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Chapter 5: Imprint confusion
2009, Claire six-years-old
Quil's POV
"Hey, Claire-Bear, how was school?" I asked as she came out into the playground.
She glared up at me with her hazel eyes. "Quil, I told you not to call me Claire-Bear!" she whined, huffing.
"Sorry," I shrugged, a little hurt. "It slips sometimes. Did you have fun?"
"It was okay," she shrugged, taking my hand as we went to pick up Nora. "We painted and learnt some times tables."
"Sounds fun."
She laughed and looked up at me. "Not really."
I picked Nora up from her region of the school and put them both into my car. It was an old Ford car that Jake and Seth had fixed up for me when they were just starting their business. It had been two years since the Volturi left and things in the pack were going good. Sam and Emily had been married in an intimidate ceremony on June 2nd 2008 in the community centre followed by a reception in the banquet hall. Claire and Nora had been flower girls that giggled hysterically as they walked down the aisle and threw flower petals in people's faces. Later, I found out Paul had dared them too, which Sam had almost killed him for.
Paul and Rachel left in the summer of 2007 to travel around the world. Paul worked really hard to control his anger and finally got the hang of it in May time, a month later he and Rachel were in somewhere in Italy. They phoned someone in the pack at least once a day to let us know what they were doing and if they were okay. As of now, nothing had happened (as in, Paul had kept his temper), but we were still awaiting the day Rachel rings and tells us about Paul phasing in the middle of a French restaurant. They were somewhere in Australia now.
Jake had wanted to open a garage since he was eleven and had finally accomplished his wish. When Nessie was around one, Jake and Seth had been at the Cullen's house for the day when Seth saw Jake ogling the TV when a garage advert came on. Seth, being the overly-happy bastard he is, perked up straight away and convinced Jake to open a garage with him. Jake scraped some money together and Seth got his inheritance from his dad early and they bought a shop in Forks that took seven months to turn into a garage. By around November 2008 they were opened and rearing for business. It started off okay, they got regular Forks and La Push customers and the odd few out of town people. They fixed up the packs cars for free and even gave me the Ford that some guy donated to the shop after the engine shut down. Then a few months down the line they got a guy from Seattle into the shop after his car broke down on the road outside. They fixed his car in an hour, asked him for half the price somewhere in Seattle would ask for and Nessie gave him a free sweet.
Turns out that guy was some big-shot millionaire that owned around five companies, one of them being a very popular magazine. He dedicated a page to Fix 'n' Go (the name a nearly two-year-old Nessie bravely came up with) and just like that business was booming for them. They had now expanded the business to Port Angeles and Seattle. They even employed some of the wolves to get them through college or if they needed some extra cash. Embry was now a full-time employer there.
Leah had left for Seattle to go to University seven months after the Volturi left. She was even in a relationship with some guy called Elijah now. She came home for Sam and Emily's wedding last June and had actually smiled happily as they said their vows. We had talked for a little bit at the reception and she was going strong with Eli, loved her courses and was thinking about buying an apartment in Seattle with her best friend, Fiona.
Some of the new wolves had imprinted, some had gone off the college, some had done both.
As for me, I was just happy watching as Claire grew up. As long as she was happy, I was happy, and her life was good right now, which meant mine was, too. I still babysat Claire and Nora most weekends and during the week I worked at Fix 'n' Go or played tennis with some kids at the youth centre.
It took us two hours to drive to Sam and Emily's, where the girls were staying for the weekend while Oliver and Jasmine went to visit some relatives in Seattle, which was spent playing eye-spy and listening to crappy kids songs that Nora and Claire gleefully sung along to. I hated the songs, but loved Claire's happiness so I just endured the torture.
Claire stayed by my side as Nora rushed to get inside Sam and Emily's house. They were hugging Nora when we walked into the living room and Claire rushed over to hug them before coming back to my side. I picked her up into my arms as I made conversation with Emily. Claire seemed to be enthralled playing with my hair so I let her carry on even though she was painfully tugging my scalp.
"Hello people of the Uley household!" Embry called, banging the front door open. "How's Princess Claire today?"
Claire sent me a look that was always associated with Embry. The "is he crazy?" look. "I'm fine, Uncle Em," Claire replied, giggling lightly.
We had just settled down to watch a movie after food when my phone rang. Claire peeked up from her place on my lap and gave me a disapproving look that made me chuckle.
"Hello?"
"Hey, man," Jake's deep voice echoed down the phone. "I'm ringing to ask if you want to come to the zoo tomorrow. Nessie wants Claire and Nora to come with us so she won't be the only kid there."
I held the phone away from my face. "Hey, Claire, want to go to the zoo tomorrow?"
"Really?! Yes!"
"She said—"
"Yeah, I heard," Jake snickered. "We'll pick you up at twelve—"
"I'm coming, too!" Embry screamed, rushing into the living room with a mouth full of muffins. "I love the zoo!"
"It's clear he belongs there," Jake said and Embry rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we'll come at twelve."
We said our goodbyes and Embry muttered something offensive about Jake under his breath as he went back to eat more muffins. Claire stood up on my legs, rested her hands on my shoulders and grinned happily at me.
"We're going to the zoo!" she sang loudly. "Nora, we're going to the zoo!"
Nora looked up from her Nintendo DS and smiled. "Cool."
That was all she had to say on the topic.
Claire practically skipped around the house for the rest of the night, singing and humming brightly. I was suddenly very grateful for Jake and Nessie. The next day I had to run home and change my clothes while Emily dressed the girls. When I got back they were ready and Claire was even bouncing up and down in excitement. I had just finished making sure Claire's coat was fastened right and her shoes weren't going to make her trip over when Jake pulled up outside, beeping twice.
"You were being serious?" Jake asked flatly as Embry climbed into the front seat.
"I like the zoo!" Embry snapped defensively.
Jake shook his head and turned to the back to greet Claire and Nora. Nessie was also sat in the back, Jake thought it was too unsafe in the front which I had to agree with, strapping Claire's belt in properly. She was only two but physically she looked six, while mentally she was probably smarter than Embry, Jake and I put together (though, that didn't take much). We gave Jake shit about it all the time. She waved at me when I caught her eye and then started talking to the girls. After checking Nessie had strapped Claire in securely, I leaned forward in my seat to talk to Jake and Embry.
It took a few hours to get to the zoo but the girls were so busy catching up that they didn't complain or fidget. When we finally parked up, Nessie all but flew out of the car before it stopped moving, giving Jake a near heart attack in the process. We paid in and Embry ran straight over to a large, open space that held some giraffes and hippopotamus'.
"Look at the hippo's!" Embry yelled, scaring a small child that was a yard away from him. The little boy ran off whimpering into his mothers arms. "They're so cool!"
Nessie and Jake bounded over to the other side that had an acre dedicated to the lions. Nessie began to raw at them and Jake laughed heartily beside her. Nora practically climbed up Embry to get a better look of the giraffes while Claire tugged on my hand and dragged me to the forest-like place that had orangutan's hanging from the trees happily chomping on some food.
"They're funny," Claire beamed as one stuck his tongue out at her.
I smiled proudly down at her and carefully adjusted her frame until she was on my shoulders. She squealed in delight, making my heart burst with joy. We all joined together again an hour later near the elephant sanctuary. Nessie was trying to convince Jake to let her jump over the railing so she could ride them, while Jake, looking pained, said no because humans would find it incredibly weird to see a six-year-old flying through the air at lightning speed. Nora and Embry were making jokes and laughing loudly, and Claire was gasping and screaming in joy as she pointed out all the animals surrounding us.
Lunch soon came and we all vacated to the food court. I had packed a tray full and went back to the table when I realized I had forgotten a drink. As I lined up to pay, I felt someone brush up against my arm.
"Sorry," a cute woman that looked around twenty smiled widely. "I'm such a clutz sometimes."
"It's fine."
"No, it's not," she smirked, flicking her hair. My eyebrows scrunched together as she knocked her leg with mine. "I'll get you a drink sometime to apologize, if you like."
Was she asking me out?
I glanced down at her again and took her in properly. She was cute, with smallish eyes and a tall, lanky frame, but I felt nothing. It could have been Embry flirting with me for all I figured. It was almost like I couldn't see her properly, even though I had supersonic eyesight.
"Um..."
"Quil!" sweet Claire called out as she flew into my leg. "What's taking you so long?"
"Hey, Claire-Bear," I said happily. Even just seeing her brightened up my mood.
She smiled at me but then caught sight of the woman and scowled. "Who are you?"
I blanched a little in shock. Claire was never rude to people, especially those she didn't know.
"I'm Trina," the woman smiled, clearly not sensing Claire's distaste. "And who are you, cutie? She's gorgeous, is she your sister?"
"No, actually—"
"I'm his best friend," Claire replied hotly, frowning.
"Oh, really?" the woman laughed breathily, clearing thinking it was a child talking crap. "That's sweet," she cleared her throat and straightened herself out again as she had bent down to become eye level with Claire. "What about it, then?" she smiled at me.
I looked down at Claire, who was scowling, then back at the woman. Did I want to go with her? No. Did I not want to because I felt like I had an obligation to Claire? No. Did I not want to because of the imprint? Maybe.
All I could safely figure out was that even if I did date Trina, I would never feel anything for her. I couldn't even imagine myself as dating Claire (the very thought made me a little queasy), but at the same time I couldn't imagine dating someone else.
I shrugged softly. "No, but thanks."
I gently pushed Claire in the back so she would move forward. She huffed and stomped off, I followed feeling slightly put out. What was with the reaction from Claire?
Embry was completely oblivious to anything that was going on as he had a food fight with Nessie and Nora, but Jake sent me a weird knowing smile and shrugged at me. Did he know something I didn't? Was he going through the same thing as me?
Damn, imprinting is confusing.
Thoughts?
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-Laylax