Adore you. ~Paul Lahote ~

Chapter 01

I help dad with the last of the baggage. I close the back part of the hummer we are bringing from Seattle to La Push. Dad hugs me half way before he sends me around to my side.

I graduated high school young, last year. I had just turned 17 the day before my graduation from high school. Dad was and is still so proud of me. I wonder if our neighbors, the Lahote's, are nice to us and are welcoming.

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The new house is still in stable condition. AKA, it is livable. Paul, I met him while looking t the house who seems to avoid eye contact well, jogs over and he helps me carry my stuff to my room.

"Thank you." I say lightly.

"Uh huh, don't mention it." He grins. "What's your name?"

"Layla Parker." I reply simply. "You're Paul, right?"

He nods. "The one and only."

I roll my eyes. "Cocky much?"

He smiles at me before he leaves the house. Dad bugs me again and he walks out of my room. Dad has been hugging me a lot. At least three times a day for an entire year. It is like he is scared he will lose me next. I don't plane on driving anytime soon.

I lay my three duffle bags and two suitcases on my set up bed. I pull my hair up into a messy bun before turning my box fan on. I begin to unpack all of my stuff.

I am drenched in sweat by the time I finish unpacking and decorating. I go starlight to the bathroom and I take a five minute cold shower. I go to the kitchen and I drink a whole bottled water then I step onto the porch without my jacket.

Paul is sitting with a couple guys his size on his porch. I sit on my top step and I watch out onto the empty street. I live beside a hot guy who likes avoiding eye contact and he has hit friends. Dad and I just moved onto a reservation.

"Layla!" Paul calls as d and his friends jog over. "This is Jared and this one is Quil. We wanna know if you wanna go to the bonfire the elders are having tomorrow night."

"I guess, but I don't drive." I shrug.

"Ride with us." Jared suggests. "You can meet more people and learn more about the tribes in the Rez."

I shrug. "Hold on, let me go ask my dad."

I get up and I walk inside. "Daddy!"

"What's up, Laylay?" Dad asks.

"Some boys wanna know if I can ride with them to the annual bonfire tomorrow night that te elders are putting together." I explain to him.

"Yeah, you can go." Dad says. "You need to enjoy life while you can."

I run out and I tell the guys I can go.

"Great, I'll come over here and get you at 7:30 tomorrow." Paul pats my shoulder before leaving.

My shoulder is warm where he touched it. I blush and I walk back inside. I smell the Chinese dad is cooking in the kitchen. I plop down on a stool at the counter. Dad hands me a plate of the garlic chicken he made just for me, because he doesn't like garlic. Actually, he is allergic to it. That is why he cooks all of our meals.

After supper, I go to my room and I change into some warm pajamas. I climb into my bed and I relax, cuddling into a fetal position. I feel my eyes close as sleep consumes me.