Advice of the Week:
Don't be normal, be extraordinary.
Paul
I watched her from the forest. She was standing here in shock. I had kissed her then phased. I almost phased right in mid-kiss. I had to run and phase in the forest because I'd been so overcome with something…emotion? I couldn't understand it exactly. What was I going to say to her? Oh Lila, your kiss makes me freak out and turn into a werewolf. No.
"What do I tell her?" I sent out to the others.
"Idiot, poor girl. I were Lila I would be extremely offended." Leah offered.
"Don't be such a bitch." Seth countered.
"Just tell her you heard something in the forest, say someone was screaming for help." Jared suggested.
"Thanks Jared."
I phased back and put the clothes back on, I took a deep breath. I'd never been a good liar or a good actor. I walked back quickly and with purpose.
"What that hell was that Paul?" Lila looked really hurt.
"You didn't hear the screaming? Yeah, someone in the forest was screaming for help." I said quickly, I walked toward the car and started putting things away. I wanted to beat my head against the car; that would only cost money.
"No Paul I didn't hear any screaming. Well," she waited, "what happened?" shit shit shit, I don't know…
"It just turned out to be two kids playing. They were screaming for help, I'm really sorry Lila." I was at least sincere in my apology. If anything I wished I could kiss her again, but Lila wasn't happy with me now.
"Whatever, can we just go?" she I tried to beat her to open the car for her but she got in herself. I felt like I'd been kick in the gut and then force fed acid. The drive was silent. Lila really didn't want to talk to me, she wouldn't even look at me.
"What's wrong? Please tell me." I asked, I was trying to watch the road but it was so hard.
"Uh well for starters you kiss me then run away. That can't be a good thing Paul." She looked like she was going to cry. "I really liked you. Obviously, I was way off base. So I'm sorry."
"No, nonono." We'd arrived and Lila was going to bolt. She did but I had the ultimate advantage, being a werewolf and all. I maneuvered myself to get in front of her; she stopped and put both hands on her hips. "Let me make this up to you. Please."
"I guess." She shrugged and I sighed. I hadn't lost her, yet. I cupped her face with my hand and I could tell that she wanted to warm up to me again, but my running off had gotten in the way. I stepped closer and bent in to kiss her quickly, her lips were still but I could tell that I was forgiven at least a little. I watched her walk up the front porch and before she stepped through the door she turned back and gave me a small smile. Good.
"I want her to meet all of you." I said finally at the meeting. They all knew who I was talking about and Sam was frowning.
"You don't know this girl very well." Sam said quietly, he knew how much I liked her. They all knew that I had imprinted, the only thing separating us was the secret.
"Please, Sam. You know how I feel about Lila. Can she at least meet you all and then we can decide what to do?" I pleaded. Sam looked at Emily for approval, she looked at me smiled and nodded. I knew that she would love them, and they would love her. If they didn't love her I would make them love her and vice versa.
"Will you come?" I asked on bated breath, she had to come I needed her to come. She was squinting in the sun and had spent a long, hard day horseback riding. She was tanned and beautiful. "They will all love you. I promise."
"I'm not sure you've made up for our first date enough." She played coy with me and I smiled. "What if they don't like me? What if I don't like them?"
"You like everyone." She shook her head and started to protest. "Name one person you don't like? Or someone that doesn't like you?"
"Jo and Poco don't seem too terrible fond of me right now." She pouted a little.
"Nah, they love you I can see it when they look at you. They'll come around." I put one hand on her soft shoulder. She smirked devilishly and stepped closer. I get nervous mostly because I didn't know if I could control myself. She just felt too damn good to resist. Our foreheads touched and I breathed her in; I knew that if there were one scent I could smell for the rest of my life it would be Lila. This time she kissed me, sweetly and so soft. I wanted to cry, I wanted to run, I wanted to feel everything and nothing at all. I could feel my hands shake and I wanted to die. I wanted to die so badly because I knew I would hurt her, again. I pulled away and my shaking calmed, I took a deep breath and forced a smile. Why did I have to be so stupid? Why did my biology have to be so incredibly stupid?
"You're gonna need to do a little better than that." Lila teased, she leaned in to kiss me again but I pulled away. I knew that that would be a mistake, I'd barely gotten myself under control.
"Please come with an open mind." I said quietly and scurried off to finish my work.
"Hey!" she yelled after me. I turned around and walked backwards.
"The faster I finish the more time I get with you tonight." I yelled back. I could only make out the white glint of her smile. I ran almost full force to the horse corral and I ended up scaring a few of the younger horses.
Lila
"Miss. Maria." I whined, my legs were really sore from riding all day. I was in a truly weakened condition when Paul kissed me. "You know I love you, right?"
"Of course, chica." She smiled and continued folding laundry, her eyes seemed sad and I wasn't sure why. Also, she'd been quieter than usual.
"Hey what's wrong? Where are you right now?" this was a game we used to play over the years, when one of us would "space out" or get a lost look we'd ask the other person where they were. Then the other person would say a place they'd rather be.
"Oh chica, we're both too old for that old game." Miss. Maria loved that game when I was kid. I made a sad face and Miss. Maria sighed and took a moment to pick a place. "I am in Paris France and it is night time. The Eiffle Tower is sparkling and I'm drinking champagne."
"Sounds perfect, and thank you." I walked over and hugged her quickly. "Please tell me what's wrong."
"Alright, but you can't say nothing about it."
"Anything. I can't say-" I stopped myself, she hated it when I corrected her grammer. "I promise."
"They boys are upset with you, ok? They don't like Paul, I think it is because they love you so much. You know, we all love you. Lila, please. Is this Paul boy really that special to you?" her eyes were pleading and they stung a little. I was taken aback. I didn't even need to think about an answer to that. Paul was special and I couldn't even explain it to myself.
"When you know, you know. Wasn't it like that for you when You met Pedro Senior? Didn't you just feel it?" I'd heard the story a million times, Miss. Maria had known her husband three months before they got married. They'd been married twenty-five years when he died.
"Oh chica, I don't know. Pedro was so different, he was so special." She seemed terribly sad.
"Paul is really special. You know me Miss. Maria, I'm not usually like this." She nodded.
"Then you have my blessing. Just be safe." She smiled weakly at me. I was starting to get worried. My aunt, my friends, and my Miss. Maria were all worried about me and Paul. To bad because tonight was the night that I would meet Paul's friends.
"Ok, I think I'm ready." I said as Paul came to the door.
"You look-" he started but I cut him off.
"Too dressy? I can go put on jeans, if you want." My mind was racing and I felt a little sick. Meeting the friends, especially ones that were super tight knit like how Paul's friends sounded.
"Well most of the boys won't be wearing shirts…" he was smiling and I noticed that he was wearing a shirt.
"Won't you stick out?" I asked slyly. He shrugged and stripped his shirt off. He knew the effect his perfect body had on me. I was swooning like usual. "Fine."
"Where are you going?" he asked with a grin, I didn't answer. It took me all of two minutes to decide what to wear. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail and changed into jeans and a cute top. I took my wedges off and put on nice tennis shoes. Perfect.
"Let's go." Paul was laughing and I walked to the car and let myself in. I'd grown up with 'Southern Gentlemen' all my life. When they were good gentlemen they would expect some kind of reward. I was probably the only girl in the world who wasn't looking for gentlemen. A gentleman in spirit is just what I'm looking for; he doesn't need to do any of the other stuff. I was feeling more and more nervous as Paul drove to his friend's house. I just wanted to make a good impression. I'd never had friends outside of the farm. I seen people around La Push that seemed like they could be cool, I couldn't be sure though. Paul parked the car in front of a painfully small house on some tiny Indian Reservation in La Push.
"Ok you ready?" Paul seemed nervous which only served to make me more nervous. I was a tough Southern Girl and never backed down from a challenge. Especially, a situation that might require some kind of utilization of social grace.
"I am always ready, thank you." I said with the thickest southern accent I could bring myself to use.
"You-you don't really talk like that, at home I mean?" I only served to make him more nervous.
"Heh, I guess you won't really know, sugar." I added the 'sugar' for effect. I patted him on the back and knocked the door. Paul gave me a look, opened the front door, and just walked through. I felt really stupid and walked in after Paul. The living room and kitchen felt well used and cozy. I was startled by a girl only a little older than myself standing in the kitchen. Her back was to us, I walked in and sat down at the kitchen table with Paul.
"Hi, I'm Lila." I said with a hint of southern accent, I couldn't help myself. It perked up when I was nervous.
"Oh! It's so nice to meet you, Paul has told me so much about you." The woman turned around and startled me. Half of her face was incredibly beautiful and the other half was terribly scarred.
"Oh." I wanted to cry and go hug her. I took a deep breath and steadied myself.
"Bear accident, I was stupid and the bear attacked. Would you like some iced tea?" she asked sweetly. I knew I shouldn't ask so I bit my lip.
"You never make iced tea, Emily. What's up?" Paul was eyeing her suspiciously and with a grin.
"I just thought Lila would like food and such and reminds her of home. And I like cornbread." Emily shrugged. "You don't mind do you?"
"No, not at all." I said weakly. Southern cuisine was amazing when made by the right people. Northerners just couldn't cut it when it came to barbeque. I took a gulp of iced tea and tried not to make my smile too forced. It wasn't like home, not even close. Before Emily could notice my fakeness, four boys gracefully lunged themselves into the kitchen. They were all perfectly sculpted and tanned. Paul introduced me to Sam, Seth, Collin and Jared. I was shocked to learn that three of the four were still in high school. There were huge and gladly ate all the barbeque in a matter of minutes. I was finishing off my cornbread when the guys started getting rowdy.
"Do you remember that one time-" Seth couldn't finish because Jared had lept across the table and the two boys tumbled together for a solid five minutes. Everyone, including myself, laughed the whole time. What was strange is that Seth hadn't even said what was so funny. How did Jared know it was about him? I gave Emily a confused look and she just shrugged. I felt like Emily and I were kindred spirits but I wasn't sure why, the guys were still wrestling around so I walked over to talk to Emily.
"Hey, thanks for cooking that was really sweet." I said gratefully.
"Oh it's nothing, I cook for these rascals just about everyday." She smiled. "My southern cooking wasn't very good was it?" the was she was scrutinizing my face I could tell I wouldn't be able to lie to this girl.
"Heh, no sorry. I'm used to old uncle Joe's pulled pork sandwiches that he's been making for over forty years." Emily laughed and I was relieved. I had the realization that I could really be myself with these people.
"I guess I'll cook some salmon next time." We both laughed and I enjoyed myself.
"Where are all the girls?" I asked. We had five good looking boys and only two girls.
"Oh, they should be here any minute." She looked a little worried. Two giggling girl stumbled in; one girl was huge, almost like she was one of the guys. The other was a plain girl who went and sat bashfully on Jared's lap. They seemed very much in love, which was encouraging. Emily and I walked back in and I was introduced to Leah and Kim. They both made me feel really comfortable.
"Welcome to that pack." Kim said sweetly.
"The pack?" I questioned, Paul had said the same thing before. "Why do y'all call yourselves that?"
"Oh." Sam started, he seemed a little nervous. "We are like, us, wolves. We stick close to each other and, uh, are dog-like." The room felt really tense with his weak explanation left hanging in the air. Looking at all their expecting faces I had to laugh. They all burst out laughing as well.
"No, really." I said between laughs. "What are you guys? Should I be worried about Paul when there's a full moon." The laughing slowed down and I looked around at the nervous faces.
"I think we should maybe talk about something." Paul took my hand and led me outside. Looking at his anxious face I had to wonder.