An (Im)Perfect Imprint (A Paul Lahote Imprint)

Chapter 1

I hadn't spoken to Jacob, my cousin, in nearly 6 months. I should give him props though; we live together and he's gone this long. This is how it started with Embry, too. And of course, before that, Paul and Jared had followed Sam into his stupid cult.

It was just Quil and I left. Uncle Billy kept looking at me, waiting, and it made me so sick to my stomach, that I wanted to punch somebody or something.

I was walking to school, at the moment, due to Jacob being the one who drove me to school and previously mentioned reasons, so the twenty minute trek had become a burden thrust upon me for no apparent reason. On the bright side, at least I wasn't dead. As I walked up the driveway to the little red school, I saw Jake, Embry, Paul, and Jared all gathered around Jacob's piece of shit car and I glared at the back of their heads as I walked across the cracked cement of the parking lot, the little rocks digging into my thin shoes.

I felt someone wrap their arm around me, and someone whisper in my ear, "Hey, sugar, I could give you a ride any day, or way, you want."

Aiden Cross. The guy every girl fawned over, except me, because I thought he was a pervert and the guy to get a rape charge in college. I rolled my eyes and shoved his arm off me. I turned around and smiled thinly. "Maybe never, big boy."

Aiden waggled his eyebrows. "Maybe tonight."
I saw Jake start to walk over, and I said, "Let's not. Gotta run, don't want to be late!"
I spun on my heel, and half-ran to my first block, AP Biology, which I had with both Paul and Jacob.

I pushed open the door to my class, and sat down in the lab table in the back, where I sat alone. The first bell rang and students started to pipe in, and I pulled out my notebook and started answering the stupid question-of-the-day Mrs. Chancellor made us do everyday, as a warmup. When I finished, the tardy bell was about to ring and Paul and Jacob walked in right before it rang.

Along with someone I hadn't seen since when I lived in Seattle. Someone I never wanted to see in my life again. He looked up at me and grinned, not in a nice way but in the way that made you want to hurl, and he knew it. His hair was longer since I'd last seen him and Mrs. Chancellor said, "Ah, Mr. Drew Page. Class, we have a new student. Welcome. You can sit in the back with Ms. Black."

My heart sunk and I swallowed bile. I could physically feel the blood run out of my face and I raised my hand slowly, my hand shaking as Drew walked closer to my desk. Mrs. Chancellor boomed, "Yes, Ms. Black?"

I spoke shakily, "Can I go to the restroom?"

She nodded and went off speaking about certain DNA strands. I nearly jumped up from my seat, and sped walk out the class room, my flats clicking rapidly against the tile floor. I started to breathe heavily, as I neared the bathroom before I completely lost it, and I started to cry into my hands, the sobs ripping out of my body.

It was three years ago, I was fifteen, my freshman year, and I was madly in love with Drew Page. I was over at his house, when we started making out.

His lips were so soft and he was placing them all up and down my neck, my fingernails digging into his back, as he ventured back up to my lips, tongues colliding together, interplaying, while teeth were biting my lip, softly, while a jolt of pleasure burst through me.

His hands moved to my button down and I pushed him away and said, "Drew, we talked about this."

Drew snarled in my ear, "I don't remember this."

He went back to unbuttoning my shirt and I shoved him off again. And then he hit me. Again and again and-

I blinked and murmured to myself, "You're safe. You're fine, you're fine, you're fine."

I looked around; I was sitting against the wall in the girls' bathroom. I pushed myself off the floor and splashed some water on my face and took a deep breath.

You won't let this happen again.

I patted down my face with a paper towel and tossed it into the trash can. I pulled every last bit of strength in me and I walked out of the bathroom, my curly black hair swinging in its braid behind me.

I made it back to the classroom, in one piece and opened the door, quickly going through the aisle, feeling everyone's eyes, especially his, until I made it to my seat. I sat down on the cool plastic, and looked at the board and started copying down notes, pencil scratching rapidly against the paper, as if the faster I wrote, the faster I could leave.

I felt his eyes on me, never leaving, until the bell rang and I grabbed my bag and left as hurriedly as possible. As per usual, Quil was waiting outside, and I was about to loop my arm through his to walk through class when I felt someone grab my arm. I jumped, and turned around, ready to punch Drew in his perfect little green eye, when I saw Jacob with a look of concern on his face.
"Mer, are you okay?"

I smiled thinly. "Oh, fuck off. Go run along to your cult. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble or anything."

I turned around before he could say something douchey. Quil raised his eyebrows and I just shrugged and we headed off to gym, one of the worst classes of the day, due to the entire "cult" being in my class. As we walked the hallway, people were milling around, some making out, some arguing, some trying to finish homework, as Quil said, "So how was AP Biology?"

I shrugged. "It's fine. I didn't try to punch out Paul or Jacob, so I think that was a job well done."

He laughed as we neared the locker rooms, and I said, "See you in the gym."

He waved and we went our separate ways, as I walked into the crowded locker room, maneuvering past girls towards my locker. It was full of empty water bottles and I grabbed my uniform and started to strip, and scrambled into my clothes, pulling on my sneakers. I slammed my locker shut and headed out into the gym. I quickly spotted Quil and jogged over to him, where he was sitting on a bunch of mats. I jumped up next to him, and watched as the gym began to fill up. The gang was in a corner, talking amongst themselves and I watched as Jake looked over here. Then Coach Wellman yelled, "Alright, you lot, we're gonna kick today off with some basketball. Team 1: Quil Ateara, Meredith Black, Andrew Hayes, Jennifer Hayes, and Jacob Black. Team 2: Embry Call, Paul Lahote, Drew Page-"

My head snapped up as I saw Drew, smiling sinisterly at me. I jumped off the mats and followed Quil over to where Andrew, Jennifer, and Jacob were grouped. Coach Wellman was still yelling out teams and announced that Team 1 and Team 2 would be playing each other.

I whispered in Quil's ear, "Just because we're on the same team, I still doubt he'll say anything. "

At that moment, Jacob glared at me. I rolled my eyes and Coach blew her whistle. She yelled, "Get on the court."

I moved onto the court, Quil in tow and got ready for the tipoff. Andrew, being both the only basketball player and the tallest, was in the middle up against Drew who was still staring at me. Coach blew her whistle for the second time and threw the ball in the air. Andrew got the ball, and passed it off to Jake who sprinted and took it for a layup. They took it out, Drew dribbling down the court right towards me. He paused out the circle, and went for a shot, as I put my hand up to block it. Then the ball slammed right into my face, and the cartilage crunched, and bone snapped and I felt red, hot liquid spurt down my face.

Pain spread from out my nose, and I dropped like a rock, holding my nose and I heard a lot of footsteps running to me, but my eyes were squeezed shut and someone was talking to me but I couldn't focus and blood was still gushing out and then I felt arms scoop me. I forced my eyes open and saw Jacob and I yelled, "Put me down, right now."

His eyes widened but he put me down and Coach said, "Here, take this and hold it to your nose."

She handed me a white t-shirt, and I pressed it to my nose. She barked, "Ateara, walk her to the nurse."