Love Is Flower Like

Chapter 17

Edited 05/30/21

Later came quicker than Meadow had planned. When she thought of later, she thought of next week or, even better, next month. But in Paul's head, later meant the next day. Later was a word reserved for procrastination. Everyone who used the expression, "We'll talk later," wanted to procrastinate the inevitable talk, which is why the word is later and not tomorrow!

She felt stupid for being cornered the way she was. Paul had found the perfect opportunity. She should have been able to smell him coming from a mile away, but she wasn't used to all the new scents yet. Thus, there she was, sitting on the beach with Paul by her side. She was trying to ignore him, but some dumb pull kept making her notice the small things: the wind brushing through his hair, the calm breath sneaking in out of his chest, the small twitch of his lips.

It was all so infuriating! She felt so calm in his presence even though she wanted to be nothing but angry and annoyed. It was a feeling worse than suppressing her emotions. At least she had control over that! This, though, was something new and powerful; something she couldn't control even though she tried so hard to.

"What do you want?" she asked harshly. She wanted to get back to being alone.

"You said we'd talk later," Paul said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's later."

"I wanted time away from all of you, hence why I said later," she stressed angrily.

"We don't have time for this, Meadow," Paul said seriously. "I get you don't want this, but that doesn't mean you should run away from it."

"You don't understand anything," she grounded out.

"I imprinted, too, Meadow. I turned into a wolf, too. How don't I understand?" he asked.

"You just don't," she said stubbornly. "Just because we've gone through a few similar things doesn't mean you understand."

"Then stop running away and explain it to me," he said. She could tell he was frustrated. His body was tense, and a hard frown sat on his face.

"I'm not running. I just need time," she said simply.

"Don't close yourself off from me," Paul said, "You've opened up to me before, why can't you do it now?"

"That was before you told Sam about my suspicions," Meadow told him.

"I already told you! I didn't want to tell him! I was ordered to," he confessed.

"By who, Sam?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," he said exasperatedly. "Just listen..."

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Paul watched Meadow run into the house with a pained expression on his face. He didn't know how he was supposed to get on her good side when so many things kept happening. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before he left the car and ran into the woods behind her house. He was quick to shift into his silver fur. Frantic thoughts reached his head and he groaned from the intensity of them.

Shut the hell up, Black, he snarled out.

Paul, leave him alone, Sam said sternly.

Where did my clothes go?! Jacob asked as he freaked out.

Way to notice the good things, Paul said sarcastically.

Paul, enough, Sam ordered.

Paul couldn't help but to think about his date with Meadow and how great it was until they got back. He partially and childishly blamed Jacob for causing her to run off. If he had just kept his wolfy mouth shut, she wouldn't have run off the way she did.