Chapter 15 - Ashamed of Imprinting
Dina's mouth opened and closed several times and said, "You...You..."
Paul said, "Imprinted on you..." Dina said, "That's why you said the imprinting doesn't pick skin color...only soul mates." Paul nodded and continued, "There's something else I need to tell you...but I don't know how." Dina untangled herself from Paul's arms and said, "Just tell me Paul." Paul sighed heavily and said, "I imprinted on you way before Jared imprinted on Kim." Dina said, "Wait...What? What does that mean exactly?" Paul said, "I hid the imprinting from everyone...Which is not exactly the easiest thing to do...I hid it because I knew Jared loved you...And then he came clean to the rest of us and told us he'd imprinted on Kim and he was trying to ignore it because he loved you...then I really couldn't tell anyone...None of know I imprinted on you."
Dina said, "Are you ashamed to have imprinted on me?" Paul said, "I am ashamed I imprinted on you. I feel like the biggest asshole alive." Dina blinked as tears rolled from her eyes and said, "Okay...I'm sorry but I have to go..." Dina started to walk away when Paul grabbed her hand and stopped her and said, "No lemme make sure you get home safely. Dina said, "I don't want your help..." Paul said, "Let me explain please." Dina said, "Explain what? That you're ashamed you imprinted on the poor little pale face...Let me save you the trouble...I relieve you of your soul mate duties...You're completely free to be with someone else...You've got no obligations with me." Dina turned and ran off back towards the house...Paul said, "Dina...Dina wait please."
Dina couldn't help but cry...She knew she should've listened to what Paul had to say. But it hurt that he said he was ashamed to have imprinted on her. She couldn't keep his kiss off her mind as she walked up to the house and saw Paul leaning against the porch with his arms folded over his chest. Paul shook his head at her and said, "I knew you was stubborn, but I never thought you was this stubborn." Dina rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever." Dina started to climb back up the lattice when Paul grabbed her from behind and stopped her. Dina said, "Let go of me jerk." Dina spun around and slapped Paul's face...He didn't get mad...He wanted to but he couldn't...She had his heart and he needed to explain himself.
Paul said, "Feel better?" Dina shook her head no. Paul said, "Then do it again." She slapped his face harder. Paul said, "How about now?" Dina shoved him and said, "Fuck you." Through gritted teeth Paul said, "Again...Hit me again." Dina's chest was rising and falling furiously and Paul yelled, "DO IT! HIT ME AGAIN!" Dina slapped him twice harder each time. Paul ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and spit blood on the ground. Paul said, "Are you done?" Dina said, "Maybe." Paul said, "You sure? If not then do it again if you need to get it all out."
Dina couldn't help it, she started crying...Paul could feel the pain radiating off her body. He suddenly realized what was wrong...First she lost Jared to imprinting and then his big mouth said he was ashamed to of imprinted on her. Paul watched as Dina slid down to the ground with her knees in her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. Paul hit his knees in front of her and said, "Dina...Please...Let me explain...Let me explain why I said what I did." Dina calmed down and said, "Go ahead." Paul said, "When I said I was ashamed I imprinted on you...It wasn't because you're a pale face...It was because it happened when I knew Jared was in love with you and I couldn't control it...My imprinting on you stopped Jared from being able to imprint on you...It was my fault he imprinted on Kim and not you."
Dina said, "Wait...It's not because I'm a pale face?" Paul shook his head no as he reached his hand out and touched her cheek and said, "You're the most beautiful pale face...human...female...lady...Who I've ever laid eyes on...And I will kill anyone who even attempts to hurt you...I even attacked Jared when we patrolled the night he told you about imprinting on Kim...You're my soul mate because you're supposed to be...You have my heart and soul...You have control of everything inside of me...And I wouldn't want it any other way...Just like I wouldn't want anyone but you as my soul mate...Imprinted or not...I love you Dina...I want you to marry me...I want to have babies with you...I want us to grow old together and die together...I want us to sit in Heaven and watch our children and grand children grow up."
Dina had a hand over her mouth and couldn't believe the words coming out of Paul's mouth...her free hand came out and touched his left cheek that she had slapped repeatedly as she moved around onto her knee and threw her arms around Paul's neck and buried her face in his neck as she sobbed. His arms automatically wrapping around her as he slowly stood up holding her close to his body protectively. Dina whimpered out, "Paul." Paul said, "Yes baby?" Dina said, "I love you too." Paul closed his eyes sighed heavily with relief as he said, "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." Dina said, "Probably as long as I've waited to say it to someone who truly appreciated me saying it to them."
Paul chuckled and said, "So when you want to get married?" Dina couldn't help but laugh while leaning into his chest and said, "I think it would be good if I graduated high school first." Paul said, "Why wait?" Dina laughed and said, "I've only got two weeks to go." Paul said, "Okay...I waited this long for you...I can wait a little longer...So in what 2 weeks and 1 day were getting married right?" Dina laughed again and said, "You've got yourself a deal." Paul pulled back and captured her lips with his. Paul helped her get back up and into her bedroom window and made sure she was tucked in. Dina giggled and said, "How exactly do we tell my parents I'm engaged before my 17th birthday? And to someone whose 18." Paul chuckled as he dropped a kiss on her lips and said, "Don't worry about it now...Well worry about it after your birthday and graduation...Get some sleep beautiful." Dina nodded as she watched Paul sneak back out the window. She definitely had a lot of explaining to do in the next couple of weeks as she drifted to sleep.
