Edward pulled up in front of Charlie's house, and was around to my door in a flash, pulling it open for me.
I got out as he shut the door. Taking my hand, he led the way to the door.
I could hear the sound of the game from the living room. "Dad?" I called out.
"In here, Bella," he yelled back. Of course.
Edward and I walked into the living room to find Charlie with an empty popcorn bowl on the table in front of him, and his hand in a bag of Doritos. He looked away from the TV, and grinned at us. "Have fun tonight, kids?"
"I guess you could say that," I answered. Edward squeezed my hand gently, and smiled politely at Charlie. We had just gotten back from Edward's house where Alice sat us down at the kitchen table and went over every detail of the wedding with us. It was tiring.
"Skip dinner, Dad?" I eyed the food in front of him.
He nodded. "Yep. No need to make anything for me tonight, Bells, I'm stuffed."
"Well, that's healthy," I muttered, grabbing up the empty popcorn bowl and heading into the kitchen with Edward right behind me.
I set the bowl in the sink when the phone rang shrilly. I turned to pick it up, but it had stopped ringing already and I heard Charlie talking to someone in the living room. I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying with the TV still loudly on.
I turned to Edward, with a smile on my face, about to suggest that we head up to my room, but then I caught the expression on his face, and I couldn't get the rest of the words out of my mouth as his eyes began to tighten.
He was staring past me as he listened to something I couldn't hear. He looked very serious and was frowning deeply.
"Edward?"
His eyes darted to me and then away again. He didn't answer as Charlie stepped into the kitchen.
"Bella? That was Billy."
I stopped dead in my tracks. "Billy?" I hadn't talked to Jacob for a couple of weeks now. Not since after the fight. I had missed him terribly. I hadn't heard from him or anyone around him lately, but I assumed Billy and Charlie still talked, although Charlie had never mentioned their conversations to me. I knew instantly something had to be wrong. Charlie nodded. "Apparently..." he hesitated. He glanced from Edward to me and back again. "Apparently, Jake ran away."
I froze. I couldn't hear anything except for a ringing in my ears. "Jake...ran away?" My voice sounded hollow. I looked to Edward and his expression hardened; his face hard to read. I looked back to Charlie.
Charlie nodded again. "He's been gone for a while now."
"How long?" I asked, still not moving.
Charlie gave me a long look before answering. "A week."
"A week!" I shrieked, startling Charlie. "Where is he? Is he all right? Is he hurt?"
"Calm down, Bella," Charlie said. "Billy's sure he's fine. Jake knows how to take care of himself...he just called to let me know. His friends are after him right now."
The pack had gone after him. "Everyone went?"
"That's right. I'm sure Jake will be fine."
But why would he leave like that? Was it me? My throat went dry.
"Dad...do you know why? Why did Jake ran away?" I glanced at Edward again, who was watching Charlie. I was close to tears. Edward's face was expressionless.
Charlie nodded, and hesitated. Finally, he said, "Bella...I thought you weren't going to send him a wedding invitation."
"But I didn't," I said, shocked. "How could Jake - "
Then it hit me. I turned to stare at Edward. He was staring back into my eyes, his eyes begging for forgiveness.
I couldn't speak for a long moment. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath through my mouth. When I spoke again, my voice was steady. "Dad, do you think you could give me a minute alone with Edward?"
I didn't see my dad's face but I heard his footsteps retreating.
As soon as he was gone, I opened my eyes and glared at Edward. "You sent Jake an invitation?" My voice was stern.
"Bella, please, let me explain - "
"No, wait. It's my turn first. Edward, I specifically told you I didn't want to send him one. I gave Alice free reign on this whole wedding and I only asked for a few things. I'm surprised you didn't respect this decision." Surprised wasn't exactly the word. Stunned and shocked was more like it.
I tried to comprehend some sort of explanation for this. Why would Edward do something like that? I suddenly remembered what Jacob had said to me in his room the last time I'd seen him. How he told me that Edward was still fighting every bit as hard as he was. Now that he had won, would Edward actually send him an invitation to rub it in his face? I shook my head to clear myself from the thought...no, Edward wouldn't do that...would he?
Edward's face twisted. "Bella, please," he murmured. "I'm sorry. I know what I did was wrong. But let me explain." He looked at me anxiously and I waited.
"I only sent Jacob an invitation, because I thought he deserved the choice. I knew that if it was the other way around, I would've wanted the choice."
I looked up and met his gaze. He spoke with conviction and I knew Edward was trying to do things right. However, worry seeped through my veins as my thoughts drifted off to Jacob somewhere out there, all alone.
I didn't look away from Edward's golden gaze. Then, I nodded. I was still somewhat mad at Edward, but it wasn't like me to hold grudges, especially when his heart was in the right place. "I forgive you," I said slowly, and that part was also true.
"Thank you," he murmured. "I'm sorry, Bella."
I took a deep breath, turned my back to Edward, and picked up the phone to call Emily.
A huge thanks to BellaCullen13 for help with the editing process!
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