Chapter 1: Goodbye Forks
"Happy Birthday Bella" Jacob said towering over me as he stood in my doorway. He was holding a pink frosted cupcake in the palm of his hand, lit with a single candle. I smiled up at him, this was the perfect gift -no party, no celebration -just my best friend, a cupcake and a quiet evening in, on my last day in Forks.
"Make a wish -preferably before the wax completely covers the thing!" he said teasing.
I quickly blew it out, and then stepped aside, letting him in my tiny apartment "Jake, I'm a little old for making wishes. But thank you." I reached up around his neck, giving him a peck on the check.
"Your only twenty Bella, and your never too old to make a wish!" He answered me, rolling his eyes at the same time.
He walked into the kitchen and went to the cupboard where I normally kept my plates, when he opened the door and had a brief moment of shock and then looked around, finding the boxes.
"You already packed up the kitchen?" he sounded a little confused.
"Jake, I've already packed up the whole apartment" I answered him, fanning out my hand towards the empty space.
"Oh" he nodded, slowly dropping his head.
"Jake…"
"I know, I know. I just thought maybe you would have changed your mind" He cut me off, knowing I would just repeat the same thing that I have been telling him for almost a year now.
"Well, I haven't and I'm sorry"
"Don't be sorry Bella, I'll just miss you that's all" he smiled a weak smile at me, trying his best to hid his disappointment.
"It's only college Jake, it's not like you'll never see me again" I lied.
"Yeah, college in Britain!" he scoffed.
"Whatever Jake!" I rolled my eyes and smiled at him, lightly punching him on the shoulder -which still managed to hurt a little.
I remembered back to a summer not that long ago when he kissed me without my permission. I unthinkingly punched him in the face and broke my wrist, after that I only had to fight him off for a couple more months before he got over the ridiculous idea of us being together.
Thinking about that made me chuckle, so I shook my hand like it really hurt -he remembered too and laughed back, shoving me very lightly on my shoulder, just enough to make me stumble back and laugh a little louder.
We split the cupcake and spent the remainder of the night on my tiny sofa talking and watching bad TV.
The next morning Jake and I drove over to my dad and Sue's -my step-mom's house, so the three of them could drive me to the airport to see me off.
About a year after Harry Clearwater passed away, Charlie and Sue where married. They both had loved Harry so much, that when he died they ended up spending a lot of time together, and eventually falling in love. They made each other happy and seemed to be perfect for each other, which allowed everyone to accept it so easily, no one looked at it as wrong or in a judging way.
I really like my new step-siblings too, we all got along really well. We were like the brady bunch -minus three.
After the long drive to the Seattle airport I had just enough time to check in and say goodbye to my family and best friend.
"I love you guys, thank you for driving me" I said to all three of them.
"We love you too sweetheart" Sue smiled, holding out her arms for me to hug her. We exchanged a quick hug and a kiss on the check before I let her go.
"I love you Bells, I'm really gonna miss you" Charlie grabbed me into a tight hug, his voice was horse as he fought back tears. Hearing him like this broke my self control and I began to weep.
"I love you too dad and I'll miss you very much" I choked out between breaths. We stood there holding each other for a few minutes, neither of us moving to let go, Jake finally spoke up.
"Bella, your going to miss your plane" he said quietly.
"K" I whispered back, moving to let go of my dad. He still held on for a few tight more seconds then let me go, but not before kissing me on the check. "I love you, you call me as soon as you get there" he said sternly, looking me square in the eyes.
"K dad, I will. Promise" I tried to smile under he hands that surrounded my face. He bent down and kissed me one last time on the forehead before letting me go.
As soon as his hands were off my face Jake picked me up in a bear hug, squeezing me so tight I could barely breath "Jake…can't….breath…." I managed to get out.
He laughed and set me down and then pulled me back into a hug, this time light enough that I could return his affection. I buried my face in his chest as I began to cry again. He was my rock, the one I counted on most in my life and I would miss him terribly. He bent down and kissed me on the top of my head, then resting his check there for a while, until I caught my breath.
He pulled me in tightly when I started to pull away, then let me go after giving me another kiss on the head. "Love you Bells"
"Love you too Jake" I replied, my breath hitching on the words.
I was holding Jakes hand when I started to walk away, neither of us letting go, until we had to when the slack ran out, both our arms falling heavily to our sides when our fingers slipped from each other. I walked threw the gate and turned to look at them one last time whispering the words 'I love you', I knew Jake would have heard me, but to my dad and Sue it would have looked like I only mouthed them.
I turned and continued to my boarding gate, leaving them and Forks behind me.
Once I reached London, I did as I promised and called Charlie to let him know that I had made it safe. We talked for a few minutes before I called to talk to Jake, he sounded happy to hear me but still had sadness in his voice.
When I hung up with them I went to the desk to check in for my other flight, the one that would lead out of the UK.
(1/11/10)