Author's Note: Hey generous readers of a n00b! Thanks for stopping by to read my story! I was originally writing a BATB fanfic, but this idea came to me and I found myself thinking about this story all the time so I had to write it and it started haunting me. Anyway, I wanted to give a preview because... I'm impatient. I want to give a shout-out to Meg cause she's amazing and inspired me a lot. (lol no one is gonna read this- I'm pretty much talking to myself) Please enjoy. If you review, I love you! Try not to rip me to shreds, though, but I love idea of how to make my story better. And here we go, drumroll please...

I fussed at my hair absentmindedly while consuming a bowl of cereal quickly before school. I liked to keep my hands busy, even though I have Charlie, my best friend Jacob, and lots of kids at school who'd be more than happy to keep me happy, the only person who could truly make me happy was Edward. And he was gone. And as a result I usually tried to withdraw myself about two steps from reality, because I'd thrown myself into life once. That sucked.

"Bella? Bella? Bella!"

"Huh, what? Oh. Dad, yeah?"

"Tonight is the Super Bowl, we're going over to the Blacks, okay?"

"Sounds great, Dad. I'm gonna head to school now, love you."

I grabbed my rain jacket before he had a chance to reply, and then walked out to my truck. I pulled myself into the driver's seat and double pumped the parking brake to get it started, then pulled out of the driveway. I passed the small forest next to my house that always breaks my heart. That was where it happened. Where the love of my life left me with no warning. But it'd been months, it was already February, and I had a great new life. I forced my mind to begin thinking about tonight; I'd get to see Jacob.

Jacob was the reason I'd been able to hold myself together. At first, I could barely walk or eat or sleep. Everything I did reminded me of him, all my classes had been with him, all my spare time spent with Edward, every food I'd ever eaten in front of him, every outfit I'd ever worn with him, every night I went to bed- I thought of him. My Dad had re-introduced me to Jacob about a month after the tragedy. Jacob was my safe harbor, I thought of him as a best friend and a go-to guy. Just his smile made me happy; and he would do anything for me. When I wanted to ride a motorcycle, he taught me. When I wanted to get away from Charlie, he'd given me an excuse. But especially, when I needed somewhere to go to just sit and cry, put myself into a little ball and open the Edward file of my heart, he'd be there. Not to cheer me up, to let me just get it out- my personal therapist was practically his full-time job.

I arrived at school with the Edward file all tucked away in the darkest corners of my brain and the emotions in check. I was greeted by Angela, one of the few girls who was still nice to me post-Edward.

"Hey, Bella." She greeted me enthusiastically.

"Hi, Angela. What's up?"

"Not much, just busy with the Calculus test! Have you done your homework yet?"

"Not, not yet. I think I might do it tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm totally bombing that class."

"Aww, I'm sure you're not. Don't beat yourself up." With that, the bell rang and we went our separate ways.

"Bye!" Angela called after me. I just nodded and headed off to class.

The day went slowly, but no more slowly than my days always go. Meaningless time in class isn't high on my to-do list; the only time that had any meaning was my allotted Jacob time. And even that was not as meaningful as I once knew time to be. I rushed out of my last period to make it through the parking lot to my old, beloved, truck. I was successful in my attempt to avoid people and made it halfway to my house when I decided I'd go to La Push instead. I had no homework but Calculus, and Jacob went to school on reservation so he'd be out and happy to see me; he always was. I pulled into the Blacks driveway after a 15-minute drive, elated to see Jacob on the porch.

"Bella!" he called to me.

"Jake, what are you doing outside? It's freezing," I said, shivering in the chilly rain.

Jacob just shrugged, though. "I don't even feel anything. Wanna come in?"

I simply nodded and followed Jacob into his house. He took my jacket and walked to the back room, signaling for me to follow. "What do you want to do? Watch TV? Talk? I have a lot to tell you."

I noticed Scrabble on his shelf and was suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to play. "Oh, Jake, can we play Scrabble? Please?"

"Of course, Bells." I smiled as he pulled the game down and set it up.

He went first; his word was 'GOES'. I laughed at how his hands looked gigantic compared to the little tiles.

"So how have you been, Jake? I haven't seen you in so long."

"I've just had a lot going on. Boy troubles, you know."

"Jacob, do not tell me you've had boy trouble. Really, I miss you."

"I've had a lot of… changes going on recently." He smiled the huge, genuine smile that warmed my heart.

"Going through puberty? Did you recently get your period?"

"Yeah, Bella. I did, actually. I'm going to need some help, please."

"Anything for you Jacob."

"Good."

We continued playing in silence for a while. It wasn't an awkward silence like it was with others; it was more of a good silence. Like the moment was so perfect, so content, no words could further the happiness of it. The blissful game ended when I played 'exultant'; Jacob's competitive edge came out.

"Jeez, Bella. They sure teach you a lot in that fancy school of yours."

"Pretty much. I'm a genius."

"What has Ms. Genius been up to?"

"Nothing- I'm always available. It's you who is missing whenever I call."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I promise- I'll be here for you more. Forever, really."

Ruby red color immediately flushed my face; why did Jacob say that? "Jake, you're way, way too sweet. I don't deserve this. Stop."

"Whatever you want, Bells. But I thought you needed to know… you're amazing."

"Jacob Black- you are quite the flatterer."

I was across the table from him sitting on the ground, but I suddenly felt myself being pulled to Jake, like a falling object is drawn to the ground. Unalterable gravity. I got up and sat beside Jacob, leaning my head onto his high shoulder. The position was awkward because his shoulder was just so high up. And he could feel it.

"Bella, why don't we readjust?"

Originally, the couch had been his backrest, but he slid himself up to the red leather couch, and then put his hands under my arms and delicately placed me beside him with seemingly no effort. He stretched his feet over the arm of the couch, and put me on his lap so that my head was resting on his warm chest; his long hair tumbled over into my face and it smelled amazing.

"Perfect." His smile gleamed as he ran his fingers through my hair and I fidgeted a little until I was curved perfectly around his oversized body.

"Mmm," I agreed. I didn't sit there for but five minutes before his warm arms caused my muscle tension to unravel and the next thing I know he as gently shaking me.

"Bells? It's been almost two hours, people are starting to arrive. We'd better start to look decent." He flashed his tooth grin at me.

"Wha," I started, scratching my head. "What happened?"

My hair was a mess flung across my face. I brushed it back and rubbed my hands across my face.

"Did I fall asleep?! Oh, no! I'm sorry Jake."

"Don't be sorry, let's just get ready." And then we walked into the Super Bowl party; for once my percent of happiness was in the 90s.