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— PAUL LAHOTE had decided that the best way to let off some steam and to clear his thoughts would be a run, he hadn't noticed how far he ran until loud cursing caught his attention. Suspiciously, he slowly made his way to where he'd heard it—and there, Rory Sinclair stood leaning against a car, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths.
"You alright?" Paul made his presence known, causing the girl's head to shoot up in alarm.
"Uh—Hi! Yeah, I just—" She let out a nervous chuckle, her palms resting on her hips now. "I'm still learning, just got a case of driving anxiety on my way to Port Angeles." Rory explained, almost embarrassed.
"So, you stopped in the middle of nowhere alone?" Paul replied, his eyebrow raised a little, his tone teasing. Her lips tilted up slightly as she exhaled.
"Not my finest moment, but at least it was you who found me." Her words shouldn't have hit him in the way that they did, but he didn't feel bad that they did.
"You're headed to Port Angeles?" He questioned, and she nodded.
"With the way this turned out, I might just go back home." Rory let out a puff of air, pursing her lips. Paul let his eyes linger on her before humming. "Why don't I take you?" The offer stumbling past his lips before he could even think about it.
"If you still wanna go." He finished.
Rory hummed, going over his offer before nodding. "You're okay with driving my car?" She asked, the car was still on—and it wasn't entirely hers, it was her dad's.
Paul gave her a nod, "I don't see an issue." He shrugged. Rory grinned, all of Embry's past warnings flying from her thoughts as she agreed to the boys offer.
"You're a lifesaver, Paul!"
—
"No way—" Paul was mid-laugh as Rory recounted a story of her breaking her ankle during her first year of high school. "I'm not lying!" The girl laughed with him, her fingers skimming down some CD's as she browsed.
The music store they were in was pretty empty, except for the cashier and the couple in the corner that seemed more interested in each other than the records beside them.
"I quite literally slipped on a banana peel, it was embarrassing! Jessica and Angela had to practically drag me to the nurse, I had to wait long excruciating minutes for my dad to get there." She smiled at his expression, as his eyes closed, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
"How long were you in a cast?" He asked, following after her as she exited the store. "About a few months, it wasn't a big break." Rory replied, her eyes trailing over the other stores.
Paul noticed the way her eyes landed on a simple bracelet through a window, she glanced away before she could voice her desire to buy it. She'd only brought enough for some CD's and food.
"Look! Hot dogs!" Her warm palm wrapped around his wrist, pulling him to follow.
The two sat on some bench, eating hot dogs and telling funny stories. So comfortable that you would think they'd been friends for years. Paul excused himself when Rory decided to make her way to the bathroom, quickly he made his way to the store where she'd eyed the bracelet.
He let his fingers pluck it from where it sat, taking it to the cashier. Paul had made a decent amount of money just from working at the garage this week. He gave the old lady at the counter a stiff smile as he payed, nerves wracking his body.
When he made his way out, the bag shoved into his pocket—Rory was sitting back at their bench. "Where'd you sneak off to?" Her lips pulled up into a small grin as she took a sip of her soda.
Paul took his previous spot, pulling the bag out of his pocket. Taking the bracelet in his grasp, and holding it up. "It's for you." Rory's eyes widened slightly. "What—"
Before she could finish, he slipped it onto her wrist. "Don't say I never gave you anything." He joked, looking at her as she held a small smile.
"Thanks."
Time slipped so fast, she'd completely forgotten her date with Embry. Not realizing he was sat alone in their favorite spot—waiting.
