Wonder ~ Paul Lahote

one

It took a lot for Tierney Scott to trust someone. People changed their minds like the wind and she's been through so many 'I Love You's' from so many different people, and each one had let her down in one way or another. She believed she didn't have a good ending. She truly believed she would be alone, and she was okay with that, well to a certain extent.
I mean how could you be truly okay with feeling like you're destined to be alone for the rest of your life?

Her parents were practically nonexistent in her life, both were both involved with a different addiction. They were divorced by the time she had turned fourteen, her mother meeting someone new who led her down the path or drug usage. Her father never remarried, the divorce hit him hard and he turned to alcohol for comfort, abandoning her just like her mom did.
Tierney went to live with her grandparents, her grandmother unfortunately passing away just after her fifteenth birthday and eventually her grandfather became too sick to take care of her on his own. He ended up dying after her sixteenth birthday, resulting in her having to sort out everything on her own, selling the house, deciding what happens to their belongings. Her father was their only child and he was out of the picture for obvious reasons hence it was down to Tierney to sort everything.
That's how she ended up in La Push living with her aunt, uncle and cousins.

She didn't have a big circle of people, she didn't have many friends, but she preferred it that way. She didn't have to feel hurt as many times when they eventually left her.

She had eventually found the courage to leave the small town she had grown up in, her aunt had offered her a permanent place to stay, in La Push. It was an offer she simply couldn't turn down. It meant she would get to see her cousins Seth and Leah again. Two people who she truly felt comfortable with being herself around.
Her mind had been made up ever since the offer was presented. She didn't have a particularly great relationship with her parents, she felt like a burden more than a daughter so really and truly it was a no brainer to her.

November 22nd was the day that change everything for her.

"Tierney it's so good to see you again" my Aunt Sue Clearwater greeted me with the warmest hug I think I've ever received.
"Mom! Don't hog her any longer! I want a hug from my favourite cousin!" my younger cousin Seth said as he greeted me with a bright smile and another incredibly warm hug. Although Sue wasn't my real aunt I considered her to be my aunt, and Harry, My uncle, and Leah and Seth my cousins. I have know them since birth, sue and my mom were good friends, so they were practically family.

"Hey Seth" I said gently into the hug. Although he's a few years younger than I am, we're inseparable. Him and Leah are more like siblings to me, than cousins. Seth was a gentle being, whereas Leah was more head strong and feisty. But she loved them both regardless and wou do anything to protect them.

Harry Clearwater was truly the best person to have ever existed. Although not my uncle by blood, but marriage, he's been more of a dad to me. He protected me when I had no one else to turn to.

"There she is, my beautiful niece!" He exclaimed.
"Hey Harry, how are you?!" I questioned.
"All the better now that you're here, Safe and sound"  I couldn't help but smile immensely.

"Come on, dinner is on the table" my aunt said patting my back. I left my bags out on the deck. Food was more important than unpacking anyways.
I'm a 5"4 girl with a small frame but boy I can eat like there was no tomorrow.

Leah had come to join us at the table, I was secretly most excited to see her, she had quite dry attitude, spoke her thoughts a lot of the time, truly admirable.
I knew she was hurting, she had phone me straight after her ex, Sam, had broken up with her. She understood why, he had found the girl he was destined to be with, but that isn't to say it didn't hurt her.

I was mad at Sam for hurting my cousin but I also knew and understood. Sometimes you find that person and nobody else matters. Doesn't mean I don't want to punch his lights out for hurting her. It definitely in my nature to protect the ones I love the most.

Dinner went by unbelievably well considering it was my first night, I thought me being the introvert that I was, would find it difficult to uphold conversation but it was like I'd never left them. It also helped that Seth was a great conversationalist.

Right now Leah and I were sitting out front, enjoying the cold evening, just chilling out. Enjoying one another's company.

"How are you holding up Leah?" I asked softly not wanting to trigger any emotions. Alright I'd be there to hold her if they did.
"I'm alright, getting through it. Of course it's been hard, feeling unwanted by the person I want but at the end of the day, he found a stronger bond with Emily and I can't be anything but happy for him"
"You have every right to feel sad, the guy you loved left for goodness sakes! i'd be worries if you weren't sad!" I preached.
"Of course I'm sad T but there isn't much I can do but hope to find the one destined for me"

I felt strongly about Leah's feelings! She wasn't one to open up very often that's why I felt the need to protect her with every fibre of my being!  She was pure, sure she could be rude and blunt but that was her!

"It's god to have you here T, I don't know how much longer I'd manage without you" Leah stated quietly.
"I'm here now and unfortunately for you you're not getting rid of me anytime soon" I smirked.

"So how are you? And be truthful" she knew me. It was easier for me to bottle my feelings up that let them out.
"Truthfully I'm okay. I'm extremely excited to be here surrounded by the people I love. I feel like this is what I needed, this is where I need to be. Everything has been pretty full on and I'm so grateful for you guys taking me in when I needed a family most." believe it or not I was telling the truth. La Push felt more like home than Port Townsend ever did. Every time I'd visit I never wanted to leave. Thankfully now I didn't.
"You're family, you know we'd do anything for you, no matter what"

We spent the rest of the night catching up. Truth be told there was a few tears shed on my behalf. I'm an emotional person alright.
I think it was about 2am before we both parted and went to bed, which definitely want a good idea as for me, school started tomorrow.