IC Time: May 17, 2007
Location: Abandoned Log Yard
Synopsis: Charlene breaks up with her boyfriend
Submitted by: Esme
There is a fairly new Blue Dodge Pickup in the middle of the old log yard. Outside, surrounding it are four people. Three of them are boys, looking to be in their late teens or perhaps their early 20's. One is a girl, tad younger - Charlene. Two of the boys have paper bags with bottles inside them and are drinking from them, horsing around with each other at a large stump next to the truck. The other boy is angrily gesturing to Charlene as she is holding something out to him - a ring of some sort.
An engine cuts in the distant and a car door shuts before the distant sounds fall silent again. It's not long, though, before the crunching of heeled feet upon the ground can be heard, and even less time before Esme Cullen is visible. The woman looks about the group and spots her…. neice-in-law(?), who gets a pleasent smile. "Charlene," she calls out, her voice melodic and ringing.
The large and older boy talking with Charlene, shoves at her till she's pushed against the side of his truck. "No. I'm not taking it back." His tone is immediately apologetic towards Charlene, even if his actions aren't. The other two boys turn towards Esme as she approaches, both beginning to grin widely, "Hey… lookie here!" Charlene turns towards Esme. "Mrs. Cullen…." and she begins to take a few steps towards her, but is shoved back against the truck once again. "We're not done, Charli." Terry says to her, before looking over his shoulder at Esme, "We're a bit busy." he says to her.
Esme scowls as she see's how the boys are treating Bella's cousin. "Get away from her," she orders, her tone is harsh as she makes her way towards Charlene, seemingly unconcerned about how the boys may try to treat herself. MomEsme, far more concerned about family than she is her own well being.
Terry appraises Esme as she approaches. Whether through some sort of kindness or maybe just self preservation instinct, he shrugs and walks away from Charlene and his truck towards his two friends, "Let them talk." he orders them. Charlene is still holding the masculine cut Forks HS ring in one hand. She closes her hand about it till she makes a fist. Now she takes some steps towards Esme with a glance towards Terry to make sure he's as good as he says. "Mrs. Cullen…What are you doing here?" She seems nervous and looks like she has been crying.
Esme sends a glare to those harassing Charlene before moving to pull the girl protectively to her side, still glowering at the boys. "Give me the ring, Charlene," she requests, holding her hand out. "I was out for a walk when I saw you, seemed like a good time to intervene," is pointed out as she raises a brow. "Besides, Jacob likes you, can't let anything happen as you're part of the family, in more ways than one."
Charlene says, "What?" She blinks at Esme a few times, before looking down at her hand, unfurling her fingers to gaze at the ring. "I can take care of this Mrs. Cullen. Really." The three boys are passing their paper bags around to one another, taking swigs, occasionally casting glances at Esme and Charlene. "I don't need help dealing with Terry. He's just upset."
Esme nods at the girls words. "I've no doubt that you can, Charlene, but I'd hate to see you get hurt," she points out. "Jacob cares for you, my dear, and he is like a son to me. He would be quite devastated if something were to happen to you," she gives, her words soft and gentle as she eyes the boys with a level glare, a warning gaze, perhaps.
Charlene says, "Mrs. Cullen…." she shakes her head slowly, bewildered. "Jacob… and I… just one night. He hasn't told me any such thing. I mean I know…" she trails off. At this point, Terry moves back towards you and Charlene. "Done yet?" He sets the paper bag down inside the bed of the truck leaving his hand there. "Seriously. Charli and I were having a conversation."
Esme chuckles slightly. "Jacob, though, well, I'll let him explain that to you, but he truly cares for you, Charlene Swan," she gives, her tone gentle before she spies Terry walking towards them. "Of course we're not. I'd like, very much, to take my niece back to her uncle's house now," she gives, asserting what little family influence she has, as she's not exactly related to Charlene in any form, other than being Charlene's cousin's mother-in-law.
Terry shrugs, though he looks pretty miffed. "Take her home, then." He gives Charlene a knowing smile. "I'll pick you up after school tomorrow, Chica." He glances to the ring in her hand, "You keep that till tomorrow and we'll finish this." Charlene frowns at him beginning to tremble slightly, and tucks the ring into a pocket in the front of her jeans. Turning towards Esme she bites her lip, "He said that to you?" She keeps her back turned towards Terry and his friends very interested in the answer.
Esme says nothing during the exchange between Terry and Charlene, instead she simply glares at Terry, all the while hovering near Charlene. At the teen's question shakes her head. "He did not need to, Charlene, I could see the look in his eyes when he danced with you at the reception, he hasn't been so smitten since Bella," she points out, smiling. "Something about you Swan women, I think."
Charlene says, "Bella?" Frowning, she turns away from Esme. "What? Cause he can't have her…. he fixates on me?" She shakes her head turning back, agitated, glaring at Esme. "So that's it. I knew it had to be something. That's what Bella wouldn't tell me, I bet." She turns once again and begins walking towards Terry, who is all smiles at this point. "Terry will take me home." Terry just silently nods, grinning."
Esme shakes her head and moves to pat Charlene on the shoulder. "Certainly not, my Dear, he is Bella's friend, nothing more, never will be, and he's not settling for any second best," she offers, her tone reassuring as she matches Charlene step for step. "Jacob saw something in you that he finds… well, I don't know the word for it, but something about you calls to him, in a way that your cousin never could have. She would have never stood a chance in Jacob's eyes, not compared to you," Terry still gets a glare.
Charlene rounds on Esme, still frowning, "You said, not since Bella. I know what /that/ means. I'm not stupid." The boys begin snicker, "No. She's not stupid." they kind of echo. Terry drapes an arm around her shoulders, stepping forward still with a grin on his face, "I'll take her home, Mrs. Cullen, don't your worry now." he says in his best imitation of a 'good 'ole boy'. "Have her home before dinner." Charlene angrily shrugs his arm off her shoulders and turns to open the door of the truck, missing the dangerously angry glance Terry gives her.
Esme turns a feral growl upon Terry. "You will keep your hands off of her, especially if she gives you no permission to do such a thing," she gives, attempting to place herself between Charlene and Terry. "Charlene, understand my words, I beg. Jacob may have liked Bella, but you, you have something far more important to him than Bella ever had. You have his heart, Charlene Swa," the last line is whispered, low enough so that only the girl can hear them. "Charlene, if nothing else, allow me to take you home, my car is just down the road."
"Buzz off, Mommy." Terry angrily says to her, attempting to stick a hand on her shoulder and shove, as he begins to make his way around the back of the truck to get in at the other side. With her door still open, Charli peers at Esme, she is angry and also looking hurt. The words she uttered seem to do something and she slides off her seat before she realizes what she's doing and closes the truck door behind her. "Okay." she says quietly in an almost cracked voice. "I really want to see Jacob." The tears begin to well in her eyes, catching in her eyelashes as she blinks.
Esme moves to take a hold of Terry's arm, presuming success her grip is firm around his wrist, tightening as she glares at him. "You will /not/ lay a hand on myself, or my family," she gives, her eyes darkening just a few shades, away from their usual liquid honey. "That includes Charlene," she states, voice firm as she pushes the lad away from her, the strength she puts into that push is probably more than is necessary. "I'll take you to La Push, if you want to see him, Charlene," she gives, voice becoming tender as she moves to stand, again, between Char and Terry.
Charlene shuffles at first, but quickly picks up speed, taking normal steps, then longer steps as she heads out towards the way to the road. "Yeah. La Push." Her hand dips into her pocket and simply picks the ring out far enough to let it fall into the dirt. Trembling she keeps walking. Terry, on the other hand… makes no move to stop them once he's shoved away from Esme. The two other boys are gawaffing, whether at Esme and Charlene or Terry, it isn't quite obvious tell Terry bellows at them, "Can it, you 'tards. Get in." He orders them as he climbs into the driver's seat.
Esme easily keeps stride with Charlene, easily ignoring Terry and his band of misfits as her foot comes to rest upon the ring that has fallen on the ground. When she lifts her foot again there's nothing left but a flattened junk of metal and a shattered stone. "Once we're at my car, I'll call Jacob, he'll meet us there and pick you up," she gives, with a slight nod of her head, mentally cursing the Line, otherwise she could easily speed the teen to his house without thought.
Charlene leaves with Esme, as the boys climb into the bed of the truck and Terry revs the truck and speeds by them, spewing dirt and gravel, fishtailing his way out of the logyard, crashing the already opened but made to look closed gates and heads towards the higheway. All three of them are whooping, Terry's head was out the window, "Tomorrow… Charli. Tomorrow." Apparently he has some of his courage back.
Esme shakes her head, slightly as she makes her way, at an even pace, towards her car. "Don't worry for a moment about him, Charlene, you're a lot safer than you would think," she gives with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Jacob won't let anything happen to you, not for as long as he can do anything to protect you."
Charlene says, "Yeah. Okay." Charlene is pretty much trembling now that everything is done with. Apparently her body's reaction to such situations once they are dealt with. She peers up and down the road till she spots a car in the distance, Mercedes by the silhouette. "I think I will call in sick tomorrow at school, just the same." She doesn't seem as tearful, but not all together there either, going through the motions more so than not, beginning to break out in a thin sheen of sweat."
Esme turns a concerned gaze towards the girl as they reach the car. Esme's quick to unlock the doors and she pulls open the passenger side door for her. The car is something to behold on it's own. It's a white Mercedes convertible with a black top. The interior of the vehicle is black leather with mahogany detailing and some chrome accenting. Once Charlene is in she flips open her I-phone and dials a number. A few quick words are said as Esme walks around to drivers side of the car. "Jacob will be waiting for us at La Push," she gives, nodding slightly as she puts the key into the ignition and whips the vehicle around in the appropriate direction.
Charlene grips the handle above the door as the car whips around. /Then/ she reaches for the seat belt and fastens it. Hugging herself she stairs out the windshield, still fighting off the trembling. "Thank you." she manages to get out, brining a new round of tears, following by some light chuckling. "You'd think I was in 6th grade. It's just… I see his face and I can't help it."
Esme smiles. "It's alright, everyone's allowed their moments," she gives in a gentle tone as she moves the vehicle at a human speed towards La Push. "Just remember, you're family now, Charlene, as odd as that sounds. You're Bella's cousin, and Jacob likes you, a lot, and Jake's family," she gives, turning her head to look at Charlene. Road? Who needs to watch the road?
Charlene peers skeptically over at Esme, and at the road, for that matter as she realizes Esme isn't. "Family? Jacob. How?" She shakes her head detaching one of her hands from her side and dismisses the question chuckling nervously, "Never mind. Don't need to know." She sinks down further into her seat so she can just barely see the road. Safer.
Esme smiles. "He's like family to me, he has been for the last several years," she gives with a nod as she leisurely returns her eyes to the road. "We'll be at La Push soon," she gives with a chuckle as she pushes the gas pedal just a little more, causing the car to jump forward a bit.
Charlene sighs, beginning to blink almost sleepily as the trembling subsides. Managing a friendly enough smile, she turns her head slightly and peers at Esme. "So. Where is Bella going for her honeymoon?" She's absently rubbing the spot on her hand where the ring has been.
Esme smiles slightly. "Edward's taking her to a secluded island," she answers with a chuckle. "I suspect they'll be leaving soon, though I'm not sure when, or when they'll be back, for that matter," is offered as she waves dismissively with one hand, leaving the other on the steering wheel.
