Olivia's PoV*
Paul and I had been together for just over a year now. Although we had only been an official couple for a year Paul has been in my life for, well my whole life and if I'm honest I thought that would never change.
I know what everyone says about him, that he's arrogant and hot headed, with no filter or regard for others but that's just the role that he plays for other people. The Paul that I know, the Paul that is reserved just for me is sweet and kind, he's gentle and loyal,he would do anything for the people he cares about. He looks out for me and after me like no one else in my life not even my parents.
I can wholeheartedly say that I am in love with Paul Lahote ever single little part of him. From that stupid smug grin he has when he thinks he's right, to the way that he twirls my hair around his index finger absentmindedly when we cuddle on his couch. Damn I even love that he drools in his sleep and snores way louder than I thought was humanly possible.
But recently things have changed it's like my Paul has packed up and moved to Canada and left behind this whole other person I don't even know.
For the last couple of weeks every little thing sets him off. He become angry and agitated over nothing, kids walking too slowly in the halls as school, traffic lights not changing fast enough, he even yelled at poor Finley Davis the shy boy I was partnered with in chemistry for smiling at me in the cafeteria.
He hasn't turned up to school in the last three days, ignored all my phone calls and messages. His dad says he's sick and that i can't see him but the last time I checked (unless he's literally on deaths doorstep) sick people can still answer a fucking phone.
Yesterday I decided I'd had enough, three days was too long without speaking to him, I don't care if I catch the fucking plague I needed to see him.
Sure I was angry that he hadn't bothered to return a single text or call but if he was really sick then I figured a strong word or two and I'd be over it. Was I confused as to why he didn't want me around all of a sudden -when ever other time he'd been sick he practically beg me to come look after him- sure I was. More than anything though I missed him.
After school I drove straight to his house ready to push past his dad and tell him I didn't care that he was sick, and hoping he wasn't home so I could just walk in without the hassle.
That is not what happened, the longing I'd felt for him was washed away when I pulled up outside of his house. The anger and confusion were joined by hurt and embarrassment when I saw him standing at the edge of the woods in his backyard laughing with Jared Cameron.
He was wearing nothing but a pair of cut off jeans, not exactly the attire you'd expect any person to wear when it's barely 40 degrees and raining, especially not one who was "too sick" to speak to his fucking girlfriend.
He looked even more buff than he was merely a week ago, his shoulders broader, his back more muscular. It hadn't gone unnoticed to me that over the last few months his body had changed a lot. Muscle more defined than it had ever been, his clothes gradually stopped fitting, he'd gotten stronger and faster than he used to be. He'd even grown several inches to the point that I had to stand on my tiptoes just to place a kiss on his jawline. I had figured it was some kind of growth spurt or something.
As soon as he reached over to push Jared's shoulder and I saw the tattoo sitting on his arm it was like a lightbulb switched on inside my head. Sam Uley. Somehow Sam had gotten to Paul, everyone at school had watched it happen to Jared only a few months ago.
How had I been so stupid not to see it, it made perfect sense, well it did if the rumours about Sam were actually true. No one actually knows what it is Sam and Jared get up to but a lot of people think it's some kind of weird gang they are trying to start, they get juiced up, get that stupid tattoo and run around half naked all the time.
If Paul had decided to become part of Sams "gang" for whatever reason, it meant he'd been lying to me for god knows how long, not even steroids make you that big that fast. It explains his sudden mood change and general shiftiness too.
Before he could notice me sitting there and make his way over I pulled my car out of his driveway making sure to rev my engine much louder than needed to catch his attention. From the corner of my eye I saw him turn and see me but refuse to give him the curtesy of any kind of eye contact as I drove away.
It's been a month since the day I went to his house. A month since the last time I had any kind of contact with him. A month of being heartbroken and angry, but I refuse to be some kind of desperate little puppy and fight for his attention if this is how he wanted our relationship, our life long friendship, to end then I'm not going to lower myself to grovelling at his feet.
He came back to school last week, I only have one class with him and we don't sit together (after Miss Marshal separated us for being a distraction to one another) so avoiding him wasn't difficult. I saw him at lunch siting with Jared and Embry Call who is now apparently part of there little gang so opted to eat in the library instead.
Today is my last day in La Push, my parents had kindly informed me last week that my dad had accepted a job at a university in Texas and we had to move. If things had been different with Paul and I, I probably would have kicked up a storm about it but instead I just congratulated you dad and went back to my room to sulk like I did every night recently.
I decided I wanted to spend my last day at First beach, the only place I've felt somewhat happy since Paul and I broke up, I had so many memories on that beach, building sand castles as a kid, playing in the rock pools, bonfires. It's actually the place Paul confessed he had feelings for me for the first time and where we spent our first date. I figured if the beach was the last memory I had of this place then I can leave with a smile on my face.
Walking along the crescent shaped shoreline my shoes tucked under my arm as I let the waves lap over my feet for possibly the last time I'm lost in my own thoughts. I can hear people yelling and laughing from somewhere behind me but I don't bother to look to find out who the voices belong to. I want to spend the little time I have left committing to memory the feeling of the sand between my toes, the sound of the ocean crashing against the cliffs in the distance, the smell of the salt water invading my nostrils.
Apparently I was too distracted by the beauty of First Beach to notice the large man running backwards towards me his hard stretched above him for the football flying through the air. The force that he hits me with sends me falling to the ground under me, pulling into a sitting position I'm just thankful that it's sand and not concrete that cushions my fall. Looking round to see the source of my collapse I make eye contact with the last person I wanted to see today.
Paul Lahote.
He stares as me like he's seen a ghost, it's blank yet all consuming at the same time and it take me several moments to clear my head and become present again. Narrowing my eyes at him I snap "what?" It comes out less angry than I wanted it to but by the slight widening of his eyes I know he gets the message.
He still says nothing continuing to stare at me "What Paul, nothing to say? I mean it's not like you've had over a month to come up with something" I almost yell at him now standing to brush the sand off my jeans.
Again his mouth forms no words but he does progress from staring to repeatedly opening and closing his mouth like some kind of fish.
"Fine! Don't talk to me, goodbye Paul" I walk around him making my way back along the beach towards my car.
"Wait! Olivia wait!" I hear him yell from behind me his heavy footsteps coming closer grabbing my elbow and spinning my round to look at him
"I know I've been the worlds shittiest boyfriend recently, but please give me a chance to explain, to apologise, Oli please" his speech is hurried like he's trying to get everything out of his mouth before he forgets how to speak again.
Pulling my arm out of his grasp I shake my head at him " boyfriend! You are not my boyfriend you made that perfect clear when you cut me clean out of your life, when you lied to me and decided I wasn't even worth an explanation! I don't want to hear what what you have to say Paul. Go run back to Sam he obviously means much more to you than I do"
"Olivia it's not like that! I didn't have a choice and if I did you know who I would have chosen" he took a step closer to me reaching his hand out to touch me
"Don't you dare even think about touching me Lahote! It doesn't even matter anymore! After today you'll never have to see me again anyway. Choice made! Goodbye" I can feel my eyes starting to burn as tears make there way to the surface, I turn to leave once again, I don't want him to see he cry over him.
"What is that supposed to mean of course I'll see you, I'm done hiding from you I just told you I'd explain it all to you" he yells grabbing me again.
"I wasn't talking about you, I'm moving to Texas Paul, it doesn't matter what you say it's over!" I scream pushing him away he barley moves an inch but move fast enough to be out of his reach as I sprint to my car ignoring him calling after me.
That night I lay in my bed staring up at my ceiling as I let the tears I held in In front of him fall, telling my parents to send him away when he came to my door, not answering his calls or any of his constant messages.
Maybe now he knows how much it hurts.