Hey, folks.
So, now that FAGE 16 is finished, I intend to work on this story. For those who enjoy Bella/Paul - I hope you'll check out Paint Merlot. Let me know what you think. ;)
As for DOD - Refocusing has been difficult after spending three months with my head entirely absorbed in Paint Merlot. Thank you to those of you who have commented and patiently waited. My readers are real gems, and I appreciate you all. Please continue to be patient as I refocus this neurodiverget af brain on Bella/Leah. xo.
Bella fessed up to Charlie about learning there was a fight in the backyard when she went home but refused to tell him who was involved. Instead of fussing about it, he looked at her shirt and laughed.
"Whose shirt did you steal this time?"
"I didn't steal it. Paul wanted the other one back and traded me."
He scoffed, nodding his head. "I'm guessing he was in that fight, huh? And it was probably over you?"
Bella rolled her eyes and turned to head upstairs, ignoring the question.
The following evening, Charlie came through the front door whistling, grinning like a cat who'd caught the canary.
Pulling a pizza from the oven, Bella asked, "What are you so giddy about?"
"Oh," he teased. "I just left Billy's. I had to run by and chat with him for a bit. Saw Jacob, too. Nice shiner, he's got."
Bella barked a short laugh, unable to help it. "Good."
She wasn't sure if Paul had blackened Jacob's eye but thought it would be poetic justice and somewhat comical if Sam had done it.
"Bells…" Charlie sighed. "He told me what the fight was about, too. You said you weren't seeing Paul."
"I'm not." She grunted in aggravation as she rolled the pizza cutter across the thick crust, pressing down hard. "Jacob should be glad we don't hate each other anymore and mind his business."
"He wants to talk to you, Bells. He asked me to ask you to call him soon."
Bella slid a few slices onto a plate and carried it to Charlie. Setting it on the table beside him, she said, "Dad? I love you. But tell Jake to shove his phone up his ass."
As she put a few slices onto another plate, Charlie said, "He wants to apologize to you, Bells."
"He already did! Besides, I'm not ready to talk to him. I already told him that."
"Well, he seems sincere. I met his girlfriend. Seems like she's pretty much living over there already."
"Goodie," Bella grumbled. She returned to the table and sat down by her father. "I'm happy for him. He should worry about her and leave me alone."
She picked up a slice of pizza, pointing the tip at Charlie. "Paul and I aren't together, and Jacob had no business trying to beat him up. That was bullshit! I'm glad he has a black eye. I wish he had two. Paul and Sam got pretty busted up, too, though. Either way, Paul and I are friends now, and everyone needs to just get the fuck over it ."
"And Sam?!" Charlie scowled, genuinely angry now. "What the fuck was Sam Uley doing here? "
Whoops. Open mouth, insert foot! Bella sighed. "Breaking up the fight. He defended Paul and me, believe that or not…"
Suspicious, Charlie asked, "If you aren't dating Paul, why did Sam need to defend you? You're wearing the guy's clothes, kissing him in public places. That sounds pretty together to me, Bells."
Bella countered, "If Jake has a girlfriend, why does he care which guys I'm friends with?"
She turned her pizza slice around and took a large bite. Charlie shook his head and followed, eating the crust first. She nearly smiled over it. He was a 'save the best for last' type, always appreciating things differently.
After a few minutes of eating quietly, he shoved his empty plate away and sighed. "Thanks for dinner, Bells."
"Anytime. If you have any special requests, you'd better let me know. I think I'm going to go visit Mom soon."
Charlie's eyes widened as he leaned back in his chair, scratching his head. "What made you decide that?"
"Everything." She shrugged. "My life here keeps changing so fast I can't… I need a break from it. There's constant drama. I can't find a damn job, and I want to take a road trip. Try to clear my head."
Charlie said, "You want to drive to Florida?"
Bella nodded. "If I go alone, I'll probably just stop somewhere mid-way to sleep in a motel. If I can convince Leah to go with me like I hope she will, I'd like to take a week or two and make it a real road trip."
"Leah, huh?" Charlie hesitated before saying, "Jake didn't seem so hip about her influence on you, either…"
"Yeah, I dare him to say something like that to Leah… or Sue," Bella grumbled and stood to carry their plates to the sink as Charlie laughed. "Jake had no problem with Leah until she started spending time with me."
Charlie said, "I think he's just as confused by what you're up to as the rest of us, Bells. I'm more confused about why Sam, who tried to turn everyone against you, suddenly wants to defend you and Paul."
Bella reached into a cabinet for some Tupperware. "What is there to be confused about? Leah is my best friend. Paul is my friend. I am single and doing what I want to for once. That's it."
Besides her feelings for Leah, of course, but that was private. Paul was the only person who could conceivably know how she felt about Leah (besides Leah). Aside from that, everything else seemed pretty damn black and white to Bella. Jacob broke her heart and found someone to replace her. He made it clear they couldn't be friends and now was behaving as if she was the one who abandoned him, showing up uninvited and starting fights over her. It was aggravating as hell.
And then, there was Leah, who had her back without fail. Leah encouraged her to experience things and to make her own decisions.
Putting the rest of the pizza in the fridge, Bella said, "Leah is an… incredible person. She's fun, smart, loyal, and strong. Leah is never afraid to be herself. She tells people where the fuck to go and how to get there without batting an eye, regardless of who they are. I think she's been an excellent influence on me."
To her surprise, Charlie said, "I agree with you there. You're finally behaving like an actual teenager for once. It's kind of refreshing."
"Ern… thanks?" She chuckled.
"So… how do you plan on funding this road trip, Bells?"
She cringed, making him laugh as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "I have some money put back still."
"That's shocking. You spent most of your savings feeding those boys, didn't 'ya?"
She scowled. "Far too much of it, yes. Especially Jacob. I bought him clothes too. Fucker." Before Charlie could respond, Bella asked, "If I can't get Leah to go with me to visit Mom, I might ask Quil."
Charlie snorted. "If you're taking Quil, you better plan to take Embry."
She laughed and nodded. "I thought the same thing. If I have company, I'd like to take tents and stop at some campsites. Lots cheaper than paying for motels. It would mean more driving, probably going out of the way quite a bit, but that's the point of a road trip, right? Me and the guys talked about taking this trip together this summer. 'Til Jacob fucked with my head and everyone abandoned me, anyway. At least I have Quil and Embry back, though. Sam seems to have backed off. I don't know what to think about Sam, but Jacob…" Jacob hurt her the worst of all. Bella had begun falling for him so subtly that she hadn't realized how much until seeing him kissing Ellie on the beach that day. She understood that now, but hindsight was a bitch. "I want to forgive Jacob, Dad. I do. But not yet. I'm just not ready yet."
Charlie sighed heavily, sounding frustrated. "I know he hurt 'ya,' kiddo. Just… Don't wait forever to forgive him. People make mistakes, but it doesn't mean he doesn't care. You two were friends for far too long to leave everything so shitty. He misses you. A lot. And he wasn't afraid to say it in front of his girlfriend, either. That says a whole lot to me, Bells."
Bella nodded, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Leave it to Charlie to play Devil's Advocate for his best friend's son. Again. She crossed the kitchen, heading toward the stairs.
"I'm going to bed, I think. I might email Mom to let her know I'm planning a trip out there."
"That's a good idea. You haven't talked to Renee much lately, anyway."
Bella heard Charlie's chair scrape behind her as he stood. The sound of the refrigerator carried over the squeak of the staircase. She didn't have to stop and look to know he was grabbing a beer.
It was Wednesday before she knew it, and Bella hadn't heard from Leah since Sunday. Despite knowing they were fine, she couldn't help but worry somewhat, simultaneously loathing the abandonment issues the Cullens and 'her boys' had so permanently instilled in her.
After emailing Renee and the ecstatic response she received, her road trip plans took on a life of their own. She began researching her routes, noting possible places to stay along the way, the supplies she needed, and pricing vehicle rentals. She took out her first large cash withdrawal for her coming trip from the ATM that afternoon. Despite being the only one in the bank parking lot, she couldn't help but feel paranoid. The sensation of being watched was heavy, remaining with her for hours after Bella returned home.
A storm was building outside as she readied for bed that night, and a sudden gust through her bedroom window had her rushing over to shut it. She looked out toward the woods, glimpsing something along the treeline. Bella gasped as the wolf stepped into view, its shiny silver fur appearing almost white under the stream of moonlight. The rolling clouds quickly blocked it out again, encompassing the wolf in darkness. Its enormous eyes still shined, staring back at her. Suddenly, the sky erupted with a roll of thunder as the rain fell, entirely obscuring her view.
Bella stepped back from the window, wondering if she'd imagined it. Wolves were big, but not that big. Not usually, anyway. And the dreams of wolves still came, one of them eerily similar to the silver wolf, frequently flanking the massive black one. They always seemed on the edge of her consciousness, haunting her. She ignored the same eerie sensation that had bothered her earlier, but it remained at the edge of her thoughts, making it hard to fall asleep.
Leah finally called Bella Saturday morning to check on her. She had been pulling extra shifts at work. She had a new manager and plenty of complaints about his inappropriate behavior, insisting he couldn't take a hint despite Leah clarifying he wasn't her type.
Again, Bella asked her to consider taking a leave of absence and accompany her to Florida, but Leah seemed hesitant. This time, however, she promised to consider going. She truly needed the break.
Paul was abnormally communicative that weekend, frequently texting Bella and calling her a few times to joke around or make flirtatious comments. She was unsure if he was seriously flirting with her or just doing it to piss off their mutual people, but he left her sides hurting with laughter every time. Even if she didn't feel romantically inclined toward him, Bella couldn't help but feel a slight tingle between her thighs every time he teased her about coming over for a repeat performance. Despite his many 'threats' to surprise her at her back door (and a few lewd double entendres about her 'other' back door - which made her extremely nervous), he never came by.
She was oddly relieved and disappointed, unaware that, once again, her life was about to change.
"Psst. Wake up, Ducky."
Bella's eyes fluttered open to find Paul standing over her. She sat up quickly, throwing back her covers as she looked at the clock. It was three in the morning.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stuttered, "W-what are you… What's wrong?"
From the doorway, Leah's voice squeaked, "Bells?"
Bella's head whipped toward her. She was wide awake now as she absorbed the emotion in Leah's voice. Bella stood to greet Paul with a kiss on his cheek and immediately pulled Leah into her arms.
Rubbing Leah's back, she cooed, "What happened?"
Paul said, "I just dropped Seth off at the hospital with Sue, but Leah wanted to come here."
Bella hugged Leah tighter. "Oh, my god. Did Harry…"
She didn't have to finish her question as Leah burst into tears, nodding into Bella's shoulder. Bella sighed as she blinked back tears, heartbroken for her friend. "Thank you, Paul, for bringing her here."
"Least I could do, Ducky." He leaned down to kiss her cheek before sneaking a kiss on Leah's.
Despite tears, Leah chuckled as she stood upright, pulling away from them both. "Thanks for the ride, Paul."
He smirked, shrugging. "Lucky I was awake when Seth knocked on the door." Turning to Bella, he explained, "Leah was too upset to drive when they got the call about Harry, so Seth asked me to bring them to town. Sue was working, so she was already at the hospital."
Bella merely nodded, unsure why he felt he needed to explain. She's already assumed as much. They were neighbors and if Seth knew Paul was awake… It seemed rather obvious.
To Leah, she asked, "Is my Dad already there?"
Leah nodded. "Dad's heart was failing, even with the machines. His doctors finally intervened and told Mom she needed to say goodbye. Charlie arrived just in time, and they were with him when he passed… " Leah choked out a bitter laugh and sniffed.
Again, Bella nodded. If Harry had to die, she supposed it was appropriate for them to be together when it happened. That didn't make it any less sad, however. How devastating for Sue and Charlie!
Bella slid her hand into Leah's, threading their fingers together. "Do you want to stay here? I can take you home later when you're ready."
Leah nodded. "Seth will come here with Charlie after they've finished dealing with paperwork and things at the hospital. He'll probably sleep on the couch or something. Mom insists on finishing her shift, but I suspect she needs time alone and doesn't want anyone to worry about where she's at. Charlie is going to help Mom with funeral arrangements tomorrow."
"There's a spare bedroom downstairs. I'm sure Seth can sleep in there." Bella said, squeezing her hand. "I'm really sorry, Lee."
"I know." Leah nodded, staring off into space. Quietly, she asked, "Is it crazy that I'm relieved, though? I'm devastated. Don't get me wrong. But he didn't want to be on machines like that. He never wanted that."
Hesitating near the door, Paul said, "No, Leah. It's not crazy to let someone go when they're ready, to hope they're in a better place and not suffering anymore."
Leah blinked in surprise as she looked over at Paul, as though she'd forgotten he was there. A hint of a smile crossed her face as she said, "Thanks, Paul. I appreciate that."
He nodded. "You know my parents are both gone, Leah. If you ever need someone to talk to…"
He smirked as he caught Bella's grateful smile. It meant a lot that he wanted to help Leah through her grief, especially when he didn't have to. Bella was happy to know him now, as he was verses who he'd once been. Whatever matured him in the last year, she was glad for it. Even if that change had come from Sam's influence somehow. It was an odd thing to think about.
Leah turned to Bella and asked, "Can we just… go to sleep? My mind is a mess, and I'm so fucking tired."
"Of course," Bella said, gently tugging Leah toward her bed. "Is there anything you need first? Are you hungry? Need a drink or anything?"
Leah shook her head no as she followed Bella. She slipped her shoes off before crawling onto the bed. Bella lay on her side for Leah to snuggle against her.
Paul chuckled and asked, "Anything I can do for you both before I go home?"
Leah snorted as she buried her face against Bella's shoulder. Paul wagged his eyebrows at Bella, and she laughed.
"Depends on if you can behave yourself," Bella said, making a 'come hither' gesture behind Leah's back. Paul swiftly crossed the room and toed off his sneakers. He slid onto the bed behind Leah, who jumped in surprise and chuckled as he draped his arm over them, resting his hand on Bella's back.
"Ah," he teased. "That's nice."
"Never would have pegged you for a snuggler," Leah said through quiet laughter. Despite her amusement, her eyes welled with tears, and she sighed.
"Guy's gotta get 'em where he can," Paul teased.
He looked over Leah's shoulder, meeting Bella's gaze. She could see that he was genuinely concerned, even if he was trying to hide it. Bella realized then that whatever newfound affection he felt toward her, he had for Leah, too.
His arm tightened around them as Bella moved her hand to his side, tightening her hold on them. She pressed her lips to Leah's forehead and closed her eyes, hoping that the comfort they tried to provide was enough.