J X K

Fiver

Kim's POV

"Should I ask out Jacob Black?" I take a much needed break from my homework spread out on the kitchen table in a heap of highlighters and papers. I've been busy rereading the same question for the last ten minutes.

"You should ask that nice Ateara boy. His grandfather Quil Senior made sure he is a nice boy." My dad nods along as he peels some potatoes in pretty twirls.

"Should I ask out that Lahote boy?"

"Oh, god no. He's nothing but trouble. Do I need to tell your mom?" My dad nearly drops the knife in shock, needing to pull at his collar.

"Tell mom what?" My mom walks through the front door, kicking off her work boots caked in dry mud, while letting down her long brown hair from her dust covered hardhat. Mom's job at the lumberyard pays for a lot of the nice things we have, but even with Dad's part time job as a cook at the local diner—The Lodge—is another good reason why I have to be a straight A student.

"Kimberly wants to ask out the Lahote boy." My dad immediately gives me away. "The one who keeps picking fights at the school, then gets suspended all the time."

"Kim, please don't tell me you're going through a bad boy phase." She sighs, dropping down in a kitchen chair next to me to rub her sore feet.

"Does this mean you're over Jared Cameron?" My dad knows I'm not boy crazy, but he's fully aware of how big my crush is for Jared Cameron since I was six. Now I know why I'm stuck on my homework, I'm still in disbelief that Jared asked me out of nowhere, really can't believe.

"Yes," I answer too quickly. "Er...no." I try again, earning a bored look from my parents.

"Do you like the Lahote boy?" My mom rolls her eyes.

"No, the Ateara boy." My dad corrects. "Wait no, Kim do you like Billy's boy?" I've had such a massive crush on Jared for so long it honestly sounds out of the usual for me to like any one else.

"No." I shrug. "What if I don't like them or anybody else?"

"You'll like plenty of guys." My dad gives me a sympathetic look.

"What if I don't? What if I'm only interested in Jared Cameron?" I can't tell whether I'm asking if I'll die alone or if I'm just going through the weirdest school girl crush phase.

"You don't have to like every boy. You can simply be attracted, because not every guy is Prince Charming , and you're not going to love him." Him being... the one or just a casual flirtation. My mom's words feel like a comforting hand caressing my head, resting assure whatever was bothering me.

Later

The school is quiet on the weekends, so quiet that you almost miss the ruckus of slamming lockers and loud teenagers. Saturday mornings at the school are for detention, a few extracurriculars like sports and whatever the teachers do.

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I cut across the empty parking lot, my free hand going to adjust my heavy, overstuffed backpack that I could barely zip shut this morning. It's too early for my PSAT study group, the sky is still cloudy and dark, with the morning still a bit chilly before summer hits La Push full force.

Before heading into the school I take a second to yawn, then do a double take to make sure I'm not wearing my slippers, just in case. The building is dark, all the fluorescent lights turned off to lower the electricity bill or another good reason. The school holds detention at 7am sharp to really punish the kids, my PSATs study group gathers barely an hour later.