Bumps In The Road / Paul Lahote

37. Have To Love A Surprise

Chapter 37

"...we are getting married this Friday."

First thing I felt when I woke up was an ache in my temples as my eye lids grudgingly opened and a dull pain my shoulder. With a groan I rubbed my temples feeling an sat up in my bed--well, I thought it was until I looked around the room that I once considered to be my third home (my second being Will's house). My clothes felt dirty against my body and when I threw the blanket off my body I realised I was wearing the same clothes from last night. The memory of me miserably falling of my motorbike last night came rushing back and provoked a grunt to escape my lips. What an idiot? 

The room looked only slightly different, with different car posters hanging on the walls, but the same pictures were being displayed on his shelf. I ungracefully stood from the bed, stumbling slightly and managed to walk closer to have a better look. With a smile, I picked up the frame on the left and examined the photo shot. The picture was taken when we were at Will's place for a Saturday night bonfire and I was lounging on Dustin's lap. One of his arms were wrapped around my waist and the other was lazily draped over my knees, while my arms were wrapped around his neck. Both of us grinning at the camera like the idiots we were.

I placed the frame back down and in the corner of my eye I photo booth pictures captured my attention and were stacked to the right of the shelf. I collected them together and flicked through them, my smile gradually increasing. I chuckled as I flicked through each slip and each memory returned to me of the time when they were taken. One was when the group of us went to the mall and noticed the random photo booth and thought it was best to raid it. We looked our worst, but our best at the same time with stupidly pulled faces and bright eyes. The last slip I should have expected since it was me and Dustin. The first photo we were smiling stupidly at each other, the second we made a dumb face that I regretted the second I made it and the third one we were kissing. I heard the door open and looked over my shoulder to see meet the eyes of Dustin.

"Uh...hey" He said, his voice sounding a oddly nervous. Dustin rarely got nervous.

"Hey" I smiled and put the pictures back on the shelf.

"How do you feel? You took quite the blow last night" He reminded me disapprovingly. He had a right to considering it was dark and it was a reckless decision of me, imagine he hadn't found me. Though, I'm sure Paul would have. Paul.

"I feel fine thanks and thanks for bringing me here and not back at home. I really don't want to go back there," I muttered the last part. "How did you find me?"

"Dad needed me to check on the chickens and then I saw your bike in the distance...then I saw you fall and I ran" He rubbed the nape of his neck and looked away from me. I was expecting a stupid remark from him, perhaps mocking my poor riding choice but nothing came. I cleared my throat and pointed to the photos.

"The good old days, right?"

"The best" He agreed, walking further into the room and looking down at the pictures. I remember the days of when he and I were together. Will didn't one hundred percent support it, but didn't say too much about it. Dustin and I were wild and were what we thought was being in love, looking back I'd call it love but it was nothing in comparison to the intensity of the bond Paul and I have now. I remember leading up to the day of my departure to La Push we had decided to end our relationship since we decided we didn't want to have a long distance relationship. While I tried my hardest to leave La Push when I arrived, I'm glad I was convinced to settle down and mature a little more.

"I have missed you so much" He admitted and put the picture down. His eyes turned at me and I didn't need any empathy powers to know what he was feeling, because his eyes were saying them all.