AN: Dramatic Princess is back! This love story is going to have its ups and downs, for that, I apologize. This just happens to be a down chapter. Paul always has to go and shoot himself in the foot, doesn't he? Also, as always, thank you so much for the kind words. They truly keep me going. Hopefully you all enjoy the chapter!

Bella POV

I couldn't help but let the nerves fall away. The week had gone by faster than I could have imagined and I was finally going to have a house. I found a perfect cabin right by Em's house. Only about a 5 minute drive which was a huge improvement from my Forks commute. I was only 10 minutes from the high school, too. I hadn't wanted to buy a house yet, but since there wasn't a single thing worth renting I was kind of out of options. It was a quick sale, but, I was happy with the decision. It made sense to buy anyways, I finally had a career and I didn't plan on moving anytime soon.

The cabin was old and needed repairs but Sam had said he would get the guys together to fix anything that needed to be done. It was a blessing to have the pack in my life in more ways than one. I was finally going to start moving in small stuff today after work, since Emily had wanted to help set up the little things. The only stuff left was my bed set that we couldn't quite manage to lift and my dressers. I had already picked out the rest of the furniture for the house at a big store in Port A. Forks didn't even have a furniture place come to think of it. All of that was getting delivered by the end of the week. Finally, my life was coming together.

As soon as we pulled into the driveway we stood in awe. Shocked, that we had both managed to pull this purchase off so quickly. It had taken almost a full twelve hours at the bank, and another full three days with the realtor but finally, I had closed. Dad had offered to help with it all but it never felt right for him to help me out more than he already had. I didn't want to take handouts and I had saved quite a bit of money from working at Newtons and then the cafe for so long. And, I was only able to save that money because dad paid for pretty much everything for me while I was in school.

We stood there when all of the sudden we heard something loud come up behind us. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I realized who it was. It was Paul. In all his beautiful glory. Thankfully, it wasn't an axe murderer coming to kill the two innocent twenty somethings in the woods. That would have been worse, only slightly. I hadn't been able to be nervous this entire week, I simply hadn't had the time. That only meant that all of those feelings came rushing back ten fold. The nerves, the obsession, the passion, the memories, all of that. Flooding in. Oh shit, why is no one talking? Did he say something to me? Snap out of it Bella. SNAP OUT OF IT. Mentally smacking myself to pull it together.

Finally, I spoke. Not sure how coherent the sentence was, or whether what I'd said had made , At least I managed to speak. He said something and then all I felt was my lips moving and words coming out and I guess I was on autopilot. Then he said he would help us move my stuff and I just nodded. That went better than expected.

The rest of the move went in a blur. Moving makes you realize just how much random crap you have from all the years. I had more than I thought I did, even if it wouldn't have been much to most. I felt bad that everyone had dropped what they were doing to help me, and it was getting pretty late. So, by the time we had all finished up I offered to take everyone out to a late dinner, but Em said she had to get home since Sam would be back fairly soon. That little traitor was doing this on purpose, she knew Sam wouldn't care if she went out to eat with us, she just wanted us to go alone.

We both said goodbye to Emily as her small car faded into the distance blurring into the natural forest around us. Then it was silent. I was left there with my heart beating out of my chest and my stomach dropping to the floor. I was alone with Paul. The last time that had happened was when we had been having, uh, intimate time. That, surely, would not be happening again. Well, hopefully it would sometime, just not tonight.

He cleared his throat finally breaking the ice. "Hey, sweet heart, we should probably get to the diner, soon. It closes in about an hour. Lets take my bike since then I can drop you off on my way back home." I sighed, I knew he wouldn't want to be with me again. Its Paul for fricks sake. I don't think he has ever slept with the same girl twice. Let alone boring old me. I groaned quietly, silently nodding and following him to his bike. The tension was palpable. He was probably annoyed that he had to help me, feeling bad that he had apparently been a jerk about asking why I lived here. I finally spoke, releasing him from his obligation. "Hey, you know you don't have to go to dinner with me, right? Don't feel obligated or anything. I just was trying to be nice since you took a large chunk of your evening to help me. If you don't want to, seriously it's ok." I huffed out the end just waiting for him to crush my soul with rejection. He just sighed, probably with relief, "You sure it's ok if I don't? I'm pretty beat and just want to head home. Don't worry about the moving, it's the least I could do. Don't count on seeing me for awhile, though. I got a lot going on and i'm not looking for a girl right now." With that he hopped onto his bike and was gone. He didn't even wait for me to say anything.

I slumped up to the house not wanting to face reality. I was all alone. In this little house. Any appetite I had was gone. The pathetic tears streaming down my face. I had known there was no way he could possibly like me. I'm boring, lackluster, and apparently just an obligation. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. The gentle gnawing of loneliness tugged at my stomach as I kicked the front door open with all of my might. I walked up the narrow stairway not sure if I was furious or catatonic. Finally, I settled into my bed, thankful, at least that Paul had put it back together and lifted it up here. Of course he was the one who had to do it. Something about him just occupied everything. My mind, my house, my bed. Nothing seemed to be just mine anymore. The worst part is, that's what I wanted. Everything to be ours, together and that made me certifiably insane. We had sex once. We haven't even gone a date. Paul probably would run the other direction and never look back if he knew how I really felt. He had always hated me, the sex may have just been a way to get back at me. He had said he was going to make me beg for it and I was the one who was going to throw myself at him. That had proven to be true. Fuck, that's all this was. A good lay. Or, well, I don't even know if it had been good for him. Shit. Shit. Fuck. Miserable didn't even begin to describe what I felt as I climbed under the covers. Punching my frustration out on this stupid ugly purple pillow. Barely, screaming into the void that was my old worn teenage bedding. Great, the whole shifter community of America could probably hear me. Shit.

As I wallowed in my misery I let a fitful sleep overtake my senses. My dreams teaming with nightmares.

I woke early, to the summer song of the birds. Their singing mocking me. Today was my second day at the school. I slumped out of bed to get dressed and somehow face the day. The school days were shortened since it was summer school and that seemed to be the only positive I could think of. I pulled on black skinny trousers, a lace blouse, and tied my hair tight into a chignon so I wouldn't have to think about it all day. I pulled on a short pair of black heels, hoping to feel a sliver of confidence, even if it my heart still felt like it was breaking.

Boy, did the rain clouds seem to follow me. The dark storm clouds rose on the horizon, a fitful summer storm brewing in the distance. I laughed, how fitting. I grabbed my large rain jacket out of one of the boxes and walked down the stairs. I jumped in my car, hoping to get a jump on next week's lesson plan early. Throwing myself into work was the only way I was going to get over this. The aching in my heart for him would somehow end. Love just wasn't my thing, it never had been.

I pulled up to the parking lot just as it was starting to rain. Typical, Bella. I never could catch a break. I taught in a distracted haze, encouraging my kids to read on there own to get ahead of their homework. Shakespeare was tough enough as is and I figured they could use the extra time to study. There first test was happening next week. Only a few drifters came up throughout the day to ask me questions and soon the day came to a close.

I found myself continuously mulling over why Paul had to be the one I had feelings for. Not nice Seth who had grown up to be one of the kindest men I'd ever met. Not Embry who was almost just as nice but three times as funny. And not even Jake, my own sun, my old best friend. Nope. it just had to be Paul. The resident hot brooding asshole of La Push. I groaned as I made my way back into my lonely house. The sad worthless tears forming in my eyes once again. I could barely gather up the appetite to eat earlier today and was in for another long restless night. I walked back up into bed, pulling the covers over my body, shivering. I pulled out my laptop and watched videos, mindlessly attempting to distract myself. I hadn't even wanted to see Emily. I didn't want to see anyone. Alone was best.