Trouble // Paul Lahote [EDITING]

01.

"This shift blows." I sigh as I toss my apron across the front counter.
"Yeah, closing at a seven eleven, that's bottom line." Jacob responded, his apron following in a similar suit.
"At least we have jobs." he added with a smile. Alway Mr. Optimistic I mentally roll my eyes.
"Yeah, how'd you manage that?" I questioned him with a raised brow.
"What, you didn't have a job sophomore year?"
"Nah." I shook my head.
"What were you doing then?"
"Everything Portland had to offer, then getting dragged to this sad excuse for a town." I smirked.
"Oh yes, I forget you're a city girl."
"How? You don't see people dressed like this around Forks." I say gesturing to my outfit with a giggle.
"Eh, I just figured it was a white thing."
Jacob stumbled back, his comment  had earned him a shove. We laugh as we wrap up closing.
"Hey Ro," Jacob starts, causing me to look up into his big brown eyes. "Do you know Bella?" he said scratching the back of his neck.
"Who?"
"Bella Swan... You know the bonfire this weekend? Well, I wanted her to come, but I don't know... I haven't seen her since you know and I don't want to be too forward."
"Sorry to kill your game, but we don't really run with the same crowd." Noticing his smile weaken I add, "Don't let that hold you back. Go for it."
"I don't know her dad said she's still caught up on her ex."
"Ew. Not worth your time then. Hurry up with those counters, I want to go home and eat!"

Jacob handed me the keys to lock up as we stepped into the cool night. A light drizzle had started to fall. A typical Washington night. 
"Goodnight Rose." Jacob yelled from besides his dad's truck.
"Night Jake." I yelled back climbing into my beat up outback. I rolled down the windows a I made my way home. The misty Washington air swirling around my face letting my mind wander. It was Friday night and I had no plans. If I was still in Portland I would have something to do. A show, a party, or something, but no not here. Dang Forks and it's lack of culture. At least I have the bonfire tomorrow.
I was pulled into reality by the bumping of gravel under my tires. I look up as I pulled into my driveway. The old white house on the boarder of Forks and La Push was my makeshift home. The place where my mom shipped me off six months ago. I sigh and get out of the car and open the front door. I am immediately hit with the smell of some sort of spicy food.
"Home!" I called out to my cousin laying my keys and bag down with a thump.
I hear her foot steps descend down the stairs. Prairie's face came into view as she tied her hair into a neat bun. Her rusted skin pulled into a smile.
"I'm on shift tonight," she explains as I take in her scrubs.
"So I probably won't see you till tomorrow night. There is soup on the counter from Sue, Leah says hi by the way."
"Hi Leah," I add monotoned.
"And there should be breakfast stuff in the cabinets so eat," she explained quickly in a noticed hurry.
"Oh and no drinking tomorrow. Okay?"
I nodded in response. Prairie gave me her goodbye and heading to her shift. I signed and slumped down on the kitchen chair. Once again stuck with the realization of no plans. So I was left there alone in that old house creaking house. The ring of the phone starling me. I walk over to it and picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey baby." my mother's voice sounded.
My chest tightened.
"How are you doing?" she continued.
"Uh, fine." I replied sharply.
"How are things in Washington?"
"Okay."
"School?"
"As interesting as ever."
"Listen here! Stop that tone right away! You did this to yourself! You have no right to at like a victim! You're going to wake up one day and be all alone you know that! And ..."
I hung up the phone with shaking hands. I didn't need this shit. That was how my mother was. Call me when she feels guilty and wants to feel like a mom. At the end of the day she hated me. As two sided as usual. I let out a sigh and placed my head against the wall attempting to soothe my breathing. She always made me anxious. I was spiraling and needed company and a cigarette, bad. So I call the only person knew to.
"Hey Jared you busy..."

- - - -

"She really pisses me off."
"Really, pisses you off. Ha! Yeah, I know the feeling." I replied with a laugh. Jared's truck zoomed through the winding roads of La Push. The windows were down and the cold air roared around us; filling the space of words.
"Thanks man." I say turning to look at him.
"For what."
"For dealing with me." I say looking down and shifting my feet on my board beneath me.
"No problem. Hey, think about it like this, I get a skate and some company out of it."
I look at him and laugh. That's how Jared and I were, content with each other. Too calm for our own good and too hardheaded. He's a good guy. He got Jacob his job, somehow, and had been my friend since I was forced into this town. He felt the same as me, trapped. Trapped at home, by his family, by school, by Washington, and by his little gang.
It was an unspoken rule not to mention Sam Uley. It was a secret he had never shared with me and I never asked. But, I grew up in the city, I knew gangs when I saw them. And the rumors confirmed it. I rarely saw them together, but Jared was alive and well; which was good enough for me.
"Hey are you goin' to this bonfire tomorrow?" I inquired.
"Yeah, I'll be there. So will some of my friends."
I hummed in response.
"I won't bother you."
"Yeah, thanks." He responded flatly.
This is how it went down. Friends for now, but in the end he belonged to Sam. I couldn't change that.
He finally pulled over at an old parking lot. I slipped out of the truck and pulled my board to me. We skated and laughed for a while, like it used to be most nights. Content with the wind, the cold, our boards, and each others company.
The ring of his phone ruined the mood. Something that used to always happen that I'd forgotten about. I hadn't seen Jared in a while.
"Hello? Yeah sure. Like 15. Yes. No I've got it. Yeah, bye."
He put the phone down and looked at me. Dang gang I thought.
"Yeah, I've got to..." he started before I cut him off.
"Yeah yeah I know."
"Alright I'll take you home."
"No, it's fine I'll skate home."
"I don't mind."
"No really it's all good" I cut him off harshly.
I grab my board and ran then placed it on the ground getting on.  I heard Jared walk away and a wolf howl sound near where he was standing. Just like it used to. Don't ask don't tell, I remember him telling me a year ago when we first hung out. The same thing happened and I gave him a questioning look. His second life had remained a mystery to me ever sense.
I pick up my board as I reach Prairie's house. I unlocked the door and walk through the living room to my makeshift room. I put my board under my bed in the old office. I decided to continue my tradition of after night skating. Shower, food, and a movie.
I pulled on a big crewneck over my clean skin as a crappy tv show played in the background on my laptop. I shoved Sue's spicy soup in my mouth as I attempted to pay attention. My mind was foggy, it was late. When my food was done I slammed my laptop shut and laid down. Another day had come to a close. Another day in Forks. I never thought I would think that for this long. Six months ago, when my mother sent me to this poor excuse of a town, I thought it would be temporary. A few mouths maybe. No, here I still was in what seemed permanent, or at least till graduation. Here I was, still sleeping in my cousins house. In a room that no longer look like the office it once was, but now my room. I had a job. A couple of friends at school and Jake and Jared. I had roots here. That thought made me shutter. I turned over and decided to get some sleep. I had plans tomorrow after all. And so sleep over took me.

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word count - 1508