Dusk till Dawn | Paul Lahote ✔️

Chapter 14

Graduation was just around the corner, and I didn't know how to feel about that.

It was scary. It was exciting. Being able to say you graduated college was a humongous feat, and one that I was gong to cherish forever. I had graduated high school early, and I would be graduating college early. While I wasn't becoming a lawyer or a doctor, it was something that was near and dear to my heart - and I was more than ready to tackle the challenge.

I'd always wanted to own a bookstore. That had been my dream, even when I was a young girl. All I needed was a building to put all my books and I would be set for life. When I realized my dream I had put aside some money from various jobs. It was a dream that I was excited to make a reality.

Paul was sitting beside me at the table while I finished working on my last few assignments for college. Being able to spend time together was scarce nowadays, and we took whatever we could to be together.

I had just shut my laptop, finished for the day when screaming was heard outside. Blinking, I glanced over at Paul, who narrowed his eyes as he stood up - walking outside. Without further instructions I followed after him closely, gaping at what I saw.

Bella was cradling her hand, glaring at Jacob who seemed unfazed. "Consider yourself uninvited to the graduation party!" She spat as she grabbed her phone, dialing someone's number who I assumed was Edward.

"What's going on?" I blinked in confusion, glancing between Jacob and Bella. They had been hanging out a lot here recently, and not once had they had an argument quite like this one. Mostly it was about her turning into a vampire, and the last argument they had Jacob had blatantly told her he'd rather she was dead than turned into a leech.

Bella's head snapped forward as she made eye contact with me. We hadn't really spoken much since the return of the Cullen's, and when we did it was mostly screaming matches. "Jacob kissed me without consent. So I punched him." She explains, wincing when something sounded on the other end of the phone. "Edward's on his way to pick me up so Carlisle can take a look at my hand." She pointedly looked at Jacob, who shrugged at being called out.

"You kissed Bella without consent?!" I growled venomously, narrowing my eyes at the boy who finally winced, turning to look at me.

Clearing his throat, Jacob put his hands up in surrender as he took a step back. "I wanted to show Bella what she was missing out on," he argued, looking a little bit nervous now that dad was outside.

"That is no excuse, Jacob Ephraim Black!" I snapped when Edward's Volvo pulled into our driveway. A rightfully pissed off vampire stood out of the car, walking swiftly towards Bella who was still cradling her hand. "You always ask for consent, Jacob, always! Don't be a douche just because you're entitled!"

Jacob glanced over at Paul, who shrugs. "Sorry man, I'm with Elaine on this one. I don't like Bella but doing that to her was uncool."

Edward walks up to Jacob, glaring furiously after checking up on Bella to make sure she was okay. "If you come near her again I won't hesitate to break your bones, got it?" He hissed, turning to look at dad who was still confused but seeming to get what had happened as he gave Jacob a hard look. "I'm going to take Bella to my house to let my father look at her hand, is that alright Charlie?" He asked kindly, though I knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Dad nodded his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks at Jacob sternly. Jacob shrunk back at the look that he was getting from dad as he laughed nervously. "Jacob, I like you, but don't think for a second that I won't put a bullet through your head if you hurt one of my girls." I winced at that as dad placed his hand on the holster of his pistol that rested against his hip.

"Yes sir," Jacob gulped, glancing over at Paul and I before dashing away from the house and into the woods.

With a sigh, I shared a look with Paul. It wasn't like Jacob to do something like that. Sure he had been a little obsessive over Bella as of late, but for him to go and kiss her against her will? That wasn't the Jacob that I knew.

"We'll talk to Jacob, dad." I told him when he watched the boy go, a worried look on his face. "I just finished for the day anyway." I shrugged with a sigh.

Dad nodded his head, looking tired. "Thank you, Laney. I knew he has feelings for Bella, but I wasn't sure how deep they ran. And... and while I know that Jacob would be better for her than Edward," he spat out the name like it was poisonous, rolling his shoulders back, "we both know that Edward will always be her choice. Even... even if he is taking that choice away from her." Sighing, I give my dad a sympathetic look. "He's taking away one of my girls, and I don't like it... but it has never been my choice, has it?" He gave me a sad look, reaching out to pat my shoulder. "At least with Paul I know he won't take you away from me permanently, even if you're going to be building a life with him." With a final look he walks back inside, and my shoulders slump watching him walk away.

"He'll be okay, Laney," Paul murmurs, pulling me towards him as I snuggled into his arms.

Sniffling, I buried my face into his chest. "I know," I murmured, kissing his shoulder. "I'll make sure he's okay, since I know Bella won't. She never did." Bella had always been a bit selfish, though I couldn't quite blame her for that. She had mostly lived with mom and she wasn't a very good influence. Mom liked to live life on the edge, liked to go where-ever her heart took her and didn't like to take orders. She wanted to do things her way, or it was no way at all. It didn't matter who she hurt in the end to get what she wanted.

All I could do was hope that Bella learned what she was giving up before it was too late.