The Yes Game
A/N: Inspired by an episode of the UK version of Skins :)
Chapter one: The Yes Game
Jacob's POV
"Common Bells don't be such a wuss. Just come with us this one time and I'll never ask you to do anything ever again, promise." As I shamelessly pled for Bella's compliance, I reached across the sticky cafeteria table and snatched her hands from the counter before proceeding to press them up against my chest. I stuck my lip out pitifully and begged her with my eyes. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please?"
"No Jake," she laughed, shaking her head while attempting to jerk her hands away from my grip. "I will not go cliff diving with you, for the ten billionth time! I've told you before and I'll tell you again: I'll hang out with you and the guys while you live out your little daredevil fantasies, but I refuse to break my neck for your own amusement! Kim and I will tan while you guys do your thing, how does that sound?"
I couldn't help but bark a laugh. "You? Tan? Ha!"
"Shut up! It's possible," she insisted uselessly. "All I need is the right sun block, that's all."
"Riiiight," I droned sarcastically, earning another powerful yet ineffective yank from her hands. "It's okay Bells, red is so the new brown." I smiled at her wickedly and made sure to reveal all 32 of my pearly whites as she struggled to release her wrists in an effort to no doubt smack me upside the head.
Bella desperately tried to hide that fact that she was masking the smirk that threatened to form on her face, but I knew her too well. "You're definitely not helping your case, Black," she grumbled, avoiding my gaze in order not to laugh. She always called me Black whenever she "meant business," and Mr. Black when she "really meant business."
I moved my head to the side and caught her humor filled eyes. "Common, just this once."
"Can't keep your hands off of her huh Jake?" Quil announced loudly from beside me. A hazardous hamburger dangled from his hands as he leered over at Bella and winked. "Can't say I blame the man." It was only the first day at school and Quil had already managed to get on my nerves.
"Shut up Quil," Bella and I said at the same time. While Bella's voice was light with endearment, mine screamed 'fuck off.'
Quil, grinning like the little bastard he was, lifted his hands up in surrender and feigned innocence.
"What're you guys doing over there?" Jared asked from the other end of the table. Apparently the small predicament Bella and I were in was drawing more attention than intended.
Embry surprised me by answering for us. "Jake's trying to get Bella to go cliff diving with us later, but I think his efforts are useless." How many people had been listening in to our conversation? To Bella's grand relief I finally released her hands.
"No kidding?" Jared asked, throwing his attention over to Bella.
"Don't get your hopes up Jare. Embry is right. There's no way in hell I'm—"
"Did someone say we're going Cliff Diving later?" Seth cut in excitedly. He was the runt of our group; the only freshmen in our pack of juniors but we loved the kid for some twisted reason so we kept him around.
"Yep, and Bella-Wella over here's joining us—finally." That snarky comment came from none other than Paul. When did he become a part of his conversation anyway? Bella threw me an exasperated look across the rickety cafeteria table that separated us. Look what you've done now, her eyes screamed at me accusatorily. I smiled lazily in response, knowing she wasn't actually upset with me.
"Wait, you're actually jumping with them? I thought we agreed we'd stick with tanning," Kim hissed into Bella's ear—which was totally ridiculous if you thought about it. Bella got sunburned so easily she turned bright red whenever she applied tanning lotion, and Kim, being Native American, had a natural tan all year round. No matter how much I knew Bella inside and out, I'd never come to fully comprehend the overall world of girls and why they did the crazy things that they did.
Bella's eyes widened as she turned to Kim in order to explain. "No! I mean, yes, we're still going to ta—"
"I thought you guys were helping me with my environmental project after school!" Leah interjected; pulling Kim's attention away from Bella.
Per usual, our table had turned into a wild animal house. Everyone was hollering at once, savagely competing for each other's attention while listening to what others had to say the same time. We were in sync with each other, yet completely out of tune with the rest of the world. And that's just the way it was with us, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"I am not going with you," Bella growled at me. She leaned into the table and grabbed its edge. Almost in a mocking way, I mirrored her actions so that we were face to face. I stared deep into my favorite chocolate eyes and fought against the urge to lean in all the way. Sigh, yeah. It was like that.
Don't get me wrong, Bella and I would date eventually. We were meant for each other, that I was sure of, but I'd spent years building the effortless relationship we had now and I wasn't about to compromise that with one wrong move. The time was coming when I was going to make that move too, but not yet. Maybe in a few months or so. I didn't want to rush her. I was her "Best Friend." Sigh. Awesome at times, but blue-ballish at others.
"Yes you are," I countered challengingly. A familiar spark alighted her eyes. It was a funny thing really, Bella was a scaredy cat when it came to trying most things, but if you point it out and dangle that fact in front of her face, she'll deny it as if her life depended on it.
She quirked one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows and shook her head defiantly. "No. I'm. Not."
"Yes. You. Are."
"Nope."
"Yep."
"No."
"No."
"Yes."
"Ha! You said yes!" I pointed at her triumphantly and did a small happy dance in my seat. I quickly stopped before any of my friends could see—I was usually manlier than that …I swear. Bella was my soft spot and always managed to find a way to bring out the kid in me.
Bella paused to mull over my words. "Hey, no fair," she finally whined. Even her whine was cute. "You always do that to me. But you said no before I said yes, so technically…"
I rolled my eyes. "Okay smart ass, obviously arguing with you is more useless than arguing with Charlie."
"Whoa, I'm not as stubborn as Charlie," she claimed defensively. I bit back a smirk. Knowing exactly what to say to break her down was almost too easy.
"Sure, sure," I sighed dramatically. "But seriously, you're absolutely zero fun." That was one of the biggest lies of the year, but sometimes you gotta play dirty to prove a point.
"I so too am fun," she countered, crossing her arms and watching me with an amused glint in her eye. "Quil, wouldn't you say I'm fun?" She asked sweetly, sending Quil an adorable smile.
I grumbled, disgusted at her use of tactic.
"Of course sweet thing," Quil responded with a sleazy smile. What forty year old sex offender taught him how to sound like such a pedophile? "I'd play with you all day long…" He trailed off once he caught the look of death in my eye. "If Jake would share his toys once and a while," he grumbled softly before turning away with a huff.
"See?" Bella practically cheered. "I'm the definition of fun."
Why was Quil the only one allowed to say such perverted shit to Bella? I shook my head at her disapprovingly. The fact that those two were always flirting with each other had always grated on my nerves. Bella insisted it was just harmless, jovial banter between two good friends, but the fact that he'd been asking her out on dates for the past three years completely negated every excuse Bella could pull out of her firm, perfect ass. Not that he was the only guy busting Bella's door down to take her out, not even close, but he was the only one she tolerated and openly reciprocated the overtly flirty comments with. Yuck.
"Bells, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're kind of drag," I lied. Bella's smug smile slowly slipped from her face.
"You're just saying that because I don't want to go diving with you."
"Who are you trying to convince here, me or yourself?" I tilted my head pityingly and laid a comforting hand over hers. "Face it. You never challenge yourself. I can think of so many instances of you missing out on all the excitement due to your phobia of fun."
Bella snatched her hand out from under mine and hissed, "I do not have a phobia of fun.
I narrowed my eyes into slits. "Oh yeah? Then what did you say when everyone in the class decided to flash Mrs. Moore when she came in the room in the second grade?"
Bella stared back at me incredulously. "Are you serious? Second grade? And in my defense, I'm a girl. Excuse me for not wanting to expose myself in front of everyone,"
"Leah, Kim and Claire did it," I countered quickly. "And you were as flat as a cardboard back then so don't try to go there."
Bella blushed madly and unconsciously wrapped her arms around her chest. It was no secret Bella had big boobs; they sprouted out of nowhere back in middle school when us guys didn't even know we were interested in them. Bella has been self conscious of her large breast size ever since they first appeared on her tiny body and so she continuously wore sweaters day after day to hide what God had mercifully given her. Not that her sweaters weren't nice or anything; she forever managed to come to school in a new sweater, clean and usually eye catching, and when hot, she sported shorts to go with it.
Did I mention how much I loved hot weather?
"Hit me with another example Black," she challenged, eying me scornfully.
I didn't hesitate. "Eight Grade: end of the year Port Angeles field trip. What did you say when we decided to ditch the museum and sneak into that rated R movie instead?"
"Jake that was—"
I didn't allow her another word. "What did you say?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line before answering. "I said no."
"What did you say when we all wanted to egg Felix Lumber's house after he got our bathroom privileges taken away in seventh grade for writing graffiti all over the bathroom stalls?"
Bella's mouth quirked as she fought back the explanation that visibly rose up her throat and threatened to release itself. I threw her a warning look before she sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I told you guys we shouldn't." She answered ruefully.
"How about when we caught that wild squirrel in the forest and wanted to set it loose in the Uley's open window?"
"I said no," she sighed.
"And that time Quil was sleeping and everyone agreed to shave his head?"
"Still no."
"When Paul downloaded the answers to our Biology final last year and offered you a copy?"
A dreadful realization seeped into Bella's features as she answered my line of questions. "Nah-no again."
"What about the time Jared found a hot pink thong in Mr. Abel's desk on the last day of school and took pictures? What did you tell him when he was about to post that dispicable evidence online?"
Bella took a deep breath. "I told him…I—I told him…Oh my God. Jake, I am a funaphobic!"
Her face crumpled and slammed itself into her upturned palms. I stared at her in surprise. I had not been expecting that.
She slowly slid her hands up her face and ran it through the roots of her wavy hair. "I can't believe you never told me," she groaned, looking unbelievably sexy as she fisted her hair with her eyes closed.
I swiftly gathered myself before she opened her eyes and reached across the table to pat her arm. "I'm sorry Bells. I know how hard this must be for you."
Despite my convincing display, I never actually had thought of Bella as a…funaphobic as interestingly she put it. All of the things I'd previously mentioned where just some of the crazy, immature stunts the guys and I were always pulling; most of which the other girls refused to engage in as well. But I couldn't admit that to Bella now, as she wallowed in her one self pity across the table from me. Mmm, self damnation looked really good on Bella…Jake! Focus man, focus!
"What should I do?" Bella begged. Interesting, the roles were now reversed. Bella was now pleading with me.
"Just loosen up and live a little," I advised genuinely. Open up to the idea of being more than just my friend for once. Just as the fleeting thought passed my mind, an epiphany smacked me right in the face. My whole body to froze up as my mind tried to make sense of my ingenious, yet cavorting thoughts.
"Okay I can do that," Bella was nodding, but it wasn't convincing.
I felt the devious smile curl up in my lips before Bella noticed it and narrowed suspicious eyes at me. "What?" she demanded, knowing my facial expressions all too well.
"Do you really want some excitement in your life Bells?" I asked so intently I almost creeped my self out.
She nodded her head hesitantly. "Yeah. I mean, I suppose so…Why?"
"I've got the perfect challenge for you," I informed her. "But you have to agree to it before I can tell you what it is."
Bella glared at me like I was insane. "What? N—"
"Really? Reverting back to your old ways already?" I condescended, shaking my head in a disappointed manner.
Bella's mouth dropped. Once she saw that I was right though, she snapped it shut with a huff. "Fine. Whatever. Sure, I'll do your little challenge. What is it?"
I released a broad smile just as the lunch bell rang. Class would start in ten minutes. "Here's the challenge: You have to say yes for now on. To everything, no exceptions."
Wide brown eyes took over most of her face when I finished stating the game's simple rules. "I have to say yes to everything? What are you insane? How does that help with anything?"
"How doesn't it help Bella? You're so bent on rejecting every single instance of fun sent your way. This way you have to agree to everything anyone asks of you, no matter how risky, or God forbid, fun it may be. It's genius really. Admit it Bells, its genius."
Bella's eyes reduced in size and she actually cracked an amused smile. "Yeah," she nodded slowly, getting in to the whole idea. "Okay. I can do it. We have to set down some rules first. Don't think I'm jumping into this blindly."
"Of course," I obliged. Sitting up straight and intertwining my fingers in front of me, I took the posture of a salesmen who was about to negotiate with one of his cusomers. "First, you can't tell anyone about this game. That'll just make people ask you to do crazy things and even I don't want you getting too wild on me."
"Couldn't agree more," she affirmed. "Okay, rule two: There has to be some exceptions to the rule. The obvious ones I mean, like I can say no if someone asks me to commit homicide and bury the body in a deserted ditch downtown… or, you know, something along those lines."
"You're a psycho for even thinking that up."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "What? Serial Killer Tactics One oh One."
I grinned as I lifted myself from the table. To my surprise, I found that most of our friends had already hurried off to get to class. After I slung my backpack over my shoulder and flung the rest of my lunch into a near by trash can, I slid Bella's books off the table and gathered them into my arms.
"Ready to go, my new adventurous friend?" I sang, smiling.
A weird look crossed Bella's features as she helped herself out of her seat and began to walk beside me as we headed to class. "Actually, I have one more rule Jake."
"Oh, well alright." I barely even heard her, I was so keyed up. My brain spiraled with the endless possibilities that automatically came with her acceptance of the game. Think of all of the things I could have her do! Okay, I'd definitely have to get my mind out of the gutter if I was going to function like a normal human being for the rest of the day… and I'm talking a normal human being without a perpetual tent in his pants.
I gazed down at the girl responsible for my racing mind, my thumping heart, and the strain in my boxers. Wavy mahogany hair thumped rhythmically which each step she took as her wet lips that soundlessly glided against each other, distracting me from all other surroundings. The mile long eyelashes that shot out like straight spider webs before her eyes disappeared for a moment, completely replaced by the cocoa of her iris' as she looked up at me with a questioning gaze. I watched her wet lips glide together silently again, wondering when the speed of sound would allow her sweet voice to fill my ears.
"Jacob? Are you listening?" Ah, there it was. As bad ass as I liked to perpetuate myself as being among my peers, I sure was a jelly donut when it came to my sexy little weakness that walked buoyantly beside me.
"Sorry, can you repeat por favor?" I threw her a dazzling smile I hoped she wouldn't be able to resist.
She graced me with a smile ten times more dazzling than mine. "Spanish was last period bucko," she quipped, dropping her smile and punching my arm. That was her way of telling me she wasn't falling for my shit.
I kept walking until I felt a sharp tug at the edge of my shirt sleeve. "Jake! Where are you going? This is my class you crazy goof. And you have my books," She shook her head at me and reached up to tap my forehead. "Where did you go in the past twenty seconds? It's like you've completely forgotten where you are."
I grinned apologetically as I handed the books to her. "Sorry, sorry. I'm a little excited about this game we have going on I guess." Talk about the understatement of the year.
"Right, about that," she began, shifting her books in her arms. "Like I was saying before you drifted off to Neverland; I've got one more rule I want to lay down before this thing goes into effect."
"No problem. What is it?"
"You're not allowed to participate," she stated, matter of fact. I blinked a couple of times before responding. What did she mean I couldn't participate?
Bella tilted her head and answered my unspoken question. "What I'm saying is, you're not allowed to ask me to do stuff. It's not fair, since you already know the challenge details," she shrugged. "Plus, knowing you, you'd abuse your power."
What? No! This wasn't the way it was supposed to go! "But—but!"
"No buts Black," she asserted sternly. "This is about me exploring more options than I ever have before. It's not about you having the excuse to bully me and have me do things you want to see me do."
"Don't be irrational," I wheezed helplessly.
"You were sincere when you said you didn't want me to be a drag anymore, right? That you wanted me to have a life full of fun and risk and youthful mistakes?"
"Bells please..."
"Right?"
Deflating, I sighed in defeat. "Yeah, yeah."
"Then let me have that Jake. I'll go along with this…this…yes game for as long as you want, but you have to promise to agree to my last guideline. We only have three rules after all and you have to admit, I'm being pretty generous on my end of the bargain."
I wanted to stomp my feet and throw a fit. It was my idea damn it! Mine! How could my own epiphany come back to bite me in the ass in a matter of minutes? The warning bell sounded off in the halls and I knew I had lost the battle.
"Fine," I grumbled. The one word was barely distinguishable as it left my lips but it was good enough for Bella.
"Yay!" she cheered, hopping a little and grinning up at me. "This is going to be awesome. The start of a new me."
I couldn't help the quark of my lips as I watch my dream girl and best friend radiate the happiness she deserved to have 24/7. If only she hadn't issued that last rule…
"Open the door for me?" she asked.
"Of course." Luckily my classroom was right next door to Bella's so I knew I wouldn't be late to class.
I swung open the door and watched Bella quickly scurry inside with her hands full of books and papers. The horny eyes following her movement across the class room didn't go unbeknownst to me. I knew very well how much the boys at our school craved to have a go with Bella—believe me, I shared the same locker room with most of them for P.E. I glared holes into their general direction, catching and holding more than few of their attention and my stare sent their eyes diving down to their toes. Right where they belonged.
"Hey, Bella Smella, sit next to me!" I groaned. Of course Quil would be in this class with Bella. I spotted Quil near the back of the class just as he shoved the nerdy looking kid out of the seat beside him before Bella had a chance to see. "Over here! It's totally empty."
Bella's eyes found his and she smiled gratefully. Then she glanced up at me and smiled even wider. "Thanks you," she mouthed as she sat next to the biggest walking and talking pain in the ass.
I nodded in acknowledgement but I struggled to find it in me to actually leave. Class would be starting in a minute or so and I didn't want to be late for the first day.
As I turned to leave, I paused momentarily when I heard the voices of Bella and Quil ring in my ears.
"So, you going cliff diving with us after school today?" Quil asked. I could almost see him eying Bella through the back of my head.
"Um…" Bella pondered for a second before responding. "Yes."
Her voice sounded so beautiful as she said the words.
"Oh nice," Quil responded huskily. He knew how to make everything he said sound creepy. "I knew you'd come around."
"I'm actually really pumped for it."
"You know, if you jump from those kinds of heights, you can't wear those huge dark T-shirts you always wear whenever we go swimming."
"And why is that?"
"Cause," Quil reasoned. "It'll catch in the wind and…um…slow your fall. Yeah. And that's no fun." I clenched the door handle. Quil that bastard! Bella always wore large dark shirts over her bathing suit whenever we went swimming. She started doing it after her chest had expanded to a certain size but I don't think it had to do with insecurity as much as it had to do with the fact she always swam with six other teenage guys she considered to be her brothers. Would you want you're brother thinking of you as a sex symbol? No, didn't think so.
"I think I'll survive Quilly," she laughed.
"Common Bellie," he sang, causing her to giggle more. I hated when they started speaking to each other in baby talk.
"What do you want from me?" She sighed with a smile evident in her voice. I wanted to smack my hand over my eyes in exasperation. Was it too late to cancel the whole Yes Game charade and call it day? He wants to see you parade around more than half naked Bella! I wanted to scream. I automatically envisioned Bella in her bathing suit, strutting around the sand in that tight, wet…okay, thinking about this was definitely not helping matters down below. What angered me about the situation was thinking about Quil and the guys watching her in the way I wanted to, and that was not okay with me. I secretly loved Bella's modesty. If I couldn't see it, no one else deserved to see it either.
"Don't wear that damned shirt when we cliff dive today, okay? Where a bikini like the other girls do for once. Will you do it? For me Bellie-Wellie?"
There was a brief silence. Then the final bell rang. Shit I was late. I slowly slipped out of the room. But not fore hearing Bella's confident voice before I left.
"O—okay. I will. You know what Quil? Yes!"
A/N: You like? This little idea has been swimming inside my head for AGES so I finally sat my butt down and wrote it all out.
Should I even continue? I have a lot of ideas for this story…like a LOT that'll involve tons of fun scenarios in which Bella simply cannot refuse! Heehee…
But if you don't REVIEW and let me know if you like where this crazy little story is going, then I guess I'll have to discontinue. :(
(IF YOU READ MY OTHER STORY FAWNING OVER SWAN PLEASE CONTINUE READING THIS A/N)
My Beautiful beloved FOS readers! I have disappointed you once again! I left for a long trip and guess who forgot her computer…
That's why this whole story (The Yes Game) even came to be. I've been so restless to write fan fiction but I don't have my FOS documents with me so I can't edit my ALREADY COMPLETE next chapter (which I lied, wont be short and sweet, it's actually my longest chapter yet which hopefully makes up for the impossible wait) so I sat down an wrote this one out to show you all that I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. Let me stop rambling before you forget whether or not you liked the story!
Love you lots!
XO LCricket