This is NOT a Bella / Jacob story NOT NOT NOT! I promise I'm not going to spoil anything but I am asking you all to bear with me please but I promise.
Hello everybody!I haven't written on here in years but I really want to write again. So I will love any questions concerns or comments. Constructive Criticism is welcome, but the key word here is CONSTRUCTIVE.
I will see you all at the bottom!
X Standard disclaimers apply X
Chapter One
"Love is natural. Even the human race can't claim to be natural anymore. We are fake. How fitting that I would end up in this sham of a marriage." - Wither
"Thank you again Mike" I said with a smile, making my way to the other end of my desk. It had taken all morning but my classroom was finally coming together.
"Don't mention it Bella," he flashed a smile back at me. "On the count of three then," I said placing my hands firmly on the desk and bracing my back. "One... two... three..." with a loud scrape and a grunt the desk landed in front of the chalk board.
"I don't understand," I panted, clutching my side, "why they can't put the furniture back after they clean it at the end of the summer. "
"I don't know," he mumbled leaning heavily on the desk, "Is there anything else you need help with?"
I look around at the tiny desks lined neatly in rows each accompanied by a little chair. The aquarium was up and whirring quietly in the background, and the puppet theater and dress stage had taken a while but both are finally up. The art board is re-tacked and the book shelves are clean and waiting to be stacked.
"Nope that's it," I said with a shrug "I have some books to put away, name cards to make. That sort of thing," I made my way over to the desk chair that was laying upside on the floor.
"Wow, you're on a roll. I've barely started" he said following me to the chair and putting it up right, "big plans for this weekend?"
"Not exactly," I mumbled making a face, "Jacob wants to go out to dinner tonight."
"Ahhhh" Mike nodded knowingly "what's the chief got planned this time?"
"I don't know," I sighed sinking down into my chair.
"You know it could be worse," he said pushing me and the chair to the desk.
"Oh yea? How?" I said crossing my arms over the desk and laying my head down.
"You could be like me, with no plans and no love life."
I just shook my head and waved Mike out of the room. He grinned sheepishly from the hallway pulling the door shut behind him. I knew he was right. I had nothing without Jake, and he made sure I remembered it.
I moved to Forks right after my sixteenth birthday to live with my dad, the old chief of police. My mom was newly married to a baseball player and I was tired of being the third wheel. I met Jacob Black shortly after, he was an old family friend and Charlie started throwing us together every chance he had.
He was charming and sweet. We went for walks on the beach and I felt like I could really talk to him. He transferred to my school and we took almost every class together I guess getting together was inevitable. When it finally happened junior year Charlie was over the moon. We stayed together through high school and half way through college. He was comfortable, he was there, he made me feel safe and wanted, until he didn't.
It wasn't like our relationship exploded in one big melodrama, it fell apart slowly. I started to feel like I needed something more than comfortable, something more than this regular routine we had going. I felt stuck and then things changed and Jake didn't like the clothes I wore or any ofmy friends. So I put on different clothes, and found new friends thinking it would make him happy, but nothing did he just started on something else, my make up, my grades, my career path.
Screw being comfortable. I was done with him and I broke it off. He went rip shit, swore no one would ever love me, that he was doing me a favor by staying with me. Who would want a worthless thing like me. I would end up alone without him.
I finished school and went back to Forks with his taunts ringing in my ears. I started teaching at the preschool, Jacob followed and joined the force. I saw him come and go with other girls but I was relieved he was done chasing me. Charlie was pretty upset but he said I was old enough to make my own decisions.
I tried to date but there were few if any who showed interest, I always had Jacob's words in the back of my head I would end up alone. Had he really done me a favor? Am I that unattractive? It bothered me more than it should so I threw myself into work.
I grew into a comfortable routine with a job that I absolutely love. I kept busy creating projects and working on my class schedules. Looking for new teaching tools, classes that would help me improve my skills, anything to keep busy on a friday and saturday night. I went out occasionally with the few friends that kept in touch, and for the most part I was okay. I thought things would turn out fine if I kept myself busy, but then Charlie got shot.
The police car had pulled up and Jacob stepped out with another officer. I had been about to tell him to go to hell but there was a look on his face that stopped me. The words fell out of his mouth like stones each landing in my gut making me want to retch.
My father was gone. Tears fell down his cheeks, and his hands shook as he reached for me we both crumpled to the floor. Jacob stayed and took over everything, he handled the funeral, and helped with my family. He held my hand and for the first time in so long I wasn't alone. He moved in with me shortly afterward to make sure I was okay and slowly he made his way back into my life.
He became the chief of police and then without realizing it, we were together again.
I pick myself up out of the chair and hit slap the play button on the CD player. Classical piano fills the silent space and I start on some of the boxes in the corner. I unpack swaying side to side with the music. My classroom is known for these enormous book shelves they take up and entire wall from floor to ceiling surrounding the windows. Every year I seem to in cram in a few new ones, I let the other teachers come and borrow some for their classes. The school doesn't have much funding for picture books, but I've made it a mission to have as many as possible even if it comes out of my own pocket.
I dust off copies of Cat and The Hat and Green eggs and Ham and line them up neatly on the shelf. I hum to myself and get lost in organizing the colors and pictures, the authors and the sizes putting each book back in its rightful place.
I stare at my room and take in the complete picture the pencil name tags with hand written names, the room is full of color but empty without the kids. I have fifteen students this year 8 boys and 7 girls, I can't wait till next week to meet them all. It's another new year.
The light starts to dim and I look up to see the sun dipping lower in the sky.
"Shit," I curse loudly looking up at the clock. I have to be at dinner for 6:00. I run out of the room swearing down the hall.
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"Isabella we are going to be late for the reservation," Jake yells up the stairs. I could hear the irritation in his voice.
"I'm already finished," I call down glancing in the mirror one last time. I have a touch of make up, my hair is falling in curls around my shoulders and I threw on a plain black cocktail dress.
"Then let's go," he calls.
My heels tip tap on the hardwood landing as I make my way down to the front door. Jacob holds it open for me with a grim smile and I force one of my own and walk over to his cruiser.
"Babe, can we take your car?" he asks already walking over to my car without waiting for my answer. I shrug my shoulder and hand him the keys, he loves to take the cruiser everywhere, strange.
We sit in tense silence on the way there Jake still fuming at my tardiness. The 45 minute drive into Seattle takes forever but we finally,end up at a fancy French restaurant with valet parking. That explains why he wanted my car. I sigh and look down at my appearance, I'm under dressed again. The hostess smiles at us and ushers us forward. Jake places a hand at the small of my back and leads me to our table in the middle of the restaurant. The lighting is dim and intimate, and there's a violinist playing somewhere in the background.
Our waitress comes over with a bottle of wine, thank god.
"Can I offer you some pinot noir?"
Jacob nods his head, and I smile politely "Yes, please," I answer as she pours me a glass. I take a small tentative sip as she walks away, it's sweet and bitter rolling lightly on my tongue. Maybe it'll take the edge off, I stare at the glass a moment before taking another sip.
The waiters are wearing tuxedos, and I shift uncomfortably in my casual dress. He could have warned me, but this is Jake. The waitress comes back over and Jake stares appreciatively at her low cut button down "and what can I get you this evening?" she asks. I roll my eyes and stare at the menu apparently didn't need to.
"We'll start off with the dandelion salad," Jake answers for me "and have the Coquilles St. Jaques A La Parisienne for the main course" he closes the menu with finality and hands it off to the waitress and I reluctantly do the same. You would think by now after so many years it wouldn't annoy me as much, but it does.
"So how was the classroom?" he asked as the salad was placed in front of us. I pick up my fork and spear a piece of lettuce.
"A mess, like every August," I answer taking a bite and making a face at the dressing that Jake doesn't notice.
"The school should fire that janitor," he mutters shaking his head.
"They don't have the funds to pay someone enough to care," I push the salad around feeling bad for wasting food. They come and clear the dish replacing it with a funny looking seafood entree'. I take a bite of scallop, not too bad.
"So how was your day?" I ask politely knowing the tirade that will ensue.
"Mrs. Petterson called five times today about that stupid cat..." he started.
Thank god, I can ignore him now. I nod along to his story thinking about the book I just started reading. Pride and Prejudice again. I left off, earlier today, at Mr. Darcy's first proposal, where Jane rejects him in the middle of the pouring rain. She has every right to, what with the way he treats her in the beginning, but still it's Mr. Darcy.
"Will there be any dessert this evening?" our waitress is back, poor girl is still trying to ask me, "Could we both have the Creme Brule" Jacob says without even looking at her. She nods with a smile pours us another glass of wine and moves on.
"...and then Bob," Jake continues without pause "Bob Styles told me we have some new folks in town and that he would be working at Theodore's old practice."
"That's nice" I murmur, going back to Pride and Prejudice. Mr Darcy was just one of those characters that you can never forget, the way he starts off as some stuck up snob to be redeemed as a noble generous loving man, you don't see that in real life.
I jump at the feel of a hand slipping over mine and I look up to see Jake's seat empty. My eyes trail to follow the hand and find him on one knee directly in front of me, holding a tiny velvet box.
My heart thuds in my chest, no, no no. God please no. Let those be earrings, let those be fucking earrings.
"Isabella Marie Swan you are my only love," he pulls open the little black box and nestled inside is a ring "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he has a knowing smirk on his face, not a hint of nerves and I want to shove him and run.
"Marry me?" he pulls the ring from the box and holds it out to me expectantly.
I'm frozen, everything around me moves in a blurry rip tide pushing me to do something, to stop sitting and bolt before I lose the chance. He's smiling up at me like there is no doubt in his mind what my answer will be and I hear the whisper's of all the people staring waiting for my reply. The violin is closer now playing something haunting and sinister.
My heart screams at me to say no, its clawing and biting begging me to listen, but that word means loneliness. No means an empty house, no means waking up everyday knowing I will always be unwanted. No means freedom. The word is on the tip of my tongue, when he catches my eye and I can tell he's growing impatient.
"Why not?" I hear myself whisper instead. He stands up with a glass in his hand
"She said yes!" he yells, then applause breaks out and the room cheers.
I'm still frozen as he pushes the ring onto my finger and my moment of opportunity slips away, the door slams shut sealing my fate till death do us part.
0_o I know I know she said yes and your all screaming WHY! Just remember it is NOT Bella / Jake I promise. Reviews will get a sneak peek to the next update!