❝ slow down, you crazy child
you're so ambitious for a juvenile
but then if you're so smart, then tell me
why are you still so afraid? ❞
in which the smart-ass with mommy issues sparks the interest of a short-tempered werewolf.
ELISE STUTFIELD STAND...
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FIVE. MY MOTHER LOVES EVERYBODY BUT ME
"Girls, say hello to our new friend, Eli!" Otto held his arms out, presenting the half-Quileute teen to his friends. Mike grinned, ruffling Eli's hair, and she swatted him away, looking forward at the two strangers before her. One was tall with dark hair and glasses, the other was slightly shorter with a light brown ponytail and a thick scarf around her face. "Eli, this is Angela, and this is Jessica."
"Hey, nice to meet you," Angela smiled warmly, stepping forward to give Eli a friendly embrace. Jessica didn't do the same, she only waved a gloved hand in her direction. "Mike said you all met at the diner?"
"Yeah, they came and sat with me," Eli responded, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "They don't look like creeps, so I thought what the hell and tagged along. I hope that's okay."
"More than okay," Angela assured her, but Jessica didn't say anything. Eli couldn't see her lips behind the scarf, so she decided not to think about whatever expression the young girl had. "Have you just moved here?"
"Moved back," Eli accepted the conversation invitation, falling into step with the spectacled girl as they walked into the cinema. "I used to live here, but my parents divorced so I moved to Portland with my dad. I was born in the Reservation."
"I love that part of town," Angela grinned, digging around in her pockets for a ten dollar note to buy her ticket. "We go to La Push beach sometimes; the guys and Jess like surfing. Eric's part of the group, he just couldn't make it tonight. Something about a prom playlist. Do you have prom at your school?"
"It's been and gone," Eli replied as she handed over her cash to the employee, who exchanged it with a small piece of paper with the movie name printed on it. "I skipped it, but I don't mind. I had my prom at my old school, so it's not like I missed out on a whole lot."
"Yeah, ours is a little bit later than everyone else, which sucks," Jessica finally piped up, causing Eli and Angela to turn around. She'd finally taken her scarf off to reveal a soft, rounded chin and rosy cheeks. "But it's always a lot of fun. Maybe we can get Otto to take you."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Eli chuckled softly. "I've just met you guys, I don't want to gatecrash anything else. It was really cool of you to let me come to this."
"No problem," Jessica smiled, and Eli was slightly relieved that she wasn't hostile. "I mean, now you've got friends in town if you get sick of the ones in the Reservation."
"I've known them since I was a baby," Eli shrugged her shoulders, before eyeing the girl with a joking expression. "I get sick of them before I see them coming."
Angela giggled softly as they trailed through the establishment, the boys on their tail. They were digging into the food they had bought (despite having eaten the majority of Eli's dinner), which meant there was a trail of popcorn and M&Ms in their wake. "C'mon let's get in our seats. Jess will probably want to sit next to Mike."
