Eternal | Paul Lahote

One

Posting this story because I've had it in my drafts for almost two years. Started writing it out of boredom. I hope you like it!
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     "Ella?"

     The young brunette snapped out Of her thoughts, looking up to see her mother standing in front of her. Concern was written all over her face, "Baby are you okay?"

     Ella managed to pull the corners from her lips up into a small smile, nodding her head. "Yeah!" She exclaimed, if Cara Jones had paid closer attention to her daughter she would have realized she was lying. But, she was already late to work and still had to drop off her younger son at school who sat waiting in the car. So she brushed it off, assuming her 18-year-old daughter was just tired.

     "Alrighty then, don't forget to drop off those papers for Emily Young after school for me." Before Ella could even respond her mom was quickly blowing her a kiss and shutting the front door.

     Ella had almost forgotten Emily Young was getting married, and engaged to none other than Sam Uley. Just like everybody else in La Push, Ella had heard the rumors about Sam and his supposed "gang." However, she knew they were just that; rumors. In a few months, Emily would be walking down the aisle of her mother's small oceanside venue on First Beach.

     There was nothing Ella dreaded more than school. Sure she was decent at it, managing to get straight A's but she wasn't any smarter than the next kid. She couldn't stand the cramped classrooms, teachers who didn't bother to hide the fact they had lost their love of educating students, and most of all the useless gossip and drama between the girls in her grade. No one was more excited than Ella to finally be graduating at the end of the school year. She could only hope the long nights studying would pay off by getting into The University of Oregon or Portland State, both close enough to drive up during holidays and far away enough from everyone and everything in La Push. 

     "Elanora?"

     Ella hadn't realized her English teacher had already started taking attendance, quickly letting out a high-pitched "here." She felt her face heat up, Ella was not a public speaker. A blush would always creep up through her olive coloring. She heard a small chuckle behind her, Ella turned around already knowing who it was.

     Quil Ateara shook his head in amusement, the Quileute boy always enjoyed watching her make a fool of herself due to her shyness and quiet demeanor.

     "Here!" He imitated in a whisper but matched the high-pitched sound.

     "I hate you." Ella hissed, looking around hoping no one had caught that. But of course, only a few seats away sat Embry Call. The same look of amusement on his face. Ella rolled her eyes, turning back around to face the board. A small smile formed on her lips, she could never stay annoyed at her best friends.

---

     As soon as the last bell rang, Ella was pushing her way out of the front doors and getting into her car. It wasn't long before Quil and Embry were standing outside her window.

     "Can we get a ri-"

     "Get in." She cut them off, she never understood why they still asked when Ella wouldn't leave the parking lot without making sure they had a way to get home.

     They used to ride with Jake, but ever since he left it's just been the three of them and Ella is the only one with a car. Billy had told everyone that he sent Jake to live with Rachel, and no one questioned it. Everyone on the reservation could tell something strange was going on last year.

     And they were right.

     One day everything was normal, and the next everything had changed with her best friends. Embry was the first to leave them, suddenly joining Sam Uley and his "gang." Ella couldn't believe it, all the time they spent speculating about them, laughing at them and sometimes even fearing them, and out of the blue Embry was one of them. Jake was the next one to go, he had already been spending so much time with Bella Swan and just like Embry, he disappeared for a few weeks then popped up right beside Sam Uley. She never expected Quil to leave her side, considering they were so close, and when he did it truly broke her heart.

After her first and many attempts to contact them and demand an explanation for the sudden abandonment, she was faced with cold silence. Within a month, her friends had completely forgotten about her and even changed their looks. They had cut off their long which made no sense at all considering how much they all cared for it and all three had suddenly gained muscle overnight and were catching the eye of every girl on the reservation. Ella herself almost started believing the rumors that they were taking steroids.

     Ten months, ten months is how long it took before one day all three of them were standing on her doorstep asking for forgiveness. She refused at first, yelling at them instead and letting her anger and frustration out while all three just stood there and took it, she wanted them to know just how much they hurt her. Even admitting she spent her nights crying, wishing one of them would call her and explain what was going on. 

     It took a few weeks for Ella to warm up to them again, and when she did it was as if they had never left. Things went back to normal, they were attending school again and hanging out like old times. However, the excuse they gave her was a little hard to believe. They claimed they were just going through a phase and wanting to rebel, and Sam was the only one who understood them. Ella called bullshit on it, and she found out she was right the night she looked out her kitchen window and saw Quil phase into a four-legged animal. And that's how Ella Jones was let in on the tribe's secrets and the events that occurred with the Cullens and Bella Swan.

     All because Quil was a dumbass and didn't bother to phase only a few feet away in the forest where she couldn't see him.

     It's been over a month and Quil still gets ragged on for it.

---

     Ella pulled up to the Uley house, immediately Quil and Embry started letting out hoots and hollers letting everyone inside know they had arrived.

     She hadn't been to the house since she found out the truth, Sam and Emily sat her down at their small kitchen table and explained everything to her. At times she still can't believe it, her best friends can phase into large wolves and she just casually goes through life knowing it.

     Ella walked up the porch steps, the papers her mother had given her in her hands. She approached the doorway, feeling awkward as she entered the small house but pausing by the door. Even though she knew about them, she didn't exactly know them. She still felt as if she was still an outsider trespassing.

     "Come on Paul it was just a joke!"

     She heard laughter burst through the room as Paul Lahote pushed Jared Cameron to the side.

     "Shut the fuck up." He growled under his breath, just loud enough for everyone to hear him.

     He kept his head down, approaching Ella. She noticed both his hands tightly clenched into fists at his side, clearly trying to keep his cool. The boys had mentioned to her how Paul could never control his temperament, he was always phasing out of anger. It was no surprise to her, even before he phased Paul was known for throwing a punch whenever confronted. Ella herself had witnessed some of Paul's work, almost two years ago he got into a fight in the cafeteria and ended up breaking some kids nose.

     "Aw, Paul don't leave!"

     Paul, who stood at six feet didn't notice the small girl blocking the doorway as he tried to exit the Uley house. He heard a tiny "oh" not realizing he had bumped right into her, causing her to almost fall back. His instincts were quick, grabbing her arm before she hit the ground.

     "Shit." He mumbled.

     The small brunette pushed her long bangs out of her face, looking up and locking eyes with him.

    Paul Lahote suddenly felt the air knocked out of his lungs.

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Thanks for reading!