wilderness | paul lahote

{30}

Time stood still, yet the tears flowed freely from my eyes down my cheeks. My body wasn't in shock, it didn't feel as if it were. But still I was glued to the floor beneath me, staring at the letter in my shaky hands. This couldn't have been real.

I felt Paul softly grab me as he picked me up from the ground and sat me down on his lap on the edge of the bed. He took the letter from my hands and I let him read it. His eyes turned sad now as they flickered back to mine.

"She's gone." I whispered. "My mum's dead."

He placed the letter down next to us and pulled my head onto his chest as he rocked us back and forth, caressing my hair, placing small kisses on the top of my head.

"I'm sorry." He whispered after some time. I sighed, before looking back up at him. I dried my face with the backs of my hands and took a deep breath in.

"It's okay. I know she's better now. She's finally with dad." I smiled weakly and Paul returned it. He pecked my lips softly, before a rustle from downstairs startled us both.

I grabbed onto Pauls shirt, as footsteps stumped up the stairs towards the room. It all came back to me now, what had happened earlier, why Paul had been mad.

Paul lifted me off his lap and placed me on my bed. It took him less force than I'd imagined to loosen the grip my fingers had had on his shirt. He stood up as the door to my room flung open, I squealed, only to see Sam standing in the doorway.

I let out a loud sigh of relief, seeing a familiar face. My relief was soon turned back to fear, when I saw the seriousness of his expression as he looked at me and Paul.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked Paul and he nodded, before looking back at me.

"Close the window, and lock it. I'll be right back."

I nodded eagerly and stumbled to my window, closing and locking it with my shaky hands as I was told to, before running back to my bed.

It felt like an eternity while Paul was away, even though it was only a matter of seconds before he came marching back into my room. His expression was unreadable.

"Pack some things up, I'm taking you to mine." He ordered. I was quick on my feet throwing things aimlessly into my bag with the help of him.

"Can you at least tell me what's wrong? And what about your dad?" I ran my hand through my hair. Out of all the things in my life I could be afraid of at this very moment, I was afraid of meeting his dad. How stupid of me.

"He's out. I'll explain later. Just pack."

I ran to my bathroom and grabbed my toiletries before running back and throwing my little toiletry bag into my back pack and zipping it up. Paul grabbed it from me and took my hand as we quickly got out of my room and out of the house.

"Put this on." He said as he handed me his coat.

"I'm not cold, Paul."

He chucked coldly before pushing the jacket towards me. "Just put it on, Ariah. Please."

I sighed as I slipped his jacket on, he zipped it up before he dragged me to Emily's car. I took a seat on the passenger side as he slid into the drivers seat and started the car, rushing off.

He was driving like an insane person. His eyes were burning with anger and concern. If he would've gripped the steering wheel any harder it would've broke. I didn't dare say nor ask anything so I kept quiet. Looking at him, and the road ahead of us, the trees around us flashing by in the darkness.

We arrived at his place in about 3 minutes, with his reckless driving. Even though all of it felt more like 3 hours with the tension and the confusion in the air. He looked calmer now as he stopped the engine of the car and got out to open my door for me. He took my bag and flung it over his shoulder.