Eden [Embry Call]

chapter one

Aelin

THE rain dances on the window, causing a melody to start as it beats onto the roof of my car. I sigh, turning the music up louder as I stare straight ahead, making sure I don't lose my parents car that's in front.

I look at the surroundings out of the corner of my eyes, not really remembering the shops and buildings that are situated at the side of the road. It's surprisingly changed quite a lot since the last time I've been here, I thought small towns never change. There's a lot more buildings now, more than I remember anyway. I always remembered the greenery that solitudes the area.

I turn the corner carefully as the rain increases drastically, finally seeing a the sign post of the street that I will now call home, I sit straighter as I carry on following the silver Range Rover ahead before finally parking on the driveway next to the stated car. My hands stay on the wheel a moment longer as a sigh comes from my lips.

"Welcome home", I whisper to myself clicking the seatbelt button as I pull it from my small frame. I stay sitting as I watch my parents open the doors of my childhood home. Anxiety courses through my veins momentarily as I look in the mirror of my cream sun visor. I don't look like a reservation member, not anymore. With dyed blonde hair and grey eyes I'll stick out like a sore thumb, not to mention my pale complexion and accent I've developed from living in England for so long. 

Realising it's too late to back out now, I open the drivers side door, swinging my feet out as I pull the hood of my jacket over my hair to stop it from getting wet. I take a step to the side so I can open the adjacent back door, letting the three dogs hop out one by one before closing the door and locking the vehicle as a whole. 

One of the dogs, Sooty stands by me as the others wander into house, watching my back so I turn to look in his direction. On the opposite side of the street stands a group of boys watching me, their dark features confirm to me that they're Reservation members but before I can survey them as a group one begins to walk over to me. Sooty sits by my feet, his tail wagging slightly as the tall boy approaches me with a smile.

"Aelin? I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm Jacob. We used to play together before you moved, our parents were really close", Jacob sticks his hand out after the introduction which I shake with before replying. "Yeah I remember you, mud pie galore if I remember correctly".

"Wow your voice, it's really..."

"British?", I finish his statement, nodding as I speak. Jacob laughs while scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, very  British". 

I look back at the group of boys who haven't moved from their spot, my eyes staying on one of them more than the others. "I swear Quileute boys have long hair? How comes you guys have shorter cuts?" Jacob shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other at my question before looking back at the small mob on the other side of the street, waving his hand over for them to come to us. He spins on his heels after they begin to walk over to answer my question, still wearing the same smile. "It's kind of a right of passage thing". 

I nod, pretending I know what he means. The three strangers stand next to Jacob which causes me to step back, feeling slightly intimidated by the amount of people now looking at me. Sooty stands up at my movements, though his tail still moves happily as he turns and walks into the house. 

"This is Quil, Jared and Embry. Guys, this is Aelin, she moved to England a while ago...but she's back obviously". I smile at Quil and Jared giving them a small wave, though as I turn to face Embry, I can see his wide eyes are already on me. My hand drops to my side as I take another step back, clearing my throat slightly which seems to bring him back from his dazed state.