Chapter Three
The Unexpected Announcement
Bella's POV
It had been two weeks since Jacob and Billy had been to our house for dinner and since that time, I hadn't been able to get him off my mind. He had called several times, but I either wouldn't answer the phone, or would conveniently go to the bathroom every time Charlie answered the phone, so each time he would have to offer the excuse that I was indisposed and unable to speak with Jake.
There was a large part of me that felt guilty about doing this, but after seeing Jake with that other girl hanging all over him, I needed time to sort things out, even if he had declared his love for me. I was having a hard time trusting anyone that much again.
It was Saturday, and I woke up with the realization that things were changing for me. I had actually graduated from high school yesterday. I lay there, going back over my big day in my mind as I came to turns that it was a turning point so to speak.
I laughed and covered my face with my comforter as I remembered how worried I had been the whole day about tripping and embarrassing myself. But I was lucky and walked across the stage to receive my diploma without a spill.
Then I remembered looking into the stands where my dad and Billy sat. I pulled the cover around me closer as I remembered hoping I would see the face I hadn't seen in two weeks, Jacob.
I missed him terribly and had been secretly hoping he would be there, but he wasn't. I began thinking of all the reasons why he wouldn't have been there. Maybe he had forgotten about me already and moved on. Maybe he had taken that girl up on her offer after all. But when I thought of Jacob with another girl, my heart ached. I closed my eyes and pushed the burning sting of tears away.
I blinked a few times, as I remembered how I had put on a fake smile and waved at my dad and Billy offering them the show I knew they needed, when inside all I wanted to do was to go home, put on something comfortable, read or do something to take my mind off Jacob.
But as luck would have it, I couldn't even do that after the ceremony. Charlie and Billy had planned on taking me out for a celebratory meal afterwards. So my recoiling into myself would have to wait.
I saw flashes of faces as I remembered the goodbye hugs from all my friends and how everyone kept saying we had to keep in touch. It had taken a half hour at least to get to Charlie after the ceremony.
Then came the meal, and it was enjoyable but I just could not stop thinking about Jacob. The one thought that kept plaguing me was had he really forgotten about me? As I took the last bite of my meal, I had begun trying to convince myself that maybe it was for the best and I realized that I wasn't sure I could ever trust a man again.
The part that was hardest to accept though was the fact that not only had I always loved Jacob as my very best friend, but I had truly started to fall in love with him, until he abandoned me breaking every promise he made to me.
Sure he had told me about the secret he was keeping and about the changes he had gone through, but I just couldn't see how he would have let something—no anything keep him from me.
I gathered her things to take a shower and so I could get ready for the day and it hit that i had two months free before college was scheduled to start, which by the way I wasn't even prepared for.
I began thinking that maybe I needed a break from school for a while, maybe I could find a job in the next couple of months and maybe just go to school part time and start building up a little savings account. That was planning for the future, right?
I decided not to worry about it right now, and got dressed, then went downstairs only to find a note from Charlie. He loves to write his notes. I thought laughing to myself.
He said he was going fishing with Billy and wanted me to meet him at the Blacks' for dinner later that evening. He said he had something he needed to discuss with me and that Billy was making his famous fried fish.
What could he possibly have to discuss with me that he couldn't do it here, I wondered? I really wasn't ready to face Jacob again but I had a feeling I had to go or face my dad later if I didn't show up or worse have him send Jacob to get me and I wasn't up for being alone with him right now, especially being confined in a car with no escape. Besides, it would be good to see Billy again and maybe Jacob wouldn't be there anyway. I'm sure he had a busy schedule these days.
I spent the day doing chores around the house, and thinking about Jacob. But no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't seem to get him off my mind. And that girl, why was it that I kept thinking of him being with that girl? Every time I let my mind wander down that path, I found myself wanting to do bodily damage to someone, preferably that girl. How dare she try staking a claim on what was mine. Mine? Did I just think that? This is not good, not good at all!
After finishing the chores, and starting a load of laundry, I made myself some lunch and sat down to find something to watch on television. I would watch something—anything to get my mind off of Jacob and that girl, if not everything breakable in this house would be broken.
I settled down on the sofa, my plate in my lap, and started to surf the channels settling on watching Paula's home cooking. It was one of my favorite shows. I looked at the clock. It was now three, so I decided I had time to watch a few episodes. I wasn't going to leave until six o'clock to go to the Blacks'.
At five-thirty, I turned off the television and went upstairs to change clothes. Then I made my way back downstairs and pulled the door closed as I left. I climbed into my truck and pulled out of the drive, on my way to La Push, wondering again what my dad could possibly have to say.
As I pulled up to the little red cottage, I realized how much I had missed coming to this place. I opened the driver's door to get out and the front door of Jacob's house was opened suddenly and there stood Jacob.
He took my breath away. He had gotten even bigger since I saw him last and his muscles were definitely more defined. His hair was shorter but looked good on him. He was gorgeous!
"Hello, Bella," he said as I made my way up onto the porch and walked toward him.
"Hello, Jacob," I replied, walking past him and making my way into the small house.
I walked toward the kitchen where I heard my dad and Billy talking and I heard Jacob following me.
"Hey, Bella. Long time no see. How have you been?" Billy greeted me.
"Hello Billy. I'm doing good thanks. It's good to see you," I said, as he took my hand in his and rubbed it.
"I'm glad you're here," my dad said, "Billy just got done with frying the fish fry. Now we can eat. I'm starving. I know you're probably wondering what I needed to talk to you about, so we will do that while we eat too."
We sat down and I made sure I sat where I didn't have to look at Jacob face to face. The plates were passed around as we helped ourselves to fish, salad, and a pasta dish. We sat there eating for a few minutes, no one saying anything. I could feel Jake giving me sideways glances and then Charlie cleared his throat, as if to get our attention.
"We wanted you both here to talk about plans for a two-month summer vacation. I took some time off from my work so Billy and I have decided that it would be fun for us to take our vacation together this year. We are going to the vacation house that belonged to Jacob's mom and we will be leaving tomorrow. When we are finished eating, we'll go home and pack some our things and be back here tonight, so we all can leave together early in the morning."
"What!" Jacob and I both said at the same time.
"Now Bella, I've noticed you and Jacob have not been spending as much time together of late. You two have been friends since you were babies. You haven't been happy for the last month and I think you two need to take this time to work things out."
"That's right," replied Billy, "Jake has been moping around here too. He hasn't been the same since you stopped coming around Bella. You two are always happier when you're together. Your dad and I will be doing a lot of fishing, but there are still a lot of things around that area for young people to do. You two just need to work things out."
"Fine," I said.
I knew it was no use arguing. I'm sure I can find ways to stay out of Jacob's way, though a part of me was secretly thrilled to be able to spend time with him. He just didn't have to know that right now.
I looked up and Jacob had turned my way and was staring at me. When he noticed he was caught he looked away. Well, this will be interesting, I thought to myself.
After that discussion was out the way, we finished eating and left to pack and come back so we can leave bright and early in the morning together, just great!
We got home and in two hours we were packed and were on our way back to the Blacks'. When we walked into the den, I noticed a mattress on the floor prepared for someone and the sofa was made up like a bed too.
"Jacob and Charlie will be sleeping in the den," Billy announced, as we put our things down in the hallway.
Then that meant I would be sleeping in Jacob's room, so I gathered my toiletry and sleeping gear, took a quick shower, and was on my way out of the bathroom when I collided with what I thought was a brick wall. Jacob quickly grabbed me against him before I landed on my behind. It felt nice for a minute, until I came to my senses.
"Excuse me," I said to him, but he refused to move for a minute and I was about to have an all out panic attack when he slowly let go of me, stepping back about two inches, where I had to lightly brush against him to get by.
And all that time he had not said a word, just stared at me. I quickly made my way to his room, closed the door, and let out a deep sigh. This trip was going to be harder than I thought. I'm just gonna have to find ways to stay out of Jacob's way.
It looked as though with Billy and my dad doing as much fishing as they could, Jacob and I would be left alone a lot and I couldn't let my guard down for a minute. I didn't want to go through another heartbreak considering I was slightly on the mend. I knew this time, it would be even worse, if I let myself feel what I had hidden deep inside of me, so with my resolve in tact, I climbed into Jacob's bed and went to sleep thinking tomorrow would be most interesting.
I forgot to say,i dont own any of the characters in this story,i am just helping them make the decision that should of been made
Stephanie Mayer owns them.
big thanks again to itslikenature for her help and guidance with this story,check her stories out,they're good,very good:)
oh and,can i rant a min,we all know that in rated M stories there will be physical interaction with characters,but what happened to holding hands,walks on the beach,long talks into the night,candle light dinners or just falling asleep holding each other,having a real emotional connection
yes sex is a part of a relationship,but if that is all they do when they are alone together or jacob is treating bella in a degrading way and being disrespectful during sex and that's all he thinks about when he is with bella,that's not love and has nothing to do with romance,that's porn,i am not knocking anyone for it,to each it's own, but when i read a romance story and find page after page of them saying a few words to each but most of it is taken up with them having sex,dont try and tell me that is romance.
i am not trying to piss anyone off,that is just how i feel cause some of the sex acts gets real degrading,especially when jacob has been with bella,then been turned on my another girl as soon as he has done having sex with bella in the next.
i am sorry for ranting,i guess i am just a little fed up with the way jacob has been made to act in some stories,a womanizer,and a drunk who cares for nothing and no one but getting laid and partying,cheating on bella,how can anyone say they are on team jacob and write about him in such a way,i dont understand,i never will i guess.
i am not trying to put anyone down,it is just my personal feelings.
end of rant. thanks to everyone who have read my story,reviewer or not,i am very grateful:)
hugzzzzz
