J X K

The Beach PT. 2

Jared's POV

"I hate this time of the month," Sam groans, dropping his head into his hands.

"Grocery list." Emily sighs next to him. The two are bent over the kitchen table staring down a blank sheet. Emily's kitchen is usually overflowing with food, but the usual bowls of fruit are bare, the cabinets are near empty besides baking soda, with the fridge and freezer completely depleted.

"With the way you two eat you should be paying rent." Sam glares across the table to Paul and I. Paul, who is in mid chew on the last apple and nearly chokes on it as he tries to retaliate with something snarky around it. He looks so stupid I end up laughing instead of helping him.

"You mean the way you all eat." Emily clarifies, arching a brow in challenge at Sam. He immediately subdues instead of his usual glower, ducking his head away and becoming something close to shy. "You're all blackholes. You eat faster than I can't put out."

"Em, you love it." I rock my chair back and forth on its hind legs, with my arms crossed behind my neck. "You said so yourself last week that you've been trying out new recipes on us. We're like your test kitchen."

"But where do you think that food comes from?" Sam growls. "It's not cheap."

"It's like buying wholesale." Emily tries not to frown, but I can tell it bothers her. We'd eat at our own houses more often, but Paul and I are here more than anywhere else. My parents don't know whose house I'm sleeping at or if I'm on patrol. Most nights they've been asleep for hours by the time I get home, so no one leaves a plate for me. Paul has it worse. He's basically been on his own for most of the year. His old man sends Paul money once a month, but he's long gone from the rez. He hardly comes back to check up on Paul, and when he does he doesn't go easy on Paul. Everyone on the rez knows when old man Lahote is back is when Paul starts walking around with shiny black and blues. Meanwhile Paul's mom is back in Tacoma, and that's three hours away. I don't even know if they're aware of Paul turning.

"Should we get a chicken coop?" Emily offers. I can easily picture Emily outside throwing feed and carefully picking eggs each morning in a big straw sunhat. She'd probably make us build it, and have Sam paint it pink. Emily loves her garden nearly as much as her kitchen.

"Paul will probably eat them all when he's a wolf." Sam groans, which makes both Emily and I double over with laughter. Paul just grumbles about how he wouldn't, but he doesn't sound convincing. When Paul turns he's all instinct. Sam and I are still trying to reach him when he's turned.

"It shouldn't be this hard to do the grocery shopping." Emily sighs, her shoulders getting stiff which causes Sam to reach over and rub her shoulders till she eases up.

"Let me ask Henry Clearwater if he has any fish. He'll give me a good price." Sam suggests, frowning from Emily being frustrated. Sam will probably buy Henry's entire cooler of fish.

"Fish? We can fish ourselves! We can catch leeches, we can catch fish or anything with just our teeth!" Chopping his teeth together playfully, Paul looks cocky as he gets to his feet, dragging me up along with him.

"Don't you dare bring me back a dead deer or a squirrel." Emily goes pale.

"Paul, don't do anything stupid. You can't draw attention to yourself." Sam warns, but Paul waves him off.