Rayonnante - Paul Lahote

Chapter 4

It took them a while to get into their study session, but they finally managed to do so. Sitting at the dinner table, Lena explained patiently to Jared and Kim how to properly conjugate certain verbs. She laughed as Jared made some jokes about her colorful notes, saying that of course he wasn't surprised she used stickers and rainbow markers to make them nicer to look at. Emily had offered them muffins and although they were the most delicious pastries she'd ever tasted, she still had trouble eating hers. She tried her best to remain focussed, knowing that the couple was counting on her to pass their exam, but it was difficult. Every so often she'd find herself looking at the forest where Paul had disappeared a bit more than an hour ago, fiddling with her pencil to calm her nerves. He'd left so abruptly. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd done something wrong. Which was stupid. They'd exchanged about two sentences. Clearly she didn't count enough for him to have any impact on his decision making. Yet, just the thought of having offended him made her stomach twist painfully and her bottom lip tremble.
She didn't know much about Paul Lahote. Sure, she'd seen him around school and the reservation but still, their paths had never truly crossed. And it bothered her a lot that all she knew about him came from stupid gossips about how he'd beat up a guy in the locker room, or almost gotten arrested for talking back to a cop. She'd only seen him for few minutes and yet she was absolutely certain that there was more to him than an explosive temper.

They manage to cover the entire exam's topics in less than three hours. She felt confident that her classmates were going to ace the test. And it had been a lot of fun to watch how Jared looked at Kim every time she figured out something new, as if she was the smartest person he'd ever seen. She stayed for a little longer, chatting with everyone animately. They were incredibly nice, asking her questions and making a point to explain inside jokes when they were inevitably brought out. Sam and Emily even invited her to stay for dinner. She was touched and almost accepted in the hopes of Paul showing up later on. But she felt the need to be alone for a while and process all of the strange and conflicting emotions that were coursing through her body since she'd met him. So after promising to come back soon and writing down the recipe for the delicious muffins she'd eaten, she thanked them again and got into her car, this time not even turning on the radio before driving away.

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Paul Lahote had never been anybody's first choice. The product of an affair, both his parents had tried their best to forget about their mistake. That also meant pretending that he didn't happen. He'd spent the first seven years of his life living with his mother and step-dad, but it hadn't been easy. His step-dad hated his guts, seeing him as a constant reminder of his wife's infidelity. While he hadn't been physically violent, he'd often called him derogatory names while his mom watched and did nothing. When his father got a divorce, Paul had moved in with him. It had been eleven years now and still, they acted like strangers. His dad wasn't a great person. He had anger management issues and often screamed at his son until his face turned purple. Thankfully, three years ago, he'd taken a job that kept him in Seattle most of the month. For the very few days he spent in La Push, Paul tried to sleep over at a friend's house. He'd often crash on Jared's or Sam's couch. They both understood his situation without having to ask.

He'd unfortunately inherited his father's hot temper, that had been obvious even when he was a child. He couldn't even keep up with the number of times he'd gotten in trouble for his prickliness. The smallest of things could set him off. And things hadn't really gotten better since his transformation. Now, not only did he have to keep himself from beating up his peers but he also had to prevent turning into a huge wolf. Sam and Jared had tried their best to offer their support but, although their tricks to manage his anger had seemed to work a few times, nothing could truly soothe his explosive tendencies.