storm ◇ jasper hale ◇

chapter twenty-nine ; dealing

"What are you gonna do?" Paul asked, glancing over at Madej, long hair in his face. They were sat away from First Beach, sitting against a slight hill, hidden from the harsh wind. Madej had spent the night at Paul's, needing to get away from everything in the town.

The boy shrugged a shoulder, groaning a little. "I'm gonna deal with it. I'm gonna finish high school. I'm gonna annoy the hell out of you." He smiled at Paul, who returned it. "How's the whole patrol thing going?" he asked as Blackthorn River came and laid across their legs.

Paul tilted his head from side to side. "It's patrol. Sam's concerned because of Victoria. More so now that the leeches are back. Sorry," he added on when he saw the look on Madej's face. "I know you still care about them, even if they hurt you."

"Which makes it all hurt more," Madej said, and Paul nodded, taking hold of his hand briefly. "I wish they'd stayed away, like they'd said they would."

"Oh, me too. Without a doubt,"

Madej laughed a little. "So you'd keep me to yourself?"

"So that you'd not be hurt," Paul corrected, and Madej felt a soft smile on his face at that. Paul was a good friend to him. "You're going through a lot of shit as is without those freaks making things worse for you."

"Whatever, they're gonna be here until graduation, which isn't long away now," Madej said, trying to find a bright side, and felt his gut twist uncomfortably at the thought of them leaving him again. "Bella will decide on her choices, probably say she's going to college, but instead get turned into a vamp."

"And then she just leaves you, alone? Your other friends will be going off to college too, and you'll be stuck here,"

"With you."

"With me." Paul pulled Madej into his side.

Paul was warm, and it was nice to feel warm for once. Madej found himself feeling colder and colder with each passing day. He wondered how badly the cancer was affecting things like his immune system.

He didn't want to think about it, but he'd think about it a lot, when he couldn't sleep at night.

"C'mon, I'll drive you to school,"

"Thanks, man,"

Madej and Paul got onto Paul's bike, helmets on. The engine started up, and then they were zooming out of La Push and towards Forks High.

It didn't feel that long until they came to a stop in the parking lot. Madej ignored the stares of the others, getting off the seat. He took the helmet off as Paul grabbed his bag for him. They swapped items and Paul bumped fists with him.

"You stayin' at mine tonight or goin' home?"

Madej shrugged. "Mom'll want me home. I've got an appointment at the hospital this week. Mostly checking in on how long I've got left."

"Dude,"

"What? Inoperable bullshit, nihilistic attitude, nothing matters, nothing's after death."

"You are religious." Paul pointed out, sounding amused. "You were literally telling me about your beliefs on reincarnation and the idea of a world after death last night."

"And? Can't I have a few depressive episodes?"

Paul shook his head. "You're a fool, Mads. I'll see you later."

Madej waved him off as his bike roared to life, before shooting out of the parking lot.

"I know I'm a lesbian," Jessica said, appearing on Madej's left, Angela on his right. "But that guy is a snack. Have you pounced on his dick yet?"