Ocean Eyes

La Push Cult

Hot days in La Push were rare. Ryder had been in the town throughout most of the summer and it had yet to reach 90. That was odd for her, a girl who had spent most of her life in hot and sweaty cities. She didn't mind the lack of heat. It saved her the pain of not having air conditioning and the sweat that always seemed to build up no matter what she did. In fact, she loved it.

Leah, however, did not.

"70? That's it?!" The girl cried out unhappily. "The newscasters said it would be warm enough to swim!"

"I thought I'd taught you better." Sue tsked from where she sat darning one of Seths shirts. "Never listen to the news forecast, its always wrong."

"I'm perfectly fine with it." Ryder looked up from her crayon drawing. "Good day to not boil in the sun and instead go for a hike." Hiking had quickly become one of Ryder's favorite activities upon moving to the remote coast. There were a plethora of empty trails, leading to the beautiful, hidden gems of the Olympic Peninsula. Ryder loved walking them, loved the lack of acrid smoke and always hovering body odor that had characterized the city. The lack of people was refreshing, a sort of oasis for Ryder to let her guard down.

"How about no?" Leah rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically. "The woods have no sun. I need to get tan!" She thrust out her russet arm, pointing at it as if it was pale.

"I think a beach day would be good for you all." Sue nodded enthusiastically. She wanted Ryder to spend time with others, maybe meet some new friends at the beach. She was worried by the girl's complete aversion to social situations outside of the family, as well as the lengthy list of detentions she'd wracked up.

"No-"

"Did you say beach?" The door flew open as Seth and Jackson flew inside. They were covered in dirt and tree branches, having spent the last few hours repairing the old treehouse. Ryder remembered it clearly from the first time she ever visited. At age 7 she had looked at it like it was a castle. Now a days, it looked more like an abandoned birds nest.

"Beach, Beach, Beach!" Jackson crowed, jumping around enthusiastically. He bumped into Violet, who let out a screech as he knocked her crayon out of her hand.

"Jackson!!" She cried angrily, staring down at the red steak that now marred her drawing. "You're the worst!"

"Apologize to your sister." Ryder didn't look up from her drawing.

"Sorry Vi." Jackson smiled, not sorry what so ever. He looked down at her ruined picture thoughtfully. "Kinda looks better like that-"

"Ahhh!" Violet let out a war cry, launching herself at her little brother. The two rolled around the ground, locked in a death defying battle. Ryder didn't bat an aye, nodding over to Seth. He ran over, grabbing hold of Violet before she clawed her brothers face off.

"Oh, Seth!" Violet stopped wriggling, instead latching onto her cousin like a monkey. "Wow you're getting muscly."

"Oh my god." Seth blushed bright red as the rest of the family erupted into laughter. Ryder dropped her crayons, wiping away tears that had formed in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"Violet, you-" Leah giggled. "I- wow."

"What?" Violet looked around innocently. When she received no answer, she rolled her eyes sassily. "Well, quit dilly dallying lets go to the beach!"

Sue shook her head in amusement as the kids hurried off to change, sharing nudges and jokes. It warmed her heart to see them so happy. "You coming, Sue?" Ryder stuck her head out from her room, already clad in a royal blue bikini she had saved up for earlier in the summer.