Double update, two chapters before it's all out in the open.
"Please? Please?" Seth's voice whined in my ear as I sat trying to soak up the tiny amount of sun seeping through the overhead gap in the trees. It was a hot day and everyone was soaking it up except for the fact we were all stuck at Sam and Emily's house where the sun seemed to avoid.
"Oh my god, just do it he is driving me crazy" Embry groaned from the top step of the porch, Quil gave a nod beside him both giving me begging looks. He had been asking for about half an hour straight now and it was beginning to grate on me.
"Yeah Sav just do it" Kyle teased and his hand whipped out at my leg leaving a mark on my upper thigh. Of course Kyle would join in; he loved annoying me as much as these guys did.
I rolled my head to the side and found where Kim was sat with Kerry, they had attempted to bond with one another but I don't think it was working. Kerry was far too materialistic for Kim, or anyone else around here except Claire and Nessie, both of whom had left about two hours ago. Emily walked out of the house carrying the salad bowl, passing it to Quil who ran with it to the huge table she had set up for yet another birthday lunch. Kyle and Kerry were leaving in a couple of hours but Emily wanted me to have the best birthday weekend ever and so she was laying on another birthday feast with all the guys, most of the guys. Brady, Collin, Leah and Jake were all patrolling and Paul was nowhere to be found, nor had anyone heard of him. Jared had texted a few hours ago but Paul hadn't text back, he was probably angry with me. I had spoken to him like a completely ungrateful bitch last night when he had gone out of his way to give me a nice birthday present.
"Pleeeeeaaasee" Seth broke through to me one final time, the long exaggerated whine peaked my irritation and I gave a huff before flying to my feet.
"Fine, one time" I groaned and held my hand out for Kyle who looked all too pleased with the situation.
"Awesome, SAM SHE'S DOING IT" Quil turned toward the house and yelled, not that he needed to. The two guys inside could probably hear us all talking normally and sure enough they both walked out with impressed looks on their faces.
"How did you get her cave?" Jared asked the two boys on the steps and they both pointed to Seth, it didn't need any further explanation. Seth could make a nun swear if he pushed hard enough.
"I can't believe I am doing this" I grumbled and moved for a more open space while Kyle stretched as if readying himself to run a marathon. I hadn't danced in nearly six months, I was sure I couldn't anymore. I mean, I could but I just didn't want to. Seth had walked in this morning and saw us watching Dirty Dancing, he was going on about how it wasn't normal for people to be able to move that easily and then Kyle piped up saying that me and him could do the big final lift from 'I've had the time of my life' and so all day the guys have been begging for us to show them some 'tricks'.
I ignored the calls from the guys and simply let Kyle decide what lifts and moves to show them, I complied unhappily until Seth appeared beside me with his childish smile.
"Can you teach me how to dance?"
"Yeah he needs to impress his girlfriend at his school dance next week" Embry was laughing as he spoke and my heart tugged for Seth, he hadn't imprinted but he had started getting closer with a girl from his class, he was really sweet with her.
"I don't need to impress anyone I just want to know how to dance"
"Ballet? Really Seth?" Sam was leaning over the wooden banister of the porch, smiling as he watched Kyle and I dance around. I had maybe smiled a little; it felt good to move again, especially with Kyle. He was the best partner you could ask for.
"Ignore them, I'll teach you. What do you want to know?" I butted in before another guy could tease Seth and his huge grin came back, he grabbed my hands in his and began doing some sort of frog march. "Seth I don't do ballroom" I laughed as he span me around but he ignored me, he was really into dancing. I could hear the guys laughing at us but it just made me laugh more, I had never danced this way before. It was some back assed salsa, I had no idea where Seth got these moves from.
"Wait, I can lift you like Kyle did" Seth whistled and before I could stop him his hands grabbed my waist and he lifted me, his arms and my body shook at the sudden lift and he gave up before fully lifting me up, dropping me to the ground with his body falling beside me. I couldn't help but laugh, my insides were hurting from laughing so much. He was an awful dancer.
"Seth you're going to break her" Sam warned but I just laughed harder and took Kyle's hand as he offered it to me, pulling both Seth and I up as we giggled at his childish dance moves. I sometimes forgot these guys were actually quite young, they all acted so much older most of the time.
"Sorry, I guess I can't dance as well as I thought I could" Seth reached for me as he spoke, dusting the dirt from the front of my top and my arms.
"Yes you can, I would be honoured to dance with you at prom. Your girlfriend is a very lucky girl, ignore what Embry says, he's just jealous because no one would be his date" I turned to look at Embry who faked being hurt at my words, the whole school was having a summer prom next week, I hadn't planned to go, none of the guys here had except Seth and the two younger ones.
"She's not my girlfriend" Seth pouted a little making me giggle again before I realised he was actually sad about it.
"Well she doesn't know what she's missing, you are quite a catch"
"Really?" He looked hopefully at me and I nodded again. "You could be my date if you like" He bounced slightly, his excitement caused me to smile but it was short lived. "Or I could go alone, doesn't bother me really" He quickly shook his head at me and backed away as if the closeness between us was hurting him, his eyes weren't on me but the area behind where Kyle and I stood and I turned to see Paul walking in, his scowling eyes found me and then Seth to whom he scowled harder at and simply walked past us to Sam and Jared. All three of them silently walked inside the house and the front door slammed behind them. The mood of the group left outside immediately downed, Paul was in a bad mood. He had gone from hurt to pissed and I knew it was my fault.
I gave Seth a small smile and turned for the bench that held Kim, Kerry had collapsed onto my towel and was soaking up the sun. Embry and Quil offered me short stiff smiles, they could hear whatever was being said indoors and again I had a feeling it somehow involved me.
"You should go and talk to him" Kim whispered at me before I had even fully sat down, I glanced from her to Emily, both of them were giving me knowing smiles but what they knew I didn't know.
"Huh?"
"Something has obviously happened, Jared said Paul barely said a word last night after seeing you" Emily spoke up and I frowned harder, how did she know he saw me? "Oh honey I was sneaking out of my house long before you, I know you went out last night and I know you saw Paul. I also know something happened because he's been in a god awful mood ignoring all of our calls all morning, he ignored Jared all night and you have been just as distant and moody. Now I don't need to know what happened but I think this constant back and forth between you two is getting ridiculous"
"Emily" I tried stopping her but she was on a rant, there was no stopping a pregnant hormonal Emily rant.
"You are just going to end up hurting each other, oh now what's happened?" Her eyes went from me to the house and I turned in time to see Embry and Quil diving out of the way as Paul went flying down the steps and across the yard not meeting anybodies eyes as he went. He looked furious, no upset, no pissed, I didn't know how he looked but it wasn't right. Part of me wanted to run after him, to check he was ok but I knew he wasn't, there was no point going. It would only cause an argument. I looked back at the house, Sam walked out and his eyes darted straight for mine, he looked pissed but then there was Jared, he stared at me with a blank expression. One I couldn't read but I knew it wasn't good. I had obviously caused another argument.
I watched as Sam's truck pulled away, Kyle and Kerry were loaded into the back and were waving like mad men as they left, huge grins plastered on their faces. I had wanted to go with them but I was already exhausted and it was a four hour round trip besides Sam wanted me here with Emily in case she got sick again, she was sick a lot.
I turned when I could no longer see the truck but my path to the house was blocked by Jared, he was stood leaning against the wooden table that was now clear of all food and cups from lunch.
"I know where you were last night" He spoke first as I hovered awkwardly trying to decide whether to go inside or not, I guess I wasn't.
"Excuse me?" Acting dumb to the situation was probably better than coming clean, if he knew I was at Pauls then Paul probably knew and that would suck because I would look pathetic. Jared gave a little laugh, his head rolling to the side as he sized me up "Don't act stupid Savannah, there is only one place near where you were last night that would make sense you going too, I suspected you were there last night but then today Paul mentions that he thought he could smell you near his house and bam, I realised you were at his house"
"So?"
"So, what were you doing at his house?" He was smirking now as if loving every minute of this conversation and where it was leading; sometimes Jared could be unbearably teasing. He was a nice guy but he loved joking around with people and making them uncomfortable with his constant smugness. I scanned for Kim but either she was inside or gone, she was the only person who could manage to get him to act calmer.
"You can play the silent game if you like, I already have an idea as to why you were hid outside his house at eleven at night" He paused and waited for me to speak but I said nothing, I couldn't.
"You have a crush, or maybe more than a crush, maybe you love him and you and your little friends were running around trying to catch a glimpse of Paul looking all sexy but instead you caught Rachel leaving his house and you were so upset you then came home and snapped at Paul completely ignoring the fact he brought your friends here in the first place, spent days tracking your favourite movie down and bought you one hundred peanut buttercups because that's what you said would give you a perfect birthday"
I just stared at him, a real open mouth stare while everything inside of me froze and clenched horribly. How did he know all of that?
"Paul's my best friend Savannah, I know things, a lot of things and including what he has spent the last two weeks organising and the direction of his house which just so happens to be a dead end to anything else around here so either you were there or you were simply heading off for a night time hike"
I again said nothing; I don't think I was capable to stringing an understandable sentence together right now.
"So, what are you going to do?" He pushed again and the trapped wind that was slowly suffocating me came out in one long sigh and I fell forward and started grabbing at my things from the floor. My blanket, my Iphone, my headphones and the presents Kyle and Kerry had given me. Desperately grabbing for them as Jared stayed perched on the bench.
"Firstly" I started as I looked away from him, it was somewhat awkward to feel so watched by my big brothers best friend as I darted around in short shorts and a bikini top but I couldn't say nothing. "I do not love Paul, nor do I have a crush, he is simply a friend of sorts"
"Of sorts" Jared copied me and I turned in time to see him smirking even wider to himself, these guys were all so strange. If ever I mentioned Paul, or defended myself with 'just friends' statement whoever I was talking to would give this smirk and sarcastically agree with me. "Sorry, go on" He wiped the smirk away and straightened himself up, back to serious Jared and his mouth formed into an over exaggerated pout. He always pouted.
"Secondly, we were not stalking Paul or trying to watch him last night we were simply out for a walk and ended up there, my direction skills are shockingly bad"
"Paul's told me that but I'm not convinced you ended there by mistake" He smirked again before seeing my expression scowl and he shot me a silent sorry. Paul always joked about my directional skills; he said he would worry about letting me in a grocery store alone because I would probably get lost. I wasn't that bad, nor did he need to tell the whole pack about it.
"And thirdly, I am grateful for what he did for my birthday, he didn't need to. I didn't mean to be short with him" I settled and clung my things to my stomach and chest, the sun lotion Kerry was using was greasy and the bottle kept threatening to fall from my grip.
"You forgot Rachel"
"What?"
"You forgot to mention seeing Rachel at his house, I know she was there, I know you were there even if you won't admit it and I know you must have seen her" He folded his arms across his torso, wrapping his jacket across his body more as if he was cold. I was cold, it was still warm out but my skin had run cold as he mentioned Rachel. She had annoyed me last night, not her specifically but the situation. She turned me into something I shouldn't be. I shouldn't be jealous.
"Paul can see and do whatever he likes, if Rachel was there then that's their business not mine" Well played, I think I pulled it off without sounding as if I was about to hurl which is how I felt.
"Sure, sure" Jared nodded and moved upwards so he was stood upright. "But then if she isn't the reason you were in such a mood with him, which if it was the reason then you don't have to be like that because she's simply helping him with something, I can assure you both of them are fully clothed and sat well away from each other and have been since you" He paused, his mouth clamped shut like he was about to say something he shouldn't and part of me jumped inside, desperate to hear more but even him telling me they weren't doing anything annoyed me. Rachel just annoyed me. "He was really upset you know, he cares a lot for you"
"Why?" I cut across him as he spoke, I didn't like hearing that I had hurt Paul, seeing it was bad enough but I felt like Jared was telling me off for it. It made me feel worse. But what caught me was the care comment, I had never understood Paul's relationship with me. Sometimes it was like it was forced, he obviously disliked me when I arrived and then suddenly he doesn't dislike me. It made no sense.
Jared tensed, his eyes darted from mine to the floor and he shrugged stiffly. "You're friends, you have a bond"
"We don't have a bond, we just get along sometimes"
"You are both so stubborn" He huffed out and shook his head; I heard a mumble leave him about me being like Paul.
"Stop comparing us, we don't have any similarities except our families are" I stopped myself, I shouldn't bring his family up when he isn't around. Jared didn't need me to finish it though, he knew what I was going to say and he nodded again stiffly, both of our families were completely broken. That was where Paul and I's similarities end. "I will apologise to Paul when I see him next Jared but I don't get what this conversation is supposed to lead to, there is nothing between Paul and I except I visit his dad with him, he can do whatever he likes with Rachel whenever he likes and that's it"
"Nothing in common? No special friendship?" I shook my head as Jared talked and he gave a nod as if accepting my answers but then as he went to walk to his car he stopped. "I hope you enjoyed your one hundred peanut buttercups" He gave a little smirk before walking to his car.
"One hundred?" I whispered to myself, I didn't get one hundred, there was like forty in there which I only know because Kerry had counted them when she failed to go to sleep last night. "I didn't get one hundred?" I called out but he ignored me, jumping into his car he started tapping away on his old brick-like phone and I gave up, turning and walking into the house before dropping my armful of things onto the kitchen table.
My presents from the guys had been moved to the corner of the room, I had been given things obviously bought by Emily like t-shirts, hair accessories, fashion necklaces and from Sam and Emily I got a really lovely ring that had a pale blue pearl like stone in the middle of the silver band which was patterned with leaf like swirls. It was really pretty and different to anything I had seen before.
"I used to hate these things" Emily's voice grabbed my attention and I looked over at her, she was sat on the sofa peering into the pink present bag from Paul, her hands rooting around the left over peanut buttercups. I had eaten most of them for breakfast. She picked one out and unwrapped it. "Maybe now I'm pregnant I'll like it"
She kept saying this because of one thing, before she was pregnant she hated iced tea but since being pregnant she had drank it like there was no tomorrow so now she was trying everything she used to hate to see if the baby now made her like it. More often than not she still didn't like it. I watched as she chewed it hesitantly, her face slowly turning into a grimace and she spat it out.
"Eurgh nope, I still hate them. I have never understood how Paul eats those things"
"Paul?" I breathed out, my body stopping as I went to grab one from the bag. She nodded and took another bite, grimacing at the taste yet again.
"God, that guy can eat these. I once witnessed him eat forty in ten minutes; he just really goes at them. He's obsessed his favourite candy by far. I had no idea you liked them, who bought these for you?" She rambled on, my body going slightly colder with each word. He never mentioned he liked them. She reached for the tag and read the message, her face frowning in confusion.
"Paul" I told her quietly and she looked at me with slight surprise before nodding with a smile.
His favourite candy, he had never said. I assumed it was his dads but then that would explain the strange look his dad gave me when I said they were my favourite, and why Paul always watched me with a spark in his eyes when I ate them. He liked them.
I turned without saying a word to Emily and went back outside; Jared was sat there with his usual teasing smirk on his face. He had heard Emily.
"Ok, so we have one similarity in candy but that's it" I called out as I reached his truck and he smirked wider.
"In response to your earlier question, you did have one hundred pieces of candy but Paul managed to polish fifty five of them off while he wrapped your present"
"One DVD?" I questioned and Jared smirked more.
"He really loves those peanut buttercups".
...