Washington.

"No, wait, Carmen-!"

I jumped out of the truck and slammed the door shut. I walked as quickly as I could without looking desperate and wiped away the tears that formed on my waterline when I closed the front door. I took a deep breath and composed myself.

"Grammy?" I called out, walking through to the living room to find her sitting with Quil's mom. "Oh, hi Mrs. Ateara."

"Jenny, please." She smiled. "I'm just here inviting you and your grandmother to a dinner that my friend is holding tonight."

"The Blacks, Rachel is going to be preparing a wonderful meal."

Rachel, as in movies-Rachel Black? Or Blacks, as in I-hate-you-Jacob Black?

"No thanks-" I started to say, but Grammy cut me off.

"It'll be so much fun. We'll definitely be there, Jenny." She grinned a knowing smile at me.

Traitor.

I was wearing a short green dress that showed enough cleavage and leg that I didn't feel like a nun, but not enough that my dad would've sent me back upstairs to get changed.

You know, if La Push houses had upstairs.

I applied makeup and combed my hair, before grabbing my phone and replying to Juliette's many texts about how Jorge Sanchez kept coming on to her since I left.

I walked out to find Grammy sitting watching TV, waiting for me. I placed my phone in a small bag and cleared my throat to get her attention.

"You look nice." She smiled, standing up and hobbling towards the front door.

I turned off the TV and the lights since she'd forgotten too and followed her out to a waiting truck.

"Hello, the Bird girls! You both look beautiful tonight!" Quil grinned from the front seat. Me and Grammy climbed into the back, greeting his mother, who sat in the front seat too. "You know, except for Minnie."

Wow, Quil is really choking for a punch in the nuts.

"Quil has arrived!" Quil announced as he entered the Black house. I rolled his eyes and watched his mother scold him lightly. I trailed behind with Grammy.

"Carmen!" I was immediately pulled into a hug by Rachel. Oh, so it was this Black family. She pulled me in so only I would hear. "Thanks for ditching me back in Port Angeles, by the way."

"Thanks for bringing along all of your friends." I whispered back, pulling away.

"Carmy, Carmy, come meet everyone!" Grammy called, clamping her hands around my arm and pulling me towards a man in a wheelchair. "This is Billy Black."

"Hello, Carmen, it's nice to finally meet you." He held his hand out, so I shook it. His eyes were full of wisdom and his smile was friendly.

"Nice to meet you too."

I don't know why, but I turned when I felt heat surround my back.

You turned because you hoped it was Embry, idiot.

"Hello." I said to Jacob as he walked passed me, pulling Chucky behind him.

Ugh, no. I don't like either of them. Why are they-? *GASP*

"And you know my son, of course."

"Of course she does." Jacob grumbled.

"My baby brother." Rachel grinned, walking over and hugging him. He chuckled and kissed her cheek, before putting his arm around Nessie.

"Hey Chuck." I did a big grin, which made both Nessie and Jacob frown.

"Come on Carmen, before you make a scene." Quil murmured, pulling me to a dinner table.

He sat me next to Grammy and then sat beside me, Jacob on the other side of him. Beside Jacob, of course, sat Nessie. Then after leaving two empty seats, Rachel, then their father sat in his wheelchair, then Quil's mom, and back to Grammy.

Who else is coming?

"Quil, stop tapping your fingers, they'll be here soon." Jenny scolded, pouring water into a glass for my grandmother. I watched as Quil smacked the table lightly, before crossing his arms.

"Why do we have to wait?" He grumbled.

"Shut up." Jacob scoffed.

"We're late, I hope you're happy." A woman scolded from the doorway. I looked up from where I'd been staring at my plate. Over the empty chairs, a pretty woman walked into the room, followed closely by-

"Embry." I said, before I could stop myself. I clamped my hands over my mouth, as everyone looked at me, even the pretty woman.

"Oh, hello." She said, quietly, stepping further into the room. She walked over and as she approached, her curious and ever-so-slightly annoyed expression became happy and familiar. "You must be Dorothy's granddaughter, Marisol and Will's girl!" She smiled and held her hand out.

"Yeah, I'm Carmen." I stood up and leaned across the table slightly to reach her hand.

"I'm Tiffany, Tiffany Call, you probably don't remember me." She smiled, before motioning for Embry to come over. "You clearly know my son, Embry." Her voice held a hint of bitterness, like I'd done something wrong.

"Y-Yeah, we go to school together." I sat down. I wasn't ready to start chatting to the entire group about my sexual escapade with Embry that he turned down or the second rejection in his truck...

I thanked Quil's mom as she placed a plate of food in front of me and picked up my fork, shuffling the food around.

"Study hall and PE." He said, his voice shaky as he sat down in the seat opposite mine. His mother (who was way too young to have a kid my age) sat beside him and studied me, briefly.

"And you both ditched us at the movies earlier today..." Quil grinned as he shoveled food into his mouth. With his mouth full, he turned to me, spitting food a little as he spoke. "Where'd you two go anyway?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Nowhere!" Embry said, quickly. I couldn't stop the scoff that came out. It was bad enough that he rejected me, but, to be so open about how much he didn't like me? Come on, I do have a heart, you know. His mother didn't look at him, only at the food on her plate.

"Well, Billy, it was awfully nice of you to invite us over for dinner... it looks wonderful." Embry's mom grinned.

"Well, don't thank me. Jenny made most of it with the exception of some help from Sue Clearwater and Emily Young."

"Soon enough that'll be Emily Uley." Quil grinned, his mouth full.

"Of course! Four months, is it?" His mom asked. He nodded, eating more food.

"And Claire's the flower girl! How sweet will Claire be as a flower girl? Like, seriously, she's the cutest little princess who'll make the greatest flower girl ever-!"

"Please, Quil." Jacob put his hand up. Quil glared at him, before sulking into his plate.

"So, kids, how have you been finding going back to finish school?" Billy asked, looking around the room.

"Sucks." Quil grunted, still upset about earlier. "My best friend is now Collin."

"Leave Collin alone." I shocked myself a little, but I felt protective over the one guy, besides Embry, who seemed to care about me more than some other chick/baby, if you're Quil. "He's a great guy and you'd be lucky to have him as your best friend."

"Someone has a crush." Rachel murmured. Then...

Someone growled.

Like, seriously. A real, deep in the chest-kind of... growl.

I thought for a second that Mr Wolf might have followed us here and was now at the window, but no.

It came from across the table, from the boy who had been staring at me all night. The boy who had rejected me twice. The boy who had given me the butterflies.

"I don't like Collin... too... boyish." I muttered, eating a little bit of food. It was nice, I'd have to get the recipe- then I could actually enjoy it, instead of having butterflies that made me feel seasick.

"Carmen... what brings you back to La Push?" Tiffany asked. I froze slightly. No one had asked me that yet. What do you say to that?

Well, my parents sent me here as punishment for getting pregnant and an abortion.

"My parents said that it'd be good for me..." I half-lied. They had said that. It was more of an omission than a lie, really...

"You must've done something pretty bad to get sent away." Nessie mumbled. I shot her a glare before staring down at my plate.

"Um, yeah." I muttered. I really hoped no one would push-

"What was it?" Go away, Rachel.

"Um-"

I was about to start rambling, when a bellowing voice cut me off.

"Aunt Jenny? Cuz?"

"Ugh." Quil put his head in his hands. "Could tonight get worse?"

A blonde, ripped guy stepped into the room, grinning. He walked straight to the table and picked food off of Jacob's plate.

"Ugh." Jacob copied Quil.

I studied the guy's face for a second before I wanted to shrivel up and die.

"...You okay?" I asked, sipping the warm tap water I had.

"Fine. You?"

"Okay, I guess... I'm a little depressed-"

"You're pretty."

"Oh, thanks." I smiled and twirled my hair. I wasn't usually nervous, but he seemed a tad aggravated- like a wrong step would set him off, ready to attack anything.

It intrigued me. The heat coming from his skin confused, but enticed me. I liked the way he was being standoffish. I always liked jerks. His eyes were sunken, like he hadn't slept for weeks, and his eyebrows were furrowed, like he was in pain. His hair was shaggy and fell right into his eyes, but the sides were sticking up, like he'd been pushing it back constantly but had given up.

The thing that got to me most was the rippling muscles. They were so obvious, even through his sweatshirt.

He was more muscular and taller. His hair was shorter and didn't fall into his eyes. His eyes weren't sunken and he wasn't frowning.

But his face was the same.

His eyes were the same.

His eyes looking back into mine were the same.

Logan.

"Oh... hey..." He mumbled, looking as confused and awkward as I felt.

"Hi." I murmured, staring back at my plate.

"Why are you here?" Quil asked, disgustedly. I almost laughed. Almost.

"Sam and Emily kicked me out. Alone time. Ergh." Logan said, his mouth full. I wanted to ask him to leave. Tell him that he made me uncomfortable, but these were his friends. This was his place. I was currently intruding on him.

Not that I'd ever admit that.

"Logan, how do you know Carmen?" Rachel asked, clearly unaware of out situation.

"I, uh, showed her around Port Angeles on her first day..."

"Actually, we had sex in the bathroom of a crappy coffee shop." I said in the most relaxed voice I could manage.

"What?" Rachel's jaw dropped. Nessie's eyes practically fell out of her head. Embry's mom had a mini heart attack. Quil's mom and Grammy were peculiar, however. They both seemed to move their chairs back a little. The others around the table seemed to follow, except for Embry's mom, Quil, Jacob, Logan, Nessie and Embry.

Embry.

His usually warm eyes were full of rage. His hands were shaking like crazy. He looked scary.

But I wasn't afraid at all.

"Move." Jacob pushed Nessie's chair towards me, which made her scoff, but she didn't move back. Jacob and Quil stood up and slowly between Embry and Logan.

"Embry..." Quil placed his hands on the back of Embry's chair and pulled it back. Embry immediately stood up and walked to face Logan. He grabbed his shoulders, gripping him so hard my mind flashed to the faint dotted bruises on my wrist.

"What's going on?" I asked no one in particular... and no one answered.

"Embry?" His mom stood up and took a step towards them. Embry turned to look at her, his expression almost shocked, as if he'd forgotten she was there. His hands dropped immediately and he took a step away from Logan.

"Sorry." He murmured, mostly to his mother. Her face had looked scared and confused, but it now looked angry.

"What the hell was that about?" She demanded. He stayed silent.

Logan rubbed his shoulders and walked to the table. He stood over Quil's chair, right beside me, stealing food off of his plate.

"Kid!" Quil yelled, storming over. Logan dropped the food and stepped back, bumping me slightly. I heard the growling noise from earlier, and I looked out of the window. I really wished that maybe Mr Wolf had followed us- maybe he'd be able to get me away from this house.

"Embry Call, I am speaking to you!" My head snapped back to the people in front of me. Embry was looking in my direction, his face angry again, but it softened when his eyes met mine. "Embry!"

He turned back to look at his mother, who was now turning red with fury.

"What?" He asked, annoyed. Her eyes widened, before she let out an aggressive 'huff' noise.

"That's it!" She yelled, but then her voice softened as she turned back to the table. "Thank you for having us." She turned back to Embry, her voice harsh again. "Come on."

As she moved toward the door, Embry made no move to follow her, concentrating on glaring at Logan.

"He's leaving." Quil grabbed Logan's arm and moved towards the backdoor, dragging him. Embry muttered a thanks, then glanced back at me, before turning following his mother out.

"Let go." Logan whined, pulling his arm back. Quil didn't release him and opened the door.

"Goodbye Kid." Quil practically threw him out, before closing the door and locking it. "Well then... dessert?"

So, that's that chapter ;) I hope you liked this chapter! Please let me know in a review below! It would mean a lot to me :D Thank you!