A/N:

This is the first story I've written in just about forever, and I'm sorry if anyone is looking forward to something South Park, or anything of that variety coming from me, because this is not it. This is, and will continue to be a Twilight story. I'm not a big Twilight fan, but this story just hit me and I decided I would see where Aften took me with her story.

This story is not meant to be crazy and drama filled, or full of supernatural mumbo-jumbo. I will try my best to create a simple, whimsical romantic comedy (with some drama). There will be no crazy Bella-bashing, although I do not know exactly what Aften's thoughts on the Cullens, Bella, or any of the others will be yet. This story will revolve mostly around Paul and Aften (the main couple), and the other wolves. But mostly, it will be about Paul trying to woo Aften, an anything that happens from that point on.

I would love to see reviews and see what people think of this so far. I tend to write without a lot of proof-reading and if anyone wants to volunteer to be my beta that would be great.

Other than that enjoy, the craziness that will ensue.

Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight, I wouldn't own Twilight.

Poorly Romantic

Chapter One:

"When Harry Met Sally"

or

"When Paul Tried To Be a Gentleman and Failed"

Aften was spectacularly untalented.

Perhaps that is what made her so utterly interesting. There was nothing exceptional about her. Aften came from a simple nuclear family, born and raised in a simple, middle-class neighborhood in the middle of Forks, Washington. Nothing amazing happened in her life - except for that one time where Aften bit Danny Berkman in the second grade because he kept teasing Aften about her pigtails, and caused one of her teeth to fall out.

Considering Forks was such a boring town to most of its inhabitants, most of the teenagers, and even some of the older generation, went out of their way to create excitement; drinking, parties, cliff-diving, and wind-surfing. Yet, while everyone else was out trying to create something amazing, Aften was content sitting at home, and occasionally going out with friends.

Aften needed nothing more in her life, than her friends, and school - her ticket out of Forks and into another town across the country that would be eerily similar in terms of atmosphere and people. That was her definition of success.

That is why when Paul struck Aften's gaze, at first he was underwhelmed, and then completely overwhelmed.

This girl, whatever her name, walking out of the grocery store was so completely ordinary, and so completely perfect. Her hair, her eyes, the way she walked as if she had somewhere to be, but did not want to make the effort to increase her pace. All of it was perfect.

And at the moment Paul knew he had to choose between exploded into a ball of fury at the edge of forest and hoping he would run his feeling away, or exploding all of his feeling onto this poor unsuspecting girl - that would at some point be his girl.

Paul chose the latter.

Not caring how strange it would be to walk up to a random girl walking on her way home from the grocery store, Paul made his way over, trying to hide the his wide eyed look and the need he felt to grab her and carry her off into the sunset. Even though it was still the middle of the afternoon.

"Let me take that." Those were his first words to her. "It looks like you need some help." Those were his second.

Within seconds Paul hand the grocery bags in one of his hands, and started walking in the direction the she was heading, not noticing that the girl he was trying to help strayed behind, eying him with a mix of concern and fear… When he did notice, the first thing he realized was that this was not the look he had wanted his imprint did give him when they first met.

Something along the lines of complete devotion and adoration would have been preferred.

"C'mon, I'll carry these home for you," Paul offered gently, trying to the soothe her. "Which way is your house?"

Paul waited for the answer, trying to see if she would give any indication as to which direction she lived in. What came out of her though, was not he wanted to hear, "W-who are you? If you want my groceries take them… I'll just go back and buy more," her voice carried off as she turned around, about to scurry back into the store.

Great, the one time Paul tries to be a gentleman the girl ends up being scared of him.

"Wait! Wait!" Paul rushed out, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder with her free hand and forcing her to face him. "I don't want your groceries. I just want to help you carry them home."

The girl eyed him warily, looking him up and down, as if weighing her options. Seconds later when she muttered a hesitant "fine" and started walking away, Paul gave a heavy sigh. At least she was letting him help her.

Getting over his excitement, Paul managed to catch up to her easily, keeping in stride with the much smaller girl easily, following each and every turn she made on her way home. Silence strained the usually easy walk, with Aften wondering how she ended up in a situation with a strange man-boy thing carrying her groceries, and Paul wondering what he should say to the girl of his dreams.

"We're here," Aften finally spoke up, at the edge of the driveway of bright blue house. "I can take my bags back now."

Without waiting for Paul to respond, she snatched the bags back and tried to make it appear like she was about to run to her front door.

"Hold on," Paul said forcefully, more forceful than he had intended. He stretched his hand out and looked her in the eye. "I'm Paul."

"Thank you, Paul." That was all she said before she turned around and began walking to her front door, and Paul could still sense the fear rolling off of her.

He probably should have started with that.