Plan Heartbreak

Chapter 10

             “Ali?” he whispered looking surprised to see me.

            I blushed a bright red at the sight of him shirtless. Paul Lahote definitely drove up to the gym in Port Angeles often…..he had a freaking eight pack. “Like what you see?” he joked breaking me out of my reverie reminding me that I was pissed at him.

            “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?” I shouted at him angrily.

            He shuffled his feet, and mumbled something that sounded like Canada, but that was too absurd so I know I hadn’t heard him right. I gave him a gigantic push, which made me nearly lose my balance luckily Paul caught me before I fell down the steps. “Whoa…calm down, Ali, you’ll hurt yourself,” he said as if he was trying not to laugh at me.

            I gave him the ugliest glare I could and huffed. Paul was an ass hole….just like I originally thought. I don’t know why I even cared, why was I even here? I turned around starting to walk down the steps. “Ali, wait,” Paul shouted rushing after me and grabbing my arm gently.

            I turned around with a huff looking at him. He sighed letting go of my arm, and running his fingers through his hair as if he was nervous. “I’m sorry if I worried you,” he said softly.

            “No, I wasn’t worried, I was pissed, you can’t just tell someone they don’t care then disappear Paul, it makes them angry,” I told him.

            He smiled, “I take it that you do care then?” he asked with an eyebrow raised, he was trying to play it cool, but…..I could see the nervousness in his eyes.

            “I don’t talk to people often, I’m extremely shy, and I felt comfortable around you and actually talked…..” I whispered looking down, I didn’t want to admit that I cared, because I hadn’t even admitted it to myself. Because caring about people hurt….especially when they left, and Paul wasn’t the type of guy to stick around.

            I was shocked when he pulled me into a hug just like he had that night at my door. I closed my eyes taking in his scent that smelled a lot like the forest and ocean water.  “I’m glad you feel comfortable around me,” he told me with a smile before gently letting go of me.

            I shifted my weight on the balls of my feet uncomfortably, “So yeah, I’ll just go and tell Lisa you’re okay, then,” I said nervously.

            He rolled his eyes, “Ali, we both know Lisa hasn’t even realized I’ve been gone,” he told me giving me a look.

            I looked up at him nervously, and he gently pushed a curl behind my ear, and I realized he still hadn’t told me where he’d been. “Where did you go?” I asked him again.

            He sighed, “I was out of town,” he said and I could tell it was a lie.

            “What for?” I continued to question, “An errand for Sam,” he lied.

            I gave him a look that told him I knew he was lying, but before I could accuse him of it, he said, “Why don’t you come in, you can meet Emily, she unlike Lisa would actually be a good friend for you,” he told me playfully changing the subject.

            I couldn’t help, but roll my eyes at him, but agreed nonetheless allowing him to lead me inside toward the kitchen. I saw a tan girl working hurriedly over a stove she had long black hair and she was without a doubt beautiful. Paul put a finger over his lips as if to say to be quiet before he walked up to her quietly then got right behind her and said loudly in her ear, “HEY EMILY!”