Paw Prints On My Heart

O-kay, here's the deal. The Cullens have left because Edward realized that he did love Bella but more like an adolescent love and realized she was in far to deep and it was just plain cruel to lead her on. He let her down a bit easier than in the 2nd book. ( He wasn't as cold and all) We are officially on a day, any given day, when Bella is coming out of her zombie phase. She has not seen Jacob.

B.P.O.V.

I wanted to be normal again. I was so tired of all the fits and tears. So tired. Charlie was even afraid to come home and that's what seemed to cut me out of my stupor. Charlie. If anything was worth living for, it was Charlie, I couldn't do that to him.

So I tried to act human. I tried to act as if there wasn't a hole in my heart that seemed to ripple, so close to being yanked open, every day. Then the wolves started to appear, rumors of attacks and such, but I knew differently. Charlie was going out today and I decided I would try to be normal, and have some fun with my friends. If I had any.

I picked up the phone and dialed. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mike."

"Bella! Is there something wrong? Are you okay?"

He sounded so panicked I had to laugh. "What, I can't call you just to ask how you're doing?"

"I guess so." He sounded wary and I mentally slapped myself, how could I have let it get so bad?

"You wanna go swimming down at La Push?" I asked impulsively.

"Sure." More eager this time.

"You can ask Jess if she wants to come."

"Yeah, great." A little disgruntled now.

"Alright," I said cheerily. "See you soon."

1 hour later . . . .

I bounded down the stairs when I heard the door bell ring. I know. Me, bounding. It was so funny, I would've laughed if I wasn't so out of breath. For the first time in 6 months I felt . . . anticipation. I wondered why, I mean, it was just Mike and some others. I opened the door and saw a very shiny black sedan. Mike waved from the drivers' seat. I smiled. Jess sat in the front seat along side Mike with Angela and Ben seated in the back.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw that Mike was not going to try and make this a one on one date.

As I slid into the back seat, it was squished enough that Angela had to sit on Ben's lap. Ben was already grinning before we pulled up to the beach, while Angela chattered on. As we all grappled to exit the car, I studied the coast. One of my favorite places to be. I hadn't ever gotten to go here when I was with Edward. The hole in my chest rippled and I started to breath hard. No, no, no, no!! I closed my eyes tightly, blocking out everything.

Slowly my heart beat returned to normal and the hole was patched. For now.

I looked out to where Jess, and Angela were giggling in the water and Ben and Mike just stood there with the most idiotic, goofy smiles on their faces. Aw, Love. My heart clenched and I thought ironically, you're asking for trouble Miss. Swan, lusting after something that you can't have.

I was stupid. Even after all I'd been through with Edward I still wanted something that was unhealthy for me. I was like a long time dieter put in a room filled with the most expensive chocolate. "Bella?"

I looked at Angela who stared at me worriedly. I smiled, though it didn't feel right on my face. I hadn't smiled in so long. "I'm fine Angela, I'll just go for a walk down the beach." I smiled my weird, broken smile again and walked in the opposite direction of the happy couples.

Jeez, Bells, if you're going to act like this, you'll end up a bitter old maid. I shook my head. I looked up and the salty wind caught my hair in its fingers. The afternoon sun glinted and I took a deep breath of sea air. The breeze tugged on my sarong and I looked down at my happiness induced out fit.

I wore a blue bikini with a hawaiian flowered sarong on my waist. ,my hair penned up with a real orchid that Mike had presented to me earlier. I'd never worn something so revealing, unless you counted my underwear. I'd never been able to, with Edward and all.

Only now did I realize all the things I couldn't have done with Edward. But that didn't dull the sting of pain that shot through my veins at thinking his name. All well, I couldn't hide forever I supposed and turned back toward my friends who, above all things, seemed to be worried about me, or rather, my mental stability.

When I returned to my previous destination, I looked about and saw a note penned under a sandal, that said Angela, Jessica, Mike, and Ben went to but ice cream and would be back within the hour. I wondered briefly who's shoe it was and laughed at the image my mind conjured. Mike hopping on one foot all the way to the ice cream place.

I looked around and saw that it was almost deserted. And then I saw the cliff. And as I watched a boy stepped out onto the ledge . . . . and jumped. He twisted and flailed before straightening and slicing through the water like a hot knife through butter. Shocked I searched the surface for any sign of life. When I began to panic I saw the tiniest dot, bobbing on the surface of the water and let go a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. I looked from side to side on the beach and saw a couple people sun bathing and walking their dogs.

I saw something peculiar, a man, renting out ski jets and you know what I did? I rented a ski jet. I'm serious I just walked up to him, handed him the money, and walked off with it following on a trailer-puller-thing. I untied my sarong and waded out into the water dragging the thing, it was a dead weight, behind me. Once I was in chest deep water I pushed myself up and onto the plastic seat and balanced myself.

I flipped the engine and all of a sudden I was flying. I grabbed onto the handle bars, and thought over and over: It's a bicycle. It's a bicycle. It's a bicycle. It's a bicycle.

After a little while of just clutching onto the bars for dear life, I actually started to drive, maneuvering the vehicle around several surfers and swimmers. It was exhilarating. And it was just like flying.

J.P.O.V.

Man, it's hot in here. I raised my forearm against my forehead and swiped the sweat from my brow. I sat up from under the engine of one of my new projects, an old '96 Camaro. I sighed and leaned up against the Rabbit. Breathing heavily I ran my fingers through my sweat slicked hair and gave it a shake from it's usual pony tail. I decided I needed a quick swim at the beach before returning to the summer heat.

Bundling up my shirt and shoes I jogged down the road, heading toward the coast. Along the way I heard snickering and knew that if I looked around I would see the faces of my two best friends, Embry and Quin.

I smirked then quickly cleared my face leaving nothing to hint that I knew that they were there. I stopped and pretended to catch my breath, and bent over from the waist down. When I saw their feet slowly creeping towards, from between my legs I allowed myself one grin. Then I started to straighten and when felt a flash of cool on my back I whirled around and grasped at the air. I connected with soft cotton. This resulted in a short scuffle between us ands I ended up penning Quin to the ground while Embry stood a little out to the side watching.

"Say uncle!" I crowed. And Quin, in a tiny butt squished voice said, "Uncle."

"Come on, guys." I said as I jumped up. "I'm heading out to the beach, wanna' come?"

They both nodded, Embry: eagerly, and Quin: disgruntled.

Hey, me again. I just wanted to now if any of you had suggestions I would be totally open to them. Like: 'Embry should have a girlfriend' or 'Don't switch between Jacob and Bella, choose one!' But those are just suggestions. PLEASE REVIEW!!

If you don't I wont update as quickly as I'm sure a few of you would like. Or maybe you'd lie to have some suggestions for later on in the story or maybe what happens next, in this chapter. I would really appreciate it!

- A.N.