Without Love

Alanya opened her eyes slowly as memories from the previous night flooded her mind. She couldn’t help but smile as she sat up in the bed. It was empty, but the space beside her was still warm. She spotted her underwear and shorts lying on a chair and got dressed.

She walked out of the room and heard a radio playing in the kitchen, along with sounds of pans and plates being placed around. She walked into the kitchen and saw Paul standing in front of the kitchen counter only in his boxers. She walked up to him silently and stopped behind him. Alanya didn’t see the smile on his lips and thought he was unaware of her presence and she pinched his sides.

“Morning, Alanya,” he said and turned around.

She gave him a cheeky grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Slept well?” he asked her.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I slept like the dead, didn’t you notice?”

He laughed and ruffled her messy hair. “Take a seat, the pancakes are done.”

“Sorry, can’t stay,” she said and headed for the door, but Paul pulled her back again.

“Alanya,” he said seriously. “You can stay for breakfast.”

“Paul,” she said, her tone mocking his. “I can’t. Got to get home before Embry notices, ya’ know.”

Paul closed his eyes for a moment. He knew Embry would know before the day had passed. He leaned down and kissed her lips roughly instead of saying anything.

“I guess breakfast won’t do any damage,” she mumbled unwillingly as she pulled away.

Paul chuckled and pulled the chair out for her. Alanya sat down and started eating. But she spit it out when she started chewing.

“Fuck!” She practically yelled and drowned the glass of juice that was placed beside the plate. “That has to be the worst tasting pancake I’ve ever tasted!”

Paul looked embarrassed and scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, I don’t really know how to make pancakes. I just threw some random shit in the bowl.”

She laughed and ran her hand through her messy hair. “So what else can you offer me?”

“Well, we can go back to the bed and have sex again, or you can get a bowl of cereal,” he said it nonchalantly.

Alanya pondered about it, torturing him just by sitting there.

“Cereal would be great,” she said with a devilish smile.

Paul grumbled something unintelligible but found a bowl and placed various types of cereal on the table.

Alanya spoke as she helped herself with the breakfast. “I meant what I said last night; this was just a onetime thing.”

Paul sat down on the chair next to her and tried to suppress his laughter. “We’ll see about that.”

Alanya rolled her eyes at him as the front door was opened. Jared walked in with heavy eyes.

“Morning Paul,” he said and yawned. “Embry’s sister,” he said as he barley glanced at her, but then his eyes widened and he looked from Paul to her and to Paul again. “Are you serious, Paul?”

Paul shrugged. “It was just a onetime thing.”

“Embry’s going to rip your head off; both off them,” Jared said and drank directly from the juice carton.

Alanya cleared her throat and stood up. “Actually, it’s none of his fucking business.”

Jared snorted a laugh. “We’ll see about that.”

She narrowed her eyes at him before she turned to Paul. “I really have to go now.”

“Yeah, Embry just went home as well,” Jared narrowed his eyes at her, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Follow me to the door,” she said to Paul and walked ahead of him.

“I’ll see you later, Alanya,” he whispered to her softly and put his jacket over her shoulders.

She placed her hand on his chest and stood on her tip toes so she could kiss him firmly. Paul tried to deepen the kiss but she pulled away.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” she said and eyed him up and down before she waved at Jared. “Bye, Jarry!”

>X<

Alanya pushed open her bedroom window; she’d left it open so she could sneak in. It wasn’t because she was embarrassed or cared what her brother or mother thought; it was just easier all the hassle it could cause if she ran into them.

She climbed in but as she was about o pull her leg in she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She stumbled and landed on her butt on the floor. She lifted her head and saw Embry.

“Hi, Emmy,” she smiled and got to her feet.

He looked at her suspiciously. “Where have you been?”

“Out,” she answered.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You didn’t come home last night, did you?”

“No…” she dragged the word out. “I told you; I was out.”

“With who?”

She was about to say Paul’s name but couldn’t get the nagging thought Jared had placed in her head. She was surprised when she realized she didn’t want Paul to get in trouble with her brother.

“I forgot his name,” she said instead.

“Serena!” Embry raised his voice. “I gave Paul strict orders; no boys.”

“It’s Alanya!” she yelled at him. “And I don’t need a nanny, Embry.”

“Obviously you do!” he yelled back at her and tried to contain his anger. But then he recognized the jacket she was wearing. “It was Paul, wasn’t it?”

“No,” she lied with ease. “I lost my blouse and got chilled; Paul offered me the jacket.”

“You lost your blouse?” he asked her in disbelief. “What, did it fly away with the wind?”

She glared at him. “I need a shower,” she said and pushed past him.

Embry called after her. “Hurry up; we’re going over till Sam’s place for breakfast.”

>X<

The two half-siblings walked side by side down the road as a pressured silence lay over them. Embry walked up the porch to the house that was partly hidden by the forest and opened the unlocked door without knocking. Alanya followed him.

The house was loud and the sound of voices and chatter came from the open kitchen. Alanya hid her smile when she spotted Paul sitting with the table. He looked up and met her eyes and she could see the amusement in them, but also a question. She shook her head and he smiled at her.

“You must be Embry’s sister,” Alanya heard a woman say.

Alanya turned to her but was surprised when she saw three ugly scars running down her face. Her mouth was pulled down in an everlasting frown.

She composed herself before she spoke. “I prefer to be called Alanya,” she said jokingly.

“Of course. I’m Emily, Sam’s fiancé,” Emily smiled and gave her a hug.

Alanya returned the hug briefly before she was introduced to the people she hadn’t already met. Leah, a girl that stood in the far corner eating didn’t even look at Alanya and merely said hi.

Alanya was told to sit and had no other choice than to sit on the only free seat – between Seth and Paul. And ironically; Emily made the best pancakes Alanya had ever eaten and she ate with a smile on her lips and she could feel the vibrations of Paul’s silent laughter beside her.

“How was the party last night, Alanya?” Seth asked her cheerfully.

Alanya smiled at him; she’d taken quite a liking of his easy going personality. “It was fun, kind off. I met a bunch of new people. Jessica Stanley invited me to lunch in Forks with her friends.”

“About the party,” Embry stopped Seth from replying. “Alanya forgot the name of the boy she spent the night with, Paul, do you happen to know who it was?”

“Embry!” Alanya exclaimed and pushed the chair back and rose. She glared at her brother. “It’s none of your business!”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Alanya,” he said and fixed his eyes at Paul.

Paul looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“It was you, huh?” Embry asked and stood up as well. “You didn’t manage to keep your pants on for one night?” he yelled at him. “She’s my sister! She’s my fucking little sister Paul and you’re nothing but a manwhore!”

“Alanya is old enough to make her own decisions,” Paul said darkly.

Embry’s form started shaking. “I’ll fucking kill you if you ever lay a finger on her again.”

“It’s up to her!” Paul yelled at him.

The room was completely silent. All the attention was Alanya and he could hear Jared snicker from his place.

“He’s right, Emmy,” she tried to say it softly. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

Embry kept glaring at Paul and ignored his sister. “Fuck you, Johnson.”

Paul smirked. He hated being attacked that way and wasn’t about to let it pass without some kind of smart-ass comment. “Alanya did a pretty good job at that last night.”

Embry was fuming but was startled when Alanya placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Emmy,” she whispered. She wanted to say something more but Embry’s glare stopped her.

“And you, you are nothing else than a slut.”

Her eyes widened and they got filled with angry tears against her will.

She turned back to the table and stared at Jacob with petrified eyes. “Can you please drive me to Forks, Jake?”

He nodded and got up. He followed her outside with a hand on her back and threw Embry a disbelieving look as they passed him.

Alanya heard Paul call her name but she ignored him and kept walking close to Jacob. They walked the short walk to Jacob’s house to get his car.

“Embry didn’t mean it; he’s just worried about you,” Jacob said as he made his way to Forks.

Alanya shook her head and stared out off the window. “He meant it, and he’s right, I guess. And I know I’m a slut, but it hurts when he says it.”

“You’re not a slut, Alanya,” Jacob told her and took a hold of her hand.

She laughed. “I hit on you yesterday and made out with some random dude at the party before I let Paul take me to his place where we had hot sex. I’m a slut Jake.”

Jacob frowned. “You could always change.”

She shook her head again. “No I can’t, I like sex way to much.”

He sighed before he changed the subject. “Where are you meeting them?”

“At the diner?” it sounded like a question and made Jacob chuckle.

He parked outside the small diner and found a pen in the mid divider of the car. He scribbled a number down at the back side of a recite and handed it to her.

“This is Emily’s number. Just call her when you want to go home; she’ll get someone to pick you up.”

She nodded. “Thanks,” she said and hugged him before she stepped out of the car.

“Be careful,” he called after her as she slammed the door.