LET DOWN

eight.           study date

▬ CORI SMILED AS SHE spun around in her desk chair. She was supposed to be doing her homework but that pretty much went out the window the second she sat in the chair while music played from her record player. She spun once more, her smile faded a little as her vision blurred and her head spun, her stomach turning slightly.

"Oh, too much." She mumbled, squeezing her eyes closed as she took a deep breath. "Okay." She mumbled, pulling herself closer to her desk, where her books had been laid out. Next to her history book sat Emmett's notebook, which he insisted she take so she had the notes she needed. The simple reminder of the boy that had pretty much ditched his family most of the day just for her made her smile, but she shook the thought and tried her best to focus on algebra.

"Cori!" Bella called out, lightly knocking on the door before she pushed it open.

"Oh, thank goodness." She mumbled to herself, letting out a relieved breath – she was not ready for algebra homework and welcomed the distraction. "Yeah?" She called out and she heard the stairs creak as her sister climbed them.

"Mom's on the phone." She waved the device a little in the air and Cori's smile grew wide as she jumped up, taking the phone from her sister and plopping onto her bed.

"Mom!" Cori nearly shouted, getting a chuckle from the woman on the other end as Bella sank to the mattress beside her.

"Hey, Cor." She smiled, she was glad that she seemed so happy. "Hey, babies. So, listen," Her tone changed a little, taking on a more serious tone. "-if spring training goes well, we could be moving to Florida."

"Gross." Cori mumbled, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed. "It's hot there. But good for Phillip."

"Yeah, I'll tell him." Renee chuckled lightly.

"Please insert $1.25 for an additional three minutes." An automated voice cut in before any one could say much else and the Swan sisters shared a look.

"Mom, where's your cell?" Bella asked, leaning closer to Cori, who held the phone between them.

"Okay. don't laugh. I didn't lose my power cord. It ran away." The girls giggled a little, sharing a knowing look."Screaming. I literally repel technology now."

"I miss you." Bella mumbled, her voice a little quiet.

"We both do." Cori added, quickly.

"Oh, babies, I miss you guys, too." She told them. "But tell me more about your school. Now, what are the kids like?" Cori watched as Bella's shoulders stiffened a little and her face lost any trace of the smile that was once there. "Are there any cute guys?"

"Well, they're all very welcoming." Bella muttered, clearly not meaning a word she said.

"Uh, oh. Tell me all about it."

"It doesn't even matter." She huffed and Cori gave her a confused look, the last Cori had seen, Bella had made some friends and they seemed nice enough.

"Well, I had a good day." Cori mumbled, trying to ease the tension a little.

"You were holding hands with a guy you just met." Bella stated, seemingly taking her anger out on her sister.

"Really?" Renee questioned, shocked by the information.

"I-I was nervous and he offered." She mumbled, shrugging her shoulders a little. "He was sweet." That only seemed to make Bella's bad mood worse.

"I have homework to do." She took the phone from Cori's hand. "Um, we'll talk to you later."

"Okay. I love you."

"Love you, too." Bella told her.

"Ditto." Cori rushed out before Bella hung up and when she did Cori gave her a confused look. "Are you mad at me for something?"

"No." She shook her head, pushing herself off the bed. "I just... I have homework."

"Okay." Cori nodded, still slightly confused but she let her sister leave the room before she looked over at her desk at her own pile of homework that she really didn't want to do. She smiled a little when a thought popped into her head and she reached across her bed to get her phone off of her nightstand. She scrolled through her contacts, looking for Rachel. She knew the Quileute girl would jump at the chance to help her in any way, but she stopped when she saw a contact that hadn't been in her phone before.

With pinched eyebrows, she stared at the contact for a moment, trying to figure out how it had gotten there and if the number belonged to who she thought it did. So, she cautiously clicked it and held her phone to her ear as it rang.

"Hello?"

"Travis?" Cori questioned, chewing lightly on her bottom lip, somehow she still wasn't convinced that it was his number.

"Cori." He grinned, the mere name leaving his lips had Emmett looking away from the tv. And since he was distracted, Jasper easily took the lead in the game they had been playing. "I see you found my number."

"When did you even..." She trailed off, still confused.

"I'm sneaky." He hummed, his smile growing as Emmett narrowed his eyes at him. "So, are you calling just to talk?"

"No, I was actually looking for my friend's contact when I saw yours. I was gonna ask if she could help me with my homework." She glanced at the plie again, it seemed bigger somehow. "But I saw your name and I was curious."

"What do you need help with?"

"I win." Jasper stated, his drawl thick and Cori's eyebrows pinched a little.

"I was distracted." Emmett huffed, tossing the controller to the side and making his way towards Travis.

"Are-are you busy?" Cori asked, feeling terrible for interrupting.

"No, not at all." He shook his head. "We were just playing a game. Well, Emmett and Jasper were, I was just watching. Now, about this homework..."

"Oh, um, I'm just a little behind is all and I'm not very good at algebra. But I'll call Rachel, she loves this kind of stuff."

"Or I can help you." He offered but before she could say anything there was shuffling on the other end of the line followed by muffled arguments, then there was silence.

"Or I could."

Her cheeks went a bright shade of pink as she brought her thumb up and nibbled at the nail. "Emmett?"

"Hey, Shortcake." He smiled a little, shoving a pillow into Travis' face when he puckered his lips, teasing the older boy. "I can totally help you, if you want. Um, I could come over if you're dad's okay with it."

"Um, yeah." She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Jus-just let me go ask him real quick." She pushed herself up and made her way through her room, down the stairs and into the hall. She knocked lightly on Charlie's door and waited for a response.

"Yeah?"

She carefully pushed the door open, stepping into the room with her phone still pressed to her ear but she ignored what sounded like whispered threats on the other end. "Um, is it alright if a friend comes over? I need help with my homework."

"Paul? He was over here late last night."

Emmett didn't like the sound of that, but he made no sound to indicate his dislike.

"No, a friend from school. Emmett. Emmett Cullen." She shifted on her feet.

"Me too!" Travis nearly shouted only to have Emmett shove him backwards.

"Ignore him." Emmett told the girl and she giggled a little, her eyes dropping to the floor for a moment.

"Is that him on the phone?" Charlie raised an eyebrow and the girl nodded.

"I really need help. We'll stay in the living room. And you said so yourself, they're good kids."

He hated that she was using his words against him, but he sighed as he nodded. "Only for a couple of hours. You both have school tomorrow. And I will be checking in."

Her smile grew wide. "Thanks, daddy." She quickly hugged him before putting the phone back to her ear and leaving his room. "That's a yes. But you can't stay long."

"I'll be there soon." He told her and she smiled as she hung up. She made her way to her room and gathered all of her homework before shoving it into her bag and making her way down the stairs, only after stopping her record player and putting the vinyl back into its sleeve.

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▬ EMMETT SMILED AT THE girl that sat to his left, she had her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, her blue eyes narrowed slightly at the math problem in front of her, and the eraser of her pencil between her teeth. He tipped his Mtn. Dew up, taking a sip even if it tasted like sandpaper. When he had arrived she had set out a couple of drinks as well as a few snacks and he couldn't bring himself to turn her down. She looked too adorable and even a bit nervous as she led him to the coffee table before sinking to the floor. So, he managed to get a few chips down, and even a few sandwiches she had made.

"Who looked at math and thought let's add letters. That seems like a good idea? Cause I hate them." She muttered, resting her forehead against the table.

"Come on." He sighed a little, placing his hand on the small of her back. "You got this."

"Can you just do my homework for me?" She asked, lifting her head to look up at him. Her eyes wide and pleading and he was seconds from agreeing, seconds from pulling her notebook towards him and filling in all the answers. But before he could, Charlie walked in.

"How's the homework?" He asked, looking between the two as he stood in the doorway and Emmett moved his hand so it no longer rested on the girl's back, but on the floor behind her.

"Terrible." Cori answered.

"We just have algebra left." Emmett told him, glancing at the clock on the wall before looking back at the Chief of Police.

"Algebra is stupid." Cori huffed, dropping her pencil onto the table before pushing a few loose strands of hair back. "Can I be homeschooled?"

"You'd still have to do algebra." Emmett chuckled and the girl huffed. Charlie looked between the two, he had seen that same look on Emmett's face every time he made his way down the stairs for a drink or a snack and he couldn't stop himself when he asked the boy a question.

"So, Emmett, you're a senior?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yes, sir."

"And, uh, what are your plans for college?"

"Dad." Cori groaned a little.

"Well, I have a few plans, nothing solid yet. But I'm looking at colleges in Alaska."

"That's where you moved from?"

"Yes, sir." He nodded and Charlie hummed lightly. "I visited the campus with my dad when we still lived up there. It was a nice place. And I like the cold."

"Dad, please, no more questions." Cori cut in before Charlie could ask anything invasive or even embarrassing. "I really need his help with this or I'm gonna flunk out and be forced to live in a cardboard box in Port Angeles. And I'll have to sell my hair just to support my drug habit."

"Specific." Charlie mused.

"Please?" She nearly begged and he sighed, waving her off.

"I'm going." He turned and made his way back up the stairs and Cori let out a relieved breath once he was gone.

"Sorry about my dad, he-"

"It's all right." He gave her a smile, his hand resting against her back once again. "He cares about you, it's sweet."

"Yeah, I guess." She hummed, giving him a smile. "Okay, now back to the torture."

He couldn't help the loud laugh that left his chest and it brought an even wider smile to her face. "It's not torture."

"I beg to differ." She shook her head a little and he shifted closer to her, keeping his hand on her back.

"Just use the formula I showed you."

"The formula is also stupid." She muttered, leaning her head against him. She didn't reach his shoulder, so her head rested against his chest but neither moved as he explained the problem to her, using his free hand to point at the parts of the equation as he went over it.