guess who's coming to Sunday dinner?

ϟ

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Tama sat back on the couch, which was covered in various quilts to hide the effects of aging as Charlie hadn't gotten rid of the couch his parents owned since their first meeting. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as she listened to her mother ramble on. Since her encounter with the thunderbird the previous day, she had been receiving nothing but glares and lectures from her mother, her 'nice mommy' act flying out the window and leaving Tama to remember exactly what the bird had told her. She couldn't trust her mother. It was something she had been feeling for a while, more so after her 'incident' but it's words had only confirmed it, the mental picture he had ingrained of her enough to scare Tama away from her mother's clutches.

She sat across from said woman and Charlie, the two towering over her in an attempt at being authoritative. Charlie looked awkwardly out of place despite it being his house and he himself to break the news to the two. Apparently, Zachary's nose had been completely fractured and not only would he have to sit out lacrosse and any other sports for the rest of the year, he'd need surgery, expensive surgery. "They're threatening us, Tama. They want to press charges," Mitena snapped, reminding her daughter that she didn't make anywhere near the amount of money they were requesting.

When the threat came through in the form of possibly selling her car, Tama narrowed her eyes at her mother, "he could've killed Mason, what did you expect me to do?" Mitena stared at her for a moment, as if she were the dumbest person alive, "anything other than assault, Tama! God, what were you thinking?!"

She turned away from her mother, frowning and unable to meet any of their gazes. She knew punching the boy wasn't exactly right but, she couldn't control herself, though it wasn't easy to say "hey I have the spirit of some bird god with no regard for the lives of pale faces that completely took over" to Zachary and his parents and just get off with a slap on the wrist. She also couldn't explain this to Charlie or her mother, the man staring down at her in disappointment. Tama figured her mother knew about her and what she was, the woman being obscenely angry about it for reasons unknown as she did everything in her power to stop it once it had started. Mitena went to yell again when Charlie placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head with a frown. The woman scoffed, muttering something Tama wished she hadn't heard before she left the two alone in the living room.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, fiddling with her hands in an attempt to distract herself from crying. She hated crying, especially in front of others. She felt the couch shift next to her and looked over to see Charlie staring at her with an almost unreadable expression. "Don't know why you're 'pologizing to me, my nose isn't hanging off my face," he said, whistling as he recalled the state the boy was in when he saw him in the hospital. "Didn't know you were capable of all that."

The girl stared down at her hands, frowning, "yeah, me neither." They fell into silence again, Charlie never being the talkative type, something Tama appreciated as her mother sometimes never knew when to close her mouth. The thought of her right now made her stomach churn, unable to see her in a different light. He asked her if she had eaten breakfast, thankful that she had said yes as he hadn't had any food in his fridge, the man preferring the local diner or Mitena and Sue's food. "Don't you have plans today with Leah?"

Tama scoffed, throwing her head over her shoulder as she glanced towards the direction her mother had stormed off to. "Yeah, we were supposed to go hiking but, I doubt she'll let me leave the house or go anywhere now," she muttered, looking back down at her lap. She couldn't be too mad, knowing that her mother was most likely under alot of stress at the threat of legal action against them. They weren't poor but they were far from rich and being sued would put them out of business. Tama's eyes slammed shut at the thought, blinking away tears.

Charlie nudged her, giving her a smile in an attempt to cheer her up, "go on, I'll deal with your mother myself. You're a kid, kid's screw up. You're just going through a rough patch and keeping you holed up in your room ain't gonna do nothing but make it worst. You need your friends." When she didn't budge the first time, the man nudged her again, the two sharing a smile before she stood up quickly, grabbing her belongings before thanking the man.

Her mother was nowhere in sight as she climbed into her car, quickly putting her keys into the ignition before she peeled out of the driveway and down the road, afraid of her mother coming out to yell at her at any second. She had only been driving for a few minutes, listening to the loud hum of her engine and a low pop rock song that she couldn't remember the name of, before a familiar figure came into view. The girl pulled alongside them before coming to a stop, reaching over to open the passenger side door for them. They didn't look at her as she continued driving, keeping their eyes focused on the road. "You shifted again?"

"How'd you know?" He asked, still refusing to look at her as he attempted to keep himself calm. Tama held back a smile as she looked over his outfit. The pants were about two sizes too big and the shirt, a button up that had been lazily buttoned looked to be from three decades ago. He followed her gaze, his eyes trailing over his outfit before he let out a chuckle, "it was the first thing I saw, it was either this or a sundress...or me walking down the road butt ass naked."

"What? Sundress wasn't your color?" She mused, snorting unattractively. When she received an unamused glance back she shrugged, "just trying to lighten the mood...so I take it you're not going hiking with us then?"

Sam stared quizzically at her before he remembered the plan his sister and girlfriend had told him about a few nights prior. He didn't like the idea of them, or anyone really, being out in the woods where he and Jared were still trying to figure themselves out. The thought of him hurting one of them, he balled his fists at his sides and took deep breaths to calm himself and rid his mind of the possibility. "No, and I don't think they should either. You should've convinced them to do something else."

"Well, Leah is stubborn as all outdoors and she needed a pick me up to get over the fact that you've been ignoring her," Tama shot back, a glare sent his way as she reminded him of the torture his girlfriend was being put through currently, "she chose hiking and I doubt she's in the mood to be argued with."

Sam frowned, turning his gaze out towards the passing greenery on his side, "I feel like an asshole, I don't know what to do. I can't tell her, and I can't be around her, I'll hurt her...I don't want to hurt her," he admitted, his voice breaking slightly. It was a while before Tama said anything, making sure he was calm before she responded. "Maybe start with an apology, I'll be there to intervene if things get out of hand but, she deserves that at the least." He nodded but said nothing else, nor did Tama as she noticed the way his shoulders were tensed. 

The boy cleared his throat, causing Tama to turn and look at him once she hit a red light. She knew what he was going to say before he said it, rolling her eyes as she pushed the car forward. "How are things with Mitena? Have they eased up?"

Tama scoffed, pulling down the long gravel road that led to the Clearwater's house. "Quite the opposite actually, she found out about me breaking that kid's nose and now she's threatening to sell my car to pay for whatever they're trying to sue for." She exhaled loudly as she resisted the urge to punch the steering wheel, knowing she couldn't visit Paul's father's auto shop, nor would Rosalie Hale be keen on fixing it for her a second time.

"So...no Sunday dinner tonight?" He asked curiously, receiving a glare in return. The boy raised his hands in defense, "my mom's been working doubles all week since I haven't been able to work lately," he mumbled, looking down at his feet, which were bare and covered in dirt from his trek through the woods and on the highway. Tama frowned, assuring the boy that Mitena was still hosting Sunday night dinner, though she knew the entire thing would be awkward, "Mason will be there...and his dad."

Sam's frown turned into a teasing smile, "so, you're official now? Meeting his dad already?" When Tama only rolled her eyes he continued, enjoying the fact that he could relax around someone who knew exactly what he was. It felt safe whenever he was with Tama or Jared, despite him not being very close to either of them, especially Jared. The two had only shared maybe four words before Jared had shifted and now, they were the best of friends. "I didn't think you'd get over Paul so fast, you guys really seemed in love...it was nauseating."

"Ugh," Tama scoffed in disbelief as she shoved him, the car shaking as they drove through the tough terrain that led them towards the Clearwaters. "What a hypocrite, 'oh Lee Lee this' 'oh Lee Lee that' give me a break you guys make me wanna vomit, Paul and I weren't ever like that. And for the record, Mason and I aren't even dating."

There was still a taunting smile on his face, the older boy not letting up as he teased her further in a sickly sweet voice, "so you admit it, you two were in love?" Laughter roared from his side of the car and Tama sighed; being on the receiving end of his taunting was better than him sulking, especially when they were only a few minutes away from their destination, where he'd have to talk to Leah in person for the first time in days. She didn't answer, her lips pressing into a thin line as she recalled her relationship, she also never thought she'd be able to get over Paul. She was right.

They pulled up to the house with chipped paint, with cars scattered across the driveway, some broken and some just old. Sam's smile had dropped, suddenly unable to recall what they had been talking about just seconds ago as the car slowed to a halt, his hands beginning to slowly pool with sweat as he rubbed them anxiously. Tama and the boy shared a look, the former giving him an encouraging nod before she cut the engine, sliding out the front seat to greet an eager Seth. "Hey, look at you up before ten on a weekend," she grinned, enveloping the young boy into a hug.

He had a grin on his face as always, his eyes almost shut tight. The boy gestured towards the open door where Tama could easily make out the conversations taking place. "Yeah, Tallulah got here a little bit ago and-"

Tama fanned the air between them, coughing a bit as she said, "and you decided to go freshen up by drowning in a bottle of cologne? Oh my god Seth." His cheeks reddened as he took a step back, turning to give Sam a quick handshake before he turned his attention to Tallulah, the girl coming to a stop at the open doorway. The siblings exchanged a silent glance, staring one another down. Seth watched anxiously, hating being put in the middle of anything while Tama kept her eyes on Sam, watching carefully for any signs that he might shift. Tallulah scoffed, muttering a "nice outfit, loser," before she returned inside with Seth in tow, announcing her brother's arrival to the household along with Tama's.

She shrugged, following after the two and gesturing for Sam to do the same. "You do kinda look like a loser," she admitted as they entered the threshold of the home, trying to hold back a smile. It brightened upon seeing Leah, enveloping the girl in a tight hug before she let her go, watching the couple's reactions as they took one another in. "I'll give you guys some space," she said lowly, neither of them acknowledging her as she slipped past them to greet Harry and Sue.

"Hey girl," the man greeted with a smile all too similar to Seth's, patting her shoulder before he continued helping Sue with packing their lunches, informing the girl that he too would be venturing out. "We're going fishing. It's salmon season. I'd invite you girls but, I don't wanna."

Sue smacked her husband's shoulder, scolding the man though she knew he meant no harm. Her attention turned to Tama, smiling softly as she brushed her hair back. "How you feelin' sweet pea?" she asked quizzically, peering into the girl's eyes to detect any deceit.

After a few moments, deciding on if she would lie to Sue, she shook her head. The god never said anything about not trusting Sue. "Physically I feel fine but...I mean, I'm sure my mom already told you what's going on," she frowned, looking away. Harry chuckled, throwing his packed lunch into his dated lunch box that barely insulated any heat or cold.

He slung the bag onto his shoulder as he peered at her, "whole damn town knows, Mike Tyson." The older man laughed at his own joke, Tama and Sue sharing unamused looks while the others held back laughs. The woman glared at her husband, though he paid her no mind as he hid his kids farewell. "Oh, 'scuse me," he said, almost bumping into a fast moving figure that brushed past him and Tama.

"Oh hey, Tams," she heard behind her, spinning around to see Leah's cousin, Emily Young smiling at her. The woman looked similar to Leah despite them not being siblings, and Tama swore that if she hadn't met Leah, Emily would've been her best friend as the two were so close, Tama frequently found herself jealous of the girl when they were in in their preteen years. Tama almost laughed at the memory. The only difference between the two girls was Leah's lack of bangs that covered Emily's entire forehead, brushing up against her thin eyebrows. Tama smiled upon seeing the girl, hugging her tightly as they did a girlish twirl around the small kitchen, giggling childishly. They looked each other over, trying to spot any differences that could've occurred over the past three months since they'd last seen each other. Emily grinned, "I see the bangs grew out."

Tama scoffed, playfully shoving the girl. "Yeah, no thanks to you and Leah," she pretended to scowl, earning a laugh from both Emily and Leah as the latter entered the kitchen along with Sam. Leah defended herself, "hey, Emily did the cutting!" Tama nodded, noticing that the couple seemed on slightly better terms than before, progress. "Oh yeah, you just took us to the store to buy the bleach and convinced me to do it in the first place." A chorus of laughs escaped from the trio, Sam watching Leah fondly before Emily cleared her throat, sending the boy an unimpressed look.

"I see you came to your senses regarding my cousin," she said, her mood soured as she stared him up and down. He glanced at her, prepared with his own rebuttal before something seemed to switch, his facial expression changing entirely. Tama watched, unsure of what to do as the girls struggled to get his attention, the boy stuck in place. He seemed to be internally struggling; it was as though he was seeing Emily for the first time in his life, or seeing anyone for the first time at all. There seemed to be a flash of something sickening as he came to, tearing his eyes away from her. Sam only spared Tama one glance before he swiftly made his exit, ignoring Leah's protests and calls after him. Emily looked over to her cousin's best friend for answers, only receiving an equally confused stare in response. Emily shook her head, "that guy's an idiot, I don't know what Leah sees in him."

The topic of Sam had been forbidden by Leah before they began their hike, something Tama was perfectly fine with as she didn't want to be hounded by their newfound closeness or his obscene behavior. Her texts and calls went unanswered, Tama figuring he was somewhere off in the woods instead of back at home. She was grateful then, deciding it was much easier to be a thunderbird than a wolf. Tallulah smiled over at Tama as they trudged through the woods that led to the forest, "so, I heard you punched that paleface so hard, his nose fell off."

Seth's face scrunched up in disgust, "oh gross, I wish I would've been there...I would've," the boy proceeded to punch the air, adding his own sound effects, much to the amusement of Tallulah and Leah as he went on and on about what he would've done to the boy. Tama shook her head, ignoring the two. "Can we talk about something or someone other than me or he who shall not be named? Please?" They all looked to Leah, who they were there to uplift in the first place. The girl pretended to think about it before she nodded, "I'll allow it." Tama's shoulder brushed against hers, the two laughing as they slowly forgot about the events of the past few days, their hands intertwining as they continued up the path.

Tallulah complained about work, commenting on how much Mike Newton annoyed her to no end, something that was a common occurrence as the girl wasn't able to hold a steady job past a few months. Rather than the stoic Sam, she spoke her mind, often, and Seth absolutely adored her for it. Emily caught them up on the drama up north, including the boy she had started seeing regularly, which caused a few "ooo's" and "ahhs" to chorus between them as they begged for more information on the guy that made Emily's cheeks turn red. It seemed as though everything was going well in the Emily's life, something the other three girls envied as they silently listened to her talk. "Must be nice," Tallulah hummed, still not pleased by the girl's presence, reminding Leah of the 'feeling' she got around her.

Emily shrugged, "things can't be that bad around here, can they? It's La Push, it's like the most boring place ever." They all shared looks, the drama that had been unfolding for the past month and a half silently being regurgitated in that moment. They all sighed collectively, continuing their trek towards their destination. "You'd be surprised," Tama muttered, braiding her hair into plaits as they walked, her lips forming a thin line.

Tama stopped, an unfamiliar sound catching her ears. She heard it again and winced; it sounded like bones breaking and flesh ripping, the sheer sound of it making her bend over at the waist and hold back from emptying her stomach contents. Of course, her hearing was more advanced than those of her friends and they stared at her quizzically, Tallulah offering her a tampon with a blank stare. Tama's face paled as she noticed a difference in the land they walked on, the feeling somewhat unfamiliar to her. She had walked the trail with her friends multiple times before but now, suddenly it felt foreign, like she didn't belong on the soil. The trees snapped just as she came to the realization as to what was off and why the hair on the back of her neck stood rigid once Edward Cullen appeared suddenly, Alice only seconds behind him.

Her stomach dropped, their facade nauseating. They had been acting as though they hadn't been ravaging the local fauna just a few meters away. Edward's greeting smile faltered upon seeing her,