'Who am I? Who am I trying to be?
Not myself, anyone but myself.
Living in a fantasy to bury the reality,
Making myself the mystery,
A strong facade disguising the misery.
Empty, but beyond the point of emptiness,
Full to brim with fake confidence,
A guard that will never be broken,
Because I broke a long time ago.
I'm hurting but don't tell anyone.
No one needs to know.
Don't show or you've failed.
Always okay, always fine, always on show.
The show must go on. It will never stop.
The show must not go on, But I know it will.
I give up. I give up giving up. I am lost.
I don't need to be saved, I need to be found.'

Harley slammed her journal shut, looking up to see her dad walking in. "You know, I can feel your emotions." He told her, Harley looked down to her journal before looking back up to her dad, plastering a large fake smile on her face. "I'm fine."

Jasper eyed his daughter carefully, trying to decipher the hurricane of emotions that was his little girl. "You're not." He finally said coming to a conclusion. Harley looked at him, her blue eyes clouding over grey as tears welled up behind her eyes.

"Come on," Jasper said sitting down beside her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Tell me what's up." Harley looked up and sighed. "I'm just, I-I don't know whats happening to me. I feel like I can't catch my breath and I feel bad all the time. But it's a different kind of bad, its a scary bad, the kind of bad where you don't know if you'll ever feel happy again. I just, I don't know what I'm doing with myself. I'm terrified." Harley poured her heart out, she felt like she wasn't in control anymore.

Jasper sighed and rubbed her arms. "Paul contacted me. He wants you to hangout with him today." Harley nodded. "Y-Yeah, okay. I can do that." Harley mumbled pulling herself off her bed.

"Text him back, he's annoying your mom." Jasper said chucking. Harley laughed slightly and nodded. "Okay, just let me shower quickly."

×××

"Hey." Paul said with a smile wrapping his arms around her waist, Harley smiled and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. "Hi." She mumbled into his neck taking in his refreshing sent.

The two walked through the forest, a fluent conversation lingering in the air above them. When they came to Emily and Sam's house, Paul reached down and laced his fingers through Harleys. "You good?" He asked softly, Harley looked up at him giving him a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, are you?" She shot back, he smiled and nodded his head.

"Beware, they're a bunch of dogs." Paul joked making the girl laughed. "Nice one, Paul." She said, he smiled and led her up the front steps and into the house.

"Hey family." Paul said casually taking a seat at the table and snatching a muffin, but Emily was quick to hit ot out if his large hands. "Ladies first, Paul Lahote." She scrowled before looking up to Harley and giving her a smile. "Muffin?" Harley glanced at the three large scars that took up the left side of Emily's face before taking a muffin and smiling. "Thanks."

"Come here." Paul said, Harley's eyes scanned the table, three other guys taking up the seats. "Where?" Harley asked nibbling on her muffin. "Right here." Paul said grabbing her wrist and pulling her onto his lap. Harley laughed slightly, her cheeks growing red.

"Harley, this is Emily if you haven't guessed." Paul said, the two girls shared a smile. "It's nice to meet you." Harley said smiling. "And these losers are Jared, Embry and Quil." Paul said keeping one arm around her waist at all times. Harley beemed when they all sent her wide smiles. "It's a pleasure." Harley said sweetly.

"Pleasures all ours," The alpha said walking into the room. "Anyone who can keep Paul this calm and happy, is always welcomed."

____

I know its short, but I'm trying to ease my way into their relationship and im trying to figure out how to keep Harley loyal to both the pack and her family with all this Bella drama 👀