Loving You / Paul Lahote - [EDITED]

3 - [EDITED]

A couple of days passed by quickly. 

Ashley almost did anything she could to avoid her parents. She rode to school with Jasper and Alice. Occasionally Edward joined them. At school, she sat with Angela and her friends. At home, she most dived into her school work and went to sleep early.

However, it was now Friday and the school's football season was kicking off. Mike was at the team and she had been hanging around with Angela and her friends, they convinced her to come to the game with them. 

Ashley kept refusing it until she found out that they were playing against the high school in the Reservation area, which happened to be Paul's school. She didn't know why but she had an itch to see him again. 

She could only hope he showed up to support his school and that they could at least talk. There was something about the guy that intrigued Ashley.

As she was almost done getting ready she heard her door opening. "Hey kiddo," she heard her father's voice. 

When she looked she saw her parents by the door. "Hey," she mumbled. 

"Are you going somewhere?" Rosalie asked her daughter, already knowing the answer. 

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, it's the first game of the season, and Mike's in the team. The girls persuaded me to come,"

"We were wondering if we could talk before you left," Rosalie said as she slowly walked to her bed, sat, and patted the spot next to her. Emmett stood next to his wife, looking at her daughter. 

"Okay, but let's be quick, I don't want to be late," Ashley said knowing even if she left half an hour later she'd still be early. She just didn't want to have the talk.

Ashley slowly walked to her bed, sat, and looked at her parents. "Honey, I understand that you are mad at us but we are only trying to protect you," Rosalie said, putting her hand over her daughter's. 

"Yeah kiddo, the things we hide from you are only for your protection," Emmett joined in on the conversation. Ashley sighed before answering.

"I get that but wouldn't the truth protect me better? I mean, I already know about you guys, what's more to know? You know that I can keep my mouth shut. Plus, you were the ones who encouraged me to make new friends, why discourage it now?" 

Rosalie sighed and looked at her husband. "We know how good you are at keeping secrets but this is on a different level, just be okay with the fact that parents sometimes hide certain facts from their children for their protection. Let's sort this out because I don't like the way our relationship is," Rosalie said, giving a warm smile. 

Ashley took a deep breath. "Alright, I can do that, I guess, but I have one condition," she said.

Emmett chuckled and put out his arms, "Anything kiddo," he said. 

"At least until the project is over, you guys won't complain about who I hang out with, including the people from La Push," Ashley said. 

It was a fair deal, at least to her. She was willing to remain in the shadows about what was going on and she'd be able to hang out with him, Paul. Maybe he could even help her to figure out this secret. Whatever it was.

Ashley saw her parents' faces changing drastically so she raised her eyebrows at them, expecting their answer. "Alright, fair deal, but no digging," Emmett said finally. 

He didn't like the situation one bit, her daughter being with those dogs, but he was at least going to be able to hang out with her daughter again, not like the past week. 

Ashley giggled and hugged her parents. "Okay, now that it's sorted out, can I go?"

After getting the approval she left to go to the garage. She called to her father from the garage. "Can I take the car?"