Potter in Forks

Chapter 6

Sept 15 thru Oct 9

Reese finally ventured into Forks. She wandered around the local craft stores, the library and finally the diner. Whispers and curious glances followed her, but she ignored them with practiced ease. She had bought some whimsical wind chimes, some cute garden decorations and got a library card.

She settled at a table and ordered a hamburger and fries with a thick chocolate shake. She flipped open the library book she had checked out. She read until her order came. She thanked the waitress and took a cautious bite of her burger. Flavors exploded in her mouth. The burger was...the best burger she'd ever had. She moaned around another bite.

The next thing she knew there was an angry woman standing by her table. "May I help you?"

"You can stay away from my son." The woman demanded hotly.

Reese put her burger down and shifted in her seat to a better defensive position. She raised one eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"You're that Reese Sirion, right?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"Sue Clearwater. My boy is sixteen. Stay away from him."

By this time they had collected an audience. "You have issues with me being friends with Seth."

"I think there's something wrong with a grown woman letting a teenager hang out at her house alone so much."

"Is your mind always in the gutter or is it me in particular that you don't like?" Reese asked casually biting into a french fry.

"You."

"Funny. You don't know a thing about me." Reese was getting mad now. Adults were all the same. Making judgments about you like they were omnipotent. Acting like they knew things when they knew nothing.

"I know you're hiding out in the woods for some reason. I know you've been here for over a month and this is your first trip into town. I know you are a stranger and you've lured my teenage son into spending more time with you than his friends."

Reese stood up and tossed some bills on the table. She looked at the woman with glacier eyes. "That's a lot of assumptions. You don't know shit about me and I don't appreciate your innuendos. It pains me that you care so little about your son that you would air such disgusting suspicions in a public place ensuring that these people gossip about him. Now, luckily for me I could care less what you think or what you want. Seth can visit whenever he wishes. He's a friend and I shan't cast him off because of your small minded attitude or your lack of faith in his character. For your information his friends are over quite often. They play Halo online on my big screen tellie."

While Sue Clearwater was trying to recover from the shock of being told off so soundly Reese stalked out of the diner. She slid into her Hummer and drove off angrily.

A very dejected Seth showed up at her house around supper time. She frowned when he knocked instead of just coming in as he usually did. "Get your butt in here, Seth." She called out loudly.

He opened the door and slunk in. "I'm really sorry about my mom."

Reese waved a mixing spoon at him. "Pfft, whatever. She doesn't bother me." She shoved a covered plate at him. "Carry that up to the second floor patio. We're grilling – steak and corn."

Seth perked up a bit at that. He grabbed the plate and loped up the stairs. Reese followed levitating the bowls of potato salad, corn on the cob, and a chocolate cheesecake behind her.

When she reached the patio Seth had the steaks on the grill. He left room for the cobs. He grabbed the bowl from the air and situated the corn.

Reese settled the rest on the table and went over to the cooler. She pulled out a couple of sodas and tossed him one.