The savory scent of chicken cooking in alfredo sauce permeates through the room, making me lightheaded in the best way possible. I pour noodles into the pot of boiling water, then pause to call over my shoulder, "Jake, can you make the broccoli?"

My brother, slouched lazily on the couch, barely hears me. "Huh?" he asks stupidly.

I roll my eyes. "Make the broccoli!" I repeat.

He makes a face that clearly expresses his desire to remain planted on the couch until forcibly removed. "Do I have to?" he moans.

"You do if you want it with your fettuccini alfredo," I reply, fully aware that I made his decision much harder. On the one hand, he loves fettuccini alfredo. On the other, it would require getting up. Groaning like an old man with a bad hip, he stands up and drags his feet towards the freezer to grab the frozen broccoli.

"Thanks," I smile.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbles. "How long do I put it in for?"

"Five minutes."

His task done, my brother slumps against the counter top and watches me stir the rest of the food. Even slouched like that, I can tell he's grown a few inches. Again. At this rate, he won't be able to fit in the house come Christmas.

"So what are you and Bella up to exactly?" I ask, amused at the dumbstruck look in Jake's eyes when I say her name.

Bella. With Jacob these days, everything seems to revolve around Bella. They work in the garage together, take secret motorcycle rides together, and hike together. In short, they do everything together.

I'm really glad they've become so close. Bella is still recovering from a really bad breakup with Forks hottie, Edward Cullen. He was moving, but didn't even try a long-distance relationship and just flat out dumped her, leaving poor Bella lying in the woods. She loved him more than I can even describe, and it crushed her. Correction, she still loves him. I don't understand how she can still love someone that heartless, but the pain of his rejection is still very fresh in her mind.

Because of this, Edward's not very high on my list of quality people at the moment. For similar reasons, Jake's not too crazy about him either. Then there's my dad, who hates all the Cullens. My dad's truly harmless, but he is so superstitious, it's not even funny. Last spring, he paid Jacob to crash Bella's prom. Who does that? Apparently, my loveable but misguided father.

Jacob doesn't like Edward mostly because he has a cute little crush on Bella. It's sweet really, but I'm afraid he's wasting his time, considering how Bella feels about Edward. I mentioned that to him once, but he just shrugged and said, "When she's ready, I'll be ready." I know he's not happy about that, though. He's got it bad for Bella Swan, and we all know it. Except Bella that is.

"We're going to see a movie with a couple of her friends," Jake frowns, obviously not thrilled that their unofficial date would include more than just the two of them.

"That's nice," I say, pretending not to notice his annoyance. "What are her friends like?"

He shrugs. "I don't know, never met them. Bella told me to bring a couple of my friends, but Quil's grounded and Embry-" he cuts off, anger and betrayal rushing into his features.

"Dad, dinner's ready!" I hastily call. Jacob's good mood returns almost instantly at the prospect of his favorite dinner, and Embry is forgotten for the moment.

For people too lazy to help me cook, my dad and Jake move like Kenyan runners as they grab their meals. I step back until the vultures are finished before making my own plate.

"What movie are you seeing?" Dad asks Jake as I sit down.

"Some zombie movie Bella wanted to see," he replies rolling his eyes. "Sometimes I really worry about that girl." Still, his eyes shine with admiration for Bella.

"Jacob and Bella sitting in a tree," I sing under my breath, but still loudly enough for him to hear, and earn myself a playful shove from my brother. He pretends to be angry, but fails epically when he starts laughing and blushes bright red.

"What?" I ask innocently, also ruining my façade by cracking up.

"You're cute, kid," Jake admits with a wink.

Jacob and I were both very young when our mom passed, and I think that's why we're so close. Rachel and Rebecca clung together after the accident, and Dad became very distant for a long time. So, naturally, Jake and I bonded. I love my dad and my sisters, but Jake and I understand each other on an emotional level even we don't quite understand. In some ways, I don't like the amount of time Jacob's been spending with Bella. But, I also sympathize with her, so I don't mind it as much as I would if it were another girl. It's selfish, but I like being the only girl in his life.

Once we're finished with dinner, Jacob finger combs his long hair and straightens his shirt before heading for the door. I can't help laughing at him again. "Now don't you kids stay out too late, mister!" I jokingly scold. "And behave yourself around those scary Forks seniors, or they might eat you!"

Jake rolls his eyes, but I can tell he's entertained. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine! Bye, Sarah," Jacob is already halfway into the garage, ready to start up his Rabbit. He's ridiculously proud of that hunk of mobile tin, and tonight is the maiden voyage. He can't wait to show Bella.

I feel bad that Jake will have to spend the evening sharing Bella with her other friends, and wish that his friends could have been available. The normally calm Quil is grounded because he momentarily lost his cool and tried to fight a few members of the neighborhood cult at school. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get a single punch in, because Jacob held him back. They're lucky they're not suspended.

And speaking of the neighborhood cult-

Jake and I usually avoid discussing Sam and his gang. He doesn't act like it, but I know Jacob's afraid that he could be next. We never talked about it, though, until Embry joined.

"What does he do to them?" I whispered, as though afraid Sam would overhear. We were on Jacob's bed, late the night we learned about Embry. Jake was upset, I was terrified. Worse, we could only discuss this after Dad had gone to bed. He and the other elders thought Sam was the greatest thing ever, and got very angry if we said anything against him.

"I don't know," Jacob sounded scared for the first time ever in my memory.

"Drugs?"

"I can't see Embry going along with that. He's not stupid."

"Just say no, and all that, huh?" I joked

"Yup, that's Embry," Jake smiled slightly.

"Hypnotism?" I suggested.

"Maybe."

"I just can't think of anything else, you know?" frightened tears threatened to escape.

"Yeah," Jacob took a deep breath, and I could hear his heart pulsing with anger and fear.

"Why do the elders think Sam's so great? I think we should kick him out."

"I don't know what they see in him. Maybe he got to them too?"

"Don't say that," the idea of Sam taking over the entire tribe, not just controlling a few youths made me want to scream.

We were quiet for a while, each engrossed in our own thoughts. Finally I broke the silence. "Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you'll never join Sam, for any reason," a few of my scared tears finally made their appearance.

"I promise," Jake rubbed my arm and kissed my forehead.

"Even if he drugs you?"

"He won't. I'll just say no."

"Even if he hypnotizes you?"

"I'll pinch myself to stay awake," Jacob turned to look me in my misty eyes. "I promise, Sarah, that I will never join his stupid cult, no matter what."