Chapter 2

"Hey, Nessie!" said the beyond gorgeous face that is Jacob in his deep, husky voice.

As always, I got lost looking at him. Everything around me just disappears except for him. Moments like these remind me of a cell phone on a charger. My heart was making up for being away from him. It drives me insane not to be with him. Every moment we're apart is exaggerated. The seconds turn into minutes, minutes turn into hours, hours turn into days, and so on. I had to remind myself to stop being an awkward freak and to say something.

"Hey, Jacky!" I said. Was my voice overly enthusiastic?

"Hello, Jacob." my dad said.

Dad! What are you doing!? Please, please go somewhere else! I tried to exaggerate my thoughts to make sure he got the message nice and clear. That earned me a hard, cold glare.

"Hey, Edward!" Jacob said.

"So, you're taking her to the Up and Down Amusement park?" he asked innocently.

"Yep. Should be fun." Jacob responded.

"Sounds like it. Try not to puke like when you were little, Renessme." Dad teased.

"Dad! I was three!" Was he trying to ruin my life?

"And what is that in human years? Seven? Un-be-lievable." Jacob said in mock disgust. My dad shook his head, feigning disappointment. I rolled my eyes, but felt a smile creeping onto my face.

"Whatever. You ready?" I asked.

"Yep. How 'bout you?" he said.

"Yep. Totally."

"Have fun!" my dad said with a smile. He tried to mumble too low for my ears to intercept, but I still heard him say "And no funny business. She doesn't have to know yet." Jacob briefly looked at him with an expression of hate and hurt. What was THAT all about?

"Okay. Well, bye, Edward!" Jacob said with an over the top voice. I could tell he was really upset.

"Bye, kids!" dad smiled. Kids? Well that was kind of insulting. There were defiantly hidden messages going on here.

"Uh… Bye, Dad." I said. My voice must have clearly stated my confusion, because Dad suddenly looked at me with piercing eyes. Was he invading my mind? Flowers! Bumble bees! Television! Brick walls! Computers! I tried to concentrate on lots of different random things.

"Let's go!" I dictated in between thoughts. I grabbed his arm and used it like a leash, pulling it out the door with me.

"All right, then!" Jacob chuckled, following me.

Lip gloss! Blush! Mascara! Eye shadow! Foundation! Albert Einstein! Sir Isaac Newton! Jacob's Rabbit! Door! Seatbelt!

"Go! Go! Go!" I yelped.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Faster! Faster! Speed, I don't care!" I said. Actually, this was kind of fun. Very "on the run from the cops" like.

"Do you think he can still hear my thoughts?" I asked after about 6 or 7 miles. I had never thought to ask Dad what his mind-reading range was. By now I had run out of nouns and had moved on to random noises.

"Uh… Probably, I don't know. What's going on?" he pleaded. I looked at him. Wow, this was really driving him insane.

"Few. Sorry. Dad was hacking my brain." I explained. "So. What was all that about?" Jacob's face immediately went as pale as a face so tan could possibly go, and his shoulders tensed up.

"What are you talking about?" he said a little bit too innocently for my belief. I was going to have to do this the hard way. Without any further explanation, I reached over and touched his shoulder and replayed the scene. After that was over, I let my confusion, frustration, and hurt rage through my hand. Why was he keeping secrets from me? I removed my hand from his shoulder. Jacob sighed sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, Renessme. I can't tell you." he struggled out. "You know that I want to tell you. Really badly. But I just can't. It's not my choice. I'm so, so sorry."

What does he mean it isn't his choice to tell me? He's a free person and he can tell me whatever he wants!

"Yes, you can tell me. In fact, I insist you do. Right now. Why is it so important that you can't tell me? I tell you everything! I always have!" I cried. "But apparently, that status isn't shared." Jacob was shaking furiously. "Jacob! Settle down!"

"We're here." Jacob whispered so quietly it was barely audible. The second the car stopped, he dived outside. I huffed and followed him. This was so unfair! I've always told him everything! That's the way it's supposed to be with best friends. But now he's keeping secrets with my dad! Of all people, my dad! We were approaching the ticket booth, and neither of us had said another word.

"I-I thought we were best friends forever. But maybe this is a one-way friendship." The tears were near spilling over my eye lids, so I darted towards the bathroom.