"Leaving?" Jake shouted in surprise and disgust. "Why do we have to leave?"
Dad rolled his eyes. "We," he made a gesture between me, Mom, and himself, "need to leave because it's been long enough. I have looked like a high school junior for six years. People will start to suspect something." I looked back to the book in my hands as Mom glanced at me, pretending I was not eavesdropping.
Jake's shoulders fell as he sulked into the corner of the room. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded pained. "Nobody noticed a little girl growing more than three times faster than normal kids. I doubt they'd notice a boy that looks the same."
Dad stood sternly, like he always did while trying to overpower Jake in an argument. "We can't take that chance." After a moment, he sighed and released his stern stance. "How is your clan planning to hide their agelessness?"
Jake shrugged. "Sam and Paul have already started aging again. They haven't phased in a year. The rest actually still look older than they are, but I guess they'll start once they catch up. Quil's going to wait for Clair to catch up to him, but—" he sighed, painfully. "I guess it is time to go. I just hate to leave my clan."
"You're not coming!" Mom shouted, suddenly. She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down. She was always getting worked up about this stuff. She was still mad at Jake for imprinting on me. It's not like he made the choice. After she composed herself a bit, she added, "You have to stay with your clan, of course. Do you really want to leave the clan to Leah?"
"He can order them to return to Sam's old clan," Dad said. He must have heard it in Jake's thoughts. He had told me before that he was thinking about doing that, anyway. He still didn't think he deserved to be the alpha.
"I can talk for myself," Jake snapped. "Besides, Leah can handle it if it comes to that."
"She still has a choice, you know." Mom always reminded me about this—that it was not definite. I could choose another path if I wanted to. "Maybe she doesn't even want you to come with us."
I had enough at this point. I slammed my book to the ground to get everybody's attention, but had to speak calmly, as if unaffected by the conversation. "Of course I want Jake to come, Mom, and so do you."
Mom looked shocked, but looked down at her feet after a moment. Jake wore a half smile, content with my answer. Dad looked at Jake sourly, and I wondered what Jake could be thinking about that would make him look at him like that. But when Dad heard the question in my thoughts, he just sighed. "She's right, Bella. You've always said Jake was a part of your family. He should come."
"Yeah, Bells," Jake smirked. He had already won and he knew it. "Nessie wants me to come."
"Renesmee," Mom snarled at him.
Jake ignored her. "'sides, once upon a time, you actually enjoyed my company, too."
Mom sighed. "I still do, at times. I love that everything worked out the way it did—that I can have you and Edward, and even Charlie all at once. I just-- I made a choice. My daughter should be able to, too."
I did not understand why she felt like Jake's imprint was the worst thing that could have happened to me. I had somebody who was destined to do everything he could to keep me safe and happy at all times. "I'm choosing, Mom. We're all choosing."
"She's not tied down to anything, Bella. Jake's the only one who doesn't have a choice here." It was very rare that Dad would choose a side other than Mom's. It usually meant that he understood something that could only be explained within somebody's head. So Mom usually backed down pretty quickly once he did.
"Then pack quickly," Mom urged, giving in at last. "We leave in a week."
Jake ran and picked her up into a bear hug a foot above the ground and nodded to Dad before picking me up and twisting me high into the air, my legs flying wildly. "So where are we headed?" He asked after finally placing me back onto the grey carpet.
"London," Dad replied. He was behind Mom now, holding her around the waist. "The fog will let us roam around the city during the days."