As Long As It Takes
Summary: WAITING is a sign of true love and patience. Anyone can say 'I love you,' but not everyone can wait and prove it's true
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
I hate waiting. But if wait means being able to be with you. I will wait for as long as forever to be with you my best friend.
-Unknown quotes
Bella sat on a bench outside of the movie theater wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans, a pale blue top, dark blue jacket, and white sneakers. Her dark chocolate hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail and she was wearing just the barest hint of foundation, brown eyeshadow and pink lip-gloss. She glanced down at her painted blue nails and refused to look at him. Jacob thought that it wasn't fair that after 10 years she could still look so lost.
Her eyes were distant and her lips were parted as though she was about to say something but couldn't get the words out.
God, she was beautiful.
"Jake," she suddenly mumbled and Jacob couldn't help but smile as he thought of how many times she'd call him that over the years.
"Bells," he replies, when she doesn't say anything else and she pursed her lips.
She turned her head so her eyes met his and Jacob's hand twitches with the need to touch her. But after years of listening to Bella tell him that they were just friends he knew when to push and when to wait.
"Listen, Bells-" he started then ran his fingers through his short hair and sighed. "The movies over and it's getting late. We should probably go home now,"
"Jacob," she said louder and Jacob glanced at her wondering what's going through her head.
"What's up, Bella?" he asked, and readied himself for whatever she had to say.
Was she about to reprimand him for looking at her to long?
Was she mad that he called her beautiful?
Was she mad that he grabbed her hand when he led her to their seats?
Was he mad that he said that it was a date?
He knew how much she hated it when she called their outings dates…even though there was no diffidence.
Did he cross another one of her imaginary lines and not notice?
"Please don't…" she trailed off and Jacob furrowed his brows in confusion.
"Don't what?" he asked.
Bella smiled at him, making him even more confused.
"This was nice. I'm really glad you talked me into going out tonight. This was fun." She said.
"Well, I aim to please," Jacob said, with a smirk, but the confused look didn't leave his eyes.
Bella's smile fades and the distant sad look comes back.
"Jacob, tonight lovely…please don't," she said, her lips trembling.
"Don't what?" Jacob asked again, careful not to touch her.
He knew from experience not to touch her whenever she got like this. She always thought he was trying to make a move on her…even when he was just trying to comfort her.
Bella shook her head and stood up. She didn't say anything for the rest of the drive home and Jacob didn't try to engage her. He knew she would speak when she was ready. They arrived at their apartment building. They didn't live in the same room. Jacob was one floor below her but he always made sure he walked her to her room.
"Good night, Jacob," Bella said, when they were in front of her door.
She turned to go inside and Jacob couldn't help but say her name. She gave him a small smile over her shoulder before closing the door in his face. Jacob stood there for a minute wondering what he'd done wrong.
I can't force you to love me, but know that I will always be here waiting for you.
Ghassan El Labadi quotes
Bella leaned her back against her door and sighed. It had been ten years since he confessed his feeling in that movie theater and she rejected him. She knew he still had feeling for her. He told her he could wait and that he had all the time in the world but she wasn't expecting him to still have feelings for her after all this time.
She'd tried putting distance between them. She'd tried talking to him. She'd tried yelling. She'd even tried setting him up on dates with her friends.
But nothing worked.
He came back over and over again like her loyal companion. When she left to go to college, Jacob sent her emails and called her faithfully every weekend. And when he graduated college, she shouldn't have been surprised he chose one in the same city as her. When she talked to him, he listened attentively and would smile at her when she was finished.
"Don't worry, Bells. I can handle it," he'd say and Bella would want to punch him because who could have that much patience.
When she yelled at him, he'd just laugh and say that he'd come back when she was in a better mood…and he did come back, every time.
When she set him up with her friends, he'd shrug and go out with them but afterwards he'd call her and they talk about them.
"She was nice," Jacob said, and Bella felt the air rush out of her lungs.
"So, you'll go out with her again?" Bella asked and Jacob would chuckle.
"Nah, she's not my type," Jacob would reply.
"But she's perfect for you," Bella would want to scream.
"Sorry, I'm a one woman kind of man and she may be nice but she's not you," he'd say and before she could scold him he'd change the subject.
He brought her gift every valentine's day. Nothing mushy or romantic. A yellow rose, a friendly card, a novelty T-shirt, etc. Nothing that she could be mad about.
He said he was okay with them being just friends… but Bella couldn't help but feel guilty.
Bella thumped her head on her door and growled in frustration.
"You okay, Bells?" Jacob called, from the other side of the door and Bella shouldn't have been surprised that he was still out there.
"Jacob, please don-" she tried again and Jacob cut her off.
"No," he said firmly. "Now, why don't you tell me what's going on?"
They were both silent for a minute.
"You're unbearable," she declared.
"You think so?" he mused.
"Yes," she stated.
"Hmm… well I guess that's just who I am," he said, shrugging even though she couldn't see him.
She hated that about him. His ability to be so passive about things. He took insults with a shrug. He breezed past her anger like it wasn't even there. Why did he have to be so stubborn?
"Bella, I'll never know what I'm doing wrong unless you tell me?" Jacob said and Bella could feel his attempt to put her at ease…and it just made her feel even guiltier.
Bella knew he didn't do it on purpose, he was just trying to understand her. He was always trying to understand her and he actually knew her better than anyone else. But she didn't want him to understand her…she wanted him to stop.
"You have to stop this, Jacob," Bella said, "Please don't do this anymore,"
"How can I stop if I don't know what I'm doing?" he asked, a teasing tone entering his voice.
"Ugh, you are so difficult!" she growled and Jacob laughed.
"Look who's talking," he replied.
Bella almost opened the door to slap him but she knew that if she opened the door then Jacob would be there smiling and then she'd never say what needed to be said.
"I'll wait out here as long as you need me too," Jacob said and Bella hit her head on the door again.
"Do you remember that time we went to the movies 10 years ago?" Bella blurted and Jacob nodded before realizing that she couldn't see him through the door.
"Of course, that was the day I told you that I liked you, why?" he asked, no shame in his voice.
"Don't…" Bella suddenly said.
"Don't what?" Jacob asked, frustrated.
"Don't love me anymore," Bella said and Jacob frowned.
"What?" he asked.
"You hang out with me because you love me. You haven't found a girlfriend yet because you love me. You moved out here because you love me. I'm asking you to stop. Don't love me anymore. Don't smile at me anymore. Don't call me anymore. Don't take me on dates. Don't buy me gifts. Don't…don't do anything nice for me." Bella's voice broke and she fought back tears.
"Why? I'm not pressuring you or anything. I haven't stop you from going on dates. I never asked you to return my feelings. I told you, I've got all the time in the world. I can wait until I'm 59 and you're 60. I'm fine." Jacob said, with a shrug.
"You're so stubborn! How can you even think of waiting that long? What if I never return your feelings? Are you willing to spend the rest of your life alone waiting for me?" Bella asked.
Jacob leaned his back against her door and slid down to sit on the floor.
"What's this about, Bella?" he asked, and Bella slid down to the floor with him.
"I just don't want you to end up alone. Why can't you just move on?" Bella questioned.
"I don't know…I just feel it in my chest. I just know that you're the woman I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with. And I don't know if I'm meant to spend it as your best friend or your boyfriend but I do know that I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else." He confessed and Bella held back a sob. "Why are you asking me this stuff now?"
Bella couldn't answer.
"I don't know," she whispered and Jacob closed his eyes and leaned his head against the door.
"Bella, I'm fine waiting. I like my life. I enjoy dragging you on little 'not dates'. I like buying you gifts and smiling with you. I like talking to you and being with you. That's enough for me, right now."
"But it shouldn't be and I want you to stop,"
"Why?" Jacob pushed.
"Because…I don't want to love you!" she shouted. "I don't want to feel butterflies when you smile. I don't want to blush when you look at me. I don't want to feel like I could be happy as long as I have you in my life. I don't want any of it!"
"Oh," Jacob said, and Bella wondered why he wasn't jumping for joy at her confession.
Then he laughs. He laughs like he just heard the words funniest joke and can't stop.
"What's so funny?" Bella fumed and Jacob continued laughing, his voice getting louder.
"Stop laughing!" Bella shouted and stood up.
"Sorry," Jacob gasped and hit his head against the door.
Bella swung her door open and Jacob fell inside her apartment. He stared up at her his eyes glowing with warmth and happiness.
"I love you, Bella," he said.
"Don't…" Bella started and Jacob grabbed her leg.
"I love you, Bella." He repeated.
"I said, quit it!" Bella said.
Jacob got up off the floor.
"I told myself that I could be your friend if that's what you wanted. I told myself that I wouldn't ask for more because no matter how hard you try you can't force someone to love you. But you do love me, don't you Bella."
Bella shook her head.
"I don't love you," she denied.
Jacob smiled.
"But you do like me, right?" he asked.
Bella nodded, hesitantly.
"And do you like, like me?" he asked in a childish voice.
"Maybe," Bella mumbled.
"Well, I love you and I'm going to keep loving you. You can't stop me from loving you." Jacob said and he tucked her hair behind her ear, his hand brushing her cheek.
"I've always liked your hair, it's soft and smells good," he complimented.
Jacob smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb, then slowly moved his hand under her chin, tilting her face up. He glanced at her lips.
"If I kissed you right now, I wonder if it would taste like strawberries," he mused.
Bella was caught off guard, her eyes were wide open, and a blush spread across her cheeks. Jacob smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"Good night, Bella." He said, pulling away from her and heading to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow. We'll go have dinner at that new restaurant that opened up down the street." he sent her a wink. "My treat, honey,"
He closed the door and Bella was left standing there confused.
What just happened?
In the end, it's still best to wait for the one we want rather than settle for what is available. It is still best to wait for the one you love rather than settle for the one who is around. It's still best to wait for the right person, because life is too short to waste on the wrong one.
-Unknown
Author's note: Please review or PM your thoughts.