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Bella and Jacob walked the beach. Jake was annoyed at the hassle getting Bella to the bonfire. It took whining and snarky remarks, but he picked Bella up before sunset.
"Bells, I'm telling you this as your best friend. It's my duty to ensure that you have absolutely all the information you need to choose correctly," Jake said firmly. "He's still manipulating you. He's done it this whole time by lying to you. He vandalized your truck! Why can't you just admit that he's controlling you?" He kept his voice hard, but inside he was waiting, knowing that would fire her up. Sure enough - -
Bella turned in front of him, eyes flaring, "Jake, you're wrong! He promised me he wasn't going to do that stuff anymore and he hasn't! Why can't you just let it go?"
Jake saw his opening, and took it, "Alright, Bella, if you're so sure, put up or shut up – let's bet on it." Bella bit her lip and asked, "Bet on it, how?"
Jake paused to think about it for a minute. His eyes sparkled as he looked down at her. He snapped his fingers, "I've got it! We'll test him. I'll have Sam contact the coven and give them an update about Victoria. Then you ask him if there's any new information. If he tells you, then you're right, and I'll shut up. But if not, then it's all an act and he's still treating you like a porcelain doll. "
Bella thought about this. She knew it wasn't really the honest thing to do, but it was pretty harmless. He would either tell her or not. And then she'd know. And she really did want to know. "OK," she said, "what are the terms?"
Jake grinned, "If I'm right, you spend an entire leech-free weekend with me, on the res." Bella smirked, "and if I win?" He asked her what she wanted. "I want you to wear a dress to the next bonfire. Pink. With ruffles." Jake's face twitched, but he stuck out his pinky, "Deal." She hooked his pinky with hers, "Deal. He's not an idiot, you know." Jake grunted in disagreement, but left it alone.
Two days after Jake texted her, she looked at Edward while driving. "Edward, has there been any new news about Victoria?" Edward's face pinched up, then smoothed, "Why would you ask that, Love?"
"Edward, it's me she's after. I want to be kept in the loop. Has there been any news? A vision? Anything?"
Edward's face was stone, "No, Love, Alice hasn't seen anything." Bella sighed, and looked out the window.
Friday afternoon, Bella parked at Jacob's house. He ran out smiling and grabbed her bags. Bella was on her cellphone, "Alice, he lied. Again. I warned him. Now, I'm done. Tell the idiot to stay away from me, my bedroom window, and the treaty line." Jacob scooped her up and ran into the house, howling with joy, and Bella giggling over his shoulder.