Animal Attraction

And so we’re back from where I started. I realized what had happened. I slept with my enemy. I didn’t go with the intention of losing my virginity. No, but I didn’t regret it. Sure, Paul was an asshole and what he had done to me in the past… he kind of made up. I was still going to give him hell for all of his wrongs, but everyone deserved a break and I planned to give Paul a break. I needed a break too because fighting what was inevitable was really hard. But I did have to go home. Paul fell right back to sleep and I was able to crawl out of his bed and put my clothes back on. I walked out of his room and out of his house. Jared was outside in his porch.

He looked up as he saw me.

“What happened?” he asked.

I smirked. “What didn’t happen.”

Jared made a face. “Ew, I didn’t need to know that. So, I guess, you two are freaking finally together?”

I shrugged. “I guess… we’re going on a date tomorrow.”

“Hmm, you had sex before your first date… I guess in my world it shouldn’t be surprising,” Jared said. “You need a ride home?”

I nodded. We got inside of his car and he drove me back home.

“Well, I’m off to my death, wish me luck!” I said as I got out.

“Good luck!” Jared called out.

I flicked him off as he drove off. I opened the door and I saw Landon quickly make his way to me. Relief washed over his face, but then it turned into anger.

“You sneaked off in the middle of the night?” he growled.

“Dude… relax,” I said with my hands up and he saw my wrist. “It was nothing, okay?”

“What happened to you?” he said as he checked it.

I took my wrist back. “I cut it when I was cutting cucumbers for the facial mask me and Alice was making.” I lied quickly.

“How did you manage to cut your wrist instead of your finger?” Angie asked from the bottom of the stairs.

I wanted to say ‘The same way you managed to get that ugly face’, but I didn’t.

“I wasn’t paying attention and I ran the knife just a bit over my wrist like so,” I gestured with my hands. “Edward was making funny faces, so that got me distracted.”

“Why didn’t you just ask for permission?” Maggie asked.

“It was late and I totally forgot about it until Alice texted me,” I said. “I guess my mom called and told you about it.”

Landon nodded. “And Angie informed us when she woke up and didn’t find out in bed.”

“You’re a heavy sleeper, Angie, I practically was knocked over when I stepped on you,” I smirked and walked past her.

“Young lady, we are not done discussing this matter, you are grounded,” Landon said with a serious face.

I laughed. I laughed like I had done when Paul first told me I was his imprint. “Yeah, right, Landon, cause you have that authority over me.” I said sarcastically.

“I am your father,” he huffed.

“Landon,” Maggie warned him.

But it was too late.

“You are NOT my father, okay? A father is there for his children and you were only there for two out of the three. Money doesn’t replace a father figure. You weren‘t there when I thought there was monsters in my closer and under my bed, or when I first walked, talked, and lost my first tooth. You didn’t taught me how to ride a bike or to do anything a father is supposed to do. Like attend the annual father-daughter fair!” I spat and ran up the rest of the stairs.

Landon didn’t follow me and I was happy he didn’t. I walked inside of my room and I found some presents on my bed. I walked over to them and saw my name on a little card. I took it out and read it.

Happy late birthday from 1-17th
Love, Dad.

I chewed on my lower lip and closed my eyes. I opened it. There was a new shirt, jeans, shoes, and another box. The shirt was a Vengeance University shirt that was sold out online. The jeans didn’t look worn out or stained. Brand new converse. It made the ones I was wearing look like the new ones threw it up. The other box was a cell phone. An I-Phone to be exact and I opened it and took it. It was already charged and everything.

It was pretty cool.

The door opened and I turned around and saw Landon with a solemn look on his face.

“I didn’t want to just send you money, Erin, I swear… my parents… they were hard and didn’t understand,” he said and looked what I was holding. “I know your birthday already passed. I have seventeen more to give you for each birthday I missed.”

“This is very thoughtful, Landon,” I said. “But you can’t buy me with presents.”

“I’m not… I’m trying to make up for how I fucked up real bad,” he said.

“Are you saying I have grandparents?” I asked. “My mom’s parents died when I was young. So, it’s been her and I for a really long time.”

“Yes, you have grandparents who are Lords in England,” he said.

“They know about me?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Why… didn’t they come?” I asked slowly.

Landon sighed and looked at me sadly.

“They… are difficult,” he said in a light chuckle. “Well, my mother is.”

“They don’t want your people to know they have an illegitimate grand-daughter,” I said.

“It’s not you, Erin,” he said quickly.

“I’m pretty sure it’s me, Landon,” I laughed. “It’s okay. I have all that I need right here in La Push.”

“Did your mother tell you about my proposal?”

“Wow, you use fancy words,” I muttered. “And yeah, she told me… but I don’t want to.”

He was hurt. “Why not?”

“Like I said, I have everything I need right here in La Push. I have my mom, my friend, and now… my boyfriend,” I said.

“You have a boyfriend now?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Okay… I can’t ask you to just leave everything, we’ll just make the best of the rest of the summer,” he said with a smile.

“I’m kind of sorry for what I said down there,” I said.

“Kind of?” he raised an eyebrow.

“It was true so I’m kind of sorry,” I said bluntly.

“And you were right on the spot… I shouldn’t expect you to be so obedient when I haven’t been in your life…ever,” he said.

“Yeah, but if you put in a good word with my mom I might not be as upfront as I was earlier,” I said and he nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “My dad would’ve loved you,” Landon smiled. “He didn’t want me to… ignore you, I guess, but my mother always had the final word.”

I chuckled. “So does my mom.”

Landon chuckled too. “Very true, I remember it was your mother who kissed me first and then… I was hooked for good.”

The way he said it was like he was still in love with her.

I ignored it. Again.

“Thanks for the phone, it’s the best!” I said excitedly.

“It’s still your same number and everything. Don’t worry about the bill, I’m going to be paying it,” he said.

“Thanks so much,” I said.

“It’s the very least I could do, when do I get to meet your boyfriend?” he asked.

“Uh, probably tomorrow, he said he was coming by tomorrow to take me out on a date,” I said with a dorky grin on my face.

“He makes you happy, I can tell,” he said.

“Is it obvious?” I asked and giggled a bit.

He nodded. “Oh, yes.”

“Crap,” I muttered discouraged.

My mom came home from work late so by the time she was home I was already asleep. I woke the next morning to my mother shaking me. We went to the kitchen and then she blew off steam about how irresponsible I was. Honestly, what did she expect? For years I’ve had freedom and pretty much done anything I wanted when she was at work. I only got caught because Carlisle Cullen called her and Angie was there too. It surprised me how she was surprised when I got in trouble. I had been on my own ever since I could remember. I made myself food and cleaned and when I was old enough to go out with ‘friends’ I did go out.

When she was done she took a deep breath.

“If this happens again, Erin, I will make your father take you to London,” My mom said.

I gasped. “You wouldn’t,” I said all dramatic.

My mother placed her hands on her hips and held her chin high. “Just try me, Erin Patrice Stone.”

I bit my tongue and just glared at her.

“Paul is coming over to… pick me up on a date, can I go out?” I asked.

“Paul? What Paul?” she asked with a smile that told me she already knew.

I laughed dryly. “You know who… we’re together, I guess.”

“Has he asked you?” she asked.

I shook my head. “But it’s unspoken, sort of.”

Having sex means you’re together, right? Yeah.

“Paul Parker, I knew you two would get together,” my mom said. “I’m happy you’re finally settling down, dear, so I am making this exception. He’s going to have to talk to your father.”

“Whatever,” I said. “Don’t you have to get to work?”

She narrowed her eyes. “And you?”

“Nope,” I said and popped my P. “It’s Monday and Mr. Markey told me not to go in because he‘s not opening the store because he’s going somewhere .”

My mom smiled and hugged me. I was wearing a huge sweater so she couldn’t see my wrist and I didn’t plan on letting her see it.

“You’re my everything, you know that?”

“Yeah, mom, I love you too,” I said.

She pecked my cheek. “Take care.”

She walked out of the kitchen and out of the house. Sean woke up twenty minutes later when I was eating my cereal. He walked over to the fridge and took out the milk and picked the same cereal as me and poured himself some of it. We ate in silence for a while until he spoke.

“So…” he said as he ate. “Big date with Paul.”

I glared. “You were awake?”

He chuckled. “I’m still not used to this time.”

“Yeah, so what?” I asked.

“Well as your big brot--”

“Big? I’m older than you by… when’s your birthday?”

“June,” he said.

“Ha! Mine is May so that makes me the oldest, suck on that!” I exclaimed.

He chuckled again only longer so it turned into a laugh. “God, the way you Americans speak is incredible. It’s like another language.”

“I would say the same thing British Boy,” I said bitterly. “Don’t make fun of my accent when you have one too.”

“But American girls find it sexy,” he smirked.

I scoffed. “French accents are better because they are sexier, so ha! Even Russian accents are better.”

“My mates would find you peculiar,” Sean laughed.

“Well, I’m happy I’d never get to meet your mates because to be truthful when you say mates it makes me think you’re gay. Not to offend your people but… I’m used to hearing friends because it sounds more… friendly,” I said.

“Yeah, that wasn’t offensive at all,” Sean said sarcastically.

“Damn it, I screwed up, sorry. Sometimes I say things without thinking,” I said. “And I take some of my anger on other people.”

“Are you apologizing?” he grinned.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

We both laughed.

“This is nice, Erin, I thought you would always be a prissy bitch, but now I see you’re just hurt by everything that happened,” Sean said, condescendingly. “My grandmother is the reason why no one ever knew about you. My… our father is at fault too, but he was pressured. Give the old man a break, that’s how you Americans say it, right?”

I laughed and nodded. “Yeah, it’s just kind of weird… to really know him. All of my life I wondered how he would be like and for the last three or five years I’ve… hated him. I blamed him for all the wrongs in my life.”

“But now everything is better, right?” Sean said.

“Yeah,” I smiled. “Everything is better.”