Author's Note: I know the whole "Bella loves Jacob" plot had been done many, many times, but this is my take on it. I may need to take a break from all that Jacob/Bella I've been doing soon. Please review. Without reviews, my life is a moonless night.

I know without a doubt that I will never love anyone the way I love Jacob. I know that even a thousand years from now, when I think of him I will tingle, hit by an electric jolt, then sink into the warm feelings always left in the wake of the shock. I know I'll hate myself for not trying harder to hold on, for not making things work, but I'm just not strong enough. I think about how he could imprint, the Volturi could come and kill me for being human, and I just can't do it. I can't be with the man I love, there are too many risks involved. I'm a coward; I'm just letting everything I want slip away because I can't take a chance.

I pace: left, right, left, right. Nothing calms me down; I just want this thing over and done with. I have to get Edward to change me before he realizes he isn't the one I really love. It should be obvious to anyone-he's perfect, but not perfect for me. He's so wrong for me.

But Jacob... I could be happy just thinking his name for all eternity. Soft, warm, sweet, all the sentimental garbage I would normally think is so cliché feels so right with him. I pace faster, wondering why following through with a decision I've always made is so hard. I should be beyond this by now, but this tiny speck of me keeps saying it could work, I could try, I should try.

I pick up the phone, dial each individual digit with precision. The phone rings only once before he picks up.

"Hi Jacob," I whisper.

"Hey Bells, you okay?" Of course he can hear that something's wrong, tears have leaked into my voice; I sound like I wish someone would come along and shoot me.

That single thought makes me realize exactly what Alice meant when she said the future isn't set in stone. My future must have disappeared the second the idea occurred to me that I would rather have a lifetime with Jacob-even one cut short by the Volturi-than an eternity with Edward. I don't want that fairy tale world. I'm no princess.

"Jacob I-" The words catch in my throat as uncertainty lunges forward from the depths of my mind. Gritting my teeth, I force the next words out.

"Jacob, I love you."

A stunned silence on the other end followed by "So it's over with the leech?" is all I need to suddenly wonder why I ever questioned doing this. The happiness radiating from his voice is all the confirmation I need that I've mad the right choice. I don't need to worry about telling Edward, Alice can handle that. For once, I can act my age, do what I want and let the chips fall where they may.

"Hell yeah."