Ember ↠ Paul Lahote ✓

15

𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄
if there is anything i believe in, it's you.

CLARY LEANS BACK on her arms, a blanket beneath her. Beside her is the one and only Paul Lahote, the guy she's on a date with.

She's keeping to her promise and giving him a chance, even though she's afraid of hurting him or getting her own heart broken.

"This is good food," Clary says, smiling. "Did Emily make it?"

"Yeah. She was thrilled about me telling you about the bond and how you agreed to going on a date with me."

Clary looks over at him, turning serious. "You didn't tell anyone about what you saw me do, did you?"

She's worried now—she isn't supposed to tell anyone what she is, but she's already done so with the Cullens and now Paul.

Paul frowns. "I didn't. I promise you." He reaches over and grabs her hand. "You can trust me."

Clary moves her hand away from his, even though his hands are warm and it feels right. She looks away from him and towards the cliff they had just dived off of minutes ago.

They've been at the beach for about three hours now. They've cliff dived, gone swimming in the ocean, and even played tag like they were in some cliché romance movie.

Clary can admit, though, that she's having the best day of her life, even if deep down she's still afraid that she's not what Paul deserves.

Over the course of the hours she's spent with him, Clary's actually grown to like him more than a friend and it terrifies her. She hasn't been in a relationship since she killed her old boyfriend.

Paul reaches over, tucking a strand of red hair behind Clary's ear. He lowers his hand, rubbing his thumb across her cheekbone. "I would never hurt you."

Clary sighs and shifts away from him, grabbing a grape from the container they are in beside her and popping it in her mouth.

She smiles lightly to herself as she recalls suggesting going cliff diving earlier. She'd never done it before, so she was excited, but Paul had declined, not wanting her to get hurt.

Clary had run past him and did it anyway. She had laughed the entire way up the cliff, and even when she hurled herself off it.

She refuses to let some boy control her, even if she's his so-called imprint. She's an independent woman who doesn't need a man.

Deep down though, Clary does want Paul. She wants him so badly, but she restrains herself.

"I know," she whispers. "But I've been hurt before, by those who said they'd never hurt me... And I've lost so many people I can't even count anymore." She looks away, letting out a trembling breath. "You deserve better. The universe should've made you imprint on someone who wasn't as shitty or as messed up as me."

Paul gently grabs her face and makes her look him in the eyes. "Listen to me—you're not a shitty person, and you're not a mess."

Clary shakes her head. "Yes, I am."

The shifter thinks for a second before smiling. "You know what? You're a beautiful mess—a work-of-art kind of mess. You're just exploding with colour, pain, love—you name it. And if you're a damn mess, well, so am I. We can be a big, beautiful mess together."

Clary remains speechless, staring at him for a good minute before chuckling softly, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Thank you, Paul."

Paul smiles and kisses her forehead. "I'm just telling the truth."

The redhead pulls away from him and wipes the tears on her cheeks, not liking how she'd shown weakness, but admitting to herself that she feels better now.

She's been hard, cold, and always pushing her pain to the recesses of her mind, so for her to cry the way she just did makes her feel relieved.

The two spend the rest of the day at the beach, swapping stories about their friends and family.

They play some more in the water, and cliff dive while holding hands. They even cuddle up to each other on the beach, watching the sunset with smiles on their faces.

No matter how much Clary wants to kiss Paul that day, she doesn't. She's afraid that if she were to give in more than she already has, she'll lose him.

And she's not willing to lose anyone else, especially him.