1) HAUNTED
"Quil mentioned you today." he stated looking up from the cars wheel rims.
"Huh?" I had no idea why he brought this up.
"Yeah...I uh, think he has a crush on you or something..." I watched as he ran his oiled fingers through his hair clearly uncomfortable with the subject.
I held back a snort and replied through my blush "Yeah...I don't really think he's my type." my fingers returned to flipping the bottle cap around.
"So...who is your type then?" he attempted nonchalance and failed miserably.
"I don't think that's any of your concern Jake, who I do and don't like" I knew it annoyed him like this so I kept the tone light and friendly.
"But there is someone you like then...that's good, it's nice you're not still holding onto that Cullen guy, god I hated the way..."
Jake trailed off into a rant about 'that Cullen guy' while I had no other option but to hold my ribs and try not to fall apart again.
Deep breathing Bella. My mind focussed on keeping together, till Jacob broke my reverie.
"Why do you do that?" he had that tone again, whenever he saw me like this he got annoyed. Not at me, as he had told me millions of times before, but the creep who did this to me.
"What did the bastard do Bella?" The bottle cap slipped out of my grasp at the curse coming from Jacobs's usually polite mouth.
"No...Jake, just no...I'll see you tomorrow" I didn't like to stay around Jacob when he was in this type of mood. It was best for me to just go home, cool off. Same for Jake. But today, he didn't like that option. I stood up to leave only to be stopped by a boiling hand snarling my wrist and pulling me to a stop. I hadn't even noticed him stand up.
"No Bella. We ARE going to talk about this. I've seen you when you do this, it can't go on like this. I feel like I'm tip-toeing around glass all the time I'm with you avoiding this subject. Just tell me Bella"
His grip tightened but it still felt soft and welcome on my cool skin. "Jake, just let me go, please" I begged pulling against his tight grip.
"Bella, stop being a selfish idiot and just tell me!" I froze and stopped moving and he realised what he had said.
"Oh no...no I didn't mean it bells...I just-" I cut him off and snatched my wrist back as his stance loosened.
"The truth comes out when your upset...doesn't it!" I snared at him and stormed back off slamming the truck door and throwing it into drive hitting the road at unreasonable speeds. I hated that Jacob had done this to me. Jacob. My Jacob. He was my own personal sunshine, and now, the sun had set, and everything had gone dark; a starless night.
No, Jake's wrong, It's my life and I should decide whether I want to tell him or not. I'm going to do this MY way, stuff Jake and his stupid temper.
Even if he keeps at me, I'm not going to back down. I know what I want and I know how it's going to happen. This is my life, and Jacob Black isn't going to stand in my way. I mean, if I don't want to talk about it, then I don't have to! He should have known not to dwell on THAT particular subject.
I pulled up behind Charlie's cruiser, and slammed the trucks' door a little harder than necessary. I decided talking to Charlie wouldn't be such a good idea, until I had calmed down at least. I attempted to sneak up the stairs.
"Bells, is that you?"
Crap.
"Yeah dad. It's me!" I said just loud enough for him to hear me.
"Come down a sec, I want to talk to you!"
"Dad. Can this wait? I mean, I have an essay to write."
"No Bells. Now please, it won't take long. "
I decided that he wasn't going to give in. So I slowly, unwillingly trudged down the stairs.
"Yeah dad?" I half sighed. He through me a 'wish I hadn't bothered' sort of look, and trust me, he shouldn't have, I wasn't in the mood. I propped myself up against the door frame, not anticipating a long conversation. Charlie muted the T.V. Oh god, this was serious. Had he found out about the bikes? Who told him? If Jake had breathed a word off this then swear to god I was...
"You got a message."
Is that it? Just a message. But why so serious? You would have thought the world had ended for him right then and there, but no…just a message. Charlie analysed me face before continuing.
"It was Jake" I rolled my eyes, How could he have the nerve to call after he said what he said? Maybe the world was ending, I scanned the room looking for any signs of fiery hell dogs or horsemen. Nope, still safe.
"And...?" I wanted this conversation to be over with ASAP.
"Well I told him you'd call him back" Ha, fat chance. "Be nice, Bells. He sounded... upset. "
"Maybe later, dad. I'm really tired….long day" I knew that was a lie and faked a yawn for good measure. But I can't believe he'd expect me to call him! Charlie turned back to the T.V and I went back to climbing up the stairs upstairs.
Now no one was watching, I allowed the tears inside me to spill. How could I mess up THIS bad? Now, I was back to square one.He was gone. Now Jacob too. It felt as though the meaning to my life was crumbling around me, with little meaning left. I started pacing my room. Reliving the conversation I had with Jacob, my former best friend. How could something so subtle, turn into this? Me, that's how. I messed this up. I couldn't...
"Shoot!" God damn it! That freaking hurt, how could I stub my toe on a flat surface? But then I remember, I was Bella Swan, the clumsiest human alive, I smirked at the thought, and the names he called me ' the magnet for trouble'. My eyes drifted to the offending floor. It came to my attention that I had not stubbed my toe on a flat surface; the floorboard was up, as though someone had forced it, and then not put it back properly. This made me curios, so I crouched down and pulled it open.
'Curiosity killed the cat' ran through my head, but really, I didn't see any cats so I figured we were safe this time, besides it was my room.
It refused to move, I refused to give up. I tugged and pulled on the wood until my flesh under my nails bled. Ugh, blood. But the pain paid off. The floorboard sprung up, nearly hitting me in the face. I peered into the gap. I saw glistening silver paper, and... A CD? I put my hand in, feeling the objects inside; my hand came across the thin square shape.
The CD? I knew exactly what this was. It was the present Edward had given me. Edward. Ugh. I did not want those memories with me now. The CD was shoved back into my own hell dimension and the floorboard stomped on repeatedly taking all my anger.
He didn't even have the decency to take them with him. He really didn't want me, or any part of me. Well stuff him, if he could hate me so much, then I felt free to do the same. I kept stamping down, the corners of the wood cutting across my bare foot.
"Bella, what the hell you doing up there?" Charlie called from the stairs cutting out my attacks. Crap. He must have heard the stomping on the floor.
Quickly Bella, think! I told myself. At least he couldn't see my face, which always gave away my lies.
"There was a spider" I stated and bit my lip waiting for his reply. After a few seconds he turned away back down the stairs muttering to himself, no doubt cursing the weirdness of his daughter.
I breathed a sigh of relief and went about my nightly routine getting ready for bed. I could continue my fuming about men while I attempted sleep.
Within the hour I was dead to the world shutting down after a good long rant about the lesser sex.