Chapter 21

"Aliana Winslow!" I heard the principal call my name as I stood up and walked across the stage to get my diploma. I heard James shout my name from the audience and I couldn't help, but smile. I did it. I really did it.

I smiled going to sit back down in my seat as the very last name was called. I started twirling my tassel along with all my other classmates as the valedictorian stood up and said, "Guys we did it, we're the class of 2014!" she screamed and everyone tossed their hats in the air laughing and screaming. I looked for Paul and Lisa when it seemed they found me first as I was pulled into both of their arms at once. "We did it!" Lisa squealed happily.

"One adventure down, only a million more to go," I quoted to her and her eyes filled with tears as she hugged me.

I then pulled Paul into a tight hug, and he grinned twirling me around in a circle and kissed my cheek. "We did it," he whispered in my ear.

"We did," I grinned at him wishing I had the courage to lean forward and kiss him like all the other couples in the audience, but I just looked down too shy to make a move.

"ALI!" I heard James and Hunter yell then and I was thrown from arm to arm as I was hugged by my family and Lisa's.

I glanced around noticing Paul was still standing with me looking around as if looking for someone. I saw him sigh and look down I reached over to him and grabbed his hand, he looked over at me shocked. "Sam and Emily are over there talking to Jared, you should go say hi," I told him.

He smiled at me sadly, "I know they are proud of me, I just thought that…." he trailed off.

I just waited, waited for him to tell me, "At least my dad would show up…..or my mom would at least send me a congratulations card," he whispered looking down.

I pulled him into a hug, "I'm sorry, Paul," I whispered realizing that his dad had nothing to do with Paul. That all this time, he had basically been on his own. He had Sam and Emily…..Jared….and well me. That was it.

"It's life," he said softly staring into my eyes and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me.

"Come on you two, I'm ready to PARTY!" Lisa shouted swinging her arms around the two of us ruining the moment.

I chuckled at her regardless as we followed her out of the high school gym outside. We split up into our family's cars. Paul riding with Emily, Sam, and Jared all back to Lisa's house for the big party.

We arrived at her house and Lisa and I went into her room to strip from our gowns. "That's a weird locket," she said suddenly tugging on my necklace.

I blushed pulling it away from her, "It was a gift," I told her.

"From who?" she asked curiously.

"A friend," I said simply begging her with my eyes to please drop it.

She nodded, and let it go. We went down to the party and she immediately joined her family while I joined Paul. "I'm so proud of you three!" Emily exclaimed pulling us both into a hug along with Jared.

"We just finished high school woman, it's not like we cured cancer," Jared grumbled she whacked him at that. He just chuckled weakly and ran off to find his imprint Kim Conweller a shy girl who had been crushing on him forever.

Paul and I just laughed, as the music started ringing through the house. "Would you like to dance?" Paul asked me holding out his hand.

I grinned and nodded as he pulled me out to the dance floor along with the other dancing teens. After dancing for about an hour I thought I was going to pass out so I walked with Paul outside to the porch.

"Are you excited for UW?" he asked me.

I nodded, we'd both gotten into the university and Paul was iffy at first about going since he was worried about patrols, but as soon as he heard that I was going with or without him he agreed to go too.

I smiled at him and pulled him over to the old swing set in the back yard before looking up at the stars. "Did he give you the locket?" he asked me softly.

I simply nodded, not saying anything else for a few moments. "He met someone," I said softly.

I could feel Paul's gaze on me, "Are you okay with that?" he whispered.

I turned to him and smiled, "I want him to be happy," I told him.

He nodded, "And are you happy?" he asked me softly.

"Yes, this locket, and knowing he's moved on, it's like I'm finally free, I've been free since Seattle, but now knowing he's happy, it feels like the very last chain is gone," I whispered.

"I'm glad," he breathed.

I looked over at him to see he was staring at the ground, "Why did you never tell me that your dad wasn't there for you?" I whispered.

He shrugged, "I don't like talking about it, he's a drunk, and the only relationship we have is me lifting him out of his own vomit," he spat.

I stared at Paul and the way he was staring at the ground. He'd been neglected since he was ten years old. "For how long?" I whispered.

"My whole life, he used to beat my mom, that's why she left, he turned to me after that, then got bored and simply acted like I didn't exist unless it was to tell me it was my fault that my mom left, that I was unlovable, and he hated me," he whispered.

"Paul…." I whispered.

"I don't want sympathy, Ali," he mumbled.

"I know, Paul, I just wanted you to know that you are lovable, don't ever doubt that," I told him.

He just shrugged never looking at me. I looked down as well realizing he had no clue that I loved him. Not even the smallest inkling. "That's why I had sex all the time, it made me feel….a sense of love, it was fake, but…..it helped me sleep at night," he whispered.

I thought about when Lisa had told me that the only time that Paul acted like he cared about her was during sex….. and that when he looked at me that day at lunch he gave me the same look he had only given her during sex. "You have people that care about you Paul," I whispered, "Sam, Jared, Emily…..me," I whispered.

He glanced at me, with a look in his eyes that could only be described as love and I was starting to slowly realize that was the only way he had ever looked at me. "I care about you too," he told me softly.

I sighed slightly frustrated, that wasn't the response I exactly wanted. "I got you something," Paul whispered softly.

I looked up at him curiously as he pulled out a little bracelet out of his pocket. I let out a shaky breath at the sight of it. It was the same one that Emily always wore….the one that Kim had just started wearing. I knew it had to do with the imprint. "I made it, for you," he whispered shyly.

I shakily held out my wrist so he could slip it on me. He gently tied it around my wrist his hands shaking slightly. He then lifted the wolf that was carved in the shape of a heart and flipped it over to reveal writing 'que quowle'. I sucked in a deep breath recognizing the words from the Quileute language. "Stay with me forever," I whispered looking up at him to meet his eyes.

He was blushing slightly, "You know how I feel about you, it's not exactly a big secret," he said shyly.

I just stared at him, "I know you don't feel the same, but if you ever change your mind…" he started.

I silenced him by leaning over and kissing him shocking myself. I stared at him my mouth agape in shock as was his. He then yanked me off the swing and into his arms before kissing me again more hungrily this time. Our lips moved together in sync…..they fit together like puzzle pieces.

"I love you," he whispered softly into my lips opening his eyes for a split second to find mine.

"I love you too," I whispered back.

He sighed a small smile gracing his lips as he leaned his forehead against mine, "Finally," he whispered.

I chuckled completely ruining the moment. "Sorry, it took so long," I whispered.

"It was worth the wait," he promised kissing my lips again.

He then pulled me down onto the ground and began to explain the imprint to me and what it was, and after about five minutes of him stuttering and rambling about it not being forced, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Josh told me, I've known for a while now," I interrupted.

He froze, "W-what…..why didn't you…." he started.

I looked down shyly, "I wanted you to tell me," I whispered.

He let out a small huff, "You couldn't have told me you knew a few minutes earlier into my rambling session?" he mumbled.

I couldn't help, but chuckle, "It was kind of cute, you were so nervous….and….." I tried to explain.

He just smiled at me before suddenly pushing me to the ground hovering over me.

"Just shut up and kiss me," he whispered.

"Gladly," I whispered back as he pulled his lips to mine. I could get used to this…. I smiled into the kiss before Paul pulled me up.

"We should probably go back inside, before someone comes outside and finds us making out," he joked.

I giggled blushing, "Probably," I said softly.

He pulled me up kissing me one last time. He was practically glowing, and I truly felt happy. Happier than I had in a long time. Paul wrapped his arm around me and started to lead me back inside, but not before I noticed Josh standing by the swings smiling at me with a beautiful girl next to him.

I froze for a split second, to stare as he just nodded at me before disappearing with the girl. "You okay?" Paul asked me worriedly obviously catching the vampire stench.

I looked up at him meeting his eyes and leaned up on my tippy toes to kiss him again. "I'm better than okay," I told him seriously a genuinely happy smile on my face and he just smiled back.

I had finally put the past behind me, and had started to look for the future ahead. A future that I knew would have Paul in it, and to think it all started with 'Plan Heartbreak'.