Dusk till Dawn | Paul Lahote ✔️

Chapter 4

"You're telling me that Jacob and Bella are building bikes together?"

Rolling my eyes I watched as Paul chortled at the thought. We were on our second date, having grown close to each other. I felt attached to him somehow, even though we had only just met a few days ago. I didn't know what this was, but he made me happy. And I knew if anything were to happen between us dad would love Paul. Sure, Paul had anger issues, but who didn't? People were just great at hiding their anger most of the time, where-as Paul wasn't.

Though Jared had let it slip to me that Paul had been considerably less angry since I had come around, and I was glad to help Paul control his anger whenever I could.

Giggling, I nodded. "I know. It sounds absurd to say out loud," hell, it even sounded absurd to say in my head. Though it made Bella happy, working on these bikes. I didn't know when she started to become a biker girl, but whatever made her content was fine with me.

Besides, her nightmares were almost completely gone now. Ever since she started hanging out with Jacob they've almost vanished and I couldn't be anymore happy. Though I had really hoped that Bella wasn't leading the poor boy on. I could see how much Jacob loved her, and she was blind to see it.

Although part of that didn't surprise me. Bella was dense when it came to feelings, especially ones of love.

We were sitting outside of the coffee shop that Paul had introduced me to the first time we went out. I had fallen in love with the atmosphere, and requested we come here again, to which he readily agreed. Any chance to see me again, he had said, which had made me flush ten-fold but I was glad. I had wanted to see him again, and the second date was going well.

"I hope you let me take you on a third date," Paul grins at me, and I smile at him. "I've been having fun, you know. And I would like to officially ask you to be my girlfriend on the third date. Also, I have something to tell you... and I hope that it won't change your opinion of me... or us..." He admitted, looking a bit shy all of a sudden. I had learned over the past week that he wasn't normally a shy person. Confidence oozed off of him in waves, but whenever he was shy it was adorable.

He was only ever shy around me, which made this even more adorable.

"I promise whatever you need to tell me won't dissuade me of you guys, or you." I promised him, placing a hand on his arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Paul beamed at me, relief showing in his eyes, though he still seemed a little weary. "Remember that after I tell you, okay?" He pleaded and I nodded my head, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion as to why he was so distraught over this. What could be so concerning that he was afraid that I wouldn't take to it well?

After promising that I would remember, he drove me home. Bella was still hanging out with Jacob, and from what she's told me they were almost done with the bikes. Which was actually exciting, considering how beat up those bikes were. Jacob was truly talented, though he has worked with cars and bikes most of his life. He knows them inside and out, as it was the only thing that he could really do in La Push. In a small village like that, there really wasn't much that you could do to entertain yourself.

I wondered how he learned how to do all of the mechanic stuff. If he taught himself that was seriously impressive, and I would have to keep him in mind when my car decided it was going to die down.

"You have fun, kiddo?" Dad asked when he saw me walk through the door. He was heating up some leftover fish, and I assumed Harry and his wife had given it to him. Dad didn't know how to cook, at least without burning the house down.

"Paul's nice. You'd like him," I assured dad, and he just chuckled awkwardly at that. "He's with Sam Uley, and you remember Jared Cameron?" I asked him, earning a look of recognition from dad.

"He's that boy you used to play with as a kid," he nodded his head thoughtfully. "Bella always had Jacob, you had Jared." He chuckles at that. "Honestly I always thought you'd end up together." He admitted and I blanched at that thought.

"Jared's like a brother to me dad, gross..." I trailed off, shivering at the thought. He was like Jacob, in a sense.

At that, dad laughed, giving me an amused look. "Well, if it goes anywhere with Paul I'd like to meet him. Give him the father talk." He looked serious and I chuckled at the thought.

"Don't scare him too much, okay? I actually like him." I flushed, admitting that outloud. After my last relationship I never thought I'd be okay to date again, but I was looking forward to Paul officially asking me out on our next date.

With Bella still out with Jacob, I had decided to work on some homework. Some of it was due tonight, and I was pushing to the deadline and feeling it. Though I wasn't going to let school keep me from having a social life, and usually I was good with prioritizing homework and classes. I did have some of these essays already started at least, so it wouldn't be pushing it that close to the edge. I'd get them done probably a few hours before I had to turn them in, and giving me just enough time to edit them before they needed to be submitted.

I had just finished the essay and clicked submit when Bella opened the door, a humongous smile was on her face. "We finished the bikes today! We're taking them out for a spin on Friday, did you want to go?" She tilted her head to the side like a cute kitten, giving me a curious look.

Wincing I give her an apologetic look. "Sorry Bells, I have plans with Paul friday. We're going on our third date." I gave her a sorrowful look, earning a shrug though she looked visibly disappointed. "We can hang out this weekend, would that be okay?" I wondered, feeling slightly guilty. I had come to Forks in order to help Bella, but been hanging out mostly with Paul. Not that I was sorry about that, because Bella seemed to be having fun with Jacob - and I highly did not want to be a third wheel to them. I wanted to give Bella time to bond with Jacob again, and to be happy.

This was helping. I could tell.

With a small smile Bella nods. "Sure, that's good. We could go shopping." I did need some more Forks weather clothing. I had been wearing the same outfits and was starting to get a little bored of them, to say the least.

"Sure, that sounds like a good plan, Bells!" I agreed, putting that on my planner in my head. It did feel nice to feel so booked up by the people you loved, and were growing to love.

I just hoped this didn't come to bite me in the ass later.