Chapter Eight - Protecting You

BPOV

After that first day the week seemed to fly by. Every morning I would park my truck next to Paul's in the schools parking lot and we would walk together to our class.

Paul has been incredible, he's so caring and affectionate. Over this week we have grown so close. We act like best friends but I can't help but think that we should be so much more than that. I really hope Paul feels the same and I'm starting to see signs. He will always find an excuse to touch me, like when I was struggling to reach my book which was on the top shelf of my locker on Wednesday, instead of passing it to me he lifted me up so that I could reach it myself. When he put me back down he left his arm around my waist until we got in to class. I don't mind, I like his touch. It makes me feel safe.

Except Paul, Jared, Kim, Jacob, Quil and Embry nobody talked to me. All girls would do was glare at me as I walked past. The boys looked at me with lust in their eyes, and some of them even approached me and asked me out. But obviously Paul was never far away from me and would always save me. This caused the guys to throw death glares at Paul but he just laughed. Dale even attempted to ask me out a few times. I just laughed in his face. Paul seemed to get really mad at him, I tried to calm Paul down by telling him that I didn't care, but I was actually a bit freaked out because I would always catch him starring at me and when Paul wasn't looking he would give me a evil smile and wink. He scared me, but I wouldn't tell Paul that, I want to be able to deal with it myself.

I couldn't understand why the girls hated me so much in this school. The only girl I talked to is Kim. She was always really nice to me and over the week we have become really close because we have so much in common. I noticed that she never hung around with anyone else expect Jared and Paul. When I asked her about it she laughed.

"People in this school are a bunch of stuck up, jealous jerks" She simply replied. I still didn't get what she meant though and she saw that. "I had friends Bella" She pointed to a group of girls that were all had their heads together, probably gossiping. "When Jared asked me out the girls got really jealous because they all either like Jared or Paul but neither of them had ever dated and kept to themselves. So everyone was shocked when he asked me out. I, of course accepted and then after a week he asked me to be his girlfriend. Ever since then none of my 'friends' have spoken to me again. When Jared was taken off the market a year ago, the girls gave in with Jared and only went after Paul. But he wasn't interested. Now you're here he's all over you and all the girls are jealous because they wish they were you." I was shocked after she told me this. How can people be so mean?

Today is Friday, I was currently sat with Paul, Jared and Kim eating lunch. We was chatting about the bonfire that the guys we having at the beach tonight. Paul had asked me yesterday and he seemed really nervous about it. Awwww.

"I can't wait Bella. It will be so good to have another girl there." Kim squealed.

"Kim, I think you're forgetting about Leah" Jared laughed whilst Kim glared at him.

"Who's Leah?" I asked realizing I hadn't actually heard of her.

Paul answered me. "Leah is Seth's older sister, let's just say she's Ermm…" He struggled to find the right word.

"A bitch" Kim answered for him.

We all laughed.

I felt someone tap me on the shoulder so I turned and there stood Dale. Not again.

"What do you want Dale" I said in a bored tone that seemed to take him by surprise at first. Then he smirked.

"I want you Bella, isn't it obvious" He said and winked. I heard Paul growl next to me. Wait - growl?

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PPOV

I can't believe that slime ball just said that to her. I couldn't compress the growl that escaped my month as I glared at this dickhead. He made me feel sick the way he looked at her as if she was soon to be one of his little trophies. I've had to put up with this for a week. Him, smiling and winking at her and trying to be seductive. Each time he did these things I was glad to see the disgust in Bella's eyes.

"So how about you and me go out tonight?" How can he ask Bella out after what happened on the first day? Is he completely fucked up in the head?

Bella simply shook her head and turned back to her food, clearly not wanting him in her presence any longer.

Dale didn't seem to take the hint. "Why not baby? You know you want to?" Bella look completely repulsed by him as he said this.

When he called her baby I wanted to beat the shit out of him. Bella will not be talked to like that. I kept my eyes on my food trying to keep my anger under control but the shaking was obviously clear for all to see.

I felt Bella stand up next to me, but I still kept my gaze on the unappetizing pizza in front of me.

"I am not your baby! I really don't what anything to do with you. Do you realize how much you make me sick."

The whole cafeteria had on quiet. I lift up my head and every head was turned between Dale and Bella. Both Kim and Jared looked shocked at Bella. They had never heard her stick up for herself in this way. She was normally shy and quiet but to be honest at this minute she looked confident and angry. She looked sexy.

"And for your information, I'm spending my Friday night with Paul. If the decision was to spend the night with you or him, I would without a doubt choose him. So you might as well stop wasting your time because there's no chance in hell that I'm going to change my mind" She yelled in his face. He looked scared.

She seemed to notice that everyone else was looking at her. She blushed that indulging tinted pink and went to sit back down. I could help the smile that spread across my face, but it soon disappeared when Dale grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. She pushed her hand against his telling him to let go as he brought his lips to hers. I couldn't control it. I grabbed him which caused him to let go of Bella. I literally chucked him across the room and he slammed against the wall. I don't care that my body is shaking so violently that I was ready to phase at any moment. All I cared about is making this asshole pay for doing that to my Bella. I jumped on him and punch every visible part of his body. I could feel him trying to hit me back, this just made me laugh as if he could fight me.

The cafeteria was chaos behind me. I could feel Jared trying to pull me off him, this caused me to hit Dale harder just to be sure that I hurt the fucker before someone stops me. Blood covered his face. People around the room were shouting some were cheering for me, others were yelling at me to stop. More hands was pulling at me to stop but I just carried on. I know I had to get out of there soon though because I was getting so angry.

"STOP!" I heard someone shout. That voice broke my heart. It sounded so frightened. I instantly stopped and stood up to face a very terrified Bella. Tears were streaming down her face. I walked to her but she backed away. She was scared.

Scared of me.

I had scared her.

How could I do such a thing? She ran to the entrance of the cafeteria and out of sight. I just stood there and people were rushing around me but I felt like I was all alone. I had just hurt the one that I loved more than anything in the world. How could I do such a fucking thing? Tears started to fall soundlessly down my face.

I ran out of the door and out of the school. The woods were close I was sure I was going to make? I ran as fast as I could. When I got in the woods I took off my clothes and let the anger over take me.

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KPOV

Bella was sticking up for herself. I was shocked I've never seen her so intimidating before. The way she stood there and told him what she thought about him was so inspirational. I was so proud of her for talking to him like that. I never expected her to talk back to anyone, well expect Paul. That surprised me too. The way Bella can control Paul. He listens to her. He never listened to anyone before, he always thought he was right.

Now, he has Bella and they look so right for each other, even if Bella doesn't know that yet. She will find out tonight though at the Bonfire. I'm really looking forward at having another girl to talk to. I have Leah but she's too up herself and thinks she's too good to talk to me.

I looked back at Bella she was really telling him off, I couldn't help but smile. Well, until he grabbed her and tried to kiss her. Me and Jared instantly stood up, but Paul was way faster and Dale had already been thrown at the wall. Paul looked murderous and I could tell that he was struggling to stop from phasing.

He jumped on Dale and started to beat him hard. The entire cafeteria was watching the commotion. Jared instantly jumped to action and tried to stop him but he wouldn't stop. I ran to Bella, she looked so scared. I pulled her into a hug and let her sob into my shoulder. She seemed to calm down when Jake, Quil and Embry burst into the cafeteria and immediately tried to help Jared.

Bella couldn't seem to take it anymore. "STOP" she screamed.

And it did. Everything. The cheering from the crowd. The sound of Paul's punches were no longer. Everything was quiet.

I ran to Jared who pulled me into his arms. I looked over at Paul he was walking to Bella but she moved away, petrified. Heartbreak flashed across Paul's face as she ran away from him.

Everyone started to move then but Paul stayed in the same place looking at the place where Bella was standing moments ago.

I continued to watch him as people were moving around me. Tears fell down his face as he walked away.

There's a sight that I never thought I would see. Paul crying. And I'm pretty sure that nobody else saw it.

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BPOV

I ran to my truck and speed of down the road. I couldn't stay there. The way Paul looked, I thought he was going to kill Dale. He looked so dangerous, he didn't look like my Paul. I want my Paul. The Paul that holds my hand and helps me into the truck. The Paul that is concerned when I look sad. The Paul I'm madly in love with. There you go I said it.

I'm in love with Paul Locks.

The tears fell faster down my face as I thought back to the way he laughed whilst hitting Dale. I never thought my Paul would do a thing like that.

I wiped away the tears that had fallen. I reached into my bag to get a tissue out of the pocket. I took my eyes away from the road and when I looked back all I saw was black.

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