AN:-This story is loosely based on the Twilight characters. I do not own them or claim any rights to them, they belong the the fantabulous Stephanie Meyer. Parts of this story come from personal experience, so this was a very hard story for me to write. It is also the first thing I have ever written for public viewing so please be kind with your reviews.

Chapter 1

I was walking down the crowded corridor trying to make my way out of the throng of students all bustling to leave school for the day at the same time as each other when I heard a huskily familiar voice calling out ," Hey Bella wait up!"

I turned around and saw my best friend Jacob Black running up to me. Good thing he caught me too, as I happened to be his ride home.

"Hey Jake, how's your day been?", I asked him.

"Sucky," he laughed,"We've got sooo much homework I'm going to have permanent rsi".

I gave a small laugh, and as we finally made our way out of the front doors to breathe in the fresh air of freedom, Jake grabbed my hand in his. This didnt bother me, Jake and I had known each other since we were 7, we were best friends, and I hoped we always would be, he was my rock...my one safe harbour in the confusing world of adolescence.

Flashback

"DAAAAAD!!!"

"Whats wrong Bella-Boo?" Charlie yelled as he came pelting up the narrow staircase to my bedroom.

I put on a pouty face and said,"I don't wanna go fishing, it will be gross and stinky and I don't want to gooo", as I broke down into tears.

"Bells honey, I sorry but you don't have a choice, I cant leave you here by yourself. Besides, Billy's son is coming too. Jake's just moved here from Florida and he could use some help making new friends".

I sucked my bottom lip in and started chewing on it, deep in thought.
"Dad?"

"Yes Bells", he sighed.

"Jake's a boy, right?"

"yeah he's a boy honey," he laughed.

"He doesn't have germs does he?" I asked, feeling a bit worried.

I got no answer to this, just Charlie shaking his head back and forth with silent tears of laughter streaming down his face.

End Flashback

I gave my head a shake, to drag myself out of the dream world I often fell into as we reached my truck. It was my baby. A huge, iron red rusted Chevy truck, but it was me. We climbed into the cab and both reached for the heat at the same time, our hands accidentally brushing.

"Sorry," Jake blushed, and looked down into his lap.

"No probs Jakey-poo. Sides, we hold hands all the time and I haven't caught your germs yet," I laughed at him.

He just smiled a little and looked out the window. I frowned at this and turned the engine over. Normally he would have come back with some stupid comment, but lately, best friend or not, Jake had been acting weird. That scared me a little, because I didn't want anything happening to ruin our friendship.

As we cruised along, I sang along to the radio. Jake just sat there with a goofy grin on his face watching me, and as we pulled up into the drive of his house he started to look a bit...nervous. He turned in his seat to look at me, with a pensive gaze on his face.

"So, Bells. We've known each other since we were, what, 7? Its been 10 years, and during that time I've come to really like you. You're my best buddy and my closest confidante. Lately though, I've been feeling like things are changing between us, have you?"

I stared at him, not quite sure where he was going with this. "Ummm, not really Jake." I paused. "Have I done something wrong Jake?"

He let out a rough sigh, and started again. "Bella, I'm trying to say...what I wanted to say was....UUGGGH!!! Why is this so hard!!!"

I was getting really worried now. "Jake whatever it is, just spit it out, please, you're killing me!"

He just looked at me, took a deep breath, and then so fast I would have missed it had I blinked, he leaned over and kissed me, straight on the lips. He straightened back up and the blurted out ,"BellaIthinkIloveyou. Willyougotopromwithme?"

My jaw dropped and I gasped in shock. "Jake...did you just say what I thought you did? You love me?"

He looked at me with a hopeful gleam in his eye and admitted it. "Bella, I've been madly in love with you for the past year. You have grown into such an amazing women, you are beautiful, funny and you are so damn sexy. Will you please go to the prom with me?"

My heart dropped into my stomach when he said this. I didn't want to hurt Jake, not when he had always been there for me in the past, through all my awkward, goofy teen/pubescent years, helping me ignore the taunts of the popular girls, and giving me confidence to stand up to them. I just didn't feel like that about him.

"Jake," I hesitantly began ,"I don't know what to say. I really don't want to hurt you, but I think I'm going to. I'm so sorry Jake, but I don't feel like that about you. I've known you for more than half my life, you are like a brother to me. You're my best friend, and I don't want anything other than that. I'm sorry Jake."

As soon as I had started speaking, his eyes dropped to his lap. I looked at him in shock to realise he had tears in his eyes.
"Jake, I'm sorry. I really do love you, but like a brother. I'm always going to be here for you, but not the way you want. If you can get past it, I'll go to the prom with you. But you have to promise its only as friends."

He looked up at me bravely, swallowing his tears back down. "Bells, I'd rather have you go with me as a friend than not at all. I guess I kind of knew that would be your answer but I had to try."

He sighed deeply, trying to gain some composure, as he glanced out of the window. He looked back at me and smiled. "So...prom date...wanna go study?"

I gave him a laugh, the one I saved just for him, the one no-one else got to hear ever, and said ,"Sure sure...come on prom date...lets get studying"

With that, we climbed out of the truck and headed inside to study, Jake humming a sad kind of song, and me thinking to myself 'Dear god, please don't let this change things between us'.