PERPETUALLY {SETH C.} [3]

prologue (1)

I was never very good about staying out of the shadows. Blame it on being the little sister of miss perfect, or the fact that any number of people over two was too many at once. Whatever the case, the shadows were my quiet place, my home.

Key word: were. 

The day the two pale faced Laraunt sisters showed up on the res, my days of living unnoticed dramatically shifted.

"Neens, are you paying attention to me?" Altia Ateara groans at me from across the booth of the shambling diner.

Her dark hair is as straight as it can be, and she flicks it wistfully over her shoulder with a sigh. We're supposed to be talking about graduation that looms ahead of a few of our friends, but my mind won't focus on more than the slow buzz of people that fill the cramped space.

"Sorry Altie." I shrug, trying to figure out what point we're at in our conversation.

"Quil got invited to the Cullen's graduation party. Which means I have to go, which means so do you." Her smug look does nothing but turn me off to the idea of a party.

"Wait, the Cullens invited Quil?" My nose furrows in confusion and speculation.

"Okay, well Bella did, she invited Jacob, Embry, Quil, and maybe Seth. I can't remember, but that's not the point." She shakes her head at me.

I raise my eyebrows subconsciously. I'm pretty sure from what Bella Swan has said, and done, over the past week, having Jacob Black show up at her party is the last thing she wants. I was shadowing at the hospital the night Edward brought her in to the hospital for Carlisle with a very broken hand. The bronze haired boy had looked to be out for blood.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I doubt Bella wants Jake to show up." I laugh.

"Well, do you think I want to be the one to tell him that? Quil says she's all he talks about. It's borderline repulsive." Altia giggles with me.

"Was her punch too subtle of a hint for him?" I roll my eyes.

The bell of the diner rings then, my eyes catch the deep golden hue of one Calina Laraunt as she flits gracefully to a booth in the back. Her sister, Allison, follows behind her with far less grace, shooting a smile at Emily Black who stands by the counter.

"Thank God the Sam squad isn't here." Altia jokes, watching Allison with curiosity.

I crinkle my nose in disgust, thinking about the way Paul Lahote follows the both of them. With Calina it's only somewhat strange, but with Allison it's like he's lost a grip on reality. It's odd seeing him like that.

I've always known him as the boy who could go from okay, to a flat out rage demon in less than a second. Seeing him with Allison is different. Maybe it's a good different, but to me its a gross different, and if I could spend the rest of my life away from that make out fest, I absolutely would.

I watch Calina curiously. Her deep amber eyes scan over the others in the diner with interest before they land on me once again. She shoots me a small smile before turning her attention back to her sister.

"Oh God." Altia groans as the door swings open again and two of the goon squad enter rambunctiously.

The taller of the two immediately finds Allison, as usual, with no grip on reality.

"Yep." I toss my napkin on the table "I've lost all my appetite. Lets go." 

We stand at our table, hopping out of the old vinyl booth quickly. Altie tosses some money down on the table as I go to grab our coats from the hanger in the corner.