disregard // paul lahote

05

Since the night of the incident, Marley had felt a heavy weight on her chest. Over a period of five weeks, Marley had visited the doctor four times after recalling her mother's side of the family had a long line of medical issues.

She had cried tears of relief when the doctor assured her that she was healthy as a horse, but she was disappointed when she still had no reasoning for the odd sense of loss she felt.

Caesar cut down her hours when he noticed the physical effects that were taking a toll on her. She had dropped weight, and gained a strange rash on her bicep that she attempted to hide behind bandages and long sleeves.

"You're scratching again," Lorena stated as Marley absentmindedly touched the raw skin on her arm. "Sorry," she murmured sheepishly before tugging her sleeve back down and tucking her hands between her thighs.

Lorena peered over at her friend who stared blankly out of the car window. Finally fed up, Lorena signaled and pulled her car over to the shoulder of the road. Marley looked over with eyes glazed with question.

"What's going on with you, Mar? This is not like you at all." Lorena choked out, her eyes tearing up as she took in the sight of her friend. "You look thin, and tired. You never talk anymore, does this have something to do with Jacob Black coming into the diner back in August?"

Marley shook her head, unable to open her mouth and form words. "Then what's going on? I want to help you but you need to tell me what's wrong so I can do that, Marley." She begged and Marley looked away when she realized she couldn't look into Lorena's eyes.

"Marley," She reached out but Marley pulled her hand away quickly, as if Lorena's touch would burn her. "I can't tell you because I don't know what's going on myself. I feel lost, Lorena. My heart feels like someone reached into my chest and fucking tore it apart." Marley sobbed. Lorena kept quiet, not knowing how to respond.

Marley reached over and undid her seatbelt before stepping out of the car- ignoring Lorena's calls. "What are you doing?" She cried out.

"I need some air, Lor. You want to help me? Give me some space." Marley cried out, walking in the direction of her house. It would take over an hour to get home, but Marley needed to be alone.

After ten minutes of slowly driving beside her, and getting honked at by other cars- Lorena decided to obey Marley's wish and drive off. Marley walked home with her hands in her pockets, the burn in her legs masking the pain in her chest.

It took nearly two hours for her to walk up to her front porch, where she noticed her mom's car in the driveway. Not in the mood to deal with her mom's questions, Marley quietly opened the front door and held her breath as she closed it behind her.

"Marley," Her mom's voice rang through the hall from the kitchen as Marley tried to tiptoe to the stairs. "Will you come here, please?" Marley released the breath she had been holding before shamefully dragging her feet to the kitchen where she spotted her mom sitting at the kitchen table with Paul Lahote.

Immediately concerned for her mom's well-being, Marley tensed up in fear as she remembered how he had turned into a wild beast and nearly killed her. "Mom," Marley trailed off, hesitantly stepping into the kitchen.

"Marley Owens, it's nearly one in the morning and you're just getting home? Did Caesar make you stay late? I'll have to call him in the morning-" Her mom trailed off as she approached Marley, with a hand outreached to touch the hair that was matted with sweat to her daughter's forehead.

"What are you doing here?" Marley pulled her mom behind her, never taking her eyes off Paul who held his hands out to surrender when he noticed how defensive she was getting.

"I needed to talk to you." His voice was husky, but his tone was gentle in attempt to calm her. "Mom go upstairs alright? I'll come talk to you in a bit." She spoke to her mom, silently begging her. She tried again when her mom didn't budge. "Mom?"

Her mom was hesitant at first, seeing the change in her daughter's behaviour. "Okay baby," She kissed Marley on the forehead. "It was nice meeting you, Paul." She stated before she disappeared upstairs.

Marley waited until she heard her mom's gentle footsteps trail up the stairs and into the master bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Why are you in my house?" Marley accused, never leaving the entrance to the kitchen- keeping a safe distance from him.

"Will you calm down for a second? It's not like I threatened your mom with a gun, okay? She let me in and offered to keep me company while we waited for you to come home. We need to talk." Paul stated and she unclenched her fists and took a deep breath.

"Well, I have nothing I want to talk about. So please leave." She begged, watching carefully as he rose from his seat. "Marley," He started carefully, taking a step forward but with no success as she took two steps back.

"I don't want to hurt you, Marley. If only you knew-" He stopped, taking a deep breath when he realized how loud he was getting. "Do you remember the legends Billy spoke about at the bonfire?" He tried to speak quieter, watching as stood her ground and offered him no response.

"The protectors? Well that's what I am- what we are." He corrected. "We're like that so we can protect our land and our people. So we can protect you and your mom."

Paul took a hesitant step forward and nearly sighed in relief when Marley didn't move from where she was standing. "I didn't mean to show you the way I did, but I have a hard time with my anger sometimes." He stated, taking another small step towards her.

Without knowing what else to say, he kept his mouth shut and waited for her to say something- anything. He couldn't help but get frustrated when she continued to stand with her arms defensively folded across her chest.

"I'm really trying here Marley," He tried to hold back a growl, and reached out for her arm but she stepped back and her back bumped the railing that sat at the entrance of the stairs to the basement.

She looked up at him with this look in her eyes, that he remembered seeing on her once before. It was the same look in her eyes the night of the bonfire, before Embry dragged her away. Pure fear.

"I won't say it again, Paul. Get out of my house." She didn't even bother to stop the tears that blinded her vision, but instead let them flood down her cheeks. Her feet were quick towards the door, and she harshly twisted the doorknob and yanked the front door open for him.

"And stay the fuck away from me and my family."