tongue twister • paul lahote

xi

T H E  W I N D  W A S cool, and it made Santana's skin tingle in the new found temperature. Despite having Paul's sweater on, it couldn't stop the nagging of the chill hitting her short-clad legs. It didn't help that she was on the roof of Paul's home, either. He begged and pleaded until he eventually talked her into coming up. Her best friends radiating heat barely reached her, but she moved closer to him and intertwined her hand with his, and swung her legs over him. Her body swivelled sideways and she rested her head on his shoulder. Paul's heart burned at the thought of her. He loved her, more than he'd ever admit to anybody, and it was killing him.

Her eyes drooped in the late hours of the night. The stars in the sky called to her, begging her to sleep, but she just couldn't bear to close her eyes. She didn't want to miss a minute with the boy next to her. Paul's free hand reached over and rested his hand on her leg. The temperature of his skin, hot enough he should be dead, warmed her slightly. She relaxed against him and looked out to the forest. The tops of the trees danced in the air. Leaves rustled and the call of animals on the reserve sounded through the quietness. The steel of the roof creaked under the two lightly, making Santana jump every now and again. The night wasn't perfect, but it was something very close.

"You've taken everything that happened this weekend pretty well," Paul laughed. "I've got to say, I'm impressed." He complimented. Santana cheeks tinted crimson and her lips turned upwards into a smile.

"I guess things were a little bit easier because all of my friends were involved." She reasoned.

"That's usually when people run." Paul sighed and let go of her hand. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into him a little closer.

"How could I ever run from you guys?" Santana retorted immediately, almost appalled at the thought. "You are my life. Without you all, I don't... I'd have nothing. You're my family." Her stomach churned at her words and she looked down at his hand on her leg. "It didn't scare me off, if anything it made me feel closer to you. You all trusted me with such a huge secret, such a big part of your life." She trailed off, letting her words ring in the vacant air.

"Well, the condition was that we could only tell our imprints. They're basically apart of the pack." He explained. Santana's eyebrows furrowed.

"But Bella isn't an-"

"No, she's not. But I kind of gave everybody no other choice." He removed his hand from her leg and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I wish I could control myself better. I've always had bad anger issues, but now it means so much more." He paused and looked out at the tree line. "I could've hurt you today. I never could've lived with myself if I had." He laughed to himself, void of humour.

"But you didn't," Santana reminded him. "I'm fine, Paul. There's no point on thinking about it if it never happened. In the time I've known you, you've only lost your temper once. That's not bad." She reasoned with him but he refused to listen.

"It's impossible not to think about. We haven't spoken for that long. Once every month or so is almost twelve a year. If we spend the rest of our lives together, that's a long time. Twelve times however many years. That's just more chances of you getting hurt. And that's just an average." He did his math aloud.

"Then we can learn to control it better if it bothers you that much. I know what I'm getting into, Paul. I wouldn't have it any other way. You're my best friend. Well, my soulmate apparently. I'm not leaving now." She stated, firmly.

"Are you sure you know?" He muttered. "Emily said the same thing. Sam lost it for a second, and he can never take that back. He had to live with that for the rest of his life. He could have hurt her so much worse-"