Preventive • Paul Lahote •

Chapter One

               The Ellison children were anomalies on the reserve, because they were not Quileute kids through and through. While their skin was tan, it was not russet, while their hair was dark, it was not black, while their mother was tribe, their father was not. The Ellison kids were the result of a marriage outside the tribe to a pale face. Their father, James Ellison, a man as basic and mundane in looks as possible. The only thing that the man contributed to his children was their blue eyes, and lessening the dominant qualities that all the Quileute kids seem to have. Their mother's tan skin was evident, but slightly lighter because of their father, and her long thick black hair was present, but just lightened enough to be a brown color not black. Poppy Ellison was defiantly the parent that her children favored, but not enough to make them thoroughly integrated with the other children. The Ellison's were pale faces, thanks to their father, and were called such on the reservation. While the hate and disdain was not present like it was for others who invaded their lands, there was still some stigma because of the difference in the Ellison's appearance. Both Casen and Maddison bared the names and eyes of the other pale faces, and it would forever make them stand out from the rest of the reservation.

However, their pale faces and character traits did not cause them to be completely restricted from the tribe. The Ellison children were involved in almost anything activity that they could participate in. Casen was a part of any sport that the tribe assembled to play, and was the boy that made almost all the girls heart's melt. With his blue eyes and dark locks, thick build and tan skin, Casen was more than attractive in all the Quileute girl's eyes. Casen did not overlook this fact either. Between Casen and Paul there were not many girls that the two could not claim. Yet, the best friends were not overtly arrogant and they each had a weak spot for one girl in particular.

Maddison Ellison just happened to be that girl for Paul Lahote.

Paul had watched Maddison grow into a beautiful young woman. The traits that set her apart, like her blue eyes and only slightly tanned skin and her rich chocolate curls, were the traits that made him love her all the more. Paul was used to having girls fall at his feet and never want anything more than a few nights, but Maddison was the exception. From the first day they met, Maddison tested Paul with her quick wit and sharp tongue... and he loved every second of it. However, Maddison and Paul were just not meant to be- in his eyes- because she never noticed his affinity for the girl and found herself in deep for another member of the tribe.

Paul had never been more jealous of another person until he heard the news about Maddison's relationship with Embry Call. The two had always been friends, but it seemed that she was more than willing to change that for Embry. Paul knew that he would always want Maddison, but with his well-known history with girls that he would probably never have her.

"Hey, lover boy. What are you doing here so early? Don't you have some girl to be smooching?"

The light tinkle of her melodic voice brought Paul out of his thoughts, as he turned his head to see Maddison plop herself down on the sofa besides himself. She had a big, teasing, grin on her face as she made herself comfortable and waited for his response. Paul probably took too long to reply, because he was taking her in like a breath of fresh air.

"I'm always here after school, and who even says smooching?" He replied, eventually, with a roll of his eyes as she playfully gave his arm a light punch.

"I say smooching because it is better than swapping spit."

Paul let out a light chuckle from her immature behavior, before replying. "Yeah... Pretty sure nobody says either of those things."