Loving You / Paul Lahote - [EDITED]

18 - [EDITED]

In truth Ashley admired Leah. She was so strong. She had a lot to worry about yet she was standing against them, she was facing them without fear. At least that's how Ashley portrayed it.

Paul, Jared, and Emily told Ashley countless times that she was a part of the pack too, and Ashley really felt like that. Like the pack was her second family. 

And Leah was a part of that family as well. One of the most important things the Cullens taught Ashley was that family is important and that you always take care of it.

"Do you really care?" Leah scoffed.

 Ashley furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course Leah, you're practically family to me," she answered.

Leah was stunned. She clearly wasn't expecting that from Ashley. She wasn't expecting any sympathy or affection. Not from her, not from anyone.

Leah sighed. "How much do you know about the lives we used to have before any of us phased?" 

Ashley shrugged. "Not much besides Paul was a hothead and a flirtatious bastard," 

Leah nodded. " Yeah, well, I had a fiance," she started and Ashley gasped in surprise.

"I loved him very much, with all of my being. The day he asked me to marry him was the happiest in my life. Every moment we spend, every kiss we shared, it made me feel alive, made me feel like life was worth living,"

"Then what happened? You are speaking in the past tense," Ashley pointed out and Leah sighed.

"Then, one day he just disappeared. Out of the blue. I couldn't reach him, his family wouldn't tell me anything. He was nowhere to be found. I was scared. Scared that something may have happened to him. Because everything was going so well with us so I didn't think it was due to our relationship. Ever since I was born I was really close with my cousin. We were practically like sisters. She was the first one to know about the engagement as well. So, naturally, when he disappeared and I couldn't reach him, my cousin came over. She was the only comfort I had," 

"Did he die?" Ashley whispered. The story took a dark turn and Ashley didn't want to ask that question as if it was a normal topic. 

A sad smile covered Leah's face. "No, sometimes I wish he did though, certainly would make everything easier," she said and took a deep breath. "He imprinted on my cousin," 

Ashley was left breathless with the revelation. Leah was older than her. Older than most of the guys in the pack. Plus, so far only three of them had imprinted. Jared, Paul, and, Sam. Sam. 

It was him. 

Ashley gasped. "Sam? You were engaged to him?" Leah nodded. That made Emily, Leah's cousin.

Suddenly even more guilt and sadness covered Ashley. Now she understood why Leah was feeling the way she did. Why she seemed to hurt around Emily's house, why she was always sulking. Her life was more painful than Ashley knew. 

At that moment Ashley truly understood why Leah was hurting, that much.

"That's why I don't like imprinting that much. It took my fiance from me, it took my sister from me. Now I have to relive it every day in front of my face. That's why I said what I said. Because it ruined my life. Every bad thing that has happened to me started with that damn imprinting. And, of course, the universe really hates me that much that, no offense, even the guy who never wanted to imprint did and I still haven't, and I don't think that I ever will. My life will just get suckier with every new day and I'm just trying to deal with it,"

The two girls sat in silence for a while. "I'm really sorry," Ashley said, finally breaking the silence. 

Leah nodded. "Thank you," she said and both of them knew that she meant it genuinely.