1. Turn to Real Life

The sun shied behind gray clouds as they relieved the weight of the ocean back down to earth. My rusty old Chevrolet pulled up the gravel lot, splaying mud and pebbles everywhere. The headlights turned off and the small house was bathed in murky blue shadows once more.

A tall boy of about seventeen poked his shaggy head out the door. His long body hunched from the low door. His torn shorts hung on his lean frame, sagging from the rain as he raced down the path to greet me.

I opened the door and stuck out my red umbrella to shelter our heads.

"Hey Paige! I haven't seen you since…forever!" He exclaimed.

"Hey Jake, wow you've grown. But you need to eat more, all that growing and no beefing up on the sides—bean pole." I smiled.

Jacob rolled his eyes and helped me unload the trunk. "Nice to see you haven't changed much." He laughed.

"You know it. So where's Paul. I can't wait to harass him." I rubbed my palms together, leaning the umbrella against my shoulder as I tried to rub off the cold.

"He's at Sam's. I can't believe you missed it!" He carried all my bags onto his broad shoulders.

"Yeah. Sorry I couldn't come earlier, had some kind of trouble back in Utah. I still can't believe he's married!"

He laughed again. No squeaky voice that I used to love to imitate.

It was hard keeping up with the kid I've known from parts of my childhood. His sister and I were close friends. When I moved to Utah we kept in touch by e-mailing each other. Can't believe she's married. I had to jog to keep up with him. Boy's and their growth spurts. How come girls have to start so fast and end so early? I was a tiny 5'4' ball of energy ready to explode at a moments notice.

"Jake! Is that her old wagon I heard pulling up that lot?" A deep rumbling voice like thunder made my heart melt.

I embraced Billy like my own father. It was sad to see his spirit being forced into a wheelchair.

"Billy! How are you?"

"Fine, fine. Did you get here alright? I still can't believe your mother let you drive all the way up here." He patted my head as if I was four again.

"No way am I going to leave my baby down in Utah. She may be old, but she's got power." I arched my brows.

He gave a crooked grin that wrinkled his face. "There's a metaphor for me isn't it Jake?"

Jacob smiled and placed my things near the couch.

"Sorry to barge in like this." I patted Billy's large hand.

"Ah, it's no problem. It's always nice to have you back Paige. We've really missed ya."

I could tell he was about to say, "You are like my third daughter", but he isn't known for showing his thoughts openly. But I could see it in his deep dark eyes that twinkle every time he looks at Jake like a proud father.

The house that I used to play and sleep in seemed smaller, shrunken with cold and age. Has it really been that long ago since I left the Quileutes to be in my own tribe? I bit my lip as I tried to forget my reason for coming here. Billy wheeled off to make some hot cocoa and Jacob flicked on the tube for us to stare at.

There was a little silence in the small house. Jacob and Billy seemed comfortable minding their own business going on about doing their own thing. But the quiet was making me itchy. I needed to walk around. I needed to explore my childhood playgrounds.

I needed to find Paul.

This thought left me smirking and confused. We hated each other as kids. Couldn't stand to be in the same room. He'd pull on my braids and I'd punch his gut. I am still a bit "boy-headed" as dad used to call me, I'd wear my baggy shorts any day. I wore my best t-shirt today, shrunken in the wash to show my flat stomach, and across my breast was scribbled: "Not only is life a bitch, but it keeps having puppies."

Jacob found the t-shirt offensive, which I found it strange for a guy to think it a bit offensive. I thought it related to me in some ways. Casually I wrestled the remote from him, which was a very hard feat and clicked to a channel worth watching when the door swung open and another tall Quileute bean pole walked into the room. His hair short and cropped, dripping with rain. Not only was he soaking wet, he was soaking wet half naked. I know its not polite to stare and have your jaw hanging off the hinge but...man.

Paul was jaw dropping gorgeous.

A/N: Couldn't be helped. I had to make one for Paul too. He is just so left out. So let's see where this goes shall we?