the calm before the storm

Tama finished cleaning the last dirty table in the cafe before returning to the small kitchen in the back, slipping past her mother without saying a word as she held the small bin filled with dirty dishes that she had collected from each empty table. It had been like this for almost a week now, the two barely saying anything to one another. Mitena had given up apologizing and trying to buy and bake and cook her way back into her daughter's heart on the fifth day –the fridge filled with treats and food that Tama slowly gave away to her friends.

The last time they had spoken was days ago, when Tama had finally come home after spending a few nights at Charlie's, wrist and hand still bandaged and her car sporting a new steering wheel –thanks to Rosalie Hale, whom she had yet to thank. Her absence had led to another screaming match between mother and daughter, one that ended with Tama refusing to take up her scheduled shifts and locking herself in her room whenever she was home. It was her first day working again, her bandaged hand still sore but somewhat manageable enough to work; though she hated being forced to work on the weekend –especially a weekend she was supposed to be out with her new friend, Angela– Tama did need the money as gas wasn't cheap.

Just as she finished washing the last dish, she heard the oven ding, the girl sighing as she looked up at the clock. It was almost closing and Tama couldn't be happier, more than ready to leave the small space she occupied for the last four hours. Bending over at the waist, she carefully slid out the fresh batch of cookies. Oatmeal chocolate chip. They just so happened to be Paul's favorite, the girl baking them religiously for him and his team whenever they had a game.

Her mind betrayed her, memories of him sporting of the largest smiles she had ever seen him wear made the ends of her lips curve slightly upwards. He had only smiled like that when his lacrosse team had won a game or whenever Tama was in his presence, her cheeks heating up as she remembered his friend's teasing jokes about their "love". Though they never really got along with one another, Paul's friends had to admit that no one and nothing had made him as happy as Tama Hawk; not his father, not his best friend, not even the joy and the rush that winning a game brought him could come close to the feeling he got whenever he even so much as looked at her. Tama never truly believed his friend's when they had told her countless times, the girl sure they were just setting her up for an even bigger heartbreak. But, often she liked to believe it to be true as she had felt the same about him.

She remembered the way he used to pick her up, carrying her as if she were the most valuable thing on the planet, holding her up for everyone to see as if she had been the trophy the team had won. Tama hated attention and the two often quarreled about his unwarranted public displays of affection but, she had never felt so alive when he held her above himself, only bringing her down a few mere inches to pepper her face with kisses before he had hoisted her back up. She was distracted by her old, turbulent romance and flinched, unknowingly grabbing onto the hot metal pan. In her shock, she dropped the pan, suddenly too heavy and too hot in her hands, watching as the contents splattered onto the floor. A single tear fell down her cheek as she struggled to gain her composure, failing.

Tama uttered out a loud curse, resisting the urge to punch the closest thing next to her which happened to be the fridge, knowing that her newfound strength would be unkind to it and cause more damage than she could afford. At the same moment, the lights flickered on and off a few times, alerting both the customers and Mitena. The woman followed the sounds of her daughters hushed whimpers, seeing both the mess she had made and the way she seemed to be the cause of the electrical malfunction. "It's okay, moonbeam...we'll just make some more. Don't worry, they're only cookies."

Though she meant well, her words had only made Tama's heart sink even further. They weren't just cookies and they weren't the only things ruined in her life, the wasted sweets just a reminder at how everything seemed to be falling apart one by one. Mitena grabbed ahold of her daughter's shoulders, giving her a once over before she wiped away the tears that stained her reddened cheeks, bending down to clean up the mess that had been made while Tama stood motionless, trying to rid herself of the thoughts that swarmed her head viciously, not listening to her mother's words of comfort.

The doorbell rang, signaling a new customer, pulling Tama back to reality. She sniffed back tears, roughly wiping her face clean before she took a deep breath, readying herself for the interaction, hoping whoever it was could take her mind off of Paul. Before her mother could stop her, she adjusted her flour-stained apron and cleared her throat, heading back to the front counter where one of her usual customers waited patiently. She offered him a smile, receiving a lopsided grin in return. "Hey Mase. Same as always?"

Mason was a regular who sat in the same spot on the same days for the same amount of time, ordering the same thing as always. The boy's cheeks went red as she repeated his usual order, caffè mocha with a banana bread muffin, nodding in confirmation before he turned to see his usual spot had been taken by a middle aged blonde woman immersed in her conversation, Tama reminding her once again to keep her voice down as she rang up his order and took his payment. Mason looked over to Tama, brushing his dark curls behind his ear nervously as he struggled to make conversation as she offered him a receipt. He had found what he was looking for, seeing a freshly painted mural to the far left of the cafe, admiring it thoughtfully.

The Olympic Peninsula was laid out in a breathtaking scene, with greens and blues muddled together harmoniously as the trees connected to the ocean and back again. There were a few animals painted here and there, he noticed; a mother bear with her two cubs curiously climbing an expertly painted evergreen while a few wolves walked together towards the crescent painted moon, a few still undone. Mason couldn't help as his mouth fell agape at the sight. Even in its unfinished state, it was gorgeous.

Noticing this, Tama smiled meekly, joining him in admiration of her work. "I've done all the artwork you see hung up in here. I like to update it every now and then, keeps me busy and creative. It's not finished but-" Tama stared down at her bandaged hand with a frown, thanking the spirits it wasn't her dominant hand.

Mason followed her line of sight, his frown deeper than hers as he caught sight of her new injury. "What happened? Are you alright?"

She shrugged him off, thanking him for his concern. It took a while for her to speak, her mind reminding her just how she had gotten into her current situation. "Just an accident, it's more annoying than it is painful. It's only a sprain."

It took a while before he nodded calmly, though the idea of her hurting herself made him uncomfortable. He fought the urge to reach out and grab her, tapping on the counter awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. "You're amazing! You should be an artist, I'd pay to see your work in a gallery."

Tama's smile was wide then, her face turning into a darker shade of red at his compliment. Before she could respond, her mother joined them up front, setting out a fresh batch of muffins, Tama handing one over to Mason politely. "Paintings don't get you into a good college and they certainly don't pay the bills."

The two teens visibly shifted, uncomfortable in the change of tone though Mitena took no notice as she continued to restock the pastries. Tama avoided Mason's gaze, embarrassed suddenly as she turned away, headed for the back, "I'll bring your drink out in a second."

Mason watched as she retreated with a frown, wanting but unable to find the words to say. Mitena caught his longing gaze and promptly followed after her only child, oblivious to her hurt feelings. "He likes you, you know?"

Tama rolled her eyes at her mother's actions, "what?" Trying to focus on Mason's drink she was currently making, she did her best to shape a daisy with the chocolate sauce, something she did regularly and was somewhat her signature. Mitena came up behind her, reaching next to her as she too began to work on a customer's order, the woman quick to make a cappuccino.

"The boy," Mitena deadpanned, eyeing the teenager who had found an unoccupied seat and made his temporary home there. "He comes in three times a week and orders the same thing every time. He likes you. Why don't you try going out on a date, get your mind off of things?"

Things being Paul, Tama thought to herself. Before him, Tama had never shown any interest in boys and if Leah wasn't so enamored with Sam, the older woman would've been sure her daughter was a lesbian and Leah her secret lover. Because of this, she never thought she had to set ground rules on dating, or even so much as bring it up like most moms. This changed of course when Tama brought home the last boy Mitena thought her daughter would've dated, the two being complete opposites. She suddenly delved into a stricter parenting role, catching Tama off guard as she and her mother were always harmonious up until that point and her reigns free. From then on, the two often fought and went days without speaking, their close bond broken since. Tama scoffed at her mother's hypocrisy, picking up Mason's drink before she offered her a scowl, "whatever happened to "you're too young to date, you should be focused on school" or does that only apply to-"

Mitena quickly put her index finger up, shushing her daughter with a look that could kill. Her eyes narrowed and the crows feet surrounding them became much more noticeable in her angered state, though Tama was unfazed. "We don't say his name in this place, do you hear me?"

Tama rolled her eyes once more, not bothering to respond before she brushed past her mother, though she was happy to admit she enjoyed seeing her mother bothered just by the mention of the boy she used to date. She didn't even have to say his name and here she was, fuming in the back of the cafe. She set Mason's drink onto the small table, prepared to walk off before he stopped her, the boy a stuttering mess. "So um-do you have any plans tomorrow night?"

Her eyebrow raised, eyeing the boy who's cheeks had turned blush red. He switched between staring at the untouched drink and giving her a quick glance, to her amusement. Before she could respond though, she felt hands grip onto her arms, the girl stiffening. "What's tomorrow night?"

Mitena stood behind her daughter, her anger suddenly diminished in the presence of a customer. Tama's blood boiled and she caught sight of the overhead lights flickering a few times. Mason caught it as well, though the teenage boy didn't make the connection and continued on with what he was saying, curious as to why Mitena had butted in. "Well, there's the opening tomorrow night at the museum and I was wondering if Tama wanted to go...they're unveiling a new gallery."

She stood a little straighter at that, her heartbeat quickening and she was sure her cheeks reddened. He smiled brightly, happy that he had the effect on her, glancing down at his cup that he took a sip of, careful not to let his nervousness show. The teen complimented her on the drink like he always did, as if it was his first time consuming the warm beverage. Tama merely nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face, "um, yeah. It seems like a cool idea."

To be completely honest, she was ecstatic. It was one of the first times someone had offered to do something merely because she enjoyed it. She usually found herself accompanying Seth to soccer practice, though she hated sports, to help the younger boy out and perform typical "soccer mom" duties. The girl had a small fear of the ocean but regularly found herself surfing -and becoming quite good at it- simply because Tallulah Uley went almost every day and she had been guilt tripped as of late to join her. Leah, a movie fanatic, dragged her childhood best friend almost religiously to the theater every weekend, even if nothing new had been released, even if the movie wasn't her taste. She loved her friends and rarely, if ever, complained about these outings but she would be lying if she said she had wished they wanted to spend more time doing things she loved to do.

The library was a place she went often, almost always alone. There had been times where she had managed to convince a friend, or Paul, to attend, only for them to complain a half hour end, much to her dismay. She also enjoyed the occasional boat ride out to sea, catching sight of whatever marine life happened to pass through; her favorite being orcas. At the mere mention of a boat ride, her friends were suddenly too sea sick to join but Tallulah often joined her with Paul, the latter truly getting sea sick every single time they went. Still, he always came with a smile, even after emptying his guts. The first trip, he spent nearly the whole of it throwing up in the bathroom, making it up to her with a humorously large stuffed orca toy that she currently had hidden in her closet, too attached to the item to throw it away as it had been from their first date. These days, she usually went with Charlie or Harry, with their friend Waylon tagging along occasionally.

"Great, I'll pick you up at four then?"

Snapping out of her daze, Tama glanced down at Mason, who repeated himself with a small frown before adding, "unless you wanted to drive yourself...I completely understand."

She shook her head, balancing the tray that once held his drink on her left hip as she brushed her loose strands of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "No, that's fine. I should give my car some time off anyways, I've been driving the poor thing day in and day out...she needs a break. Four is perfect."

Before she could walk off, he called her again, holding out a napkin with a few numbers written on it. She hesitated before she grabbed it gingerly, as if what she was doing was illegal and she would be caught at any moment. It felt wrong and heavy in her hands, the girl quickly tucking it away in her apron like it was a dirty note passed between middle school boys, offering him a smile that felt criminal. Her heart raced, fearing at any moment that Paul would walk in and catch the exchange but, he hadn't been to the cafe in months, not since...

"Shit," she face palmed, checking the time and realizing just how lost she had been. Mason stared up at her, wide eyed as he waited for her to explain while Mitena scoffed at her daughter's use of foul language. "I promised Tallulah I'd pick her up from work."

Before her mother could argue or give her blessing, Tama had untied her dirtied apron and tossed it aside once she had gotten to the back. She didn't bother looking for a jacket, or saying her goodbyes, the girl only grabbing her keys she kept by the back door and slipping out quickly. She groaned, hearing her friend's phone go to voicemail for the third time since she has called her. She slammed the phone shut, resisting the urge to apply pressure to the device, knowing she'd crush it easily. Instead, she tossed it to the side, pulling up to Olympic Outfitters, her younger friend's current place of work as she had been let go from the local diner for reasons she refused to acknowledge.

In her rush, she was oblivious to the familiar mustang parked a few spaces over, jumping out and rushing up the stairs that led to the open sporting goods store. She greeted the owner, her smile faltering when she caught sight of a familiar face, the "Newton" before the Olympic Outfitters sign suddenly making sense as Mike Newton stood off to the side with none other than her ex and his lacrosse team. Luckily, they were too entranced in whatever they were conversing about to notice her, the girl wishing nothing more than to shrink and hide.

"I'm looking for Tallulah," she said, keeping her voice low as to not draw attention to herself. The owner, Mr. Newton, smiled at her apologetically, "you just missed her, dear. Don't worry, her brother came and got her."

Sam? The boy had been aloof since returning, something that caused Tallulah great distress seeing as the siblings were inseparable and while she was glad he was possibly coming to his senses, she couldn't deny that something seemed off about the whole thing. Tama didn't question it though, the girl too caught up in the possibility of being seen by her ex. She nodded, thanking the man for his answer before she quickly hid behind the shoe shelf, barely avoiding the wandering eyes of those she was struggling to avoid.

They were laughing at something and Tama hated to admit that she was curious. She slid closer to where they were huddled together, careful to remain hidden behind the shelf. "It's nice having you back, Lahote, now that you're not stuck up on that dork."

A few laughs were heard again and she was thankful not to hear his. Another voice added on, "I thought you were a goner for sure," he joked, "I was scared you were gonna leave us hanging, quit the team and start making tea and biscuits."

More laughs rang through her ears and she closed her eyes, waiting for more insults to be thrown her way. She was used to them, people poking fun at the girl who was almost always with her mother, with a personality of a doorknob. The jokes had ceased around the time she dated Paul, something she couldn't deny that she missed but, they had started again as soon as they stopped. Her eyes shot open when she heard a familiar voice rush out a string of profanities, threatening the two boys.

The first boy wasn't to be heard again but the second was bold. "Does Lahote still have a crush?" The ensuing silence led to a chorus of whips and teases, childish quips from his friends that she hated more than anything. Mr. Newton chastised the boys, threatening to kick them out for being so loud, muttering about how boisterous kids were these days.

She forced her eyes shut again, her heart pounding in her chest. That silence meant the world to her, although she absolutely hated to admit it and would never do so out loud. Her back rested gently on the rack behind her, careful not to make a sound, listening closer and ignoring the voice telling her to leave while they were all distracted. "So why leave, if you were so in love?"

Tama held her breath then, waiting for his answer. It was like she couldn't will herself to breathe until he did and when she finally heard his voice, she found herself more confused than anything else. He let out a quick, "I had no choice." Her eyebrows furrowed before she silently fumed from her hiding spot, angry at his answer as she had hoped him to be more sincere, not so blunt. But that always seemed to be the case with Paul. She told herself that he wasn't allowed to still feel for her, even