RELIANCE [Alice + Oc + Jasper]

CHAPTER SEVEN

WEDNESDAY

SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2004

FORKS, WASHINGTON

.....

                Driving with her sister-in-law, Caroline, always felt like she was in a race car speeding for the finish line before the timer went off.

The twenty-two-year-old woman was an absolute leadfoot whenever she got behind the wheel of any poor car that had to be driven by her. And it didn't help with the constant shrieks of laughter coming from her son, Lorraine's year-old nephew, Carson. (Aptly named for the love his mother held for driving.)

So, when the dark skinned woman whipped her 2004 Toyota Camry into the school's parking lot with a need for speed. Lorraine was in quite a hurry to scramble out of the passenger seat and onto the safety of the wet concrete below her as she hobbled away with a prayer leaving her lips, while behind her, the elder woman cried out a "have a great day at school" before yanking the car into drive and drifting off onto the road, leaving a cloud of smoke in her place.

Lorraine pale complexion seemed far paler to the peering gazes of the Forks High student body. Their analyzing eyes taking in the crutches she had wedged beneath her armpits and the slightly wrinkled outfit that she'd thrown on in the earliest of morning; a pair of dark navy-blue colored khaki shorts rested on her lower frame and with it she wore a black tank top under a darker blue flannel that had been tossed at her by a hurrying Oliver.

The outfit wasn't one she'd wear to school on a normal day-to-day basis. But with the very much noticeable external fixator bar holding her newly implanted patella in place around her knee. There were barely any choices for her to wear in the first place.

"Lory?!" The sudden shout drew said girl's attention to a beaming teenaged boy with inky-black locks of hair curving his oval shaped face. His square-thinly framed glasses were speckled with splashes of raindrops. But it did nothing to deter the monolid eyed boy from meeting her surprised downturned ones.

"You're back!"

His lanky form sidled up to her as she ascended the stairs slowly.

"My parents told me that your dad said you might possibly be returning to school soon, but they didn't say when. So, I was pretty worried." His rapid paced words fell quiet. "But firstly. How're you doing?"

Ethan, as that was his name, was the elder brother of Eric Yorkie.

He was an overall energetic and charismatic person with a big heart. And unlike his younger sibling, he knew when to push the buttons of those around him and when to not press for answers – which is something the now sixteen-year-old knows nothing about as he is absolutely fascinated with being a reporter for the school.

Both Lorraine and Ethan met on the playground in their second grade of Elementary school, which consisted of them arguing over who got to climb the rock wall first. But their stubbornness gave way to a close friendship as they realized they were alike in their love for anything athletic and for the chosen academics in welding, whenever Coach Clapp allowed them to scurry on off to the carpenters/welding building off campus.

Lorraine had seen him when he'd come to visit her while she was in the hospital and during her first few days of bedrest. But with him having work and attending school, both hadn't seen each other for some time. It did her some good to see the kind boy again, after missing his friendly smile while she had been gone. So, she simply reached over and wrapped an arm around his waist, giving him a squeeze before releasing his stunned features.

"Missed you too, Yorkie," her voice was husky with emotion as she gifted him with a tender smile and eased back to meet his rounded eyes. "And I am doing better. Just got a couple more months left before they remove the bar completely, is all. Dad thinks it's because I've been resting a lot."