I love the idea of Maude really getting involved with Forks as a town, and meeting the local people. I think it creates a grounding effect on her personality, somewhat. We don't see much of Forks in the Twilight books, Bella was very disconnected from it all, I thought it would be nice to explore. Sorry for all the OCs though, we won't be seeing them all that much either.
Camellia House is a fictional community center, though its based on the very real Mariposa House in Forks, /, which does very real work for people in need. Check them out.
Native American women face very turbulent and violent circumstances within the United States, if you have the time, please read more about their plights and do what you can to help them.
Community. Advocacy. Respect. Empowerment. CARE.
These were the words I saw upon opening the website of Forks' local aid center, The Camellia House. It was a simple but cute website, that got its message across pretty well. They believed in providing service and shelter to everyone regardless of their gender identity, religion, or sexuality, not to mention several other personal identities someone might carry along with them. Not to mention, they worked with several other services across Washington State, including with the Quileute, Makah, and Hoh Indian nations found across the region. It was good to see, Native women experienced 2.5 times the number of violent and sexual crimes than all other races in the United States. Due to the effects of colonization, they didn't have adequate support and resources to seek help, and like Black women, Native women tended to come from tight-knit communities that frowned upon causing conflict within. Finally, all this coupled with a distrust of law enforcement (for obvious reasons), these women often found themselves helpless, stuck in these situations with little or no refuge.
When I'd gone with Bella to visit Jacob Black, I didn't have a chance to meet anyone else or have a look around the reservation, though from what little I'd gathered from Charlie and Billy, the Quileute tribe seemed peaceful enough. I could only hope that it was truly so, and that Native women needing help from the Camellia House were little.
In Portland, I'd always been involved in mutual aid of some sort – my schools had always encouraged community service, and indeed both my parents had always worked in the field. For all that the Peace Corps was…questionable in their activities (read; a corrupt body), my mother had always done her best to make sure help went where it was needed. From my Papa's side, well, he'd taken a trip home yearly, filling a cargo container with necessities to give back to his community.
I'd continue to do what I could, even while in Forks, and that was why as soon as I was fully settled in the town, I decided to find part time work contributing in some way to the betterment of others. I wasn't a veryniceperson, if you asked my cousin about all my faults she could give you a written list, but I also believed wholeheartedly inkindness. That was something both the Swan side and Kane side believed in, despite all the insanities that also ran in our blood.
Regretfully, my schedule was packed full already so I could only do the work once a week. Mondays for student council meetings, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for Pilates and gym up in Port Angeles, Thursdays at the school library for study group and tutoring, and the weekends for my own personal pursuits like updating my Substack and working on my film and video editing. I decided to dedicate my Friday afternoons and evenings to working at the Care House. Ringing up their number and having an impromptu interview with the director, Mrs. Brighton, had been easy, and getting a spot as assistant to the Social Justice Coordinator even easier. After sending her my resume, she'd been enthusiastic for me to take on the position, even despite my age. She'd lamented the fact that she couldn't give me a higher position, because I'd have been perfect for it, but it was for several reasons; I was still in high school for one, and the actual position involved going out of state often, as well as attending various in-person meetings. Another factor was they wanted a minimum three-year contract, and well, I was planning of booking it out of town as soon as I graduated.
Instead, as an assistant, a lot of my work could be done remotely, and because I'd be working under the actual SJC, a lot of my work would be an offshoot of theirs, mostly paperwork. On the day Ididgo in, it would be just as a helping hand for the more manual work.
I was more than satisfied with what I'd been given though, not only was the work tangible enough to keep a restless soul like me occupied, but it was also agreatboon to my resume. The pay wasn't great, but it wasn't like Ineededthe money, what with having a mother who was just as emotionally stunted as her brother, but instead of the silent acts of service Uncle Charlie preferred, she just bought our love instead. And anyways, I would have done the job for free. My initial plan had simply to be to volunteer.
The first Friday of October was the 11th, and with it, the first chills of fall were starting to set in. There was a beauty in Forks though, with the way the lush leaves began to change color and scatter across the perpetually wet ground. And fall was agreattime for comfy but stylish outfits, I had a whole Pinterest folder saved for pretty 'fits for each season, and Uncle Charlie was starting to get annoyed with all the packages that had been arriving at his door.
I'd made sure to dress nicely but practically for my first day at the Care House, first impressions were always very important after all. The thing about Forks though, was its people were…humble in their own ways, and so I always ended up seeming overdressed no matter what. Still, like Papa always said, better overdressed than under.
The Camellia Center wasn't very big at all, the building itself was only one floor, but it was decently sized, and it was busy. The small parking lot was full that afternoon, and groups of women roamed around, carrying boxes and talking to each other with bright smiles. It seemed like a friendly enough place. Matcha in one hand, I shifted my khaki Kangol tote over my shoulder and headed into the building, pausing only briefly when I caught sight of a shiny, metallic white Audi SUV that sat among the otherwise generic vehicles. It was a nice car for sure, maybe one of the higher ups was in, because it certainly looked expensive.
When I walked in the building, I was greeted with the smiling face of the receptionist, though she was on a call, and gestured for me to wait one moment. Working behind her on the counter were two other women, one seemed to have a large box of Halloween decorations and was sorting through them, and the other seemed to be having a head-to-head with the printing machine. The interior of the building was nice enough, it was painted in subtle tones of beiges, purples, and blues. There was a huge golden butterfly on the wall behind the reception, with their logo, and the seating was cushioned chairs in a dark purple. Various other knickknacks were around to add personality, potted plants, little artistic figurines, and encouraging sayings painted onto the walls in dreamy fonts, with smaller butterflies occasionally painted in as well. All in all, it was a lot nicer than I'd expected – it also lookednew. Nothing at all like what I'd expected. For a moment I felt bad for always assuming the worst of this town, but only for a moment, because I then remembered the weathered look of everything else in town. Maybe the Care House had received a recent donation or refurbishment.
"Hello, hun, I'm Candice, but everyone just calls me Candy. How can I help you?" the receptionist asked. She had kinky dark hair and a nice smile. Her teeth were gaped in the middle, though it only made to make her look warmer. I smiled back, reaching into my bag to take out my documents.
"Hi, I'm Maude Kane, and I'm here to meet up with Mrs. Brighton. I'm the new assistant to the SJC," I explained, and her eyes lit up as she took the papers from my hand. Behind her, the other two women also looked at me with interested.
"You'll be working under Mia then!" one of them said brightly. She had a loose bun and held fake pumpkins in her hand.
"Mia?" I echoed, and she nodded, coming forward and putting the pumpkins on the counter.
"Yes, she's the SJC, Mia Weber, you might go to school with her younger sister, Angela?" she prompted, and I nodded.
"Mrs. Brighton didn't tell me who I'd be working with, so the name is new to me, but yes, I do know Angela. She's a friend of mine, and we work together on the student council." I explained, making all three of them laugh.
"That's right!" Candy exclaimed, "Even we heard about that, Angela only has good things to say about you, sometimes she passes here after school to help out. Good to finally meet you, and we're excited to work with you."
Candy pointed red fingernails to the two women next to her, "This here is Donna, she's in charge of event coordination, and that there fighting the printer is Erica," she introduced, and Donna reached out to shake my hands.
"My son also goes to Forks High, though he's a sophomore, so you might not know him. Still, he's told me all about you. You're still big news around here, its not often we get new faces," she said, raising a brow and looking me over with amusement.
Erica seemed to give up on the printer, running a frustrated hand through her blond bob, before smiling at me as well, her eyes gentle. "Though you and your cousin are as different as night and day, it seems," she said, coming over until soon I was being peered at curiously by the three older women. It wasn't intimidating at all, though if I were Bella I might have thought otherwise.
I could only laugh at this thought, because yeah, Erica was right. Me and Bella were as different as night and day, and the longer I lived with her, the more it was becoming apparent. "Bella's just got her own stuff going on," I answered, having a sip at my drink, and Candy laughed loudly like I'd said something hilarious.
She stepped away from the counter, taking my papers along with her. "Wait here, I'll go get Sally for you," she said, heading off.
"Sally's Mrs. Brighton," Donna said with a huff of laughter, she seemed to be amused at the formality of it all.
Erica quickly rushed out from the counter area to follow Candy, "Hold on, I need to pass by the storeroom to get some ink, I'll come with you," she called, and we watched them disappear down the hallway.
Donna reached back into the box of decorations and pulled out some more decorations, pulling out two headbands and holding them out for me to judge. "Cat or bat?" she asked with a playful grin.
Grinning back, I reached out and slid the large bat ears onto my head.
Sally Brighton was a short, plump, middle aged lady wearing her own pair of animal ears, and had gone to school with my mother (surprise surprise) though unlike Mrs. Cope, didn't seem to harbor the same animosity.
"Susan was always an overachiever, I'm not surprised she raised her daughter to be the same," she'd said to me while showing me around the center. My guess had been right, it had indeed been redone entirely recently, a little over three years ago, and Sally gushed with happiness when she showed me the solid tables of the dining hall and the sturdy beds covered with nice bedding in the residential area.
"We don't get that many who need to stay over though, we're not a big town, and most folks are decent enough. Those who do stay over are just passing through, or face much more…serious circumstances," she explained with a frown. "Still, we do lots of other things, like counseling or seminars, as well as charity donations for others in need. We work a lot with other centers too, that's where Mia is right now. She'll be back in town over the weekend, you can meet her next time you come around, though I've given her your contact details already and she mentioned she'll be sending you an email soon enough. She's a really nice girl, graduated college a few years ago and came straight back home to help out," she said with a fond shake of her head.
She showed me the staff room where I left my things, and then the other offices where some of the bureaucratic work was done, though I admittedly forgot most of the names of the people she introduced me to. They didn't have a large staff at all, and most had been working together for years already, or like most Forks residents, new each other from the past in some capacity. I was the only outsider, though they were still genuine in their greetings towards me, and it seemed like a pretty laid back working environment.
When we got back to the empty reception however, I was floored to see a beautiful woman with auburn hair and a flawless face standing over the counter, going though a thick blue folder with a black pen. The woman was dressed simply, in a well-fitting cream maxi and black peacoat with an oversized plaid scarf and comfortable flats, but she still looked like she'd stepped out of a magazine.
Sally's smile immediately brightened, "Esme, Donna told me you were around here somewhere," she called with sincere warmth in her tone. I walked behind her, watching how the new woman turned to look at us with a smile of her own.
"Afternoon, Sally. I've been outside having a look at what needs fixing," the woman answered, and her voice was just as pretty as she was. "And what cute ears you two have! I'd like to grab a pair myself," she said, and abruptly I very much wanted to see what she'd look like in a pair of black cat ears. Sally placed a hand on Esme's forearm and gestured to me with a laugh.
"We're getting into the Halloween Spirit! This is Maude Kane, I mentioned her over the phone? Great credentials she has, and a history with aid work, she's even done some internships with international NGOs even at her age! We're happy to have her join our team." Sally explained, and I could only wave a hand to dismiss the praise.
"I'm very passionate about volunteer work. Sally was very kind to take me on even though I'm still in school," I said, and Esme laughed lightly.
"Lovely to meet you, Maude. I'm Esme Cullen, and I work with Camellia too. It's nice to have another new face around here," she said, causing Sally to laugh.
"Esme, you've been with us for a few years now!"
Esme only shook her head, "Yes, but, well, Forks is such a small community, I can't help but still feel like an intruder," she admitted, and I nodded in commiseration.
"I understand what you mean," I said to her, then turning to Sally, "Everyone's been around for generations, and though everyone here has been nothing short of welcoming, its sort of like being a guest in someone's house," I said, and Sally hummed, nodding along.
"Yes, I can definitely see why it would seem that way," she admitted, "Still, if either of you two ladies need anything, just know we're all here to help!" she said, and I knew she meant it. Sally picked up the file Esme had just been looking at, and looked even happier, if possible.
"So, Esme here has a more hands off position at our center, more of a consultant than anything, but she's also a significant donor to our work, and it was also due to her help that we were able to give this place a much-needed makeover! Right now, we're preparing for the end of the year, which is always a busier time than usual, what with the colder weathers and increase in needs for a lot of the causes we support," Sally said, and Esme nodded, her stylish ponytail bouncing happily.
"Yes, we're just going over the end of the year budgets and making sure we have everything we need to survive the colder months. We also usually up the frequency of our services during the wintertime, as well as push more in communications," she said, and I nodded along in understanding. Winter was a critical period for victims, and it was normal for shelters to do more in the latter months of the year.
"If I may, what's the general reception from the community towards Camellia house?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Sally mentioned earlier that not many people come to stay over, which is understandable, but how about the group events and activities?"
Esme turned to face me fully now, and I suddenly felt like a bug under a very pretty microscope. I made sure to stand straight and give her my full attention. "The town is mostly supportive, and residents usually do their best to contribute when they can. We also have a thrift store in the shopping district, which sees a fair amount of traffic. Since last year though, we've been holding more get togethers that are open to the whole town to attend, so that we can raise awareness in the general public," she explained, and I nodded, pulling out my phone and opening the notes app.
"I've recently been elected Student President, and I was thinking it would be nice if we could get younger people more involved in community work from a young age, do you think we could work something out?" I asked, and Sally nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, of course!"
Esme seemed pleased as well, and her expression became much more genuine, though it was only upon seeing the change did I realize that she'd been only distantly polite before. I was surprisingly proud of myself for being the cause. It was like she was an angel shining her approval down at me, like I'd done good, and I was being deemed worthy by a celestial being. "That's a lovely idea, Maude, you really are so smart –"she was interrupted by the doors of the reception opening, and I turned to give the new comer a dirty look atinterrupting her words praise.
In walked Edward Cullen, carrying two large, heavy looking boxes in his arms. Sally put the folder down hastily, "Oh, Esme, what have you two brought us this time," she said, sounding very moved.
"Its nothing much, really, just some old things we had lying around the house," Esme replied, laying a hand on the other woman's shoulder, and then, "Edward, just leave them here by the counter. One of the girls will be by to sort them," she instructed, and he did as told, placing them down. They made an audiblethudon the ground, but he didn't look winded at all.
"Yes, we can deal with the rest on our own," Sally agreed immediately, "You two are always such a big help around here!"
Edward was just as handsome and put together as I remembered, a polite smile on his face as he looked at Sally. "It's always a pleasure," he said.
Esme gestured at me, "You know Maude from school, yes? She'll be working here with Sally and Mia-"
Another voice joined. "Sally, Esme, sorry to interrupt, but Donna's got one of the other centers on the line and needs you two," Candy called with a grimace on her face, peeking her head around the hallway. Esme nodded back at her.
"You two catch up, we'll be just a moment," she said, before she and Sally headed off, leaving me and her son in the reception alone.
"Nice ears," he said with a smile of amusement.
I looked at the boxes, ignoring his comment, still vaguely annoyed he'd interrupted my conversation with his mother. After a moment, I composed myself, then turned my gaze to him. "Edward Cullen," I said mildly, "Haven't seen you around in a minute," I said. Indeed, the last andonlytime I'd seen him was during my first day at Forks High, over a month previous. He and his siblings had mostly left my mind since, and I'd gotten used to working through Government alone. I'd even started using the extra desk space to spread out my things.
"Maude Kane," he replied, just as mild. "Congratulations on the election."
I waved a hand in dismissal, "No need for congratulations, it was laughably easy."
Jessica had been livid, of course. But even before the first round of speeches, I had most of the student bodyandthe teachers on my side. It had been a week since, and she hadn't spoken to me once. I'd give her some space to collect her tattered dignity, then I'd invite her into my fold, in the guise of bridging the old with the new. I'd even give her a few responsibilities to take a load off my own burdens, Jessica wasn't completely useless, she'd been a decent president for the last few years and knew the school like the back of her hand. I could use her for sure.
Friends close, enemies closer and all that.
Edward made a vague humming noise and leaned against the counter, fixing his eyes on some point on the ceiling. "Still, you've definitely turned the school on it's head, and it's only been a month."
I raised a brow at his easy countenance, "How would you know? You've been gone for most of that time," I pointed out, and he looked back at me with a secretive smile.
"Word gets around," he said simply, and I huffed out a laugh.
"I'd think you'd be more concerned about your own circumstances. Aren't you scared of falling behind? The school year's just begun." Forks was a miracle town, had it been at my old school, he'd be in a damn lot of trouble. Missing consecutive weeks of school for no apparent reason? Very dicey. I could only assume Eun-Ha had been right, and his parents held a lot of sway somehow, and having just met his mother, I figured it must've been true.
Edward scoffed, "Please be serious," he said, and his easy arrogance made me smile despite myself.
And yeah, alright, I'd give that to him. From what little I'd seen in that first class together, he definitely had nothing to worry about. If boredom, or as he'd called it,ennuiwas the reason he'd played hooky for so long, I couldn't blame him. I was taking the hardest classes the school had to offer and still found it lacking. I could only be jealous he had the freedom to dip in and out as he wanted.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out my pocket. "Still, better be careful, your absences go on your record," I pointed out. Eun-Ha wanted to know if I wanted to spend the night at hers.
"I didn't take you to be a stickler for the rules," Edward said, and I lifted my gaze to him while replying an affirmative to Eun-Ha.
"…You've met me once?" I pointed out, tucking my phone away but again he smiled that secretive smile.
"I told you, word gets around," he repeated easily, and I rolled my eyes.Bon Dieu, he certainly was something.
"As Student Council President, don't you think it's kind of my job to be a 'stickler'?" I asked, crossing my arms and walking closer so I could easier make eye contact. I regretted it almost immediately, he wastall, so much so that my attempts at intimidation probably fell flat considering I had to lookupat him.
Edward blinked down at me, looking very unbothered by my whole act. "Are you going to tell on me? My mother's right through there," he said, waving his hand in the general direction Esme had gone in. I stared at him.
"What? Of course not, I don'tactuallycare," I said with a sniff, adjusting the headband on my head, becausereally, I had better things to chase down students I barely knew. "I do understand what it's like being bored, especially here."
"You've adjusted fairly well. You don't seem out of place at all," he pointed out.
"One must make their own place in the world," I told him confidently, and he seemed momentarily surprised by my answer. I stood by it, always had, always would. What use was there, standing timidly and waiting for someone to shuffle over and let you in, when you could simply shove them aside and stand firm?
Edward took a second before replying, looking back at the ceiling lights, then to the clear glass doors to the reception, covered in raindrops from the rain that had started up again. I wondered if he was thinking about his own place in the world. I imagined that with a family that well-off, and looks as good as his, he'd have no trouble finding it.
Still, a man was just a man, and Edward was just like any other white man in the world, it was no wonder he didn't worry about his school records. Neither did he have to worry about tomorrow, or his future. He didn't live in a world where he really had to worry about anything much at all.
Suddenly, he huffed out a quiet laugh, "I suppose you're right," he acquiesced, finally looking back at me, and this time there was a crooked grin on his face, full of its own mischief. If possible, it made him even more annoyingly charming.
Just then, Esme and Sally's voices trickled back in through the corridor, and a moment later they joined us again. Their presence broke the tension I hadn't even aware had been present.
Esme stepped forward and looped her arm around her son's, smiling at the both of us. "I hope you two had your fun catching up. You're in the same year at school, right?" she asked, to which I nodded.
"Yes," I answered, smoothly changing my expression from one of annoyance at her son, to a gentle neutrality. Forrest and I had helped each other cultivate our situational appropriate expressions, using our mother as an example.
"We actually share a few electives as well," Edward added to my surprise. Though how could I have known, considering he hadn't attendedany of themsince the academic year had started?
Esme looked oddly satisfied. "Well, I do hope you two become good friends, and Maude, I look forward to seeing more of you," she told me, and at that, I saw Edward's brows furrow. He gave his mother some sort of look, of…irritation? But it was gone as soon as it appeared, his face returning back to a pleasantly polite canvas, staring back outside through the glass doors.
Sally nodded, and Candy walked in as well, carrying a steaming mug of coffee, moving to stand back behind the receptionist's counter. "Yes, you definitely will be seeing more of Maude," Sally confirmed, placing her hand on my shoulder with a happy smile.
Edward glanced at me, but when I met his gaze evenly, he only gave me a bland smile. Esme nodded, "We'll be going now, don't forget to email me the file, please, Candy?" she said, and after hearing a confirmation, the two of them left.
"Such nice folks, don't you think?" Candy asked, smiling her friendly, gap-toothed smile, staring towards the doors with stars in her eyes. Sally seemed to have the same sort of starstruck reaction as well, nodding as if Candy had just declared an unshakeable truth of the universe. I couldn't blame them, both mother and son seemed to have a gravity to them that was hard to ignore. Even I found myself a little unmoored without their presence.
"We're definitely lucky to have them here, the Cullens really are very nice people," Sally answered.
I thought back to my interaction with Edward and hid a laugh behind my hand.Nice? Not the word I'd use.
Amusing, compelling,annoying.
Those fit him much better.