Hello again! I know it's been ages, and this chapter ain't the best that I've come up with, but I really felt like I had to update - since it's been so long. Hope it's readable :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

I sat on the porch waiting for Paul. He should have come already. I picked up my cellphone to see what time it was. Five minutes past one. I sighed. I looked down at my clothes. I had put one of my, according to me, best outfits – a pair of black jeans, a purple tank top, a black cardigan and finally a purple scarf around my neck.

I didn't think of Paul as a guy who stood up girls, really. But how could I know? I had only known him for a few weeks; maybe he wasn't at all how I pictured him.

Gran had gone over to Billy about an hour ago. She mentioned something about a meeting, but I wasn't sure.

A sudden movement in the woods made me flinch. I looked up and saw Jacob running towards me.

''Hey Allie,'' he said as he joined me on the porch, strechting his legs.

''Hi,'' I said quietly. ''He's not coming, is he?''

Jacob shook his head. ''No, sorry.''

I sighed again and stood up. ''I guess it's my fault for even hoping that he actually would show up.''

I started walking away from the house, with my hands in the pockets of the jeans, heading for the path that lead to the beach. Jacob got up and jogged after me.

''He's not like that Allie, believe me. But I'm not gonna lie, there was a time when he, well… didn't really care about girls feelings. You have to trust me on this though, he's changed a lot. And he did want to come, but he had to take care of some buisness.''

''Yeah, buisness…'' I muttered, desperetaly trying to fight the tears that thresatened to escape my eyes. Why was I getting so upset over Paul? I mean, he was just like any guy… right?

When we reached the beach I went down to the water and took of my shoes before I walked straight out in the ice cold water.

''What the hell are you doing Allie?'' Jacob yelled as I stepped even further.

''What does it look like? I'm going for a swim.''

It was freezing, my legs were already numb so I had some trouble moving.

Suddenly a pair of strong arms gripped me around my waist from behind and pulled me out of the water, back to the beach.

''Allie, what the hell? Are you crazy?'' Jacob said. He was angry.

I shivered. To be honest, I had no idea why I went into the water. Maybe I was crazy. I had never reacted like this before, especially not because of a guy.

Jacob moved his hands up and down my arms as an atempt to make me warm. I slowly got warmer.

''I'm sorry.''

''You should be, '' Jacob told me between gritted teeth. ''What if no one was here to get you out of the water, huh?''

I lowered my gaze and stared at my feet. I knew that if I spoke anymore I'd probably make him angrier.

But then his voice softened. ''Paul really cares about you Allie. Why can't you just see that?''

''Then why didn't he come?''

''Oh, Allie…'' he said painfully. ''I wish I could tell you, but I can't.''

Great. More secrets. It didn't stop, did it? It just kept on coming, more and more.

''I figured,'' I said blankly, and sat down in the sand. I didn't care if my nicest clothes were ruined now. The wind was blowing in my face, cold and fresh.

''You know you're gonna catch a cold if you stay here for to long?'' Jacob said.

''I don't get sick easily. You can go if you want to, but I'm gonna stasy here for awhile.''

He shook his head and sat down next to me. His body radiated heat. ''I'll stay.''

We sat there in silence in what seemed like forever. Neither of us felt like talking, or maybe we just didn't find the right words to say.

Later that night I sat in the kitchen eating dinner, when someone suddenly knocked at the door.

I rose slowly and walked out in the hall to open. Outside stood no one else than a clearly flustered Paul. For once he actually wore a shirt and a pair of long jeans. And as usual he looked extremely good.

''What do you want?'' I asked and crossed my arms over my chest.

''Can I come in?'' he asked.

''That depends.''

''Allie, please,'' he begged. ''I'm sorry, I never planned to not show up, I swear.''

I sighed and made a gesture for him to come in. He followed me into the kitchen. But when I atempted to sit down he pulled me up again, so that we stood only a few inches apart.

''I really, really like you Allie,'' he said sofly and tilted my chin up so that I could see his dark, beautiful eyes. ''Please trust me.''

When I looked into his eyes, and heard his honest words, I completely forgot everything that had happened that day – all my doubts. How could I ever have doubted him? How could anyone doubt him? He seemed so…sincere.

I swallowed when his finger put a strand of hair behind my ear. ''I really like you too Paul.''

He grinned. ''So we're okay?''

I nodded. ''We're okay.''

I sat down again to finish my meal. When I looked at Paul again he seemed a bit confused.

''What is it?'' I asked him, slighlty confused now too.

''Er… Do you mind if I stay here?''

''No of course not! Do you want something to eat?''

He glanced at the regrigerator, and then turned his dark eyes back at me. ''No, I'm fine.''

I shrugged. ''Okay.''

He sat down at the opposite side of the table and started tapping with his fingers on the table. I felt his eyes on me when I ate. It was kind of disturbing because I never liked it when someone watched me eating, and also because he made me blush. The last part was more disturbing.

''Maybe we can go out tomorrow instead?'' he asked, right out of the blue.

I looked up at him. ''What?''

''I said that maybe we can go out tomorrow instead,'' he repeated.

''I guess we could…'' I replied, bringing the fork with spaghetti slowly up towards my mouth while still looking at him.

He cleared his throat and started tapping his fingers against the table. He did that a lot. When I finished eating my dinner I brought Paul up to my loft. The ladder creaked beneath his weight when he climbed up.

''So this is where you live?'' he said and bent down so he wouldn't hit his head in the ceiling.

I sat down on my bed and looked at him.

''Well, I actually don't live up here, I just sleep,'' I told him.

''Sleeping is living,'' he replied and winked.

'' Haha.'' I rolled my eyes.

He sat down on the floor next to my bed. I hoped that he didn't notice how dusty it was. I hadn't cleaned it once since I came to live with Gran.

''Paul…'' I began slowly, not really knowing how to put it. ''You remember Christian?''

His face darkened. ''How can I forget?''

I bit my lip. ''I'm worried. What if he actually comes back?''

''Don't worry about him Allie. He'll never get near you.''

I sighed. ''You keep saying that, but how do you know?''

He got up from the floor and joined me on the bed. Then he grabbed my right hand and caressed it slowly. I gulped and felt my heart razing.

''Trust me.''

I didn't bring it up again. I trusted him.