I get in my truck and just sit there for a minute, wondering what just went on in the house. Something happened and I didn't know what. All I do know is that Jake is pissed off at Paul about it, but it wasn't Paul's fault at what happened. This is all very confusing.
The other thing that is confusing is that I don't know what happened between Paul and I. Literally the second I looked into his eyes it's like my entire world changed. One minute I was still a little bit depressed about Edward's absence, and the next it's like all I can think about is Paul. Now, Paul isn't that bad looking. He has dark hair, skin and eyes. His muscles are defined and I can just tell he goes to the gym often. In a way he is just like most of the other boys of La Push. In other ways, such as his smile and laugh, he is his own person.
Whoa, Bella, slow down there. You just meet him and barely spoke a sentence to him.
I drive back to my house in a daze. I am again feeling a little empty on the inside. I didn't get the feeling until I was away from Paul and I begin to ponder this too. I am excited to go to the bonfire in a few days, knowing that Paul will be there. Not only do I want to see him, I want to know what is going on between him and Jake and why they were yelling at each other. I will have to get him alone for that. I don't want to ask around Jake, knowing that it might set him off again.
The cruiser is in the driveway when I get home. Charlie is eating leftovers at the kitchen table while reading the paper. I go into the kitchen, grab a glass and get some water.
"Where have you been, Bella?" he asks. It isn't an accusing or angry voice; he is merely curious.
"I went to visit Jake."
"That's good. Did he not come to your party today?"
"No. He had some visitors when I got there."
"Oh. You didn't intrude, did you?"
"Of course not. I would've left, but someone asked who was at the door, so he invited me in."
"Ok. As long as you weren't bothering them."
I run upstairs to get a shower and get ready for bed. I do all of my best thinking in the shower, so I begin to reflect a little on the day. I dreaded my graduation party and didn't want it to happen. Jake didn't show up and I was a little hurt by it. He is the one that has almost stitched the hole inside that Edward left. Then I meet Sam, Paul and Jared. I thought it was weird that Jake would have Sam at his house because the only thing that Jake had to say about Sam was that he was the reason that Embry wasn't hanging out with him and Quil anymore and he didn't like Sam for that reason. Then I looked into Paul's eyes. Everything seemed to change at that point. It was like everything is this world didn't matter anymore. Edward didn't matter. Jake didn't matter. My anger and sadness against the Cullens wasn't even a thought in my mind and I didn't care that Jake was hanging out with Sam. Edward who? I think.
After brushing my hair and teeth, I mess around on my computer for a bit. There is nothing else to do so I go to bed a little early.
I wake up the next morning and go downstairs to get something to eat. Charlie has already gone to work so I am home alone all day. I grab a box of cereal and pour the remains of the box into a bowl. I also pour the remains of the milk in. I notice that we were getting low on food, so after I eat and get ready I head off to the store.
When the food is purchased, brought home and put away, I quickly realize that there is nothing to do. I kind of hope that the rest of summer won't be like this- boring and uneventful, other than work. I don't have any plans for college; after the Cullens left I really had no aspirations at all. Once Jake and I started hanging out, I considered it but only briefly. I had no idea where I would've wanted to go or what to major in. Somewhere cheap, I had told myself. But what to major in? English was a maybe. Perhaps journalism. I even considered psychology at one point, but I decided that that just wasn't the career for me. So finally I just decided that I would take the semester off and maybe start in the spring.
I have to leave for work in a few minutes so I get ready and leave for MC Sports. Charlie laughed at me when I told him that I got the job there in January. He thought it odd that I would be working at a sports store. I thought it kind of funny too, but they were the only place hiring other than the store that Mike's parents own and I didn't really want to work with Mike.
Summer is the busy season so I expect to be working a lot. This is good because it will keep me away from home. I also thought that I would be able to hang out with Jake this summer, but I am not sure how that is going to work out. He seemed kind of off yesterday and I am wondering what is up with him hanging out with Sam and his gang. But then he got mad at Paul and Sam was mad at both of them- I think he was mad at both of them or maybe he was just mad at Jake. Either way, things seem to have changed in the week that I hadn't seen him.
My thoughts keep my mind occupied until a customer comes up to check out.
"Did you find everything you needed?" I ask.
"Yes I did, Bella," the person replies.
I recognize the voice and look up. It's Paul. "Hey," I smile.
"Hey. Are you still coming to the bonfire tomorrow?" he smiles back and I'm speechless for a moment.
"Yes," I finally stutter, making a fool of myself. "I am. Um, $27.63."
"Good," he says handing me the money. I give him his change and bag the pair of shorts he is getting. "Have a good day."
"You too." I say as he turns around to walk out of the store.
As soon as he's in his car, a black Ford F-150, a smile creeps onto my face.
I can't explain my new infatuation with Paul. Literally the second I looked into his eyes I liked him. I think about him constantly, even though I have only met him once- twice now- and I really don't know why. Maybe it's the smile or the eyes. Maybe it is something else, but whatever it is I like it and I'm happy that I will be seeing him again tomorrow.
The rest of my shift seems to pass by quickly and soon I'm on the way home. I cook dinner as Charlie reads the paper like he always does. We eat dinner mostly in silence. We ask each other how work was and that is about it.
"Oh. One of Jake's friends invited me down to a bonfire tomorrow night and I said that I'd be there. Will you be ok by yourself for dinner?" I ask.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Who invited you?"
"His name is Paul. He was one of the guys that were at Jake's house yesterday when I was over there."
"Do you know what time you'll be home?" he eyes me.
"No. It's at six. I don't think I'll be out too late. I'll be home by midnight, I promise."
"Bella, you're 18 and graduated from high school. I'm not going to dictate you forever. Go out. Have fun. Come home whenever you want to. You know my only rules."
"I know. Don't get drunk or do drugs. Just because you're my father doesn't mean that you won't arrest me because I'm underage. I know, dad."
"Good," he nods. "You're a smart kid."