Ali's POV

"NOOO!!!" Seth screamed, tugging at his hair.

I brushed my nails against my shirt and blew on them. "Eat your heart out." I said to him.

He gaped at the board. "How did you do that? I had you!" He gestured to the 3 black checkers. We were playing Connect 4 at Sam and Emily's house. It was game night.

I laughed evilly. "Muahaha. Little boys who play with fire..."

"GET BURNED!" Quil yelled and we high fived. Quil was definitely my favorite. Then Seth, Embry, Jared, Brady, and Collin. Collin was a jerk who needed a girlfriend... or maybe a hobby.

My cell phone rang to Striking Danny's original song, Kayla. I picked it up. "Buddy the elf. What's your favorite color?"

"Red, but that's beside the point." The voice on the other end responded.

I laughed. "Hey Dylan."

"How did you know it was me and not Dennis?" He asked.

"Because Dennis always answers the phone with a British accent, duh!" I responded, rolling my eyes at his stupidity.

"Oh, yeah. Anyways, where are you, cuz?"

"Uhh... Sam Uley's?" I responded, confused.

"That jerk?" The pack (with their freaky hearing growled). "Why? You were supposed to be at the Spider and hour ago! Uncle Bono is about to flip!"

I groaned. "I totally forgot! Could you or like Kenny come and pick me up?"

"Aww... Ickle Alikins wants her lover to pick her up..."

"Ew, Dyl, you know I only had a crush on him when I was like... 10." I said. Paul raised his eyebrow at me.

"If you mean 10 days ago, sure, I buy it. Anyways, we can't, but we'll send the new guy."

"The new guy?" I asked.

"Yeah, Lee quit, so we got this new singer that Bono hooked us up with. He'll be right over. BYE!"

I hung up. "Bummer. Lee had Chis Cornell down!"

I turned to the pack. "Sorry amigos, I forgot I had work tonight!"

Paul frowned. "I would have given you a ride."

I started backing up. "No way, Jose! You drive like a maniac!!"

Seth grinned at me. "You know, Ali? I think you're just afraid I'll beat you."

"Uh.. Seth? I already won." I responded, gesturing to the board and the splattered chips (Seth gets competitive.)

"Rematch. Tomorrow." He said firmly.

"Sorry, no can do. I hate making people cry." I said, casually.

"OOH SETH GOT BUTTERED!" Quil yelled.

I bowed when the doorbell rang. "And now gentlemen, I take my leave."

I started heading for the door, but turned back when I realized they all stood up with me.

"What?" I asked.

Embry grinned. "We want to check this guy out."

"And let him know you have a boyfriend." Paul added, helpfully cracking his knucles.

I sighed. "Sure, let's go scare the poor guy..."

The door opened and the new lead singer walked into the living room, his black hair messy like a rock star and his eyes looking all stormy.

"Sorry." He drawled. "I got tired of waiting outside."

Emily blushed. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to be rude. Ali was just saying goodbye."

She turned to me to say goodbye for real, but I was staring at him with my jaw down.

He laughed, briefly, shortly. "You're gonna get flies in there Ali."

I shut my mouth, but refused to blush. I don't blush. "Tasty." I replied.

He turned to Paul, who was standing protectively (try and be a little less obvious, Paul?) and raised his eyebrow. "This the boyfriend?"

Paul frowned and put his arm around me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and replied, "Yup a doodle."

"Paul Walker." Paul said, extending his arm (and showing off his muscles in the process).

He kept his hand in the pockets of his faded, ripped up jacket. "Cal."

"How do you know Ali?" Seth piped up, annoyingly blunt and naive.

Cal grinned and looked back at me (I DO NOT blush, so stop trying Cal!). "We go way back."

I sighed. "Let's go. Dad's probably asleep in his office while Dylan and Dennis throw Kenny's journal around the place."

Cal shook his head. "You know them so well."

Paul's POV

I frowned while looking out the window as Ali and Cal drove away in his truck. It certainly didn't look very safe.

Sam put a hand on my shoulder. "It'll be fine, man. Love always works."

Wow. That was cheezy. If ali were here she would be having a seizure from laughing so hard...

"Yeah." I repsonded, coldly. "It sure worked out for Jacob."

Sam sighed. "He has Nessie now."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't get me started on how gross that is. And what about " I paused knowing what I was about to say would hurt him, but not caring, "Leah?"

Sam flinched like I had physically slapped him. His eyes grew hard. "Yeah, Paul. You're right. Ali is going to ditch you for that guy Cal because is he is so much better for her than you. Want to know why? Because you have severe issues and you are harsh to EVERYONE. It's only a matter of time before you hurt her to."

I felt my eyes widen, even though I knew I hurt Sam, I didn't expect him to tear at me.

I was about to punch him, but restrained myself, knowing that it would only proove hime right.

I phased and ran and ran...

About an hour later I wound up at the beach (after running to Quebec.)

I phased back when I saw a little girl sitting on a log.

I lay down in the sand, wondering what Ali was doing right now.

The girl sat down next to me and pointed to herself. "Stacy. Remember?"

I didn't answer. We sat in silence for a while before I suddenly asked, "Who is Cal?"

"California?" Stacy asked surprised. "Shucks, he's my adopted brother."

"oh." I nodded.

"Him and Ali, "she continued, like she knew that I wanted her to. "they were homeschooled together when they were 15."

"Why?"

"Cal got kicked out of school for crashing his motorbike through the principles window and into his office." She smiled fondly. "He did it because the principle was sexually harassing Ali, so they both got blamed and suspended."

Ali never told me that. "How do you know what sexually harassed is?" I asked, dumbly.

She looked at me. "It's when you get presents, right?" she asked, sweetly.

I heated up, not knowing what to say.

She shook her head in disgust. "I don't like you much, Paul Walker."