AN: Sorry again, I am the worst I know. So we are still on the downswing for the next chapter or two. This chapter is very short but something is wrong with Bella and its not just Paul, and we may or may not find out why in the next chapter or two. Sorry for this one, but better chapters are coming soon!
Bella POV
A week had gone by since Paul had crushed my dreams and I was only doing marginally better. I had distanced myself from the pack and their events because I couldn't bear to see him happy and thriving with his brothers. No matter how pathetic I felt for this wildly ridiculous crush and unrequited love I couldn't fathom seeing him just the opposite. A mere sentence seemed to drown out all of my hope last week and I couldn't get over it. Even if I wanted to. Nothing worked, I had called Emily and she was just as shocked as I was, confused as to why he had lead me on then severed ties. I didn't really have anyone else to go to so I had been seeing dad more often. The only man who hadn't let me down in some way or another was my dad. Thank god for him. He was the one who always seemed to be left behind with me in the rubble.
I dressed in a haze, the wrenching pain easing into a dull ache. I could get by with a dull ache, it was kind of comforting to feel anything at all. My students finally had their shakespeare test today, I was excited to see how they would do. Most of them had been studying their butt's off. I pulled into the school parking lot which was practically empty save a few other teachers here for their respective courses and the few students who could drive. As I walked inside I thought I saw the blur off a wolf dancing in the shadows, hoping it wasn't a figment of my imagination, but as soon as I stepped towards it the shadow was gone. A figment of my imagination, I guess.
Today passed by in a hectic haze, as students scrambled to get ready for their test. Questions upon questions were bombarding me and I had a good feeling they were ready. Finally, the bell rang signaling the end of the day. Each of my students had finally submitted their tests. I set home to grade each one as a light pelting rain started to come down on me, thankfully, I remembered my umbrella.
One by one I meticulously graded each and everyone of the tests, looking for extra points to give the kids, and only one student had failed. He was a shy kid who seemed miles away every class time. He reminded me of myself at that age. Completely oblivious to the world around them, suffering in silence. That would've been me exactly. It still kind of was. I would have to talk to him tomorrow, something I wish anyone but my dad or jake had done years ago.
Paul POV
I had been doing well, almost too well. I felt great, the ladies of Port Angeles were still loving on me and my feelings for Bella had subsided substantially. Not having those feelings made me a whole lot more comfortable. There was a big pack dinner coming up tonight and I was hoping I could see her to at least apologize for being somewhat of a dick, there was a much better way to let down a sweet innocent girl. She wasn't throwing herself at me or some random girl and I hadn't really thought that whole plan through, but one lining her and driving away on my bike wasn't my finest hour.
I headed to the store to help out with things for the guys and girls. I had spent far too many years being unappreciative of the family I was so blessed to have. Most of my time was spent wasting away on booze and women instead of contributing to the pack. I felt guilty as hell for that and had really been pulling my own weight lately because of it. Dinner was rapidly approaching as I picked up mass quantities barbecue fixings and headed for the Uleys.
I looked around and Bella was nowhere to be found. I wonder if she had another date, even if the last guy was a bit of a prick she deserved to have fun and be a woman, too. I looked around for Emily and intended to question her on the matter. I finally found her pulling her gently by the hand outside to have a real conversation, even if the guys still could hear us, they tended to give more privacy if we attempted to communicate in private.
I gave a breezy smile and said hi to Em and she just smiled back. I continued on, "Hey, so where's Bella? She have another hot date tonight? Hopefully its with someone a little better than the last shit. Especially if she's going to be bringing him around these parts." She just smiled, "Nope, she's not feeling up to it I'm sure. She's had her first week of school, which probably has been a lot to take in. You're the one who used to see her more and talk to her, I'm surprised you don't know." I was a little taken aback by that since there was a twinge of iciness to Emily's voice. I just shrugged, "I told her I wasn't looking for a girl and we only hooked up once. I'm sure she's over it already. I don't even know where we stood after that which is fine by me. She wasn't the first and she wasn't the last. A good fuck is just that." Em just stared daggers at me curtly saying, "Paul, don't ever talk about "fucking" my best friend like that." Mocking me with the word fucking and motioning air quotes. And with that she turned and headed inside and I guessed that I was in the dog house with the lady alpha. Oh well, wouldn't be the first time.
Morning came and I headed out for a routine patrol, even though we had scaled back they were still necessary every once in a while. I ran through the bursting green forest my senses alive with the smell of cedar and evergreen pouring around me. It really didn't get much better than this. I rounded my trip off at the high school, hoping to get a glance at Bella and maybe getting to give the apology I had been wanting to, until I saw her. She was as beautiful as ever but something was wearing heavy on her. She didn't quite look like herself. Her cheeks look sunken in as if she had had a very difficult few days, her frame already slimming as if she wasn't eating much, her pale skin seemingly even paler. That's when she looked at me, or turned towards the woods, and I saw her eyes. They were dead, completely and utterly dead. No life lived there anymore and I panicked, running the other way not beginning to fathom what could possibly have her looking that way.
