Imprints: A Paul Lahote Story

Meda

I walked through the Sea-Tac airport, my nerves were just beginning to calm down after the long flight. Dad and I found our bags then we hailed a cab.

I figured we were going to rent a car for our drive to the reservation but Dad surprised me when the taxi pulled into a dealership instead.

"Late Birthday present sweetheart." He said with a wide grin. "Also, it's an I'm sorry gift for kinda springing this whole move on you, as well as a welcome to your new home gift."

My mouth popped open, I couldn't believe it.

"Well go ahead...Pick one." he said with laughter in his voice.

I walked around the used car lot as my dad paid the taxi driver and then dealt with the vulture like salesman. They shook hands and I'm assuming the guy was trying to make a sell.

But I was too busy to bother with either of them. I walked from car to car before I finally spotted it, the car I wanted.

It wasn't new, but it was surely new to me. I smiled as I ran my hand over it's curved hood.

It was a cute red Volkswagen Beetle with a black convertible top. Just like me it wasn't too flashy or over the top, just reliable and simple.

I ran up to my father excitedly. "Dad I found the one I want!" I shouted happily.

I showed them to my little beetle and my father then began talking prices with the man.

Dad would get a cruiser when he starts work so he didn't need a car, I on the other hand did need a car to get me to school and possibly work If I find a job.

My dad managed to get a couple thousand knocked off the price, I'm not sure how but I sure as heck didn't complain, soon we put our bags into my new car and (despite it now being my car) Dad drove us to our new house as I looked out my window and took it all in.

Forks.

It was actually really pretty, with tons of trees and just small town feel being brought to life right before my eyes. I even caught a glimpse of a beach and smiled...it was like a little piece of home.

Since houses in California are a lot pricier than the ones here in Washington we got quiet a lot for our old two bedroom back home...plus dad made pretty decent money as cop.

But I was still shocked to see that we had one of the bigger homes on the reservation. Then again, we technically weren't on the reservation. Our new home was actually just outside of the reservation's property lines.

This caused a bit of a conundrum when it came to my new school.

Forks High said since I technically live in Forks I am suppose to go to their school, BUT because I live so close to the high school on the reservation and Dad and I are going to have familial ties to the tribe, it was assumed I would just be going there. 

Apparently my grandfather pulled some strings and I will be attending the school on the reservation, a small relief considering the class sizes are much smaller, and hopefully Dad was right about me making friends with my cousin...hopefully.

Luckily when we walked into the house everything was just as we planned, all of our stuff was brought over and arranged per the request of my Father. I found the bedroom that had all of my boxes, it was enormous and I did the first thing that came to mind, I began unpacking.

I had gotten almost all of my clothes and shoes put away when my father knocked on my bedroom door.

He opened it and stuck his head in. "We're leaving to your grandfather's in less than an hour." He said with a smile.