A/N:

Hi! Thank you so much for reading and commenting, you are amazing!

Here's another chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it!

xx

The school went wild over Paul's return, especially the female part. On Monday, when he appeared with Jared in tow, in a ratty t-shirt and ripped jeans (how was he never cold?), the main hallway first fell into a stunned silence only to break into at least 20 hushed conversations seconds later. Heads turned like sunflowers and eyes went wide following Paul and Jared's every movement. The two of them walked in sync, like a boy band and everyone else just went with it, staring at them like they were famous. The peak of ridiculousness was reached when their young art teacher almost knocked herself into a locker, she was staring so hard at the two of them. Kim huffed and turned her back to the whole scene, pretending to sort things in her locker. Why had she even been worried about them? Those jerks became celebrities in La Push. They were doing just fine. They didn't want to be her friends anymore? Fine. She didn't need them. She was used to being on her own. She could manage. She really could.

For weeks, Kim struggled to go back to her friendless routine. She had never been a very social person and she actually liked spending time on her own, but this was different. It was... Boring. She liked having inside jokes with someone. She liked sharing her lunch and stories. Most of all, she liked that Paul pushed her to open up and enjoy herself more. And now they were avoiding each other.

At least Paul had Jared. Even though she swore she would hate them both with the intensity of a thousand suns, she was glad they were friends. Jared didn't look so forlorn all the time and she was sure he would have Paul's back, no matter what they'd gotten themselves into. That thought brought her relief. Occasionally glaring at them and then pretending to ignore them when they looked her way was also ok.

Walking to lunch, Kim got distracted and went to the cafeteria out of inertia, instead of the library. Only when she reached her usual table did she realize her mistake. For a second, she wanted to turn around and walk away, but then she saw Paul and Jared laughing on the other side of the room and she decided to sit down. Why would she have to move? She wouldn't give them the pleasure. That is if they even knew she existed anymore. She glared at Paul. He was leaning into his chair like he was at the beach. He certainly didn't look like he was in trouble. Jerk. Jared had turned his chair and straddled it, resting his head on its back. What a poser. They liked the attention they were getting. Kim scoffed in disgust.

"So, it finally happened. He ditched you. So much for the friendship."

Kim looked up to see Sophie standing next to her table.

"Sophie, I really don't-"

"What did he tell you? And what is he doing with Jared?"

Kim's eyes went wide when Sophie sat down. What was happening?

"He didn't... He didn't say anything," Kim's voice shook and she hated it.

"Oh, don't cry, I mean, it was bound to happen. I warned you, didn't I? No friends- girls or otherwise," Sophie sang.

Suddenly, Kim felt so tired, like she'd been carrying a ton of bricks on her back all day. She sighed wearily but took the bait.

"Then how do you explain his friendship with Jared?"

"That? Who knows what's happening there? I was hoping you could tell me. I've heard they're doing steroids," Sophie leaned in and raised her eyebrows in question.

"I seriously doubt it," Kim said, even though she had no idea what the fuck they were doing. For all she knew, they had become professional hitmen or gang members. Sophie narrowed her eyes at Kim.

"Well, look at you being such a good sport about it. There's no need to be a perfect little soldier all the time, Connweller. They're dicks. Even your friendless self must be aware of that."

"They are. But that doesn't mean they are criminals. I... I still believe they are not bad people. The fact that they don't want to hang out with us anymore doesn't say much. But it's weird, isn't it? Maybe they're in trouble and need help," she tried.

"Oh, please," Sophie scoffed. "My eyes are gonna get stuck, I'm rolling them so hard. They just went through some weird, late phase of puberty and think they're hot shit because they grew some muscles. Big fucking deal. Any moron can take supplements. They're not in trouble, Connweller. They're assholes," she spat out, giving Kim a disappointed look. "And to think I actually expected to hear something smart from you. Well, I'll know better next time. I'll let you get back to your boring-ass life. Later, nerd."

As Sophie was moving away, Kim took a good look at her. Even now, when she was confused and obviously heartbroken, she held her head high and her body swayed with grace Kim would never possess. Sure, she was mean, but Kim couldn't help but wonder why Jared would break up with her and so suddenly? Jared and Paul's transformations were so similar, so unexpected. They dropped everything in their lives to follow Sam. And how did Sam Uley actually fit into any of it? Kim shook her head to clear it. Nothing made sense anymore. She took her turkey sandwich (Paul's favorite) and chucked it into the trash can. She wasn't hungry anymore. Besides, it belonged in there, just like their friendship.

Weeks after his talk with Kim, Paul was still moping around. He never said anything about it out loud, but Jared could see his thoughts whenever they patrolled together and feel him flinch whenever Kim glared at them at school (which happened often). Jared had to admit there was something about Kim that unsettled him. Not wanting to get involved in her and Paul's relationship, he'd been avoiding her for more than a month, but every time he did, he ended up feeling so guilty he became nauseous. She'd been trying to talk to him and lying to her somehow seemed worse than avoiding her. He knew he was being rude, but what was he supposed to tell her about Paul? "Hey, your best friend occasionally bursts into a large wolf"?

The rules were clear, only imprints could know their secret. Even though she'd stopped trying to strike up a conversation with him for a while now, ignoring her still felt bad. She didn't deserve it. It was especially hard during their history lessons when she sat behind him.

Kim was really agitated that day. Jared felt jitters roll of her body like waves. First, she tapped her right foot for a while, then she clicked her pen, making his hairs stand on end. After that, she took the damn pen and started tapping it lightly against her notebook. Normal people probably didn't hear it. As for Jared, well, he wanted to turn around, snatch the pen and snap it in half. She held a steady rhythm, like a tiny drummer from hell, making it impossible for him to focus on anything else. Rap tap tap, rap tap tap, rap tap tap. Every cell in his ears writhed in pain. He looked to his right to see how Paul was coping, but he seemed half asleep and immune to the torture. Lucky asshole. Rap tap tap. Rap tap tap. Please stop. Please. Please. Stop.

Jared looked around. Was no one else bothered by this? He considered turning around and asking her to stop, but it hardly seemed fair. She was having a hard time. Let the girl tap her pen. It was the least he could do. Rap tap tap. He checked the clock. 5 more minutes. He could take it. Rap tap tap.

Kim tapped the pen a little harder and it slid out of her loose grip. Jared perked up. It would roll over the desk and onto the floor if Kim wasn't fast enough. He felt her reach for the pen. Too slow. It clanked onto the floor, landing next to Jared's left foot. For a second, he considered just lifting his foot a little and stepping onto the pen full force. The crunch would be so satisfying. He could pretend he hadn't seen it, that it was just a silly accident. But he just sighed and picked the pen up, then turned to give it back.

"Here," he mumbled and handed the pen to Kim and she looked at him, straight at him, and suddenly the ground was being pulled from underneath him, so he grabbed onto his chair to steady himself, and the chair was there, cold and solid and he didn't fall down but it felt like he was just floating there, like a stray balloon, and Kim's eyes we're a gazillion shades of brown and how was that even possible?

She was wearing a gigantic blue turtleneck sweater and it looked good on her, it emphasized her glowing complexion. She was still looking at him and starting to blush a little. Was he staring for too long? What was too long? He didn't know anything about time or space anymore.

"Thank you," she said curtly and her voice echoed in his ears, his head, his entire body, etching itself into his being and he knew for a fact, that, from that moment, he would always recognize it, even among thousands of different voices and that thought soothed him. Her voice was a bit high but not unpleasant, never unpleasant. It had a mellow note of a bird's song. What bird? He had no idea.

She also smelt nice. It reminded him of cold flowers, the ones that bloom in early spring and spite frost and snow, just push through them and grow. It was a light, fresh, diluted smell, that didn't attack his senses but cradled them gently. This was the smell of his future. He inhaled deeply, letting it ground him. He was back on solid ground, the world seemed less blurry and in the center of it - Kim. She raised an eyebrow at him in question and he chuckled in disbelief.

"Kim," he breathed, grinning like a fool.