Lucas bolted.

I watched as he hastily got into his car. "Betrayal!" I hissed, even though I didn't really blame him.

If I could, I would run away from my brother, too. I turned around to see Jared looking like he was one second away from strangling me.

I tried to ease the tension. "C'mon, guys. It's not even that bad. And I'm 17, for God's sake."

Kim still looked appalled, but I didn't expect anything less from her. Getting a tattoo was such a 'Lexi' thing to have done. Now all I needed was the black eyeliner, leather jacket, multiple piercings, and a boyfriend with a motor bike and a badass attitude.

Do it. My inner voice drawled. I ignored that comment.

Jared still looked murderous, so I turned to the one person who didn't seem to be judging me.

"Paul!" I looked at him with pleading eyes, which he returned with a blank face. "It looks fine, doesn't it?" I glared a little through my appeal, daring him to say different.

Paul slowly looked down at my foot where two, small lilies were entwined with each other. Lexi had always loved lilies, especially after finding out they were her birth flower. She always kept one in her room in a glass vase, and frequently wore them as a fragrance.

Paul just scrutinized it for a moment before quietly announcing that he thought it looked beautiful.

I beamed at him happily, and in return, he gave a small grin back.

Yeah, that's right. A grin. As far as I knew, Paul didn't do anything but smirk.

Unfortunately Jared interrupted this new development in our strange relationship with another deafening roar.

"Paul hardly counts as a judge on whether this is fine or not!" He growled, his eyes piercing right through me.

This glare was a trademark Cameron look that usually left people cringing, but since I was immune to it, I simply tittered. "Inside voices, please."

He's actually going to strangle you, and it looks like he's not even going to wait until you're asleep to do it.

"And why doesn't Paul count?" I demanded as an afterthought, going through Jared's words again in my head. Kim and Paul watched silently, understanding this was one of those sibling fights you couldn't interrupt.

"Because he's biased!" Jared snapped in a matter-of-fact tone, as if that settled the argument. I snorted, prepared to fight back, when a new voice interrupted our dispute.

"Hey, guys." I turned around to see Embry leaning casually at the front door, which was still open from when Lucas had made a run for it.

"Not you!" I groaned, rubbing my face with my hands. I was sick of always having Jared's friends pop up randomly in my house.

Next thing you know they'll be washing their laundry here and doing the grocery shopping and taking over the garage as their steroids lab... is there even such a thing as a steroids lab?

Embry looked insulted, to say the least.

"Marley's not here, so go home Embry." Jared seemed as eager to start yelling at me again as I was at him. I also got the gist that Jared didn't like Embry. I resisted the urge to give my brother a high five for that.

"Yeah, we don't need your unnecessary babysitting today," I added, feeling like Jared and I were suddenly a verbal tag team.

Embry started shaking and looked at me as if I'd just shot his mother. I heard the weird throat clearing noise come from Paul again, but to be honest I was so used to him acting strange that I didn't even acknowledge it.

"Seriously?" I questioned him incredulously. "You're going to pull that weird seizure thing that all you guys are so fond of? Well, fine. I'm leaving." After realizing it still hurt to walk and I wouldn't make it far, I altered my last sentence. "I'm leaving to my room, that is."

I walked to the top of the stairs, but turned around just before I made my impressive exit.

"You're all free to slip apology letters under my door," I informed them. "Jared for being a drama queen about things that aren't even you're business. Oh, and for treating me like a three year old. I don't need a babysitter, because contrary to your belief, I'm not going to kill myself. Give me some credit, please."

I sent him the 'Cameron glare' and was proud when he flinched. I continued with my speech.

"Kim, at the moment you're the closest thing I have to a best friend. Why can't you understand why I did this instead of looking so disappointed in me? I really thought you would understand." I gave her a hurt look, but quickly went on before she could interrupt.

"Embry." I looked at him with careful eyes. "I just don't like you."

Again with the insulted look from Embry.

He really shouldn't take it so personally.

"What about me?"

I looked to Paul, cocking my head at his question. "You're in the clear. And, just for the record, out of everyone in this room at the moment, I like you the most."

I turned around to storm to my room in a true 'Lexi' fashion, but not before I saw a smug and ecstatic smirk spread across Paul's face.

And when I reached my room, I found myself smiling, too.

. . .

Knock, knock, knock!

"I'm sorry, but Aria isn't available at the moment." I called calmly through the door, my eyes focused on the book I was reading. "She is occupied with apology letters that have yet to come. But please do leave a message after the beep." I paused to turn a page. "Beep."

"Aria!" Kim groaned from the other side of the door. "You're acting really immature about this situation. We're just upset that you got something as permanent as a tattoo without consulting someone first." I snorted. So Lucas doesn't count as a human being anymore? "You seem to be getting more and more like Lexi with your decisions, and trust me, that is not a good thing to-"

"Beep. Sorry, your time is up!" I glared at the door, closing my book with a snap. "But thank you for leaving a message and have a great day."

I heard Kim shriek angrily and storm off. This was the fourth time that she'd attempted to coax me into talking to her. Jared had been up here twice, and even Embry had awkwardly requested for me to open the door.

Paul hadn't been up yet, but why should he? After all, I had told him he was in the clear.

I sighed, and started to trace the petal outlines on my foot, wincing when I remember how much it had hurt. I wasn't good at handling physical pain, so it was safe to say that I had probably cut off the circulation in Lucas's fingers when I had gotten the tattoo.

Lucas. I attempted a Jared and Paul 'growl'. That traitor. The next time I saw him, he better be ready for some pain.

I jumped out of my thoughts when I heard the door bang open.

"What are you doing?" I screeched at the culprit, horrified.

Tsk, tsk. I told you to lock the door. Nobody respects privacy these days.

"You said I was in the clear." Paul shrugged, going to my desk and looking through things. "I figured you wouldn't mind."

My eyes narrowed into slits. "Well, I do mind and you won't be free from apology letters if you don't get out."

Paul turned and sighed wearily, before walking back to the door and knocking on the doorframe. "I'm sorry, may I please come in?" He looked absolutely serious, but a small smile tugged on the edge of his lips.

"Let me think…" I said, flopping back onto my bed. "No. Go away."

"Please?" Paul asked, smiling sweetly and giving me puppy eyes.

For a second my breath caught in my throat, before I mumbled something incoherent.

His smile became a smirk. "What was that?"

I glared at him, snapping out of my daze. "It was a no."

"I may be a mistaken, but I swear I heard a yes." Paul stated, closing the door and sitting on my desk chair.

"You are mistaken," I grumbled, sending him a dark look. "So you can leave now."

"I don't think you really mean that." Paul looked in my eyes and my heart stopped for a moment.

"How would you know what I mean or don't mean?" I asked, distracting myself by looking out my window into the woods, hoping that Paul wouldn't notice that my cheeks were heating up.

Judging by his smirk outside the corner of my eye, he had.

That bastard.

It was weird to think that this was the same guy from this afternoon, who had been so quiet and didn't even look at me.

Times sure do change.

Paul seemed content to just sit there like the strange boy he is and not answer my question.

I see how it is. My inner voice chirped as I continued to look out my window.

"Do you believe in mythical creatures?" Paul asked me suddenly after a few minutes.

I turned to see him staring at one of the Quileute legends story books on my shelf that mom used to read to me when I was little. The one with the stories of spirit warriors and shape shifters. Sometimes I would read them to Marley, when she wasn't so hyperactive. Of course that hardy ever happened.

"Like fairytales and bedtime stories?" I questioned, my brow furrowing. I found myself leaning forward closer toward him, confused at the question he's randomly sprung on me.

"Myths and legends." Paul corrected, looking at me carefully. "Do you believe they could be true?"

I leaned against the headboard of my bed, frowning. "I guess parts could be true. I've never thought about it." I finally said, frowning. "Why? Is this a hypothetical question?"

"Of course it's hypothetical. Or are you saying you believe in monsters like the bogey man, Aria?" Paul said teasingly, but I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes.

"Of course I don't!" I quickly replied, deciding not to mention that whenever I turned off the light at night in my room I sprinted to my bed, just in case monsters were real and they were waiting.

Paul's smirk grew. "Sure sounds like it, doesn't it?"

I huffed angrily and folded my arms. "How did this get turned on me? You're the one who asked the question in the first place!"

Paul just laughed loudly at my expense, his shoulders shaking with his chuckles.

"Glad I amuse you so much." I told him dryly, trying to hide my confusion so I didn't get teased more than I already was.

"That's not a bad thing," Paul grinned widely, showing off every one of his white teeth.

Damn! Those teeth belong on toothpaste commercials.

"So, why are you here?" I asked him, suddenly desperate for a subject change. "It's getting pretty late, shouldn't you be getting home?" I looked outside my window again, where it was dark.

"Nah." Paul said, leaning back on the desk chair. "I'm staying here tonight, actually. Me and Jared are gonna hang out."

My heart beat quickened when he said this, but instead I snorted. "Aw, how cute. Jarry and Pauly are having a slumber party!"

"I like to think of it as crashing at a mate's house, not a slumber party." Paul informed me dryly, shuddering slightly. "Slumber parties are for pre-teen girls."

"So you are having a slumber party!" I giggled.

Paul did that weird growling noise. "Are you saying I'm a pre-teen girl?" He demanded, getting up from the chair and walking toward me.

"Nope." I replied, popping the 'p'. Paul looked relieved.

"You did!" I yelled, before cracking up again.

Yep. You're definitely high on Advil.

"That's it!" Before I could register what was happening, Paul jumped across the remaining distance and pinned me.

Panic gripped me.

I could handle a lot of things.

Emotional pain? Hell yeah. I had proven it time and time again with Paul.

Physical pain? Not so much when it came to tattoos.

Dad's cooking? One of my proudest moments was when I didn't vomit up the thing he called a casserole.

But tickling? That was my nightmare. And it was coming to life.

"Paul!" I screeched through my roaring laughter. "Stop! Seriously, st-st-"

Wow, you couldn't even finish a sentence. That's more pathetic than that time your stomach rumbled in class and you looked down and said "Shh, I'll feed you later."

Somehow, Paul's booming laughter was even louder than mine. "Only if you admit that I am a man, and not some twelve-year-old girl." He stopped tickling me for a moment and looked at me expectantly.

At this point, I would have been willing to do anything. "Okay, okay!" I quickly said through my gasps for air. "You are the manliest man I have ever seen and no one would ever consider comparing you even remotely to a pre-teen girl who likes slumber parties."

Paul grinned even wider at me, before his smile faded into a frown.

"What?" I demanded, all traces of laughter fading.

"When was the last time you slept? Like, properly slept for eight or more hours?" Paul questioned, looking at the bags under my eyes.

I shrugged, although I knew the answer.

Nine days. Nine days and… how many hours was it now? I didn't know.

"That's it." Paul announced, getting up. "You're going to sleep now."

"Who are you, my mother?" I whined loudly, but my yawn in the middle of sentence ruined the effect.

Paul just gave me a 'get-your-ass-to-sleep' look.

"Okay, I'll go to sleep." I relented. "But only because I want to."

Paul just smiled. "Of course." He replied gently, walking to the hall and switching off the light while I pulled my quilt over me.

"Aria?" He whispered from the door a few moments later.

"Yes?" I murmured back quietly, looking at my wall.

"Do… have… have you forgiven me yet? For all the times that I've hurt you?" His voice sounded pained, but determined at the same time.

I but my lip for a minute, thinking carefully about all these times I'd shared with Paul since those two weeks he'd disappeared.

That night in the hallway when I thought someone had broken in. The beach after Kylie's party. Him giving me a lift to school. The diner when I had been on a date with Lucas. History class when we'd sat next to each other. Lunch when I had gone James Bond on everyone and he'd taken the fall for me throwing a muffin at a teacher. When he'd come over to work on the project and had asked me if I liked dogs. At the memorial, when the mere thought of him had comforted me slightly when I had been on the urge of a breakdown.

And when he held me while I cried and got snot on his shirt and confessed things that I hadn't even talked to Kim about.

Only real men hold crying girls that get snot on them and don't run or laugh.

"You know what?" I mumbled. "I'd like to think I haven't, but…" I shifted around, so I was facing him. "I have. I think I have for a while now, but I didn't want to admit it before now."

Even across a dark room, there was no mistaking the wide grin on Paul's face. "I really am sorry." He told me genuinely.

I smiled back slightly. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I know."

Paul laughed and started to close my door. "Night, Aria."

"Goodnight, Paul." Turning back over, I couldn't help but grin myself.

Well, until I received a text message two hours later which woke me up from a great dream.

I'm sorry for bailing on you today. Reflex. Forgive me? - Lucas

I snapped my phone shut and buried my face in my pillow, swearing that the next time I saw Lucas, he was a dead man.

. . .

Woo! That must be one of the first chapters I haven't finished with a cliffy. Finally Aria forgives Paul! *squeals* I figured that it had been 12/13 chapters, so she should give in soon.

Thanks for all the reviews, favourites, & alerts. You guys are the ones that keep this story going and I love you for that.

Question: Did Aria forgive Paul too quickly? Annddd what is your favourite movie at the moment?

Please leave a review, I love hearing your opinions and it makes me so, so happy when I get to hear what you guys think!