Paul POV
I've never been so nervous in my life. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door in front of me.
"Can I help you?" A man, much shorter than I expected opened the door, given how tall Angela is.
"Hi. Is Angela here?" I tried to keep calm, but it was hard. I wasn't the 'meet your dad' type. I could hear kids playing on some video games in the background then Angela appeared behind her attempting-to-be-intimidating father.
"Hey, Paul. Just give me 2 minutes." And she was gone again.
I could hear her cheer at something and both boys inside the house say "Yes!" simultaneously.
"Sorry. I was helping my brother's win their first online game of Call of Duty."
"Nice." I didn't really know what else to say but fuck I missed video games. Protecting the tribe from the threat of evil was a full time job with no pay. Between it, school and sleep, I probably wouldn't even have time for this date if it weren't for things settling down lately. "Where to first, and any idea what kind of movie you might be interested in?"
"I thought, well there's this movie, V for Vendetta. I have no idea if it will be any good, but I thought maybe we could go see it first, then dinner after. I know a lot of people will do dinner first but I figured if we can't find anything to talk about, we'll at least have the movie."
"Already planning to be bored at dinner? I accept this challenge to keep you so entertained that the movie doesn't even pop into your head." I was not going to let her comment get to me, nope, not happening. My first real date ever, and I was going to enjoy it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way, I just…" Angela sighed, she looked frustrated. "Things with Ben were always quiet. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for comfortable silence. I really just want to have a good time and I think I'm screwing things up already."
"No, don't worry about it. I don't mind."
"You don't mind taking me on a date where I talk about my ex?" Angela raised an eyebrow and it was adorable. Adorable? Who the fuck was I, Jake? Nah it was… shit, it was adorable. "I mean I'd hate for you to take me out and talk about your exes the whole time."
"I don't technically have any. I mean not officially. Not like, relationship exes but like, ya know what? New rule. No talk of previous uh…partners?"
"Good word. And agreed. Come on, or we'll miss the previews."
"You watch the previews?" I didn't mean to sound so shocked, but I guess since every movie I've ever been to was spent making out for the previews and the first 20 minutes, it never crossed my mind that she actually watched them.
"Yeah, don't you?"
"I… can't talk about that."
"Well alright then."
This was off to a horrible start. We both had some very different baggage and I hope it didn't affect things too much. Angela seemed really nice and a girl who likes video games is never a bad choice.
We managed to watch the entire movie without bringing up past situations accidentally. We shared a bag of popcorn and each had a drink and the movie wasn't horrible either.
We ended up getting dinner at a place that pretty much grills anything you want. Angela surprised me with her order. A girl after my own heart. She ordered the side ribs with spicy sauce, lemon potatoes and grilled veggies plate with a side of sautéed mushrooms and onion. I got the back ribs, jasmine rice, grilled veggies plate with bacon wrapped jalapenos on the side. I probably could have gotten away with ordering alcohol, one of the perks of being a werewolf and having the body of a 25 year old, but the temperature my body burns at means it wouldn't do much so instead I ordered a coffee, and Angela had a tea.
"So," I needed to keep her from talking about her ex and about the movie, this should be fun. "You're graduating this year?"
"Yeah. I want to become a professional photographer. I keep debating whether I want to move away, just to get away, or take a photography class closer to home. The benefits being the cost. Moving costs, the cost of a dorm or apartment, long distance coverage so I can still call home. I mean, I have a scholarship so I can pretty much go to whatever school I choose, but when it comes to photography, it isn't like I need to go to Harvard or anything. Port Angeles would give me everything I need. I think it would be tough leaving my brothers. They're kind of my best friends. Is that weird?"
"I wouldn't know. I'm an only child. But my best friends are like my brother's so, no? I think it's nice that you want to stay for them."
"My parents don't. They want me to get out on my own and make something of myself." She paused as the waiter brought out plates to our table. "I don't blame them but I just wish they'd listen to what I want. I'm thinking, since my scholarship allows it, that I might take a year off, figure out where I want to be. I could go anywhere in the world. How about you? I know you still have some time before you graduate but any ideas of what you want to do?"
"No one's ever actually asked me that. I think, being native, on a reservation… everyone just expects you to stay, or at the very least come back when you finish school. Especially the men. I think I might not have a choice. Maybe someday but not anytime soon."
"That's so sad. You should think about what it is that would make you happy. Don't live someone else's plans for your life."
I thought about those words a lot while we ate, chatting about video games and her love of photography. She preferred to take photos of people instead of animals or houses and was thinking of becoming a wedding photographer, but doing other shoots on the side when things got slow.
When it was finally time to take her home, I knew I was stepping over a line in my own mind when I reached for her hand as she stepped up onto her porch. I'd never been the touchy feely type, but something about Angela just made me want to be near her, even just sitting with her made me happy. She turned around, the step putting her a little taller than me. She smiled and it was beautiful and infectious. I couldn't help but smile back, but it was nothing compared to the smile I had after she leaned down to kiss me softly on my cheek.
"I had a really good time today." Angela said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you. Oh and I guess I should think of something, a prize, for winning that bet. We never talked about the movie during dinner."
"I told you, I'm far too entertaining. It wasn't exactly a bet though."
"Well, I say it was and you won. So, um how about you win…" She looked like she was biting the inside of her cheek like she was thinking. "another date?"
I laughed, not because it was a bad idea, but a happy laugh, "I'd really like that. Next weekend? Saturday?"
"Yeah. That works for me." This time she kissed me on the lips. "Goodnight Paul."
"Goodnight." I walked down the path behind her house that led onto a hiking trail. Walked into the woods, got my clothes tied around my ankle and took off for La Push, phasing as I ran and joined Quil who was patrolling. He bugged me about how my date went, and teased me when snippets popped into my head.
"You've got it bad!"
"Shut up before I come kick your ass!"
When I arrived at Sam's. Everyone was there except of course for Quil, and they all seemed on edge. I decided to stay phased so he could listen in and when Jake noticed me he gave me the CliffNotes version of what was going on.
"Bella had a vision of the vamp that was in her room. He was giving her scent to two dozen newborn vamps. We're going to be meeting with the Cullen's and getting some tips on newborns, which Bella says are stronger and faster than the average vampire and preparing essentially for war."
Quil and I spoke at the same time, both equally upset. "Fuck!"
