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 The Kinks

9. Wonder Boy

*Has a seizure because I got 19 reviews*

Thanks for all of the great feedback. Sorry I didn't reply- too much to do this week, I apologize! I'll update quicker next time, promise! :D

Wonder boy.
Everybody is looking for the sun.
People strain their eyes to see,
But I see you and you see me...

Carmen POV

After Quil pulled into the school parking lot, I went straight into school, not wanting to deal with his friends.

With Embry.

I went to the library and started scanning the shelves. I wasn't a big reader, but if I liked a book, then I really liked it. I hoped to find one of my old favorites- one that Daddy would've read with me, one that would remind me of home.

I bumped into a girl who was standing looking at some titles. She made no effort to apologize or barely even notice my existence.

"Move." I wasn't in the mood to be friendly, polite, or even a decent human being. She turned to me and looked confused. She pointed at her ear and then shrugged. "Oh, you're deaf? Wow, I'm so sorry-!"

"I'm kidding." She burst into laughter. Finally she stopped, but still held back giggles at my furious expression. "Hey."

"Hello."

She was pretty. Not as pretty as Scarlett or Nessie, but still, pretty. She was as pretty as Kim, but her beauty was more bold, and her confidence did her wonders. She had bright blonde hair that would reach half way down her back if she didn't have it pulled into a messy ponytail. She had delicate features and bright blue eyes, which just highlighted how pale her skin was.

Wow, I think I just fell in love.

"Edith." She held her hand out. I took it, and I swear to god, I felt sparks.

"Carmen."

"Spanish. I knew your skin was olive." She turned back to the shelves. "It can easily be hidden as Quileute, unless you look closely. Your high cheekbones give away your Quileute heritage."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm good at heritage."

"I'm good at sexual history."

She looked up and grinned.

"I'm Dutch-American."

"You look it."

"Yeah, I'm pretty hot." She laughed and continued looking at the books. "You're friends with the cult."

"The cult?"

"Sam Uley's following." She mocked awe and enthusiasm, then her face dropped again. "They think they own the beach in La Push."

"I'm not friends with them... I mean, I live next door to Quil Ateara... He knows my Grammy-"

"How cute." She mused, running her hand over the book. "You're a Sophomore?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Junior, waiting to become a college Freshman... waiting to get out of the hell hole that is Forks High School."

"How happy."

"Yes, I am. I'll see you, I guess." She grinned at me, and the bell rang out. She turned to a table, collected together papers, then picked up a backpack and left.

I rubbed my stomach, wanting the butterflies to wake up and see how much I was in love with Edith, but they rested. My heart still fluttered and my brain finally registered that it needed to go to Principle Mitchell's office to review the previous week.

"Have a nice second week, Carmen." Principle Mitchell let me out, smiling. His face dropped when he watched Scarlett stand up and walk up to us.

"Sup, Mitch." She grinned. I ignored her and practically ran to the Math classroom, where Paul grinned when he saw me.

I sat down and ignored him as best as I could, focusing on Edith, the Dutch blonde girl.

I decided that as quirky and mysterious she was, I'd have to have her as my new best friend. Surely she'd be in the library at lunch, so I could hang out with her. I wanted to know all about her.

I felt the need to make this girl my friend. Maybe I was just lonely. Maybe it was because she was just as much of a lone wolf as I was. Maybe that was why I loved Mr Wolf so much- he was always alone, just like me.

"Hi Carmen!"

"Hello Embry." I rolled my eyes as he sat next to me on the bench I was supposed to be helping move to the other side of the gym so that it wasn't in the way of whatever game we were playing.

"How are you?" He asked, sounding honestly intrigued. I crossed my arms over my stomach, casually nipping my skin, trying to make the butterflies go away.

"Fine."

"Why are you pinching yourself?" He chuckled.

"Because my life is dream when you're talking to me." I mocked, but as the sentence left my mouth, I realized that it was kind of true, as stupid as it sounded.

I stood up and walked to the teacher, leaving Embry alone on the benches.

"Bird?"

"I feel, like, super sick, can I go see the nurse?"

After sleeping for two hours (missing Spanish and Biology- yay!), it was lunch, and I was in the cafeteria, sitting at my loner table, but this time, Edith was sitting down next to me.

"I'll probably head outside later on, I usually do. I hate sitting in here for a full hour, it's a waste of time."

"You're really weird."

"That's why I don't have any friends." She chuckled, but so far, it seemed true.

"Well, we're friends now, right?"

"Right." She raised an eyebrow, almost suspiciously. "Unless you get bored of me and go back to the 'roid table."

"'Roid?"

"Steroids of course."

"Of course." I giggled and glanced at the table.

Scarlett was feeding Seth gummy bears, while Quil stole food from Nessie and Jake's plates while they watched 'Sceth' eat. Jared and Kim were talking quietly, and she was blushing dark enough for it to come out on her dark skin. Paul was on the phone to someone, Brady and Lexi were kissing, Collin was on his phone, grinning every now and again as he received messages.

What caught my attention, was Embry.

His eyes were fixed on me, sending a shiver down my spine. When our eyes met, he grinned, which made me smile, as much as I tried not to.

"Oh my god, you're a 'roid girl." Edith's voice was accusing, but when I tore my eyes from Embry's to hers, she was grinning.

"No way."

"You are! You wanna be over there, sitting on his lap while he feeds you chocolate covered peanuts and brushes your hair."

"Totally." I rolled my eyes.

I didn't like chocolate covered peanuts...

"You know, Scarlett and Lexi weren't always like that."

"Really?"

"Nope. They used to sit here, at this table, with their friend Logan- you've had sex with him- and just be like normal kids."

She glanced around the room, then back at the table, like she was nervous.

"One day, she was closer to the Cullens, then when the schools merged, she was dating Seth Clearwater and Lexi was trying to choose between Collin and Brady."

"Yeah, I heard about that."

"She tore Collin and Brady's friendship apart."

I watched the table, as Collin and Brady suddenly looked at each other, like they could hear us.

"What about Chu-Nessie and Jacob?"

"They've been dating for around six months, officially. They grew up best friends or something. You see, The Cullens all used to live here, but didn't fully graduate or something, I don't know all about that, but I'm learning."

"You know everything."

"I'm awesome at eavesdropping because people think I'm not there or not listening. It's great." She grinned.

"What about Embry Call? How comes he doesn't have a girlfriend? I mean, he's smoking hot and everything." As I glanced up to try and sneak a peek at his perfect bone structure, I saw him grinning at me, like he'd heard what I'd said.

"He started dating around a week before you got here, seriously." She chuckled. "He used to be in love with Scarlett Hunter, but he started to go on first dates and stuff-"

Cue a random glare from Seth to Embry...

"-then he made out with Natalie Gergenball in the movie theater in Port Angeles- she told everyone that they were dating..." She broke into robust laughter.

"Then what happened?" I was desperate to know what had happened to give Natalie the impression that Embry had dumped her for me.

"...Then... You... Dumped... Her... Started... With... You..." She panted between laughs.

"That made no sense."

She took a few minutes, then composed herself.

"You came here and when she asked him out on Monday night, he told her that he wasn't interested anymore, then suddenly, he and you were BFF's." She started laughing again.

"We're not even friends." I didn't mean to snap, but that made her stop laughing and look at me curiously.

"Nobody defends themselves like that unless they're much, much more." She smiled, wiggled her eyebrows, then took a drink of a carton of milk- the only thing she'd bought for lunch.

"You're a freak."

"Damn straight."

Dammit, I will study this period!

I sat down at the surprisingly empty table at the back of the class, praying that Edith would shock me and turn up, but she didn't. Instead, Embry walked in and sat down across the table from me.

"Hello." Dammit! Now that you've spoken, you can't ignore him!

"Hi!" He grinned like a kid on Christmas morning, then leaned in, resting his arms on the table. When I didn't respond, his smile faltered, then returned again. "You've made a new friend."

"Edith."

"You like her?"

"Definitely."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Red."

"Why?"

Dammit. A question that I can't answer with one word.

"Because red is passion."

"Red is love."

"Red is also anger."

"So, you're changing your answer?"

"I'm trying to study."

"Whatcha studying?"

"Romeo and Juliet."

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I never saw true beauty till this night."

You can have my heart and I'll take off my pants right now.

"I always liked the movie."

"With Leonardo DiCaprio?"

"Are you sure you're straight?"

"I kissed you, didn't I?"

Ouch.

"But then you rejected me."

My voice had definitely become harsh and showed the hurt I was trying desperately to hide.

"Carmen, I'm so sorry-"

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yes, it didn't mean anything, I get that."

Wow, I think one of the butterflies just bit my stomach.

His expression changed from the apologetic expression he had been rocking for a while now to a sad, but somewhat angry expression.

"No, that's not it at all-"

"Sure it is."

"Carmen-"

My phone started ringing, so, without giving him a second glance, I answered it.

"Hello?"

"You didn't tell Vince you were leaving?"

"Juliette? Hey!"

"Carmy! Vince just came up to me last period and said that he noticed you hadn't been in for a few days-"

"I told him I was leaving the day I found out."

"Oh... well... he's got a lot on his plate... he probably just forgot-"

"Um, yeah... tell him I'll call him after school..." I looked to see Mr Jet staring at his computer screen, completely oblivious to me on my cell phone. "My teacher just told me to hang up... call you later, J."

"Later, C! Love ya!"

I hung the phone up and put it down on the table, staring at it. I shook my head at the random call and looked up to see Embry staring at my phone too, except he looked pissed.

Really pissed.

"Embry?" I asked, feeling stupid that I was worried that he was angry.

Not even scared or anything- worried that he was in pain or something...

"Yes?" He said, through gritted teeth.

"You okay?"

"Who's Vince?"

"How did you-?" I stopped, deciding that my phone speaker was on to high and that Juliette yelled, which often she did. "He's nobody."

Embry just nodded and stood up, right as the bell rang, signalling the end of the day.

"Do you need a ride home?" He asked, seeming distracted. I simply nodded and stood up.

As we pulled up to my house, I felt the need to say something, though, God knows why.

"Embry... don't... don't worry about Vince, okay?" I don't know why I felt the need to calm him down or whatever, especially when he may have been angry about something else entirely.

He simply turned and smiled gently, then reached out and brushed his hand against mine, before opening his door and moving to get out.

"Don't... I can get to my front door without any help." I smiled the best smile I could, before leaning over and brushing my lips lightly against his cheek. "Thanks for the ride."

I hopped out and walked into my house, thinking about Vince.

Five Months Ago...

"Who is that guy?" I asked Juliette as we sat at our outdoor lunch table. She was currently sunning herself, leaning with her back against the table while I sat forward on the other side.

We were popular, but in a respected kind of way. No one came running to us at lunch to ask if they could sit with us, but we were invited to every party and generally asked to go out if a group were going together. It was nice to always have a friend if you wanted.

"New kid. Vince Moretti."

"Sounds like something from The Sopranos."

"I know, right? Apparently he came here from New York. The rumor is that his dad just got arrested for being in the mob. He's totally hot, though."

"Definitely."

"Oh, by the way, Caleb said to call him, he misses you."

"Of course he does." I rolled my eyes. "He's so clingy."

"But he's really cute."

"Not as cute as Vince Moretti!" We both laughed and I pushed my sunglasses from my forehead to covering my eyes. I glanced one more time at the new guy, before turning back to Juliette.

I walked outside with plates of food in my hand and my homework tucked under my arm. I sat cross legged in my back yard, doing homework, waiting for Mr Wolf to turn up, and he did soon enough.

"Mr Wolf! You're here!" I grinned and scratched his head when he came over. He immediately lay in front of me and took the food I offered. "I really missed you today."

He made a whining noise, and bumped me with his nose, so I elaborated as much as I could.

"I made a new friend... so that was nice... but I got a call from my old best friend." I kissed his forehead before talking again. "She was telling me about this guy I used to date- Vince. He forgot I left." I laughed dryly, looking at the ground. "He actually forgot about me."

One Month Ago...

I sat on my bed, Vince lying beside me. We'd spent our first night together, which was different for me, because usually, if I liked someone, we'd do it immediately. He was my first real relationship... My first love.

"Carm..." He mumbled, waking up. He pinched my hip before rolling over. "Lie down." I did as he said and looked at his face. His eyes were closed and his curly hair was all messed up.

"I love you, Vince." I whispered. He smirked and threw his arm out, it landed on my waist with a bounce and made me wince a little. "That hurt."

"You're weak." He chuckled lightly. "You too, by the way." Then he rolled over and fell asleep. I rolled my eyes, but did the same.

My life was... bliss.

"I wasn't always like this... you know... a total slut." I did another dry laugh, which made him bump me again.

I looked into his eyes and felt comforted- like I could tell him everything.

"You're eyes are really pretty."

Two Years Ago...

I was fourteen (nearly fifteen) and my life was awesome! I was pretty, popular and people loved me!

I was at the fifteenth birthday party of some girl at school, and I was searching for my longtime boyfriend, Chad.

"J, you seen Chad?" I asked, stopping at the food station, where she sat chatting to a group of guys.

"No, sorry... actually, I think he went upstairs." She mumbled, before turning back to the guys. I nodded and ran up the huge flight of stairs and began walking down the hallway.

I finally found him...

Naked, lying over some girl.

"Ch-Chad?" I stammered. He turned and cursed, then rushed to cover himself and the bimbo up. "H-How could you?! Why?!"

"I...You...I've been waiting for you to be ready, but I just... I-"

I turned and walked out, down the hall, grabbing a random cute guy and pulling him into an empty bedroom. It hurt like hell, but it was over quick enough...

From that day, I swore that relationships were for idiots who wanted to get hurt...

Then I met Vince.

He changed everything about me...

But... if I couldn't have Vince as my boyfriend, I didn't want anyone as my boyfriend- plain and simple.

I realized that I was crying into my wolf's fur, and suddenly felt very stupid.

"I-I'm sorry, really..." I murmured, wiping my face. "I didn't mean to just... lose it." He bumped me with his nose, his eyes sympathetic. I reached down and kissed his nose. "I adore you, Mr Wolf." A loud howl hit the air, and Mr Wolf's face brightened. He turned his head towards the trees, indicating he needed to leave.

I stood up, picking up the plates and my homework.

"I'll see you soon, Mr Wolf." I grinned and walked back to the house, glancing back half way to see him still standing there. I grinned again and kept going to the porch. I put the things in my hands on the little table by the door in order to open it, turning around to wave goodbye to my wolf.

But my wolf wasn't looking. He was turned away from me, half-covered by the trees. I was about to call to him, when something very... strange happened.

He began to change.

His grey fur started to become russet-colored skin. His legs started to shrink and become more human. He was standing up on two long, muscular legs, that led up to-

Oh, hello.

Ass.

Then, a back leading into broad shoulders and up to short black hair.

Well, how odd.

Mr Wolf is... human?

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it :) I really appreciate the feedback and promise to update the next chapter much faster :) thanks again!