"I would advise for you to dispose of any feelings your harbor for the foul-smelling teenage boy, dear child."
"nah, i like my boyfriend. he buys me pop tarts without having to ask and likes the same baseball team i do. that's love in my book."
{in...
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JULIETTE WAS AT JAKE'S when Bella came to pick him up. Billy smiled knowingly and proudly at Jake, who just rolled his eyes playfully. "So, Face Punch, huh?" Juliette asked, stuffing her mouth with popcorn from the bowl strategically placed between her and Quil on the couch.
"Yeah, it should be good. You should come, Ju," Bella said, but Juliette grimaced. "And hang out with Mike voluntarily? Pass. Ooh, Quil, fifteen bucks says Mike vomits." He pouted. "I would, but that's a guarantee."
Bella and Jake left, and Billy looked at Juliette suddenly. "Juliette, Sam's im—fiancee, has a younger niece coming to visit, and I was wondering if you'd like to babysit."
So, historically, she hated kids. But she loved Billy, so she would obviously do it. Plus, if she was over at Sam's house, she could catch a glimpse of Embry.
"I'd love to. When?"
"Well, they are over there right now..." Juliette blinked, then looked at Quil. "Sorry, Q-Tip, but I got's to go. See you tomorrow?" He nodded. "See you tomorrow, PTP." Billy pulled out his cell and called.
"Hello, Sam. Yeah, it's Billy. I managed to get Juliette as a sitter for Claire, and—yep, she can start tonight. I can send her over—or you can pick her up. Great. Okay, bye, Sam." He hung up and looked at Juliette.
"He should be here any minute, he'll drive you there and back." Juliette waited, and sure enough, Sam Uley pulled up to her house. She hopped in, and he looked at her with a strange look on his face.
"Thanks for doing this. Emily has to go do something tonight, and I'm...working. Claire's a good kid, she won't cause any trouble." He gave her a quick summary of the child, which she was grateful for. Claire liked princesses and hot cocoa and practicing her makeup and hair skills.
Finally, they pulled up to a pretty beach house in the middle of the forest. Juliette popped out and saw a little girl with black hair run out and hug Sam.
"Hey, Claire. So, Claire, this is Juliette. She's your new babysitter, and she's going to watch over you tonight." As the little girl's eyes landed on Juliette, they widened with gladness.
"Pwetty!" She screeched—a sound that was heard from miles away. Juliette smiled. "Not as pretty as you, princess. Let's go inside, yeah?" She nodded, and Sam looked grateful.
"Thanks. I can pay—" Juliette shook her head. "No need. I never did pay you back for..." The two words hung in the air, and she slightly tensed, then gave him a weak smile. "I should..." He nodded. and thanked her one last time.
Now, how to take care of a kid?
WHEN JULIETTE FOLLOWED CLAIRE into the house, she was greeted by the little girl holding up a play-makeup palate and a set of hair-bows, ribbon, and tinsel. "Dress up?" The girl asked hopefully, and Juliette nodded reluctantly.
So the girl got to work. She put Juliette's hair in pigtails and clipped blue bows to each one. She then utilized the makeup palate, which was Little Mermaid-themed. She applied blue eyeshadow and pale blush to the blonde's face.
When Claire had finished, Juliette stood and looked in the mirror. She had to stifle a grimace, not wanting to upset the adorable little girl. Claire smiled widely. "Pwetty!" She cried happily and started clapping her hands.
"Me next! Me next! Me next!" Juliette finally calmed the little girl down—and more importantly, got her to stop clapping—and grabbed some shiny blue tinsel as she french braided it into Claire's hair.
When Claire saw it, Juliette's hearing faltered from the loud shriek of delight. "I wuv it! Tank-oo!" Even though she wasn't the biggest fan of children, she had to admit that Claire's attempts at speaking were too cute.
Juliette smiled, then started on Claire's makeup. She put dark blue eyeshadow on the little girl, and had it fade into light green. She used some glittery eyeshadow from the kit and dusted it over her eyelids.
When Claire saw her appearance, she thought that she looked like a princess. Juliette suggested watching a princess movie, but she didn't suggest the right one. Claire chose Sleeping Beauty, and she burrowed into the couch as Juliette washed her makeup off and went into the kitchen to get a drink.
She sipped her orange juice when the door opened abruptly.
"Hey, Sam, it's happening ag—Juliette?" She looked at the boy, and something sparked in her as she made eye contact with Embry Call.
He immediately took a step back, and before she could say anything, Claire ran in. "Emby! Emby! Come watch Sweeping Buty!" But Embry's eyes never left Juliette, even as she looked down at Claire.
She thought he was acting strange, but she was grateful to see him, not to mention hear his voice. It was a luxury that he didn't leave as soon as he saw her.
"H—Hi. I'm, uh, babysitting Claire," she said, sounding rather timid, which she hated. Embry nodded awkwardly. "Is, uh, Sam..." She shook her head quickly, wishing that the tension would disappear.
He was her best friend—things weren't supposed to be this hard.
"He said that he was working tonight, and Emily's kind of gone, so..." She trailed off when something she said stuck. She had no idea what, she was mainly rambling.
"Well, um, I'm gonna..." He seemed to pull himself together and stood straight. "Bye, Juliette," he said and started walking away.
Juliette Romaine Cullen didn't know what the feeling coursing inside of her was, but it made her reach out and clamp her hand around his forearm firmly, not letting go. She just couldn't bear to see him leave again.
He met her eyes sharply, and something in his eyes told her to let go, so she did. She knew that something was wrong with him, but wouldn't push him unnecessarily. He needed time, she knew that. She just didn't know how much time she had to give.
"I just haven't seen you in a while. I went by your house and Tiff—your mom, said that you've been a little distant, not that I've noticed or anything. Are you okay, Embry?" But he looked away, and it hurt her immensely.
"I'm fine." But she snorted at that, causing his nostrils to flare. "Seriously? Embry, you got a tattoo and you cut all your hair off. What's next, a tongue piercing and cross-dressing?" From his lack of reaction and zero amusement, she knew that it wasn't the time for jokes.
"Embry, I miss you, okay? I have to eat pop tarts with Quil now, and, frankly, it's really sad. He just eats them cold. Like an animal. Like a wild animal," she deadpanned. Though it wasn't really the time for jokes, she'd always try.
And, though she joked, the message was clear. She really missed having her closest friend with her. They had gotten really close ever since her family had...left, and it hurt to see him drift away from her.
But she still didn't catch so much as a glimpse of the old Embry in those big brown eyes, and it made her feel cold inside.
At least, not until he was walking out the door and called over his shoulder.
"Bye, PTP."
And she felt the warmth flood back, one glimpse and nickname at a time.
