Love Is Flower Like

Chapter 6

Warning: This chapter has some elements to it that might cause a panic attack or a feeling of anxiety or claustrophobic feelings.  I just wanted to add this here as a warning because I didn't want to trigger any unwanted feelings for any of you. These elements are mentioned during her dream. Enjoy the chapter!

Edited 05/25/21

I didn't think this through, Meadow thought to herself as she sat in class. In her moment of weakness, she failed to realize that Paul was a persistent person. She had hoped late last night as she fell into a deep slumber that he would forget all about it, wouldn't come to school, or that she would be able to hide well enough in the cafeteria so she wouldn't have to talk to him. She couldn't socialize properly and having a crush on him helped nothing. And don't get her started on the dream she had last night:

She was sitting alone in a dark room. Her head was resting on her kneecaps and her arms were tightly wrapped around her legs. She was frightened, but she didn't know why. She was shivering like a leaf. She was cold. The concrete floor felt like ice. She sought warmth out by reaching her hand out in front of her, thinking she could find her way around the dark room and latch onto a blanket or something. Her palm met a wall. She reached out beside her and felt another wall, and another and another. She was cornered. Trapped. She couldn't breathe. She needed help. Someone had to help her! She couldn't breathe! She needed air! She needed out of that room! She clawed desperately at the wall and barely registered the pain she should have felt from her nails repeatedly scraping against the concrete.

Suddenly, light flooded the room. She spun around wildly and immediately started moving towards the source of light. She squinted at the origin of it and was relieved to see a person reaching their hand out to her. She gladly accepted it, latching onto the person's hand like it was her last lifeline. She couldn't see their face, but she desperately wanted to as she thanked them. She heard them say something to her, but it sounded like a garbled mess. She leaned in closer to them, feeling a hard chest and muscular arms envelope her. It was a man. She was a handful of inches shorter than him, so when she pulled back, she had to tilt her head to see his face. It was Paul.

Meadow was stunned, to say the least, when she woke up that morning. She had splashed her face with enough icy water to house penguins. She didn't understand why she dreamed of him, and she wished that she didn't. Not only was it a terrible dream, but the heroic actions he partook in her dream only made her crush on him stronger. She didn't know what to do, so she leaned her head against her hand and waited for the bell to ring. She wished he would treat her like everyone else did; like she was insignificant. The bell rang a few minutes later and Meadow rushed to put her things away and dash off to lunch. She didn't want him to find her in the halls and haul her to the cafeteria. That would be just what she needed. She could just picture her and Paul walking into the cafeteria together and Jake's angry face.

She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder and quickly left the room. She gave an audible squeak when a hand rested on her head, and she came face to face with Paul. She looked around her and hoped no one else had heard her sound of distress. She scowled as Paul chuckled at her expense and briefly wondered what would happen if she punched him. She walked down the hall with Paul hot on her heels. He followed her as she made her way to the cafeteria. She wondered how Jacob and Quil were going to react. Embry still hadn't talked to any of them yet. Knowing Jacob and his attitude towards Paul and his friends, he would be hostile. Quil would mind just as much as Jake, but he wouldn't show it too much.

As Meadow got lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that Paul had thrown his arm around her shoulders. When she did, she tried shrugging him off, but he tightened his grip in response. Meadow slumped a little and walked sluggishly to the cafeteria. She was trying to buy some time to think of an excuse, something to avoid any unnecessary confrontation in front of the whole cafeteria. Luckily, someone grabbed Paul's other arm and pulled him away from her. An irritated look crossed his face and he looked like he wanted to throw a fit.