Breaking Dawn
Prologue
"Thank you, Mrs. Lipman," I called over my shoulder to my extremely unhelpful English teacher. Today had been a good day though. It was the first day back to school after winter break, I had new clothes, new make-up, and my hair had somehow managed to curl absolutely perfectly. I felt great, and I was having fun.
I walked back to my seat and received a playful pat on the back from Aaron, also known as "The Angry Asian." Strangely, I didn't think about it twice, and smiled brightly at him while I strode with a new confidence back to my seat. I never really was a popular kid, and though I never had the desire to be one, it was nice to feel pretty every once in awhile. As I turned to sit down, Bianca, the funny girl on the basketball team, yelled "Hey, Bella, nice kick-me sign!" I could hear the resounding chuckles from the rest of the class.
"Damn him," I muttered under my breath, throwing a dark glare towards Aaron. He returned my glare with an irritatingly mocking smile.
You see, it was times like these where I wish I were a vampire, or maybe even a werewolf perhaps. With the thought of vampires, my stomach tightened convulsively like it normally did when I thought of them. It made me think of my old life, the one I thought I could never live without, until I threw it away.
Chapter 1
Jacob Black
I could feel the strong wave of emptiness and loss wash over me. I really needed Jake right now; he would stop me from falling apart like this, like I always did when I remembered them. Referring to my family, the people—well, technically vampires— that I loved. As impossible as it was to deny the deep affection that we all shared for each other, I knew that I couldn't live my life with them.
I couldn't just throw my life away as Rosalie, I cringed, had always said. I wasn't ready to become a monster, and I wasn't really sure if I'd ever really be ready. If I were going to be happy, I would have to do something I never thought possible. And so, I told them that I didn't love them as much as they loved me, staying with them made me feel guilty and I didn't want to be around them anymore. They were endangering my life (actually, that was pretty much my fault) and it was just easier if they weren't apart of me any longer.
"Hey, Bella, I'm sorry, okay? Geez!" Aarons voice sent me flying back into reality. Sniffing, I felt the tears spill on to my cheeks. I sighed. I should've known I'd start crying.
"Mrs. Lipman, can I go to the health office? I don't feel so good." I called out weakly, wiping the tears away before anyone else would notice.
"Sure, honey, do you want someone to take your things?" she was clearly alarmed at whatever look I had in my eyes. Forlorn, sadness, regret?
"No, I've got them."
As soon as I had managed to make my way out the door, I was walking as fast as I could to my truck. Running wasn't possible with my clumsy ways. As I approached my truck, I jumped and managed to drop the books I'd been carrying onto the wet ground. Recovered from my episode immediately, I left them there and ran to the ever-familiar tall shape leaning against my car.
"Jake! What are you doing here?" I exclaimed into his chest as he wrapped me up in a very comforting and warm hug.
"I thought that today might be a hard day for you. Since it's your first day without—sorry." he mumbled after I shot him a look that kept him from saying his name.
"Well I'm glad that you're here. Want to come to my place?"
"Sure, Bells," he grinned my favorite smile.
He left me standing beside my truck for only a moment as he quickly moved with a grace that amazed me still, to pick up my now saturated books from the ground. Stupid rain. It never went away here.
"Thanks. Ugh, I'll have to dry these out before they get completely ruined. Maybe I could use a blow drier, I wonder if a space heater would work…" I rambled on as Jacob laughed at me shaking his head. He took my hand and opened the passenger door for me. Apparently he was driving.
"C'mon, let's go."
The ride home was quiet (aside from the roar of my ancient truck) and I was content leaning against him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and secured me close to his warm body. It felt good, like breathing for the first time since this weekend, when I visited him at his house in La Push. I needed him then, and he was there for me. That was when I told him what I had done. He couldn't have been happier with my decision, but he was still able to comfort me and show an understanding for what I was going through. I cried into his shoulder for hours that night.
You know the saying 'the light at the end of the tunnel'? Well Jacob had always been more than just that light; he was my sun. He would be hard to live without, but unlike a drug, he would be healthy for me.
Saying goodbye to Edward was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. I still can't believe I did it. I shuddered beside Jake and he tightened his arm around me. Edward had been my drug. In reality, he had been my exact brand of heroine. The withdrawal symptoms worsened at night, and the nightmares were back, but when I was with Jake, I was cured.
