The Beacon -Paul Lahote 2-

Chapter 27

Stress, confusion, those were the things Paul felt watching his girlfriend on the beach. She hadn't said one word to him. Instead, she took off with Kim and Leah down towards the water. Kim had returned rather quickly.

The others around him found the situation amusing. It wasn't often the anger-filled shape-shifter was left entirely speechless.

Paul sat on a log with a scowl on his face the entire night. He hadn't done well with sharing his girlfriend's attention in the past, but he managed. This was entirely different. Mavis barely acknowledged him. He hated it. He hated that he felt jealous of Leah, of all people. Recently it seemed Mavis opted to spend more time with her than him.

He noticed Leah walking back towards them. Paul was immediately concerned when he noticed Mavis wasn't with her. He pushed off the log and dashed towards her. "Where's Mavis?"

"Woah." Leah put a handout. "Relax, dude." Paul noticed the blonde standing nearly thirty feet away.

No more words were spoken between the two. Paul quickly walked down the coast to where she was standing. The girl didn't hear him. "Hey." Mavis glanced at him. A giant smile appeared on her face.

"Paul!" He smiled back at her. He was instantly relieved by her positive reaction. Mavis strolls towards him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Where have you been? I've missed you."

Paul places his hands on her hips. "You're the one who ran off."

She leans back. "You're supposed to follow me."

He raises an eyebrow. "I am?"

"Yes," she spoke in a 'duh' tone. "You always do." Paul never had a chance to respond. Mavis dragged them both onto the ground. He turned them in a way that allowed him to fall against the sand. Somehow, he manages to pull her perfectly onto his lap. Mavis leans into his chest, her head nuzzling into his neck. He grins, pulling her closer. "You're warm, and I'm freezing."

"Probably because you ripped off your sweater."

Mavis hiccuped. "I don't remember doing that."

"Of course not. You're intoxicated." He uses his left hand to rub circles on her back.

She grinned, "I am." Her blue eyes flutter open, and she stares at him with a complex expression. "Do you still love me?" His hand slips under her shirt, resting against her stomach. The warmth of his hand brought her some comfort.

Paul pulls his head back. "Of course I do."

"Okay." Mavis seemed hesitant. "I love you." A silence fell over them. Mavis stared at the ocean. The moon and stars were bright. There were no clouds in the sky. It was entirely peaceful. "It's so quiet." The voices were gone. The noises were gone. Mavis had almost forgotten what that felt like. "It's been so long. I've missed it."

Paul was instantly alarmed by her words. "What are you talking about?"

Mavis moves out of his lap. Her attention had once again shifted. "We should go swimming." She stands up and walks towards the water.

The boy chases after her. "Hey, Mavis." He grabs her hand and stops her from leaving.

She spun around. "What?"

He's concerned about her previous words. "What do you mean it's quiet?"

Mavis bites her lip as she stares at her boyfriend. Whatever he said doesn't register in her mind. She's admiring how good he looks in the moonlight. "You look really good right now."

Instantly he blushed. "No," he shook his head. Paul needed to focus on what was important. "Mavis. Listen to me." He places both his hands on her cheeks. "What are you talking about? What's quiet?"