Chapter 10

"Ali?" he whispered looking surprised to see me.

I blushed a bright red at the sight of him shirtless. Paul Lahote definitely drove up to the gym in Port Angeles often…..he had a freaking eight pack. "Like what you see?" he joked breaking me out of my reverie reminding me that I was pissed at him.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" I shouted at him angrily.

He shuffled his feet, and mumbled something that sounded like Canada, but that was too absurd so I know I hadn't heard him right. I gave him a gigantic push, which made me nearly lose my balance luckily Paul caught me before I fell down the steps. "Whoa…calm down, Ali, you'll hurt yourself," he said as if he was trying not to laugh at me.

I gave him the ugliest glare I could and huffed. Paul was an ass hole….just like I originally thought. I don't know why I even cared, why was I even here? I turned around starting to walk down the steps. "Ali, wait," Paul shouted rushing after me and grabbing my arm gently.

I turned around with a huff looking at him. He sighed letting go of my arm, and running his fingers through his hair as if he was nervous. "I'm sorry if I worried you," he said softly.

"No, I wasn't worried, I was pissed, you can't just tell someone they don't care then disappear Paul, it makes them angry," I told him.

He smiled, "I take it that you do care then?" he asked with an eyebrow raised, he was trying to play it cool, but…..I could see the nervousness in his eyes.

"I don't talk to people often, I'm extremely shy, and I felt comfortable around you and actually talked….." I whispered looking down, I didn't want to admit that I cared, because I hadn't even admitted it to myself. Because caring about people hurt….especially when they left, and Paul wasn't the type of guy to stick around.

I was shocked when he pulled me into a hug just like he had that night at my door. I closed my eyes taking in his scent that smelled a lot like the forest and ocean water. "I'm glad you feel comfortable around me," he told me with a smile before gently letting go of me.

I shifted my weight on the balls of my feet uncomfortably, "So yeah, I'll just go and tell Lisa you're okay, then," I said nervously.

He rolled his eyes, "Ali, we both know Lisa hasn't even realized I've been gone," he told me giving me a look.

I looked up at him nervously, and he gently pushed a curl behind my ear, and I realized he still hadn't told me where he'd been. "Where did you go?" I asked him again.

He sighed, "I was out of town," he said and I could tell it was a lie.

"What for?" I continued to question, "An errand for Sam," he lied.

I gave him a look that told him I knew he was lying, but before I could accuse him of it, he said, "Why don't you come in, you can meet Emily, she unlike Lisa would actually be a good friend for you," he told me playfully changing the subject.

I couldn't help, but roll my eyes at him, but agreed nonetheless allowing him to lead me inside toward the kitchen. I saw a tan girl working hurriedly over a stove she had long black hair and she was without a doubt beautiful. Paul put a finger over his lips as if to say to be quiet before he walked up to her quietly then got right behind her and said loudly in her ear, "HEY EMILY!"

She jumped a mile high before she started whacking him with a wooden spoon as he started laughing loudly. "PAUL LAHOTE! THAT IS NOT FUNNY!" she said whacking him again and again and obviously it didn't hurt him as he was on the floor laughing by now.

She huffed before spying me in the doorway, "Now, I see, you were trying to show off, you must be Ali, I'm Emily!" she said turning around and walking towards me and I gulped noticing the scars covering half of her face, but for some reason it only made her more beautiful.

She pulled me into a tight hug, "You are just as beautiful as Paul has said," she whispered in my ear.

I blushed. Paul told her I was beautiful? He was standing up by now and walked over to us. "What is she telling you?" he asked me worriedly.

Emily just grinned and shamelessly said, "How you rant and rave about how beautiful and sweet and kind she is," she teased him.

Paul actually turned maroon shocking me. "EMILY!" he whined.

"What? It's true! Maybe next time you shouldn't scare me half to death," she said whacking him with the wooden spoon once more.

Paul pouted, and I just blushed grinning, "You're going to stay for dinner right, Ali?" Emily then asked me hopefully.

"Well….I….." I started.

"Of course she is," Paul answered for me giving me a look that said he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Emily beamed from ear to ear, and hugged me again, "It's going to be so nice to have a girl around the house for once," she told me.

I glanced over at Paul who was staring at Emily sympathy in his eyes. Emily didn't seem to notice though as she walked back over to the stove, "I suppose you'll be going back to school tomorrow, Paul?" she questioned a bit harshly.

"Yes, Em," he said softly.

"Good, you boys need your education, Sam forgets how important school is," she told him sternly.

"I do what?" a large man said coming into the room. The man was buffer than Paul, but he was dressed just like Paul was.

Emily turned around and the biggest grin spread across her face as he pulled her into his arms and started kissing her scars before finally landing on her lips. The look he was giving her was the most intense look I've ever seen…they were so in love….it was almost painful to watch. I looked away giving them privacy. Paul looked on shamelessly shaking his head before turning to me giving me a look I didn't understand, he nodded his head as if to say let's get out of here. I nodded, and he led me out of the room to the back porch. He sat on a little swing and patted the place next to him.

"She was attacked by a bear," Paul told me.

I gulped, "That's horrible," I whispered.

"I think her scars only make her more beautiful though, don't you?" he asked me.

I grinned from ear to ear, at his words, "I agree completely, I bet Sam does too," I grinned.

He laughed rolling his eyes, "They are so in love its sickening," he told me.

I chuckled, "I noticed," I told him as he turned to look at me that way again.

"He used to date her cousin….Leah…..they were basically engaged to be engaged…and then well….he met Emily….." he whispered.

My eyes widened, "And she went for it?" I whispered shocked that the sweet girl I just met would do that to her cousin.

"Emily and Leah were extremely close…after Sam dumped Leah, he went after Emily…Emily didn't just go for it, it took months of pleading…..but Sam was persistent, and I mean you saw them….their soul mates…..she wasn't going to deny him forever," he told me.

I was silent, thinking about how hard that must have been for Emily…..betraying her cousin her best friend…..and going for the guy that her cousin was in love with. I glanced at Paul and thought about Lisa…..my best friend, if I ever told her I was in love with Paul…..she'd flip and never forgive me, and she wasn't even in love with him. Why was I even comparing the stories, I wasn't in love with Paul….I was being ridiculous.

"Emily needs a friend, Ali, you told me you stuck by Lisa because she needed you, Emily needs a friend like you," he told me.

I looked down, "She seems so nice," I told him.

"She's an angel, but Leah has turned practically the whole town against her… its not right, Leah's a bitch," he told me.

Leah's heartbroken, I wanted to correct him, but I could see in Paul's eyes, he cared about Emily….not in the I'm in love with her way…..just cared…..as if she was his sister. "I'd be honored to be her friend," I told him softly.

He grinned from ear to ear, "I'm still going to be your #1 best friend though," he informed me.

I coughed shocked at his words, "What?" I asked confused.

"I told you last Monday that I wanted to be your friend, I want to be your best friend," he told me, "And I'm going to treat you the way a best friend should treat their best friend," he told me.

I chuckled at his silliness, "I didn't know that Paul Lahote had friends that were girls," I joked.

"I have Emily!" he defended.

"Your best friend was dating her, and I kind of have a feeling he'd kick your butt if you tried anything," I teased him.

He pouted, "I could take Sam," he grumbled.

"Sure you could," I teased.

He huffed annoyed, and I couldn't help, but grin, "But yeah, I'll be your best friend," I told him bumping him playfully with my elbow.

He grinned, "Good, I'm going to be the best friend you've ever had," he told me.

I laughed, just as Emily stuck her head out the door and told us the food was ready. We followed her inside and I noticed Jared had showed up for dinner dressed much like Paul and Sam. He started laughing when he saw me, "Couldn't even wait for school, I see," he jabbed at me.

I rolled my eyes, "You're annoying," I informed him with a huff sitting down next to Paul.

"I couldn't agree more," Paul grinned looking extremely happy which made me happy for some reason.

We ate dinner, and may I add Emily was an absolutely brilliant cook. I offered to help her clean up and we made idle chit chat till I got a text from my dad saying it was time to come home. I gave her a hug goodbye and went to find Paul who was sitting in the living room with Sam and Jared playing a game.

"Hey, my dad wants me home," I told him.

He turned to look at me forgetting about the game and I watched Sam and Jared blow him up and I giggled, "You're dead," I pointed at the TV.

He rolled his eyes at me, "I'll ride with you home, you only live a block away, I can walk back," he told me.

I nodded, knowing he wasn't going to take no for an answer. We got in my car and I drove around the block and parked my car. "I'll walk you up," he told me.

I agreed and allowed him to walk me to my doorstep and give me one of those wonderful hugs again, before he pecked my cheek. "I'll see you at school tomorrow?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I grinned he then waved and started to walk off down the street. I let myself into the house and up the stairs to my room after telling my parents I was home. I got up to my room and gently put my hand up to my cheek where he had kissed me a smile still on my face.

I then blinked shocked at myself, I wasn't happy Paul kissed my cheek…..that was ridiculous. Paul was a player who hurt Lisa…..it was just a bet….okay maybe it wasn't….Paul was my friend. Lisa just thought it was a bet…..

I groaned throwing myself on my bed. Paul was messing with my mind….and I didn't like it one bit.