Author's Note

Wow, I LOVED the reviews I received and the fact I have new people reading the story. At least now I know that this story won't be an epic fail. You guys make me feel so warm and fuzzy. So, I have decided to update the story semi-post haste. C:

But, just to forewarn you guys, this chapter is just a tad crazy. [Psh, right.]

And, Manic-Cheese-Fairy, I thought about doing that before I wrote this chapter, but I didn't want to rush it. Instead, I shall just prolong it—I know, I'm pretty freaking evil—but we'll get to some Paul action VERY soon. ;]

I won't be doing the shout-outs this chapter, possibly the next though, seeing as how I love you guys so much. But you know who you are! So, as always....

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, even though I wish I did.

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Attack of the Clones

"Cassie! Cassidy Anne Barker! Get out from there right now!" I was hiding in my closet—how low do I sound right now?—but I had a perfectly good reason: Paul. After my cowardly disappearance from Emily's, I ran through the woods at breakneck speed, and made it to our car in record time. I hid in the back seat until Allison arrived, out of breath and cursing. It had been two weeks, and I unashamedly admit to you now that most of the time since then was spent here in my closet.

"Come on, Cassie! It isn't like he's gonna come here and attack you!" Allison reasoned. I heard shuffling from the other side of the door.

"She's still in there, huh?" Embry asked. My lips pursed, and I narrowed my eyes at the door. He had been coming around more and more often as of late. I couldn't say that I hated him like I did when we first met—actually, I kind of liked him—but what I didn't like was how Allison had been spending more time with him instead of me.

Al sighed, and I could picture her nodding her head in dismay. I huddled against the wall, wrapping my arms around my legs, bringing up my knees so I could rest my chin on them. Paul had come over, once, and I had hastily ducked for cover. (This time under my bed, you know, to confuse him.) Luckily, Embry had been over and had finally made himself useful and got rid of Paul.

When Embry got back inside, he knelt down by my bed and tried to drag me out, which resulted in some bruising and bloodshed, and I got to stay under my bed. Embry stayed by me—Allison had gone out to get my favorite treat, Ben and Jerry's, to try and lure me out from my hiding place—and he tried to defend his friend. Paul was actually a good guy (I know. I laughed there, too.), and he could actually be nice. You know, just not when someone took his food, looked at him wrong, looked at him period, et cetera.

But, by taking his food, I knew I had committed some deadly sin against Paul, broken a cardinal rule, and I knew that he was going to come after me. Let's face it: all bad guys do. It's just a matter of how and when he's going to kill me. I'm already suspicious the Embry is helping him out. You know, to get my defenses down, think Paul's nice and then, BAM! I'm dead and floating in the ocean with the fish.

They both have what police like to call motive. Paul, because I ate his brownies, and Embry, well, with me dead, he gets to move in with Allison. So, if I do die, I'm going to be spiteful and haunt him for the rest of his life. How do you like them apples?

"This is ridiculous, Cass," Allison grumbled. "You need to come out of there." I opened the door just a crack to throw her my meanest glare.

"It's only ridiculous to you, Al, 'cause you don't have some psycho after you just because you ate his brownies." I slammed the door shut.

"Cassie, seriously, he isn't really a bad g—"

"Stuff it, Call! I'm onto you and your little underhanded schemes!" I accused in a shrill voice. My nails dug into my skin, and I was feeling more than just a little paranoid at this point.

"Well, Cassie," Embry said in a low voice. "If you won't come out, then I'll just have to call reinforcement." I snorted. What was he going to do? Call the police on me? Hah!

There was shuffling—Embry and Allison picking themselves off of the floor—and then I heard my door shut as they left. I smiled triumphantly, and did a little dance. I picked up my book—When It Happens—and flashlight and began to read.

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I don't know how long I had been in the closet—I had fallen asleep about ten minutes after Embry and Allison left—but my stiff body told me it had been awhile.

A few minutes later, after some interesting stretching, I heard heavy footsteps. Embry. I rolled my eyes. He wasn't going to get me out so easily. My door opened slowly, and he walked in cautiously. Really, how dramatic can he get?

The heavy footsteps came towards the closet door, and then stopped. I rolled my eyes. There was a heavy knock, once, then twice. I kicked the door, making it tremble.

"Cassie?"

That was definitely not Embry.

This was much deeper, one that I didn't recognize. My brows crushed together, but I didn't move.

"She's not going to come out so easily, Jake," I heard Embry say. "I think you need to apply some force." My eyes widened at this, and I instantly made a vow to kill him while he slept.

"Oh, really? Didn't you say that she likes to use her nails?" Jake asked, sounding just a little worried. "I don't want to get some disease, you know."

What did he just say?

"Well, Quil and Seth can get out of the kitchen and help for once in their pathetic lives!" The last part was loud, yelling so that the other two could hear him.

Did he just say what I think he said? I don't have a disease. I'm a human being, not some rabid animal. Oh, he is so going to get it.

There were more heavy footsteps, and rowdy laughter. I heard Quil and Seth walk into my room, and move closer to the closet. I gripped my legs harder, watching the door fearfully. It was quiet, and I reached my hand to touch the doorknob. Maybe they left—

The door wrenched open, and a pair of giant hands suddenly seized me. I squealed, scratching the arms frantically. I heard the kidnapper grunt, but his hold on me didn't relax. Three more pairs of hands grabbed me, stilling my arms so I couldn't sink my nails into their skin.

"Allison!" Embry called. "Allison, come get your psycho friend!"

I was thrown onto the bed, and I burrowed under my thick blankets. No way was I going to get raped! "Cass? Cassie? Are you okay?" Al asked. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it back.

"Yeah," I grumbled, pouting. Ally laughed, petting my head.

"Want some Ben and Jerry's?" she asked.

I nodded a little too enthusiastically. "My two favorite men. They never let me down." Allison and I giggled, but that stopped when I saw what was in front of me.

"Clones!" I gasped. It was true; each and every one of them looked just alike! Their heights varied, and so did their hair lengths, but this was ridiculous! One of them—either Quil or Jake—snorted, raising his eyebrows incredulously at me.

"Clones?" he asked—definitely Jake. "That's an insult!"

Quil rolled his eyes at him. "That's not an insult; it's a compliment. By saying that we look alike, you looking like me, that's the ultimate flattery! I mean, who wouldn't want to look this effortlessly hot?"

"Oh, please, Quil. You are definitely not hot." Seth teased. Quil gasped, eyes going wide.

"But, Seth! I thought what we had was special!"

"Now you're just being stupid."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

I looked at Al, scared. "Why are the clones fighting?" I whispered. Allison laughed loudly.

"Oh, these are just the guys." She said vaguely. I narrowed my eyes at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"That's Quil," she said, pointing to the one by Embry. He waved. "That's Jacob, and you know that's Seth and Embry."

I glowered at Jacob—the tallest. "You said I had diseases." I accused. Jacob's face went blank, then grinned sheepishly at me. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Seth rubbed his hands together. "Okay, how 'bout that Ben and Jerry's?"

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"Hands off, Seth!" I growled, blocking my bowl of ice cream from his spoon. He pouted at me, but otherwise left my bowl alone. Quil guffawed.

"Dude, she's just like Paul!" he chortled. Jake laughed, nodding his head.

"She's perfect for him!"

"Yeah! No wonder he imp—" Quil and Jake smacked Seth on the back of his head, prompting an undignified yelp.

"So," Jake said, changing the subject. "When do you think Embry and Allison will be back?"

Quil grinned. "Not for awhile, I should think. Embry's been waiting for some alone time, so I don't think he would like to waste it, you know what I mean?" he quirked his eyebrows suggestively, and I barely contained a groan. I really didn't want to know that.

"Hey, Cass. Do you want to come over to Emily's today? She's making meatloaf instead of spaghetti." Seth asked, trying to tempt me uselessly.

"Will Paul be over?" I asked, grimacing. Seth shrugged his shoulders noncommittally, as in, yes, most likely. "I think I'll pass." I said, slumping down in my seat, swirling my spoon in the liquid-y ice cream. Jake put a large hand on my head, mussing my hair slightly.

"Aw, don't worry, kiddo," he said. I narrowed my eyes contemptuously at him, which he ignored. "If Paul tries to mess with you, we'll intervene. But, I think he would really like seeing you there."

"He would only like seeing me there if my mouth was stuffed with an apple and I was roasting over an open fire." I grumbled.

"Dude," Quil guffawed. "Can't you just imagine that?"

Seth laughed. "Totally! I could see him roasting marshmallows over her and laughing evilly, you know, like Dr. Evil off of Austin Powers?" The guys apparently loved that, and started laughing so hard that I was afraid that the house would fall down on us.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled. "Go ahead and have your fun, but I'm not going." Jake sobered up instantly, and regarded me with a solemn expression.

"We were just kidding, Cass. He wouldn't do any of that stuff to you. Paul just really, really wants to get to know you. He can be a really nice guy." What's with all the pressure from him?

"Yeah, as long as he has his food in front of him, which you kind of ate, then he isn't really nic—ouch! What was that for?!" Seth howled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't pay attention to him," Quil advised. "He was dropped on his head when he was a kid."

Jake snorted. "More like thrown across the room." Seth pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. I giggled, patting his hair. Seth had given me an idea, and I wasn't too eager about it, but hopefully it would set things right between Paul and I.

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Well, this is my second favorite chapter I have written so far because it was so fun and crazy to write. As for why Cassie is so paranoid and just a smidgen out of it in this chapter is because she was cooped up in a closet, so I highly doubt a lot of oxygen made it to her brain. xD

I pretty much blame myself for the idiocy of this chapter because I pretty much wrote it at, like, three o'clock in the morning.

[Interesting Fact] : Originally, instead of it being Quil, Seth, and Jake who got Cassie out the closet, it was supposed to be Paul. BUT, it didn't turn out to well and I felt like I was rushing the story. Plus, I had to introduce the guys a some point in the game. The earlier, the better.

So, thank you guys for reading this chapter [hopefully], and the next chapter is going to be Cassie's plan. We'll just see how it works out. I just feel so evil right now... Can you guys guess what it is?

So, please review for the story and make me one happy chick! 8D