Realistic Dreams, Chapter Eight
Paring: Jake/Bella (Twilight)
Rating: M
Chapter Eight: What It All Comes Down To
Bella POV.
I woke up sweltering, but in a good sort of sauna like way. A heat you could just melt into. Every once in a while a cool breeze would float across my skin from the open window. I sighed as I opened my eyes to an expanse of bronze flesh. I was startled for a moment until I remembered that the expanse belonged to Jacob.
Jacob Black. My Jacob. Now he was really mine and I suppose that I was his. It still bewildered me that he had imprinted. I thought that only happened the first time you saw someone. So why now of all times? Although it confused me, I couldn't deny it. I felt something course through me when he looked at me yesterday, like static shock only… better.
I looked up to see Jake's eyes still closed. Dark lashes fallen on copper cheeks. I smiled, and pulled my quilted comforter back over us. He moved closer and said something in his sleep. I placed a kiss on his chin and settled back in to join him in sleep.
Then I remembered where we were.
My eyes shot open and I bolted up. My quilt was lying over us which meant that we were in my room. In my house. And somewhere in this house, there was Charlie. And if Charlie knew Jake was up here… well, somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the cocking of a shotgun followed by a blast.
"Jake!" I hissed, slapping his face none too soft, but not as hard as last night. I didn't want to re-bruise my hand but I didn't have time to put up with his whole 'waking the dead' thing. "Jake, you need to wake up."
Once again I was pulled into his vice grip, but thankfully his eyes opened. "Not the best way to wake up in the world, Bella," he said, giving me a peck on the top of my head.
"Jake, you are in my bed!" I hissed again.
He nodded against me. "I know. It's pretty great."
"Jacob, my father is home!"
"I know. He's downstairs. I've been only half sleeping since he got up."
I pushed at his chest before settling in. That was right, werewolf hearing. "You ass, I was having a small heart attack."
He laughed softly. "You worry too much. Relax, it's only nine thirty, he's probably still groggy, it being Sunday and all."
"Oh." He laughed at my response and snuggled me closer. I couldn't fall back asleep after that, but I laid there in his arms. Feeling honestly at peace for the first time in a week or more. I listened to his heart beat and time passed without me really feeling it. I vaguely heard a phone ringing from somewhere and Jake sat up.
"He's coming."
"What?"
I only had time to turn around to face the door before it opened. "Bella, it's for you."
My stomach tightened and my throat went dry. "Dad! Look, I can explain!"
Charlie gave me a weird look, still holding out the portable receiver from downstairs. "Explain what?"
"What?! I mean why-" I turned around as I spoke and, looking at the other side of the bed, I saw that Jake was… gone? The covers weren't even thrown back. Looking around the room, he was nowhere to be seen. Gathering my wits about me, I tried to finish my sentence. "why… I've slept in so late. Yeah, sorry Dad." I hoped my horrible excuse would make it through.
Charlie gave me another screwed up face. "Bella, it's Sunday, I didn't really expect you to be up at the crack of dawn. Eleven o'clock isn't that late. Anyways, your mom is on the phone. You haven't talked to her in over a week, she's worried."
Oh crap. I knew I had forgotten something. "Give it here dad."
"Ok Bella. I'm going over to Billy's to watch the game, so I'll see you later."
"Have fun." He turned and walked out the door, and I could hear him leave the house downstairs moments later.
I put the phone to my ear. "Mom?"
"Bella, where have you been? I haven't heard from you in forever!"
I winced. "It was only a week Mom."
"Well it seemed like forever. So what's been going on? Something big had to happen for you to ignore your poor mother for so long." I rolled my eyes at her hyperbole. "So spill, what's happened? How's Edward?"
Dammit. One more person I would have to discuss this with. "You're right Mom, a lot did happen."
"Oh God, with Edward? Get comfortable, you're telling me everything."
I sighed and sat down. "Well things weren't really working out."
"What do you mean? You adored each other last I saw you."
"We adored each other too much. It wasn't… you know, real?"
"Oh that I can understand Bella, believe you me, but why didn't call me the moment it happened? You must have been devastated. I would have wanted to talk to you."
"Mom, a lot of other stuff happened too. I mean, a lot was leading up to- AAAARGHHHH!!" I screamed, thankfully not high pitch, as my closet door slowly swung open. Jacob's apologetic smirk appeared from behind the door.
I could hear my mother's worried voice from the dropped receiver on my bed. "Bella? Bella what's wrong?!"
I picked up the phone again. "It's nothing Mom, it's just a really big spider." Looking, I leaned over, grabbed one of my Keds and piked it at Jacob. "There, I got it with my shoe." Rather than beaning him in the head as I had hoped, he deftly caught it and patronisingly wagged a finger at me and then brought it to his lips in a shushing action.
I glowered at him as I returned to my conversation. "We, well, I realised that I wanted different things. Plus Edward wasn't the most wonderful person in the world. He was getting a little pushy."
"Oh?"
"He wouldn't let me see my best friend."
"So that's why you weren't talking about Jake. That sucks Bella, I'm glad you got out of it. So how is Jake?"
"Um, he's… great." I as I articulated the words he had silently padded across the room to sit beside me, put an arm around me, and laid a kiss on my shoulder, smirking up at me as his lips left my skin. Foul play Jacob Black, foul play at it's worse.
Yeah, I can be a dog sometimes, can't I?
Get out and stop smirking Jacob-conscience. It's distracting enough with one of you here.
"He's 'greeat' eh? It sounds like things are a little more involved than you're saying."
I could feel myself blushing. There was no getting out of talking with my mom, I had waited to long, and I was fairly sure that any attempts to get Jake to go away with non-verbal communication would fail on account of him conveniently not understanding. I was going to have to say all of this in front of Jake, and the prospect was utterly embarrassing. "More than you know," I finally answered, honestly.
"Should I make popcorn?"
I screwed up my face. "No Mom." I could feel Jake shaking with silent laughter beside me, as if he heard the comment.
Werewolf hearing, remember?
You're both bastards, just so you know. I ignored the smirking as Renee answered. "Oh, this should be good."
"Well, you know I got really close to Jake a couple months ago when… when I was having trouble."
"Oh, sweetie, he was all you could talk about. I was surprised when Edward suddenly made a reappearance in your life."
"You weren't the only one. Jake was…" I eyed him carefully, and he busied himself 'innocently' rubbing a circle on my shoulder with his thumb. "Jake didn't really take it well. But he was mostly just concerned for me. He didn't want me to get hurt by the same person again."
"And now?"
"Now… now things are… much better."
"Bella, stop avoiding the question. It's apparent that the last one to find out that you like Jake is you."
"I always liked Jake!" I said in protest.
"I mean like-like."
I crinkled my nose. "Mom, that's so juvenile."
She laughed. "But it's accurate! Come on Bella, juicy details! Was there a fight?"
"Not really," I said, picturing a speeding yellow Porsche, Edward's twisted jaw, and Emmett's body ragdolling through the air again. It wasn't really a lie, she meant between Edward and Jake, and they only had a small, semi-naked confrontation. I felt myself blush again.
"Did things get tense at all?"
"Yeah, they got pretty tense, but Edward got over it in the end."
"When was that?"
"Wednesday." I shivered as Jake snaked his arm up my shirt to rub my back. I silently mouthed Stop that, you ass! to him, and he shrugged as if he couldn't read my lips. Figures. After a moment, however, he obeyed my request and returned his arm to its place around my shoulder.
"Well, then why didn't you call me?"
"I was hanging out in La Push a lot."
"So did you kiss him?"
"MOM!" Jake began to shake with laughter again.
"Come on Bella, something had to happen for you to completely forget your mother for a week. You aren't that thoughtless."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I kissed him, are you happy?"
"And what was it like?"
"Which time?" I heard my mother break out into her 'spastic gossip laughter' on the other end of the phone and watched with some amusement as Jake appeared to be suffocating from the lack of air all that silent laughing had caused. Served him right, even if he was probably fine with his werewolf countenance.
"Let's start with the first time."
I smiled, remembering. "It was… amazing." I blushed, remembered that Jacob was still there.
"How did it compare to Edward."
"Mom!"
"Ok, ok, bad question."
"You can't even compare them, it's like night and day." Very literally night and day, but I couldn't tell her that.
"Well, how about the second time?"
I could feel my face growing redder by the second. "Mom, do we have to talk about this in extended detail?"
She sighed. "Fine. Is it safe to say you're finally dating him?"
"Finally," I scoffed. "I don't know if I'd add the finally, but yes, you could say I'm dating him" Or that I'm metaphysically bonded to him for the rest of my days, but I couldn't tell her that either.
"Ah, to be a teenager again! A different boyfriend every week."
"Mom! It's not like that! You just said he was all I could talk about."
"I know Bella, I was more referring to myself."
I kicked Jake as he snickered and mouthed Hey, that's my mom you're laughing at! to him. "Well I hope you aren't missing your vicarious youth too much. Phil would be heartbroken."
"Oh no," she said, laughing. "Not that much. So what else? Do we need to go into baseball metaphors yet?"
"MOM!"
"What, I know the doctor put you on the Pill to help your mood last Christmas, so at least you're being safe."
My face paled and my eyes went wide as I stared at Jake having a private fit before me. Mom, you are ruining my goddamned life! "Mom," I croaked weakly into the phone. "Jake just got here, I have to go. We're having lunch."
She laughed suggestively through the phone. "Ok dear, have fun. Don't forget to call me more often though! And don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
I squawked a goodbye and pressed the 'End' button. My room erupted with Jacob's baritone laughter, as he got up, slapping his knee.
"That was not funny." I said, pouting at him.
"Yes, it was."
"That was a private conversation!"
"And it was funny as hell."
"Do not judge my mother."
He raised his hands in a sign of innocence. "I'm not making fun of her. Hell, she's a hoot and a half. I like her already, when do I get to meet her?"
"Never, if you ever mortify me like that again. And who the hell says hoot anymore, you old man."
"Well, I am forty."
"Start acting like it."
He gave me an 'ultra-serious' look and managed to hold it for a second or two before we both burst out laughing. "See what I mean?"
"Ok, it's kind of funny."
He walked over to me putting his arms around my waist. "You know, I would have left if you asked."
I pushed at his chest, more playful than serious. "No you wouldn't, you big liar."
He shook his head laughing. "No, I probably wouldn't have missed that for the world. Kiss me."
"No, you're an asshole."
"Kiss me anyways."
I shook my head no still smiling as he lowered his head. I stuck my tongue out at him and he growled at me just before our lips met. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my head floating off somewhere into space. I don't know if this was just Jacob and the fact that I woke up in his arms, or the imprint talking, but I felt so at ease. I was taking my nibbling on every inch of his bottom lip when he pulled away and said, "So should I know any other safety precautions you're taking? I like to be on top of things." His eyebrows wiggled at the last remark.
I pushed him again. "Still a monster perv! Why do I put up with you?" I tried to escape, but found myself being lifted as I turned around, and tickled. "Jake! Stop it!" Foul play indeed Jacob Black. I continued to push at him as he savaged the sensitive covering my ribs and soon found myself rolling around on the floor, trying helplessly to get away from him as I laughed.
As annoying as Jake could be, this was great, and I knew it wasn't the imprint talking. I couldn't relax around Edward. Everything was serious and intense and all consuming. Who knows what kind of dangers a tickle fight on the floor possessed but he never would have went for it. Jake just goes with the flow, as silly or stupid his next action might be.
Somehow during our tickle fight he found himself on top of me, and as our eyes met, I stopped rolling around and pulled him down to me. Our lips crashed together and our play fight was forgotten as his thumbs began stroking circles on either side of my waist.
Somewhere in the back of my head I heard myself telling Jake that things were going too fast last night and I ignored it thoroughly as my hands went on to explore his chest. He hissed into my mouth as they made contact and his hands made their way up my sides again, trying to finish the task they had started last weekend. I felt myself laugh into his mouth as his fingers brushed their way up my sides, still tormented from his earlier ministrations. Slowly his thumbs once again came to the undersides of my breasts. I pulled away from his lips to look into his eyes, darkened from his usual chocolate brown to burnt wood from lust. I bit my lip as he grasped the t-shirt and, in one move, lifted me up enough to pull the shirt over my head. I was now as clothed as he was, with a possible exception made for underwear.
His gaze stayed on my eyes and I could feel myself going even redder, if that was possible after laughing as hard as I was. He balled up the shirt and put it behind my head and then, finally, his gaze left my eyes and travelled down my body to stop at my chest.
He sucked in a breath as his thumb swept up over the bottom my breast and circled around my right nipple and I found myself gasping with him. "God Bella, you're beautiful." He leaned down, kissing me once again. I held him to me, forcing him to linger so I could escape his seductive, yet embarrassingly bold gaze for a little longer. As we broke apart his huge grin split across his face as he looked at my bared form again. "You know, they're bigger than they seem with clothes on." I had recently gone up a cup size and my hips had become a little more pronounced, as shocking as it was to finally fill out in my eighteenth year, but he didn't need to know that right now. My private wishes to be more feminine and less tomboyish to compliment his masculinity (so private that I was only now admitting them to myself!) weren't good make-out conversation fodder, if there was such a thing anyway.
I returned my thoughts to his face, watching his kid-in-a-candy-store expression and feeling more than a little proud that I was the one putting it there, and kissed him again, less gently this time. He shifted so he could be fully over me and regain the use of his other hand. Both hands cupped my breasts this time and he kissed his way down my cheek. He stopped a moment, teasing the corner of my mouth with his teeth before continuing his way down over my chin and down my neck. Never had I ever received a more flattering glance at me than when he looked up at me as his lips connected with the top of my breast. I found myself unable to look away as he carefully moved his hand away and looked up at me for permission. I nodded and his mouth came down on me. I felt his tongue swirl around my nipple and my eyes rolled back into my head. It was better than any fantasy I had of him - or anyone - doing that before. His knee parted my legs and I stared at some far away spot on the ceiling as he began rubbing his knee against me. I could feel his hardness pressing against my thigh as I clutched at his head and cried out. Every other thought left my head. No vampires, no werewolves, just Jacob and his lips and his hands and his knee doing things to me I've only dreamed of, and never as vividly as this. His fingers stopped plucking my other nipple to a peak and his mouth replaced them. I wound my hands through his hair and his hands rubbed their way back down my sides to sit at my waistband. It felt like he was going to push it down and I mumbled his name, arching my back so that more of him was touching me.
Yes, I thought as one of his hands came around to grasp at my backside. Yes, I thought as his thumb hooked my pants. Yes, I thought as he dragged his mouth away from one breast to settle on the other one again. My head swam and all I could think about was how loud his heart was and how it seemed to beat in time with mind. I gripped at his shoulder blades and gasped his name again, waiting for him to pull down my pants.
Instead I felt my nipple vibrate between his teeth as he let loose a low vicious growl. "What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly shocked out of my previous bliss.
"I don't want to stop," he said between clenched teeth as he raised his head.
I trembled at the prospect, but remembering my insane bravery from last night, I caught my breath and said, "Then don't."
His face jerked up towards me as the sneer that was developing on it disappeared. He exhaled and brushed his hair out of his eyes. I could see him trembling as well and fear crept up my spine. He thought he was going to phase, that had to be it.
He looked into my eyes and I must have looked terrified because his face softened and he pulled me close to him. "No Bella. Don't worry, I would never, ever hurt you. Ever. I promise. It's just…" He exhaled again and rubbed a hand down his face. "There's a fucking leech in your goddamned living room!"
"Jake, I… wait… what?"
"There's a goddamned Cullen downstairs!"
"What?... WHY?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know?"
I reached for my top and pulled it on, dwelling only a moment on how my nipples were visibly peaked through the fabric. "I'm going to kill him." I got up and headed for the door.
I heard Jake chuckle behind me. "Not that I mind you killing him all that much, but he's not the one downstairs."
I stopped in my tracks. "Well then who- Alice." I narrowed my eyes. "Only she could be so insidious to do such a thing!" I reached for the handle.
Jake laughed again. "The tiny one is pretty annoying, but you're wrong again?"
I turned around, exasperated. "Who the hell is in my living room then?"
He sniffed the air. "Smells like the blonde one."
"You can tell them apart now?"
"Something Ve taught us to do when we trained with them."
"That still doesn't explain why the hell Rosalie is down there."
"It's your house," he said shrugging.
My eyes scanned around the room as I thought of an answer. Soon they fell on the tags to my new dress on my desk. I slapped a hand to my forehead. "Son of a… I was supposed to see her today."
Jake crossed the space between us and patted my head. "Way to be forgetful Bells."
I grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare be patronising at a time like this!"
He laughed again and headed for the door. "Well get dressed and go down there. It's rude to keep guests waiting."
I quirked an eyebrow at him. "And just what are you going to be doing?"
He smirked at me through his once again fallen hair. "I'm going to be making use of your shower."
"Doing what exactly?"
He yawned and rocked back and forth from the balls of his feet. "You mean besides the obvious? I'm going to be thinking of your boobs and pretending Blondie's not down there." I noticed something bobbing in his pants as his stretched.
My mouth fell open. "Jacob!"
He laughed. "The alternative is to keep your guest waiting for much longer." He put a finger to his lips in mock thought. "Or I could make use of your bed and some tissue."
I pointed at the door. "Shower. And damn your utter lack of modesty."
"Though so," he said laughing as he headed out the door. I heard him call "What's up Blondie?" as he passed by the stairs and heard a huff come up from downstairs.
I dressed in a hurry. Coming down the stairs, there was Rosalie sitting on a chair in the living room, shaking the one leg that was crossed over the other one, reading the newspaper. I walked towards her, not quite knowing what to say.
"Morning Bella. Or should I say, afternoon." I cringed and bit my thumb. "Down so soon? Does the mutt have a problem with maintaining?" She looked up from the paper and smiled at me.
"Seriously Rose? Do you seriously want to talk about that?"
She shook her head and folded up the paper, laughing. "I knew you were copulating with the mutt."
"I was not!"
"You were just now."
"I was not!"
"You were about to."
"I -" She gave me a suggestive look. "Ok, you might have me on that one."
She laughed again and got up to face me. "Do you know what dog boy is doing up stairs?"
I grasped my head in my hands. "I just want you to know, I'm wishing that you would burst into flames."
"Oh, Bella I was just teasing, I don't mean anything by it!" I looked up her and she smiled until she twitched a little and rubbed her shoulder. "Did it just get a little warmer in here?"
"No, that's karma helping you burst into flames for me. And it serves you right!"
Rosalie laughed at me. "I guess so. Then again, you did look at the tags. Alice already saw before your future disappeared again. She thought it was just those overgrown wolves patrolling your house, but I knew better. Wait till I tell her I was right!"
I choked. "You can't just go around telling people very private things you happen to hear because you can't knock!"
She sighed. "Why did you open the tags anyway? It was supposed to be a surprise."
"Because I didn't need anymore surprises after the night I had. Which I did, thanks you and your love at first sight dress!"
"I thought it was sweet," she said with a grin.
"It was," I said, sitting down. "But it wasn't just sweet, it was apt."
"What happened?" She asked, sitting next to me. "I can't read minds you know."
I sighed. "I… we… Did they explain anything about werewolves to you?"
"Bella, we were training for a fight, not mating season."
"I thought not."
"Well, what's so special about how werewolves do it?"
I chuckled. "It's not about how they do it, it's about how they find people to do it with I guess. You know mates. Or just friends, I'm not really clear on it."
Rosalie scoffed. "What, did they play 'Pin the Tail on the Pretty Young Girl,' and Jake got you?
"No, he imprinted on me."
"Bella, I'm not the best authority on biology, but I'm pretty sure that's how baby mammals remember who their mother is."
"Yeah, it's that, but when werewolves do it, it's like soul mates."
"Soul mates?"
"I just said I didn't really know everything about it. Just that the werewolf will be devoted to that person all their life."
"Well, Edward did say something about that boy being your best friend."
"All the werewolves I've ever heard of, which are more than you, because Ve tells stories, marry their imprint."
"…Oh."
"Yeah, big 'oh.' Ve's imprint used to be her rival and she still married him. Well, there was this whole thing how they really liked each other and it was his mother, but you know what I mean."
"I… I guess I do. So are you engaged to dog boy now?"
I rolled my eyes. "Can you not call him that?"
"Only if you answer the question."
"I don't know, it doesn't really matter anyways."
Rose gave me a funny look. "Bella, as far as I knew you were engaged to Edward a week or so ago and were saving it for marriage, and just now you were about to have sex with that… person."
"That was Edward's idea, not mine. And it doesn't matter because if you already have supernatural reassurance that you're going to be together for the rest of your lives, a piece of paper stating the fact doesn't really mean anything, does it?"
Rose fiddled with her hands in her lap. "I guess not. Bella, don't think I'm judging you or anything. Marriage… marriage as an institution really isn't important to me either. Not after… how I died. It's a bunch words and sentiments and… lies." She stared off into space with a bitter look on her face.
"But you get married all the time?"
"I like a good party, especially when it's all about me. Plus, I look amazing in white." I had to laugh at that, even if it was ridiculous. "But what does that have to do with the dress we got you?"
"Imprinting is supposed to happen the first time you see the person. Or at least, that's how we thought it did. Then again, Ve imprinted on someone she had known her whole life, so I guess Jake doesn't know that much about it either."
"Hmm. That is apt."
"Yeah, I know. The irony was hilarious until Jake got there."
"Busy after that?" she asked with a smile.
"What?"
"Well you did sleep with him, didn't you?"
"I don't see what that has to do with anything," I said turning to see the smile creeping up Rose's face. "Rosalie, we just slept! That's it!"
"Sure you did."
I rolled my eyes and tried to sink into the couch. "You can be more annoying than Alice sometimes."
"Whatever. So, that muscle as hard as it looks?"
I sighed. "He's like a bronze god."
Rose's eyebrows shot up. "Well that was surprisingly easy to get out of you."
"You're utterly too exhausting to fight. I might just answer anything you ask me."
"So how much of a bitch did you used to think I was?"
I shot her a look. "You're devious."
"I'm just getting started. Begin the description of his backside and other naughty regions." She waved a hand, encouraging me.
I scoffed at her. "You're worse than my mother."
"You've met Emmett."
"You don't have to think with his brain."
"It's more fun this way. He may be a wolf, but I'm the only one you know likely to enjoy such descriptions, and you know you're dying to tell someone."
"Why am I suddenly discovering half the people I know are secretly pervs?"
"It's because you aren't very attentive. Well come on, he won't be in the shower forever."
I looked at her, weighed my options, and plunged face first into an invigorating discussion on taut gluteus muscles. Rosalie turned out to be about ten times more fun than I ever thought her to be, and I knew that she'd be almost as good a friend as Alice is.
"So are you going to be able to hang out with me and Alice today, or are you too busy throwing Dog Boy a bone?"
"Rosalie!"
"Sorry, Jacob a bone."
"Like that's any better!"
"Just answer the question."
"I might. I have to study, I have finals tomorrow."
"Oh that's right, studying. I keep forgetting you still do that."
I laughed at her. "Well, I don't do it that much. I'm pretty sure I've got it all down by now anyways."
"What's left?"
"Just reading for Government."
"Boring."
"I know. So maybe I can do something with you guys. But you have to promise me something first."
"What?"
"Don't tell Edward about the whole imprinting thing. Not yet anyway. I know it's going to be hard keeping it from him, but I'd rather tell him on my own, if things would ever just calm down enough for me to be a sensible person."
"I'll try." I started at her with a murderous glare. "What? I said I'd try. I mean, not only do I have to keep quiet about being right with Alice, now I have solid evidence that the little pixie can't interfere anymore. I'm not made of steel Bella!"
"No, your harder than steel."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Turn of phrase. Fine, but you're going to have to tell Alice. And you're going to have to get married anyways, eventually."
"Fine, wait, why is that?" I quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Because Alice has to plan it."
I slumped my shoulders in defeat. "I guess. So I'll just see what Jake wants to do."
Conveniently, I heard his telltale thumping coming down the stairs. "Actually, I have to go on patrol in a few, so you're going to have to make your own fun anyways."
"Ok Jacob, I guess- Holy. Crow." As I turned around I saw that Jake was still wet and clad only in a towel. I was mesmerised by a drop of water flowing down his chest, around his navel, and disappearing into the 'v' of the towel below his waist. "Why aren't you dressed?"
He looked at me as if I hadn't caught onto something he had said previously. "Because I'm going on patrol. No point in wasting good pants. I left them upstairs, I'll get 'em later."
"I'll wash them for you." I said automatically, torn between outright staring at him and the fact that Rosalie was right beside me.
"Oh, look, a wet dog."
Jake laughed. "Hey Blondie. Hey, do you know what you see when you look into a blonde's eyes?" I looked over to Rosalie to see her narrowing her eyes. "The back of her head."
"How unoriginal," Rose scoffed.
"Don't worry, I got more." At that he twisted and shook back and forth like, well, like a dog and splattered both of us with water.
"Well I never!" Rosalie spluttered as she tried to wipe herself off.
"Well, now you have." He walked up to the back of the couch in wide strides and, taking my head in one of his hands, leaned down and caught me in such a passionate kiss, I temporarily forgot that Rosalie was beside me and wrapped my hands in his hair before we parted again. "See you later beautiful. Oh, and Blondie? Next time you want to know how big it is, just ask me. I'll show you." He winked at her, turned around and headed for the kitchen, whipping the towel off as he reached the door frame and throwing it back at us, leaving both of us stunned and speechless as we watched him walk out of the house into the backyard, entirely naked and, though this may just be my personal opinion, entirely, utterly gorgeous.
Rosalie was the first to speak, albeit in a hazy voice. "That jackass heard us."
I nodded slowly. "But he's a pretty jackass."
She nodded with me. "Still a jackass."
"Still pretty."
"I'll admit it, now that I'm sure he's too far away to hear it. Anyways, grab your books, Alice just wanted to watch movies anyway. I'm sure she'll help you study."
"What about Edward?"
"He's hunting. Needed a break after… well, after everything."
I nodded. "Alright, I'll come. Oh, and Rosalie?"
"What?"
"Jake totally won… whatever pissing contest you were trying to have there."
She nodded. "Let's never speak of this again."
"So new release or classic?" Alice danced around the big screen, her finger's gliding over the DVD collection.
"Um, just, you know, whatever you want," I said looking up from my textbook.
"Just put something boring in, we're going to be mostly talking anyways."
"Rose, I said I had to study."
"You read in the car."
"You drive really fast."
Rosalie eyed me. "Tell her. Or I will."
I rolled my eyes, snapping the book shut. "What are you, the Blatant Honesty Police?"
"Just tell her."
"Why does it matter?"
"Besides, I already know what she's going to tell me. I can see into the future you know."
"Ugg, I don't know which one of your is more annoying!"
Alice hummed to herself as she danced along the shelves. "It's probably me."
"So you are… ok with this?"
"Oh, not really. But what can I do?"
I stared at her for a moment, before turning to Rosalie. "Who is she and what did you do with Alice?"
Alice laughed. "I mean it. Besides, one way or another, I am planning your wedding. Even if I have to put that nice double breasted tux I had in mind on Jacob. And there's not much you can do about it." I agreed with her in the moment. Alice can get kind of scary when it comes to things like this. Though I couldn't really picture her getting Jake in a tuxedo for all the money in the world. Far too many layers of clothes.
"You might want to switch your plans to beach attire or something."
Alice shot me a glare. "What is wrong with wearing a dinner jacket on the beach? Especially if you get married here, where it's always cold?"
"Because Jake's never cold. Ever. And he, as a rule, hates clothes. You'll be hard pressed to get him to wear a t-shirt for the duration. That is, if it ever happens."
Alice mumbled something and finally pulled out a movie. "Here this one."
"I'm actually done reading, so I guess I'll watch with you guys. But you have to promise not to tell Edward a word too Alice."
"I'll try. You might want to break it to him soon though."
"Thanks." I grabbed the movie box as the previews started to play. "Cujo… well that's… subtle."
Alice shot me a glittering smile. "I thought so." I rolled my eyes and settled down, content to just let things lie rather than stir anything else up.
Monday's exams passed by like a rush. It was like I zoned in on the test as it happened, but by the time it was over, I couldn't even remember what test I had taken. Somehow I felt like I got through it alright. I had already gotten my online acceptance to Seattle and had mulled through their calendar before the first test, Math I think, started. I would just be glad when this was over and I could get out of high school for good.
What didn't fly by was the lunch break they gave us. I got to the cafeteria to see all eyes fall on me once again. Wednesday's incident hadn't worn off yet. This was obvious, as Jessica and Lauren were sitting with Mike and Angela, and Lauren at the very least looked ready to pounce. I cursed Alice for getting her break in a different time slot and headed to face the music.
Just two more days, I kept telling myself, and then I'll never have to see her again. I sat down, smiling hello to Angela and Mike and nodding at Jessica and Lauren.
"Hey Bella!" said Mike in that cheery voice that usually meant he was going to ask me something. Something I didn't really want to answer. Most usually, on a date. Dear God, here we go.
"Hey Mike."
"So what did you do all weekend?"
A werewolf. Sort of. "Nothing much, hung out with Jake and Alice mostly."
"Together?" asked Angela, looking puzzled. "I thought they didn't like each other."
"No, separately."
"Oh," Mike sounded dejected at the mention of Jake's name. Well, he should be, but he didn't know that. Not really. "So what are you doing for graduation? Anything?"
"No idea, but I'm sure Alice is probably cooking something up. Though I'd rather just spend it on the beach in La Push."
Mike smiled. "We could have a bonfire or something."
Oh, Mike, you never stop trying. "Sounds good. I'll see if Jake and the guys are busy. They might want to come." Mike's face fell.
"You mention that Jake person a lot now," said Lauren in a careful tone. "Isn't that the guy who hit Edward?"
"Nope," said Mike, perking up as he peeled the sticker off his apple. Boys and their fights. "It was a girl that did it. Ask Bella."
"Yeah. Jake's cousin."
"So, what are you spending so much time with people that attacked your boyfriend?"
I gulped, I hoped not visibly. "He's not my boyfriend anymore."
Lauren laughed. "After all that and he dumps you."
I could feel my hands forming fists beneath the table. "Actually, I dumped him."
"I'll believe that when I see it."
My voice came out in an unfamiliar tone, cold and grating. "It's why Ve had to hit him in the first place. He grabbed my arm so hard it bruised."
"Really, so why haven't I seen it?"
I plopped my arm down on the table in a fit of rage and pulled of my watch. It was beginning to go yellow, but the full handprint was still clearly visible. "There. Now you have. What is this about?"
"Mike was just telling us that you went to the movies with Jake before." Geez, thank you Mike. Way to spill the beans. "And now you're doing all this stuff with him."
"What difference does it make to you?" Normally I wasn't this bold. I don't know, it might be that I took on some aspect of Jake when he imprinted on me, or it could be the growling the voice in my head was currently making, but I wasn't letting her shit lie this time.
"What, Bella, is he your boyfriend or something?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact, he is. Got a problem?" I ignored Mike's newly re-fallen face as I felt my temperature rise. I could swear my temple was visibly pounding.
Lauren appraised me slowly and then laughed again. "Well, Bella, I knew you had it in you."
What the hell was she playing at? "Had what in me?"
"That loose streak. Out of a relationship one day and in and new one the next."
I saw red. I was going to kill Mike and his big fucking mouth, but first, I wasn't going to take Lauren's constant nagging one second longer. Before I knew what I was doing, I stood up, and my arm was already in motion. "You're one to fucking talk!" My hand came down on her cheek and her head snapped sideways as I slapped her as hard as I could. My blood was boiling and I was breathing heavily as I watched her fall off her chair, clutching her face.
"What the hell are you doing?! And why are you so hot?!"
I stared down at her as she looked up at me. Bringing my hand into my vision, I could see my palm was sun burn read, the pad of my thumb white like blistering skin. I stared down at it in shock as Lauren got up and took a swing at me. I tensed, waiting for the hit to come, but it never did. Opening my eyes, I could see Mike standing between us, Lauren's arm caught in his hand.
"Fuck, Lauren, I should have known there was a reason why you were so inquisitive. Just stop it, you've done enough."
Getting a good look at Lauren, I saw my handprint on her face, red like I had scalded her.
We both ended up in the office, but the principal didn't want to make a big deal of it with two days to go, especially with both of our relatively clean track records. Apologies were extracted and promises of it not happening again were given, and we were let go to take our other tests for the day, which I did much like before lunch. But as I walked to class I pictured Lauren's red face and wondered.
What the hell is going on, and what's happening to me?
Jake POV
I was standing out in that same damn field, circling that same weird rock until Sam got there.
Jake.
I turned to face the black wolf that came up behind me.
So what did Ve say anyways?
Nothing much Jake. She didn't know what it was either. But she didn't like it at all.
So… what now?
She's going to check with people in Seattle. That bar scene there might know something. She said it seemed familiar but she couldn't place it, which could make it any number of things. She's knows it's not a vampire though, which is bad. It could be something we haven't seen before. One of those other horrible creatures she always has to face.
Fucking hell, I hope not.
But right now, we have bigger fish to fry.
Like what?
He led me further off the trail of the new born to the end of our territory. There, I finally caught what he meant. The red-headed bitch. She was back and she was all over the place.
Fuck. Just what we need. More leeches.
We're going to have to depend on the Cullens. Ve really didn't like that scent on that rock. She left her car here and as I led her out, she found this. She's going to scope out the situation in Seattle and see how many people are missing… and how many vampires she can find.
And destroy. We don't need any more fucking leeches, dammit.
Jake, I'm really, really glad for you. I'm serious. You didn't deserve to get shafted like that and imprinting on Bella is the best reward I could ever hope to give you, not that I did, but if you think about her fucking breasts one more time, I swear I'm going to rip you a new one.
I laughed and it came out as a yip. You wish.
Yeah, I guess I do. Ve really has a point. You're probably going to run this pack someday.
Not until you're done with it Sam, I've got no rush.
Anyways, this is worse than you think it is. Come over here.
I followed him further out, running along the trail of the vampire that I sincerely hoped to personally tear into pieces, until we came to what he was talking about.
The scent of the newborn converged with the redhead's. And then another. And then another. Walking around in about a mile radius, 12 different scents converged on one point.
Oh shit. She already has them here.
There's more than last time. It was only 9 before.
Fuck Sam. FUCK! She was fucking waiting for Ve to leave!
That's what Ve suspected. There were only 6 when she and I were out here first. We're going to increase patrols as much as possible. You might not have a social life for the next while.
How soon Sam?
Sam paced around me as we met again and stared off into the forest, where Victoria and God knows what else was lurking.
How soon Sam?!
He looked at me with mournful eyes. With this many leeches? Sometime in the next few days.