( when the stars forget us! )
↳ chapter eight ↲

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EMBRY TILTED HIS HEAD to the side an easy grin spreading across his face, "you really want to help?" He questioned as she nodded. "You're not exactly dressed for it."

Talia looked down at her outfit and nibbling on the bottom of her lip for a split second. "Do you have something—"

"Here, princess," Embry tossed her a clean shirt that was from one of the cubbies on a shelf. "We don't want you getting dirty."

     "Princess?" Talia caught the nickname raising an eyebrow at him.

     "Well you don't want to get dirty." The boy shrugged his shoulders as he sits down on the creeper. "I figured it fits."

     "You know, you're lucky I'm nice." Talia replied slipping the oversized shirt over her clothes. "What's the thing you're sitting on called?"

     Embry glances down at the rolling board. "It's a creeper. Makes it easier to slide under the car. You've never used one before?"

    Talia shook her head, "no, my dad's only taught me with stuff under the hood or the tires."

     "Well," Embry grabs another creeper and sets it next to his before laying down on his, "there's a first time for everything."

     The boy slides under the car as Talia lays down on hers and slides under the car beside him. Talia looked up having no clue what was happening to the car. "So, what's the problem?"

     "There's a loose bolt here on the exhaust." Embry replied pointing at a cluster of pipes and wires. "If it doesn't get tightened, it's gonna rattle like crazy."

    "Okay." Talia spoke quietly noticing the set of tools next to them.

     "Can you hand me the torque wrench first?" Embry asked.

    Talia hummed as a reply as she felt quite pleased that she knew what tool it was. The girl handed the wrench to him feeling a jolt of electricity when their hands made contact.

    Embry paused briefly, trying to mask the moment with a quiet chuckle. "Not bad," he said, focusing on the bolt as if nothing had happened.

     Talia rolled her eyes, though a faint blush warmed her cheeks. "I know my tools. I'm not completely useless, you know."

     "Never said you were," he replied, tightening the bolt with practiced ease. When he finished tightening most of the bolts, he shifted slightly and held out the torque wrench to her. "Okay, your turn, Tali. You're handling the last one."

     Her brows lifted. "Me? Are you sure?"

     "Absolutely. Don't worry, I'll guide you."

     She took the wrench hesitantly, scooting a little closer to the bolt he indicated. "Okay, but if I mess this up and the car falls apart, you're not allowed to blame me."

     "Deal," he said, grinning. "Alright, put the wrench here, like this." He reached over, wrapping his hand around hers to help her position it properly. "Now, steady pressure. Just like that."

     Talia's lips twitched into a small smile as she focused. "Am I actually helping, or are you just trying to make me feel better?"

     "A little of both," Embry said with a playful smirk. "But seriously, you're doing it. Just a little more torque..."

     With a small grunt of effort, Talia tightened the bolt into place. She exhaled, triumphant. "There! How was that?"

     As she completed the turn, Embry leaned back slightly, a satisfied smile on his face. "Good girl, Tali. You nailed it."

     Talia froze for a second, her cheeks flushing as the unexpected praise hit her like a spark. She suddenly felt very warm, her stomach doing somersaults.

     "Uh... yeah," she mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant as she handed the wrench back to him.

    Embry didn't seem to notice her flustered state, his grin widening. "Not bad at all."

     "Well... thanks," Talia muttered, busying herself with brushing a nonexistent speck of dirt from her borrowed shirt. The fluttery feeling persisted, and she fought to keep her composure.

     Embry looked at their work making sure nothing was missing. Talia couldn't help but glance at him, her thoughts still lingering on those two words. If Embry noticed her flustered state, he didn't say anything—though his grin suggested he might have.

Embry gave the bolt one final check before sliding out and sitting up on the creeper, stretching his arms behind his head with an air of satisfaction. "We make a good team," he said, glancing over at the girl who slid out after him.

Talia chuckled, still feeling the warmth in her cheeks. "I'm pretty sure you did all the actual work, but sure, let's go with that."

"Hey, you tightened the last bolt. Teamwork's about support too you know," he teased, standing and holding out a hand to help her up. "And you handed me tools like a pro. Plus, no grease on the clothes—that's impressive."

She took his hand and let him pull her up, her pulse doing a little flip at the ease of his strength. "You're just saying that because I didn't drop the wrench on your face," she replied, smirking as she dusted herself off.

Embry laughed. "That too. I've had that happen before. It's not fun."

"Sounds like you've had some interesting assistants," Talia said, tilting her head as she watched him put the tools back in their proper spots.

"Eh, no one quite like you," he said casually, glancing at her over his shoulder.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly crossed her arms, feigning nonchalance. "You're just buttering me up so I'll come back and help next time."

"Maybe," he chuckled.

Talia rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. She wandered toward the edge of the garage, watching the sky shift into evening hues. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of oil and pine trees. She found herself oddly content—something about being around Embry just felt easy and natural, even when her stomach was doing flips.

He appeared beside her a moment later, wiping his hands on a rag. "Alright, I'm gonna go inside and clock out. Won't take long," he said, nodding toward the shop's main office.

"Okay," she replied, her voice lighter than she intended.

Embry started to jog toward the office but turned back, walking backward with a grin. "Don't wander off! This is my turf, and I'll know if you steal anything."

Talia laughed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, because I totally need a set of oily wrenches."

"Hey, you never know," he teased before disappearing inside.

She shook her head, a small smile lingering on her lips remembering to take the borrowed shirt off and putting it back where Embry had it. As the door swung shut behind him, she leaned against a nearby workbench, letting her thoughts drift. Despite the grease and noise of the shop, the last half an hour had been surprisingly... fun.

Her smile deepened as she thought about his grin, his laugh, and the way he seemed so at ease. She didn't even realize her foot was tapping lightly to an absent rhythm, her nerves a pleasant hum in the quiet of the moment. Talia roamed around looking at the tools and cars in the lot. She didn't know what to do with the idea of being in a car alone with Embry. It made her feel giddy but at the same time it worried her. She wasn't here permanently. She was only here for another week. What the hell was she thinking developing feelings for a boy here?

    "Are you Natalia?" A deep voice behind her made her freeze. Talia turned sharply to see who it was.

     It was him. The same man she'd seen outside the bookstore. The same one who was watching Laurent like a hawk. He was tall broad shouldered and shirtless. He had a tribal tattoo marked around his shoulder. His piercing dark eyes bore into hers with an intensity that made her spine stiffen.

     "Who are you?" Talia responded, feeling unsteady but not scared. Not like when she was inside the bookstore with Laurent. Talia felt danger when she was with Laurent. Talia stood in front of the man but she didn't feel any sort of danger, just uneasy.

     The man didn't answer her immediately. He eyed her up and down trying to read her. "You should stay away from Embry." He said.
 
     Talia blinked, frowning, "excuse me?"

     "For your own safety." He continued, his tone low but firm. "Trust me."

    Her eyebrows shot up, confusion and irritation mingling in her expression. "Why would you say that?"

     "Just be cautious of him." The man's jaw tightened, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Oh, and stay away from the red eyes."

    Before she could respond, the shop door swung open, and Embry strode out, his usual easy smile faltering the moment he saw the man talking to her.

     "Yo, get away from her," Embry called, his voice sharp as he quickly closed the distance.

     The man stepped back, holding up his hands as if to placate him. "Don't worry, Embry. Just making sure she's careful."

     Embry didn't stop until he was standing between Talia and the stranger, his shoulders squared defensively. "She's none of your business."

     The man tilted his head slightly, his gaze flicking past Embry to meet Talia's eyes. "Remember what I said. Be careful."

     With that, he turned and walked away, his broad back disappearing around the corner of the shop. Embry exhaled sharply, turning to face Talia. "Are you okay? What did he say to you?"

     Talia nodded, brushing her hair back from her face. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steady, though her pulse was racing. "He told me to be careful."

     Embry frowned. "Careful of what?"

     She hesitated, her eyes meeting his. "Of you."

     The boy let out a little sigh shaking his head glancing to the path the man took. "Don't worry about him, okay?"

     "You know, I've seen a film like this before." Talia spoke pointing at him. "A girl meets a cute boy and she gets warned by people in the town to stay away from him but she doesn't and BAM! The cute boy kills her."

     Embry let out a chuckle, "don't worry Tali, I'm not going to kill you."

     Talia put her hands up shrugging her shoulders, "hey I'm not saying you are but this does feel a little suspicious."

     The boy grinned at her sudden change in tone. Talia seemed to ignore the tension between Embry and the man. She felt it wasn't her place to ask about it. But this would be the second time she gets wrapped in something weird in this town. So, maybe she did have a right to ask but she still didn't.

     Embry made sure all of his tools were in place and everything he used was put back and turned off. He pulled down the garage door and locked it. "Come on princess, let's take you back to Jacob's." Embry announced as he motioned to Talia to follow him to his truck.

     The girl followed suit as Embry held open the truck door for her. She smiled at him, slipping inside with a quiet "thank you." Embry shut the door gently before walking around to the driver's side, where he climbed in and adjusted his seatbelt.

"Comfy?" he asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Talia leaned back against the seat and smoothed her hands over the fabric of her shirt, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "As comfy as I can get after being under a car," she teased lightly.

Embry chuckled. "Hey, you're the one who volunteered," he quipped, starting the truck.

"Don't remind me," she replied with mock annoyance, earning a grin from him.

As they pulled onto the road, Embry gestured toward the radio. "You can switch stations if you want."

Talia raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, I wanna see what your taste in music is like," he said with a shrug, his tone casual but his words carrying a weight he didn't want to examine too closely.

Talia bit her lip, suppressing a smile, and began flipping through the stations. She stopped abruptly when a familiar tune filled the cab, her face lighting up. "Oh my God, I love this song!" she squealed, her excitement spilling over as she turned up the volume.

Embry watched, amused and a little awestruck, as she started singing along, her voice soft but filled with joy. She tapped her fingers against her thigh in time with the beat, completely lost in the moment.

When she glanced over and caught him staring, she raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't like The Killers?"

Embry smirked, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel. "I didn't say that. Mr. Brightside is a classic. My sister and I sing to their songs all the time."

"Right! You have a sister!" Talia exclaimed as she began to ask questions. "I've always wanted a little sister. What's it like having one?"!

Embry's expression softened, and he laughed lightly. "It's... an experience," he admitted, his voice carrying warmth and pride. "Her names Meztli. She's fourteen, going on twenty-four. Thinks she knows everything. She drives me nuts."

"Fourteen?" Talia said reminiscing on her time when she was fourteen. "That's the age when I started to sneak out. You're probably in for some drama."

Embry chuckled. "Don't say that, she's already sneaking out to hang with her friends when she thinks I don't notice. But she's a good kid. I just... I want to make sure she doesn't get hurt, you know? I had to grow up fast, and I don't want that for her."

Talia's brow furrowed slightly. "Grow up fast how?"

Embry glanced at her, debating how much to share, but her open, genuine expression encouraged him. "Um, my dad was a shitty guy so my mom left him. She packed us up and moved back to La Push to be closer to family. She's been working two jobs ever since to keep us afloat. So I stepped in. Helped with my sister, kept things running at home. Started working at fourteen and been pitching in for rent and bills too."

Talia's chest tightened at the vulnerability in his voice. "That's a lot to carry," she said softly.

He shrugged, though the motion didn't quite hide the weight he bore. "It is, but I don't mind. My mom worked hard to give us a shot, so it's the least I can do. You know? And my sister? She's worth it. Even if she does drive me crazy."

Talia smiled, sensing the deep love he had for his family. "You're a good brother, Embry. She's lucky to have you."

Embry glanced at her again, something unspoken passing between them, before turning his eyes back to the road. "What about you?" he asked. "Any siblings?"

"Yeah," Talia said, her voice quieter now. "I've got a little brother. He's seven. Sweetest kid you'll ever meet. I take care of him most of the time—help with homework, make dinner, stuff like that."

Embry's gaze lingered on her briefly before focusing ahead. "Sounds like you're holding the family together."

Talia laughed dryly. "That's one way to put it. My mom... she's amazing, but sometimes it feels like she expects me to handle everything. She works a lot too, but I get stuck with the 'adult' stuff at home—paying bills, scheduling appointments, making sure my brother's okay. It becomes a lot."

"And your dad?" Embry asked.

She hesitated, fingers fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. "My dad's... complicated. He's been through a lot, had a rough past. He doesn't talk about it, but you can feel it, you know? He's angry a lot—at himself, at us. It's like he's stuck, and we just get the brunt of it. He never apologizes, but we're supposed to understand, to know not to ask him for anything."

Embry's jaw tightened, his hands gripping the wheel a little harder. "That's not fair to you," he said firmly.

"It's not," Talia admitted, her voice cracking slightly feeling the tears form. "But it's my family, you know? I love my dad and he can be a big asshole but I know he'd take a bullet for me. I know he doesn't say I love you often but he shows it in different forms. He's always there for the important stuff. Good or bad. Sometimes I just wish he'd open up but he doesn't. But aren't all dads like that?"

Embry glanced at her, the fading sunlight catching the soft contours of her face. She looked beautiful, even with the pain shadowing her expression. He wanted to say something to comfort her, to ease the weight on her shoulders, but all he could do was offer his presence. He didn't know how to respond to that because he didn't have a father to compare.

"Sometimes, I wonder what it'd be like to just... have a normal family," Talia murmured, staring out at the sky as the pink and purple hues deepened. "No drama, no anger. Just love and laughter."

Embry nodded. "Me too," he said quietly. "But I think we both turned out okay. Responsible older siblings and all."

Talia turned to him, a small smile breaking through her somber expression. "Yeah. Guess we're not so bad."

"Definitely not," Embry said with a grin.

     "I've thought a lot about my future because you know I'm a girl and I love to daydream." Talia blabbered feeling safe enough to speak about her desires of a future with him. "When the time comes, I'm going to make sure that my husband and I create a home with no loud anger, no explosive rage, no slamming doors, no breaking glass, no holes in the walls—none of that. My house will be warm. He'll keep me safe and I'll keep him still. I won't have to worry about my kids fearing their father. I don't think I could handle repeating that cycle again."

      Embry's grin faded as he listened, her words cutting through the gentle hum of the truck and the soft music playing in the background. His hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel, and he glanced over at her, seeing the vulnerability in her expression.

     "You won't," he said firmly, his voice low but filled with conviction. "You're not the kind of person who'd let that happen."

     Talia shrugged, her gaze fixed on the sky as if the fading colors could somehow distract her from the heaviness of the conversation. "Maybe. But sometimes, I get scared. What if it's just... inevitable? Like, it's in me or something, you know? I mean, I've grown up around it. What if I slip up and become the thing I hate?"

     "You're not going to, Tali," Embry continued, his voice softening but losing none of its conviction. "You're not stuck in some endless loop. You're not them. You're you. And from what I see, you're already breaking that cycle, even if it doesn't feel like it."

      Talia blinked as she absorbed his words. "You really think so?" she asked.

      Embry nodded, his expression unwavering. "I don't just think so—I know so. You're too good, too kind, and too damn stubborn to let that stuff define you. You're going to get what you want. I promise."

"That's very kind of you, Em." Talia replied.