wilderness | paul lahote

{10}

Jacob and I walked over to his backyard as he introduced me to everyone, along with his father Billy Black, the lovely Sue Clearwater - who had asked me about my injuries, and I had thanked her for patching me up that first night - old Quil and Harry Clearwater.

Embry had run over to say hello, hugging me too tightly for my own good.

"Ouch, injured girl here, remember." I said, trying to catch my breath. "Besides, you saw me yesterday evening." I laughed as placed me down and let me go. "Sorry," he muttered.

"We all just like you." Jacob said as he ruffled my hair.

"Yeah, some more than others." Embry winked, leaving me confused once more. I guess it had been readable from my expression as a simple glance at my face made him burst out laughing. "Don't get me wrong. I like you a lot. But there's a certain someone here who kept asking if you were coming." He whispered, as Jacob snickered beside us, taking a bite out of a chicken wing he had grabbed from the snack table. I looked up at both Embry and Jacob. "You know, I have no idea what you two are on about, right?" Even though, something in the back of my mind told me I did.

Jacob rolled his eyes, a playful smirk still on his face.

I shivered in the cold breeze, wrapping my hands tightly across my body. "Come on, let's go sit by the fire, or else you're going to freeze." Jacob said as he noticed me shivering. I still cursed myself for not bringing anything but a hoodie. I had underestimated myself once more. From the corner of my eye I could see Paul staring at us. 

The night had gone by peacefully. We all gathered around the fire, except for the elders who had now gone inside the house. Everyone who sat around the fire pit was either eating, drinking or chatting with each other. I was sat between Jacob and Jared. Across from me I could see Paul, now sat up straight, looking at us. His dark eyes shining in the warm light of the fire, crackling away between us.

When our eyes met, it was as if nothing surrounded us. No one. Just us two, separated by the flames. His eyes were fierce, yet for the first time ever, they held hints of sadness in them. It was as if no one else was there with us, the butterflies in my stomach raged on. Every inch of me wanted to go over there. Yet I had also felt anger. Anger for his unpredictable mood swings and emotional outbursts. Anger for him not liking me - even though every logical part within me understood his point of view. In a community like this, so together, like a big family, I could see why they would not want an outsider to barge into their territory.

I broke my gaze and stood up, walking to the snack table a bit further away from where everyone was sitting. I needed to breathe. Nothing in me made sense on why I had been so drawn to the boy.

I felt an odd sense of sadness. For the first time in a while, I felt like I belonged somewhere. I felt wanted, appreciated. Jake, Jared, Embry, Emily and Sam, with all the other elders and the people here, had made me feel warm. I missed my family. This sense of belonging had felt strange to me. And this made me uncomfortable. 

The change in temperature had been extremely noticeable now that I was standing away from the source of warmth. I wrapped one arm around myself again, as I held a cup of soda with the other hand. The cold beverage not doing any good for the shivering.

I was startled by someone walking up from behind me. "Hey," Paul walked over to the table and poured himself some water, looking at me while he drank it. I put my cup down, now wrapping my other arm around myself as well. Both to stop me from shivering, and to hold myself together. His presence felt weirdly comforting, yet it didn't do any good for the confusion I was in.

"You have to stop doing that." I said when I finally found the strength in my voice to speak up, my voice more brittle than I had intended.

"Do what?" He looked at me straight in the eyes again, causing me to lose focus. 

"Sneaking up from behind me and scaring the shit out of me." I said as I broke his gaze, looking back towards the bonfire. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my hoodie. I heard him chuckle lowly. 

He was being nice again. I had wondered how long that would be lasting this time. 

"Are you cold?" He asked. I nodded, still not looking back at him. "A little." 

I heard shifting as he stepped closer to me, placing a jacket on my shoulders. It was oddly warm. Like a jacket that had been just taken off of a radiator. Instinctively I wrapped it more around my shoulders, taking in all the warmth I could get. 

I looked over to him, now standing inches away from me, gazing down at me intently. I felt even shorter than I already was, even though he had been shorter than Jake. He wore nothing but a black T-shirt and jeans. I shivered at the sight of that. "Aren't you going to be cold now?" I asked, beginning to give back his jacket. 

He smirked. "I'm good, don't worry." He lifted it back, his hands lingering on my shoulders. "You need it more than me."

"Thanks," I whispered, pushing my arms through the sleeves of the jacket, breathing in the scent of aftershave and bonfire. It was comforting, wiping away all the thoughts and emotions that had plaqued my mind just minutes before.

"I haven't had the chance to properly introduce myself," he said, now facing me. "I've been quite rude, and I'm sorry for that." His mouth was pulled into a half smile, this time reaching his eyes. A sign it was genuine.

"I'm Paul Lahote," I had to look away from his eyes once again, now looking down at my feet.

"Ariah Lockwood." I said.

"I'm sorry again for being such an asshole before," he started. "I tend to have problems with that."

"So I've heard," he chuckled at my response. I wondered what had got him in such a good mood this evening. "And you don't have to be sorry. I don't blame you for not liking me. I'm an outsider after all." I looked back at him when he didn't answer. His smile had now faded, his brows furrowed. "You think I don't like you?"

I nodded, taken aback by his sudden change, again.

"I wish it was that simple." He said before looking back at everyone sitting by the fire. Eating. Laughing.

I hadn't understood what he had meant by that, but my brain had been too tired to start analyzing his words. I yawned unwillingly, my body shivering again. I felt him stand closer to me.

"Come here," he held his arm open to me, taking me by surprise. He laughed lowly. "You'll be warm." Hesitantly I stepped closer to him, he put his arm around my shoulder, rubbing my right arm with his hand. Feeling of electricity ran through my body at the closeness of us two. The butterflies crazier than ever before.

His body gave off extreme warmth, even through the thick jacket. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked him, feeling his arm tense up.

"Yeah?" There was confusion in his tone.

"Oh," I started. "You seem like you have a fever or something." Looking up at him, his jaw tightened. He was still looking straight ahead.

"I'm okay," he said. "You're just cold." And I had guessed that had to be it. Everything must've felt warm after standing out in the cold evening air. "Let's go back to the others." He said as we walked back to the fire, his face still more serious than it had been before.

I had still been confused about everything. Yet I felt weirdly happy for the small moment we had had. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all?

As we sat down, his arm still over my shoulders, I could see Sam looking towards us. His face unreadable.

a/n: sorry for the small wait, i've been creatively struggling a little. and sorry for the shitty chapter. It's late, I'm tired and i felt like i owe something to you guys so i wrote a quick one down. also needed those two to come closer together finally. got some more stuff planned for y'all!! thank you to those enjoying, feedback is always welcome! 🖤