Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight characters, no matter how much I want to!
Gabriella's POV
"Aww, come on Gab, you know you like him, just ask him out already," Drew said for the umpteenth time.
"I've already told you that I don't want to," I responded, keeping my eyes glued to my psychology book.
"That's only because you're scared," he sneered.
"No I'm not scared. I just don't want a boyfriend," I lied.
"Ya you do."
"No I do not."
"Stop lying, Gab."
"I'm not lying!"
He silenced, but I could feel his eyes boring into the side of my skull.
"Please stop staring at me," I grumbled, closing my gook and standing up.
"Why won't you ask him?" He protested, I groaned, heading down the hall to my room.
"Cut it out Drew. Just because you have a happy relationship with you boyfriend doesn't mean we all do!" I called as I put my book away.
"Well, that's why you should ask him out!"
"Just drop it, please," I pleaded, coming back into the living room.
He sighed heavily, "fine, I'll drop it, but you're gonna regret not doing it, and when you do, you better not come whining to me."
"Don't worry, I won't," I said darkly, moving into the kitchen.
Just as I was opening the fridge I felt my phone begin to vibrate in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out, blushing when I saw the name.
"Hey Will" I said, ignoring the grin on Drew face as I busied myself with making out dinner.
"Hi, Gabbie, what's up?" His attractive voice asked, I gulped and nearly dropped a glass. Drew chuckled and I scowled at him.
"Nothing much, just making dinner for Drew and I," I told him, hoping he couldn't hear the slight tremor in my voice.
"Oh, so I guess you can't come then," he said, sounding crestfallen, my heart raced.
"Come where?" I haven't started dinner yet."
"Oh really? Um, well, I was just wondering if you'd like to go…uh…out to dinner with me?"
"Um, ya, that'd be great! Where do you want me to meet you?" I asked.
"How about that little diner down on the corner?"
"Sure, sounds good. Um, I'll see you in a few then?"
"Definitely, bye!"
"Ya, bye," I murmured, then carefully closed my phone.
"I knew you were nervous," Drew chided.
"Shut up," I told him as I grabbed my coat and hurried out the door.
Paul's POV
I sat staring out a small window in an extreme state of boredom.
We had just arrived in Seattle the night before, and Sam wouldn't let us search for the dumbbell until nightfall. I did agree on that part however, since giant wolves walking around during the day might catch a hundred or so people's eyes at the very least.
So we've been stuck inside a tiny motel room waiting for the sky to darken.
"Hey Paul, wanna go grab a beer before we have to search?" Came Jared's voice, cutting off my dull train of thought.
"Sure, anything's better than this shit hole," I said, standing up and stretching.
We were silent as we exited the motel room, keeping a sharp eye out for any signs of who we were looking for, or those we weren't.
"I'm a little irritated with our good pal Jake right about now," Jared grumbled once we had gotten to the road. I nodded, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans.
"Ya, the kid's sending us on the run," I grumbled.
"You can say that again, we've been to at least a dozen places and there's still no sign of him!"
"He's good though. He's even hiding from us when we're wolves, and that's pretty darn close to impossible."
"I know, I wonder how he's managing that."
We both lapsed into silence, trying to think of a loophole in our connection. I don't know what Jared found, but I came up empty-handed, which only increased my agitation.
I was already considered to have a volatile temper, and this chase wasn't doing anything to help it. I was beginning to think that even if we did find Jake, I might ruin our persuasion speech with my anger towards his worthless reaction. I mean, he was the one stupid enough to let a girl who didn't even like him break his little heart.
At this I gritted my teeth, willing myself to stay calm. Sam had already been leery about sending me on this little quest. I didn't want to give him any reason to doubt me, because I knew I could control my temper, and I planned to prove him and the pack wrong.
Once we arrived at the bar Jared went and ordered us two beers as I sat myself in a small bench seat.
The bar was small, but the evening traffic of people hadn't quite arrived yet, so there were only a few tables full.
"Look at this Paul, we got a sampler!" Jared exclaimed. I looked over to see him carrying a large tray of different alcohol shots.
"I thought we were just having a beer," I said, my eyes narrowing as he sat the tray on the table.
"Aww, come on Paul, we haven't been wasted in god knows how long! It could be fun!" He the lifted up something that looked like vodka and downed it.
I smirked, we hadn't been drunk in a while, that was true. Mostly it was Sam, he didn't like to drink, and Emily wouldn't allow it in her house, but after the week we had, getting wasted sounded pretty damn good. So I grabbed a shot and tipped it into my waiting mouth.
Gabriella's POV
I was amazed at how well this date was going, I had only gotten tongue-tied once, and that was because the waiter had asked it I was a Mrs.
Now, we were having a heated debate over the mock-trial we had seen today ion our trial analysis class.
"I personally think the guy had it coming to him," Will argued.
"He did, but that girl could have made the whole thing up just to get him in trouble. That happens a lot nowadays."
"That's true, but who's the court gonna believe? A man, or a woman?"
"Fair point, but the system shouldn't be so prejudiced, women lie on the stand way more than men!"
"They probably do, but the system would never pick a man's side over a teary-eyed woman's."
"Well, they should, because that is just ridiculous!"
"You're very much against your own sex, aren't you?" He asked, an adorable smile gracing his lips, I flushed.
"I am, but after they put that man in prison because of my mother's lying, I tend to distrust the words of women. I've lived around men too long anyways," I shrugged.
"Ya, I'm sorry about that," he whispered, looking away from me.
"About what? Living around men? They may be a pain, but they aren't that bad," I argued, afraid I had offended him.
"No, about your mother," he said, his blue eyes capturing mine.
"Oh, that," I murmured, concentrating on my spaghetti. "Don't be sorry for me, be sorry for her, she's the one who destroyed her life."
"But you had to deal with her destroyed life, that couldn't have been easy," he said softly, reaching across the table and taking my left hand in his.
"I guess, but, could we please talk about something else?' I asked, closing my eyes.
"Yeah, I'm sorry for bringing it up," he said, making to pull his hand away, but I held it tight. The warmth was soothing as I tried to rein in my ramped thoughts.
He stopped pulling and began to rub his thumb carefully against the back of my hand.
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
"No, it's fine," I sighed, reopening my eyes and smiling softly.
"Ok," he nodded, returning my unimpressive smile with one of such radiance that I was momentarily stunned.
"Uh-huh," I mumbled, trying to keep my head out of the gutter, but I was slowly losing.
"Come on, I'll walk you home," he announced, standing up and pulling me with him.
"Oh, I can walk home by myself," I protested as he pulled me out the door.
"A lady shouldn't be wandering around at night," he said.
"You know I'm tougher than that, Will," I said, rolling my eyes in exasperation.
"I know you are, but please let me walk you home?" He begged.
"I'll be fine, will," I sighed, looking up at him.
"You aren't going to cave, are you?" He asked solemnly, I shook my head, he sighed.
"Just be careful please."
"Don't worry, the big bad darkness won't get me!" I joked, but his face didn't soften.
"Just promise me you'll be careful, Gabbie," he sighed.
"Alright, I promise I'll be careful, happy?"
"Almost," he murmured, I looked up at him questionably, but before I could properly read his facial expression his lips were against mine.
My eyes immediately slipped shut as my free hand moved up to cup his cheek.
"G-goodnight," he whispered, beginning to pull away, but I shook my head as I pulled him back to me, kissing his smooth lips once more.
"No it's a good night," I told him with a smile, he flushed, but smiled back, brushing a curl out of my face.
"It is a good night," he agreed. "But you still won't permit me to escort you home."
"Nope, bye Will" I said quickly, pulling away from him and beginning to walk away.
"Be careful!" He called after me, I smiled.
"I will you worry wart!" I yelled as I waved goodbye to him. I could see him smile as he turned in the other direction. So I looked back forward and permitted myself a small, jubilant giggle before recomposing myself and continued to walk in a dignified silence.
Paul's POV
I couldn't believe how drunk I was as I staggered out of the bar. Jared had found a pretty blond to spend the night with so I was along in finding our motel.
I was jealous of him, but none of the girls in there turned me on enough to get in bed with them. So I began to teeter home, hoping to god now one would find me like this.
Of course, karma would come to bite me in the ass, and in a dark back alley I spotted a tall curly haired brunette.
"Hey, cutie!" I called, she stiffened, but kept walking. My eyebrows knitted together and I sped up, I wasn't going to be spending the night along when Jared was having so much fun.
I caught up with her quickly and wrapped my arms around her slim waist, spinning her to face me.
Her face hit me like a punch in the gut. I felt all the ties I knew break and connect straight to this young woman's heart.
I was forever hers. Her protector, her lover…and she was my everything.
How could I have imprinted now? On a girl I planned to use and discard? Why now?
"Let go of me!" She shrieked, and I immediately obeyed. Her soft hazel eyes glared furiously at me, it made my heart throb painfully.
"If you take one step closer to me, I'll call the cops!"
I just stared at her, willing her to understand.
I- I'm sorry, I uh, thought you were someone I knew," I stammered.
"Sure you did!" She cried angrily, throwing her hands up in the air.
"I-I did, I'm sorry!" I gasped, my face hopefully looking as hurt as I felt. It seemed to because her face softened slightly.
"Well, next time you should double check that you have the right person."
"Ya, I will," I nodded, smiling slightly.
"I hope you have a good night sir, goodbye," she said in a voice like the sound of bells.
"Y-ya, bye…goodnight!" I cried desperately after her.
"Goodnight," she said, then rounded the corner, leaving me standing there wishing I could follow her.
I groaned softly, partly from the alcohol, but mostly because I had just scared my imprint. Why did this have to happen now?
I slowly slid down the side of the building to sit on the edge of the pavement. I put me head in my hands, but noticed something on the ground.
I reached out and picked it up, realizing it was a wallet. I flipped it open and my heart beat increased as I saw her face.
I studied it, basking in my luck that I had found a picture of her. Than my heart started to sink, she's probably think I stole it. What if I returned it?
That could work, but when?
I quickly leafed through it find a school schedule tucked in a small pocket. I read it closely, and again, I was lucky, she didn't have classes until after seven tomorrow.
So I would go to her apartment (the address was printed neatly on a security card), return the wallet, and hopefully things will progress from there.
This was definitely going to be interesting. I sighed, closing her wallet and standing up. I couldn't bare to put it in my pocket, so I held it tightly in my hand as I staggered to the motel. Nothing was on my mind except for the face of…. I quickly opened the wallet and checked for a name.
On a driver's license it said, Gabriella Harris. My heart raced, that was the most beautiful name.
"Gabriella" I murmured. I loved the way it rolled off my tongue, curling and twisting into her name's beautiful pattern.
I continued walking, my spirits high as I thought about the love of my life, who would soon become my lover in return.
Little did I know at this point, I was going to have to fight for this girl…in an almost literal sense.