Between (Paul Lahote)

Part 4

Jacey's point of view

For the rest of the week, I tried to forget about Paul Lahote. However, he kept on showing up at the most random times. In the hallways, during lunch, after school in the parking lot. Every time our eyes would meet, Paul would smile and make his way over to where I was standing. However, either my brother, Quil or Embry would be there to push me in the opposite direction. To top it off, Jake noticed how much Paul was looking at me and kept on getting more and more irritated. Once Friday arrived, I couldn't help but feel relieved when the last bell rang for the day. I just needed to put my books back in my locker and I would be free from Paul and an irritated brother for the entire weekend.

"Have you heard from Bella lately?" Jake asked.

"Nope, she hasn't answered her phone." I sighed. I had tried calling her several times since her breakup with Edward, but she never picked up. Charlie had mentioned to Dad that he was growing worried about her catatonic behavior.

"You mean your girlfriend, Jake?" Embry joked, elbowing him in the side.

"Em, when did you get so tall?" I gasped. He always been shorter than Jake, but was now a few inches taller than him and Quil. It seemed like he had gone through a growth spurt overnight.

"Yeah, plus you're burning up -- why is Paul at your locker?" Jake asked, his voice turning venomous as we rounded the corner. Paul was waiting directly in front of my locker, his hands in his pockets while he stared at the ground in front of him. As soon as he saw me, he looked up and grinned.

"Your guess is as good as mine," I replied with a sigh. There was no running away from this.

"You want us to come with you?" Quil offered.

"It should be fine. I'll meet you in the parking lot." Quil and Embry looked skeptically at me for a second.

"Be careful, he's bad news," Embry said with a last serious glare before he and Quil dragged Jake along to their lockers, which were located in a separate wing of the school building.

I took a deep breath before walking over.

"Hey," Paul said with a wolfy grin. "Fancy seeing you here."

"You're right in front of my locker," I couldn't help but laugh, Paul's attempt at conversation was cute.

"Yeah, well... I've been trying to talk to you all week," Paul said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He finally stepped aside, allowing me access to my locker.

"Why is that?"

"I want to get to know you better," Paul responded with a shrug. "I know this may seem sudden, but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out together sometime. Maybe tomorrow? If you're free."

"Paul, I'm not sure..." I hesitated, knowing my brother would freak out if he knew.

"Just once. If you don't like it, I'll never bother you about it again," he smiled softly. "I promise."

"... Sure." Paul's smile grew into a large grin. I mentally swore to myself, not knowing why I agreed. Jake was going to be so upset with me. But for some reason, I felt genuinely happy.

"Great, I'll pick you up at your place around 12?" I nodded. "See you tomorrow." Paul sent me one last smile before jogging off towards the parking lot. As he left, his hand gently grazed mine. His hand was unbelievably warm, and it sent a tingle through my fingers that I almost craved to feel again. What was happening to me?

***

The next day, I woke up early. For some reason, I was nervous. I had never been on a date before. Wait, I wasn't even sure if this was a date. What if this was just some cruel prank? I couldn't help but think of every bad outcome as I rummaged through my closet for the fourth time. I picked out some possible outfits and had thrown them on my bed before hearing Jake's door close, followed by his thunderous footsteps down the hallway. I jumped back into my bed just in time for my door to open.

"Jace, I'm going to head to Embry's house. You coming?" Jake asked, peaking his head into my room.

"I think I'm going to sleep in," I faked a yawn. Jake looked at the clothes on my bed, eying me suspiciously before leaving. "We'll be at the beach if you feel like joining us," he called before exiting the house.

For the next hour, I tried on every possible combination of outfits before finally settling on a pair of ripped skinny jeans, tank top and plaid top. I finally threw on a pair of black vans before walking out of my room to find Dad at the dining table. After a quick breakfast, I let Dad know my plans for the day. He didn't exactly seem thrilled I was hanging out with Paul, but to my surprise, he just reminded me of my curfew before turning back to the game that was on TV.

At noon, I walked out of the house and saw Paul's dark blue truck parked in the driveway. He was leaning casually against the passenger side, staring at the sky. He wore a white shirt that hugged his muscles perfectly, a pair of cut-off jeans, and sneakers. I stopped in my place, smiling as I admired him secretly for a moment.

Paul must've heard my shoe stop in the gravel. He instantly looked straight at me, his face lighting up with a smile. His grin was infectious, and I couldn't help but blush, knowing I had been caught. When his eyes meet mine, he held the gaze for a few moments before opening the door to his truck for me. 

"What did you have in mind for today?" I asked curiously as Paul cranked his key in the ignition, causing the engine to roar to life.

"I thought we could grab some lunch before catching a movie," he paused for a moment, trying his best to judge my reaction. "Does that sound alright?"

"That sounds perfect," I smiled to myself, before catching Paul glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I felt my heart skip a beat as I quickly looked away.