Cliff Diver || Paul Lahote•Jacob Black/Twilight Fanfiction

Chapter 33

Come one, guys! Four chapters in three days? Yessir!!!
I hope you are liking it so far, I know the last chapter might be a little intense and not as relaxed as others have been but I am actually really happy with how it's turning out. Please comment with your opinions! I love to read your comments
Lots of love
-E

Sue was able to remove all the glass shards from Renata's hands and knees before the wounds started to heal themselves around the glass. Paul's face was almost as good as new, only a thin white line remained from where his cheekbone was cut. Paul, of course, had to explain to Sue what had happened, he just listened with attention.

"You know you can stay with us anytime your father comes home like that" Sue told Paul once he had finished explaining, she was bandaging Renata's hands, to let the wounds close without any dirt.

"I know, thank you" Paul said quietly, "uhm, can I talk real quick with Renata?"

"Of course, I'm gonna call Sam, to let him know you two are here" Sue left the living room to go upstairs.

Paul sat in the couch next to Renata, and she immediately tensed up, and her eyes became gold, in alert, but didn't look at him. Paul felt guilty and stood up immediately, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. He couldn't blame her, he, himself, had never seen his father so violent in a physical way, he had always yelled and insulted Paul, but never laid a hand on him, but what he saw that day, it mortified him. In a way, Paul felt like it was his fault, he had asked Renata to take him to his house, he had not taken her out of the house immediately as his dad came in, and most importantly, he hadn't stopped his dad until it was almost too late.

"Renata" Paul's voice was soft. He tried to catch her eyes but she just looked at her lap, her shoulders started to shake, and soon, Paul heard her crying as well.  Paul sat next to her and and put a hand on her back, she snuggled next to him and cried, taking a fistball of his shirt. She started wailing, letting out all of her frustration.

Leah came down from her room running as she heard Renata crying, she fumed Paul with her eyes and kneeled in front of her, taking Renata's hands in hers.

"What did you do now?" Leah asked Paul.

"I- I- it was my fault, I'm sorry, Renata, I truly am" Paul tried to reach out to her, to touch her hand and let her know how sorry he was, to let her know that she could hug him like she did back at his house. Instead, Paul held back, and walked away from her.

"Come on, let's go to my room, and then you can tell me what happened, ok?" Leah helped Renata up, and wrapped her arm around her, then they walked together to the second floor. Paul saw how Leah treated Renata, much like how Jacob did, although he didn't really know if Leah liked Renata in that way, Paul wouldn't blame her, who wouldn't love Renata? He didn't refer to a romantic love, just love, he didn't know anyone that hadn't grown to love Renata, some in different ways than others, but, Paul sighed, she had already chosen Jacob.

"I've never felt so powerless" Paul heard Renata say faintly as they went upstairs.

Paul needed to blow some steam, so he ran out into the woods, he phased immediately, and started running. He sensed Sam was out there, so he just ran to him, and tell him what happened, and how he felt. Sam would understand.

Renata told Leah what happened. She had stopped crying now. Leah wanted to chew Paul's head off, but Renata stopped her. It wasn't Paul's fault. It was his father's, and no one else's, she just wished Paul had intervened sooner. Yet, Renata knew why he hadn't. Paul had seen his dad psychologically abuse his mom, he could do nothing about it, then, his dad started to abuse him, he felt like he could do nothing against him, not even now, the constant stress and feeling of powerlessness, had taken a toll on Paul's mental health. His anger issues might be a result of that abuse.