Disclaimer: IIIIII DOOO NOOOT OWWWN TWILIGHT!
This is the Sequel to "A Different Kind of Dazzling", a story which I just finished recently. If you haven't read that one, don't read this one. Go read THAT one first!!! :D
Chapter 1: Catching Up (Bella's POV)
Time sure has flown by; it seemed like only yesterday that I gave my heart completely to Jacob. But it wasn't yesterday, it was three years ago. Three whole years since that very day; I was now twenty-two, and Jake was just turning twenty.
We were still going strong. Sure there had been up's and down's, isn't that normal in any relationship? Well, as normal as you can be dating a werewolf. Not only was he a werewolf, but just a year and a half ago he became the Alpha of the pack. Somehow there was a 'switch' in leadership when all the pack was together one night; Jake said he could feel all his power building up with a new sense of responsibility. Sam gave over his position willingly, ready to be under the originally intended Alpha. After all, he did have a baby to take care of; Emily was pregnant at the time, and now her baby is about a year old. The baby is a little girl by the name of Serrah. She's one of the cutest kids I've ever seen.
I was still living with Charlie in that two-story house in Forks, but ready as ever to find a place of my own! For so long I intended to stay with him because I felt bad thinking about him trying to cook his own meals; or burning down the house for that matter. He was definitely capable of doing that.
Still, after the death of her husband several years back, Mrs. Clearwater had started to hang around Charlie more often. Now it seemed like they were never apart, and I could see a distinct bond building. Perhaps it was abou ttime for me to get out of there so they could become more serious; who knows, maybe I'd end up being related to Seth and Leah?
I had been able to make friends with Leah two years ago. It was difficult, to be sure, because of how bitter and angry she was. That whole incident with her former fiance, Sam, imprinting on her cousin, Emily, had driven her to those measures. She reached out to no one and accepted no pity. One day, I was sitting at the Black's house waiting for Jacob to come home from some rounds when she stepped through the door, hair bristling.
I didn't say anything to her, just watched her hastey actions as she rushed to the fridge and grabbed a 2-liter of Coke, twisting off the cap, then chugging nearly the whole thing down. My eyes widened in amazement as she did so, wondering how someone could drink that fast! Other than the wolf-boys, I'd never seen anything like that. When she was done, she dropped the bottle on the floor and looked at me, eyebrows knitted, "What?" she spat, "What do you want?"
I shook my head, gulping lightly, "N-nothing." then turned to the T.V. screen, trying to focus back on to the cooking network. To my deepest surprise, Leah came and sat beside me on the couch, putting her legs up on the coffee table. I tried to stay as still as possible for fear of making her angry, occasionally side-glancing at her. She seemed intruiged by the show. A few minutes into it she mumbled something incoherent and sighed. Maybe I could reach out to her? I thought, "Um, what was that?"
She looked down, "I can't cook, I said." seemingly shame-faced.
I bit my lip, "You want to learn?" Please, oh please don't let her reach out and strangle me.
She blinked, looking to my face, her eyes still holding bitterness yet masked by curiosity, "And you could teach?"
I nodded slowly, "Y-yeah, sure, anytime."
...And that's how it started. She began popping up at my house randomly through the weeks, asking me stuff about cooking, watching me cook, and eating dinner with Charlie and I. It was a bit awkward at first, I won't like, but eventually she started warming up to us and started opening up to me. She would occasionally throw sarcastic remarks at me, but I took it, knowing her heart held so much pain. One day, while over at my house, she completely opened up to me about Sam. She told me how she still loved him, how she didn't really hate him, and how she just wished she could take the pain away. This was around when she found out Emily was pregnant; it was hard to swallow for her, and she needed someone to lean on.
Never in my life would I have expected that person to me; nor did I expect her to cry, which I thought her incapable of doing. After that night of my giving her comfort and letting her talk without inturuption, we had become nearly best friends. Now I wouldn't use that phrase in front of anyone else or she'd snap at me; never would she be referred to as anything so girly sounding like 'best friends'. At least not in public. She became one of the best friends, other than Jacob of course, that I'd ever had. She started to lighten up and even stopped torturing Sam, happily helping Emily out as she was pregnant, and even with Serrah when she was born.
Other than that, nothing too huge has happened in my life. Jacob was still my best friend and boyfriend, but we hadn't progressed much. It didn't bother me though, because where we stood in our relationship seemed perfect. We were the best of friends, and loved each other dearly.
Because he was done with High School two years earlier, he had planned to get some kind of College degree, but never did. He felt so bad that he never was able to, after all he had to take care of the pack; I tried to console him, but he kept insisting that he wasn't good enough for me. Eventually Quil, Embry and him got together and started a small automobile fixing business. I was so proud of him for doing that, and smiled at him every time I saw them fixing cars. It was his passion after all, working with giant, oily machines. He wasn't making billions of dollars, but really, did I even need that?
As far as my job life goes, it had been pretty dead for a while. I had no idea what I wanted to be, nor did I care much about a huge career. I remember Charlie trying to convince me to be a teacher; like I'd ever do that! I can't teach to save my life! He also said stuff like: doctor, veterinarian, lawyer, sports...all of them seemed undeniably boring.
I had a strike of genius one day while cooking with Leah. We were sitting around finishing off some desserts, and it came to me; baker! Why not? I mean, I loved cooking. Seemed pretty apropriate! Now I own a small bakery situated in Forks; a really small bakery. It was going well, though, because most people loved my food.
Speaking of food, I was just cooking up some dinner and expected Jacob to be over in about an hour. He eats with Charlie and I; consuming most of the food himself, just like usual.
I didn't care though, that he ate so much. Over the years I'd gotten used to feeding him and the boys just like Emily had. I'm sure I could get used to it, if our relationship progresses enough for us to have...children. That part scared me. If and when we get married I know Jake will want children, but I don't know for sure if I can handle that. I suppose I'll just have to take it one day at a time.
Tada! I did it! I got the first chapter of the sequel up!
I know I know it's not that amazing. I'm sorry, but I'm really just kind of...writing down random thoughts. I'll think through the rest of the chapters more, I swear. I just needed to get the base down.
REVIEWS PLEASE, LOVES!
