No copyright infringement intended on Stephenie Meyer's work.

Corrine

Words couldn't describe how happy I was that Grammie came to support Paul and me as we talked to Dad and Mom about us. Just having Paul there settled my nerves, especially after the rough night I'd had. He looked so handsome in a black dress shirt, jeans and leather shoes. I'd never seen him so formal. From the time he stepped into our house, he didn't let my hand go, and I was glad because it kept me calm. Not even when he shook hands with the others did he slacken his grip on mine.

The twins of course had no filter, they asked if he was a giant, and if he killed people. Connor sulked, which was actually pretty normal for him. Joey tried to act like a tough guy, obviously intimidated by Paul's size. My brothers were happy to see Grammie however and I saw tears in her eyes as she held each one of them and whispered quiet words to them. It hurt my heart to see how much she'd missed us. My mother was welcoming but aloof, as always when it came to my father's family – Dad had trained her well.

My father seemed totally immune to everything which really added to my pain. I was worried that we wouldn't get through to him because he'd already decided that his answer was no to me and Paul. Mom just tried to keep her smile in place, I knew that she'd support Dad no matter what.

After I introduced Paul to everyone, we went straight to the table to eat. Mom had to rush and make a space for Grammie, right next to Dad. Paul and I sat next to one another, our fingers laced tightly. We couldn't stop sneaking glances at one another. Even if it turned out bad I couldn't believe he was here in my house with my family.

"I love you, relax," he whispered in my ear. I immediately blushed and tried to ignore the stares we were getting from my parents and brothers.

Mom started dishing out food for the boys and Dad served Grammie the platters for her to select her portions. Once again she took only small amounts of food.

"Is that all you're eating?"

"Yes, Clark, it's all I need, thank you. It looks delicious Julia."

"Thank you, Martha."

Once the food was all served out and we started eating, Dad started firing at Paul. I felt him stiffen with the first question, knowing he was now on guard.

"So, what do you do Paul?"

"Uh, well I -"

"He works for the Council, Clark." Grammie interrupted.

"Oh really? Doing what?"

"He is actually part of a policing unit we set up to keep the Reservation safe. We've been having some trouble in the last two years. Sam Uley and his boys help keep us safe."

"Oh really? I thought Sam was running a gang?" Dad scoffed.

"We are not a gang, we patrol the Reservation and keep it safe," Paul insisted, his tone hard, leaving no room for protest.

"So how do you like that Paul?" My mother asked.

"Well, it's long hours, but it feels good to protect our tribe, like what I was born to do."

"So is that what you intend to do for the rest of your life?" My father asked gruffly.

"Well, if Chief Swan can do it then he sure can, right?" Joey interjected and I shot him a grateful smile.

"Well, let's be honest, it probably doesn't pay much, does it?"

"Clark! Please don't be rude to our guest," Mom reprimanded, blushing.

"Well, that's what we invited him here for, to get to know him Julia!"

Paul cleared his throat. "It doesn't, but I live at home with my mom and we get by. I'm actually good with my hands, so I'm trying to find part time work in mechanics or construction or maybe furniture building. That way I can save money for my future." He looked over at me when he said the last part and I smiled, knowing he really meant our future.

"So it's just you and your mother then?" My mother asked.

"Yes, it is."

"Where is your father?" Dad continued.

"I don't know sir. He took off a few months ago."

"Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that," Mom apologized.

"That's fine."

I squeezed Paul's hand under the table and smiled at him, he was doing great so far.

"How old are you?" Joey asked now.

"Eighteen."

"What? No way! Dude, you're huge!"

"Yeah, I know, I had a wicked growth spurt almost two years ago, and it doesn't seem to want to stop," Paul blushed and shoved more food in his mouth. I found it cute how he pretended that the regular human-sized plate of food he had in front of him was enough.

"So how did you and Corrie meet?" Mom asked.

Paul looked at me and smiled first. "Well, Corrie came down to First Beach with a bunch of her friends when school was out and we were introduced. We have a mutual friend, Jacob Black. Then we ran into each other at the movies the next night, and well, I just kinda knew that I wanted to be with her, and I felt like the luckiest guy when she told me she felt it too. It just happened, I guess." Paul was looking at me the whole time, his words a bare whisper at the end.

Even though we both knew it wasn't so clear cut, that his version was seriously truncated, we both knew that it was still true. Our connection had been instant, just difficult too. His eyes burned with love for me and I was melting in my chair. I wanted to kiss him right there and then, then my father interrupted us by clearing his throat.

"You sound quite serious there." My father's voice was very strained and I was sure he had lost a few shades of color on his face.

"Well, I am sir, I plan to be with Corrie as long as she wants me to be. I'd do anything for her, I love her, sir."

My mother gasped while my grandmother looked at us both with a slight smile. I figured she was pleased or amused, or both. Maybe Dad's face was the true source of her emotions right now.

"You do realize that she's only seventeen right?"

"Dad, I'll be eighteen soon."

"You're still a child Corrine, you shouldn't be in such a serious relationship at such a young age."

"I am not a child Dad!" I was insulted that he'd call me one. I was not nine like my brothers.

"May we be excused?" Toby asked miserably, and to my relief. I really didn't want anyone else here. My mother nodded and Connor, Luke and Toby excused themselves. Joey settled in, ready for the show.

"You and Julia weren't much older than they were when you met and got pregnant and got married Clark, why be so hypocritical now? Don't you remember how scared you both were to approach your parents? How much you wanted their blessing? I'm older but I remember every single detail."

My mouth had been hanging open the entire time my grandmother spoke, I couldn't believe it. Paul almost choked on his food and Joey got upset.

"Are you guys serious right now?" Joe shrieked.

"Joey, it was a long time ago, relax," Mom said, touching his arm affectionately. I could see she was feeling embarrassed. This was not something our parents had ever discussed.

"I'm out," he stomped away with his plate going down into the basement.

"Was that really necessary Mother? Julia and I were twenty, not eighteen for the record!" Dad barked at Grammie, who just smirked at him.

"Well I wanted to remind you that you weren't perfect. Corrine deserves to be treated fairly, that's why I'm here."

"So you knew about this? The two of them? You set them up didn't you?" Dad asked. Paul stirred uncomfortably and seemed worried.

"Paul came to me and told me a few days ago that he was in love with my grand-daughter. He asked for my help telling you this. They haven't been together long, they've barely seen each other because Corrie can't come to the Reservation. I did not set them up, Clark."

I wanted to kiss my Grammie for being on our side.

"I see. So I guess you're feeling rather proud right now, huh? Your whole 'prophecy thing' coming true?" Dad spat with open disdain.

Grammie scoffed. "It's not about feeling proud, Clark, it's about supporting your daughter."

"Yeah Dad, it's about supporting me!" I added.

Paul squeezed my hand and gave me eyes that said, "Watch it babe."

"She knows now? That's why she invited you here?" Dad rounded on his mother, really upset now.

"I am the one who invited Mrs. Redbird to support Corrie," Paul spoke up. "I figured she knew why you weren't allowing Corrie to come to the Reservation. I wanted to find a way for you both to squash things so that Corrie and I could see each other freely."

"And Grammie told Paul and he told me. I don't see why you try to keep me away from La Push Dad. So what if I love it there? It's where you grew up! And if I want to be with Paul I don't see what the problem is! He's better than Marlon! Marlon hurt me and he has a drinking problem! It's my life! I can choose for myself," I whined like a spoilt child. But I was determined to have my way, to make my parents see reason.

"You have no idea what you're talking about! You know nothing about the real world Corrie. Your mother and I have sheltered you and made sure you were set on the right path!" He turned to Paul then, he lips curled back in a sneer, "And because of that I'm not letting you see my daughter, Paul."

"You can't do that Clark," Grammie said just as sternly.

"Mother, stay out of this! You've done enough damage, brainwashing my child!"

"Don't speak to Grammie that way!" I yelled.

"Corrie!" Mom reprimanded me, but I didn't care.

"You're over-reacting Clark! Nothing is wrong with them being together. I know Paul and he genuinely cares about Corrine. You are the one who's been brainwashing her but Corrine is grown now, and you can't anymore. You can't make her believe that he is a bad person just like you can't turn her against me – she has a mind of her own!"

"You can't tell me how to raise my daughter! Especially when you didn't exactly raise yours properly!" we all gasped and looked at my father.

"Clark!" My mother reprimanded.

"Stay out of this Julia," Dad warned sternly, causing Paul to squeeze my hand firmly under the table. Our plates of food were forgotten by then.

I couldn't believe what was happening to my family. My world was crumbling before my very eyes – all because I was in love.

"And what do you mean by that?" Grammie asked coldly. "You better have a well-thought out answer, Clark! This is your house but you can't disrespect me, I am still your mother."

"Jody chose the most deadbeat guy she could think of to impregnate her, I am the one who had to help her financially all those years before she found a job. I am the one who paid for Leanne's needs! You want Corrie to end up like that? Dependent on me, on her brothers to support her when he decides to get up and leave her?" he gestured to Paul and I heard the low rumbling erupt in Paul's throat.

I reached over and rubbed his shoulder in warning, leaning my head against him as my mind whirled with all this tornado of new information. My aunt must have had a hard life when she was a young mother, and I'm sure her brother did nothing to make her feel better about her situation.

"Jody made a mistake but she got her life together! You can't hold that against her, she did what was right, she had her child and she improved herself." I could see how hurt my grandmother was that her own son would speak about his twin sister that way.

"I would never treat Corrie like that! With all due respect you don't know me sir! You don't know what I would or wouldn't do!" Paul practically growled.

"Look at him, look at his behavior! And this is the boy you think MY daughter should be with? You weren't there to see him last night Mother, he was dressed like some kind of jungle person, all wild and dirty! He almost killed a boy. Is that who you want for my child?"

"I was on patrol! And he HURT her!"

"Oh, is that how you dress for work?" my Dad shot back.

"STOP IT!" I yelled. I just couldn't take it anymore. Too many voices too much anger, my head was spinning and my chest felt tight. But I needed to stand up for the two people who came here for me. "You can't talk to Paul that way Dad! Or Grammie! You're wrong! You don't know anything!"

Dad snorted. "Oh I don't huh? Well there is one thing I do know! You are MY child and you will NOT be tied to the Rez, Corrie. I work too hard to give you something better, for you to end up in that place! You deserve a life out there in the world where good things can happen for you. The Rez is a dead-end, this boy is a dead-end. He's not good enough for you!"

"I am not a dead-end," Paul seethed, his hand shaking in mine.

"Calm down," I whispered, knowing he could hear me. Grammie shot him a stern look and Paul closed his eyes no doubt to count backwards in his mind.

"I'm sorry Paul, I am sure my husband didn't mean to be so cruel as to imply that."

"Yes I did! My feelings haven't changed. I don't want her to be with this boy. I know exactly what will happen and I forbid it!"

"He is not a boy!" I shrieked.

"What about college Corrie? Don't you want to go away to school? Don't you want to study and maybe get a job somewhere else? You can't know that you want to live in La Push?" Mom tried to be kind with the way she said it, but her words just sickened me further.

"Whatever I decide when the time comes, includes PAUL. He supports whatever future I want to have." What angered me was that my parents assumed that Paul would make me run away to be with him or something. They just figured he'd work some crappy job for the rest of his life and brainwash me into abandoning my future. But I couldn't box him in like that, I would never crush his spirit by not believing in him.

"You're so naïve! You will throw your life away because you think you can't be without him! What are you gonna do huh? Be the breadwinner while he sits on the couch all day drinking beer?" Dad argued.

I knew I couldn't live without Paul, but I was never planning on throwing my life away. Paul would never allow it either. It's true I was undecided about college, but there was no way I was bringing that up now.

"Clark, you are being a fool," Grammie grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "And if you think you're comparing her to your sister, you need to look again, Jody has a good job at the school, she is happy."

"Don't call me a fool in my own house!" my father hissed. My mother and I both winced at the cruelty on his face, but Grammie acted like she'd never heard him. She didn't even blink.

"Dad please! You've got to stop acting like this! Grammie isn't responsible for Paul and I being together or anything. We're happy, we just want to have your blessing and acceptance."

"Well you'll NEVER get it as long as I live!"

"Sir, please, you've got to calm down, we mean no disrespect, and I have no intentions of corrupting your daughter, I support Corrie's decision for college or whatever she wants to do."

"Oh, I'm sure you do, and I'm sure you'll get her pregnant before she has a chance to leave Forks! You think I don't know you? Boys like you? Well she's not some meal ticket you can cash in on!"

"Clark, please! You're going overboard!" Mom pleaded, her face beet red. I could see how appalled she was by my father's maniacal behavior, so was I.

"You don't know a thing about me! The only thing you've done is assume!" Paul growled, shaking again. Things had just reached a new level of crazy.

"Just STOP IT!" I screamed, and pushed off my chair from the table. "You're acting like a crazy person Dad!"

"That's enough young lady! This foolishness ends NOW! Paul I'd like you to take my mother and go back where you came from, and NEVER come back, do you hear me?" Dad jumped up, his veins popping in his forehead as he glared at the three of us.

I released Paul's hand and ran upstairs to my room. I could hear my father shouting to Paul asking him where he was going. He was close behind me, his heavy footsteps booming up the stairs.

I opened the bedroom door and waited for him to catch me as I started to cry. Sure enough I was in his arms and Paul was holding me together. I heard him slam my door and lock it so we'd be alone. This was just like my dream I realized. The arguing, the blurriness…my future was uncertain. I was being boxed in by my father and it was killing me. I couldn't let this continue, I couldn't let him control my life. He couldn't tell me who to love!

When I finally could talk I looked up into the patient eyes of my wolf. "What are we going to do?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from crying. I sighed and buried my face in his chest, breathing his scent deeply into my body, calming my anxiety. Paul simply held me, stroking my hair. His heartbeat was beautiful against my ear. I was so glad that he was with me.

"I love you so much Paul, I don't want to lose you," I whispered.

"Me either babe. I promise, everything will be alright. When you're finished high school, our life can begin."

"What do you mean?" I looked up at him again, worried.

"I mean that even if your parents separate us now, it won't be forever."

I shook my head vigorously. "NO, you can't leave me, I need you Paul, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, I don't want to come between you and your folks, you deserve to continue living a happy life. I'm not here to separate you and to make you sad, I'm here to love you and make you happy, and by coming between you and them, I'm not doing that am I?"

"Paul, I can't be happy without you."

"You'll never be without me. We can be together when you graduate, it's only a year away, not even a full year. By then, I'll have my life together, I'll take care of you. And if you decide to go to school somewhere else, I'll wait for you still. I'll always be yours."

I didn't like this. How did we come to this? Why was Paul so okay with us being apart? This wasn't what I wanted, at all! I could learn to live without my parents, hell I'd have to do it anyways when I finally moved out. I didn't expect to live next door to them or see them every day. What I couldn't live without was my wolf.

"Paul you know we can't ever be apart! Don't say this!"

"Listen to me Corrie." He held my face in his hands. "I'm giving you a solution. I'm not asking you to run away from home just to be with me if your father forbids us from being together. I am telling you to finish school and then come back to me. If that's what we have to do, then I'm prepared to do it. I won't die knowing that you're okay. I'll still watch over you, I'll still talk to you every day on the phone, I can still visit you as Bullet if you want. I can put aside my needs to make sure that you're alright."

"But I can't, and I won't. You're mine and I'm yours, we have to be together." I poked him in the chest repeatedly, giving into the anger, not caring that it was affecting my bruises.

"I know Corrie, I know. But I can't take care of you yet, I need more time to put things in place for us. As much as I now hate your father, I need him to take care of you until I can on my own. You understand that, right?" Paul grabbed my hand in his massive one and crushed me to his chest. "Please tell me you understand."

I broke down again, weeping in his arms.

I understood, but I didn't want Paul to ever let me go.

Paul

My heart was breaking, telling Corrine such lies. I wouldn't be alright if she and I were forced to stay apart. I'd be fucking angry. I just didn't want to put her in a position where she'd be unhappy because of her family. I didn't want to force her to sneak around or run away, or choose. And I didn't want her to give up her dreams because I couldn't leave La Push anytime in the near future because of fucking vampires.

I would wait if I had to. And I'd put on a mask to get her through it. She would not lose out on anything because of our love. It was pathetic that I could actually identify with how Cullen felt when he left Bella back then. You do hard shit to protect the woman you would die for.

As angry as I felt towards her father, I would not let him beat me. He wouldn't get rid of me. As hard as it would be, it would give me time to build her a home to raise my children in. It would give me time to set a solid foundation for us. It would tear my heart in two to be away from her, to not be able to take her on a date, but I had my eyes on the prize: forever. We were imprinted, her father couldn't take that away, he could only delay us, that would be all.

No, he couldn't take our love away.

Never.

Her mother called out and knocked on the door so I reluctantly unlocked it. She stood there staring at her daughter in my massive arms. "Martha's ready to go home now, Paul." She was holding a small leather pouch in her hand, which she came in and rested on Corrie's desk. I knew it had to be the imprint diary.

I simply nodded and rubbed Corrie's back faster, signaling that I was pulling away.

"Paul, don't go," she cried miserably.

"He has to take your grandmother home sweetie." Her mother tried to pry us apart and I growled. She looked at me startled and I cleared my throat loudly, hoping she'd think that was what I'd done instead.

It was happening, our inevitable separation.

"You can't do this Mom please! You have to talk to Dad, I love him I can't be without Paul." Corrie was beside herself with grief. I'd never seen her like that before, it hurt so bad to feel what she was feeling: disbelief, agony, betrayal, desperation. I was still here and it was as if she were already broken in two.

"Corrine please, just stop this! You're being ridiculous!" I tensed at her mother's words. She had no idea what Corrie and I had been through just to be together, there was nothing ridiculous about Corrie's reaction to what we now faced because of her and her husband.

"You don't understand, you wouldn't get it, it's not like you and Dad!" Corrie was mumbling and crying now and I grew more worried for her state of mind.

"Shh, baby, please, just try to be strong for me, I'm begging you," I told her quietly. "I love you, always, this doesn't change a thing, okay? I promise."

Her mother looked at me with pity for a fleeting moment as I passed Corrie, my heart, into her arms. Corrie sank to the floor and I tried to pick her up but her mother pushed me away.

"Just GO! Take Martha home! You've caused enough trouble don't you think?"

I started to tremble then, on the verge of losing my temper. Amidst her screams, I closed Corrie's door and leaned against it, my heart pounding, the heat building, my limbs vibrating. But my mind fought against it. I had to keep my secret, I had to keep my promise to Mrs. Redbird that I wouldn't phase. I had to be strong for Corrie. Under my breath I hummed a lullaby my mother used to sing to me as a boy, trying my best to calm down and not break the door down in the process. Her sobs were loud and piercing which made it impossible to be calm.

"What's the matter?" I heard a small voice ask. I looked down and saw one of the twins looking up at me with interest.

"I – I just…don't want to be mad…" or a wolf right now.

"I feel you. Sometimes I get mad too. When we're upset, Mom says 'use your words,'" he said casually. He then shrugged his shoulders and disappeared down the hall.

The kid was just the distraction I needed to get my shit together. I slipped into the bathroom across the hall, which smelled of Corrie's pineapple shampoo, and splashed cold water on my face. I looked in the mirror and tried to convince myself that I could face her father one more time and not lose my cool. I slowly descended the stairs and nodded to Mrs. Redbird.

"Yes Paul, I'm ready."

"Sorry for the wait. I was just trying to calm Corrie down," it was hard to appear so normal now.

"She'll be alright Paul. I promise."

"She is not your concern, either of you!" her father interjected.

I struggled to ignore him. If he had seen what I was being forced to leave behind upstairs, he wouldn't say that. My chest was aching because I knew Corrie was still crying for me. Corrie was definitely my concern, I'm her protector.

"Like I said, I don't want you coming around my daughter. So I hope that if you really love her, you'll respect that she's living under my roof, and therefore must follow my rules. I won't let you ruin her life."

"Yes sir. But I have no intentions of ruining her life," I said simply. I wasn't about to give him what he wanted, I wasn't going to prove to him that I was just some out-of-control ruffian who went around beating up people. It wasn't far from the truth, but I knew when to fight and when not to.

"Let's go Paul. I've had enough of this nonsense." Mrs. Redbird glared at her son. "Your father must be rolling in his grave right now. You hate yourself if you hate your own people, marrying a pale face doesn't make you better than any of us, you're still the boy that came out of my womb." She held her head high and walked out the front door which I held open for her. I felt proud of the old gal. Corrie's father turned deep red then and he looked as though he would burst with rage.

Welcome to the club buddy. He was lucky he wasn't a wolf or we'd be going at it in the backyard right now.

I helped her into my truck and got in on the other side. I started the engine but it was hard to move because I could hear Corrie still crying for me and calling my name. The front door suddenly burst open and she came barreling down the driveway.

"Corrie!" I cried out and in two seconds I swept her up into my arms and kissed the tears all over her face. I knew her bruises were likely hurting but she didn't care. I could hear the neighbors stirring with all the commotion.

"Corrine! Get back in this house right NOW!" her father yelled from the doorway.

"Be strong baby, I promise, I'll come to your window tonight." I knew it wasn't the right thing to say, being opposite to my agreement to stay away. But I couldn't bear to see her like this. It wasn't right. I couldn't deal knowing that she was this upset. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face splotchy and tear-stained. This wasn't the Corrie I knew. She needed me and I wouldn't abandon her, not tonight, not ever. We'd find a way.

She nodded then and looked at me with hope.

"I promise." I told her, smoothing back her hair.

She buried her face in my neck, her arms locked around my neck despite the pain I knew she had to be feeling. That motivated me to carry her up the driveway, into the house and towards the stairs, not looking once at anyone else in our way. I had to do this for her, no matter what.

"Where do you think you're going!" her father barked at my back, but I didn't care. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder and I almost dropped Corrie to punch him in the face.

"I'm taking CARE of her!" I bellowed so loudly that the whole place shook. Corrie whimpered against my chest and I immediately apologized to her. I must have really hurt her ears. I shot her father a glowering look, letting him know to back the fuck off then continued up the carpeted stairs. He was officially working my LAST nerve.

Once in her room I gently laid her on the bed, slipped off her shoes and tucked her between the sheets. I whispered my undying devotion in her ear and asked her to stop crying for me.

She held onto my hand pleadingly, "Don't let them put me in a box Paul, I can't do it." Her face was tear streaked and her eyes bloodshot.

"Never." I didn't really understand why she suddenly said that but I agreed. I wouldn't let anyone do that to my heart.

She nodded and finally I knew I could leave and be sure that she'd be alright until I returned during the night.

I left the house, thanking Mrs. Redbird for the meal politely, and finally pulled away from the curb with a sense of dignity.

Mrs. Redbird said nothing to me on our ride home, for which I was grateful. I could think of nothing but Corrie and how I'd left her. I could only hope that her father wasn't yelling at her now, that he would let her be.

Back in La Push I helped her grandmother up the steps and to her door. She turned to me with pity and sorrow in her eyes. "You did good Paul, I'm proud of you son. I hope you know that you're worthy of her in my eyes. I know you love her, I trust you to do what you have to do now."

I nodded kindly and got back in my truck, unable to speak for fear that I'd break down before her. I couldn't do that until I was alone. As soon as I got home, I parked the truck and ran straight to the treeline, my only good clothes ripping to shreds around me.

My wolf sprinted deep into the forest, releasing the cry of a dying man.

I felt members of the pack surround me as I clawed the forest floor, unable to move because of the pain she and I were both feeling. But I couldn't respond to any of them, I left them to put the pieces together as I replayed the worst afternoon of my life in my mind.

When I jumped through Corrie's window that night, she was awake, waiting for me. I slid into the bed beside her and folded her in my arms, releasing a deep breath. I'd been a wreck since I left her that afternoon. The pack felt my turmoil and didn't pressure me to talk about the vampire situation, for once. I just didn't care about anything else while my world was spiraling out of control.

"Paul I can't do this," Corrie's weak voice pierced my thoughts.

"Do what baby?"

"I can't lose you."

"I told you, you won't."

"But you can't stay away from me."

"I don't want you sneaking around anymore. It's not the way to live, you'll constantly be worried about your parents finding out about us. Your father made it clear that while you're under his roof we aren't to be together."

"I don't care."

"But I do. You have a good family, not like mine, it's important to me that I don't ruin this for you." I wished she could understand my need to have a sense of integrity where she was concerned. Just because I was penniless right now didn't mean that I intended to remain this way. I wanted to win Corrie the right way.

"It's already ruined because my father has turned into a big fat prejudiced ass."

I chuckled and pulled her closer to me. She must be upset if she cursed.

"So what do you want to do then Corr?"

"I want to keep seeing you in secret. We can meet in the woods, I can ride out to the trail."

"The trail is close to your house, they will know you're lying because the bike will be silent and soon it will be winter, you can't ride."

She sighed, knowing I was right.

"I can make a deal with Dad that he has to let me go see Grammie? You can meet me there."

"I don't think we should get her involved in this anymore. And your father won't be making any deals babe."

"Paul, why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not trying to be, I just don't want our future to start off badly, you mean too much to me. I don't want you to ever have regrets about us."

I didn't even recognize myself. Taking a back-seat was the hot-headed bully who'd do anything to get what he wanted. All I cared about was Corrine now, and it surprised me how much I wanted to be respectful, that sooo wasn't me to give a fuck about adults and their rules – especially someone like Clark Redbird. I wanted to stick it to him so badly, I knew I had to work hard from now on to prove him wrong about me.

I was not a dead-end or dead-beat. Not this Lahote man.

"If you want to make me happy then find a way for us to still be together Paul. I don't want us to be apart, I'm tired of saying this and tired of you acting all cool and peaceful."

"You want me to get angry at your parents?" I asked with a smile she couldn't see as my chin rested on her head. I was angry, but I wouldn't show it more than I had that day. Hurting Corrie further wasn't an option.

"That would be nice."

I laughed softly then. "It wouldn't solve anything. Your father would call the chief and I don't want to get on his bad side, he already let me off pretty easy last night you know?"

"We should run away together."

I stiffened. It was so tempting, she had no idea. "We can't. We don't have money. And as much as it feels like it, we can't survive on love alone."

She snorted and burrowed deeper into my arm.

"I hate Marlon. If he hadn't hurt me none of this would have ever happened. We would've had more time to be together before Dad found out."

"Marlon just sped up the inevitable, but I hate him too," I sighed.

"Kiss me, make me forget that today ever happened Paul."

Now that was a request I could easily fulfill.

Next update will be around Monday Have a great weekend :)