Storm ☾ Paul Lahote

~RETALIATE~

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Pulling into the parking lot was nothing different for me. I have experienced the stares once before with Paul, now I was about to go through it all over again with Jake.

"Jake, isn't it weird that I didn't go through this..?" I look out the window as he turned off the engine, a few people looking in our direction already.

"Dude, is that Jake?" I could even hear the sound of a boy as he walked towards the school.

"Yeah, I heard he's a part of the cult." That's when I lost it. I open the door, hopping out of the truck, straight toward the boy that said what I've been tired of hearing these past two weeks. The boy looked bewildered as I approached him.

"Why don't you shove your textbook up your-" A familiar arm wraps around my waist, interrupting my sentence.

"Jesus, Reggie. Chill." Paul breathed when he pulled me into him. He buried his nose into my hair as he inhaled my scent. I closed my eyes, breathing in heavily.

I heard a car door close, indicating that Jake actually did get out of the car. Embry was already waiting for him on the other side, I knew he was ecstatic to have his best friend back. I just prayed that Quil would be okay. Maybe eventually Embry, Jake and I will learn to control ourselves better and be able to hand around Quil again.

After a few minutes of letting Jake talk himself up into going inside the school, we made our way through the doors. Not everyone stared, it was like they were used to the fact of Sam "recruiting someone every month or so. But those who were familiar with Jake knew that it was strange of him to do this, especially when he was so against the pack for the longest time.

If they weren't looking at him weird or whispering to their friends as he walked by, then they were gawking at him. They wouldn't say anything above whispering level. Maybe they had already heard about my confrontation with the boy outside.

The girls would wave at him, giggling and smirking as he walked by. At least he was getting some good attention to break up all the rumors about what had happened to him.

I headed to my locker after a few minutes of talking with the pack, seeing Seth and Jennifer talk to each other in low tones. "Hey, guys." I said as I started to do the combination for my locker. I expected a couple of greetings in return, but all I got was silence. I furrowed my brows, seeing that Seth's back was still facing me when I glanced in their direction. "Hey...guys."

Seth turned around, only glancing at me half a second before turning to open his locker. But I could feel Jennifer's eyes burning into me, before she shook her head. "You're incredible." She scoffed.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

"How could you do that to Jake?"

Seth sighed. "Yeah, Reagan. I didn't think Paul would get to you like that, it's kinda low."

My eyes were slightly wide as I stared at them with a frozen expression. I tried to think back the last couple of weeks, something that I or Paul would have done to upset them. I couldn't think of anything. "Okay, maybe I'm crazy. But I have no idea what you guys are talking about."

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure you don't, Reagan." Seth said after grabbing a couple of books and closing the metal door. "Even if it's pretty obvious. You just don't want to admit it."

"You wouldn't even tell us what this 'cult' was, you said you didn't know. And now it's like you're a part of it." Jennifer glared.

I swallowed, "If you want to be a bitch, go ahead." I raise an eyebrow. "You and Paul weren't official so, if that's the issue, you have no right to be angry."

"You knew that I was crushing on him!" She stomps her foot in a childlike way.

"You told me that I deserved better. I took your advice, so don't you dare turn this around on me." My eyes narrow at Jennifer as she continues to glare. "Screw you, Jen."

Just then she reels her hand back, slapping me across the face. The slap was as loud as a clap and it stung the right side of my face, most likely leaving a bright red mark. I bite my lip, before turning my head back to Jennifer. She looked shocked as I stepped forward, pushing her back.

 Suddenly, my fist was slamming into her face. Jennifer dropped to the ground, clutching her nose. I shook my fist, ignoring the pain that shot up my arm. A crowd had formed as I gripped Jennifer by the hair, pulling her up. She squirmed, trying to scratch my hands with her clawed nails. When I got her to her feet, I slammed her face against the locker, creating a loud banging noise that resonated around the crowded hallway.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, "Reagan!" Seth was shoved out of the way, Paul barreling through.

I released my hands from Jennifer's tangled curls, she dropped to the ground, crying in pain. A trail of blood was coming from her nose.

"Reggie!" Paul grips my hands, "Calm down," He soothes, at that moment, I realized I was shaking.

"Hey!" Principal Martin broke through the crowd, hands on his hips as he scanned the area. He studied Jennifer on the floor before his eyes made their way to Paul and I. The crowd dispersed, wanting to get the hell out of there. The four of us were screwed. "Detention, both of you!"

And just like that, he left, leaving us to deal with the repercussions. I've had detention before, I knew what you were supposed to do. You were supposed to go to the office and get a detention slip, it would go on your permanent record.

I sighed, taking my hands away from Paul. "It's only detention, at least you didn't get suspended," Paul reassures, leading me away from Jennifer, who was still on the ground.

Seth didn't even look at her, he just walked past her, in the opposite direction.

"I think I just lost my best friend," I mumble before Paul wraps his arms around me.

"Reagan, what the hell happened?" He questions softly, pulling away slightly to look me in the eye. 

"She just- she hit me and I retaliated. I know, get mad at me all you want. I know I messed up." I rambled, my eyes were locked on the floor.

"We all mess up sometimes," He touched my chin with his forefinger, making me look up at him. "You got angry, it happens." He sighs, looking in my eyes. "I'll take you to the office." He pulls away, his hand going for my own.

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