Animal Attraction

“Erin, wake up,” I heard Jared’s voice.

I groaned and turned away from his voice, “Go away!”

“You’re going to be late for work,” he whispered.

I groaned louder, “Damn it… why do I have a job again?”

“To get away from your dysfunctional family,” Jared answered correctly.

“Oh, give me a ride?” I asked.

“You bet, your mom dropped of clothes on her way to work,” Jared said.

I sat up from the bed. I furrowed my eyebrows.

“How did I get here?” I didn’t know what Paul did.

“Uh, I-uh brought you when you fell asleep,” Jared smiled nervously at me.

“Oh, thanks, Jar,” I threw the covers aside and stepped on the cold floor. I saw my pile of clothes on Jared’s desk so I took it and went to the bathroom.

I looked down at my clothes. At least I didn’t have to buy new shorts. I took my clothes off and stepped in the shower. I used his mom’s shampoo. I stepped out and dried myself and then changed into my clothes. When I was done with my hair I went to the kitchen and saw Jared’s mom.

“Good morning, Erin,” she greeted me cheerfully.

“Morning,” I smiled widely.

“First day of work you shouldn’t go on an empty stomach, take a seat,” she gestured.

I took the seat and she set a plate of food in front of me. I started to eat. In five minutes Jared joined me and he kept checking his watch.

“Kim’s back,” I didn’t question it because I already knew it.

“Yeah, she’s coming along with us, that okay?”

I nodded, “Of course she’s the only one I can stand from your group of friends.”

Jared smirked, “You and Paul were getting along just fine yesterday.”

I hardened my look and he just chuckled and continued to eat. His mom didn’t say anything and I was thankful she respected our conversation. I yawned and Jared laughed.

“How can you still be sleepy?”

“The same way you can eat non-stop,” I shot back. “Sorry, I’m grumpy.” I pouted my lips.

“I know that,” Jared said.

Two knocks were heard and Jared was out of his chair in less than a blink of an eye. I chuckled as I finished drinking my juice.

I’m so lucky Paul hasn’t found his imprint because then it would truly be impossible to win him. I thought, ah, I was so naïve and blind.

I heard kissing sounds and giggles.

“Not while I’m eating, please !” I yelled making sure they heard me.

Jared and Kim walked back in the kitchen and their faces were like Christmas lights. I rolled my eyes partially out of annoyance but mostly out of jealousy.

“Let’s go, I have to dust books and stuff,” I got up and followed Jared and Kim to Jared’s car.

As we got out so did Paul from his house. As always he was shirtless and wore just jeans. His hair was messy like he just got up. I imagined myself combing his soft looking black hair.

Someone clears their throat, it was Jared. I turned away from Paul and glared at Jared because he had a smile that I wanted to slap off.

“What?” I snapped.

“Nothing, let’s go,” he said.

We arrived at the book store on time. I walked through the door as Jared and Kim drove off. There was no one behind the counter.

“Hello?” I called out. “Mr. Markey?”

“Ellie?” Mr. Markey said.

“It’s Erin, not Ellie,” I muttered the last part to myself.

“Oh,” Mr. Markey walked out from between two shelves. “I didn’t think you would show up.”

I smiled, “Well, here I am… ready to… do something.”

Mr. Markey smiled as he pointed to his left and my eyes followed and I saw several towels and Pledge.

“Go slow today, just remove all of the books from each shelf and clean the books and the shelf and then put the books back, easy peasy,” he said. “It shouldn’t take you long… maybe a week or two.” He joked.

My mouth dropped a bit but I remembered it was better than staying with Thing One (Sean) and Thing Two (Angie) and the rest.

“How long do I have to stay?”

“As long as you want, if a customer comes in,” then he laughs to himself as if it was a joke if a customer would come, “then you will help them, got it, kid?”

I saluted him, “Loud and clear.”

“Then, I suggest you get started.”

I took out my MP3 and got started. I went to the back of the store. I would work my way up the store. I saw a ladder that would help me get to the top of the shelves. The first five shelves were easy. Five shelves was one section done but there was at least ten more sections to go.

After I finished the first section it was already twelve. Time just flew by. It sucked I had to go back home and face the music. I would have to explain to Landon why I took his car and why I didn’t go back home. Angie and Sean were going to have a field day with my mistake.

“Erin! Customer… yeah I’m surprised too!” Mr. Markey called out.

I set the towel down and the Pledge and walked to the front of the store. It was Paul and Embry, who looked like he didn’t want to be here. Both were wearing tank tops.

“You work here?” Paul asked and at the corner of my eye I saw Embry roll his eyes.

“No, I’m just doing community service because I killed someone,” My old self snapped.

Paul smirked just like Jared did except Paul’s was sexier.

“Wouldn’t it past you,” he muttered.

“What do you want?” I asked in a semi-polite tone because I saw Mr. Markey giving me the stink eye.

“A book, genius, what else?” Embry said.

I turned to him, “Was I talking to you egghead?”

“Erin, they’re customers… apologize,” Mr. Markey said.

I scoffed and Embry grinned, “The customer is always right.”

I could punch Embry but I didn’t, “My… uh…” It was like I had a rock in my throat, “apologies.”

“Apology… accepted,” Embry said. “So, man, are you getting that stupid book or not?” Embry spoke to Paul.

Paul had his eyes on me the entire time.

“I need a book on gardening, my mother suddenly wants to start one,” he said.

Without a word I turned and walked to the shelf I had been working on. It was all about gardening and the different types of flowers. I heard their heavy steps behind me.

“I see you’ve ditched the short shorts,” Paul’s hot breath startled me and I jumped a bit.

“Yeah, Daisy Duke just isn’t me,” I joked and Paul actually laughed a bit.

“Puke,” Embry muttered and I ignored it.

I got on the ladder and reached for a book to my left which was a bit farther than I thought and the ladder tilted but Paul stopped it. My heart raced fast because I had almost fallen over… certainly not because Paul just saved me.

“You need to be more careful,” his voice was stern. “You could’ve broken your neck or arm or--”

“Gee, don’t worry, dad, I’m all right,” I said and Paul looked away for a second and then snatched the book from my hands. “Not nice.”

He shrugged, “I’m not really known for that.”

“Go figure,” I mumbled.

“Huh?” He asked.

“Let’s go pay for that,” I smiled as I got down from the ladder. “The book is about everything your mom needs.”

I led them back to the front and Mr. Markey was more than happy to check them out. Paul and Embry walked out of the store.

“Such nice young men.”

I scoffed again and chuckled at the end of it, “Yeah right.”

Around five o’clock I was done. I was exhausted. Mr. Markey put me to sweep the store before closing it and it took me an hour to get everything right. I walked out of the store and saw Landon, he was by himself.

I walked over to him and gave him a small cheeky smile.

“Afternoon,” he said.

“Hey, Landon.”

“Came to pick you up,” he said.

I got inside of the car and he did too. He drove in silence. The radio made it less awkward… not really.

“I know it’s hard for you to accept what I brought on your shoulders, Erin,” he started. “It was wrong of me.”

“What are you talking about, Landon?” I asked.

“I know you don’t like that I’m paying more attention to my family than to you.”

The problem in that sentence was that he didn’t consider me his family but neither did I so I shouldn’t have had a problem with it but I did because I was his blood as well.

“I understand. Your kids require lots of attention and care,” I said.

“You’re my kid as well, Erin,” he said.

“Yeah,” I really wanted to yell in his face he was wrong but in order to win him he had to think I liked him. “I am, hey, why don’t we go get some ice cream?”

“Sure,” he said.

“Stop right here, there’s an awesome ice cream parlor two stores away,” I said.

He parked the car and we both got out. The ice cream parlor was full but it didn’t matter. We waited in line.

“Tell me more about you and Jared. Are you two an item?” He asked.

I laughed and shook my head, “No, he has a girlfriend he’s really committed to.”

“Who else is your friend? I’ve only seen Jared… and that other boy… what was his name?”

“Paul,” I said. “But, he’s not my friend. We’re enemies.”

“He didn’t look at you like he was your enemy?”

I didn’t know what that meant so I let it slide.

“Well, he is. He has made my life a hell for the past ten or so years,” I nodded and twisted a smile to the side. “Can I ask a question now?”

He nods.

“How did you meet my mom? She has never told me that story,” I said this was the second phase.

Share personal stories and I went straight to the core which was how my parents met.

“Well,” Landon started, “it was at one of the bonfires La Push holds. I had a friend who used to live here and he invited me and that’s where I first saw your mother. She was so beautiful, especially because of the way the fire light hit her face and it made her look like an angel.”

Okay, if I didn’t know any better I would’ve said that Landon still had a thing for my mom… which is good that I do know better because that would suck so much.

Not only was this man married with two kids but he broke my mother’s heart. I remembered when I was a lot smaller my mom would always cry around my birthday because I would always wish for my father to come.

He better not mess things up because they were already messed up.

“Erin!” Someone called out.

I turned around from the island counter Landon and I were sitting at and saw Brock and two other old friends. There was Kris and Donnie and they aren’t exactly the kind of guys La Push or Forks are used to. They wear black clothes, skinny jeans and have lip rings and piercing.

“Hey, Brock, Kris, Donnie,” I said with a smile.

I saw as Landon had a look on his face that said he wasn’t pleased with the kind of friends I had.

“I thought you were grounded for that car you stole,” Brock laughed.

My eyes widened and I cleared my throat and looked at Landon, “I didn’t steal it… I borrowed it… without permission,” I mumbled the last part. “Guys meet Landon he’s the reason I’m here.” I didn’t know how else to put it.

Brock, Kris and Donnie looked from me to Landon.

“I’m the owner of that car she borrowed without permission,” Landon joked.

Brock, Kris and Donnie widened their eyes like I had and had flushed faces.

“Oh… you’re her dad,” Brock chuckled nervously. “Nice to finally meet you sir, heard somewhat about you.”

“Good things?” Landon asked which I think it was in a joking matter but Brock wasn’t exactly using his brain that day.

“No, not really, sir… gotta go, see you later, Erin.”

Now I had to clean this mess up. Fudgers.