A/N: Many of you aren't gonna like what's going to happen further in this chapter, so I'm just warning you guys now. I have a feeling a lot of you are going to flip out, but trust me, it's really not that bad.
Blood Red symbolizes skeptical feelings, anger, and vengeance.
Paul shoved his hands in his pockets, staring at Dawn at her locker. He knew what he did yesterday was out of hand, but he really didn't like Ash at all. He always felt some type of way about him and that will never change.
Paul sighed, remembering those tears he saw on her face last night.
Seeing her cry to him and saying those words to him really made him feel horrible on the inside. She believed that he doesn't trust her, but Paul loves her, he would do anything and everything for her.
Trust was something that Paul found difficult to have in someone, especially her. The only reason why he found it so difficult is because of Ash. His trust in her is always tested whenever Ash is around and the only reason why he felt it is tested all the time when he's around is because she acts very different when she's around that guy. Whenever she's around Ash, she is all of sudden happy, really happy, or either sad about something that's going on with him. Paul didn't like that at all. He understood that Ash was considered as her best guy friend, but Paul didn't like the fact that she felt very comfortable to talk about things with him more than she likes talking about things with her own boyfriend.
Paul just wanted for Dawn to see her own actions whenever she's around Ash.
Yeah, Dawn has been very loyal to Paul, especially now since they've got back on good terms, but now it's going back to bad terms again all because of Ash. Paul always felt Ash ruins everything and he was getting tired of it.
Paul stared at Dawn as she got things out of her locker, deciding to cool down just a little bit.
He didn't want to lose her over some jealousy over that damn guy. Ash was obviously not into her and she was obviously stuck on Paul, so what exactly is the problem? Paul began to wonder if he was the problem.
Sighing, Paul walked over to her and stopped at the locker beside her, leaning against it. "Hey," he said lowly.
She turned her head to look at him and then looked back at the inside of her locker, organizing her stuff. "Hey," she said lowly.
"Listen, I'm sorry about last night." He mumbled. "I just… don't like him."
Dawn kept organizing her things, listening to Paul. "He talks just like my brother. Friends, trust. My brother says those things all the time too."
"But Paul, Ash isn't Reggie." She looked at him this time. "Ash is Ash and that's that."
"I know," Paul shoved one hand in his pocket, looking at her. "I'm just afraid of losing you, that's all."
Dawn licked her lips, continuing to organize her things as she got quiet, not sure of what to say to that.
Paul stared at her, watching as she organized her things. He wasn't sure what was going on through her mind, but he was hoping that she would forgive him.
After organizing her stuff, Dawn closed her locker shut and looked over at him. She was looking at him in deep thought about something. "I think… we need to take a break," she whispered. "Just for a little while…"
Paul furrowed his eyebrows together at that comment, not understanding what she was trying to do. "You're breaking up with me?"
Dawn looked down at her feet and then looked up at him, frowning. "I love you, Paul. But I feel like you need to trust me and I think that if we have some time apart from each other, it will give us enough time to fall back together."
Paul shook his head, not liking this at all. "No," he said lowly. "After everything we've been through? I can't handle that. I am not letting Ash ruin this for us—"
"Stop it," Dawn hissed, becoming irritated now. "This has nothing to do with him," she argued. "This is between us, so stop making it about him."
Paul got quiet now, listening to her.
"I know you're afraid of losing me, Paul." She whispered, causing him to look into her eyes now. "But I need space."
Paul kept his eyes on her and saw her walking up to him as she placed a kiss upon his cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered, now walking away.
Paul licked his lips slowly, staring straight ahead. He wasn't sure what to think now. He just knew that he truly was the problem and it wasn't Ash.
People were out in front of his block, outside smoking or either talking with each other. Some cars passed by his block and so did buses, but Paul sat on the bench in thought, bringing his blunt up to his lips.
He stared out in front of him, looking at the current building in front of his. It was another building with some stores combined in it. He saw as people entered and exited the stores every second, but his mind wasn't focused on them at all.
"I never saw the day coming that you would ever wanna leave me."
Paul licked his lips and brought the blunt back up to his lips, inhaling the smoke.
If only he hadn't started some bullshit about Ash in the first place then maybe, just maybe, they would've still been together. His heart was aching as he remembered her words from earlier.
He told her that he was afraid to lose her so why did she break up with him? It didn't make any sense. Doesn't she love him the same way that he loved her?
Paul hated thinking this way, but he started to believe that she might not love him like the way he loves her.
"Baby, you told me no matter what your heart would always be for me. Always be for me, yeah, baby."
No matter what, Paul will always feel hatred for Ash. Ash always ruins everything and he hated that he even ruined this. He made Dawn break up with him and Paul felt like breaking something.
He let the smoke flow amongst the air and stared hard at it as it faded away into the atmosphere.
Why does she feel that they need a break? Is he suffocating her?
Paul frowned as he started thinking about his actions. Maybe he really was suffocating her, especially with the whole Ash thing.
Paul looked up across the street again and saw a couple walking out of the store. The couple kissed and it made him think of him and Dawn. He saw as they held hands and walked down the sidewalk, venturing off somewhere else.
He looked down at his hands again and then brought his blunt back to his lips.
Paul was feeling a lot of emotions inside of him and he wasn't sure if he could take it all. He just knew that he was so angry and also hurt at the same time. He was angry because he felt Ash ruined everything once again and he was hurt because he feels that Dawn is drifting away from him. She says that if they take a break, they will eventually find their way back together, but is that even true? Paul wasn't sure of what to believe anymore.
Paul watched as the smoke left out of his mouth and into the atmosphere once again.
It has been officially seven hours since their break up and Paul wasn't even sure how to act right now.
He saw that it was beginning to get dark outside and he stared up at the moon for a short while.
"You left me for somebody else now. (I wish I never loved ya) you left me, baby you left me."
Dawn meant the world to him and it just pained him because he felt that he didn't mean the same way to her. If he did, why did she break up with him?
Paul licked his lips again and began to get up from the bench.
He walked toward his building, trying his best to calm down as he brought the blunt back up to his lips.
"You left me for somebody else now (Girl I wish I never met you) you left me, baby you left me."
As soon as Paul entered his building, he stopped at the elevator and pressed the button.
He brought the blunt back down to his side as he now let the smoke escape out his mouth.
He watched as the elevator doors opened and walked inside, quickly pressing the button to the 7th floor. Paul sighed as he leaned his back against the wall, watching as the elevator doors closed and began moving upwards.
He was just so stressed out and he wanted to get very high at the moment.
"Girl, your beauty made me feel like you were my everything, made think you was worth it, no."
When the elevator stopped on the 7th floor, he watched as the doors slid open and stepped outside into the hall. He brought the blunt back up to his lips, inhaling some smoke as he walked over to his apartment room.
Shoving a hand inside his pocket, he grabbed his house keys and opened the door with it.
"Yeah, I got issues, like you were any better."
Paul furrowed his eyebrows together when he saw his brother getting dressed as if he was going out on a date. "Where you going?" he wondered, closing the door behind him.
"I'm going out with Maylene," Reggie told him, standing in front of a mirror that was hanging on the wall. He fixed his tie nicely and slicked his hair with his hands.
"Of course," Paul mumbled, placing the keys down on the kitchen counter.
"You should invite Dawn over so you won't be bored," Reggie suggested, still fixing himself in the mirror.
"She broke up with me," Paul said, sounding irritated. He walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch.
"What?" Reggie looked over at Paul and then looked at the mirror again, grabbing his cologne and putting some on him. "Why?"
Paul shrugged, staring at the large television that wasn't on. "She says she needs space,"
Reggie frowned slightly after putting on his cologne. He walked over to the living room and looked at his younger brother looking straight at the television. Reggie could tell he was hurt, he knew his brother too well.
"I'm sorry, Paul." He patted his brother on the shoulder, taking a seat beside him.
Paul continued to stare at the blank television screen in thought.
"Do you know why she needs space?"
Paul stared off for a little while. "She feels like I don't trust her."
"Well do you?"
Paul remained quiet.
"Why don't you trust her, Paul?" Reggie wondered.
Paul shrugged, deciding to not answer that question. He brought his blunt back up to his lips and inhaled a lot of smoke.
"Is it because of Ash?" Reggie raised his eyebrow. When he saw Paul's eyebrow twitch at the sound of that name, he knew it must have been him. "Of course… what did he do this time?"
Paul let the smoke out of his mouth and flow into the air, now looking down at the coffee table. "He just keeps getting in the way. Every time he has a problem or something, he always looks for her for advice."
"So you're upset because he always turns to Dawn whenever something is going on with him?"
Paul sat there quietly again, deciding not to answer that.
"Well, they are best friends Paul, so of course he's going to turn to her with help."
Paul groaned. "Yeah, but it gets on my nerves because there's always something up with him. And it pisses me off because she always acknowledges him, like she really cares and—"
"You still think she has a thing for him, don't you?"
Paul felt his jaw clench at Reggie's words. Was it really that obvious?
Reggie shook his head, "Dawn loves you Paul, not Ash."
"Then why did she dump me?" Paul looked at Reggie and then slowly turned his head toward the coffee table again, bringing his blunt back up to his lips.
"It's probably because you keep thinking she's not loyal to you."
Paul stared hard at the coffee table, pulling the blunt away from his lips and let the smoke come out of his mouth.
"I know you're hurting Paul, but I think that maybe that space she wants is very much needed. You need space too, so you can think things through about this. You can't be with her if you can't trust her."
Paul let out a breath of air. He wouldn't admit it, but Reggie is right. He really can't be with her if he can't trust her and Paul was finding it difficult to find that trust for her.
Reggie pulled out his phone and instantly noticed that Maylene messaged him. He looked over at Paul. "Well, I'm about to leave." He mumbled.
Paul was still staring off in thought and Reggie frowned, patting his brother on the shoulder again. "It's gonna be okay, Paul. Just relax,"
Reggie got up and started heading towards the door, grabbing his keys.
Paul listened as he opened the front door and closed it, staring at the television screen now.
Yeah, everything is going to be just fine…
Paul frowned.
He brought his blunt back up to his lips once more.
It had been at least five hours since Reggie left and Paul was already feeling fucked up. He was smoking weed all night long, trying to take his mind off of Dawn and everything.
Paul brought the bong back up to his lips again with his index finger on the carb. He held the lighter and lit the substance while simultaneously inhaling.
He let the smoke remain in his lungs for a while until finally letting it out of his mouth, watching as the smoke went off into the air, fogging up the living room.
Paul raised his eyebrow when he heard light knocks on his front door. He furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion.
Reggie is home?
Paul looked over at the cable box, seeing that it was currently 12:30 am.
Paul placed the bong down on the coffee table and slowly got up from his couch and walked over to the front door. What was Reggie doing home so early? He usually never comes home this early, especially since he is out with Maylene.
He opened the door and was surprised to see Giselle instead of Reggie. He furrowed his eyebrows again. "What are you doing here?"
She stared at him, not saying a word. Paul noticed she was looking a bit off since she didn't exactly have on much make up and her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail.
"I just… needed to see someone." She avoided eye contact with him, deciding to look behind him and inside his house. She noticed a lot of smoke and she could smell weed all over him.
Paul was going to ask what was up, but he shook his head, stepping aside so he could let her in.
Giselle folded her arms over her chest and walked inside of his apartment, listening as he closed the door behind her.
Giselle watched as he brushed past her and went toward the kitchen. She was wondering what was up with him, since he also looked like something was bothering him as well. "What's up with you?" she wondered, watching as he grabbed a beer bottle out of the fridge.
"Life," he mumbled, turning to look at her. "You want one?"
Giselle stared at the beer bottle he had and then shook her head. "I'm good,"
Paul turned to the fridge again and closed it.
She leaned against the kitchen counter, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear.
"What about you? You look stressed." Paul turned to her again, popping the top off from his beer bottle.
She looked up at him and then looked down at the floor, forcing a smile. "… Everyone hates me." She licked her lips slightly and continued to look down at the floor. "You should know why I am the way I am, everyone knows." She looked up at him.
"Actually, I don't." Paul told her.
Giselle shrugged, letting her eyes fall on his shirt, still trying to avoid eye contact with him. Paul could see tears forming in her eyes and he was surprised to see this because he was always so used to her being strong and being able to take anything.
"It doesn't matter now," she shook her head, moving her eyes to the floor again. "I just… I can't go back to who I was before. What's done is done…"
Paul stared at her for a short while.
It was weird to him, seeing her weak like this.
He placed his drink down on the counter and slowly walked up to her, her eyes still on the floor though.
Giselle felt her breath hitch when she felt him touch the left side of her face. "Hey," he said lowly, causing her to look up at him slowly.
She stared into his eyes, seeing that he was staring at her as if he actually cared.
"You're Giselle Ainsworth." He told her, as if to click something into her head.
She just stared at him, a bit surprised by that comment.
"Nothing can hurt you." He added.
Giselle furrowed her eyebrows together, feeling his palm leave her cheek and dropping back to his side.
Paul licked his lips and brushed past her.
She blinked, taking in those words. Nothing can hurt you…
It was like he was trying to tell her that she usually never gives a fuck about anything that was going on, so why should she give a fuck now?
A small smile formed in her lips as she realized what he had been implying. Damn right she is Giselle Ainsworth.
She turned around, "Paul," she said, causing him to stop in his tracks.
He turned to look at her.
"Thanks," she smiled.
Paul remained quiet, staring at her. She stared at him too.
A silence soon formed between them and Giselle could feel the slight tension forming and she wasn't sure of what was about to happen.
Paul licked his lips and without thinking, he walked up to her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and suddenly he did the unexpected, he kissed her.
A/N: Cliffhanger. (; Yayyyy I finally got a cliffhanger. So I know all of you probably want to kill me xD but boy oh boy, I just need more drama going on!
Just so you guys won't bite my heads off, just know that Giselle really doesn't mean anything to Paul. Paul is crazy in love with Dawn, so as Dawn would always say, no need to worry... (:
Songs used in this chapter: Somebody Else by Mario ft. Nicki Minaj
Yall better review lol… just don't curse me out please... ._.