Hey, folks. It's been a while, I know. Lots going on over the last couple of months. I hope this chapter is the kick in the booty I needed to get back on the ball. I hope you all enjoy it. Please don't forget to comment. I'd love to know if you're still here. xoxo.
Once they reached the Clearwater house, it didn't take long for Leah to strip her dress and crawl into bed. Her exhaustion was almost palpable - but Bella was wide awake. She held Leah for a long time, letting her friend cry herself into a stupor in her arms before Leah finally drifted off to sleep.
After laying in silence for what felt like hours and her brain whirling over several different things, Bella finally looked at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning, and sleep seemed nowhere in sight.
"Leah," Bella whispered, nudging her friend.
"Hmm?" Groggily, Leah opened one eye to look over at her. "Sup, Swan?"
"I'm going to go for a short walk or something. I'm just feeling a little…"
"I know." Leah turned her face into her pillow. "You're restless. I can tell. A walk might help."
"I'll be back soon." Bella leaned over to kiss Leah's cheek before climbing out of bed.
"Say hey to Paul for me if you run into him," Leah teased, her chuckle muffled by the pillow. "Or whoever you run into out there. There's sure to be someone."
Bella bent down to rub Leah's back affectionately for a moment. Leah sighed, seemingly content as she snored. Bella grinned down at her before quietly leaving the room. She slipped into her shoes, wishing she had brought something more comfortable to change into. The dress she now wore was modest and flowy (albeit very wrinkled), but not nearly as comfortable as the oversized t-shirts she'd grown used to sleeping in.
The air outside was warm and slightly humid. It had been a surprisingly warm day despite the lingering storm clouds overhead, practically warning them all that something was happening… something bigger than Bella could understand despite the overwhelming sense of knowing. It was the same dread she felt just before Jacob abandoned her.
Those memories grappled with other prodding thoughts as she walked down the dark but familiar path behind Leah's house. It didn't matter where Bella was walking to, really. She just needed to move, to clear her head.
As she followed the path around a cluster of pine trees, Bella heard quiet voices coming closer. It didn't take long for her to reach them as she tried to stay out of sight. Without planning to, she'd ended up behind Jacob's. She could see him in the distance, standing under the awning behind his garage near the lamp post, propping his girlfriend up against the wall as he trailed kisses up her giggling neck. A moment later, their mouths crashed together as his hands roamed her hips and thighs, tightly wrapped around his waist. Ellie tugged at the back of his t-shirt and helped him remove it before diving back into his mouth as he rutted against her.
Despite the time passed, her residual anger, her current (sort of) fling with Paul, and her altogether confuddled feelings for Leah, seeing Jacob like that still hurt. Physically hurt. Not in her chest like normal, but in the pit of her stomach as it roiled and tears welled in her eyes.
How did some people withstand heartbreak after heartbreak? She didn't doubt that seeing Edward with someone, even after all this time, would probably similarly gut her. She'd felt almost jealous about Paul and Leah flirting a few hours earlier.
Clearly, Bella Swan wasn't good at letting go.
She jumped at the sound of a crunching twig behind her and spun to find Paul staring at them, too. " . I spy with my little eye," he teased quietly, chuckling.
What was he doing here? Leah told her to say hello to him… or whoever. How could she have known?
Suddenly, Jacob's laughter drifted toward them and the instant visual of his smile at the bonfire felt like a punch to the gut. Bella froze and squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to breathe.
All humor fled his face as Paul finally looked over and saw the devastation in hers. Sounding equally annoyed and sympathetic, he hurried toward her and whispered, "Damn it, Ducky. Come here! "
Instead of waiting for her to move, he rushed toward her. Paul's arms were around her before she could blink, and Bella buried her face against his warm, solid chest. He rubbed her back with both hands, quietly shushing her muffled sobbing before leaning down to cover her tear-streaked face in firm, rapid kisses. They tickled as his five o'clock shadow scratched her skin. He quickly had her giggling through the last of her tears as she tried to wiggle out of his arms.
It was a welcome distraction, and she began to playfight with him in earnest. He tried reinforcing his grip just a hair too late, repeatedly letting her slip out of his hands. He delivered a swift and surprisingly loud slap to her bottom when she ran from him. Bella yiped as she darted away.
Paul snickered as he slowly followed. "Aw, I made her quack ."
She ducked just out of Paul's reach and behind a tree, using it as a barrier against him. He crouched somewhat and actually growled at her.
Something about the predatory grin on his face sent a shiver down her back as the ache in her lower abdomen became something else entirely, pooling between her legs in slick, liquid heat.
'Yeah, Bella. This ridiculous attraction to possible danger might be a red flag,' she mused, trying to bite back a grin. Still, she was now aware of how good Paul could make her feel when she let him, making playing along too hard to resist.
She crept around the tree with him as he moved, staying just out of reach until he faked left, then right, confusing her. Bella shrieked as she moved in the wrong direction and Paul caught her easily. He spun her around and pressed back to the tree, making her grunt and then groan from his rough movements. She grinned ruefully as he laughed.
Paul leaned down to brush his nose against her neck, inhaling deeply. Moaning, he pressed his lips to her throat and sighed as he pulled away. Nearly a whisper, he asked, "Like being chased, Little Duck? Or do you just like getting caught?"
Now Bella really wished she'd brought clothes with her to sleep in. Her panties were soaked, and the smirk on his face gave her the feeling Paul was very well aware of it.
Approaching footsteps pulled their attention, and Bella groaned again, assuming it would be Jacob after all of her shrieking. She hoped he wouldn't have Ellie trailing behind him.
Under her breath, she muttered, "Probably trying to see who is making all the noise."
Paul tucked her against his side as they tried not to laugh. "That would be you, Ducky. You're a loud, clumsy duck."
"Oh, hush ."
She unconsciously arched her hips toward him and tried to ignore the way his warm hand felt as he lightly stroked the side of her neck. He squeezed it lightly, and she smiled, confident Paul would never physically hurt her on purpose.
"Bells?"
She and Paul turned to look at a wide-eyed, suspicious Jacob. Despite assuming he'd heard them trampling around and her yelling, her cheeks flushed with heat over the genuine concern on his face.
"Hi, Jake."
Ignoring Paul practically leaning on her, Jacob stepped closer, searching her face as his hands balled into fists. "Are you okay?"
Paul chuckled. "She's fine, Black." He looked into Bella's eyes and added, "We were having a little chase. I won." He winked and she couldn't help the snort that followed.
Incredulously, Jacob asked, "Bells? Running in the woods at night for no reason? Yeah right."
"Hey!" She said, offended.
Jacob turned his suspicion-filled eyes back toward Paul. "What are you doing out here anyway, Paul?"
"Just ran into my little quacker while going for a walk. I guess neither of us could sleep."
Unsure how he could know that she hoped it was just a good guess. Paul slid his hand down her forearm and threaded their fingers together. Unconsciously, she gripped his hand in kind, anxiously tucking herself tighter against him.
Jacob shook his head and scoffed as he met her gaze. "Bells…Why him? Seriously? Of all fucking people?"
Paul shuddered in anger and she could have sworn he puffed his chest as he growled. "Yeah, Black. Why me, huh? Why not you? Maybe you should ask your girl that question and worry less about mine. Huh?"
Wide-eyed, Bella gaped up at him. Mine? Okay, maybe Leah was right about some things.
Immediately furious, Jacob hollered, "Fuck you, Paul, You know…"
"Stop!" Bella yelled, pulling away from Paul, but keeping her hand wrapped tightly in his. "Jake, don't! I don't know what you're trying to do now, but just… leave it be. Paul is my friend, and I'm tired of explaining it. What that friendship entails is nobody's fucking business. Including yours. Just go home to Ellie. I'm sure she's waiting…"
Ignoring Paul's fearsome glare and her comments, Jacob said, "Bella, he'll just move on with some other chick the second you and Leah leave for your trip. You know that, right?"
Bella felt her cheeks growing hot with her temper as she tried to digest Jacob's hypocrisy and hissed, "Well, at least I'd have a warning!"
Jacob had no time to respond as Paul snapped, "So what if I do, Black? Why do you give a shit what I do?"
Jacob hissed, "Awesome way to treat your girl."
"Nah." Paul scoffed, shaking his head. "I treat Bella just fine. I've told you before, we're not together."
"Oh, but she's your girl…"
"Yeah, she is," Paul said with a single, emphatic nod. "We might not be a couple or anything, but I care about her. A lot more than you these days, I'd wager."
Bella was dumbfounded, and slack-jawed as she watched them argue. They couldn't seriously be fighting over her again. Right? I should've just stayed in fucking bed.
Jacob guffawed. "How do you figure?"
"Because I didn't turn my fucking back on her when she did nothing wrong," Paul said, point-blank. "How often have you seen me ignore her just because somebody 'said so'? When have I let someone else's opinion convince me to ignore her like you did, Jake? You have more tallies in that department than I fucking do."
"If you've got something to say…"
"I believe I just did! I'm over here trying to cheer her up and all you're doing is making her anxious."
Stepping closer to Jacob, Paul's voice lowered, sounding almost threatening as he added, "Go back to your playpen and play house with Ellie, Jake. Remember Sam's advice? Bella's not your concern anymore."
Bella took another step back, letting go of Paul's hand. The whole thing felt ridiculous. They were seriously yelling over her like a child, neither caring if she had anything to say. She was sad about Jacob, but now he'd infuriated her again. Paul was behaving possessively and she still didn't know what to think about him just happening to be here.
And Leah was home in bed, precisely where Bella should have stayed.
Jacob gestured toward Bella but didn't notice she was backing away from them as he yelled, "I'm not going to quit caring whether she's okay. You don't give a damn about what's good for her."
Nearly ten feet from them, Bella turned her back and quietly walked away, heading back to Leah's.
Behind her, she heard Paul yell, "Why don't you let Bella fucking decide what's good for her?"
She scoffed, shaking her head as she quickened her pace. Bella wanted to cry, but she was so baffled by the whole thing she felt numb.
She was near Leah's when she heard footsteps behind her and instinctively stepped behind a tree, out of sight. A moment later, she was pulled backward against a warm chest as long, tanned arms hugged her close.
Sounding genuinely remorseful, Paul said, "I'm sorry, Ducky."
She sighed in aggravation but leaned into him anyway. "You both sucked back there, you know?"
"I know. I wasn't trying to be a dick to you. I was trying to piss off Black, but that backfired, huh?"
"Ya think?"
He chuckled and gently turned her to face him. Paul raised one hand to brush the hair out of her face. "You okay?"
Bella raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed, nodding.
"Yeah. Dumb question."
As she finally gathered her thoughts, Bella said, "I'm sad, Paul." He seemed to search her face for a moment before meeting her gaze. "Like… in my soul, Paul. I'm just… sad ."
He nodded slowly as she looked away. "You fell pretty hard for that little shit, huh?"
"Yeah. I did." Bella crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't remember when it happened, but I remember when I finally let myself admit it. And then boom, he was… gone. Like I didn't exist anymore."
"I know. I told Sam the whole Embry thing was crap. Anybody who saw you with Jake back then knew better. Even me."
"Well, thanks for trying, I guess," Bella said and he snickered. "I think I know why he distrusts me so much. Sam?"
Bella lowered her arms as he pulled her closer. "I know he hates the Cullens, and don't think I didn't see all of you looking at me during those stories tonight."
Paul suddenly tensed around her, seeming very serious as she continued, "I will not pretend I know everything going on with you guys because I don't. But, I'm not tied to them anymore. That family broke me, Paul. They almost killed me. Several times, actually."
Paul loosened his grip on her as he shook and took a deep breath. Bella placed her hands on his chest and slowly rubbed as she tried to soothe him.
"Hey," she whispered. "I'm okay. Don't get angry, Paul. It's not worth the wasted energy."
"Are you going to be safe? You and Leah, going on this trip…" He shook his head worriedly. "Will you have to worry about running into them ?"
"No," Bella said firmly, wondering how she'd gone from being upset to trying to comfort him so quickly. "They aren't exactly fans of the Sunshine State."
"Or any sunny state," he muttered, making her laugh. "You're not denying it?" He stared down at her in disbelief.
"I suppose getting some answers about your little gang is out of the question?"
"Yes."
"Then, no, I'm not denying it, but I'm not going to give Sam any more ammunition against me, either." She pulled away from him. "It doesn't matter, anyway. They're gone. The damage is already done."
Paul sighed. "I wish I could tell you how right you actually are."
She snorted and said, "I don't need you to. I'm living proof, remember?"
She reached up to push her hair back and Paul caught her forearm. She grimaced as he turned her hand over to inspect the scar inside her wrist.
His face fell. "Quil told us, you know?"
"I figured he would. I'd rather not talk about it, though."
"I won't ask you to." Paul brushed his thumb over the cold half-moon scar and shuddered. Bella gently pulled her hand away, returning her arms to their defensive, crossed position under her chest.
"Come on." Paul slid his arm around her as he pointed away from the trail toward his house and grinned suggestively. "Come over for a little while. Let me make it up to you."
She scoffed, still thinking about the odd situation she'd found herself in, already forgetting the argument with Jacob just a few minutes before. "Make what up to me?"
"Acting like a dick." He chuckled as he reached for her hand again. "Besides, if you're going to go to bed wet, you should at least be hard-ridden first." He roared with laughter as her face turned scarlet and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
It took a minute for her to fan her face with her free hand and gather herself before responding. "Can I, um, check on Leah first?"
"Sure," he said indulgently, tugging her toward Leah's. "Let's go."