Chapter 3

MICHELLE'S POV

Hey Kim, it's Michelle, I sent to Kim.

Hey girl! What's up?

Nm, going to my dad's friends house. You? I texted.

Hanging out with Jared, Emily, and Paul.

Cool! I gtg now. Just wanted to give you my number. Cya later!

Bye!

I smiled. I had never had friends to text before. Kim was really nice, but I couldn't understand why she would hang out with Paul. And why did Paul want to be my friend? We were opposites. He got mad at everything and used people as a punching bag. I held my anger in and was not in the least bit violent. We pulled up to Charlie's house. I had been here once before when I was five. I couldn't really remember him or his daughter.

"Matt!" yelled Charlie, coming outside.

"Hey Charlie!" said dad, running up to him and giving him a 'man hug.'

"Wow Michelle, you've gotten so much bigger!" he said to me, little did he know the effect these words would have on me.

"Hi Charlie," I said, giving him a handshake.

He beamed at both of us, "Well, come meet Bella. Her uh… boyfriend is here too."

Bella that was it! We followed him into the house. Bella was in the kitchen with a guy that I assumed was her boyfriend.

"Hey Michelle," she greeted.

"Hi Bella."

"You probably don't remember me. I was like, nine the last time I saw you," she said.

Nine. Even today that age brought back pain.

"Yeah, but it's nice to see you again," I said.

"This is Edward, my boyfriend," she introduced.

Wow. Edward sure was… handsome. He had a really nice face. Why the hell are you comparing him to Paul!

"Hi Edward," I said, shaking his hand, surprised at how cold it was.

"Hi Michelle, it's nice to meet you."

"You, too," I said.

"Well Bella, Michelle's dad and I will be in the living room watching the game. You'll be okay without us, right?" Charlie asked.

"Sure dad. We'll keep Michelle company," Bella said.

This was sure to be awkward.

"How do you like Washington so far?" asked Bella.

"It's good… wet," I admitted.

Edward and Bella chuckled, just as my phone started ringing. I looked at them apologetically and answered, turning away from them.

"Hello?" I answered.

There was a lot of talking going on in the back.

"Just say hello dude," I heard Jacob say, "No man, you answer!" Paul said. "Fine! Hey it's Jake."

"Hey Jake," I said and Bella looked at me, surprised.

"Listen, a bunch of us are going cliff diving on Friday. You in?" he asked.

"Sounds… fun?"

"Great, see you then!"

"Okay. Oh, and how did you get my number?"

"Kim gave it to me. This is Paul's phone, by the way."

"Oh alright," I giggled.

"Tell Jake he needs to freaking call me back!" I heard Bella hiss.

"Uh, Jake?" I began.

"Yeah?"

"Bella says you need to uh freaking call her back," I muttered.

He was silent, "Are you with her?" he asked finally.

"Yeah."

I heard him and Paul muttering and I thought I heard Paul hiss something like "Blood sucker," but I wasn't sure.

"Fine, I'll ask," Jake growled to Paul, "Is anyone else there. Her boyfriend I mean?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just uh… just wondering. I'll see you Friday."

"Later," I muttered, hitting the End Call button.

Well that was weird.

"How do you know Jake?" Bella asked.

"He lives in La Push near me and I saw him at the beach today," I said.

The doorbell rang and Charlie answered it.

"Pizza's here!" he called, bringing it into the kitchen.

He handed Bella a piece and then me.

"Uh, no thanks," I mumbled.

"Come on, are you going to pull an Edward on me?" Charlie teased.

"Michelle, eat," my dad said sternly.

I sighed but took the pizza. I wished my dad wasn't always on me about everything. I chewed the pizza, trying not to taste the deliciousness. I wondered why Edward didn't eat. Maybe he was dieting. I finished half my pizza before I felt full.

"Uh, where's your bathroom?" I asked Bella.

She pointed my in the right direction.

When I was finished, I met Edward outside the bathroom door. He was looking at me concerned. Crap he heard.

"Were you sick?" he asked.

"Uh, no," I muttered, looking down.

"Are you su-"

"I'm fine Edward," I snapped, walking back to the kitchen.

He came back two minutes later, looking suspicious. Bella gave him a questioning look, but he shook his head. I sighed in relief. Nobody else needed to know.

I was starving when I woke up the next morning, shaking with hunger. Ugh! I stormed out of bed and grabbed a handful of saltines and a glass of water. The crackers subdued my raging hunger slightly. I finished my water and got dressed for the day. My phone had two texts when I turned it on. I opened the first one. It was from Kim.

Hey can I come over? I don't want to be rude and invite myself, but my parents aren't home and my brother is being really annoying.

My dad wouldn't be home all day, so I texted her back saying Sure! Come whenever!

The next text was from Paul. I really wanted to ignore it, but I wasn't able to. All it said was Hey. I rolled my eyes and didn't answer. He reminded me too much of someone I knew. The doorbell rang.

"Hey Kim!"

"Hey!" she chimed.

I let her inside.

"Where's your mom and dad?"

"Work and uh… my mom's dead," I explained.

"Oh," she said. She looked away awkwardly and changed the subject, "So, did you have a lot of friends back in Alabama?"

I was so glad she didn't tell me she was sorry. That never helped.

"Uh, a few," I muttered.

"Did you have a boyfriend?"

"Nope," I said, popping the p.

"But you're so pretty!" she exclaimed.

"I guess I'm just waiting for the perfect guy," I admitted, "Are you and Jared-"

"Yes!" she squealed, "He's my perfect guy!"

"That's awesome," I sighed, I wondered when I would get my perfect guy.

"Paul really likes you, you know," she said.

"He's like twenty!"

"Nineteen," she said, as if that made a difference. He would be the same age as…

"Still, he's definitely not my type."

"What is your type?"

"People that don't get mad and punch others in the face," I said and she burst out laughing.

"Paul… does… do… that… a lot!" she said between fits of giggles.

"Exactly."

"But he wouldn't do that to you."

"It doesn't change the fact that he does it to other people," I muttered.

She seemed at a loss of what to say, "So do you have any brothers or sisters?"

You will not cry. You will not cry. I just shook my head. I didn't want to talk about this.

"Lucky you," she mumbled, "My brother is so annoying!"

I attempted a laugh. She got a text and I used the chance to brush the tear of my cheek. She replied to the text and I had myself composed again.

"Let's go on a walk!" she said, grabbing my hand.

"Alright," I said as she pulled me out the door, "But I don't have shoes."

"Haven't you noticed none of the guys around here wear shoes?"

"Yeah and it's so classy," I said sarcastically.

She just laughed and pulled me farther down the street.

"So are you going to be a freshman this year?"

"Yes. What are you?"

"A junior. Look who it is!" she sang.

Ahead of us, I saw Jared and Paul walking towards us.

"Kim!" I protested as she linked arms with me and started walking faster.

"Hey guys, what a coincidence!" she exclaimed.

"Hey Kim, Michelle," said Jared, then he pulled Kim into a kiss.

Paul and I stood there awkwardly until they broke apart.

"Let's go to the beach!" said Kim.

"Great idea," agreed Jared.

Here's what I could assume. Jared and Kim took it upon themselves to get me and Paul to talk. I felt bad because Paul really seemed to like me, but he just reminded me too much of Jesse. Don't think about that. The sun came out when we got to the beach. I smiled up at it, happy to see it for the first time since I moved here.

"How are you, Michelle?" Paul asked.

"I'm good, thanks," I muttered.

He grabbed my arm and Jared and Kim walked ahead.

"Let go of me Paul," I growled.

"No, listen to me," he demanded.

"Let go of me!"

"FUCKING LISTEN TO ME!" he yelled.

He was shaking really bad. I didn't know what to do so I just put my hand on his face. He calmed down almost immediately. I knew I should have been scared, but he didn't scare me. He took a few deep breaths.

"Please tell me why we can't just be friends?" he asked. There was hurt in his voice and I softened instantly.

He stared intently into my eyes and I couldn't look away, "Please," he breathed.

"Because you remind me too much of Jesse," I whispered and then covered my mouth.

I looked away. Why did I say that?

"Who's Jesse?"

"Nobody," I grumbled.

"Come on Michelle," he begged.

"Paul, he's no one. Forget I even said it," I pleaded.

"Okay," he whispered.

Well that was easy. All I had to do was ask.

"Michelle, I just really really want o be friend with you!"

"But why?"

"Because… I don't know. Can't you… can't you feel it?" he asked.

I didn't know. Could I feel it? There was definitely something. I looked at my feet and I might have nodded… I don't know.