FIREHEART | Quil Ateara

In The Embers

"The mind can't explain it, and you can't make it go away. It's called love."

I didn't sleep at all that night. My brain trying to come up with some kind of chemical imbalance that led to me falling for Quil Ateara. It was messy already though, he won't let me kiss him but will get upset if I'm with another boy. It wasn't like when I was younger and he was being protective, it was different, the feelings changed. But change always sucked.

I went down for breakfast that next Saturday morning, the whole family already scarfing down the food Emily and Leah prepared. I take a seat next to Brady who seemed too busy scarfing down his muffin and eggs at the same time.

"Brady I thought you were allergic to gluten?" I say making a face as he stopped his eating mid-way. He swallows before he can respond.

"I was, now I ain't." He says simply and I just squint my eyes at him.

"Bullshit." A chorus of laughs erupt from everyone at my curse.

"Claire!" Emily scolds me being the only one to not find it funny.

I raise my hands up in surrender before looking around the table for Quil. He was the only one not here, but the girl, Taylor, was in fact here sitting by Rachel. I squint my eyes at her, who the hell was she exactly? I lean over to my right to Effie.

"Who is she exactly?" Before Effie can answer Paul, however he heard it, grins at me.

"For all of you who didn't meet Taylor last night, she's Jacob and Rachel's cousin, from Montana." Paul says putting emphasis on 'Montana' smirking directly at me.

I ignore his looks, but glad I got an answer. Taylor looks up, smiling at everyone gleefully, but faltering when she see's me in a grimace. I almost question if after I left for home last night, she talked more to Quil. The thought bothered me more than I'd like to admit. Just as if he knew I was talking about him, he walks in the door with Jacob. I catch his eyes instantly, and it's almost rewarding I being the first place he looked.

That all went to hell when he took the empty seat by Taylor. I try and suppress my grimace, practically stabbing at my eggs on my plate. I feel someone kick my leg under the table, I look up glaring at Toby with a fat smirk. I automatically like instinct flip him off. I feel eyes on me and, of course, it's Quil watching our interaction. I kick Tobey right back, finding him the only entertainment among the table of boring conversation. This leads to my leg, throbbing with pain by the time I give up. The conversation get's interesting when Taylor speaks up in her delicate voice.

"I might stay a little longer than planned." But she's not looking at Effie who asked the question, she's looking at Quil fricken Ateara.

I can't hold in the eye roll, he's not even looking at her as she clearly is hinting to him. I don't stomach my breakfast anymore, rising from my chair and heading back upstairs. I was still technically grounded so I couldn't really go anywhere, the weather outside was clear but too cold for my window to stay happen. So I opted to editing some photos from the other day from my bed. I look up as I hear one knock and then Quil opening the door. I don't pay him any attention as I continue editing. His piercing gaze burning right through me.