I found Kim before the bell went and it turns out we had maths together. I couldn't get the picture of Paul out of my head and how heart-broken he was when I walked away, I mean… I just walked a away from him. No big deal. He looked like he was about to cry. But he did have Allison so I just left them alone for privacy, promising myself that I wouldn't involve myself with Paul. So after remembering that promise at the start of maths I tried to clear my head of Paul…

"So what do you think of Paul?" Kim winked at me. Yes Kim that helps clear my head of Paul even more.

I rolled my eyes at her and scowled at the whiteboard in front of the class.

"What happened when you two walked off? You never told me." She tilted her head towards me; I just looked at her sceptically.

"That bad, hey?" Kim said wrinkling up her nose.

"Nah it wasn't bad, I just think it's best to stay away from him." I whispered seeing as the teacher walked in.

"What? Why?" she shouted/whispered. I didn't know you could do that. Huh.

"Because he's…" I looked around quickly before leaning into her, "A man-whore." I whispered.

She looked at me disbelieving. "But… who cares?"

"What?" She seriously did not just ask me that. What does she mean who cares? I care!

"Well, who cares? He likes you, you like him…" she trailed off

"Ah, no. Whatever you have heard is wrong. I do not like him." I tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying because I'm a fail at maths and mum would get mad if I didn't pass, but Kim made that pretty impossible.

"You don't even like him a little tiny bit?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"No." I almost shouted which caused a couple students to look at me. I looked down at my work quickly as if I hadn't spoken and began copying out the work from the board.

"Why?" She demanded.

"What do you mean why? I just don't like him. And why do you care so much?" I said in the same tone. She looked at me stunned for a moment then sat back in her seat.

She sighed defeated, "I don't know. I just thought-"

"Well you thought wrong." I said before returning to my work. That was the end of the conversation for the rest of class. I was hopeless at maths. I looked over at Kim a couple times and saw that she was writing with her head down. She looked like she was good at maths; I would have to ask her to tutor me or something. That's if she's not mad at my little outburst.

The bell rang and I knew I had gym next. My favourite subject. But… being what I am makes me good at sport so I'd have to dumb it down.

I sighed before standing up. I waited for Kim to pack up before I left.

"Hey, I'm sorry for… interfering before. I just, assumed that you would be interested with Paul." Kim meekly said with a shrug of her shoulders. She was just a bit shorter than me and I could easily put my arm around her shoulders.

"It's fine. Seriously." We started walking out of the room and headed straight for the lockers. Hers was a couple lockers down.

"I have gym now." I said randomly putting my maths books away.

"Yeah so does some of the boys." She said pulling out some books from her locker. Why do I have a feeling that Paul would be one of the boys?

After Kim explained where the gym is and where to get the sports uniform from the cupboard I headed down the hall to the gym, the opposite way Kim was.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me and felt the warmth of their skin radiating through their body. It probably would have made me jump when they put a hot hand on my shoulder. Instead I Just said "Hey Leah."

"How did you know it was me," amusement clearly on her face. I just shrugged my shoulders. I have got to be more normal, I thought to myself.

"So are you heading to gym?" I asked casually. We reached the double doors and opened them. It was bucketing down rain and I could feel myself groan.

"Yep," She said popping the 'p' she stopped when I stopped and looked at me disbelieving.

"It's this way…" she said gesturing to the big hall that was separated from the other buildings in the school.

I nodded my head before scowling at the rain clouds. What the hell am I going to do? Damn it!

Leah scoffed at me, "It's just rain. It won't kill ya." She walked out from the door and almost instantly her short hair became drenched.

"I just," think, think, think! "Need to use the bathroom." Great thinking I thought quickly and turning around and heading into the now empty corridors. I heard her mumble a 'whatever,' before turning out into the rain and jogging into the gym.

I walked to the bathroom and checked for any windows. There was one and it was really high, just out of my reach where I could perfectly see the rain outside.

I was going to wait it out. I started pacing up and down the tiled floor, looking into the window constantly checking if it was going to stop raining.

I sighed after seeing it was probably getting heavier. We have to move. It rains too much here.

I sat against the cubicle doors and turned my head lazily to the mirror. It was covered in stains from make-up, soapy water and I think hairspray. I could only guess who made those stains.

The pitter-patter of the rain faded from the window and it was slowly stopping. Thank god!

I looked into the mirror one last time and checked myself over. My hair was braided at the front and the rest was hanging loosely over my shoulders in soft waves. My light blue skinny leg jeans looked good with my white shirt and black jacket. The grey scarf I was wearing was abandoned in my locker. I think my first day outfit looked really nice.

About the time I was scuffing my grey shoes against the walls the rain finally finished. Since it was a double class of gym I had about one period left of it.

Well, I was not wasting any more time here and almost ran out of the bathroom. I skidded to a stop near the double doors and opened them up fully to observe the wet surroundings. The floor was covered in puddles and the trees were dripping rainwater from its leaves.

I sighed before looking like an idiot and stepping over puddles and jumping over the grassy areas, who knows I could splash water on myself.

I made it to the hall in no time and before I knew it the coach was giving me a white tee-shirt that had QTS printed on the front and back in green writing and a pair of black shorts. I put them on quickly and saw that everyone was playing basketball. I think it was girls verse boys, and no offence. I think that is very unfair since Quil, Embry, Jacob, Paul and Jared where all on the same team.

Not saying that girls are crap at sport or anything but if you have seen these guys basketball, you would understand.

I was put on the girl's side, of course and decided I should boost up the scoreboard and make this interesting. I wasn't going to run my fastest or throw my strongest, but I was going to win this game. Ok, so what? I'm a little competitive, but who isn't?

The game started out fine and anytime that I saw Paul get the ball he would look at me, wink, then shoot the ball threw the hoop. I wonder what happened to heart-broken Paul. He was much less irritating.

After some girl, finally got the ball she was going to pass it to some other random girl with weak arms. I was not letting that happen. I jumped in front of the girl and caught the ball easily. I was dribbling the ball at a slow pace for me but fast to anyone else. I was about to slow down halfway through the court but then Embry and Jake were on either side of me about to lunge for the ball. I stopped suddenly causing them to almost crash into each other and saw that this was my chance to score a 3-pointer. So I took it.

After the ball went through the hoop I couldn't resist but to smirk at Paul who looked impressed and dumbfounded at the same time.

I laughed to myself before walking to the starting positions. This should be fun!

The game finished in no time and the boys won by three stupid points.

I was being congratulated by some of the girls on my team when Embry, Quil, Jacob and Jared came forward.

"Wow, Nicki. I didn't know you played basketball." Quil said slapping my back hard. It would have hurt if I was full human.

"I don't. I just love sport." I announced.

After a long discussion the coach, who I have yet to name, pushed the boys into the male change rooms.

I was about to open the door to the female change room when a warm hand turned me around.

"Yeah?" I asked Paul. He smiled sheepishly and put his hands in his pockets.

"I just wanted to say good game." He said putting his head down nervously.

"Thanks," I smiled at him, I was about to turn around again when he spoke, "So… I eh, was wondering if you're busy tonight."

I looked up and I was so tempted to say yes but…

"Look, Paul. I'm not interested." I said before opening the door to the change rooms. I caught a quick glimpse of him before the door swung shut. He looked so hopeless. I felt mean when I giggled to myself once I saw his face. He had that look again. That defeated/hopeless/heart-broken look.

But seriously who cares if I say no to him. He has heaps of girls swarming him daily. And I kind of felt pretty proud of myself, it was like a taste of his own medicine, I think.

Once school finished Carly and I walked home today comparing her day. Hers was pretty dull compared to mine but she did make me laugh when Daniel started talking to her more. It was cute. Ahh… the beginning of young love.

I've never personally been in love, and honestly I don't think I want to. I can barely trust my cousins let alone a lover. It makes my spine shiver when I think of that word, 'lover' it sounds so… over used.

Paul's POV

"She hates me. She rejected me twice. I thought she was meant to love me. But she hates me. I don't even know what I did." I sulked to myself.

I looked up from Emily's kitchen table and the whole pack including Emily and Kim were giving me sympathy.

"She'll come around." Emily said patting my shoulder. I just shook my head.

"She won't. How is she ever going to love me if she doesn't trust me?" I mumbled.

Kim looked up from her seat next to Jared's.

"Maybe something has happened, like in the past or something. She was so sure she couldn't get involved with you." Instead of groaning to myself that she was positive with never getting involved with me I sat up and looked at Kim hopefully.

"You spoke to Nicky? What did Nicky say?" I said more perkier then Seth.

"Well, nothing to important just that she thinks you're a man-whore." Kim said whispering the last part. Kim's like that, always studying, cleaning up after Jared and herself and never swearing. I know a lot of things about the guy's imprints, even Claire. Yet I know nothing about mine except that she hates me.

"I told you Paul. But did you listen… No. You still mucked around with those girls. I said it would bite you in the ass. This is what you get for not listening to me." Emily went on and on.

Her words hurt me. They cut me deep. Shut up, I've imprinted I'm allowed to be a wuss.

Emily kept going on about how I should have listened to her and her words were carving into my brain. Hitting a soft spot I never knew I had. Water dripped onto the table and then I realised they were tears… my tears. I'm crying. What the hell!

"Ok, ok stop!" I shouted at Emily. Sam growled at me and stood protectively in front of Emily.

"It's ok Sam. Paul I'm sorry for what I've said but I don't take it back." Emily said calmly.

I looked back over the pack and they all were quiet. No doubt they agree with Emily.

I made myself a promise that I would devote myself to Nicky, even if it's the last thing I do. She is mine; she just doesn't know it yet.

"I'm not giving up." I sniffed whipping away the traitor tears.

"Nicki will be mine. I love Nicky."

"Stop saying Nicky!" Seth said. I growled at him.

"Don't say her name!" I said protectively.

Leah started giggling and all heads turned to the 'bitch' of the pack (and I don't mean the female dog version) "Oh my god!" She said between giggles.

"What?"

"Paul's whipped!" She shouted, Brady, Collin, Seth, Embry and Jake all laughed at her. I only glared at her.

"I'm not whipped, I'm in love!" I said rising to my feet.

This only made Leah laugh more. I was starting to shake pretty badly.

"Outside!" Sam ordered. I was about to protest but the tremors were rocking through my body. I snarled before racing outside and into the back yard.

My clothes ripped and the heat burned through my body until I transformed into a wolf. I had to get my anger out somewhere and that poor tree that Emily planted just yesterday was right there.

I felt tremors in the air while the other pack members phased in. Soon enough everyone was phased.

Ok, guys. Were going to our usual meeting place, I'm going to reset patrols. Head there now. –Sam ordered.

I heard thoughts from all the pack members and tried to block them out. I didn't care what they thought.

Sure you do Pauly -QUIL

Shut up asshole! -ME

Oh... Tough words –QUIL

ENOUGH! –SAM

We all settles around the meadow we use for meetings. I sat down on my hind legs and waited for this to be over and done with. This place stinks like shit!

Ok Brady and Jared you guys will be patrolling on Monday-"

Can you guys smell that? –ME

Paul, stop. I'm trying to sort the schedule out –SAM

No I'm serious it doesn't smell right! –ME

Paul! –SAM warned

Ok, as I was saying-"

Yeah I smell it too! –COLLIN

Me too! –JARED

It smells like burnt leech! –JAKE

Jacob, don't encourage him –SAM

I'm serious, come over here and smell for yourself –JACOB

I can't smell anything –SETH

Then come over here moron –JARED

Wait… -SAM

Who was on patrol last? –SAM

….

…

…

Me I think, but there were no leeches around –LEAH

I was sniffing around myself like a crazed animal. Where is it coming from?

Over here! –EMBRY

I ran over to where Embry was and everyone was swarmed around black ashes.

Ashes to a vampire.

It's fresh –SAM stated after he smelt the ashes.

Who did this? –SAM

Wasn't me –SETH

Not me –BRADY

Nope –COLLIN

I was with Bella yesterday, it wasn't me –JACOB

It wasn't me, ask Kim –JARED

Not me! –EMBRY

Me neither, you would have known if it was me –QUIL

I would tell you guys if there was a vampire around -LEAH

Everyone turned their wolf heads to me.

Why the fuck would it be me! –ME

Well it wasn't me… -SAM

There wasn't any other wolves around and if the bloodsuckers- I mean Cullen's did, that means they crossed the treaty, and we would have smelt their scent. There was no other vampire scent around except the burnt ashes in front of us.

If it wasn't any of us… who killed a vampire? And survived?