Kim's Window

[Jared Cameron]

Those first few weeks after I imprinted on Kim were hard.   Sam knew what I was going through and tried to help as much as he could.  Paul was still trying to deal with his anger and trying not to constantly phase all the time.   Sam really did have his hands full with the two of us.  

 

I was constantly drawn to be near Kim.  The closer I was to her the better I felt.  The ache wasn't as bad when we were close, and physical contact was ideal.   Just walking to school holding her hand made everything feel right.  In balance.  The ache was totally gone.  But those hours from the time I'd drop her off at home until I could walk her to school the next day were an agony.   Occasionally going out on patrol would help distract me for a bit.   Sometime I couldn't focus on school work.   Those evenings I'd head over to Sam and Emily's.   They knew what was going on and it was easier to cope in that environment.  Not to mention Sam was a great help when I needed help with homework. 

There were many nights while Kim and I were adjusting to the situation where I'd find myself outside her house.  Finding a spot close to the house and I'd crash there.   It wasn't like the weather ever bothered me.  I'd go home get cleaned up, have breakfast and be back at her place to walk her to school.  

As Kim and I grew comfortable with each other and with the situation, her being my imprint and all the legends being a reality we became more and more inseparable.  Spending time after school together.  Spending time at Sam and Emily's.  I know Paul felt like the odd one out a lot.  We didn't know if he'd imprint, and his focus was still on staying calm and not phasing so much out of anger. 

Emily and Kim became close.  They had a lot to bond over.  We were like an family unit in ways.  Sam and Emily's place was a safe spot for us to talk.  We didn't have to worry about the wrong people hearing us talk about the legends, phasing, patrols.  It was the one place we could relax and just be ourselves.   I think that's likely why we spent so much time there. 

One night I ended up outside Kim's window.  I knew it would be nothing to sneak into the house.  Carefully I tossed a few small pebbles at her window.  Smiling as she opened the window.   Seeing her face light up as she realized I was there.  I don't think I could describe just how wonderful that felt at that moment.   Trying to be quiet so that her folks wouldn't know I was there, I pointed to myself, and then up to her.  Her smile never faded as she nodded.  It was the first time I would sneak into Kim's house.  I knew the moment I climbed through that window it wouldn't be the last.  I had barely closed Kim's window when I felt her arms start to wrap around me, and she whispered how much she missed me.  She let me turn around to face her, my arms wrapping around her, the ache in my chest gone.  There was no place I'd rather be.  Kim totally understood the ache and the need to be near her.  I'd been so proud of how she'd accepted and handled everything.  

It was only moments before my lips found hers.  Kissing her passionately.

I learned quickly which floor boards squeaked when they were stepped on.      Every night I could be there I spent it with her.  Leaving in the morning was always hard.   We talked about being eighteen and being able to get our own place.  It was something Kim seemed to want as much as me.   To not have to be away from each other.   The thought of not having to sneak into her room at night anymore, to have her to hold every night.  To wake up beside her every morning and not worry that someone might walk in on us.

Shortly after my seventeenth birthday we started  looking into finding our own place.   The tribal council were very helpful as was Sam in sorting everything out.   Keeping us on the rez was the main goal.  Kim and I didn't mind if we ended up in a smaller place, or one that was needed a bit of work.   We knew we'd get the help we needed to get a place set up.   Kim turned eighteen a few months after my birthday.   And that's when things really started to become real and get set into place.   A place was found and we spent most of the summer working on getting it fixed up.   Making sure plumbing worked, that there were no leaks in the roof.  Sam and Emily helped where they could.   It was even a good distraction for Paul.  

Kim moved in at the end of summer.   It would be three long months before I could officially move in.  But from the day Kim moved in I practically lived there.