Lemon Water // Paul Lahote

ninety two

Serena

Luck was on my side today. Well, as much as it could be when you're literally being hunted by vampires. Durning gym we had a free period, which meant that I could go to the weight room and run for the entire period. Jake followed me, the fib agent on duty for this class period. "Serena, nobody is going to blame you for whatever happens" he said as I began to run.

"I'm going to blame me" I responded, focusing on getting faster, "I wasn't fast enough in her vision so I have to be fast enough when it actually happens"

"If you keep blaming yourself for everything then you'll never be able to live with yourself"

"If I can save them, I will. And I will save them by getting faster"

"The vision isn't going to come true" Jake let slip and I raised my eyebrows at him, curious about what they weren't telling me

"What do you mean?"

"We've been ordered to keep you out of the woods until we get rid of Victoria and Luke"

"If there's a will, there's a way. Lukes getting stronger. He's going to figure out how to get me in there."

"Not if we have anything to say about it. You're not going near the woods, period."

"But I love the woods!"

"Would you rather watch someone die because you wanted to sit in the woods or would you rather keep someone safe by staying out of them?"

"You're right. I'm being stupid. No woods. Not Now. Not Ever."

I returned to the weight room again during study hall, where I was monitored by Embry and Jared. The perfect combo. Instead of watching me, they were having a lifting competition, which Embry obviously lost. There was no way he was beating Jared at anything.

When the bell rang, I rushed to lunch and shoved in my food before getting straight back into the weight room. Im sure the guys were sick of my antics by now, but they didn't understand. They weren't in this position, I was.

I didn't get back in the weight room during the day. Practice consisted of a lot of conditioning once again today, so I made sure to push myself as far as I could go, earning praise from my coach for my efforts. After practice finished, I tried to go back to the weight room, but Embry didn't let me.

"Come on, Em, please!" I pleaded as he dragged me to the truck.

"No, Re Re, you need to eat something substantial. Then I'll think about taking you to the Cullen's place to use their treadmill." He drove us to Sam and Emily's house, where I was forced to eat chicken, rice, and salad, and a lot of it. 

"Can we go to the Cullen's now?" I asked

"You want to go to the Cullen's?" Leah scoffed, giving me a judge look

"She wants to use their treadmill" Sam said

"Why don't you just use ours?" Leah asked, "At least you'd be in La Push so you'd get more sleep"

"That's a great idea! Thanks Leah" I exclaimed. Leah finished her food quickly, then we left together for her house, taking Paul's truck because he could just meet us there after he's finished with patrol.

Embry stayed at Sam's place, getting a few hours of sleep before he would have to go switch out with Paul to patrol. We had the Cullen's surveying the area also, but you could never be too safe. Not with Victoria and her army running rapid throughout all of Washington.

Leah sat with me in their small home gym that doubled as as office for a little while as I was running, but eventually headed off to bed so she could get a decent amount of sleep. Paul got to the Clearwaters house shortly after Leah went to bed, telling me that it was just after midnight.

"Serena, how are you still going?" He asked tiredly

"I don't know, Paul, I'm tired but something is forcing me to keep running. Its like something is giving me extra strength and energy to keep going"

"How long have you been running for?"

"A little over three hours, why?" I asked him confused

"You're not even sweating yet you're going at an 8 mile per hour pace"

"What!" I exclaimed, swiping my hand on my forehead, looking in awe as it came back completely dry

"Your feet are getting sloppy though, I think its almost time for you to be done"

"Just one more hour, please?"

"If I can hear the treadmill from upstairs, we're leaving. I don't want you keeping Sue from getting any sleep"

"Yes father" I said, watching as he walked from the room quickly. He will definitely be able to hear the treadmill with his wolf hearing, I was just hoping he'd try and gauge it for human ears.

He returned shortly after he left, shaking his head at me. "Sorry Rena, its pretty loud upstairs"

"But that's probably just your wolf hearing" I tried and he shook his head again

"No its too loud to just be my wolf hearing"

I nodded and turned the treadmill off, following him out of the Clearwater's house and to his truck. Did you drive or did Leah?" he asked me as we got in

"Leah did" I replied, "Why?"

"The parking was too good to be you. Plus I don't trust you with my baby yet"

"I though I was your baby?" I asked, fake hurt crossing my face

"You are my baby!" He corrected, "But so is my truck! I think I'd die if anything happened to her!"

"Sounds like I need to get rid of your truck. You'll probably marry it before you marry me"

"You want to get married someday?" He asked me, smiling in my direction

"If I make it out of this alive" I told him, leaning into his side

"You're not dying on my watch. If you do, I'll die with you and we can get married in heaven"

"What about your dad? The guys?"

"They won't miss me"

"Yes the will, Paul. You're amazing. You're the life of the party, their entertainment, their best friend. Of course the would miss you"

"Thanks, baby. Can we stop talking about dying though? You're making me cry, and I don't cry. Ever" he laughed, wiping a few stray tears off his face

"Wait let me take a picture of you before you wipe them all away!" I exclaimed, pulling my phone put of my bag.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" He exclaimed, grabbing my phone from me before I had a chance to take a picture.

"You're no fun"

"Please. I'm the life of the party. You said it yourself"