ok, so I wrote this back in 8th grade after i read Twilight and New Moon. I had no idea what was going to happen in Eclipse, so I just made something up. Writing was a lot easier back then...before i was interested in guys that could break you into about a million pieces several times before you left them. ((cough, never again, cough))
Anyways, hope you enjoy, I did when I found it on my old desktop computer.
Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and never will own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or Breaking Dawn. I just own this version. All the book credits go to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.
Competition for the Lamb
"Bella, I need to talk to you; can we walk for a minute?" Edward called from the kitchen.
I had just finished my chores for Charlie and Edward had finally decided to make his appearance when I had. My mind had been wandering since the day I had seen Jake break down after our last confrontation-my grounding period had been extended exponentially since then, but had ended last week- and I had been grateful for the peace of chores so I could take my mind off of things to concentrate on all other tasks. But Edward wanting to walk and talk made me feel nervous and wary. The last time he had said that, it was to tell me he was leaving and I wasn't letting it happen again. All the same, I tried hard to put on a cheery smile. "I'll be there in a second!" I called from my room on the second floor. After all the years since I had left, the room hadn't changed at all.
I put on my jacket and headed downstairs deliberately pacing myself. Finally, I arrived in the kitchen where Edward's smile waited for me. Once I saw it, all of my fears disappeared as if there had been none to begin with. I smiled back, this time it came naturally, and walked over to his side. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him and kissing the top of my head gently, and together we walked outside into the deepening snow. "I hope you don't freeze because of me," he whispered in my ear, his cool breath dizzying me as it slid lightly across my face because of the wind.
I stuck my tongue out at him and smiled sarcastically. "As if. I can barely even feel you under my jacket."
This wasn't entirely true, but I expected it would be better if I didn't tell him that. "So where are you taking me?" I was okay at keeping certain emotions from being known, but my nervousness invaded the nonexistent curiosity in my voice and of course Edward noticed, but he looked down at me, his liquid topaz eyes dazzling me, and squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Don't get so worked up about it. You don't have to worry about me leaving, either."
All I could think of was to say "I know," and try to keep my voice steady and sure, but it just ended up wavering away anyways. Of course, Edward noted that too.
"Oh, Bella, what am I going to do with you? What must I do to gain back your trust? It's almost been a year and I still find you hyperventilating in your room when I leave to go on a hunting trip." He sighed at that as we neared the edge of the forest.
"I'm sorry, Edward." I almost started sobbing at that point because I knew what I had been doing. I was afraid I had pushed that excuse too far on Edward.
Edward merely hugged me closer and I took that he had forgiven me. I buried my face in his coat and continued walking, but it was only then that I noticed he had stopped. Dead. I looked up to see him snarling into the woods, a hideous growl building deep inside him. He slipped his arm from my waist and stepped in front of me. I peered over his shoulder into the woods, eyes wide and searching for whatever he had sensed. Unexpectedly Edward simply stated into the woods, "Come out, Jacob Black." He managed to keep his voice only slightly touched with malice, but his teeth were bared, his lips were curled up into a snarl, and his eyes were barely slits.
"Jake?" Now I searched even harder, even going so far as to step to Edward's side and scan the trees for any sign of Jacob Black.
"Get back, Bella."
He stepped back in front of me, shielding the trees from any view. "Edward! Why are you protecting me from a friend?"
I stepped back beside him and walked slowly to the trees, still searching. I heard him hiss lowly and his hand wrapped around my wrist. I tried to free myself, but his grip was, of course, as strong as ever. Instead I tried pulling him with me. "Jake! Where are you?" I called out into the woods feeling like a total idiot. I wonder if he's still there.
Just then, I heard leaves crunching from behind the trees and I froze. I squinted into the darkness trying to catch a glimpse of my old friend. I tried to take another step forward, but Edward pulled me back to him and growled. I looked up at him angrily. "Let go, Edward. If Jake came to see me, then let him!" I paused "Or are you getting jealous." Bluntly put, it infuriated Edward and I could tell.
"Yeah, Edward. Jealous of Bella's other friend?" The voice from the woods was mocking and angry as Jacob finally appeared from the shroud of darkness. "You heard the lady; let go." He glared defiantly at Edward and walked forward steadily. I admired his courage to stand up to Edward that way, but I was also afraid. They fight. Paris falls.
No matter what I tried, I couldn't get the stage directions from Romeo and Juliet out of my mind and I knew eventually that would happen between Jake and Edward. Finally, Edward released his hold on my arm and I turned to face Jacob. My voice was uneven and depressed as I remembered our last conversation. "Hello, Jacob."
He gave me a scrutinizing look and shook his head slightly. "Bella..it's been a while." His voice seemed to hint his regret for the motorcycle incident.
"Well, don't be too surprised. I just got out of my last grounding," and I added as an afterthought, "Oh, and Jake. Don't go around revealing my secrets to get me into trouble anymore. I really hate being grounded." This time I kept it cool and indifferent.
"You don't have to worry about that, Bells. I don't have anymore of your..secrets," he looked pointedly at Edward and I glared at him.
"Never think of telling Charlie about Edward."
His reply was filled with fake innocence, but I knew he wouldn't tell. "I would never dream of telling dear Charlie, Bells. You oughta know me better than that!" He grinned at me falsely and I knew he was angry at my assumptions.
I sighed and stared at him. "So what did you want this time then?"
"Aw, Bells, you should know by now. I'm tired of losing you to that bloodsucker. It's time me and him settled this."
I stared at him blankly trying to decipher his meaning. Edward nodded and comprehension dawned on me and blinded me as if I had just walked out of a dark theater into the bright sunlight. "No..." my whisper was almost nonexistent, but they knew what I meant. I stared between the two of them incredulously. "You've gotta be kidding me. Please tell me you are." I knew then that my desperate pleading wasn't getting through to them and I just contented myself to watching them warily.
"So, where will we do this, then?"
That was the first time Edward spoke during the confrontation and I goggled at him. He had known about this and dragged me into it, too. He looked at me apologetically and my face grew hot with anger, tears of frustration building up in my eyes. "You knew," my accusations were pointless now anyways and I didn't know why I even bothered to bring them up, but all the same he nodded.
"Follow me." Jake's response made it appear that I wasn't even there and I watched him, seething and red with fury.
All the same, he turned and all but disappeared into the woods. I hesitated, but Edward followed, wrapping his arm back around my waist and pulling me along. Oh, but couldn't you have told me? I asked him with my mind, knowing he couldn't hear me anyways. Tears flooded my eyes and began rolling down my cheeks. I wiped them away bitterly and just continued walking. Jake stepped off the path and Edward and I followed.
I recognized the place at once, but I knew it couldn't be the same place because the real clearing was much farther away. Turns out we had walked farther than I had even noticed. This was the real clearing and Jake had picked this place to fight Edward for a reason. That's when Edward stopped me. He dropped his arm and faced me. He grabbed my arms and looked into my eyes, once again transfixing me there. His lips were turned down at the sides. "I regret having to do this, Bella, but no matter what happens you know I love you more than anything."
I simply nodded dumbly and stared into his liquified topaz eyes. "I know. I love you," was all I could manage, even if I was only mouthing it. Edward understood and turned to face Jake.
"Ready, you icy bloodsucker?" His tone struck me like a knife. It was colder than the Atlantic Ocean when the Titanic sank. "Well have a seat, Bella, even though it would be wasted. This will be over before it can even begin."
Edward took pity and led me to a large root under an even larger tree and set me there. Then he headed back towards Jake. "I'm ready if you are, hound dog."
They're so immature, calling each other stupid names. Honestly. It made Jacob shake furiously anyways. I wanted to call a warning to each of them, but found myself completely incapable. The two of them glared at each other a few more minutes before Jacob finally broke the silence. "Alright. This is a fight to the death. If you win, you can have Bella and do what you wish with her. But if I win, you have to leave Forks with your entire family and never return. And you have to leave Bella here."
"Fair enough. Well, let's get this over with." He took an aggressive stance, like a lion, and readied himself for Jake's attack. Jake on the other hand stepped backwards and crouched slightly. His shaking increased until I knew it was time for his transformation.
Before my eyes, Jake leaped forward, exploding into a mass of fur as he had the first time I had seen him when he fought Paul. Edward moved quickly and Jake landed where he stood only milliseconds before. Edward watched him and said taunting and quiet, "Too slow, dog boy."
This angered Jake to no end and he charged Edward, merely a blur to my eyes, as Edward moved out of the way- also blurred. I was sure Edward would be able to finish off Jacob quickly, but their battle continued, it seemed, forever. Then I remembered Edward's promise. I will try my hardest not to k---harm Jacob. He was planning to keep his promise, but that meant that Jacob would win. I could tell they were both getting tired, even Edward was. They were both beginning to slow down and I could almost manage to see what was happening, but not quite.
I wonder what Charlie would think if he knew my boyfriend and my former best friend were fighting over me. To the death! That's right. It was a fight to the death. Then it hit me. I couldn't let it continue if I wanted both of them to live through today. And that's exactly what I wanted. I had wondered why I hadn't started hyperventilating earlier, but then, I had been watching them in numb disbelief. I hadn't been capable of fearing for them as I did now. I had to stop them. Now. If I wanted them both alive, but my legs had turned to jell-o as I had been watching them. Not to mention I was numb all over because of the cold. Tears of frustration, hot and blinding, slid down my frozen cheeks as I watched them. I couldn't even move. Please stop. Please. For me. Those were my thoughts as the last of the light disappeared from the sky and I knew those thoughts were completely useless. Neither of them could read my thoughts.
I finally gathered the energy to stand and started towards them, both slowly and shakily. "Stop. Please stop." My voice was hoarse and quiet and I knew they couldn't hear me.
I stumbled to them, blinded by my tears as I saw Jake pin Edward to the ground and Edward grab Jake's front limbs and flip him over his head. Until then, they had almost been completely silent. But that shattered the silence and the ground trembled under my feet making me fall to my hands and knees. I sat there and knew the end was near, but I couldn't make my legs support me anymore. I crawled towards them desperately.
It was too late, though. They had both stopped fighting and Edward was crouched low like a lion while Jake was on all fours. This would be their last attack. I managed to stand up at this thought and I started running towards them screaming each of their names in turn. I knew they heard me, but they both ignored me completely. It was then that Jacob sprang into action. He leaped at Edward and I ran in front of him throwing my arms out protectively in front of Edward just before the collision. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the impact that came just seconds later. Jake's bulk crushed me into Edward's hard chest and I felt two cold arms wrap around my waist from behind, but I couldn't find my lungs and my head swam hazily. My thoughts ended as I fainted in Edward's arms.
I dreamed that Romeo was a vampire and Paris was a werewolf and they were fighting over poor Juliet, but in this fight neither of them won and both fell at the end. I realized that I was watching all of this from Juliet's eyes when I started screaming.
That was how I woke up: screaming. I was sitting up on the ground screaming, my eyes wide and bulging. A warm hand clamped my mouth shut and somebody's voice was in my ear trying to calm me, but my mind refused to allow me to comprehend. I sat there and both Jake and Edward were trying to calm me down. My screams subsided and dissolved into sobs as Edward's voice soothed me and Jake held me protectively to his warm chest. I bet Edward doesn't like that. The voice in my head was calm and collected but my shoulders hitched and my body shook with sobs outwardly.
It was dark outside and I knew a lot of time had passed since Edward had told Charlie that we were going on a walk. By now Charlie was probably calling the Cullen's house or even out searching for me himself. This forced me to calm myself down and I saw that they were both watching me anxiously.
"You alright, Bells?" Jacob asked me, his voice weak with relief.
My head bobbed up and down in a pathetic nod and I asked them, "What happened?"
Edward answered. "Well, you got in the way of Jacob's final attempt to kill me, but it seemed he held back because it didn't kill you." He shuddered. "You just fainted. Did you know that you've been out for almost an hour? Charlie's going to kill me over this." So he had noticed, too.
Jacob laughed hollowly. "Such irony. And the only reason she isn't dead is because I tried so hard to stop myself from colliding with her."
Edward sighed. "This is all my fault. I never should have gotten you into this. But it seems neither of us won."
Jake shook his head. "I guess this means everything stays the same then." He passed me to Edward and stood up. "I guess I should go home then. Bye, Bells." He glanced at me sadly and turned to leave.
As soon as he disappeared Edward stood up and set me on my feet. "We should get you back to Charlie. Can you walk?" I nodded, grimly set on being able to do so.
He let go of me, keeping his hand close to me in case I should fall, which of course I did. I took two shaky steps before my legs gave out on me. "Crap," I mumbled as Edward grabbed me. He put his arm back around my waist and we walked, him supporting most of my weight, back to Charlie's.
RxR sil vous plait. I want to know if I was any good at writing in 8th grade =] or perhaps better than I am now.