My Little Star

I skipped aross the street to my new big white house. I didn't mind it so much, although the large ugly moving truck in the driveway kind of obstructed the 'I'm a pretty house' image it had going on. My mother, my younger brother and I arrived last night, and had to deal with what we had packed in the car for the night because the moving truck that was following us had engine issues and had to stop, so it didn't get here until this morning.

And although the truck was large and ugly, I couldn't help but run over and throw my arms around the back of it. "Oh sweet furniture! I am never traveling without you again!"

You see, because we had no furniture, we had to sleep on the cold hard floor in a big empty house. Lets just say I did not get a very good night sleep.

When I was done sexually harrassing the truck, I made my way up the pathway of my house, raising my eyebrow when I didn't see my mom's car anywhere. The door was locked, so I pulled the extra key out of my front pocket and opened the door, stepping around a side table that was placed haphazardly in the front hallway.

I felt like I had just walked into a funhouse. There was literaly furniture everywhere, all of it out of place, as if was just pushed lazily into the living room. Once I got passed the side table in the hallway I was faced with the obstical of crossing the living room. I crawled under what was supossed to be the dining room table and climbed over a large black couch, squeezing between boxes of picture frames and a dresser that was supossed to be in my bedroom until I finally got to the kitchen.

I sighed in relief and eyed a bright pink sticky note that was stuck to the wall next to me. I peeled it from the pale blue wall and read it over, rolling my eyes as i did.

Stella,
I ran out to get some things for the kitchen, Austin was sleeping when I left and I didn't want to wake him, so do me a favor and check on him. It's 2:50 now, and I shouldn't be too long. Try getting a headstart on unpacking. If you need anything just call me. Love you!
~Mom

When I glanced at the clock it read 2:56. I sighed and placed the note on the counter, manuvering my way to the stairs. I was more than pleased to see that they were free of clutter; if they were'nt I most likey would have fallen to my death. Once I was up the stairs, I went into the first door on the right, smiling when I saw the ducky wall paper.

Austin's room was pretty much all orginized, aside from a few boxes in the corner with his books and toys in them. His wooden crib was on the far side of the room, pushed up against the window. My brother smiled when he saw me, standing in his crib and clutching his stuffed pig by its neck as he bounced happily.

I giggled and pulled him from his crib placing his on the floor and sitting down next to him. We played for about a half hour, and I was begining to wonder where my mom was when the doorball rang.

I lifted Austin up and placed him on my hip, making my way downstairs. When I got to the living room I bit my lip, my hand fiddling with the golden locket that hung from a chain around my neck. I was debating whether or not I should even try to get to the front door. "Um....Come in, the door's open!" I yelled, deciding not to venture into the jungle of furniture while holding a toddler.

I heard the door open and from across the living room I saw Paul's head poke out from the hallway uncertainly. He smiled when he saw me and then his eyes widened when they landed on the sea of furniture in front of him.

"Wow." He mumbled before I heard an echo of voices behind him, asking him what was up.

I tilted my head to the side, slightly curious as Paul turned his head back to whoever was behind him and said something that I couldn't hear.

The first thing he did was hold up my bag with one arm so I could see it before placing it on a hook in the hall.

I thanked him with a smile and he turned back to me with his own crooked smile, taking another step forward, and allowing a group of very handsome, very tanned and very shirtess guys to enter the house as well. "Well, we were going to ask if you wanted to hang out...But we could help you with this situation instead, if you want." He grinned, motioning dramatically with his arms to the mess in front of him.

I smiled in agreement just as Austin screamed, probably begging for attention from these new strangers. Paul's eyes landed on the baby for the first time and he raised an eyebrow.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "You guys can come in. I mean, if you can even get in. This is my brother, Austin."

Paul smiled at me and the group of boys all noisily found a way to get across the living room, only knocking a few pieces of furniture over in the process. The smallest of the boys quite literally fell through the kitchen door after he tripped over a fallen lamp. I stiffled my own giggle as the other guys openly laughed at their friend. He pouted at them as Paul stepped forward to stand next to me.

"Guys, this is Stella." He shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned over at me before continuing. "Thats, Jared, Embry, Jacob and Seth." He nodded to each boy and I gave them all a warm smile.

"Do you all live around here?" I asked, shifting the boy on my hip.

Embry was the one to answer me from where he was standing, leaning against the counter with a friendly smile. "Yeah, we all live relatively close. Walking distance."

"That's awesome!" I smiled excitedly, earning a few chuckles.

"So what are we doing about that...interesting setup you've got going on in there?" The one named Jacob asked with a smirk, eyeing the doorway to the living room cautiously.

I shrugged a shoulder. "I dunno. I guess we'll just put stuff wherever we want to put it. As long as it won't put my life in as much danger as it does in there." I made a face toward the entrance to the living room and Paul laughed shaking his head at me.

"I think we can handle that." The boys all dispursed and I excused myself to bring Austin upstairs, as he was now nodding off on my shoulder; Probably because I interupted his nap.

I placed Austin down and pulled a blanket over him before making my way back downstairs. As I was walking in the living room Jared and Jacob were lifting my dresser like it was nothing but an empty cardboard box.

"Where is this going?" Jared asked, stopping causually like he wasn't carrying anything.

"Upstairs, last door on the left." I answered, eyeing them skeptically.

I shook my head, brushing it off. They were growing teenage boys. Growing teenage boys could lift heavy furniture like it was their job. Right?

I smiled at Seth as he walked over with a box of picture frames.

"You can just put those on the kitchen counter. I'll take care of them." I told him, glancing over at Paul for a split second.

Seth smiled with a shrug as he walked passed me. "You got it boss."

I chuckled and walked over to Paul, plopping down on a couch he was trying to move.

He laughed and glared at me playfully before smirking a cocky smirk and pushing the couch back with ease, like I wasn't even sitting on it. What was with these boys?

Paul laughed at the look on my face and plopped down next to me after he had the couch pushed up against the wall.

I laughed shaking my head and pushing his shoulder playfully. "Show-off." I muttered.

He smiled innocently and my heart sped up at the glint in his chocolate colored eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah yeah." I waved a hand at him and stood up. "Now get to work slacker." I teased, sticking my tongue out at him as I skipped into the kitchen. I heard his booming laugh just as I passed by Seth, who seemed generally suprised at the noise. He smiled at me as he passed and I walked over to the box of picture frames.

A lot of the pictures were of me, my best friend Kelly, and my cousin Ryan. Ryan was a year older than both of us, but he was our best friend, and we were his. I smiled at the black and white picture of the three of us holding hands and juming off a wooden dock outlooking a lake. It was taken during the summer when we were little, the year my Papa took us all camping. I missed them so much already, and I hadn't even been gone for a full forty eight hours.

I jumped when I felt a hand land on my shoulder, and it was then that I realized I was crying. I quickly wiped my tears away and turned around, embarassed with myself and trying not to make eye contact with Paul, who was looking at me with concerned eyes.

Once I was composed I sniffed and smiled up at him. "Hi."

He chuckled softly, a grin on his face but the concern never leaving. "Hi. Are you okay Stella?"

I smiled at him. "Yeah, fine. Just a little home sick is all."

He smiled the crooked smile that I was begining to love. "Well don't worry. I'm sure you'll like it here, once you get used to it."

I bit my lip and grinned up at him and his chocolate eyes. "I think I already like it."

No, I think I already love it.