Loving Sunday

Sunday and Kate sat at the small table with four mismatched chairs, each having a bowl of Lucky Charms. A small TV sat of the counter facing the table, reporting that the death toll had risen in Seattle.

Scooping up her last bite of cereal, Kate stood up and set her bowl and empty glass in the sink. Yawning, she turned back around and smiling kindly at her niece. Sunday met her eyes and returned the smile lazily. Kate rolled her eyes.

“I swear you look like your father with that pathetic excuse for a smile,” Kate muttered grabbing a mug from the dish strainer and filling it up with coffee. Sunday suddenly lost her appetite.

“Kate, if it’s okay with you, I think I’m going to head down to the beach and read,” Sunday said pushing back from the table and standing up. She placed her bowl in the sink while she waited for Kate’s reply.

Kate took a long sip of her coffee before answering.

“That’s fine; I’ve got to get some bills paid today. You go have fun, make some friends.” Kate said it as a tease, but underneath that she really meant it. She wanted Sunday to put down some roots in La Push and what better way to do that then to make friends. “Take a snack bar or something.”

“Okay, thanks.” Sunday went to her room and pulled on a jacket, grabbed her already filled up bag and left, grabbing a granola bar from the counter before walking out the door.

She passed the truck, the beach wasn’t that far and she could use the fresh air. Her head her was clouded with images of the man, Paul, she’d seen the other day at the book shop. His brown eyes, so filled with emotion, were boring holes into her brain.

When she reached the beach, Sunday found a large bolder and made herself comfortable on it. She pulled out one of her mothers old mystery novels and began to read it, closing herself from the rest of the world.

A little way down the beach, a couple sat on a beach towel, holding hands and discussing the latest pack gossip; Paul imprinting.

“I think it’s sweet,” Kim Connweller was saying, her head leaning against her boyfriends’ chest.

“Me, I feel sorry for the girl,” Jared Thail said, “she’s going to have to deal Paul for the rest of her life.”

“But Paul’s not going to treat her like he treats all of you,” Kim retorted sitting up and leaning away from Jared, but not disconnecting their hands. “If the imprint is like with me and you, he’ll become a pile of mush when he sees her.” Her eyes glowed as they met his.

“You know what, I think that’s what we’re all going to love seeing,” Jared laughed and pulled Kim closer to him.

“What does the girl he imprinted on look like?” Kim asked after a moment of comfortable silence.

“She’s got long brown hair, dark skin but not quileute skin, brown eyes and she’s really thin,” Jared answered. “I guess she’s pretty,” he finished with a shrug.

“Does she look anything like that girl over there?” Kim asked pointing to Sunday, perched on the bolder, engrossed in her book.

Jared followed the tip of her finger and studied the girl, comparing her with the girl Paul hadn’t stopped thinking about for two days.

“Actually Kim, I think that might be her. I don’t know for sure, but Paul said that Nana said that she was a new girl and I’ve never seen her around before.” They both studied the girl curiously, comparing her with Paul.

Feeling their eyes, Sunday looked up from her book and met Jared’s eyes. Yes, he confirmed to Kim, this was Paul’s imprint. Sunday watched as they openly oogled her. She felt suddenly shy and embarrassed, so she pulled the book in front of her eyes and ignored them.

Kim’s and Jared’s eyes met.

“Paul imprinted on a total hottie,” Kim was the first to speak. Jared rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. “What are you doing?” she asked suspiciously as he brought the phone to his ear.

“I’m calling the pack,” answered Jared, a smirk on his face. “This is an opportunity to see how Paul acts around his imprint; I’m not letting it pass.”