Turning Tables (Paul LaHote)

Four

"You wanna talk about yesterday?" Jazmine asked, her back to Paul as she looked for some comfortable clothes.

"Not particularly." He grumbled, face hidden in her pillow.

"Let me rephrase that then," she said and pulled on a sweatshirt belonging to Paul, "tell me about yesterday."

"So I went looking for him and when I found him he wasn't, he wasn't Jared. He was smirking and Jared doesn't smirk. I didn't know he knew how to." Paul admitted in disbelief.

"He was like that yesterday, he grabbed my hips and when I turned around he was looking down at me with what was almost a sneer." Jazmine sighed and folded her arms.

"It's weird, he's changed. He's like I was back when my dad was still around. He's putting up a front." Paul flinched when Jazmine's phone landed on his chest.

"The passcode is our anniversary, I have nothing to hide." She answered when he shot her a puzzled look. He stared down at the phone before placing it on the nightstand by the bed.

"Come here." He sighed and opened his arms for her. She moved to sit on his knee and allowed him to hug her.

"He's planning something. Something to do with us and we can't let him break us up." Paul sighed and Jazmine nodded softly and ran her fingers lightly over his knuckles.

"He didn't even have a mark on him, Paul, like we never even hit him," Jazmine whispered and he nodded.

"I don't know what he's on and I'm more than happy to not know. It's not something I can afford to get involved with." He rested his chin on her shoulder and watched her play with his hand.

"Want me to tape them up properly?" She asked and he nodded, letting her up.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Jazmine woke up in Paul's arms with a throw over them. Her dad had obviously been in. She stayed where she was and stared at her wall.

She had a UCLA pamphlet on the wall and she stared at it, knowing the words off by heart. In less than four months she would be graduated and then they'd be moving to California. As much as it pained her to leave she knew it would be the right thing for her and Paul.

She traced a finger down his forearm and watched the goosebumps rise with a smile.

"I thought you were asleep." She whispered and smiled when his arms tightened around her.

"I woke with the sun, we forgot to close the blinds." He chuckled quietly.

"My bad, you weren't supposed to stay the night. Your mom will think we're up to something." She turned to face him and smiled when she made eye contact.

"Mmm... Doesn't sound like a bad idea." He ran his hand up under her shirt and she laughed.

"Nice try but we have school. Get your ass up and go home. You need to change." Jazmine laughed.

"See you later." He sighed and kissed her forehead before leaving.

"See you." Jazmine watched him go before making an effort to get ready. She showered and got changed before finding her dad in the kitchen.

"You didn't tell me Paul was staying over." Her dad raised his eyebrows and Jazmine laughed.

"We didn't plan it, we fell asleep studying for Spanish." She put bread in the toaster and started the coffee maker.

"Well from now on a warning would be nice." He sounded stern and Jazmine turned to look at him.

"Why? You've never needed one before." Jazmine was confused about his whole demeanour.

"That's before I realised how serious you both were." Billy sighed.

"Oh, and us deciding to move to a different state wasn't an indication?" Jazmine asked angrily.

"Jaz, he attacked another student. No matter what Jared did he shouldn't lash out like that." Billy sighed.

"Where do you think my sore wrist came from? I hit Jared first. He put his hands on me without my permission." Jazmine frowned and stared at her father.

"Of course that was wrong but Jaz what if Paul hit you?" Billy asked and Jazmine tilted her head before biting her lip, nodding slowly and taking a deep breath.

"Go fuck yourself." Jacob stepped into the room and looked at his sister and his dad before turning around and leaving again. It was rare they butted heads but when they did it got nasty.

"Get back in here." Jazmine snapped and he frowned before entering the kitchen again.

"Do you think Paul would ever hit me?" Jazmine asked seriously and Jacob frowned.

"No way, he's totally in love with you." Jacob turned to his father. "I can't believe you'd say something like that."

"I didn't say he would, I just asked what if?" Billy sighed.

"You don't get to, that's not a scenario that would ever exist." Jazmine snapped again before grabbing her backpack off the counter.

"Jaz, I didn't say Paul would hit you, I just said what if." Billy followed his daughter and watched her collect her stuff.

She opened the door but turned around before she left to stare her father in the eyes, missing the fact that Paul was stood at the door, his raised hand lowering.

"Paul wouldn't hit me so you don't need to worry about what would happen if he did." She snapped and Billy covered his face with his hands.

"This is a concern you have?" Paul asked and Jazmine turned around and sighed.

"No, because anyone that thinks you'd hit me is a moron." Jazmine sighed and left, slamming the door after her.

Paul followed her to the truck in a daze and stopped her before she could get in.

"Why is your dad suddenly confusing me with my father?" Paul asked quietly and Jazmine sighed.

"He's scared of how serious we are. He got all weird about you staying in my room last night and then he brought up how you hit Jared." Jazmine sighed and turned to face Paul.

"I've stayed in your room more times than I can count, why is he freaking out?" Jazmine didn't have an answer so she just stared up at him.

"Paul, is it just me or are people trying to break us up?" Jazmine asked quietly and Paul sighed.

"It's not going to work. Let them try." Paul opened the truck door and helped her in before making his way around his own side.

/\/\/\/\

The school was buzzing with the news of Jared and Kim being together when Paul and Jazmine arrived. They waited for the bell to ring by sitting on the hood of his truck and talking about Summer.

"We should go away, just you and me." Jazmine sighed and stared at her sneakers. She needed a new pair but all her money was going into saving for college.

"Where would you like to go?" He asked idly.

"Hawaii, we could stay with Becky. She always reminds me that we're welcome at any time." Jazmine looked up with wide eyes and Paul smiled softly.

"I'll bring you travelling after college. We'll visit all those cities in Europe that you're dying to see." Paul kissed Jazmine's forehead and ignored Jared when he walked past frowning.

"We'll get out of this town baby, both of us." He promised. When the bell rang they went their separate ways and Jazmine stared out the window and decided that Jazmine LaHote sounded amazing. Paul ignored Jared in the seat next to him and decided his kids would be better off with Jazmine's nose and his eyes.