"It wasn't like I cheated on the guy, I was just flirting with him, you know? "

"Jess, maybe he's tired of you doing that. You guys always fight over the same thing. Maybe it's time for you to stop fooling around with your relationship and invest your love on Mike. I think it's time for you to stop trying to make him jealous just to see if he loves you or not. He clearly does love you, Jess. "

"You're right, V. I guess I was acting a bit immature about this. Thanks. "I looked up and smiled softly at Jess. We had been folding clothes for an hour and through that hour Jessica just talked and talked until she would ask me for advice. I didn't mind, if it came to talking .Jess did lot's of it and I'd actually enjoy listening. Especially if it kept me from talking about my own problems.

"How's your life going, V? " Jess and I have worked together for 4 months together and in a matter of 2 months, Jess had found out about my family from someone and confronted me about it. That whole weekend her and Angela listened to me explain my whole life. Angela already knew, but Jessica was in tears by the end of it. I don't feel sorry for myself, not one bit.

"Good, I took Mint to the doctor's this morning to get his shots, and then dropped him off at my grandparents. He ripped open my pillow yesterday. "Even though he made a mess, Mint always made me laugh. He was a hyper pup that ran around the house for fun. The little guy brought me happiness

"Awe, I want to see him! "

"You should come over for a movie night. Angela's coming over Sunday, you should stop by. "

"Oh, trust me I will. This pup is making you happy. I wonder what a man will do to your personality. "I finally finished folding the last t-shirt and smirked at Jess.

"No man will ever fulfill my happiness. Happiness shouldn't rely on a man. "

"That's were you're wrong, men bring AMAZING pleasure. " Jess pretended to hump the air making me actually laugh.

"Now I see why Mike stays around. " Jess threw a shirt at me and giggled while I walked around to the front and put the shirts away in a bin.

"There you are! " Lila was the gist of cool. SHe was tall and extremely thin with an extremely short pixie cut in her dark brown hair color. She dressed in old flowy dresses and always wore the flattest shoes in order to be connected to earth. Or so she said. Lila was Fork's flower child, always the first one at the town meeting trying to calm down arguments and trying to get everyone to take yoga classes. She was one Rad chick and she owned our little shop and managed it all by herself.

"It's time to clean out old stock, everything you guys like is 50 percent off. " She patted my back and skipped her way to the back with Jessica. Most of my clothes I got here, and it was because Lila would need some of the clothes gone before she got some old vintage stuff coming in soon. She would cut down the price 50 percent and have us buy them off her. Which was a huge bargain deal. All vintage clothes are old but were kept in the most perfect condition ever. Jess and I would find something so cute at times and we would hide it until the end of the month when Lila would cut it down in price. I had saved an old long blue cardigan with black zig zags that could keep me from getting cold. A few dozen scarf's, a dark Carmel brown motorcycle jacket, A light pink shimmer blazer, some old cute low heel boots and so much more. All fewer than 100 dollars which I thought was good for more then 50 articles of clothing.

"Alright girls, it's pay day. " Lila handed us our checks and grinned.

"I know this is sudden but I'm going on vacation in exactly 2 months and im closing up the shop for that one week. "

"Which means we get a vacation too! " Jessica squealed and jumped up and down.

"What's wrong lady bird? "Lila lifted up my chin and gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Nothing, just thinking what im going to do for a week. "

"Her schedule is going to be out of wack. "

The door's little bell rang and in walked in Charlie, in his stupid little business suit.

"Hey babe! "he opened his arms out wide and grinned at me.

"Don't call me that. " Jessica whispered her good bye, grabbed her bags and walked out leaving Lila smirked and watched me and Charlie argue. Or I argue with Charlie.

"What's you're problem, you seem so uptight every time I see you. "

"I'm always uptight, but when you show up it's like I tense up even more! " I quickly grabbed my bags and yelled my good byes to Lila. I stormed out the shop making sure to slam the door in Charlie's face.

"I don't see why? We've been dating for 2 years and 6 months! "

"We are not dating! We've never been on a single date together! "

"Yes we have Vanessa, don't you remember when we went to that French restaurant a week after we met. " I didn't care if people saw me walking quickly in front of Charlie. I think some people were use to seeing me like this when Charlie would pop up and visit me. Some people actually found it amusing to see little miss independent being chased and getting frustrated by a tall blonde male in a monkey suit.

"That wasn't a date, Charlie. I was forced to go, if you don't remember I was carried out from my room and into your car in my pajamas. All through your 'date' I didn't speak one word to you and I got a cab back home when you went to the bathroom! "

I opened the doors to grandpa's old Chevy truck and slammed them shut after putting the bags in.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn? Your father told me to stop pursuing you but hell! Here I am waiting for you to love me like you should. What have I done to deserve this, I remember all of our anniversaries, I send you flowers and I buy you the most expensive gifts! Girl's line up for that kind of crap. "

"Charlie, listen to you. We are not together, we never were. I don't like you; you only looked at me because my father and your father wanted to! "

"Vanessa, don't you dare say that! "

"You're psycho! " I got in the truck and closed my door before Charlie ran to my window.

"Vanessa, bunny, please don't do this! "

I just ignored him and pressed the petal and left. Charlie was the most aggravating man I had ever met. Worse then my father and I hated when he would randomly visit me and act like he was totally in love with me. Of Angela and Lila weren't there he would had tried to throw me against the wall and have his hands and lips on some on my body. He'd done it before but luckily for me I made sure to hit his male organ and he was done for. It's like the guy was ultra sensitive down there. Charlie was the only boy to chase after me, there was never a boy in my life that I felt completely comfortable with. There was always a timid reaction when I talked to boys; it scared me to death when I had to talk to one. But boy was I picky when it came to choosing guys I did like. Appearances never really bugged me. I knew I loved a guy that was clean and for some odd reason I liked them tall. That's what I looked for when it came to physical appearances, but I really cared about was a man's personality. It sounds cheesy but it was true. I kept to myself and I only let a select few in, few people knew what I liked and what made me laugh. So I first and fore most saw that I needed a guy who was able to make me laugh and I was able to make him laugh. He had to be a complete gentleman, patient, and genuine. He couldn't be clingy and whiny and he had to be able to love and understand that I didn't have much of it in my life. But he had to be able to understand my need to grow and succeed and he too had to have a passion for that. He had to be determined to complete a goal and have lots of strive. That characteristic made me hot and bothered.

Charlie was none of that. Charlie was kid. He lacked maturity; he was like a 6 year old in a candy store that didn't get what he wanted. He whined, he was never patient, his mind wasn't about getting what he wanted, and he had it already, just because his father owned the richest and best law firm in the entire east coast. He didn't have to work or set goals to get what he wanted, he just asked and had it immediately. The guy was working in his father's office and earning pay that was too much for his job position, heck it was way more then my father made and my dad was an actual lawyer.

In the end we never saw eye to eye, I loved working, I loved reading and writing and he rather drink up alcohol and get shit faced for fun. Two opposites that clearly everyone knew shouldn't be left alone in a room together, let alone date. But that was dad's dream, to have his daughter marry the son of a rich law firm owner. That job was actually suppose to be Caroline's but Caroline was too busy raising her baby. Don't get me wrong, I love my sister but I would much rather have her worry about Charlie then me.

My grandparent's house hasn't changed since I was little. Everything was the same, from the red roof to the red and brown brick house. Everything was the same since I was little; their house gave me so much comfort and so much reassurance on safe. Walking into their home was like walking into a warm cave. The walls built of cement and brick giving it a look of a seriously old home. The wide windows covered in dark brown curtains and the fireplace brightening up the room with its red light.

"There's my little girl. " Grandpa sat in his big recliner right next to his staggering book shelf. His head had started too bald up leaving only small strays of hair on the top of his head. The side of his head completely covered in hair though. Grandpa was 64 years old and had started feeling ill. Nana had rushed him to the hospital a month ago when he was complaining about chest pains.

"Hey grandpa. Where's grandma? "I sat down on their couch and watched grandpa slowly put his book away. His hands shaking silently.

"She's out back doing laundry. Your pup is one heck of a dog. Found 5 dead rats out back and brought them all out in the front. "

"Im so sorry grandpa. "He removed his glasses chuckling.

"It was fucking hilarious. Never seen a dog quite like him. Sure doesn't act like his size. "

"Well im glad you liked him. "

"I loved him. How's school coming along? "

"Alright, got my basics done, all I need is my actual major. Im thinking about taking a break until I get back into school. You know stock up on money then head back to school instead of doing both at the same time."

"Probably be easier then when you started. Just don't give up, Vanessa. You were always a smart young girl who knew what she wanted and went for it."

"I wont, I just don't want to struggle as much. How's dad doing? "

My curiosity on my family was one my grandpa didn't understand. He and my father weren't close; they only had shared a couple of words when they were in a room together. Danny said he think's it's because the way dad thinks and lives his life. But mostly the way he treated me. As you may already know I was the closest to grandparents, they raised me, not my parents. They showed me and showered me in love.

"Your father came over the other day, dropped off some ply wood and helped fix our roof with Danny. Didn't really work though. The left side of the house is still having some sort of water residue seeping through. He asked about you. "

Any time I hear my father talk or ask about me, my heart raced. He missed me!

"He wanted to know what type of mutt you got. He heard you adopted an animal. Said you couldn't raise yourself properly and didn't know how you would raise a dog by yourself. "

My heart sank, my stomach turned into a huge knot and I could feel my jaw lock and slowly start quivering. He never liked anything I did.

"I told him he was a jackass for believing such ideas. Out of all his kids he should be proud of you. A little girl your age surpassing the intellect level of your older siblings and raising money that they only wished they could of earned. In the end, you're the only one who's financially stable and has her shit together. Your sister is working 2 jobs to provide for her kids, while her husband comes and goes. He only returns to give her another kid and leave off to who knows where. And your brother just lays at home all day doing nothing. He should be proud of you, mija. He's only upset that you grew up with your very own mindset, you didn't care what people thought, what he thought. You lived your life they way you wanted to and that makes him mad. He ha d no control over you. "

I looked up at grandpa and nodded. My lip began quivering and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. His finger stopped it's shaking and reached out and wiped it away.

"Im proud of you. And I love you. "I hugged grandpa tightly. Never wanting to let him go. I was doing all of this for him. Without him I wouldn't have gone this far and I would of probably been like my mother. Married at a young age to Charlie. After having dinner at my grandparents, Grandpa and I talked about politics until he slowly fell asleep. Nana and I baked cakes and muffins for her book club for next day and we talked casually about everything. Nana was the opposite of granddad. She was calmer and loving like a mother should be. When I cried she held me and made me brownies. She wasn't much of a talker, she rather show people how she felt.

Nana drove me home pretty late; I loved my nana so much. Mint walked next to me up the stairs until he rushed over to my apartment door. There in front of my door was a basket, a hand woven basket filled with cleaning supplies. The rags, the toilet cleaner, dish soap, glass cleaners…. There was so much stuff in there that I was completely baffled. It amused me to the point I stood there in front of my door, arms full of bags laughing my ass off. Mint just kept wagging his tail and he then found a small brown draw sting bag and pulled it out. Inside the small bag were little doggie treats that were the right chewable size for mint. I finally opened my door and rushed everything inside. Mint had two treats before he retreated back to my room and fell asleep on my bed. I kept going through the mystery basket, everything made me laugh more, the scented candles, the air freshener, the lint roller and feather duster. The person who gave me this had to know me pretty well to understand that I loved cleaning. Angela or Jess possibly had some extra cash and decided to play a joke on me. At the bottom of the basket was a huge black card with white ribbon wrapped around it.

Saw all of this and made me think of you, you're kind of hard to forget. Hope you still remember me.

Jacob Black

His messy scrawl was adorable; I spent the next several minutes rereading the leader over and over again. Even when I showered and lay in bed reading a book, I couldn't help but glance over at the card. I didn't know Jacob Black but I knew now he was permanently on my mind for life.

The next day I woke up with Mint breathing over me.

"Hey boy, you ready for today. " Today was my day off and I was going to shop with Angela and Jessica at one of LaPush's pet stores. They had a pretty amazing pet store there. The weather here was pretty cold for Mint, and I wanted to get him his own bed and possibly a better fitted collar. I changed out of my sweats into some black skinny jeans and a regular gray shirt. The same black boots I bought yesterday covered my feet and kept them warm .I grabbed my shoulder length brown hair and braided it into a side braid. I brushed my bangs away from my glasses and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was a pretty average looking girl. A had a regular size nose, pouty red lips that could get chapped easily, my eyebrows were done simple, nothing to amazing. But the best thing I liked about my face were my eyes, they were always the thing that got people's attention. And they were the only thing my father liked about me. After brushing my teeth I grabbed my purse, a sweater and a scarf before rushing out the house with Mint in my arms bundled up in a small blanket he had taken a like to. Jessica had txted me she'd wouldn't make it to the movie night so she asked if she could drive me somewhere. Angela suggested to go shopping for Mint, that way they could meet my new buddy. I was waiting outside in the little park while Mint ran around with one of the neighbors dogs when Jessica's car rolled up. Angela grinned when she saw Mint running after me and jumps into Jess's car without any hassle.

"HE'S SO ADORABLE! " Jessica had somehow jumped into the backseat of the car and had Mint in her lap petting him while he basked in the attention. Angela decided to drive while Jessica talked about her past pets.

I'd never had been to La Push, I think I was here only once when I was with grandpa. I was soo young, possibly 5, dad found out and I clearly remember him yelling and threatening grandpa about it. Dad never liked La Push, he hated it so much. Danny one time told dad that if he didn't stop yelling at me that he'd make sure he'd get a job and a house in La Push. Dad went ape shit, broke 3 windows that night and his fist ended up colliding with mom's cheek bone. We told the doctor mom fell down the stairs. Dad just never liked it up here. It was a bit colder up here, even Mint noticed it, but when he saw another dog enter the big pet store he marched right in like he owned the place. Angela and Jessica followed him eagerly and ran down the isles like maniacs. I stayed behind and watched dog owners walk in and do the same.

Shelter (the name of the store) had barely opened up a year ago and business was huge. A local man from forks had opened it and he made lots of profit off of it. The prices were cheap and it really did care about the animals. People all over the state of Washington would come by just to visit the amazing store for animals of all types. Walking towards the clothes section, Angela had Mint in her arms while Jess tried to slip on a pink sweater on him.

"Jess, he's a boy! "

"Pink will look good on him though! " His head popped right through the hole and his tail began wagging.

"See, he likes it! "

"Im not buying that for him, Jess. " I slowly removed the sweater and held my pup like a baby. He pretty much was my child. I treated him soo much like one.

"You won't have to, I will! " Jessica was so happy and charismatic that I was jealous, She was like freakin Barbie for Christ sakes. Angela had gotten a cart so we began throwing shit in. Jessica made sure to get anything that was bedazzled, which I denied, so she finally settled on getting him dog toys of all sorts. Angela grabbed Mint a dark green sweater, some black boots to save his paws from the ice, and some fuzzy shoes that resembled slippers. Mint was stoked up on anything, form shampoo, poopie bags, toys, he had soo many different types of sweaters, 2 new doggie beds, whole varieties of toys and a brand new mint green collar with his very own name tag shaped as a heart dangling from his neck.

"Mission accomplished ladies! " Jessica steered the cart and started riding it with Angela while Mint chased after them. I stayed behind and watched a little girl slip and fall on the ground. In an instant I ran over to the little girl and helped her up.

"You okay, sweetie? " She had to be no more older then 4

"Yes, my butt hurts. "She started rubbing her butt softly that I had to laugh. She watched me for awhile before she too followed in my laughter.

"Claire, oh god please tell me you're okay! "The tall man rushed over to her side and squeezed her little cheeks for dear life. Her small little hand slapped him across his face.

"Quill, im fine. Let's go get me my hamster! "She ran inside quicker then you could say butterscotch and the tall man running right behind her for dear life.

"As you can see, Quill isn't really a good babysitter. Still learning the ropes. "

That deep voice that haunted my thoughts every now and then now was playing out in reality.

"And Quill so happens to be her father? "

"Babysitter, he adores her like a little sister. We all do actually. "Jacob stood next to me looking inside the store where Claire and Quill could be seen frantically running around the store. The sales people followed their lead and I couldn't help but break into a hysterical laugh. It got so bad that I almost tripped but I grabbed Jacob's arm before falling back. Not caring that I barely knew the guy, he made me feel like we've known each other for years and he knew everything about me. Plus he was warmer then the hottest days in forks.

"You have the most adorable laugh I have ever heard. " I looked up at Jacob and shook my head.

"My laugh is stupid. "

"Stupidly adorable. "He teased touching my nose. I shoved his arm away and regretting it instantly. The way he looked down at me trapped my soul. It was like he was only there; there weren't any yapping dogs, or screaming Quill. It was just us two outside the pet store in the cold sprinkling rain. I had that feeling, not the nervous feeling, but that warm, squirming feeling where I just wanted to smother Jacob in my hugs and kisses. His face came closer to mine, his hot breath hitting my nose just before Mint pushed me against Jacob's chest. My hands were laid down flat against his bulging Pecs and now my lips were on his, his moving slowly at first before I moved mine. He took this as a hint and started speeding up his lips on mine. I had no idea what to do. I had never kissed a boy until today, and especially never with a boy I barely knew. Boy? A man. A man I didn't know but somehow he had this ability to turn me into mush and not push him away from my lips. He licked the bottom of my lip and I pushed him away. The heat of my face taking all the cold away.

"I have to go. " I quickly grabbed Mint and dashed for the car not looking back.

J.P.O.V

"You kissed her? "

"Her dog pushed her against me and our lips accidentally fell together. But she kissed me first and … well I couldn't say no! "

Emily shook her head furiously.

"It's to fast Jacob, she probably freaked out. That's why she ran! "

"Relax Em, she kissed him back. She does feel something for you. She's probably freaked out that she did do that without knowing Jake better. "Paul wrapped his arm around Rachel and ate the celery stick with his other hand.

"Agreed, Jake it was an accidental kiss and she freaked. I don't think she's scared of you."

Rachel and Paul were completely at ease when I told them about it. Emily was different; she freaked out and went crazy when I told her. Sam had to calm her down while Leah just laughed at my misery. Seth just thought it was adorable but it didn't help Emily. She thought that when I got my imprint it would be epic and every moment I had with her would be memorable. Well, I sure will remember when I practically made out with my imprint and scared her away.

"Jake, lets go home and sleep on it. Im sure you could wait until tomorrow to see her. "Dad was quiet and kept his opinions to himself for once. He usually was opened minded about everything. Heck, he was ecstatic when he found out I imprinted, especially when he heard it was on her. I guess dad took a look at her and thought her shy, modest exterior would be perfect with mine. Dad and I said our good byes and left Emily's house. The sky was clouded over and rain had begun to drop once again, another night falling asleep to the rain,

"Jake. " I watched the road closely before nodding my head at dad to continue.

"Nessa, she's different. I don't really remember hearing about her, I thought she was new too town but it turns out she's lived her all her life. I kind of remember hearing her name when she was 12. She was one of the youngest kids ever to graduate from high school; we had some press hounding the girl like a piece of meat. "

She was smart and beautiful. Couldn't she be any more perfect?

"That's amazing dad. "

"Jacob, she's a Gomez. As in she's Richard Gomez's daughter. "

We had arrived outside of our house as soon as he said those words.

'Richard Gomez, that man you're always arguing with? "Dad only nodded

Richard Gomez had made a name for himself here on the reservation. A very bad name, I don't know how many times dad had come home form a counsel meeting infuriated by the guy. The man hated everyone on the reservation, dad called him a racist and everyone else agreed. Richard made sure to never to set foot on our land unless he really needed to. He saw us as a sick disease that never deserved to live. Word around town said he beat his wife when she got out of line and I remember one time he got into a fist fight with Harry Clearwater for calling Leah a whore for dating Sam when the first had begun. Turns out his own daughter ended up pregnant. He lived on the outer skirts of Forks away from everyone. He usually went out with his wife and 4 kids. Three boys and one girl, but none of them was ever my girl.

"The very one. I just don't know hoe she could be his kid, that night when I went over to talk to Charlie about having Sam and the boys fix Steve's roof , I met her. She's nothing like her father, she's far from what he has shows people he could be. But I did some research Jake. "

Dad grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"She wasn't necessarily raised by he r parents, but by her own grandparents. They made sure they packed a s much knowledge into her brain and that's how she got ahead. By the time she was 12 she was done with school and her parents wouldn't allow her to continue, despite her begging. Her father wanted to have her married by 15 like it was back in the day but she didn't have any of it. She began torturing jobs and somehow raised enough money and started online classes at the local community college. Her father found out and they had an incident and she had enough. Mr. Weber, told me she went over to their house that same night. She didn't cry, living with her father she remembered him doing a case of a minor emancipating himself form his parents only if he was financially stable. She did that exactly and her father didn't even fight. He just gave her up. Mr. Weber said she's been on living on her own for the past 7 months, but when it comes to having a family or having love. It's only her grandparents, two people she's really wasn't allowed to talk to. Her father still doesn't allow her to talk to her siblings. "

For someone to deny her soo much, to deny her love was wrong. How dare a parent deny their child their dreams of coming true? How in their right mind would do that to a poor child, show them ways of hate and sexist ideas. No one, especially a child should live in an environment like that. She was alone, she always was. Even if her grandparents were there she still lived in that hostile house full of hate. That's why she was so shy, she didn't grow up like the rest of us, and she was always around older people. People she had nothing in common but a math assignment. She could hold he r own because she was mature, because her dad didn't give a shit about her or her mother. They only cared about having her breed with some stupid boy who would never make her as happy as me. Someone completely wrong for her and would make her life a living hell, a hell she didn't deserve. Not anymore, she needed the best that love could offer. She needed someone to always be there, to show her how to love. I had to make her life better.

"Jacob, speak to me. " I looked at dad and shook my head. I opened my mouth but then closed it.

"She needs me dad. If you don't want me to see her because of her fuckin dad, well im sorry. Me and her are soul mates and im not going to just leave her. She needs me to love her. "

Dad's soft smile reached his eyes.

"Jacob, she needs you, like you need her. "