A/N:Glad to see there are still some people reading this. I promise to try and get back to all of your reviews when I get home tomorrow. I cranked out this chapter around 3am last night, so any mistakes are the product of my sleep deprived brain. Hope you guys enjoy the next chapter, happy reading!!
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, but a girl can dream...
The last 3 days had been fairly uneventful. The entire Cullen family had been absent from school while the sun was out, but when Bella saw the gathering clouds outside her window and fresh snow on the sill, she knew her luck wouldn't hold out. She threw the covers off and padded over to the window. Movement from the tree line caught her eye, and she smirked as she saw Paul's gray wolf meld back into the shadows. She knew Jared was the one on patrol this morning, so that meant either Paul was planning on tailing her to school since he knew the Cullen's would be returning today, or he had spent the night outside her window when he got off patrol at midnight. She seriously hoped it wasn't the latter and he hadn't been out in the snow all night.
20 minutes later, she headed downstairs and found the fresh pot of coffee Charlie had made before he left for work an hour ago. She poured herself a cup, as she popped the back door open, "You might as well come in and eat if you plan on skulking around all day." She turned to the cupboard, pulled 2 more mugs out, and set them on the table before turning to the fridge for the eggs.
She didn't see or hear the door open, but the tingle in her spine let her know Paul was behind her. "Go ahead and pour yourself a cup. I don't have time for much before school, but I'll make eggs and toast. There are a few boxes of cereal, mixing bowls, and a fresh gallon of milk in the fridge if you want some."
She heard him pull out a chair, "How'd you know it was me?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I didn't. I just figured if there was anyone lurking outside they might want something to eat."
He grabbed the bread to start making the toast, "Ha, ha, ha. Would you seriously have invited Jared in for breakfast when you know he's supposed to patrolling the Rez?"
"Well first of all, yes, I would've invited any of you guys in for breakfast. Second, none of them would be here if they were on patrol. I saw you on the edge of the woods outside my window this morning."
She gave him a small smile over her shoulder, "You still like American cheese melted on your eggs?"
"Yeah, I can't believe you remember that," Paul said picking at the placemat in front of him.
"That's not all I remember," she mumbled to herself.
Paul was just about to ask her what that was supposed to mean when Noah came down the stairs. "Do I smell eggs and burnt toast?"
Bella laughed, "The eggs will be ready in a couple minutes, and the burnt toast would be Paul's fault. I might suggest some cereal or fruit to go with your eggs instead."
Noah chuckled before grabbing a banana and a box of cereal. "She caught ya huh?"
Paul grumbled something unintelligent before shoving a piece of the toast in his mouth, causing Bella and Noah to laugh at the face he made as he tried swallow the dry bread. She finally took pity on him and reached into the fridge, setting a jar in front of him.
"Is this apple butter? You've been holding out on me? You let me choke down that dry, crispy, burnt piece of toast, when you had this in there the whole time?"
Bella rolled her eyes as she put a small portion of eggs on her own plate before scooping half of the remaining eggs on Noah's plate and adding the cheese slices to the top of what was left. "I was not holding out on you, I figured you would at least get some butter out of the fridge, it's your own fault for trying to choke it down. Now is there a reason you're here so early, or are you gonna spend every day that the Cullen's are in school outside the window? And speaking of, how are you and Jared not failing all of your classes? Jake told me you haven't been to school in weeks and Jared only shows up once or twice a week."
Paul stopped with his fork full of eggs half way to his mouth with a guilty look on his face. He knew she wasn't going to like his answer, so he shoved the eggs in his mouth and tried to think of the best way to answer.
Bella realized the avoidance tactic for what it was and crossed her arms, staring him down while she tapped her foot on the floor. "Well, um, it wasn't safe for us to be around other people after we phased, so we missed a couple weeks of school. Then Jared imprinted and started hanging out with Kim all the time, I started getting in fights and got suspended. Sam was running himself ragged during the day trying to cover while we were in school. Things ran so much smoother while I was suspended and we could split the shifts so we were only running four hours at a time instead of eight; so I told Sam that I decided to drop out."
Noah shot a nervous look between the two of them, "Uh, I'm gonna head outside and crank up the truck. See you guys in a minute."
When Bella heard the front door slam behind him she turned back to see Paul pushing the last couple of bites of his eggs around his plate. "Well if you dropped out, how is Jared skating by only going 2 days a week?"
"His grades were a lot better than mine to begin with, and his dad talked to the principal. He told him they were having some financial problems and he needed Jared home part of the week, so Kim brings his work home every night."
"Well then why can't she bring home two copies and turn it in for both of you?" Bella argued.
Paul pushed out of his chair and began to pace the kitchen, "Look Bella, you know I've always had trouble focusing in school. I was barely passing before I phased, and it was even harder afterwards. Every noise, every smell, every emotion, it was all amplified. I'll never be able to leave the Rez now. I've just accepted that I wasn't cut out for school. I already talked to Sam, and I'm gonna talk to Micah when he gets back about getting on his construction crew, we all are. We already do small projects around the Rez, now we'd just be getting paid for it."
Bella stood up and went over to where he was leaning against the counter. "Look, it was your decision, if you're happy with it, I'll try to be ok with it too. I just really wish you would consider maybe doing on-line classes. I was going to talk to Billy about it since it looks like so many of you could still phase. You could work at your own pace and take the GED when you're ready. Just think about it, ok?"
She stood on her tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking outside and hopping in the truck with Noah. "I take it you didn't tell him you couldn't change your classes around?"
Bella gave him her best glare, "Just drive, would you?"
Noah chuckled before throwing the truck in reverse as Paul came out the door and headed for the woods next to the house. "You'll be lucky if there isn't a wolf roaming the halls by lunch time, and that's not including me."
Noah was right, as soon as she sat down next to Edward in Biology she could feel the anger and anxiety coming off of Paul in waves. He must've been just inside the tree line. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Edward glance to his left and give a little wave before chuckling. "Well Bella, it looks as if your mutt isn't happy about us being lab partners."
She rolled her eyes and gave him a tight smile, "That makes two of us." She glanced across the aisle at Mike. He was a nice enough guy, and it didn't hurt that he was interested in Bella. She grabbed her bag and quickly crossed the aisle, leaning across the lab table facing him, "Hey Mike, I know it's a lot to ask, but would you please switch lab partners with me? I'm sure Jess has filled you in on my history with Edward, and I'd really rather not have to sit next to him and work with him every day for the rest of the year."
Mike gave Edward a nervous glance before looking back to Bella with her best pout and biggest doe eyes she could pull off, "Sure Bella, I understand. I don't mind switching, and maybe we can go see a movie or something some time."
She gave Edward a triumphant look as she slid onto Mike's now empty stool. "Sure, it's the least I can do for helping me out. How about Friday night? I can talk to Jess and Ange, we could all go."
Mike's smile deflated a little as she mentioned the others, but he quickly put it back in place. "Sure, I'll find out what movies are playing at the theater in Port Angeles, and the times, that way we can figure out what we want to go see at lunch."
A growl outside the window had everyone turning to look, but Bella already knew exactly what it was. "Sounds great Mike." She put her hand over his and gave it a quick squeeze just as their teacher was walking in, "Thanks again."