Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Breaking Dawn Spoilers.
Author's Note: . . . . I blame SecretBox. Lol. So this one is dedicated to her.
Jacob Black wants to get away from the world for just a little awhile, if only because he is sick to death of always watching his love, Bella Swan, being held in the chilling arms of Edward Cullen, the treacherous bloodsucker that should have never returned to Forks. He growls, remembering that her wedding would take place in a mere few days, but he wouldn't go. Jacob cannot and will not see the love of his life commit the most unforgivable sin: marrying a cold, lifeless leech. . . and not himself.
As much as Jacob wants to believe that he is simply questioning how anyone can want to spend eternity as a glittering freak always smelling of rotting flesh and the darkness, he knows deep down there is so much more to his feelings than that. He wonders why Bella chose Edward after he had gone away. How could she forgive him so easily? After all, Jacob was the one who picked up the pieces. Jacob would have never let someone so beautiful slip through his fingers. Jacob was Bella's air to breathe. If she had just given him the chance, they would have been something phenomenal together.
But then again, Jacob thinks, feeling the tightening squeeze in his heart, Edward is a drug to her.
And so, Jacob phases into a russet wolf and runs. He has absolutely no clue where he's going, but doesn't care just as long as he can find a way to forget all about the soon-to-be Bella Cullen, an image he didn't want come to terms with. Maybe that is selfish of him, but what else could he do? Jacob, quite frankly, believes he's entitled to be selfish, especially after all the things he has been through.
But just forgetting Bella Swan was easier said than done, no matter what shape Jacob chose—whether it be a dull, ordinary human or the magnificent beast of a wolf. So, he stops in the secrecy of a shadow a Church casts, and phases back, hating the person under his skin. Jacob puts on the pair of ripped-up shorts he's been caring in his mouth just in case. Then, he enters, although he's not sure what's compelling him to do such a thing.
"Oh!" a girl, probably in her early twenties, gasps.
Jacob's dark brown eyes widen in astonishment, for he cannot but help being stupefied by this girl's beauty. She has long, doe-colored hair styled in thick braid, and a petite pink ribbon tying it all together. The stranger wears brown boots, a pink dress that only was buttoned until it reached mid-thigh, and a crimson jacket. Her skin is the color of the stars, and with the way the sunlight bathed her skin, Jacob thought this girl could very well be an angel.
It's times like this when Jacob wishes he could just imprint and forget all about Bella.
"Hello," she greets with a sunny smile, and it's then that Jacob notices she is crouching over a patch of flowers. "Can I . . . help you with something, Sir?"
"I-I'm sorry," he stutters, the words falling off his tongue like rocks down a hill, "I wa-w-was j-just, uh, taking a stroll when I found th-this place. Did I frighten you?"
She nods, and walks over to stand in front of him. "Yes, but only because I thought you were someone else."
"Sorry," Jake apologizes again, feeling the heat arise in his cheeks. "I'm Jacob."
The girl giggles shyly, but offers a friendly handshake. Jacob gladly accepts, and takes notice to this new sensation in the palm of his hand. Her skin is so soft, so smooth—exactly like touching a flower petal.
"I'm Aerith," she replies. But then she lets go—too quick for Jacob's liking—and looks at him like a light-bulb has been hung over her head. "I know you! You're Jacob Black!"
Jacob frowns slightly, but attempts to show no sign that he cares about this tiny conclusion. He merely walks pass the brunette, and takes a gander at the blooming flowers. He studies them; it's all he can do to not look at Aerith again, and wonder what judgments she must be making in her head—not that he would blame her. It's not every day a random, shirtless guy strolls into a broken-down Church.
But she stays quiet, and joins Jacob.
"I'm sorry," Aerith murmurs gently next to him. "I didn't mean to offend you. It's none of my business."
Jacob turns his head to look at her, and he realizes that he is already attached to her warm personality. "No problem. I guess I'm going through an anti-social phase."
She smiles again, and his heart flutters within the walls of his chest. Aerith, somebody who definitely doesn't belong amongst the normalcy of humankind, continues to glamour Jacob into unsure silence. Unlike being with Bella, being around Aerith was not as simple. In fact, he keeps forgetting to breathe in her presence.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Aerith queries, her emerald stare averting to the garden of white and yellow lilies
"Huh?" Jacob asks dumbly.
"The flowers," Aerith answers with an angel laugh. "What do you think?"
"Oh," Jacob thought he must have been coming off as a fool to her, "Um, well, they sure are something, I guess. To be honest, I've never really taken the time to look at flowers. I'm more of beach, woodsy type of guy."
"I can tell," the brunette says, a little bit disappointed. "Nobody around here really shares my interest in these flowers."
"Taken for granted, huh?" Jacob chuckles, raising an eyebrow. He wants to lighten up the mood, feeling the sharp pang of hurt at seeing the smallest frown from Aerith.
"Yep," Aerith agrees simply. "It's such a shame I think, but they're certainly special to me. Somebody has to love them."
"It's kinda weird, don't you think?" Jacob muses aloud, cupping his chin in thought. "I mean, how the flowers are so beautiful, but nobody really realizes that they're there."
"Mmm. . . Mmm-hmm," Aerith kneels by the flowers, and gently puts a finger on a white petal. "It seems that I'm boring you, Jacob. I'm sorry. So, how are things going for you?"
Jacob grins, finding it funny how Aerith appears to be thinking that she is somehow dull. On the contrary, she'd been giving him the most exciting feeling he had ever gone through, except for falling in love with Bella, of course. And then just like that, one thought about Bella sent Jacob's head spinning out of control, and he realizes this thing with Aerith is nothing but a silly crush.
"Something wrong?" Aerith questions patiently, catching onto the air of quietness.
Jacob looks at his feet, avoiding Aerith's gaze. He doesn't want to look at her and know that fate wouldn't allow him to find a soul mate within her.
"No," he responds quietly.
Maybe, just maybe, this was something he needed to get off his chest. But what would Aerith think about a stranger confessing their problems to her when he's only known her for five minutes?
Aerith stands up straight, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it, Jacob? Perhaps I can help."
Jacob nods, and smiles as she does.
"I'm not sure where to begin," the copper-skinned man admits shyly.
"How about with why you ran away, Jacob," the brunette suggests.
"Well," he sighs, "Bella, the girl I love, is getting married to this one guy, Edward. And I can't stand it. You see, Aerith, he left her behind awhile back, and Bella was just so. . .pathetic without him. I don't think I've ever seen somebody so miserable before. It hurt to just know how broken she was."
"She must love this Edward person very much to be so lost without him," Aerith states, and it pains Jacob to hear the truth come out of those cotton-candy pink lips. "Edward would have to mean a great deal to Bella."
"Yeah," Jacob replies bitterly. The statement, no matter how true it may be, always stings him. "But I helped her. I practically nursed her back to sanity, and she had become my best friend. I thought we could have become more than that, but then he came back for her. I wanted things to go back to normal, but Bella spent all her time with Edward, and I knew. . . I couldn't spend the rest my life with watching her pass away from the sidelines."
Aerith nods sympathetically. "Most guys would just let it go and move on. I take it things didn't go as planned."
"Obviously. I forced a kiss or two on Bella, and I hated myself for it. It's strange to think of myself as the type of guy who would do that, but I guess I got pretty desperate," Jacob explains sorrowfully, remembering the feel of Bella's soft lips against his. It is still so fresh in his memory.
"People do silly things when they're in love, Jacob, whether or not it seems out of character, or so I've heard," Aerith giggles, and he feels a tiny bit better that she's not disgusted by him. "Of course, I'm no expert."
"In the end, she chose him. I didn't want to deal with it—the pain. So, here I am," he concludes.
"You said Bella is engaged to Edward, right?" Aerith queries nervously, tugging at her braid.
"Yeah," Jacob answers.
"You should go," Aerith says, and Jacob thinks she's crazy.
There is no way he'd drag himself over there.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Nope." She shakes her head. "If I were Bella, I would want you there most definitely. Jacob, I know you're in pain, but there's no reason why you shouldn't go, at least go to the reception if there is one. Swallow your pride. Be there for Bella on her special day; she'll appreciate it."
He gave her a skeptical look. "I can't just show up, Aerith." Jacob senses the anger building up in his chest. No, he could not get upset with Aerith for just trying to be a good friend. It was more than anybody had ever really done for him really. He sighs. "You don't understand."
"You're right. I don't," Aerith replies honestly. "But if my best friend was getting married, the world wouldn't be able to keep me away—nothing. I guess it just happens you're in love with yours."
Jacob rolled his eyes. What a disgustingly noble sentiment.
But, damn it all, Aerith is right. He would have been there, if say, Embry was marrying an awful bloodsucker, no matter what prejudices he felt towards them. But Bella was another story, because Jacob loves her. It wouldn't be fair to her if he didn't show up.
"Destiny won't forget about you, Jacob," Aerith says, interrupting his thoughts. "You'll find someone in time. I know it."
Once again, Jacob wants so much to fall in love with Aerith like how Sam fell in love with Emily, Paul with Rachel, Jared with Kim, etc. She is just so beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, it made him want to sing out in joy and rub it in Edward's face that he, too, found somebody worth all the pain. But Aerith isn't that special someone people wait all their lives for, unfortunately. Alas, he could really picture him being happy with somebody like Aerith. Sunny sweet and compassionate.
"Thank you for the talk, Aerith," Jacob smiles.
"The pleasure is all mine," Aerith giggles and curtsies politely.
"I should get going if I'm gonna make it in time for the wedding," Jacob replies, smiling widely as Aerith, overcome with joy, hugs Jacob tightly. He embraces Aerith back, though not as closely as he would have liked. He's afraid he'd somehow break her.
"You're doing the right thing," she whispers gently into his ear and lets him go. "Bella's lucky to have a friend like you."
"Goodbye, Aerith. I'm glad to have had the honor of meeting you," Jacob states. "Maybe I'll come back and visit!" He starts making his way out of the Church.
"I would like that very much." Aerith replies, knowing that in her life goodbyes were inevitable. "Goodbye, Jacob!"
On this day, Aerith realizes that, like Jacob Black, she deserves to find happiness with someone that she'd love and love her in return. And so, she goes home, grabs a piece of parchment and a writing utensil, and writes her eighty-ninth letter to Zack Fair.
. . .
. . .
"JACOB!"
Jacob chuckles as his name booms from the tiny Renesmee's mouth in excitement.
Aerith had been right. Destiny didn't forget him, and he had never been happier.