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Chapter 5

My first week at school goes by quite quickly. Not very excitingly – but what else could I have really expected? Like my mother had predicted last week, it began snowing by mid-week. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough to have school cancelled, just a few inches or so. None of my classes have any homework since it's the first week back, and I begin to sit with Paul and his friends during lunch. They all seem nice.

Kim still doesn't really talk much, and when she does it's insufferably awkward. Jared continues to make jokes at Paul's expense that I don't fully understand; however, all their other friends laugh too and Paul continues to get annoyed.

It's really quite funny.

Although, he gets much more annoyed when I tease him about Olivia – who hasn't stopped badgering me about him whenever she sees me.

When Paul and I get home from school on Friday afternoon, I'm surprised to see Peter and my mom at the kitchen table with a suitcase near the door.

"Hey," I greet curiously, "shouldn't you guys be at work?"

"We decided to ditch today," Peter informs me with a wink.

My mom laughs, rolling her eyes. "We're going to Port Angeles for the night, so we got off a little early." She pulls my cell phone that I forgot at home this morning off the table and tosses it to me. "Ricki has called you about three times today."

"Who's Ricki?" Peter asks, grinning teasingly. "Your boyfriend?" He elbows his son in the side, clearly waiting for Paul to jump in on his teasing. He just stands there uncomfortably, an awkward smile plastered on his face.

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. "Ricki is a nickname for Erica, who happens to be my best friend."

"Okay, okay," my mom pipes up, standing up from the table. "Stop torturing your step-daughter; we have to get going."

As soon as our parents leave, Paul shoots me an apologetic grin. "He thinks he's funny."

Laughing, I shrug. "He's funnier than my dad, at least. "So, guess we'll have to fend for ourselves for supper tonight."

"Nah," Paul rebuts. "We're going to Emily and Sam's for supper."

I open my mouth, about to object. Although his school friends seem nice, I haven't met Sam or Emily before and I definitely don't want to just walk into their home.

But before I can object, Paul raises his hand, smirking triumphantly. "Don't even. You promised."

"Next time, I promise."

God dammit; he's right. "Fine," I groan.

"We can head over around five, if that works."

Nodding, I head for the living room. Since I have no homework, may as well watch Netflix for an hour. Not wanting to get too into a movie that I would have to stop, I start the next episode of Once Upon a Time. Paul joins me.

About ten minutes into the episode and twenty questions from Paul later, I pause the show. Shooting me a questioning glance, he asks, "Why'd you pause it?"

I sigh dramatically. "This show is way too damn complicated four and half seasons in for me to explain it to you. We're going to have to start it over." Quickly, I exit out the episode and start the pilot episode.

"You don't have to do that. I probably won't even like the dumb show," Paul grumbles. However, when the first episode ends, he insists we start the next one.

I pretend to check the invisible watch on my arm. "Pretty sure it's time to go to your friends' house."

"Fine," Paul replies, mocking my groan from earlier. "Let's go."

After getting winter-ready, Paul begins walking down the driveway. I gape at him in disbelief. "We're walking there?"

Paul barks out a laugh. "Cassie, it's less than a ten minute walk. Five if we go through the path in the woods."

I frown. "But there's snow."

He rolls his eyes but continues to walk down the road. "Did it not snow in Port Angeles?"

"Ha, and you say your dad isn't in funny."

Paul is right, though. It's not very long of a walk and it's not even that cold out. Right now. When we get to the driveway – I'm assuming because we turn down it – Paul grabs my elbow gently, pulling me to a stop. My heart hammers in my chest. I am so pathetic.

"When you meet Emily, please try not to stare. It bugs Sam," he whispers.

I nod. Partially speechless because I'm confused as to why I would stare; partially because he's touching me. And as I said above, I'm pathetic. "Of course."

Paul enters the small house without knocking. Following in awkwardly, I notice there's a lot more people than I expected. I recognize Jared and Kim, as well as Embry, Jacob, and Quil who I sit with at lunch. However, there's a few younger – ish? – boys there, as well as a couple other girls who I don't recognize.

"Paul, you're finally here!" a beautiful young woman with scars marring one side of her face rushes over to us. "You must be Cassie!"

Don't stare; don't stare; don't stare. "You must be Emily," I reply, smiling brightly at her. "Nice to meet you."

We take a seat at the large table and Paul introduces me to Sam; the younger boys named Seth, Collin, and Brady; and Leah who was sitting on the other side of me. I smile at her, but she glowers back at me. I swear I hear a growl come from the other side of me, but when I glance over at Paul, he's smiling at me.

When dinner is served, everyone begins to eat. I'm slightly disgusted to learn that everyone else here besides Kim and Emily eat as much as Paul does.

"So, how are you liking La Push so far?" Emily asks me curiously.

Smiling awkwardly, "Uh, yeah. It's great."

They all snort. "That's convincing, Cass," Paul teases, his trademark smirk on his face.

"No, it is. I just, haven't really gone anywhere besides school."

Emily nods, rolling her eyes at the cackling boys. "It's definitely a much more fun place in the summer."

"Good to know." The dinner continues on, and Paul was right. Emily's cooking is delicious. She even made apple pies for dessert. Yes plural….

"In the summer we usually have bonfires instead of dinners," Kim pipes up – the first time she's said a full sentence all night.

"They're a lot more fun," Emily admits, as the boys holler in agreement. "But we are having another dinner next Friday. You should come!"

I feel bad declining her offer; she's just so nice. "I would love to, but unfortunately I can't." I frown as I tell her why. "I have to go to Port Angeles to see my dad. Custody thing."

"Wow, you seem as excited to go there as I do to be here," Leah says dryly.

I laugh, but everyone else around the table groans or rolls their eyes – besides Emily who just looks sad. Guess she isn't a crowd favourite; however, when she notices me laugh, I'm pretty sure she smiles at me.

Once dessert is finished, we hang out in Emily's living room for a bit. Around nine o'clock, Paul asks me if I want to head out. Although I have to admit I did have fun, the inside jokes I'm not catching onto are a little tiring. So we head out.

On the walk home, Paul is a few feet ahead of me. I kneel down, and Paul turns around curiously. I don't know how he knew I stopped walking. "You okay?"

"Just tying my shoe," I reply, playing with the laces on my boot.

Nodding, Paul looks up towards the sky, seeming to be inspecting the stars. While he's not looking, I bundle some wet snow near my feet into a ball. "Hey, Paul?"

"Ye – " he begins, but is interrupted by a melting snowball colliding with his face.

The surprise on his face makes me giggle, but when a devilish grin appears on Paul's face, I know I'm in trouble.

Squealing, I make a run for it towards our house, hoping to slip past him.

Paul snakes one arm around my waist, immobilizing me so I'm unable to escape. He smashes an ice-cold snowball into my face. I'm about to scream at the icy temperature, but suddenly I'm well aware of how close we are. His arm is still around my waist, holding me against him; his hand is still against my face, the snowball melting away.

Time seems to stop as his warmth radiates through my body. Slowly I turn around, his hand remains at my cheek. We're so close there's just inches between our faces. Slowly, I bring my eyes up to his brown ones. As soon as our eyes meet, I realize how wrong what I'm feeling is.

My mom is marrying his father. Regardless of whatever I may be feeling, I can't just act on them. That's ridiculously inappropriate, and I know my mom would be horrified. At the same moment as mine do, Paul's eyes widen in horror and his hand snaps away from my cheek. His arm frees from around my waist as I instantaneously jump as far away from him as possible and begin walking clumsily towards the house.

He coughs awkwardly, scratching the back of his head as he walks beside me.

I look over at him, but he's looking anywhere but at me. The whole scene happened in a matter of seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Is it possible he felt that spark too?

"I hope there wasn't any ice in that snowball," he says, his voice thick with concern and discomfort.

I feel slightly disappointed. It was really more likely that he touched my face, concerned that he cut me or something. Which is a good thing, since nothing can happen between us anyway. It's just always a little embarrassing to conclude your feelings aren't returned in the same way. "Oh no. I'm, uh, okay. Just cold now is all."

His eyebrows furrow in concern, looking conflicted. But he just nods, continuing to avoid eye contact. "We'll be home soon."

When we get home, I ask him if he wants to continue watching Once - hoping it will ease the embarrassment between us.

Quickly he shakes his head, mumbles out an excuse that he's tired - even though it's only shortly past nine on a Friday night - and heads upstairs.

"Okay, goodnight," I say quietly. I don't know why I'm so disappointed. Sighing, I pull out my phone and send a text to Ricki.

Cassie: SOS - I think Paul and I had a moment.

My phone is ringing a couple seconds later. Figuring if I talk quietly, he won't be able to hear me in the living room from upstairs, I plop down on the couch, answer the phone, and explain the whole situation to Ricki.

So things are finally heating up between them now, and don't worry, it won't stop here ;)

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