'Thunder & Lightning' Chapter Four
pairing: Paul Lahote x Native Fem!OC
spring speaks: we finally get to see Paul
"I love you Seth, but sometimes I wish I was an only child like Tama."
Seth, who had been openly staring at Tallulah Uley, scoffed from the backseat of Tama's new car. Tallulah hid her laugh behind her hand, though her smile was still noticeable, something that made Seth's face warm up. "What?"
Leah gestured to the car they were currently seated in, the nearly peeling black leather interior contrasting with the cherry red paint on the outside. "These are only child privileges. This is my senior year, I don't see mom and dad rushing to get me a car. I'm just saying, if I was an only sibling..."
"Tama got a car cause she's super smart," Seth shot back from his spot behind Tama, reaching forward to change the radio station for the third time since the siblings had been picked up. "You don't get a car for having a c average."
Leah smacked her brother's shoulder, causing the boy to quickly retreat back to his original spot. Tallulah laughed, though she tried to cheer up Leah. "C's get degrees!"
The older girl smiled, snapping her fingers in agreement. "Exactly! My parents should be praising that."
Tallulah blushed at the acknowledgment, something that made Seth frown. He knew that his crush, unfortunately, had a crush on his sister but, he still held out hope. While he was younger than Tallulah, the girl now a sophomore, she was younger than Leah, and Leah younger than Sam. Plus, Leah and Sam were very much and love and nothing could stop that.
Tama listened to the siblings go back and forth with a smile, happy things were going back to normal. She had fought tooth and nail to go back to school, her mother certain that she wasn't ready for it. Despite being struck by lightning and almost dying because of it, Tama felt she was in her prime. She had never in her life felt this great and she wasn't going to waste it sitting in bed, though she did love the company that Charlie offered. The only way she had gotten her mother to agree was when she pointed out how important junior year was and how crucial missing the first week would be.
It was a lie of course, since the first week of school usually consisted of introductions(as if it wasn't the same community of kids that had known each other since birth) and simple worksheets. But, not only did Mitena relent, she also gifted her daughter a car in light of her most important high school year. The bronco was old but, it worked and it was red, something Tama couldn't resist.
Tallulah piped up from the backseat, the girl understandably more quiet than usual. "Thanks again for giving me a ride Tama!"
Tama smiled at the rear view mirror, catching sight of the girl who Seth looked at lovingly. "Of course Lu, couldn't leave you hanging."
Tallulah sat back in her seat, her smile suddenly dropping as she fiddled with her hands. "Sam usually drives me around but..."
The car went silent then, even the song on the radio coming to the end. Leah looked out the window, some part of her hoping he'd just appear out of thin air. Seth shrugged. "You could've taken his car then. Not like he's here to argue-"
Leah reached over her seat, mustering up her strength and punching her brother as hard as she could in his arm. The boy yelped in pain, gripping the area as if it would fall off at any second. Tama tried her best to keep her eyes on the slippery road ahead of her but sent her best friend a worried glance. The look on her face was deadly, one Tama had never seen before. "God, Seth. How can you be so annoying?"
"What?" Seth whined, still holding his arm carefully. He looked to Tallulah for reassurance, the girl gently caressing the spot while telling him he was okay.
Tama sighed in relief when she finally pulled into the small makeshift parking lot, her car one of the only few there. Most belonged to teachers and staff but a few kids had been lucky like her, gifted hand me downs or used cars for their last few school years. "Finally."
"I can walk with you to your class if you want," Tallulah offered meekly, peering up at Leah through thick eyelashes, praying the girl didn't deny her or find her offer weird.
After a few seconds, Leah nodded, not noticing the girl's nervousness in the slightest, too caught up in her boyfriend's disappearance. She turned to face the street, watching the rain hit the car rhythmically. "Yeah, sure."
Tallulah smiled to herself, resisting the urge to squeal. Seth frowned, also resisting the urge, to swear. He crossed his arms over his chest childishly, staring out the window in an attempt to ignore Tallulah, the act only working for a few seconds before he gave up.
The two siblings rushed out of the car and Tama smiled, turning in her seat and stopping Tallulah. "You know, it's kinda funny watching you pine after your brother's clueless girlfriend."
Tallulah rolled her eyes, lowering her voice so Leah couldn't hear. "I like clueless better. What am I even supposed to say to her? "Hey Leah I know my brother, your boyfriend, is missing but, I'm in love with you"?"
She scoffed, exiting the car before Tama shook her head, mumbling something about the "complexities of teenage love" though she was no stranger to it herself.
Grabbing her bag and hopping down from the lifted truck, another car caught Tama's eye. It was a familiar car, one she had seen against her will many times. It was a Ford like hers, the old mustang a similar red to her own. The owner of said car slid out at the same time she did, the similar letterman jacket making its appearance. Tama knew that jacket more than she knew that car. She had it in her possession for months, wearing it more than she wore all of her other outerwear. That was, before she gave it back. She wanted to look away before he noticed her staring but, she couldn't help herself.
Paul had talked about wanting the old mustang time and time again, seeing him with it made Tama smile a little on the inside. Despite their history, she was happy for him. He caught her staring as soon as he slammed his car door shut, ignoring whatever it was that his friend was telling him.
Tama's breath hitched, leaning up against her car door as she stared at the boy she was head over heels for just a few months ago. He stared back, forcing himself to keep his mouth shut and stay in place. His friend, Isaac, followed his gaze, smiling teasingly when his eyes landed on the black haired girl's cheeks flushed red, her head turning away in embarrassment.
Leah scoffed at the sight, grabbing ahold of her friend and pulling her towards the main school building, muttering about how much she disliked the two. Tama avoided their gazes, trying to focus on anything else but them, finding it close to impossible as her thoughts raced on. Isaac hollered as the group walked by, snickering.
"Aye look, dead girl walking," he teased, smiling at Tama's avoidance of him. "Glad to see you're not dead."
Tama offered a forced smile, "yeah, me too."
Tama had never fit in with Paul's group of friends. As much as he tried to make her feel included, she always found herself never fitting into their circle. She constantly felt like the odd one out whenever she was around them; never liking the same music, the same clothes, even sports. Her having an overbearing mother didn't help either and she found herself ostracized, not only by Paul's friends, but by most kids around her age. So, Isaac's jokes came as no surprise, and Tama took them lightly.
Paul however, did not. He shot his close friend a dark look, Isaac's face immediately void of all humor it once held. He put his head down in shame, mumbling a small apology. He knew that wasn't enough though, and he'd have to deal with Paul's anger once Tama was out of their sight, something no one wanted to face. Even in the midst of their breakup, everyone knew that Tama was still a sore subject for Paul. She was no object, but the girl was still seen as off limits, whether it was jokes at her expense, or even possible suitors.
His gaze softened when he met Tama's eyes, the girl grateful but unable to voice it. She looked away, forcing herself to listen to what her friends were saying, much to Paul's dismay. "Mom's worried but, she's trying not to show it. It's kind of annoying."
Tallulah frowned as she thought of her mother, the woman distraught over the possibility of losing her oldest child and only son. Seth sent her a reassuring smile, the boy wanting nothing more than to hold her close to him. He settled on holding her hand, the action innocent enough that she didn't pull away but enough for him to hold in a smile.
"He'll come home," Tama reassured her younger friend, grabbing hold of Leah's hand and giving it a squeeze. Tallulah offered her a small smile, mumbling a small thanks. "Let's talk about something a little bit more positive. Like the fact that Seth is finally starting high school and Leah's a senior now."
This caused the group to smile as they entered the building, Tama oblivious to the boy that still had his eyes on her as she walked away. Tama whined mockingly, placing her head on Leah's shoulder. "I can't believe you're going to leave me here all alone with these two."
Seth scoffed, "you love me...don't you?" Tama smiled, using her free hand to grasp onto his, causing the boy's spirits to be lifted once more.
Tallulah piped up, catching sight of her best friend, Jacob Black. Seth, who practically worshipped the ground he walked on, waved once they had caught the boy's eye. "We'll catch you guys later!"
They were off without another word or even a spare glance, though the girls didn't mind. "So..."
Tama glanced over, putting in her few items she had brought to redecorate her locker. There had been only few reserved for the upperclassmen and Tama was relieved to finally get hers. "So...what?"
Leah scoffed, the annoyed look on her face sticking. "Don't play coy. I saw you two ogling each other, in the parking lot. Please don't tell me you're-"
It was Tama's turn to scoff and she shot Leah a glare, silently telling the girl to stop. "I'm not even thinking about him in that way, or anyway. I don't have time for any distractions, this is my most important school year."
Leah's shoulders relaxed, her face softening. "Good, you were too good for him anyways." Tama rolled her eyes, playfully shoving her friend.
Hesitating, Leah turned her attention elsewhere while she tried to think of how to say exactly what she wanted to say without hurting her friend. Tama noticed this, nudging her. "What? What is it?"
Her friend sighed, finally relenting as she gave up playing with the strings on her faded jacket. "I just...I just don't want you to get too obsessed with having perfect grades. It's not the end of the world if you don't get straight A's, you know."
Tama avoided her best friend's gaze, gnawing on her bottom lip anxiously. She nodded after a while, though they both know she would still strive for what she and her mother believed were perfection. She and her mother –mostly her mother– had come up with what they thought were the best plan for Tama. She'd graduate and, with a full scholarship, she'd attend Washington State, visiting her mother on the weekends. Far enough that she could make something for herself but, close enough that Mitena didn't have to say goodbye too soon.
Leah was the opposite, the girl already having a full ride scholarship and a plan to elope with Sam and move as far from the gloomy state as she could. She planned to follow after Jacob's older sisters, moving away once she turned eighteen, like the twins Rachel and Rebecca did. The bell rang, pulling them out of their thoughts, Leah sighing. "Just one more year, I'm out of here. You comin' Tams?"
She nodded in response, happy to be saved by the bell and no longer forced to converse about her obsession with perfection. "Yeah, no I just gotta finish up with my locker and I'll be on my way."
It took her a second but Leah eventually gave in, nodding and following after the crowd of people that swarmed the main hallway. Tama didn't watch her leave, facing her locker instead while she took a deep breath in. "This is gonna be my year."
She repeated it a few times before she was satisfied, slamming her locker and jumping in surprise. "Shit."
The boy beside her jumped as well, shocked by her shock. He mumbled a small apology, watching as she clutched her hand over her heart while regaining her breath. "I'm sorry." His words meant more than Tama could understand, the teenager wishing he could say more but knowing it would only hurt her. Tama avoided his gaze, knowing she would have trouble staying focused, staying angry at him, when she looked into his eyes. She always did. "It's fine."
They stayed in an uncomfortable silence, the hallway slowly clearing out with a few lingering by to try and catch a glimpse of the two talking for the first time in months. Paul shifted uncomfortably in his spot next to her, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I'm uh...I'm glad you're okay."
He wanted to face palm. This was the first conversation since he had broken up with her and the first time he was seeing her outside of the hospital, conscious. He had planned it better, in his head, over and over, ruminating over what he'd say to her once he saw her again.
She nodded once, forcing herself not to say anything else. She tried to walk away, turning too fast and causing her open bag to spill a few of its contents, the raven haired teen cursing when she heard them hit the floor. Reaching down to pick up the fallen items, her face suddenly turned red.
Paul had also bent down to help her but stopped, noticing at the same time she did. A small smile appeared on his face as he saw the now-dead daisy lying up against the old tile next to her other items. He had seen Mitena throw them away with his own eyes, which made him even happier. She had found them, and kept them, knowing who they were from. Embarrassing to her, though it gave him hope. Hope that Tama still loved him despite him breaking her heart. He grabbed ahold of the flower before she could snatch it up, slowly offering it to her with a breathtaking smile on his face.
Tama's face felt warm, accidentally looking him in the eyes and getting lost in them, the girl sure she was making a fool of herself. A few seconds passed before she cleared her throat, suddenly regaining her sense when his genuine smile turned into a smug one. She recalled their last conversation and suddenly the butterflies in her stomach dropped and she scowled at him, not even bothering to take the flower before gathering up her things and standing up.
spring speaks: hope you enjoyed, tysm for reading and lmk if you want to be added to the taglist
